I was the Queen of Persia

Page 90

"Excellent!" Selim exclaimed excitedly. "With this, Rakka City is safe for the time being! Immediately issue the order to break camp, regroup, and relocate!"

Since being betrayed by allied forces and forced to retreat, Selim has not lost her fighting spirit.

With her flexible and resilient mobile infantry force, coupled with a relatively tolerant policy of united front work on religious matters, she gained widespread support in the Jagira region, including Muslims, Christians, Yazidis, and Jews.

Relying on her ever-growing base, she frequently engaged in skirmishes with Mustafa's army, achieving numerous victories in mobile guerrilla warfare and keeping Mustafa's army constantly on the move.

Meanwhile, Zayed and Idris, her two right-hand men, firmly obeyed her orders and did not turn against her despite Mustafa's superior numbers, which further strengthened the resistance of Hamdan's regime.

Not long after.

Zayedi and Idris returned victorious, and the three groups joined forces to find a new direction for their shift.

“In my opinion, we should move southeast along the Euphrates River to the city of Qarqisiya,” Selim said, gesturing on the tattered map.

“Excellent idea. The enemy forces are weak in that direction, which is a good opportunity to escape Mustafa’s lackeys from pursuit.” Zaydi and Idris both agreed with this view.

"Yes, but there's another very important point."

Selim nodded and said, "Marching in that direction will allow us to reunite with Lady Sahinnian more quickly. We were forced to abandon her amidst the enemy's advance; may merciful God protect her!"

Once the plan was formulated, Hamdan's army immediately regrouped and marched towards Galtsyah.

……

at the same time.

A camp near Samara, on the border between Iraq and Jajra.

Standing on the high slope, facing the forest of battle flags and the sea of ​​soldiers in the open field, Sahini felt a surge of emotion.

By inspiring uprisings among the people of northern Iraq, her forces have expanded far beyond the "Holy Flame Brigade" and now include a large number of northern Iraqi militias.

Just as Hamdan Alawite troops had taught Selim, she and her female officers and soldiers vigorously taught Iraqi militia tactics, transforming this originally undisciplined mob into a group with a preliminary stable fighting capability.

"Muslim warriors!"

Facing his troops, Shahinian's voice was high-pitched: "Today, the evil usurper has seized Baghdad, squandering the blood of good Muslims to fuel his own wicked ambitions! And Samara, the city before us, is the lair of these lackeys! Fight! Conquer this city and let Mustafa's followers bleed themselves dry!"

"Holy War! Holy War! Jihad! Jihad! Allah is Great! Allah is Great!" The shouts, a mix of Persian and Arabic, echoed across the plains.

Shahini's display of power was so overwhelming that the Mustafa soldiers defending the city were terrified.

The Mustafa army defending Samara included a large number of former Abbasid troops. These troops were generally unwilling to fight for Mustafa's crazy ambitions, and it was already difficult for them to hold on amidst the siege of the rebels. Now that Shahiniyan was besieging the city and the reinforcements they had been waiting for had not arrived for a long time, where would they find the courage to continue to resist?

Shahini led the Sacred Torch Brigade and Iraqi militia in an assault on the city. After a relatively mild hand-to-hand combat, they successfully scaled the outer walls of Samara and forced Mustafa's forces into the city.

Just as preparations for street fighting were underway, a report came from the front-line soldiers: "The defending officer has sent an envoy to surrender." Thus, without much effort, Shahini successfully captured this important town in northern Iraq.

Iraqi militias took control of the defenses of Samara, and Shahini ordered the opening of the city's armories and stables, seizing a considerable amount of armor, swords, shields, bows, crossbows, warhorses, and other weaponry.

Samara was, after all, a large city with a developed iron smelting and forging industry and a considerable stockpile of weapons and armor. With these skills and equipment, the Iraqi militia's combat effectiveness was immediately elevated to a new level.

“Reporting to Sadar (Chief).” Iraqi militia commander-in-chief, Ishaq ibn Mahdi Badr, approached Shahini. “The scouts have brought the latest intelligence: due to Her Majesty Shahzani’s steady advance in the south, Mustafa’s reinforcements, which were originally intended to attack this place, have been gradually redeployed to the south.”

