I was the Queen of Persia

Page 75

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After annexing Tabaristan, Shahzani ordered his army to be stationed there, establish barracks, appoint officials, and gradually take over the government.

Because he submitted voluntarily, Shahzani retained Shahriyar III's lands and fiefs, but stripped him of his ruling power, leaving him only as a wealthy commoner living a life of luxury.

Of course, not all political forces are sincerely submitting.

The Bavind court also had a slave guard, which could be roughly divided into two factions: one was the Rus' slave soldiers, and the other was the Turkic slave soldiers.

(As early as the Sasanian era, Persian nobles already had the habit of using slaves from foreign tribes such as the Turks and those from the Caucasus.)

These two factions were locked in constant infighting and conflict. Through continuous struggle, the Turkic slave army gradually gained the political advantage.

Therefore, when Shahzani arrived with his army, the disadvantaged Rus' slave army immediately surrendered, while the powerful Turkic slave army was unwilling to easily give up the influence and status it had gained.

Meanwhile, a small group of die-hards in the court also strongly resisted Shahzani's offer of amnesty.

These two forces gradually formed a conspiracy alliance.

The Turkic slave army secretly colluded with diehard courtiers to launch an armed rebellion in Sari three days later, overthrowing Shahriar III and assassinating Shahzani.

However, Bavind officials in the court who supported the Samanid dynasty learned of this news by chance and reported it to the authorities immediately.

Shahzani played along. She pretended to be unsuspecting, secretly assembling the elite and reliable Shahri Guard, and winning over the Rus' slave army who knew the inside story.

Shahriar III had long been wary of the growing Turkic slave army. Even though he was not a brilliant and ambitious ruler, he was clearly aware of the real threat to his life and thus resolutely supported Shahzani.

Most of the officials and courtiers of the Bavind dynasty also chose to support Shahzani.

Therefore, although Shahzani has not yet integrated this newly incorporated land and her foundation here is not yet solid, she has still rallied a large number of political forces that support her.

Based on this, Shahzani secretly deployed a large amount of anti-aircraft force in the surrounding cities of Balfurush, Mashhad-Isar, and Farahabad, to provide comprehensive defense and control.

The armed forces plotting the rebellion were completely unaware of this. Therefore, on the night before the rebels were to launch their attack, Shahzani decisively gave the following order:

"Move the entire army out to suppress the rebellion!"

The Samanid army, which had been lying in ambush in Farahabad, Mashhad-Isar, and Balfurush, immediately rushed towards Sari. Those within Sari who had been lying in wait, having received the signal to attack, immediately opened the city gates and launched attacks from all directions, disrupting the rebel defenses within the city.

"Hu Da Zhi Da! Annihilate the rebels!"

"The city gates are open! Charge!"

The Shahr Guards launched a fierce assault on the rebel camps. As the vanguard, their main task was to strike the enemy and ensure the advance of subsequent troops.

Caught off guard, the rebels were thrown into chaos and engaged in a fierce battle with the arriving Shahr guards in the intricate fortress camp. The chaos quickly spread throughout the entire camp, and the situation spiraled out of control.

Despite being pregnant, Shahzani remained as brave and fierce as ever. She charged into the heart of the enemy camp, and the hastily assembled rebel soldiers were no match for her heavily armored cavalry. After several battles, the rebels suffered heavy losses.

"These rebels are enemies of the country. Don't give them a chance to breathe! Gather together and continue the attack!" Shahzani, riding on her warhorse with her slightly protruding belly, pointed her warhammer directly at the routed enemy troops.

"Charge! Charge! Annihilate these enemies!"

At that moment, shouts of battle came from the right flank of the enemy camp.

It turned out to be the Rus' Guard slave army, which had been deployed in the shadows. Upon receiving the order to attack, they immediately swarmed out and cut off the rebel forces' retreat.

With old and new grudges intertwined, the Rus' people launched fierce attacks on the Turks, their momentum growing stronger with each wave.

