I was the Queen of Persia

Page 55

Liu Wenyuan expressed his gratitude.

Shahzani then looked at Mo Yuxuan.

"I have discovered a new type of weapon in your camp. What is it?" She described the "crossbows that rotate freely and can fire arrows continuously" that she had seen.

Mo Yuxuan said, "Your Majesty, that is a weapon I created based on the mechanical techniques passed down by the Mo family in the East. It is called a 'rotating projectile.' I originally intended to present it to Your Majesty after it was completed, but tonight we were attacked by enemy soldiers, so I used it temporarily to defend against them."

“Hmm.” Shahzani nodded. “This weaponry is quite ingenious. If used properly, it will certainly be an excellent weapon for killing the enemy. For this, I will reward you.”

He then rewarded Mo Yuxuan with money, gorgeous clothes, and other treasures.

After receiving the reward, the two young men from Qin thanked the emperor and withdrew.

After dealing with the aftermath, Shahzani removed the embroidered robe she had temporarily draped over her shoulders and lay down to sleep again.

The victory in the skirmish lifted her spirits considerably, and the joy of teasing her two underlings earlier also made her feel even more relaxed. Her previous frustration and irritability vanished like the cool breeze of Azerbaijan dispelling the heat of the Lut Desert.

Lying on her blanket, gazing at the spacious dome of the military tent, Shahzani recalled the long-range suppression weapon that Mo Yuxuan had just introduced.

"A rotating projectile, capable of freely changing direction and continuously launching heavy arrows..."

“Yes!” she suddenly sat up.

A new siege tactic was already brewing in his mind: to concentrate these "rotating projectiles" and use them to attack a specific spot on the city wall, unleashing a barrage of arrows to create dense projectile firepower that would surely suppress the enemy soldiers on the city wall.

With this long-range cover, elite troops can concentrate their forces and attack a specific point on the city wall, which will surely create a breakthrough.

The following morning, she began to implement this tactic.

She ordered Mo Yuxuan to gather all the crossbow bolts and dispatch skilled Qin craftsmen to operate them. To increase their lethality and deterrent effect, she also ordered the technical craftsmen in the engineering corps to coat all the spare crossbow bolts with naphtha fuel.

Next, the siege force will be selected. Since the attack range is to be narrowed down to a section of the city wall, the participating forces need to be "small" and "elite" so that they can be better mobilized within the limited combat area.

Sogdian heavy infantry, clad in heavy armor and skilled in using two-handed armor-piercing weapons, were the best choice.

She ordered the Sogdian heavy infantry of Ikhshd to assemble and stand by, while also drawing three companies from the Shaher Women's Guard to form an assault force.

Although the Shaher Women's Guard was positioned as armored heavy cavalry, under certain circumstances, they could also serve as heavy infantry for assault operations when dismounted, or even as "war dancers" who would expose themselves and use their bodies to win over the enemy.

She herself was fully armed, wearing the most protective Persian-style heavy chainmail, and picked up her favorite bull-headed warhammer. Lifting the curtain of the military tent, she saw that the heavily armored warriors were already lined up in neat rows, ready to fight, in the open space outside the tent, which was usually used for training.

Keng——!

"Attack!" Shahzani raised her warhammer, sweeping it across the rising sun and pointing it toward Hain City.

Chapter 122 Futile Resistance

The war drums beat again, and the suona horns that guided the attack sounded once more.

All the rotating projectiles fired simultaneously, and accompanied by the crisp sound of their springs, burning arrows blotted out the sky as they rained down on the city walls.

The intense long-range suppression immediately caused the Ghaznavid defenders on the city walls to fall dead. Many Ghaznavid soldiers tried to retaliate with bows and catapults, but the arrows fired by the catapults were so dense that they couldn't even raise their heads.

The Shaher Guard and Sogdian heavy infantry participating in the siege formed a spread-out but orderly formation, holding their round shields high, and quickly approached the city wall.

