it is mentioned about the life of anushirwan that a man from his private servants committed a crime that anushirwan learned about but the man was unaware of it. the punishment for that crime was death in the sharia so he did not know how to kill him he did not find an obvious matter that would kill the rulers and shed his blood nor was he able to uncover his crime because of the weakness of the king and the kingdom nor did he find an excuse for himself to kill him by treachery since that was not in the laws of their religion or the inheritance of their ancestors. so he summoned him a year after his crime and he took him aside and said i am concerned about one of the secrets of the roman empire and i need to know it and i do not find myself at peace with anyone as i do with you since you have taken the place in my heart that you are at. i have decided to pay you money so that you can carry trade there and enter the land of the romans and stay there for your trade then when you sell what you have you will carry what is in their land of their trade and come to me. during this time you listen to their news and learn whatever we need of their affairs and secrets.
وفيما يذكر عن سيرة أنوشروان أن رجلا من خاص خدمه جنى جناية اطلع عليها أنوشروان، والرجل غافل عنه. وكانت عقوبة تلك الجناية توجب القتل في الشريعة؛ فلم يدر كيف يقتله لا هو وجد أمرا ظاهرا يقتل بمثله الحكام فيسفك به دمه، ولا قدر على كشف ذنبه لما في ذلك من الوهن على الملك والمملكة، ولا وجد لنفسه عذرا في قتله غيلة، إذ لم يكن ذلك في شرائع دينهم ووراثة سلفهم. فدعا به بعد جنايته بسنة، فاستخلاه وقال قد حزبني أمر من أسرار ملك الروم، وبي حاجة إلى أن أعلمها، وما أجدني أسكن إلى أحد سكوني إليك إذ حللت من قلبي المحل الذي أنت به. وقد رأيت أن أدفع إليك مالا لتحمل إلى هناك تجارة وتدخل بلاد الروم فتقيم بها لتجارتك؛ فإذا بعت ما معك، حملت مما في بلادهم من تجارتهم وأقبلت إلي. وفي خلال ذلك تصغي إلى أخبارهم، وتطلع طلع ما بنا حاجة إليه من أمورهم وأسرارهم.