Under Shahzani's command, the Saman army swept through the entire enemy lines, and the remaining rebels were divided into small, mutually dependent groups, which were annihilated one by one by the Saman army.

"Your Majesty! Please forgive us!"

Seeing no way out, the remaining rebels' will to survive finally replaced their rebellious ambitions. Faced with the overwhelming might of the Samanid army, they threw down their weapons, prostrated themselves before Shahzani's warhorse, and desperately kissed the ground in a gesture of utter submission.

"Take him away! Interrogate him thoroughly!"

Shahzani's gaze sharpened, and with a wave of her hand, she ordered the soldiers to take the prisoners away.

Beheading is the best possible relief, but what awaits these rebels are far more cruel punishments such as decapitation, gouging out eyes, disembowelment, waist-cutting, and the construction of human head towers.

Without eliminating these rebels, Shahzani will find it difficult to quickly establish his authority in Tabaristan.

She greatly rewarded the soldiers who distinguished themselves in suppressing the rebellion, bestowing upon Shahriar III and others gold belts and magnificent clothes, and also heavily rewarding the Saman soldiers who participated in the battle.

The Rosghulam slave army, which also distinguished itself in battle, received numerous rewards. In addition, Shahzani selected five hundred strong and capable men from the Rosghulam slave army to be incorporated into the Samanian standing army.

After quelling the rebellion, Shahzani had established supreme authority in Tabaristan and formally conquered this fertile land on the southern coast of the Caspian Sea.

Chapter 171 The Jilan March

The annexation of Tabaristan gave the Samanid dynasty a new strategic foothold. Shahzani planned to use this place as a springboard to continue westward and annex Gilan, the last piece of land on the southern coast of the Caspian Sea.

Gilan was not only rich in resources, but it was also the birthplace of the Bai Yi Deraman people, making it of great significance to the rulers of the Bai Yi dynasty. Most of the local small regimes were also controlled and influenced by the Bai Yi monarchs.

Shahzani plans to rest and replenish his supplies before heading straight for Gilan from Tabaristan.

The enemy forces remaining in Gilan are not numerous, and it would not be difficult to defeat them in the war. However, we cannot be complacent because the Tabaristan-Gilan River system is complex and has many rivers, which the Bai Yi people can rely on to defend themselves.

According to scouts, the Bai Yi army has already constructed fortifications along the river, forest, and Alborz Mountains in various areas on the edge of Gilan. This means that the Saman army must attack immediately; otherwise, the longer they delay, the more likely they are to miss the best opportunity.

But at the same time, the Samanid army began to suffer from injuries and casualties.

The southern coast of the Caspian Sea is hot and humid in summer, a stark contrast to the arid environment of the vast Persian region.

It was currently the summer of 1004 AD, the hottest month of the year in Persia, Mordad. For days, torrential rains had swept through Gilan and western Tabaristan, filling the air with a heavy, humid heat.

Most of the officers and soldiers in the Saman army came from arid inland regions. When they first arrived in this humid area, they inevitably experienced acclimatization problems, even the strongest and fiercest warriors were no exception.

The intense fighting and marching undoubtedly exacerbated the impact, causing many non-combat casualties, especially when crossing the vast and dark Hecania Forest, where a considerable number of people fell ill.

Post-war statistics showed that during the forced march from Tabaristan to Gilan, a large number of front-line combat troops suffered from illness, with 10-20% of their officers and soldiers falling ill. Even the most elite Shaher Women's Guard had a significant number of soldiers who contracted the disease.

However, the spiritual inspiration of the Horammy sect always proved effective in crucial moments. The Samanid army, fueled by faith and fervor, were undeterred by any disease, and those who fell during the march struggled to their feet after a difficult recovery, catching up with the main force.