"Perfect timing." Sahinian chuckled. "Then let the warriors assemble and march south in full force to attack Baghdad!"

Mahdi Bader accepted the order and took his leave.

At this moment, a female officer from the Iranian Torch Rescue Brigade said with some concern, "Sadar, isn't it too risky to launch a large-scale southward offensive now? Perhaps we should wait for Her Majesty the Queen's decree before raising an army?"

“If we just wait to receive the imperial decree, ‘even a baked naan will get cold’ (meaning we’ll miss the opportunity),” Sahinnian said solemnly. “What’s there to be afraid of? Even if we lose the battle and the Queen blames us, she’ll only behead me. So, carry out the orders!”

After all, a general in the field may disobey orders from the emperor, and Shahzani granted her considerable autonomy precisely because she valued her adaptability. As the commander-in-chief of the Sacred Torch Brigade, she naturally had to make good use of this power.

"Yes, sir!" the female officer replied firmly, accepting the order and taking her leave.

……

at the same time.

South of Baghdad, in Numania and the Diyar-Akul region.

Shahzani confiscated the land of Mustafa's cronies and was now presiding over a grand land distribution ceremony, distributing surplus land, including the estates of Mustafa's powerful figures, religious nobles, and reactionary mosques, to poor tenant farmers who had little or no land.

Although Rubina was also from a prominent merchant class, as her designated economic agent, her interests were protected, and she was permitted to continue monopolizing the trade of certain goods in Iraq. Of course, this was contingent on her abiding by the law; otherwise, Shahzani could seize her property at any time.

In return for the monarch's favor, Rubina devoted herself to public charity, donating large sums of money to build infrastructure such as public baths, almshouses, bazaars, and city hospitals.

She also allocated additional funds to repair trade routes between cities such as Kufa-Washit-Madah, as well as irrigation projects in the swampy areas of southern Iraq, in order to improve the living conditions of small and medium-sized self-sufficient farmers, Shiites, and swamp Arabs.

This complements Shahzani's land redistribution measures.

Through a combination of carrot and stick tactics, the die-hard Mustafa faction in Numania and other areas has been largely eliminated.

Chapter 210 Assassination at the Mosque

Shahzani led his troops north, launching a raging offensive that swept away the remnants of Mustafa's army in Ghulai, forcing Ghulai into a series of defeats.

The Saman army was as powerful as a torrent. In addition to the regular army in steel armor, Shiite militias in Kufa and other places, the insurgent army led by Porogina, the Arab tribes in the swamps, and even the mercenaries armed by wealthy merchants and nobles such as Rubina were all actively cooperating with the Iranian army's offensive to eliminate Mustafa's forces.

With this unifying force, Shahzani quickly approached the former Sasanian capital, Madain.

The remnants of Quray fled in panic to Madain, but before they could build an effective defense, they received news that the Saman army was close behind. In despair and with low morale, he was forced to abandon Madain and flee in disgrace to the taller and more fortified city of Baghdad.

After all, defending against a large military force in a flat plain like Iraq, where there are no natural defenses, is no easy task.

Soon, Mustafa's black flag fell forlornly from the walls of Madain, while the red flag of the Samanid dynasty rose slowly.

This event was of great significance, marking the return of the Persians to this region as military rulers since their defeat at Qadisia in 637 AD, washing away the humiliation of 300 years ago.

"Wow, this city is even more beautiful than I imagined!"

Shahzani rode his warhorse through the tall city archway and was greeted by a prosperous Iraqi city—magnificent buildings, groves of date palms, and complete facilities such as bazaars, bathhouses, and mosques.

"Let the officers take over the local government according to their assigned positions. It's almost noon prayer time, and I'm going to the mosque in the city for my prayers," Shahzani instructed his soldiers.

Along the way, the streets were packed with people, bustling with activity. Caravans of donkeys, mules, and camels came and went in an endless stream, and the shouts of vendors from all over the place made the already narrow streets even more lively and crowded.

