I was the Queen of Persia

Page 33

After marching for several days, the army advanced to the city of Nakhshab.

Shahzani made some simple arrangements, setting up the city's government office as the war command post.

……

at the same time.

Bahraim's Western Army Group had already entered Zamshahr two weeks prior; while Farzana's Eastern Army Group continued to strengthen its defenses on the Samarkand-Jizzakh front.

Upon learning of the enemy invasion, the Bukhara court naturally dispatched officers, supervisors, and troops to the front lines to defend against the enemy. Of course, those sent were primarily from the Arslan Yaru faction.

This is understandable. Since taking office, Arslan Yaru's power has grown, and he has more and more say in personnel matters and promotions. Many officers in the garrisons of various districts have been replaced by "his own people".

Hassan Ibn Taq, as Arslan Yarou's deputy commander, was equally powerful, extending his influence throughout the Transoxiana province.

Shahzani disliked these stubborn individuals and knew that these opportunistic politicians could betray them at any time, but now was not the time to turn against them completely—with a formidable enemy at hand, if internal strife broke out first, it would easily allow external enemies to reap the benefits.

……

February 23, 1001 AD, the fourth day of the month of Isvand in the Persian calendar.

The Karakhanid army's offensive officially began.

Ilik Nasser Khan's strategic intentions are as follows:

The vanguard was divided into two routes: Subash Special Forces led 2 men to attack Sudushana, and Aknuar led 2 men to attack Jizzakh; the central army, with Jafar Special Forces' 7 men as its core, was stationed in Khujand, ready to reinforce at any time; he himself led 5 troops and was stationed in Shash (Tashkent).

A Samanid Persian outpost camp on the military demarcation line between Saman and Karakhan.

As night fell, officers and soldiers, organized and structured according to their roles, gathered around bonfires outside the mud-brick fortress to ward off the lingering chill of late winter.

"I heard that the Karakhanid army is coming soon. I really don't know how the battle will go. May God protect us..." A Samanid soldier kept rubbing his hands together and breathing on them to warm them.

"Commander Farzana ordered that we not engage them head-on at first, but that each unit fight and retreat, waiting for an opportunity to counterattack." Another Saman soldier ate his dry naan with the hot porridge. On a cold night, having warm food in his stomach was a great happiness.

"As brave Iranian warriors, what is there to fear about death? We may sacrifice ourselves, but under the leadership of the great female governor, our army will surely be victorious!" Another Saman soldier gripped his iron weapon tightly, his eyes flashing with determination.

Sudden.

"Shh—" Samantha, the sergeant commanding the squad, seemed to sense something unusual and gestured for his soldiers to be quiet.

His face was grave. He pressed his ear to the ground and listened for a moment, then suddenly picked up a torch and threw it into the darkness beyond the earthen wall of the sentry post. In the instant the torchlight illuminated the area, a large number of dark figures could be vaguely seen!

"Whoosh-!"

The deadly arrow ripped through the night sky, piercing directly through the squad leader's armor.

"Captain!" several Saman soldiers exclaimed.

"Never mind me! Light the signal fires! Assemble!" the platoon leader shouted with his last ounce of strength. He had already recognized the attackers' attire; they were the Karakhanid army.

A dense rain of arrows came down in succession, catching the Samanian soldiers off guard and killing many. A nimble soldier quickly grabbed a torch and lit the beacon fire on the mud tower, but she was immediately pierced in the throat by a deadly arrow.

From the darkness came shouts of charge. The Karakhan armored infantry, leading the charge, quickly pressed forward, while archers and horse archers continued to provide cover and suppression. The Karakhan cavalry that followed also launched their charge.

A barrage of arrows rained down on the mud walls, overwhelming the Samanian sentries who had hastily come to meet the attack.

The sounds of wails, hisses, and the clash of swords and spears rose and fell, mingling with the sound of blood splattering onto the rammed earth bricks and tiles.

The low, makeshift earthen walls could not withstand the fierce attack of the army. Karakhan's infantry and cavalry quickly broke through the defenses and wiped out the Saman forces in the camp.

“General Aknuar, your ambush tactics are truly impressive! The Samanids only discovered us when they were on the verge of death, and now our camp has been captured.” A Karakhan Beg cavalryman rode up and reported to the female general in front of him.

"Yes, take all the stored grain from the fortress. Rest here for the night, and continue attacking the next stronghold tomorrow," Aknuer ordered in a deep voice.

Her gaze swept over the mud-brick fortress in front of her, but she felt no joy, for it was merely an outpost with a rather weak garrison.

In the war with the Khotanese, she captured many cities and strongholds, but for her, such small victories were insignificant.

But she ordered the heads of the fallen Saman soldiers to be cut off and hung as trophies on the girths of their warhorses.

The iron fists of the Karakhanid cavalry trampled the earth, their dark brown battle flags fluttering in the wind, and the long-silent desert was once again filled with the sounds of battle and slaughter.