Of course, the Samanid troops in other sections were not idle either. Using trenches and shields as cover, they fired arrows at the Ghaznavid troops in each section of the city wall to draw the defenders' attention and cover Her Majesty's offensive.

With the intense firepower of the slingshots, the Ghazni defenders were completely suppressed, and Shahzani took advantage of this gap to rush to the foot of the city wall, taking the lead and grabbing the ladder to climb up.

With her powerful arms and legs, Shahzani climbed two-thirds of the ladder in the blink of an eye, her heavy steel armor not hindering her movements.

Just as they were about to reach the summit, several Ghaznavid soldiers on the city wall realized the danger. Without hesitation, they peered out from behind the crenellations, grabbed their spears, and thrust them downwards. However, deadly incendiary fire arrows struck suddenly, instantly claiming their lives.

One of the Ghaznavid soldiers, having narrowly escaped the arrows, was about to thrust his spear at Shahzani when he felt his weapon being controlled by a powerful force, rendering him unable to move.

Shahzani gripped the steps with one hand and held the spear shaft firmly with the other. With a sudden burst of strength, the Ghazni soldier screamed and fell to the ground below the city walls.

"Rustam's courage guides us! Soldiers, charge!"

With a roar, she leaped onto the city wall, grabbed her bull-headed warhammer, and hurled it at the surrounding Ghaznavid soldiers. The sturdy hammer whipped up a red whirlwind, shattering the armor of the Ghaznavid soldiers and efficiently reaping the lives of these enemies.

The sounds of steel striking metal, mixed with screams of agony, were incessant.

Encouraged by the Queen, the Samanid Shahr Guards and Sogdian heavy infantry quickly surged onto the city walls and formed ranks to support the Queen's battle.

"No retreat! Hold them off! Stop them!"

The governor of Ghaznavidy, sword in hand, futilely tried to halt the retreat of the defeated army. But the Sogdian heavy infantry that pressed forward immediately rendered his insignificant efforts utterly futile.

Ihshid, wielding a long-handled battle axe, charged into the Ghazni ranks beside him like a whirlwind. Several Ghazni soldiers were instantly killed, their armor shattered, their heads severed, and blood gushing out.

"You cursed Sogdians, go to hell!"

Faced with the fierce charge of the elite Sogdian soldiers, the governor of Ghaznikushistan Province was initially terrified, but he quickly recovered from his initial shock. Driven by his instinct for survival, he raised his sword and slashed at Ikhshid.

With a swing of his long axe, Ikhshd knocked the sword from his opponent's hand, making the heavy weapon seem like a toy in his hands. He then swung his axe back and slashed fiercely.

Blood gushed out, and the head of the governor of Ghaznikushistan province rolled down the city wall steps like a polo ball.

The death of the provincial governor exacerbated the retreat of Ghaznavid's army, with soldiers tumbling and trampling each other in disarray.

Meanwhile, the Saman warriors led by Shahzani grew stronger with each battle, advancing with unstoppable momentum.

The Queen's powerful encouragement and aura boosted their morale, and after a fierce battle, they routed the enemy troops gathered nearby.

On the other side of the city wall.

"General Rajana! The governor has been killed in action, and the Samanids have already stormed the city walls!" A soldier rushed over, reporting this unfortunate situation.

"What?!" Rajana's eyes widened, her grip on her weapon tightening. "Those damned Samans! Quick! Send some troops to reinforce them, and kill them on the city walls!"

Faced with Shahzani's storm-like offensive, the Ghazni tribes were caught off guard and hastily redeployed their forces, resulting in numerous fatal flaws appearing along the entire city wall defense line.

Taking advantage of the gap in the large-scale mobilization of the Ghaznavids, the Saman troops that had been deployed in advance at various siege points immediately turned the feint attack into an actual attack, quickly approached the city walls, set up ladders, and successively climbed the walls of the high city of Hayin.

The outer defenses of the Ghaznavid army have been breached.

