I was the Queen of Persia

Page 52

Shahzani devised an offensive strategy:

Khosrow led 3 troops, launched an attack from Termez, crossed the Amu Darya River, and launched a feigned attack on cities such as Balkh, Faryab, Khushjan, Anbar, and Tarikhan.

Rustam Zaman led 3 troops, launched an attack from Hutaliang, crossed the Amu Darya River, and launched feigned attacks on cities such as Kunduz, Hullam, Bagran, and Siminjan.

She herself led two generals, Nasita and Khorshid, commanding 4 troops, and launched an attack from the Amur Fortress, heading straight for Merv, an important city in Khorasan Province.

After half a month of mobilization and preparation, all the armies have been assembled.

……

公元1002年6月26日，波斯历371年提尔月5日。

Outside the city of Amr, the Saman army was in a large and well-organized formation.

Thousands upon thousands of scarlet Saman banners, like blood and fire, stretched to the horizon. Each banner bore the word "Iran" in Persian script, the military emblem of the newly established Samanid regime.

The Samanid queen, surrounded by the Shah's female guards, ascended a high platform facing the entire army. The crimson Saman military banner behind her made her dignity even more majestic.

Shahzani surveyed the entire army and solemnly proclaimed in a loud voice:

"Warriors of Shahr, Iran! Devout believers of Allah Hudda! Successors of Rustam!"

“In the past, our country was prosperous and our people were wealthy. Unfortunately, a group of ambitious hypocrites seized power in the country. They held military power, established their own independent states, and plunged our great nation into disintegration and decline.”

"Now they are entrenched in Ghazni, occupying Khorasan, Sistan, Kerman, and Quhistan. Our glorious victorious army is here to reclaim these sacred Iranian lands!"

"All troops, heed my command: Conquer the Ghaznavid Dynasty!"

Several armies then set off, heading towards the territory of the Ghaznavid dynasty.

……

The outpost of the Mulv Oasis, Kushmahan.

Nasita was ordered to lead the vanguard to attack the city. The vanguard assault force, composed of elite troops from Transoxiana and Khwarazm, swept across the battlefield, conquering the surrounding Ghaznavid strongholds and rapidly approaching the city.

However, it doesn't require too much effort.

Many of the Ghazni garrison troops stationed in this city were originally Samanid soldiers. However, at the end of the previous dynasty, due to the rise of warlords and the severing of ties with the court, they were forced to be incorporated into the Ghazni forces.

Now that the Samanid army is pressing in, they have no desire to fight any longer. After putting up only a few symbolic resistances, they opened the city gates and surrendered to Shahzani's army under the command of their commander.

The battle got off to a good start.

Shahzani ordered that they rest for several days in Kushmahan to replenish their supplies and recuperate before continuing along the Silk Road and the Khorasan Road toward Merv—one of the most important districts and cities in Khorasan Province.

Marw, also known as "Maru", "Mare", "Merf", etc., has always been an important city in the history of Iranian culture.

Ardashir and Shapur the Great of the Sasanian dynasty expanded this eastern oasis. The last Sasanian ruler, Yazdegerd, also perished near the city while fleeing eastward (may he rest in peace!).

During the Samanid dynasty, Merv became even more prosperous, with numerous towns and cities within its territory, a dense population, and abundant resources. It was also known as the "jewel of Khorasan" along with Nishapur, Herat, Tus, and Balkh.

Located on a key route of the Silk Road, Merv also possesses immense military and strategic value. Occupying this location would allow for a deterrent to Herat to the south; to Tarikhan and Hushkhan to the southeast; and to Nisa, Abiveld, and Nishapur to the southwest.

Given this, Mahmud naturally attached great importance to the defense of Merv. Although he was leading his main force on an expedition to India, he deployed highly loyal generals and troops there and reinforced the city's defenses year after year.

Thus, Nasita's vanguard encountered fierce resistance from the Ghazni defenders when they advanced to the outskirts of Merv. Despite the general's strength and skill in battle, she was unable to break through the combined defenses of the various Ghazni tribes. After a fierce battle, she was forced to retreat and rejoin Shahzani.

