I was the Queen of Persia

Page 53

"Alright, I understand." Shahzani felt a slight sense of loss at the thought of having just missed the great man she admired.

But she quickly realized that the meeting of heroes wasn't about this short-term event. As long as they achieved great things and created a glorious chapter in their lives, there would be many more moments of brilliance to be had in the future.

She instructed the local government to continue granting the Ferdowsi family tax exemptions. She also ordered the government to allocate funds as a writing stipend to alleviate the Ferdowsi family's financial worries.

After arranging the tasks, she allowed the officials and priests to rest and have a meal in the camp before proceeding with other military affairs.

……

After the surrender of Tus.

Shahzani employed a two-pronged approach: he dispatched Nasida to advance northward, capturing cities such as Nisa (Ashgabad), Abiverd, and Guchan; and he sent Khorshid westward, taking over cities such as Nishapur and Sabzewar.

She herself designated Tus as the capital city of Khorasan Province, established a garrison and bureaucracy, and gradually incorporated it into her national territory.

She personally believes that Tus has a richer cultural atmosphere than Merv and Nishapur. Not only did it give birth to a great writer who was famous throughout Persia, but it also had a significantly larger number of "Dabilistan" literacy schools.

Of course, this is also thanks to the vigorous construction efforts of the government offices of the former Samanid dynasty.

Near Tus is another religious holy site—Mashhad (Sanabad). However, at this time, Mashhad was just an obscure little city, not yet the famous city it would become in the future.

To facilitate the mobilization of resources and to integrate the newly annexed territories as soon as possible, after taking up residence in Tus, Shahzani ordered funds to be allocated from the central treasury of Bukhara to repair the trade routes and caravan stations in Khorasan Province.

The postal system in Khorasan Province was relatively complete, but some facilities were quite outdated, some even dating back to the Sasanian era. During the campaign to recapture Khorasan, the troops used the inns along the way as rest stops. They found that some inns had collapsed walls, some had dilapidated water cellars, and some even had weathered and fallen bricks from their archways, all of which required some degree of renovation.

Thanks to the efficient operation of the Divan organization, the necessary funds and materials were quickly transported to Khorasan Province, and a large-scale renovation project immediately began.

Meanwhile, Nasida and Horshid's armies also frequently reported victories.

Since Ghazni's main force in Khorasan had been scattered, the remaining troops were few in number and fought independently. They were powerless to resist the assembled Samanid army and were thus swept away by the Samanid army.

Furthermore, Khorasan was a key area of ​​the former Samanid dynasty, and many local officials, nobles, and common people still held a deep love for the Samanid dynasty. Therefore, when the new Samanid army arrived, they lined the streets with naan bread and flowers to welcome them and took the initiative to guide the Samanid troops, which greatly facilitated the advance of the two female generals.

Only a few die-hard forces refused to submit, but under the powerful iron fist of the Saman New Army, their struggles were in vain.

By the time of Shahriwal, most of the cities in Khorasan province had fallen into Shahzani's hands.

Chapter 117 Marching into the Province of Khoshistan

The campaign to recapture Khorasan Province went relatively smoothly.

However, Mahmud's Ghaznavid dynasty was not to be underestimated. During the Samanid army's advance, they frequently organized local counterattacks and recaptured some towns.

Meanwhile, the scouts ahead brought Shahzani important news: Mahmud's main force of Ghazni had returned from India and was currently advancing to Kandahar. They would soon pass through Sistan and reach Khorasan.

Upon receiving this news, Shahzani immediately made three preparations:

He dispatched Hursid to garrison Herat and control the key route from Sistan to Khorasan.

Nasita was dispatched to be stationed in Tus, the capital of Khorasan, to provide support for the frontline battles at any time.

She herself led her troops south, aiming directly at the Khoshistan province south of Khorasan.

……

At the end of the month, the Samanid queen officially set off from Tus, heading south along the caravanserai and Khorasan Road.

Kuhistan, also known as "Kuhistan," "Guhistan," and "Khuhistan," has its capital in Kayin. It also has a special name—"Southern Khorasan" or "Little Khorasan."