……

News of the Karakhanid army's attack quickly reached the command of the Samarkand-Saman Eastern Army Group.

According to Shahzani's plan, Farzana first adopted a scorched-earth tactic to lure the Karakhanids into a blind advance, thus lengthening their supply lines and gradually depleting their morale, before launching a counterattack.

The officers at the front lines quickly carried out her orders, each leading their troops to shrink their defensive lines and regroup to defend.

But there are always exceptions.

"Commander Farzana, the general stationed at Gizak has refused to retreat," an officer reported.

"What's going on?" Farzana asked, frowning. "Why are they disobeying orders?"

"The commander of Jizzakh said that he would carry out the orders of Sipahi-Salar Arslan Yaru, and would defend the city to the death and never retreat," the officer replied.

"Shortsighted and unable to consider the overall situation, he should be severely punished according to military law!" Farzana cursed, then ordered, "Tell General Firuz to lead her troops to be on full alert and ready to block the gap in the Gizak direction at any time."

Next, she arranged for Hoslu to lead troops to prepare for war and resist the Karakhanid army in the direction of Sudsana, namely the enemy force commanded by Subash Special Service.

Of course, apart from a few of Arslan Yaru's henchmen who disobeyed orders, the other officers and soldiers all obeyed Shahzani's strategy and Farzana's command.

Under Farzana's efficient command, all military resources at the front are being rapidly and systematically allocated and coordinated, transforming into important factors that enhance the army's combat effectiveness.

Let's turn our attention back to Naheshab.

Shahzani was stationed in the city's government office, reviewing battle reports compiled from both the eastern and western fronts.

Chapter 73 The Battle of the Valkyries

In the weeks that followed.

Shahzani was stationed in Nakhshab, receiving battle reports from Samarkand and Zanshahr, and coordinating the deployment of troops and resources across the entire battlefield.

During the campaign to recapture Transoxiana, due to the urgency of the situation, she did not stay in Nakhshab for long, nor did she carry out a large-scale reshuffle of the city's officials and clergy (similar to the "major reshuffle" in Samarkand). She simply executed some officials and imams who had colluded with the enemy as a matter of routine.

This city was also a major concentration of Arslan Yaru's followers.

Shahzani thought that he could take advantage of the opportunity to garrison the city to carry out a major overhaul and further weaken Arslan Yaru's power in the region.

But that's a story for later. The most important thing right now is to manage the overall war situation well.

Battle reports were continuously transmitted to her residence through the extensive postal system.

……

Eastern Front.

Due to the stubbornness of the Jizzakh commander, Aknuar's Karakhan vanguard army captured the isolated city in just a few days, annihilating most of the Saman garrison.

Aknuar ordered the heads of the fallen Saman soldiers to be impaled on spears, and then marched in a mighty force toward the Firuz garrison.

However, on the front lines between Sudan and Shana.

Khoslu's Saman army, employing a defensive counter-attack tactic, successfully repelled the Subhash Tegin's attack and pursued them all the way to Sudsana (also known as "Bunjikath"), instantly disrupting the Karakhanid army's original deployment.

Farzana, stationed in Samarkand, continuously supplied resources to the front lines through an efficient military operations system. This further strengthened Firuz's power, allowing them to withstand Aknu's fierce attack.

Aknuar's isolated forces were overwhelmed and unable to break through the enemy lines. Firuz then seized the opportunity to send mobile cavalry to outflank Aknuar and destroy several of his supply depots.

Aknuar's supplies were severely weakened, and the Samanid army's scorched-earth tactics prevented him from plundering to sustain the war effort. He had no choice but to reluctantly order a retreat, abandoning the villages and counties he had already occupied.

In the weeks that followed, the Saman and Karakhan forces on the eastern front engaged in frequent back-and-forth battles between Samarkand and Jizzakh, resulting in a stalemate.

……

Western Front.

Muzaffar Khan led 4 Khwarazmian troops, approaching the city of Zanshahr and the Behesht oasis. Nasita's Khwarazmian armored cavalry was the elite and vanguard among them.

Bahraim also led his heavily armed Saman warriors, who lined up on the sandy plain in front of the Banu Firuz fortress, ready for battle.

On the horizon, thousands of Khwarazmian battle flags appeared, followed by a vast and imposing Khwarazmian army.

The front row of Khwarazmian armored cavalrymen, both men and horses, were fully armored. Their fine armor gleamed under the sun, and their imposing presence was in no way inferior to that of the various heavily armored cavalry of the Samanid army.

Bahram tightened his grip on the steel weapon in his hand, his gaze sweeping across the Khwarazmian army formation in the distance before finally settling on the valiant Khwarazmian female general in the midst of the ranks.

"Giddy up!" As if guided by a woman's intuition, Naxida sensed the gaze from the opposite side and immediately spurred her horse forward.

Two fully armed female generals met in the standoff area between the two armies.