"Don't be discouraged," Shahzani encouraged the defeated female general. "The Ghazni army is clearly ready for battle. Since we can't break through with a direct assault, let's try other tactics."

She pointed to the map on the Samarkand paper: "The fact that the Ghaznavid army has transferred a large number of troops to the vicinity of Merv means that the defense of the cities in the rear has been weakened, most obviously in Sarakhs. Therefore, we can send some troops to make a flanking maneuver to Sarakhs and disrupt their formation."

“Your Majesty Shah, I am willing to lead the warriors to attack Salah al-Shah,” Holshid volunteered.

“Yes,” Shahzani agreed. “You will lead your troops to outflank the enemy’s main force, while General Nasida and I will continue the frontal attack to cover your offensive.”

Once the tactics were finalized, Shahzani dispatched 5000 elite cavalrymen, commanded by Khorshid, to bypass the defenses set up by the Ghazni army, cross the Morgab River secretly along the edge of the Karakum Desert, and approach Salahash.

Meanwhile, Shahzani and Nasita launched probing attacks against the Ghazni army in the Merv region, diverting their attention to the main battlefield and drawing Ghazni troops from surrounding cities toward Merv.

This gave Halshid more opportunities to infiltrate.

a few days later.

Halshid's elite force successfully reached the lightly defended city of Sarahash. After a brief battle, suffering few losses, they drove out the small number of Ghaznaean defenders and captured the city. Seeing this, the nearby city of Tarastana, also short of troops and supplies, surrendered.

The change of ownership of Salahash directly reversed the situation in Mulu.

The Ghaznavid defenders of Merv suddenly found their supply lines cut off. If they continued to fight to the death, not only would they not be able to hold the city, but they might also find themselves surrounded on all sides.

Meanwhile, on the main battlefield, Shahzani turned feigned attacks into real offensives, launching several unprecedentedly fierce offensives that tore through the Ghazni army's defenses, leaving their castles, villages, and strongholds unable to support each other.

Faced with this passive situation, the divided Ghaznavid defenders had no choice but to abandon Merv and retreat in batches.

Against the backdrop of crimson battle banners, Shahzani rode an armored horse, followed by a vast Saman army, as they entered the archway of Merv.

Chapter 115 The Liberation of Khorasan Province (2)

Mulu City.

The rows of domes adorn the city in a spectacular way, and the exquisite Persian patterns made of fired bricks appear even more magnificent and dazzling under the sun.

The streets and alleys, the bazaar market, were bustling with people.

Sufi monks ring bells and chant prayers, begging for alms; water vendors carry sheepskin water bags, calling out their wares; merchants drive camel caravans, buying water from vendors to wash away the dust of their journey; the enticing aroma of roasted meat and naan bread wafts from stalls; groups of women, carrying earthenware pots on their heads, head to public water reservoirs to draw water for their daily needs…

Although the city changed hands frequently after the fall of the former Samanid dynasty, fortunately, most of the regimes that took over the city paid great attention to protecting the city's normal order in order to ensure that it could provide sufficient sources of wealth and tax revenue.

Shahzani led his army to take a short rest in the city and began to take over the city's grassroots government and facilities.

Scouts and scouts kept sending back battle reports from the front.

According to reconnaissance, Mahmoud's main force in Ghazni is still far away in Hindustan and there is no sign of them moving back. It is estimated that it will take some time before they return.

Another important piece of intelligence was that the governor of Khorasan under the Ghaznavid dynasty had amassed 5 troops, including regular standing armies, local militia, vassal nomadic tribes, and other recruited militia, and deployed them on the plain east of Tus, seeking a decisive battle with the Samanid army.

"A decisive battle? That saves us the trouble of attacking cities and capturing strongholds." Shahzani gestured on the sand table.

The Khorasan province has many cities, with major cities such as Nishapur and Tus generally having high walls and strong fortifications. The towns and counties scattered around the Kopit Mountains are also geographically isolated. If they were to be conquered one by one in a step-by-step manner, it would inevitably consume more time, manpower, and resources.

Now, with the Ghaznavid army concentrating most of its forces in one place, seeking a decisive battle, things become much simpler.

