Previous Summary:
Zayd won an opening skirmish against Amir Fahad ibn Rashid, who had tried to block the luxury shop with bribed officials. Zayd countered with higher approvals and steadied his position. A formal summons then arrived: the Merchant Council of Baghdad wanted him at its next sitting.
📍 Scene: COUNCIL HALL, NEAR THE BAZAAR OF KARKH — MIDDAY
Polished stone, high arches, scribes at long tables. Senior merchants filled the semicircle by house and guild. At the center dais sat SHEIKH HAMID AL-TAMIMI, Council Chair.
A scribe announced, "Zayd ibn Suleiman, provisional seat." Eyes turned as ZAYD entered—plain dark robe, clean ledger under his arm. AFTAB stood behind him, arms folded. (Aftab is Zayd's cousin; former city guard captain, dismissed for refusing an unjust order. He now leads Zayd's escorts and shipments.)
SHEIKH HAMID: "You are welcome, Zayd. Listen first. Speak when granted."
ZAYD: "Understood, Sheikh."
Reports moved quickly—grain quotas from MOSUL, barge tolls on the TIGRIS, complaints from WASIT. Then a bell rang for petitions.
SHEIKH HAMID: "Petition one: price stability in the carriage trade. Brought by Amir Fahad ibn Rashid."
FAHAD rose in crimson silk, voice smooth.
FAHAD: "Honored Council, the carriage market is being distorted by a newcomer selling below fair cost. Established craftsmen are being crushed. I request a Minimum Price Charter and a temporary suspension of the newcomer's license until his books are examined."
A low murmur. Several older merchants nodded.
SHEIKH HAMID: "Zayd, you may answer."
ZAYD stepped to the speaking rail, set down a thin ledger.
ZAYD: "Honored Council, I do not sell below cost. I lowered cost. Three points:
Materials: We source oak and ash directly from village co-ops under fixed contracts; no middlemen.
Labor: We pay steady wages and bonus per finished frame—output is higher, rework is lower.
Loss Prevention: Our shipments take fewer losses. My escort chief will explain."
He glanced back.
AFTAB: (clear, steady) "I'm Aftab ibn Zayd, head of escorts and logistics. Former captain of the city guard. We run three rotating units—riders, guards, archers. In six months, caravan losses dropped from 8% to under 1%. Lower losses mean lower insurance and no panic pricing."
A scribe scratched that down; a few merchants leaned forward.
FAHAD cut in, smile tightening.
FAHAD: "Fine stories. But who verifies these numbers? Any man can bring a cousin and a ledger."
ZAYD didn't blink.
ZAYD: "Then let the Council's own auditors review my books here and now. And for fairness, let the Minimum Price motion include a clause: any petitioner must also disclose his cost structure to the same auditors. If we set a floor, it should reflect real costs—everyone's."
Silence. Then scattered chuckles. Two merchants who seldom agreed nodded at each other.
MERCHANT (HOUSE SAQLAWI): "If Amir Fahad seeks a floor, let him show his costs too."
MERCHANT (GUILD OF WHEELWRIGHTS): "A floor without costs is just a stick to beat rivals."
FAHAD's eyes flashed.
FAHAD: "This council has never forced senior houses to expose their ledgers."
ZAYD: "Then we can skip the floor and keep the market honest. Or we make new rules that apply to all of us."
SHEIKH HAMID lifted his staff.
SHEIKH HAMID: "Motion on the table: 1) Appoint two neutral auditors to examine both parties' costs within ten days. 2) Suspend the Minimum Price Charter pending that review. 3) Recognize the right of a merchant to innovate if costs are clean."
He looked around. "Hands."
Hands rose—more for than against.
SHEIKH HAMID: "Carried."
A scribe recorded the vote. The hall loosened; talk resumed.
FAHAD approached, voice low, polite edge gone.
FAHAD: "You are quick with traps, Zayd."
ZAYD: "Only if a man walks into them, Amir."
FAHAD: "Enjoy today. Auditors have friends."
ZAYD: "So do facts."
AFTAB stepped half a pace forward; Fahad measured him, then turned away.
📍 Scene: COUNCIL HALL ANTECHAMBER — LATE AFTERNOON
Scribes sealed writs for the auditors. Two names were announced: one from the Guild of Scribes, one from the Guild of Carpenters. Balanced. Harder to buy both.
SHEIKH HAMID paused beside ZAYD.
SHEIKH HAMID: "You argued cleanly. Bring your contracts and escort logs. If your numbers hold, you will not be easily moved again."
ZAYD: "You will have everything, Sheikh."
AFTAB murmured as they stepped out into the courtyard light.
AFTAB: "He'll try another door."
ZAYD: "Then we bolt them all. Escorts tighten routes. Shop keeps perfect books. And we start building alliances—the quiet kind."
AFTAB nodded once. "Understood."
They left the hall to the sound of the bell calling the next petition. The day had not crowned a victor, but it had done something more important: it set the rules of the fight—and put Fahad under the same light he'd tried to turn on Zayd.
End of Chapter 54