"You are Bahramu? Another sworn sister of Shahzani?" Nasita's gaze lingered for a few seconds on the beautiful yet resolute face opposite her.

“Indeed.” Bahramu smiled calmly. “You must be Nasita. My sisters have mentioned your name. But I wonder, why do you Khwarazmians want to invade our Samanid borders again?”

“I am a warrior, and I am not very interested in politics. For me, the direction my monarch’s sword points is the direction I will charge into battle. This is the quality and code of us Khwarazmian warriors,” Nasita said calmly.

"Do you know how many lives will be lost by mobilizing such a large force and starting a meaningless war?" Bahram retorted.

This was the line that Shahzani had taught her beforehand.

She knew that Nasita was a descendant of the Afrika dynasty royal family and was already at odds with the Mamun royal family and the usurper Muzaffar Khan.

At the same time, although this female general was brave and warlike and indulged in beautiful women, she still had the ideal of caring for the people and especially did not want to see her hometown of Khwarazm consumed by war.

This rhetorical question did indeed have some effect.

Nasita lowered her head and sighed softly for a while, but then raised her eyebrows and said, "Even so, I will still fight you. A warrior has no room to retreat in front of his opponent."

"Since that's the case, then I'll let you see the martial arts of a Saman warrior." Bahramu looked at her stubborn appearance, a smile curving his lips.

The two female generals spurred their horses back a few steps, then picked up their weapons and assumed fighting stances.

"Come on!" Nasita roared, her legs suddenly exerting force as she charged towards the opposite side, wielding her double-pointed spear.

Bahraim raised his Tabarzin (cavalry saddle axe) and brandished his round shield, charging forward to meet him.

Two beautiful and valiant figures collided with a whooshing sound, unleashing a tremendous clang. Armored cavalry charged, their metallic forces clashing, sending a violent gust of wind sweeping away the surrounding sand and dust.

After one round, both men were slightly startled, then simultaneously spurred their horses into a circle, adjusting their positions and postures in preparation for the next attack.

"As expected... her martial arts skills are far superior to Falzana's, and even on par with mine!" Nasita thought to herself.

Bahraim, meanwhile, calmly swung his axe and raised his shield, preparing for a new attack.

Immediately following was another clash.

The two valiant female warriors fought fiercely for over a hundred rounds, neither gaining the upper hand. Their warhorses galloped at breakneck speed, kicking up dust and sand that filled the air; steel armor clashed with iron weapons, sparks flying everywhere; the intense fighting caused the warhorses to constantly rear up and neigh, and the sweat emanating from their backs soaked through their heavy horse armor.

The soldiers of the Samanid and Khwarazmian armies were immersed in this spectacular duel, waving their shields and weapons, creating a stirring symphony of metal, and shouting cheers and encouragement.

At this moment, only Muzaffar Khan, the "monarch" of Khwarazm, felt extremely anxious about the fierce battle before the fight.

"Oh God! What is Nasita doing? Why hasn't she led the army to attack?! If we launch a full-scale attack, we will achieve victory!"

Muzaffar Khan, mounted on his horse, paced back and forth.

He has staked his future on this war; only by winning can his position be secured.

He did not want to see the current stalemate in the battle, and his identity as a usurper exacerbated his inner unease.

His horse seemed to sense his agitation and kept neighing.

Chapter 74 Cleverly Subduing Naxida (1)

The duel between Bahram and Nasita was like a violent collision between Mars and Venus, bursting forth with dense, scattered meteors and creating countless violent whirlwinds on the battlefield.

Another round of fierce and intense fighting ensued. The two female generals charged forward on horseback, brandishing their weapons and launching a fierce attack. In the blink of an eye, they grabbed each other's waistbands, which were just inches apart.

This is a tactic used by Iranian generals in duels: if the opponent is weak, gripping his belt will allow them to be knocked down and captured; if the opponent is strong and difficult to move, then forcefully pulling off his belt can also be taken as a trophy.

It was as if a strong wind had swept by, stirring up sand and stones that flew away, but then silence returned.

The two female generals turned their horses around, tightened their reins, faced each other, and then smiled at each other without prior arrangement. This smile contained too many complex meanings, including appreciation for encountering a talented general and recognition of mutual respect among heroes.

"A draw. You are indeed a brave and extraordinary female warrior." Bahramu said loudly, holding up Nasita's belt.

“Yes, of course. I thought my combat skills were unmatched until today’s battle with you.” Nasita also raised her “trophy” and responded loudly.

The soldiers of both the Saman and Khwarazmian armies erupted in thunderous cheers.

Although they were each serving their own masters at the moment, they were both impressed by the combat skills of the opposing female general.

Currently, only a few usurpers, such as Muzaffar Khan, are eager to escalate the conflict.

"Never mind! God help us! Warriors of Khwarazm, attack now!" Muzaffar Khan drew his weapon and roared at his soldiers.

Soldiers must still take obedience to orders as their primary duty, even though they may admire the courage of their opponents.