However, unlike the prosperous and densely populated Khorasan Province, the Kushistan Province is covered by deserts, with the famous Kavir Desert extending into its territory, and has a much drier climate.

This geographical pattern makes the province sparsely populated. Apart from some oases, post stations, settlements and nomadic tribes scattered around roads and irrigation canals, the rest of the area is mostly uninhabited wilderness.

To ensure a smooth march, Shahzani specially gathered sufficient provisions and weapons in Khorasan and assigned several mobile cavalry regiments to patrol the rear of the marching route to protect the supply lines.

The sky was a dark orange-red, and the ground was covered in yellow sand as a rolling sandstorm swept across the land. This is typical weather in Kushistan Province, where, due to its proximity to the Kavir and Lut deserts, sandstorms frequently rise up, obscuring the sky.

"Da-da-da!"

The sound of warhorses' hooves was slow and steady; the Saman army was not moving fast, and the long column moved slowly along the desert road.

"Your Majesty Shah, we are now only half a day's journey from Zavah," a scout reported from ahead.

“Yes, continue to scout.” Shahzani waved his hand and then ordered his men, “Send word to the entire army to find shelter from the wind and rest for a while. After the sandstorm passes, we will prepare to attack the city.”

The strong wind, carrying sand and dust, gradually moved away, and the chaotic sky brightened slightly.

But that's it.

"Report! Your Majesty Shah, an unidentified cavalry has been spotted ahead and is attacking our army!" The scout rode to the center of the army and reported to Shahzani.

“Is it the Ghazni army?” Shahzani asked.

"Your Majesty, their clothing is inconsistent and their formation is chaotic, so they are probably nomadic tribes from the surrounding area, most likely Kurds."

Shahzani nodded, signaling the scouts to step back, and then said to the officers on his left and right, "Order the Khwarazmian cavalry regiment to attack and intercept this suspicious armed group!"

"Yes, sir!" the attendants replied.

The Khwarazmian cavalry, a powerful fighting force personally trained by the female general Nasita, moved swiftly upon receiving the order and charged towards the attackers. The battle broke out at a distance of several thousand paces on the right flank of the main army.

The nomadic raiders, though brave, were no match for the well-trained regular army. After a bloody battle, they were divided and surrounded, becoming sitting ducks. The Khwarazmian cavalry captured their leader alive and presented him to Queen Shahzani.

As expected, the attackers were Kurds from the Qushistan province, and the captured leader was a tribal chief named Aga Jalari.

Aga Jalari was overwhelmed by the Queen's power and immediately knelt at her feet, kissing the tips of her boots and begging for forgiveness.

他 说:

"May Almighty and Merciful God bear witness that we Kurdish tribes have long been nomadic in this region. A year ago, several of our tribes had an irreconcilable conflict with the Ghazni government. Meanwhile, the Ghazni garrison has repeatedly raided our villages, seizing our livestock, claiming it's to support Mahmud's cause in Hindustan..."

"...Therefore, we had to retreat temporarily into the desert to avoid the encirclement and annihilation of the Ghaznavid army. Ah! Great Queen! When your army arrived, we mistook you for a Ghaznavid. We beg you, the merciful and just one, to forgive the sin we committed!"

As he spoke, Aga Jalali offered to lead the way for Shahzani's Saman army, saying that his Kurdish tribe could do so.

His confession was sincere and heartfelt, showing that due to the chaotic times, even the usually straightforward and honest nomads had learned to speak in a "smooth" way.

Shahzani was skeptical, but she did not refuse. Instead, she smiled and said that if Aga Jalari was really willing to cooperate, it would mean he had chosen the right path, and he would be richly rewarded after the matter was accomplished.

After all, the enemy of my enemy is not necessarily my friend, but at least we can use each other.

Aga Jalali was overjoyed and kowtowed again in gratitude.

Shahzani, of course, had a backup plan. She secretly deployed her elite cavalry regiment to advantageous positions. If Aga Jalari was a hypocrite who was inconsistent in word and deed, then what awaited him was probably a punishment more merciless than death.

The Saman army vigilantly monitored the Kurdish tribes leading the way and continued their advance toward Zawa.