If we annihilate or defeat this wave of Ghaznavid troops, we can firstly greatly weaken their military strength and take advantage of the situation to capture the cities whose troops have been depleted; secondly, we can have a good deterrent effect and force the Ghaznavid commanders of the cities to surrender.

"Send the order! The entire army shall set off for Tus!" With that thought, Shahzani gave the order.

While issuing the orders, she also made strategic and tactical arrangements.

Tus is indeed a good place for a decisive battle. Occupying it would allow us to support Sarahash to the east, deter Nisa and Abiveld to the north, and threaten Nishapur to the west.

After rest and replenishment, her forces reached 5, achieving a numerical balance with Ghazni's army.

Thus, the Samanid army crossed the hilly outcrops at the edge of the Kopitos Mountains and advanced rapidly into the plains of Khorasan, with thousands upon thousands of Samanid scarlet banners radiating dazzling brilliance.

Benefiting from the advantage of legitimacy, the Persian inhabitants of towns and villages along the way strongly supported Shahzani's Saman army. In addition, the Kurds, Seljuks-Turkmen, Turks, and other ethnic minorities scattered throughout Khorasan Province also provided information to the Saman army.

Meanwhile, the Ghazni army, which had already assembled and prepared for battle, was filled with an air of arrogance and overconfidence. Upon learning of Shahzani's approach, many Ghazni cavalry officers boasted, "We'll teach these Samanid women a lesson; how could they possibly withstand our iron cavalry?"

Of course, many Ghazni soldiers were cautious. The Ghazni governor of Khorasan, as the commander-in-chief, repeatedly emphasized: Do not underestimate Shahzani, do not underestimate this "women's army".

……

East of Tus, on the plain of Farsach 15.

The armies of Saman and Ghaznavids deployed their forces here, preparing for battle.

Thanks to the terrain, the Ghaznavid army seized advantageous positions, controlled water sources, and several nearby high slopes that provided good observation.

As Shahzani looked around, all she could see were the sun peacock banners of the Ghazni army and Ghazni soldiers as numerous as the sea, densely packed and blotting out the sky.

"Hmm, their formation is quite well-organized. Compared to the Karakhanid army, their discipline is clearly superior..." She held up Biruni's observation glasses and carefully observed the enemy's formation.

That's right. If geographical advantage isn't enough, technology can make up for it. The intellectual achievements created by scholars can be transformed into military combat power.

After repeated observations, Shahzani decided to continue using the same feint attack strategy to disrupt Ghazni's army's deployment.

The battle began the following morning.

Both the Samanid and Ghaznavid armies deployed their most crucial striking forces—heavy cavalry. A massive armored torrent surged forth, unleashing a spectacular melee on the battlefield. Subsequently, infantry, mounted archers, and light cavalry lines clashed in close combat.

The more mobile Samanian light cavalry were ordered to roam around the perimeter of the Ghaznavid army to lure them into disarray.

The sounds of steel clashing, soldiers shouting battle cries, warhorses neighing, war drums beating, and suonas blaring echoed across the battlefield.

The two armies' heavy cavalry were evenly matched in combat strength, and the command abilities of their junior officers were equally matched. The battle was fierce and lasted for a long time without a clear victor.

But that's it.

Shahzani astutely noticed that her decoy force's efforts had been effective—gap formations had appeared between the Ghazni ranks, imperceptible to others. However, while others couldn't detect them, she could perceive and judge them with remarkable accuracy.

So Shahzani immediately dispatched Nasita, leading 5000 elite Khwarazmian cavalry, to slip through the gap and sever Ghazni's army.

The fierce Khwarazmian cavalry moved at the command, with Nasita leading the charge with courage and fearlessness; almost no one could withstand her offensive.

This sudden attack immediately disrupted the Ghaznavid army's formation. The Ghaznavid soldiers hurriedly took cover, and their formation became noticeably chaotic and loose, even resulting in minor stampedes.

Meanwhile, another group of Samanid soldiers led by Halshid quickly outflanked the Ghaznavid army, constantly harassing them and exacerbating the chaos within the Ghaznavid ranks.