The Shahr Guard, tasked with providing escort, dispatched a small team to clear the way ahead and two detachments to flank the sides, thus clearing a path for Shahzani and her party.

Soon, a beautiful and solemn mosque came into view.

At this time, as it was close to prayer time, there were a large number of Muslim believers coming to pray. Several female guards of Shahzani tried to clear the crowd to make things easier for Her Majesty the Queen, but were stopped by Shahzani.

“Let them stay here. Don’t worry about my safety. The one who can take my life hasn’t been born yet,” Shahzani said optimistically, with a meaningful expression on her face.

After dismounting outside the courtyard and removing their armor and boots, they entered the inner sanctuary with devout hearts. A large congregation stood silently before the enormous shrine, while the muezzin led the prayers, reciting scriptures aloud.

Originally, mosques were segregated by gender, but because Shahzani held a high position and was highly skilled in martial arts, and because the time for prayer came suddenly and in a hurry, no one dared to obstruct the entry of this group of female warriors.

However, they did not notice that among the rows of slightly drooping heads, there were a few heads quietly observing Shahzani and her group.

Prayer continued, with Muslims kneeling on their prayer mats to show their devotion.

But at this critical moment...

Several dark figures suddenly sprang up from the crowd, drew sharp blades from their sleeves, and lunged at Shahzani.

Shahzani reacted swiftly, dodging the blades as they approached. However, the attacks from all sides were overwhelming, and several blades grazed her helmet and armor. Fortunately, her Persian armor was sturdy and robust, easily deflecting these minor attacks.

The queen retaliated immediately. She grabbed one of the assassins' leather wrist guards and twisted it forcefully. A cracking sound of breaking bones rang out, and the man screamed in pain, dropping his dagger to the ground. She then swung her gauntlet-clad fist and struck another assassin hard in the chest, causing him to spit out a mouthful of blood.

The elite female guards of Shaher reacted quickly, drawing their axes and hammers and rushing over to annihilate the group of assassins.

As the famous saying goes, assassins can hardly fight against heavily armored warriors head-on. After a fierce battle, all the assassins were annihilated, and a few who had no other choice swallowed poison they had hidden beforehand and committed suicide.

at this time.

The main hall was in complete chaos, with mess everywhere. Believers scattered and fled. The Shaher Guards decisively formed a battle formation to stop the fleeing crowd and maintain order at the scene.

"The guilty bow before the great Muslim ruler!"

The priest in charge of the mosque also arrived. Naturally, he was terrified that this had happened in his territory: "By the merciful God, I swear! These vile assassins are of unknown origin, and they deserve to die!"

“Never mind,” Shahzani waved his hand. “These are all the schemes of evil people, and have nothing to do with you true Muslims.”

After dismissing the still-shaken bishop, Shahzani ordered the assassin's body to be transported back for examination and handed over to the Nassak officers in charge of intelligence for study.

Coincidentally, in the following days, reports of assassinations of officers and soldiers increased: some were messengers on horseback who were intercepted and killed halfway; some were sentries at isolated checkpoints who were attacked by hidden weapons and poisoned arrows; some were soldiers acting alone who were assassinated from behind by unidentified individuals...

The bright moon rises, casting its silvery light over the desert and date palm groves.

On the outskirts of Main, the camp of the Saman army was brightly lit with campfires, and sentries and patrols lined up, gripping their weapons and vigilantly surveying the surroundings.

Inside the commander's tent, Shahzani and the main generals were gathered for a meeting to discuss the events of the past few days.

"It seems that Mustafa and Gulai are unwilling to accept their defeat so easily. Since they can't win on the battlefield, they deliberately create this atmosphere of terror," Shahzani said calmly, looking at the report on the paper in Samarkand.

"Bah! These bloodthirsty hypocrites! Devils! They dare not face life and death on the battlefield like warriors, and only know how to use these dirty tricks!" Bahram said angrily from the side.