Fortunately, the Kurds faithfully kept their promise and provided several secret paths that led to weak points in the city's defenses, which greatly facilitated the Samanid army.

Under Shahzani's command, the Samanid army quickly established a simple but effective siege position and launched a fierce attack on the city walls before the Ghazni defenders could react.

The Ghazni garrison in Zawa was already small, and now, caught off guard by the sudden attack from the Samanid army, they had no time to organize an effective defense. After a brief skirmish, they abandoned the city and fled, or surrendered.

Having captured Zawa, Shahzani consolidated his local power and then headed southwest.

The surrounding Kurdish tribes were completely subdued by her powerful presence and readily offered to guide them and provide intelligence. Due to their long-term migrations across the province and their unique inter-tribal communication channels, the Kurds' communication was relatively efficient.

With the help of various military intelligence reports from the Kurdish tribes, the Saman army's march went more smoothly, and they successively captured cities such as Pusht, Turshiz, and Kundur.

Turshiz was a major trading center, with a wide variety of goods sold as far as Khorasan Province, earning it the nickname "the trading post of Khorasan." Kundur was equally prosperous, boasting as many as 226 large villages within its borders.

Having captured these rich cities, the Samanid army secured ample supplies, and its supply lines quickly extended to these areas, ensuring its continued conquest.

Next, Shahzani decided to attack another important city within the province's jurisdiction—Bajistan.

Chapter 118 Winning the Hearts and Minds

It must be said that although the road infrastructure in Khoshistan Province is not as complete as that in Khorasan Province, most of the local residents—whether the main ethnic group, the Persians, or the minority groups, the Kurds and Turkic tribes—are either intimidated by the Queen’s powerful majesty or genuinely admire her, due to Shahzani’s meritorious achievements and prestige.

As a result, most towns and villages along Shahzani's route submitted to her, actively supplying the Queen's army and indicating their routes. Under these circumstances, the Samanid army advanced rapidly through the Khoshistan province, and within a few days, they were already at the gates of Baghstan.

The Ghazni garrison in Bajistan had retreated to the city of Hain long before the Saman army arrived at the city. This unexpected good news allowed the Saman army to easily occupy this key city in the province without lifting a finger.

There was a little incident during our rest period in Bajistan.

A disheveled man knelt before Shahzani, kissed the ground, and pleaded, "Your Majesty, the merciful and just Queen, your subjects have grievances to appeal!"

The female guards on either side of Shaher were about to step forward to reprimand the man for his recklessness, but were stopped by Shahzani.

Shahzani gestured for him to stand up and said, "Tell me the truth about what grievances you have."

The down-on-his-luck man then said that he was an insignificant but law-abiding small merchant in the city. Several years ago, he heard that business was good in Isfahan, so he decided to go there.

Before leaving, he sealed all his possessions—5000 dirhams—in a ceramic jar. To keep it a secret, he specially bought some dates and used them to cover the jar, hiding the dirhams underneath. After doing all this, he entrusted the jar containing the money to his friend, the local judge, for safekeeping.

However, due to bad luck, he did not make a lot of money in Isfahan, and the years of traveling had depleted his funds. So he decided to give up the idea of ​​making money abroad and return to his hometown.

However, when he received the items he had entrusted to him years ago from his friend, the local judge, he was dumbfounded: the entire jar was full of dates, and the thousands of dirham silver coins hidden at the bottom had simply vanished.

Enraged, he confronted his friend, who vehemently denied the accusations and even used his position as judge to convict him of false accusation, punish him with dozens of strokes of the cane, and banish him from the city.

His sudden change of fortune left him penniless and desperate, leaving him no choice but to appeal to the supreme queen for justice.

After hearing the appeal, Shahzani immediately ordered the female guards around her, Shaher, to summon the judge and confront him in court.

They also brought physical evidence—the jar filled with dates.

The portly judge, wearing a huge turban, arrived. Upon seeing the elegant and dignified queen, he immediately knelt down with a "plop," frantically kissing the ground and uttering a string of flattering words.

Shahzani remained unmoved, reached into the jar, took out a date, and glanced at it.

