I was the Queen of Persia

Page 10

Mubed Qawad Golshaspu, the community leader and high priest of the Zoroastrians, spoke in Persian with a Pahlavi accent.

Mubeid is the title for high-ranking Zoroastrian clergy.

“I accept your praise, Mubeid.” Shahzani dismounted and returned the greeting. “The people of this land are noble, virtuous and compassionate. Your faith and your community will not suffer prejudice because of your beliefs. Please feel at ease living here.”

Then she said in Pahlavi, “You don’t need to speak Dalbis anymore, I can understand our more ancient language.”

Pahlavi, actually Persian, was spoken during the Parthian-Sasanian period and is also known as "Middle Persian." This language began to disappear by the 10th century AD (being replaced by Modern Persian). Apart from a few Zoroastrian groups and scholars, very few Persians in later generations were able to master it.

Of course, this was not a problem for Shahzani at all. As a top student of Iranian history, how could she not be familiar with such a famous language?

The Zoroastrians, seeing that this female city lord was also very familiar with the ancient Persian language, couldn't help but feel even more respect for her.

At Kavad's invitation, Shahzani entered the Zoroastrian shrine hall, partly to discuss the current situation and partly to learn about the Zoroastrian order's past experiences.

Inside the Zoroastrian shrine, the sacred fire burns brightly on a special device. Several Zoroastrian priests, dressed in white priestly robes, white hats and headscarves, and wearing "paidam" masks, are maintaining the sacred fire.

Kavad invited Shahzani to sit on a carpet and offered her tea. Then he sighed and said, “Alas! Our plight is so tragic. May the merciful Hormozd have mercy on us and may you bring us justice.”

“Is it related to the Jihadist faction?” Shahzani asked.

“That’s right.” Kavad shook his head with a wry smile. “Madam, you may not know this, but we, the simple Holmozd believers, originally lived in the town of Azaran, located to the northwest of here. The history of our homeland can be traced back to the Sasanian era.”

“Back then, our ancestors followed Yazdegerd, the last Sasanian king, as he fled eastward. After the Sasanian king perished in Merv, we continued eastward and arrived at our current home. With the world changing hands, we knew our own power was weak, so we preferred to live in seclusion in this remote corner, hoping that the powerful and benevolent Muslims would allow us to survive.”

"Later, the world changed again, and the Muslim monarchs of Iran rebuilt the Iranian state. Under the protection of the Tahir, Safar, and Saman monarchs, although we were often levied heavy taxes, we were able to live in a relatively stable order. But..."

At this point, Kavad sighed and continued.

"The Samanid dynasty, like the Sasanian dynasty of old, perished. Order collapsed, and warlike sects came here. They used swords to order us to convert, to demolish our temples, and to extinguish our sacred fire. Alas! Merciful Hormozd! We could no longer live, and had no choice but to abandon the homeland that generations had worked so hard to build, and once again flee our homeland as a whole."

Shahzani listened quietly, initially feeling heartbroken, then shocked, and finally filled with rage.

This is practically a replica of the persecution perpetrated by ISIS in later generations!

Chapter 18 The Invasion of the "Jihadi Cult"

Through her conversation with Mubeid Qawad, Shahzani learned the following characteristics of the Jihadi sect:

First, fundamentalism demands a return to "tradition" and "Sunnah".

Second, religious persecution, demanding that all heretics and religions convert to their faith, otherwise they will wage holy war with swords.

Third, they are extremely factional, demanding the erasure of all tribal and national boundaries and the establishment of a sectarian state run by them.

Fourth, they have an extreme yearning for the history of the expansion era of the four caliphs and attempt to rebuild an "empire" controlled by their faction.

At the same time, Shahzani also gained a preliminary understanding of other aspects of this faction.

According to Qawad, the Jihadi sect has numerous branches in Najd, Hejaz, Hadramawt, Yemen, Sharm, Iraq, Mishaal, and the Maghreb. Of course, this is the rhetoric uttered by Jihadi members when they launched their "jihad." Sheikh Omar Jihadi, who is based there, is only a small branch among their many factions.

