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Military Warfare (3/25)
Economic development (2/25)
Culture and Technology (1/25)
Experience points: Level 19 (98%/100%)
Current remaining talent points: 10
"Culture and Technology - [Persianization of Islam], Effect: Increases the cohesion and loyalty of the people and military under its rule by 25%. Prerequisite: Further localization of religion (completed)."
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Chapter 68 Ilik Nasser Khan's Ambition
Uzgen, located on the eastern edge of the Fergana Valley.
Felt tents were gathered outside the city, and Ilik Naser Khan's main tent was already packed with military nobles and leaders from all sides.
After a grueling journey, he led the main force of the Karakhanid Khanate through the mountain passes of the Pamir Plateau, where they temporarily stationed their troops. The Pamir Plateau, even in summer, was swept by cold winds and occasionally ravaged by avalanches. The Karakhanid army suffered heavy losses of camels and pack horses while crossing the plateau.
He attempted to regroup his forces and reclaim the Transoxiana region, and subsequently summoned high-ranking officials, generals, and tribal leaders from various regions to Uzgen, where the Khan's camp was located, for a grand assembly.
After weeks of preparation, the leaders of Shash (Tashkent), Khujand (Khujand), Talas, Balasagun, and other places all arrived. Of course, the defeated generals Jafar Tegin and Subash Tegin also left in disgrace. Together with their personal guards, followers, and people, the area outside Uzgen was bustling with activity, as if a new mobile city had sprung up.
Guided by the biruk (Turkic: biruk, an official in the Karakhanid Dynasty responsible for proclaiming imperial decrees), the noble leaders took their seats according to rank and title. Servants then served them fine wine and delicacies, attending to their every need.
Il-Khwarik Khan sat on his throne, looking at the bustling crowd of chieftains around him, and said loudly, "In the name of the Khan! Chieftains, please be quiet, I have something important to tell you."
The Khan's authority was quite effective; the people who had been talking immediately stopped and listened attentively to what Bughra Camel Khan was about to say.
"You are all aware of what has happened in Transoxiana. But I want to say that the Samanid Persian victory is only temporary. Because we are the fierce Turks, the descendants of Avrashiyab, our swords are invincible! I believe that before long, we will surely retake Transoxiana and annihilate the Samanids!"
The Khan first offered words of encouragement, which proved effective. Many Karakhanid leaders, who had been disheartened by the Samanid victory, had their nomadic tribes' yearning for battle and plunder rekindled after hearing his bold words.
Ilik Nasser Khan nodded and continued his analysis:
"Although the Samanid army was victorious, internal divisions were becoming increasingly apparent. Montashir was still recovering from his injuries, Shahzani was being watched because of his high achievements, Arslan Yaru was short-sighted, Hassan ibn Tak was ready to defect at any moment, and Parviz had no say. Faced with the valiant Karakhanid army, they ultimately could not escape their fate of defeat!"
His bold statement was not without basis.
The Karakhanid Dynasty is currently at its zenith, controlling the trade routes from the Western Regions to Central Asia, and reaping a flood of trade wealth. Economic growth has led to increased military strength, and its war against Khotan in the east is progressing rapidly. The Karakhanid Khan and his nobles believe that Transoxiana is also surely within their grasp.
Of course, they overlooked Shahzani's formidable war potential.
Aknuer, who was sitting next to him, said, “Brother Khan, now that things have been settled, let’s send out our troops immediately! It’s the height of summer, and the granaries in the cities of Transoxiana are full of newly harvested wheat and hay, which is just enough to supply our army that is conquering cities and territories.”
“There’s no rush,” Ilik Nasser Khan waved his hand gently. “The Samanid army has just won a victory and is in high spirits. If we rashly engage them in a head-on battle, it will inevitably arouse their army and people to unite in resistance. Those clerics in Bukhara who are good at playing both sides may not open the city gates to welcome us.”
As the former commander who conquered Bukhara, Naser Khan was not without his own wits. He knew that the Karakhanid army's easy capture of Bukhara and the capture of the Samanid monarch was due to the secret assistance of the priests in Bukhara.
"Yes, yes," echoed the defeated general Jafar Tegin. "Great Camel Khan, what do you say we should do? Where your sword points, that is where we advance!"
Nasser Khan glanced at him and continued, “It’s simple: use raiding tactics. Send elusive Turkic cavalry deep into the vast interior beyond the city walls’ defenses, spreading panic and slowly eroding the Persians’ morale. When the time is right, gather the army and launch a full-scale attack!”
After some discussion, the noble generals concluded that this method was indeed feasible.
“Then please allow me to lead these raider troops!” Jafar Special Agent stepped forward immediately. “I am willing to be your first vanguard!”
“Yes, I hope you can show bravery and fearlessness.” Ilik Nasser Khan nodded, then looked at his sister, “Akenur, you shall also participate in the raids. I grant you both the authority to recruit soldiers from the subordinate tribes without the consent of the tribal chiefs.”
"Thank you for your kindness, Brother Khan." Aknuer bowed respectfully.