Supported by this power of faith, the Saman army miraculously crossed the barrier of the Hecania forest, appearing like God's mighty army descending from the heavens at the weak points of the Bai Yi army's defenses. They then launched a swift attack, crushing and defeating the Bai Yi army, eliminating numerous strongholds and fortresses, and firmly seizing the initiative.

The first battle was won.

However, by this time, even the most skilled Saman warriors were exhausted and unable to fight any longer. Diseases such as dysentery, malaria, eczema, and inflammation were increasingly plaguing the Saman army.

Even Shahzani herself felt slightly unwell. Over the past few days, she noticed that she was vomiting more frequently, and her swollen belly sometimes reacted violently, even causing her to urinate. Fortunately, she was wearing an "ancient version of a diaper" invented by Ibn Sina; otherwise, judging by the amount, the urine would have been flowing down the saddle.

The generals all advised her to prioritize her health.

Seeing that she had seized the initiative on the battlefield and the situation had changed, Shahzani made a decisive move to halt the exhausting forced march and allow the soldiers to rest and replenish their supplies.

Therefore, the Saman army immediately changed its marching speed and formation, from the previous rapid march to a slow march of less than two farsahs a day, freeing up time and energy for the soldiers to rest.

By this time, the number of sick soldiers in the army had increased significantly, and Shahzani was patrolling back and forth between the battalions and units to check on the condition of the officers and soldiers.

Inside the spacious marching medical tents, straw mats and blankets were spread across the floor, and sick Samanid soldiers lay side by side. Murmurs, groans, and vomiting filled the air, and the mingled smells of medicine, blood, and foreign matter created an unpleasant atmosphere. Army medics, wearing platoon masks, busily moved among the soldiers, treating the wounded and sick.

A female officer, suffering from dysentery and heat rash, was stripped naked except for her briefs and lay on a straw mat receiving treatment.

Shahzani knew this person; she was a centurion in the Shahr Guard named Gushmani Khorasan Lazavini. She was brave and strong in battle and had distinguished herself in the battles to recapture the provinces of Kushistan, Sistan, and Gur.

The once strong and vigorous female officer is now ravaged by illness, looking haggard. It is said that she was nearly exhausted from frequent urination and defecation a few days ago, and is currently drenched in sweat. Even so, this brave female soldier endures the pain and perseveres without uttering a single groan, displaying a remarkable "military goddess" demeanor.

Shahzani gave him an approving look; to the Queen, this was an example of an Iranian warrior!

“Your Majesty…” Khorasan Razavini seemed to notice Shahzani’s arrival, and forced herself to sit up, wanting to pay her respects.

Shahzani quickly pressed her down: "Don't move, you need to rest now, this is the King of Kings' order." He then waved for several army doctors to come and take care of her.

“The situation is not optimistic.” Shahzani shook her head as she looked at the scene before her.

“Exactly,” the accompanying officers and staff replied somberly. “Take the Farruhdin Bachmann Cavalry Regiment (as an example). This unit originally had over 1000 officers and soldiers, but currently 185 are ill, 46 of whom are critically ill. Adding to that the more than 100 who died in previous battles, this unit has lost 30% of its fighting capacity…”

Shahzani nodded heavily and instructed, "Before setting out, we stockpiled a lot of medicine in cities such as Firim and Sari. Now, transfer it to them as soon as possible."

In addition, she drafted an edict and sent it back to Khorasan Province, ordering the requisition of more medicines and military doctors from the local area in case of emergency.

Taking advantage of the fact that the Saman army was unaccustomed to the local climate and its fighting capacity was reduced, the Bai Yi army, which was entrenched in the Gilan region, launched a surprise attack on the Samans.

But as the proverb goes, "A sick lion is still a lion."

Upon hearing the news of Bai Yijun's invasion, the Saman warriors were immediately energized. Even the wounded and sick soldiers lying on their sickbeds volunteered to join the battle. The officer named Khorasan Lazavini, who didn't even wear heavy armor and only wore a pair of briefs, bravely went into battle and killed the enemy. Moreover, he managed to defeat the enemy decisively.