“Such behavior is insignificant to the overall situation,” Shahzani said. “It can be prevented with a little vigilance. Order! From this moment on, all soldiers must remain on high alert, travel in groups when carrying out missions, and strictly guard their posts.”

"We obey your orders!" the generals replied.

After dismissing her ministers, Shahzani stood up and began to ponder. It seemed that the struggle would no longer be limited to open, direct military battles; assassinations and covert attacks would also become increasingly common.

More importantly, the attackers may no longer be limited to Mustafa's faction.

Having experienced it firsthand in her past life, she is well aware of the complexities of the Middle East.

This land of civilization, stretching from the eastern Mediterranean coast to Mesopotamia, has a long history of civilization and prosperous trade. However, for thousands of years, it has also been accompanied by continuous, bloody, and complex ethnic and religious conflicts. Today, various forces, both overt and covert, are deeply entrenched, making the situation even more chaotic.

Lost in thought, Shahzani undressed and went to bed with the help of the female slaves, and soon fell asleep.

While I was fast asleep, I suddenly felt a chill on my cheek.

The soldier's alertness made her sit up abruptly and look around warily.

The military tent was silent. Armor and weapons stood quietly on the weapon racks, and a few copper lamps burned as always. The heavily armored Shahr Guards stood faithfully outside the tent.

On her pillow, however, was a dagger, a feather, and a note with strange symbols.

Chapter 211 No matter how many routes you take, I will only go one way.

"Your Majesty Queen Shah." The female guards of Shahel bowed as they saw the monarch emerge from the tent.

"Oh, it's so hot, I couldn't sleep, so I came out for a walk," Shahzani said casually. "By the way, have you noticed anything?"

“No, Your Majesty, everything is normal,” the Shahr guards said.

“Very good, stay vigilant and take immediate action if anything is discovered,” Shahzani said.

Back in the military tent.

Shahzani frowned and pondered as she looked at the items left behind by the intruders.

"To be able to penetrate a heavily fortified camp undetected, and even evade the surveillance of the elite Shahr guards, indicates that this person is no ordinary individual; he is likely a seasoned assassin and stealth operator. However, in this vast land of Iraq-Jajra-Sham, which faction could possess such a ruthless individual?..."

She doesn't understand these issues yet.

However, she was certain that the person who had intruded into the military tent did not belong to Mustafa's regime.

The reason is simple: if he were truly Mustafa's follower, if he were truly a mortal enemy, he would have already made his move. On the contrary, he merely sent a threatening warning signal and did not actually carry out the assassination.

From this perspective, this person, while not a friend, is not entirely an enemy either. In a compromise, it's a state of neutrality with a hint of hostility.

With many questions lingering in her mind, Shahzani felt sleepy again and gradually drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, she issued an imperial decree summoning Hydia to the military tent.

"Greetings to the great King of Kings!" Upon seeing Shahzani, Hydia obediently prostrated herself on the ground, kowtowing and kissing the earth. After this period of training, the female assassin had succumbed to Shahzani's majesty.

"Rise, Hydia," Shahzani said calmly. "As an assassin from the Sham region, you are quite familiar with the traditions of this profession. I summoned you here to have you identify a few things."

After saying that, he handed over the items left behind by the intruders the previous night to Hedia.

Hydia frowned, picked up the dagger and feather and examined them for a moment, then picked up the note with the strange symbols and looked at it again and again. It was an abstract symbol, like a mountain peak bulging upwards, or like the tip of a short sword in an assassin's hand, with a pattern drawn in Sham Arabic script in the middle.

“Your Majesty, I think I have the answer in my heart.”

"You said."

……

Meanwhile, in an oasis outside the city of Medayne, in a dense and secluded date palm grove.

An elderly man, his face veiled and dressed in a black robe, stood silently. A short while later, another young man nimbly darted through the bushes and came before him to report.

This young assassin was dressed in a rather unique manner. He wore a white Levantine assassin's hood and a greyish-white assassin's suit, with leather wrist guards, leather belts, and other accessories prominently displayed on his armor.

"Atari Ibn Ra'ahadi".

The old man slowly spoke: "Is the mission complete?"