These were common tactics used by nomadic regimes in Eurasia. Although the Karakhanid Dynasty was transitioning towards a settled, Persianized, and Islamized society, it still retained many remnants of nomadic peoples, such as maintaining a dual-khanate system with two monarchs, and the custom of seasonally relocating the court, etc.
……
The study in the Governor's Palace of Samarkand.
Shahzani sat at a desk piled high with documents, her brow slightly furrowed. Beside her, a pair of delicate and beautiful hands were bringing her tea and snacks.
"Mivi (the name of a personal maid), go and see if Commander Falzana is available right now. If she is, ask her to come over," Shahzani instructed, her eyes fixed on the documents.
"Kadehuda, I am right in front of you." A familiar voice came.
Looking up, I saw Farzana standing in front of me with a smile.
"Oh, you've arrived." Shahzani quickly put down her pen and paper, stood up, and invited her to sit down.
"Take a look at this." Several documents were handed over. "Recently, the Karakhanid army seems to have intensified its activities, and several villages and counties along the border have been harassed. Although our army, thanks to its efficient mobilization system, can thwart their raids most of the time, with repeated attacks, oversights and loopholes inevitably appear, and..."
Shahzani paused slightly before continuing, "On several occasions, they have taken advantage of their ability to come and go freely to quietly penetrate deep into the heart of our territory."
“That’s right, I’ve received many similar battle reports as well.” Farzana looked at the documents and said solemnly, “This is the prelude to a major battle. It’s clear that the Karakhanid army is currently gathering strength in the east, attempting to make a comeback.”
"You think the same way I do."
Shahzani stood up, looked at the sand and dust outside the latticed window, and nodded slightly.
“It is now late summer and early autumn, and for the Karakhanids, there are only a few months left in the season suitable for fighting. They probably won’t launch a large-scale military campaign in such a short time, but they will definitely take action next spring.”
“Well, in short, we must prepare for war,” Farzana said.
"In that case, have the garrisons in various regions continue to strengthen their combat readiness and guard against any invasion by the Karakhanid army!" Shahzani instructed.
Chapter 69 Looting and Counter-Looting
Under the command of Aknuar and Jafar, the Karakhanid tribe was divided into small groups.
The Western Uyghur, Karluk, Yangmo, and Chisi tribes in the Pamir Mountains of the Lake Balkhash-Seven Rivers region, as well as some Turgesh, Nine-Surname Gus, and Chuyue tribes that were subordinate to the Karakhanid Dynasty, provided the main source of soldiers.
They were generally skilled riders and archers, and excellent horsemen, making them a good source of reserve troops. Although they were no match for the heavily armored cavalry of the Samanid Persians on the main battlefield, they were adept at raiding poorly defended villages and towns.
Under the command of their respective minbashes (commanders of a thousand), yuzbashes (commanders of a hundred), and angbashes (commanders of ten), they bypassed the Saman Persian army's defenses and frequently launched surprise attacks on undefended Saman villages and towns.
In border villages and towns, the warning suona horns sounded frequently, and villagers hurriedly abandoned their supplies and hid in makeshift fortifications in the countryside to protect themselves.
The Karakhanid nomadic cavalry stormed into the village and looted its wealth. However, they were helpless against the fortified strongholds that were easy to defend and difficult to attack. Fearing a counterattack from the Samanid regular army, they retreated after a brief period of looting, taking all the valuables they had captured.
Initially, the Karakhanid raiders did indeed plunder a great deal, with large quantities of grain, fodder, and cloth being looted and subsequently transported to the territory controlled by the Karakhanid Khanate.
……
Under the cover of night, a gentle breeze stirs the sand on the plains of Mavaranaher (Transoxiana Province).
"God bless us! We've snatched so many good things this time!"
"Not only is there a large amount of grain, but also the finest Zandan cloth, Khorasan brocade, and Samarkand silk—all good things!"
"It's a pity the chief ordered that we not to plunder people, otherwise I would have captured those Tats (Persians) and enslaved them long ago!"
Hidden in the darkness of night, the soldiers of the Karakhanid army camp chatted in hushed tones, beaming with pride.
The camp was heavily guarded, not only easy to defend and difficult to attack, but also difficult to find, with many sentries stationed all around. To maintain secrecy, cooking at night was forbidden, and all the raiders could only eat the dry rations they carried with them.
But suddenly.
In the silent night sky, faint sounds drifted through the air, mingled with the rustling of wind and sand.
"What's that noise?" The alert Karakhan sentry noticed something amiss and drew his bow.
But the next second, a sharp, gleaming iron object pierced his torso.
Immediately afterwards, countless flaming arrows pierced the night sky, striking the camp's watchtowers, fences, and tents.
The Samanid cavalry charged out from behind the surrounding sand dunes and mountains, like flames burning in the night, and quickly surrounded the Karakhanid army's camp.
In an instant, flames erupted everywhere, and the sounds of battle shook the heavens.
"The Tatars (Persians) have returned, and we cannot hold them off!"
"What's going on? How did they react so quickly!"
"The camp is surrounded on three sides!"
"We can't hold them off any longer! Forget about the spoils! Let's retreat!"
The Karakhanid raiders shouted in panic.