Shahzani personally led his army in a fierce attack on Ghazni's central army, aided by hundreds of catapults manufactured by Qin artisans. These war machines were gradually built up during the Qin army's marches and campaigns, thanks to the Qin artisans' efficient manufacturing capabilities.

Under the relentless onslaught from multiple directions, the Ghaznavid army could not withstand the onslaught. Their relatively weak flanks collapsed first, and the soldiers scattered and fled. Even the most elite Ghaznavid heavy cavalry and Delaman heavy infantry could not withstand the onslaught of the Shaher armored female cavalry and retreated in disarray.

Shahzani seized the opportunity to intensify her offensive, continuing her multi-pronged attack and turning the Ghazni retreat into a rout.

Chapter 116 The Liberation of Khorasan Province (3)

"Go over there and look for any survivors."

On the devastated battlefield, Samanid soldiers used their swords and spears to toss over corpses, searching for usable supplies and prisoners of war, especially the governor of Khorasan province in Ghazni.

The setting sun was like blood, and flocks of crows and vultures circled in the sky.

"Your Majesty Shah, we have found it."

A Samanid soldier turned over the layers of human and horse corpses and pointed his sword at the bottom.

Shahzani looked in the direction of the sound.

The governor of Ghazni Khorasan lay sprawled at the innermost part of the palace, his sword piercing his own body. His eyes were wide open, and his lips were twisted in a grimace, as if he were filled with the humiliation of defeat and a deep sense of guilt toward his sovereign.

Shahzani sighed deeply and gestured to the soldier beside her: "Bury this brave warrior who was loyal to his duty. Although he was our enemy, he deserves respect."

Saman's soldiers, upon receiving the order, bent down and straightened the corpse.

Indeed, although this governor fought for the Ghazni regime, as a subject, he faithfully fulfilled his duties and was willing to die for honor rather than surrender. Despite their different allies and different masters, Shahzani still greatly admired this noble quality.

Just as the Samanid army was clearing the battlefield and collecting spoils, a Nassak came to report that the officials and priests of Tus had surrendered and sent representatives to pay homage.

“Okay, bring them over,” Shahzani ordered.

After a while.

More than ten officials and priests, wearing Persian felt hats, turbans, and long robes, arrived at Shahzani's tent under Nassak's guidance. Upon seeing the queen, they respectfully bowed and kissed the ground, presenting her with maps and information about the city of Tus.

Shahzani opened the presented register and read it carefully; the surrendered men stood respectfully by his side, awaiting instructions.

"How is the living condition of the people in Tus?" Shahzani asked briefly.

“Your Majesty, despite the impact of war, the people of Tus continue to work diligently in agriculture and commerce, each fulfilling their duties, and remain devout to God. They abhor and resist theft, robbery, the worship of evil, and other corrupt practices that spread corruption in the world,” replied an imam of Tus.

"What is the condition of the fields and wells in Natus?" Shahzani asked again.

“Your Majesty, the fields and orchards of Tus produce wheat, barley, sugar beets, onions, carrots, cumin, madder, cotton, alfalfa, saffron, apricots, apples, figs, pomegranates, and pistachios. All irrigation wells and canals are guarded by Milab, and the farmland and reservoirs have ample water,” a Tus official replied.

"Yes, you are all good officials who are loyal to their duties, but now I want to ask you about someone. I wonder if you know the answer?" Shahzani looked at everyone, her tone gentle but filled with eager expectation.

"Whom does Your Majesty wish to inquire about?"

"Ferdowsi".

Shahzani said solemnly.

Another official stepped forward, his face showing a hint of disappointment. He said, “Your Majesty Shah of Light, Ferdowsi is a highly respected elder of this city, and he is very famous among the people. We were just about to introduce him to you, but he left without saying goodbye.”

"Oh? Is that so?" Upon hearing this, Shahzani raised an eyebrow slightly.

The official took a scroll from his belt, saying it was Ferdowsi's farewell letter, which he had found on the lock of Ferdowsi's house, and presented it to him.

Shahzani took the book and read it.

The letter begins with eulogies to God, reason, the Prophet, the Samanid dynasty, and Queen Shahzani. Further down, this prolific old writer explains the reasons for his departure:

"With my work unfinished, I dare not offer my humble creation to the great King of Kings."