"Hmm, you mean when he handed the jar to you, it was full of dates, not any money, right?" She blinked her beautiful eyes at the judge, her face full of amusement.

"Your Majesty, it is absolutely true." The judge remained obsequious.

"hehe."

Shahzani sneered a few times: "How could dates still be so fresh after being stored for several years?"

After comparison, everyone present could see clearly that the dates on the surface were dry and wrinkled, as if they had been dried for a long time; while the dates at the bottom were fresher and obviously had been added later.

Faced with irrefutable physical evidence, the judge was immediately taken aback.

"This... Your Majesty, it was the fault of our servants. Please punish them!"

"Hmph, your sophistry looks so weak and feeble."

"I was blinded by greed and committed this despicable mistake. Please forgive my foolish and shameful act for the sake of God and the Prophet!" The judge kowtowed again, begging for forgiveness, his forehead beaded with sweat.

"Enough," Shahzani interrupted him with disgust. "As a Muslim arbitrator, instead of upholding justice and truth, he has abused his power and bent the law. If such behavior is not punished, when will Iran's glory be restored?!"

He then ordered the Nassach officer in charge of law enforcement to dismiss the man from his post, imprison him, and fully compensate the impoverished merchant for his losses.

The down-on-his-luck merchant was extremely grateful and remained kneeling in gratitude for a long time, praising the woman repeatedly.

The Queen's wise act of punishing the corrupt officials quickly spread throughout the city. Everyone admired the just Queen, bowing and singing her praises to express their deepest respect.

The people of Baghdad spontaneously provided supplies to the Queen's army, and local officials, landowners, and priests also called on nearby towns and villages to submit to the Queen.

With such a solid foundation of public support, Shahzani's work of integrating the newly conquered territory naturally went more smoothly. She transferred some soldiers and officials from the army to stay in the area to assist in defense, while also leaving behind some Khorami missionaries who had accompanied the army.

……

After a period of rest, Shahzani continued her southward march. The increased morale among the people made her campaigns much smoother, and fortresses along the way were conquered like sandstorms. Several other cities controlled by Ghazni—Junabad, Tun, and others—also fell into Shahzani's hands.

The scattered Ghaznavid troops were unable to resist and retreated to the provincial capital, Hayon.

Shahzani's army followed closely and soon besieged the city of Hain.

Although Kayin gradually declined in later periods, it was a renowned city in the 10th century. Muslim travelers who visited the city, such as Ibn Haukar and Nasr Khosrul, all mentioned that it was tall, sturdy, and heavily fortified. If the defenders of the city had sufficient supplies and were determined to hold it to the death, even a well-trained and powerful attacker would find it difficult to conquer in a short time.

The army is arrayed, and the siege camp has been established.

Shahzani rode his horse around the city wall several times and found that there were indeed many towers and solid battlements, making the city's defense system quite tight.

If it were a situation like in Khorasan Province, it would be easier to handle: the enemy concentrates most of its forces in field battles, and winning the battle would be equivalent to destroying their manpower.

But now, the enemy has clearly decided to defend the city to the death and refuse to fight. If she has to fight, she can only fight a siege. And since Hayne controls a vital transportation route, it must be captured.

“Your Majesty, the city walls are very high. If we try to attack them head-on, we will likely face a tough battle,” said the female officer Shaher beside her.

“Yes, I know.” Shahzani nodded in agreement. “But even the most fortified city will eventually be conquered by our mighty Iranian cavalry.”

At this moment, she was already devising a tried-and-tested tactic: to lure the enemy's main force out of the city and find a suitable opportunity to annihilate them.

Chapter 119 Battle for Hayne City

The Samanid army constructed a siege system around the city of Ha'in, proceeding methodically. Shahzani ordered several probing attacks.

The army advanced in formation, the siege equipment was set up, and the war drums and suonas that guided the attack resounded across the battlefield. The Saman soldiers, with their morale high, rushed towards the city of Hay.

The Ghaznavid army defending the city naturally dared not show weakness. Under the command of their officers, they desperately fired arrows, threw rolling logs and stones, and overturned siege ladders.