At each of the high fortress towers, Samanid soldiers removed the Ghaznavid banners and raised scarlet Samanid banners bearing the Persian word for "Iran," marking the occupation of the various positions.

With the city walls captured and strongholds falling one after another, Ghaznavid casualties mounted and various negative effects piled up, causing the morale of the Ghaznavid army to plummet and leading to repeated defeats.

"Curse those Horami Samanis!" Rajana roared, watching the increasingly obvious defeat. She hadn't expected that the defensive system she had painstakingly built up over the past few days would be breached and disintegrated in just one morning.

"Order! All troops, retreat to the inner city!" Rajana shouted to her officers.

The outer Rabat and Shahristan areas are clearly undefendable. If they want to continue holding out, they can only retreat to the inner city of Arg and rely on the inner city walls and towers to put up a stubborn resistance.

However, this also means that the defending troops are trapped like beasts. If they cannot receive timely reinforcements from the outside world, they will inevitably be annihilated, no matter how high and strong the city walls are.

“But… General, that would leave us completely surrounded!” a Ghaznavid officer pointed out this drawback.

“You bastard! How dare you question the decision of a high-ranking Ghulam Guard commander?!” Rajana roared, whipping the officer.

Given the autocratic rule of the Ghulam guards, no one dared to voice any dissenting opinions. Under these circumstances, the Ghaznavid army abandoned the outer city areas and, before the Samanid army had fully entered the city, fled into the inner city.

The Samanid army captured the city walls, opened the gates of the outer city, and a red tide of soldiers poured into the city. The outer city of Hayin thus fell under the control of the Samanid regime.

Shahzani ordered his troops to take over the various government offices, maharas (communities), bazaars, mosques, barracks, stables, and other facilities in the outer city according to their organization, to ensure that the governance of the grassroots government could be connected in a timely manner, so as to prevent those despicable criminals from taking advantage of the chaos during the change of power to stir up trouble.

There's really no need to go to such lengths.

Because several government officials, Mahal officials, and mosque officials and clerics had already voluntarily prostrated themselves along the streets and roads to welcome Shahzani's Saman army.

Chapter 123: Attacking the Inner City

Hain City.

At this moment, the Rabat city district and Shahristan city district of the outer city have been completely taken over by Shahzani's Saman army.

When the Samanid army breached the city, it inevitably caused temporary unrest throughout the city, but this was only brief. Soon, the efficient war and political machinery restored order to the city.

With the guidance and assistance of the local people, the assault troops tasked with the siege were approaching the inner city of Arg.

The city was densely packed with houses and crisscrossed by streets and alleys, making it impossible for the complex and cumbersome rotary-gun siege engines to find a suitable location for rapid deployment. Shahzani then ordered the battering ram to be pushed up, launching a full-scale assault to breach the city gates.

Arg's inner city walls lacked any outward-protruding sections, which somewhat reduced their defensive capabilities. Even with the Ghazni defenders firing with all their might, the Saman soldiers charging the city gates suffered limited casualties, especially since the Saman soldiers used huge, mobile arrows as cover.

Some simple and lightweight projectiles were deployed on the rooftops of the mud-brick houses in the nearby neighborhoods, aimed at the Ghaznavid defenders on the city walls, and launched incendiary weapons, namely Naftan fireballs, which were mounted in terracotta pots, to cover the attack on the main gate.

"One! Two! Three! Crash!"

"One! Two! Three! Crash!"

Before the iron-bound city gate, Samanian soldiers, following orders, pounded on the gate with all their might, while their comrades held up shields on both sides to block the incoming arrows.

The shield was made of thick wooden planks covered with damp felt, making it difficult for arrows from ordinary crossbows to penetrate, except for the giant arrows fired from ballistae. Only occasionally would a few arrows slip through small gaps, causing limited casualties.

However, behind the city gate, the Ghaznavid soldiers were also using all their strength to keep the gate closed, trying to buy as much time as possible.

A place a little further away from the battle site.