After several rounds of fierce fighting, the Saman army repelled the Bai Yi army's offensive and then pushed the battle line further forward, reaching the city of Langalud.

The repelling of several attacks by the Bai Yi people bought valuable time for reinforcements. The medical team led by Ibn Sina also successfully reached Shahzani's marching camp via the Alborz Mountains and Tabaristan. The arrival of these skilled physicians greatly alleviated the difficulties faced by the Samanid army.

Chapter 172 With the help of "drones," Lasht was easily captured.

Ibn Sina's medical team prepared herbal remedies specifically for treating illnesses contracted during the march. The Chinese doctors accompanying the army also formulated several prescriptions based on their experience with traditional Chinese medicine, further enhancing the effectiveness of the treatment. With stronger logistical support, the Samanid army quickly recovered from its illnesses.

After several weeks of rest, Shahzani once again ordered the entire army to march and attack.

Gilan is located on the Caspian Sea and has many rivers and lakes, so while maintaining her advantage in land warfare, Shahzani also began to pay some attention to naval warfare. She concentrated the artisans and mechanics accompanying her army to build a large number of watercraft for naval raids.

The Ros-Slavic warriors in the army (who came from surrender, recruitment, and conversion of prisoners of war) enthusiastically signed up to join the navy. These Slavs were excellent swimmers and could roam freely on the Caspian-Volga River, making them very suitable as naval soldiers.

However, given Iran's historical lack of experience in building large surface fleets (after all, Iran is a semi-landlocked country, and one of the greatest dreams of successive Shahshas was to reach the Mediterranean Sea), this was Shahzani's first attempt at establishing a navy during his military career. Therefore, this navy was not particularly large, and its ships were not especially advanced.

However, thanks to their illustrious military achievements and the boost to their courage, their combat strength is not to be underestimated.

In the autumn of 1004 AD, in the month of Shahrivar in the Persian calendar, Shahzani led her army westward to continue her westward conquest of Gilan. She adopted a strategy of advancing by both land and sea. By sea, she bypassed the Caspian Sea and captured the port of Bandar-Anzali; by land, she marched straight in and captured Rasht, the largest city in Gilan.

The naval force, composed of Khwarazmians, Delamans, Rus', and Baloch people, performed exceptionally well. They swam upstream along the shallows of the near-sea (lake), using the shore rocks as cover to avoid the Bai Yi people's surveillance, and finally appeared undetected near Anzali Port.

The local garrison of Bai Yi's army, along with the troops of the local small court, hastily assembled and prepared for battle, but they were unable to withstand the fierce advance of the Saman landing forces.

In the Samanid army, the Rus' warriors led the charge, their broad round and kite-shaped shields forming a rapidly moving iron wall, while long axes and heavy hammers fiercely slashed at the enemy soldiers in their path. Powerful Khwarazmian bows unleashed a deadly volley of arrows. The double-pointed spears of the Deramanian army also carried a fierce momentum in their charge.

The Bai Yi army, which was guarding Anzali Port, was unable to resist and suffered repeated defeats. Caught off guard and in a state of panic, the retreat quickly turned into a rout where everyone scattered like birds and beasts.

Saman's forces cleared the enemy troops from the beachhead in just half a day, then stormed into the city and fought a bloody battle for a day and a night, driving the Bai Yi army out of the city and forcing the local officials and nobles to surrender, thus officially taking over the Caspian city.

At the same time, the land offensive was equally unstoppable.

With the Shaher Guard as the core of the central army, Shahzani formed a powerful advancing force that continuously swept through the Bai Yi army strongholds along the way.

The forests of Gilan are quite dense, and the engineering units in the Saman army (especially the Chinese engineering battalion) became the mainstay in clearing obstacles and opening up roads. Equipped with sharp saws and axes, they continuously cut down the tangled roots and tangled branches that blocked their way, opening up a path for the troops that followed.