"By the lofty and radiant Hormozd, we know that you, Madam, are a skilled warrior with a powerful army, capable of bringing peace and order, and that many nearby villages and towns have submitted to you. Here, we, the humble 'Jabbar' (a Muslim term for Zoroastrians), beseech you to uphold justice and allow us to survive in this world!"

Finally, Qawad, along with a group of Zoroastrian Muslims, respectfully prostrated themselves on the ground and paid their respects to Shahzani.

Seeing this, Shahzani felt proud of her present situation, but also vaguely felt a huge responsibility weighing on her shoulders.

Despite their different faiths, as an Iranian with a strong sense of national pride, she could not remain indifferent to the misfortune and suffering of her fellow Zoroastrians. Therefore, she decided to take up warhammer and sword to fight against the evil heretics and help her suffering Zoroastrian brethren!

So she helped Kavad up, her face solemn: "I swear by Hu Da, I will use steel and blood to wipe out this group of evil thugs and protect your safety."

She has that confidence and determination.

Just then.

"Make way! Urgent military situation!" A soldier spurred his horse and galloped through the Zoroastrian community before reining in his horse and stopping in front of the Zoroastrian shrine.

"What happened?" Shahzani heard the commotion and immediately went outside.

"Lady Shahzani! A large force of the Jihadi sect is approaching and has already reached the Behesht Oasis outside 3 Farsah!" The messenger briefly reported the situation to Shahzani.

"By Holmozd! These cultists of the demons are coming!" Mubed Kavad also came out, and upon hearing the news, his face immediately showed a look of horror.

"Please don't panic, Mubeid," Shahzani said calmly. "Rest assured, I will send these cursed villains to hellfire!"

Then, she turned to the soldier, her tone both authoritative and calm: "Continue to gather intelligence and report their movements back promptly!"

With war imminent, Shahzani immediately began troop deployment. Thanks to the establishment of a rudimentary form of government and an effective general mobilization system, the relevant military arrangements were quickly completed.

More intelligence came back from the front: the attacking Jihadi militants numbered over 5000, mostly loosely organized light infantry, with only about 300 cavalry.

Upon hearing this news, Shahzani laughed: "A mere 5000 men dare to oppose my valiant warriors? They are truly overestimating themselves!"

In the last encounter at Rusdak Well, the Jihadi faction was repelled by a hastily assembled militia, which to some extent indicates that their frontal combat capability is not very strong, at least not as strong as the armed forces under her command.

Therefore, based on the current military situation, Shahzani devised a strategy to defend against the enemy.

Two hundred palace guards (whose losses had been replenished) were personally led by her to confront the enemy head-on. Because they were all heavily armored cavalry, well-equipped, skilled in both close and long-range combat, they possessed formidable frontal fighting capabilities.

Five hundred mounted Basij militiamen, commanded by Bahram, flanked the Behesht Oasis, cutting off the enemy's retreat. After repelling the Karakhanid army last time, they had captured hundreds of warhorses. Shahzani then selected some of the best and strongest from the militiamen, gave them some training, and formed a rudimentary cavalry force, which came in handy at this time.

Three thousand Bassky militiamen on foot, commanded by officer Hoslu, were stationed in the village of Nazri behind the battlefield. Their purpose was twofold: to protect the territory and prevent any enemy from escaping and to serve as a reserve force to support the front lines if necessary.

The order was given, and the troops were assembled.

At this moment, Shahzani remembered that in the [Chronicles of the Persian King] system, there is usually a [Preparation Skill] that is triggered before battle, providing a temporary bonus.

She opened the interface, browsed through it several times, and finally selected the "Swift Charge" battle preparation skill, the effect of which is to "apply it to one of the cavalry units, increasing its mobility by 20% for the entire battle".

Without further ado, Shahzani applied the buff to the mounted Basij militia led by Bahraim.

After all, that unit was her mobile force used to outflank the enemy, and being far removed from the influence of her general's aura, the buff would inevitably be slightly weakened. As compensation, this buff should naturally be given to them.