"Oh? So, the commander in charge of the city's defenses these past few days is named Omar Rajana Kabrian, a Ghulam slave general with Hindustani ancestry?"

Shahzani glanced at the Ghazni prisoners of war kneeling on the ground.

"That is exactly what the invincible Queen Shah said."

"Rajana was originally a slave in Hindustan. My lord... Ah! No! No! It was that devil Mahmud! After winning the war against the Shahija dynasty, he captured her and made her his slave. Mahmud saw that she was beautiful and skilled in martial arts, so he incorporated her into the Ghulam slave army."

"Later, she was promoted multiple times based on her military achievements, even being promoted beyond the usual ranks, and eventually became one of Mahmoud's most trusted high-ranking slave officials. By the power of God, everything I have said is true!"

A Ghaznavid officer who appeared to be a leader revealed everything he knew.

“How old is she? What does she look like?” Shahzani asked.

"Well... she should be in her early twenties. We saw that she was youthful and energetic, and her desire for love and sex was... well... very strong, so..." the prisoner replied respectfully.

It took several seconds to describe Rajana's general appearance and features. After speaking, everyone waited in fear for the queen's orders.

“Hmm, the information you provided is very valuable. Alright, you may all leave.” Shahzani waved his hand. The Nassak officers beside him stepped forward and led the group of Ghazni prisoners to the rear of the army.

“A young man in his early twenties…a Ghulam general with military power…” Shahzani savored these key elements.

Because, according to the regulations of the Samanid and Ghaznavid dynasties, the promotion of ordinary Ghulams was linked to seniority and followed a strict and complete process:

In the first year, members of the Ghulam were forbidden from riding horses and could only serve on foot.

In the second year, he can get 1 matching Turkic horse with ordinary harness and 1 whip;

In the third year, he will receive a belt that symbolizes his status (or a sword, according to another account).

In the fourth year, he can receive a quiver and a bow case;

……

And so on, promotions were made year by year, until around the age of 35, when one might be appointed as a provincial governor with power over a region. If one were to become a high-ranking official in the central government or close to the monarch, it would probably take even longer.

However, rules can often be "flexible".

If a ghula slave gains the master's favor, he may completely disregard the rules and rise to the top in one step.

Subuktegin, the former monarch of the Ghaznavid dynasty, was a soldier in the Ghulam when he gained the favor of Alptegin. As a result, he rose rapidly in 3 days to become a general with military power.

This female general named Rajana Ghaznik Nicholas, who obtained an important position at the young age of twenty, can be judged to have an extraordinary relationship with Mahmud, the current monarch of Ghazni.

“Rajana, hehe, what kind of person are you?” With this question in mind, Shahzani looked at the inner city under siege. She hoped to break through the gates quickly and confront this mysterious Ghazni general head-on.

Looking at the stalemate in the distance, a sense of anxiety inevitably arose in my heart once again.

She has already wasted too much time in Hayne, and if the battle continues to drag on, it may affect the overall deployment.

Shahzani looked at the female guards behind her and ordered, "Send a squad to charge with me, the rest of the soldiers to provide cover with arrows!"

After speaking, he immediately directed and deployed the battle.

Holding round shields in both hands and a warhammer in her hand, she deflected the incoming arrows and ran quickly to the battering ram. She ordered the Shahr guards to replace the exhausted soldiers and continue ramming the city gate.

"Keep up the good work, Iranian warriors!"

Shahzani charged ahead, personally pushing the battering rams while loudly reciting verses from the Book of Kings about the hero Rustam's battles to boost morale:

"The hero charged into the horde of demons and suddenly cried out,"

"It was as if the mountains were collapsing and the earth was splitting, and the sea was roaring."

"Arjan heard Rustam shout,"

"He leaped up and jumped out of his den of demons."

"Upon seeing the devil emerge from his lair, the hero spurred his horse forward."

"Like a sacred flame, it rushed straight towards the demon."

“Reach out and grab the devil’s ear tightly,”