Thanks to the smooth flow of military orders and Her Majesty the Queen's authoritative command, the Samanid army advanced quite rapidly. Shahzani also pacified the populace and won their hearts along the way. Most towns and villages along the route surrendered without resistance, and local officials and nobles rewarded the Samanids.

Shahzani advanced with unstoppable momentum, quickly capturing the key town of Lahijan in Gilan.

Bai Yi's army gradually tightened its defensive lines, eventually retreating to the relatively fortified city of Lashte, attempting to hold out in the stronghold and await reinforcements.

Saman's army followed closely behind and joined forces with the vanguard that had gone to seize Anzali Port. They then established a siege camp outside Lasht and besieged the city.

"Attack the city according to plan." After the attempt to persuade them to surrender failed, Shahzani decisively issued the order.

According to the plan, the attack would involve the Samanian engineering troops digging trenches and building fortifications, followed by the Chinese engineering battalion placing explosives at the city gates and walls to ultimately break down the Bai Yi people's defenses and capture the city.

But at this moment, Mo Yuxuan, the leader of the Qin craftsmen, came to advise him, saying that he had a more efficient way to attack the city without having to go through such a huge ordeal.

Shahzani then went to the Qin artisan camp and found that they had carved many "strange wood carvings". These wood carvings had wings and tails, and the wings were covered with paper, like hundreds or thousands of huge crows.

"This is an artifact from our Chinese civilization called a 'wooden kite.' It can fly in the wind. If gunpowder is attached to it, it can be made into a 'divine fire crow,' which is a very powerful weapon." Mo Yuxuan picked up a "wooden kite" and introduced it to the Queen.

Shahzani also remembered that China, as an ancient civilization, invented the prototype of the kite—the paper kite or the wooden kite—very early on. During the Five Dynasties and Song Dynasty in China, gunpowder weapons based on kites were gradually used in actual combat.

However, mass production of wooden kites also meant consuming a large amount of timber, which was a luxury in the arid heart of Persia. Fortunately, the Gilan region was densely forested and had abundant trees, which provided a plentiful source of raw materials.

Shahzani was quite pleased and instructed Mo Yuxuan and others to test this flying gunpowder weapon. Once it was ready, they would use it in the actual battle to attack Lasht City.

A few days later, the battle began.

The Baiyi soldiers guarding the city watched nervously as the "scarlet sea" below the city walls.

That was the Samanid army advancing in an orderly fashion, their steps neat and firm. Even before the battle began, they exuded an indescribable sense of oppression. The wind from the Caspian Sea howled, and countless crimson Iranian battle flags fluttered in the wind.

Upon witnessing this shocking scene, Bai Yi's soldiers gasped in astonishment and gripped their weapons tightly.

Suddenly, someone shouted in terror, "Look! What's that?!"

The rest of the Baiyi people looked in the direction of the sound and were all shocked: behind the Saman army formation, a large number of "burning firebirds" flew out, covering the sky and rushing towards the city wall.

Technological gaps often lead to a dimensional reduction in thinking.

"God! That...that's the army of the divine bird Seymour (the fire phoenix)...They've come to punish us!"

“Merciful God! Almighty Prophet! Holy Ali! What wrong have we committed that we must be so severely punished—to shatter our cities and burn our remains!”

……

The Bai Yi soldiers had no courage to resist. When they saw the "firebird flock" flying in, they all threw down their weapons, knelt down, and kowtowed in prayer.

Of course, the "firebird flock" did not stop its "divine punishment." They roared into the city, creating one violent explosion after another, leaving the entire city in ruins, filled with cries of agony and chaos.

As it was the first trial production, the damage caused by the explosion was actually quite limited, but the blow to the morale of the Baiyi defenders was enormous. After the giant ship caught fire and exploded, the Baiyi army collapsed completely; some abandoned the city and fled, while others surrendered without resistance.