Once everything was ready, Shahzani immediately cracked her whip and headed towards the battlefield.

……

at the same time.

Behesht Oasis.

In the village filled with mud-brick houses, chickens flew about, dogs barked, and cries of pain echoed everywhere.

Jihadi soldiers, their heads wrapped in black turbans and wielding curved knives, ravaged the village like locusts, plundering livestock and grain, and abducting pretty young girls to serve as so-called "jihadist brides."

A tall, muscular man with a horse-like face and a hooked nose, dressed in chainmail and a black robe, rode on horseback, looking at everything before him, and couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Ha ha! Everything you have is dedicated to the great Prophet Jihadi! This is your duty! You should be afraid! You should feel honored!"

After saying this, he looked up at the sky, made a gesture, and recited a grand eulogy. However, his eulogy was recited in a completely nonsensical and extremely bizarre manner.

At that moment, a Jihadi soldier rushed in to report: "Chief Abu Habi, the female city lord of Zanshahr has led her troops to meet us in battle and is already approaching the Behesht Oasis!"

"Oh? That devilish woman has delivered herself to our doorstep?" Abu Habi laughed wildly. "Assemble the troops immediately, leave 800 men here to guard the area, and the rest will come with me to meet the enemy!"

At his command, the Jihadi soldiers who were looting stopped immediately, gathered their weapons, and assembled into formation. However, their formation was loose and took a long time to organize, clearly not that of a professional army.

Abu Habib shouted a few more slogans and then led this hastily assembled "army" to meet the enemy.

Chapter 19 Humph, want to escape?

Between the Behesht Oasis and the border of Shahzani's territory lies a flat desert 1.6 farsachs (about 10 kilometers) wide.

Shahzani, leading over 200 palace guards, was advancing in perfect formation across the desert. Scouts at the front reported that the Jihadi forces had come out in full force, so she ordered her troops to deploy and prepare for battle.

Dust billowed and sandstorms raged.

Shahzani, lance in hand, stood at the forefront of the army, gazing into the distance. Soon after, a dark mass of Jihadi's troops appeared on the horizon.

At the forefront were more than 300 jihadists on horseback, followed by nearly 4000 jihadists on foot.

They approached like a black tide, their fanatical war cries carried faintly on the sandstorm. Despite their overwhelming force, Shahzani could tell that their formation was loose and they clearly lacked tight military organization, which meant their offensive capabilities would be greatly diminished.

“A disorganized mess.” Shahzani’s lips curled into a contemptuous smile.

This kind of enemy is not worth looking up to tactically; a few charges from our skilled troops are enough to defeat them.

However, she did not immediately launch an offensive, but instead remained still, patiently waiting for the opponent to expose a greater weakness.

……

Here.

The Jihadi forces, commanded by Abu Habib, also discovered Shahzani and the palace guards' formation.

“Chief Habi, that’s the female lord of Zanshahr City,” a mounted Jihadist pointed ahead.

"Ha, is that all they have?" Abu Habib looked into the distance, a look of disdain on his face. "Our 'holy war' army can crush them in an instant!"

Then, he turned to his men: "Jihadi's warriors, those women from Zanshahr are just ahead! What fighting power can women have in the army?! However, their figures and looks are absolutely stunning. Launch an attack! The prisoners you capture will be your spoils of war, hahaha!"

He laughed wildly, his eyes filled with evil light, as if he could already see Shahzani and the palace women soldiers crying out in despair, naked beneath him.

His words drew excited laughter from Jihadi's soldiers.

Amidst the cacophony of shouts and curses, the Jihadi militia finally managed to form disorganized and loosely organized groups, organized by gang.

After all, they were not a regular army, but a mob incited by radical slogans. Although they were fanatical, they were far from being organized or structured.

But Abu Habib believed that his "holy warriors" could easily defeat the women's army in front of them with sheer numbers and fanaticism. Didn't the Arabs defeat the well-equipped Sassanid army in Qadisiyah precisely because of their unparalleled steadfastness and piety?