The brief but intense battle under the cover of night quickly came to an end, with the victorious Samanian pursuit force capturing the camp and reclaiming the spoils.
"Company commander, the Turans have fled. Should we continue the pursuit?" a Saman cavalryman asked, pointing in the direction the Karakhans had fled.
"No need," said the Saman cavalry company commander. "Don't pursue a defeated enemy. Let's clean up the battlefield first and take the spoils back."
Such sporadic skirmishes continued to unfold along the border between the Samanid and Karakhanid states.
Although the Karakhanids' raiding and harassment tactics initially yielded some results, as time went on, the Saman army strengthened its defenses, and the Karakhanids' successes dwindled, sometimes even resulting in them being surrounded by the Samanids.
Of course, the military quality of the Saman army is thanks to Shahzani's daily rigorous training.
……
The study in the Governor's Palace of Samarkand.
Shahzani remained seated by the bronze lamp, using its light to peruse battle reports from various regions.
The table was piled high with various documents, along with a dish of fruit syrup mixed with crushed ice. Ice towers (Yakhchal) were built in various Persian cities to ensure that cool meals could be enjoyed even in the hot summer.
"Kadehuda, another victory has been achieved on the front lines."
Farzana walked in from outside, holding the latest newspaper in her hand.
"Yes, it was indeed a brilliant victory. Although it was only a small one, small victories add up and can be a blow to the enemy's morale." Shahzani took the document and began to review it.
"Although it is almost autumn, the weather is still hot. It is estimated that this year will be a warm winter, and the Karakhanids will continue to increase the number of their raids and plunders according to the seasonal changes."
Farzana took off her sandals, sat barefoot on the carpet, and shared the fruit syrup from the plate with Shahzani.
"If they come, we will hold them off. Our army's mobilization efficiency is faster than ever before, and the local Basij militia's assembly speed has also increased significantly. The threat of this nomadic raid tactic to us has been greatly reduced."
Shahzani said calmly, and then gave the pomegranates and figs on the plate to Farzana.
“That’s right. The Karakhanids’ small-scale skirmishes might have some deterrent effect on unsuspecting rural villagers. But against a well-organized regular army and militia, it’s like throwing an egg against a rock,” Farzana said as she ate.
“This is a common tactic of nomadic tribes. They frequently raid villages without city walls, destroying crops and agriculture, leaving the civilians outside the walls living in endless fear, thus slowly undermining the foundations of their rule. But as long as we know how to counter them, their schemes will not succeed,” Shahzani further explained.
"Hey, all the sisters are here!" At this moment, Bahramu, fully armored, strode excitedly across the threshold.
Her handsome and pretty face was covered with beads of sweat.
"What good news has our ever-victorious female warrior brought?" the two people inside the room asked jokingly.
As Bahram removed his heavy armor, he vividly recounted a victory he had commanded:
“Just a few hours ago, I personally led my soldiers in a surprise attack on a forward outpost of the Karakhanid army located on the border…”
"This outpost serves as a transit point for the Karakhanid army's raids, so it has considerable military value..."
By this point, she had removed her helmet, heavy armor, arm guards, iron boots, and other protective gear, but she still showed no sign of stopping.
"Guided by Rustam's courage, we successfully captured it, cutting off one of the enemy's routes of invasion. The details are written in the battle report. Oh dear, riding in heavy armor during a surprise attack was incredibly hot."
At this moment, she was only wearing a pair of briefs, and even the bra wrap on her upper body had been torn off, revealing her fit and beautiful figure. Beads of sweat covered her light brown skin, and her long, wet hair, freed from the restraint of her headscarf, fluttered freely in the air.
"Wow, when did this woman become so unrestrained?" Shahzani thought to herself as she looked at her.
I guess I passed on my tomboyish attitude from before I transmigrated to the women in the army.
Bahramu sat cross-legged on the carpet, picked up a bottle of chilled fruit syrup, and took a big gulp.
"Haha, it seems our goddess of war is working very hard conquering new territories," Falzana teased.
“Of course!” Bahraim rolled her eyes at her, then looked at Shahzani. “Of course, it’s all thanks to Qadhuda’s brilliant command.”
The three chatted and laughed for a while before getting back to the main topic.
“By the way, Qadhuda, the Karakhanid army’s raiding offensive has been thwarted. While we continue to strengthen our defenses, shouldn’t we also prepare for the war next spring?” Farzana also looked at Shahzani.
“That’s right.” Shahzani nodded slightly. “Gather military equipment, provisions, and other essential military supplies.”
……
Armorys in various locations in Ha Trung Province.
The sound of hammers striking metal was incessant, and the flames in the furnace released bursts of heat. The armorers, shirtless, were busy forging and hammering on the anvil casting table, sweat pouring down their faces.
At this time, rudimentary assembly line production models had emerged in Transoxiana and Khorasan provinces, and the system gains imposed by Shahzani undoubtedly further improved production efficiency and capacity.
Armor and weapons were constantly being transported out of the armory and into the warehouse.
As the saying goes, war is a contest of production and consumption. In the last few months of the year, both Saman and Karakhan were working hard to manufacture weapons and train their troops, thus accumulating enough strength for the next war.