Upon the ivory throne sat Khosrow Noshinravan, illuminating the world with justice and wisdom. A monarch who found joy only in the pursuit of knowledge and the company of mobads, he listened closely to the traditional lore recited by ancient dehqans. Among the King's ministers was Mahbod, a man of pure heart and noble intellect, entrusted with the royal treasury and the governance of the realm. Mahbod possessed two young sons, radiant as spring, who devotedly served the sovereign day and night. So boundless was the King's trust in Mahbod that he partook of no dish unless prepared in Mahbod's household by his virtuous wife and delivered by his two sons.
Yet, the dark smoke of envy rose within the heart of Zarvan, the elderly chamberlain of the court. Resenting Mahbod's lofty standing, Zarvan plotted his downfall. It came to pass that Zarvan encountered a sinister Jewish sorcerer. Upon learning the chamberlain's deep grudge, the sorcerer devised a fatal scheme: through dark magic, he would taint the royal milk dish from afar, so that any who tasted it would perish instantly.
The next morning, as Mahbod's sons carried the golden tray covered in golden brocade into the royal hall, Zarvan approached with deceitful smiles, asking them to uncover the dish so he might admire its fragrance. The moment the youths unveiled the tray, the sorcerer cast his sorcery upon the milk from a distance. When the feast was presented to Noshinravan, Zarvan falsely warned the King not to eat without a taster, alleging that the cook had mixed deadly poison into the milk. Innocent of any ill intent, the King ordered Mahbod's sons to drink first. As soon as the two noble youths swallowed the milk, they fell to the floor as if struck by arrows and gave up their spirits before the throne.
Filled with terrifying fury, Khosrow Noshinravan's face turned pale as a withered blossom. He commanded that Mahbod's mansion be razed to dust, that Mahbod and his wife be executed, and that their vast wealth and kin be utterly destroyed. Thus, the righteous house of Mahbod was wiped out, and Zarvan enjoyed his brief, unholy triumph.
Time passed until one day King Noshinravan rode forth to hunt. Among the royal steeds, he spotted a horse bearing Mahbod's brand. Grief pierced the King's heart, and tears flowed from his eyes as he recalled Mahbod's unwavering loyalty and questioned the mysterious turns of fate. On the return journey, conversation turned to sorcery and dark arts. Zarvan foolishly remarked that a sorcerer could secretly infuse poison into milk even from afar. These words struck the King like thunder, rekindling memories of the tragedy and casting suspicion upon the chamberlain.
At the next encampment, Noshinravan summoned Zarvan in private and interrogated him sternly. Trembling with dread, Zarvan confessed his horrific crime and implicated the Jewish sorcerer. The King immediately dispatched fast riders to capture the magician. Before the assembled nobles and mobads, the truth was laid bare. Noshinravan ordered two tall gallows to be erected, hanging both Zarvan and the sorcerer while the crowd showered them with stones and arrows.
Seeking to right his past error, the King searched for Mahbod's surviving kin, finding a virtuous daughter and three noble relatives. He bestowed upon them the entire confiscated wealth of Zarvan and the magician, while weeping in prayer to Yazdan for forgiveness. Thenceforth, Noshinravan devoted his reign to peace and magnificent works, building a grand city in the Roman style called Suristan, gathering artisans and farmers from across the world, ensuring his legacy of justice endured through the ages.