Although the scale of this skirmish was nowhere near that of the Battle of Qadisia.

Led by a few "helpers" (one wonders what Muhammad in heaven would think), the jihadi began to move forward. Clearly, while the jihadi were poorly organized, they were not entirely without structure or hierarchy. These armed fighters, who called themselves "helpers," were the more fanatical followers of their sect, possessing a stronger fighting spirit.

However, all the Jihadi soldiers were poorly equipped. Most of them wore coarse cloth robes, and less than 20% of them had some incomplete helmets and chainmail.

Now, this poorly equipped but fanatical group of followers has launched a full-scale attack on Shahzani's army. First, the cavalry charged forward with a roar, followed by a large number of infantry cannon fodder.

A cloud of dust billowed up from the sand, and shouts came with the wind.

……

At a glance, Shahzani instantly spotted the enemy's numerous weaknesses: their formation was loose, their attack was disorganized, they had no reserves, and their cavalry and infantry were severely out of sync...

"All soldiers, turn around along the left flank!" At Shahzani's command, more than 200 palace guards immediately spurred their horses and galloped in the designated direction.

They were all skilled riders, and their warhorses were well-trained. With the excellent coordination between riders and horses, their speed quickly increased while maintaining an orderly formation.

Shahzani did not choose to charge head-on for the time being. Although the palace guards were organized heavy cavalry and were not afraid of the Jihadi riders in a head-on charge, Shahzani had other tactics.

The palace guards had already maneuvered to the side and front of the Jihadi riders, only a hundred paces away. The enemy, clearly not expecting them to move so quickly, reined in their horses, which were galloping straight ahead, and turned them around.

at this time.

"Aim at the enemy cavalry and fire!" Shahzani shouted the order.

In an instant, all the palace guards quickly drew their bows and nocked arrows, aiming at the unsuspecting Jihadi riders, and unleashed a volley of arrows with a series of "whoosh" sounds. While releasing their arrows, they continued their charge on horseback, a quality expected of excellent Iranian cavalry.

With a whooshing sound, the Jihadi riders fell from their horses and died one after another. Shahzani looked around and saw that at least a third of the enemy had been killed or wounded by arrows, and another twenty or thirty men whose horses had been shot dead were struggling to get up from the ground.

The time for a frontal assault has come!

Shahzani gave the order again, and the palace guards instantly halted their horses, turned around, and reformed their formation. Then, they switched to melee weapons and, taking advantage of the enemy's inability to regroup, launched a thunderous steel charge.

The sound of iron hooves, like the beating of war drums, exuded a terrifying momentum. The well-organized attack formation rapidly approached the Jihadi riders, who had not yet recovered from the chaos, and the dust they raised almost blotted out the sky.

The Jihadi riders were instantly enveloped in despair and fear, and their previous arrogance vanished in an instant.

"Charge! Destroy these madmen! The spirits of Gul'daffodil and Gushaspu are guiding us!"

Shahzani let out a battle cry, which was met with a chorus of shouts from the palace guards behind her. The combined force of their shouts made the Jihadi rider even more terrified.

Immediately afterwards, the palace guards charged into the ranks of the jihadi riders with the force of steel and fire. A series of sickening clangs of metal clashing and bones breaking rang out, and cries of agony echoed through the ranks of the jihadi riders.

Shahzani's warhorse rammed into several enemies, and the sharp spear in her hand pierced their bodies, continuously reaping their lives.

The charge was unstoppable.

"Keep the assault! Break through their ranks!"

Guided by Shahzani, the palace guards did not stop. They completely broke through the Jihadi riders' formation, quickly regrouped on the other side of the battlefield, and then turned around to launch another charge.

The remaining Jihadi riders showed clear signs of disarray, with many scrambling and crawling as they tried to escape the battlefield.

"Hmph, want to run away?"

Shahzani smiled and raised her arm again. The palace guards behind her straightened their backs, squeezed their legs together, and raised their spears.

Chapter 20 Cut off their retreat

The Jihadi militants have yet to recover after suffering yet another heavy blow.