I was the Queen of Persia

Page 173

After analyzing and assessing the situation, Shahzani clearly understood the changes in the battlefield situation and had a strategic plan in mind.

"Turan's military strength has been weakened, and it is time to launch a counterattack. Issue my decree!" The Empress immediately ordered her royal scribe to draft the decree.

The Persian writer wrote furiously, issuing an edict:

With Prince Consort Iraj as commander-in-chief and Farukzad and Bahmanyar as generals, he promoted elite officers, assembled the military forces along the Syr Darya River, and launched a surprise attack on the heart of Turan, striking deep into the Turan Khanate.

The edict, consisting of hundreds of Persian words, was drafted and transmitted along the imperial post roads to the frontier war zone on the Syr Darya River.

……

Meanwhile, on the other side, Iraj and Farukzad...

The two had been preparing diligently for a long time, displaying an ambition to achieve great things and win. Especially Farukzade, who was still resentful of her previous defeat; now that the opportunity to redeem herself had arrived, how could she let it slip by?

After careful consideration and working in perfect harmony, the two devised a meticulous battle plan and immediately put it into action.

a few days later.

The well-organized cavalry had already assembled and were ready to fight, their armor and robes crimson and their banners as red as fire.

"My dearest lady, you have long desired to march on Turan, but I previously dissuaded you because the time was not right. Now, with our postal stations in place and our soldiers well-trained and skilled, the conditions are ripe, and the Queen Mother has also decreed that we launch an attack. Please go forth and fight! May the courage of the heroine Gushaspu bring you victory!"

"I will surely achieve great deeds like Gushaspu, and await the news of victory, my dear husband!"

Wearing his military attire, which was accentuated by his Persian-style four-mirror armor, Farukzad looked even more heroic and dashing. He mounted his cloth-armored warhorse, Lahsh, drew his mace with a clang, and led the cavalry to set off.

The main force of this military operation was the elite cavalry of the "Uzbek" Legion. Considering that this battle required deep penetration into enemy territory and long-distance raids, which demanded greater mobility and endurance, the cavalrymen were ordered to change out of their steel armor and into fabric riding robes beforehand.

While improving mobility, it also retains the horse's ability to defend against stray arrows.

……

Farukzad personally led 2.5 elite cavalry, with Kyzylhan Beg as his deputy. The officers and soldiers all carried enough dry rations for two months. They set off from Xigenakhei and advanced into the steppe region controlled by the Eastern Turan Khanate.

She led her army northward, specifically choosing the Wuletuo grassland-desert region for her march. This area was harsh, sparsely populated, and supplies were even more difficult to obtain. However, this also meant that her movements were harder to detect, making it easier to launch surprise attacks.

With her years of experience in the border regions, the princess had ample experience in desert military operations, and her troops were mostly tough and hardworking soldiers from various ethnic groups, including Persia, Sogdiana, Khwarazmian, and Turkic Turan.

Eating durable marching barley bread and drinking yogurt from their saddlebags, and relying on their familiarity with the terrain, the Samanid "Uzbek" legion advanced swiftly, averaging 10 farsahs (62.4 kilometers) per day, and soon crossed the barren desert.

Upon reaching the Tengiz Lake area, the troops replenished their water supplies from nearby rivers, took a short rest, and then continued their journey.

Along the way, the Turan tribes naturally discovered the Samanid army, but the various tribes that were scattered and grazing were no match for this large army and fled in disarray.

Farukzad did not pursue them. Her target was Afrashyab, the heart of the Eastern Turan Khanate, and she did not want to waste time and energy along the way. If a small number of Turan cavalry harassed her, she would simply counterattack and disperse them, without having to relentlessly pursue them.

They marched for more than ten days in this manner.

The Samanid army swept across the boundless Turan steppe, defeating all the small number of Turan soldiers along the way. Their advance was swift and unstoppable.

Finally, as the sun rose over the eastern mountain range, the power center of Eastern Turan—Afrasiyab—came into view of the Saman soldiers. It was surrounded by yurts and herds of cattle and sheep, but the garrison was not large.

Keng——!

Farukzad drew his mace and, following the rising sun in the east, swept it across the sky, pointing towards the capital city of Turan.

"Descendants of Rustam, ahead lies the capital of the Afrasiyab's offspring! We, as soldiers of the Saman Empire and warriors of Empress Shahzani, shall write an epic of heroes and warriors! Charge! Huda Akbar!"

The soldiers of the Saman army, summoning courage and fighting spirit that soared to the heavens, each determined to fight to the death and win, formed ranks and charged toward the enemy city.

The crimson flames swept in like wildfire burning across the grasslands, their fierce momentum enough to terrify any adversary that dared to oppose them.

The Turan soldiers patrolling nearby were terrified when they saw the crimson torrent of steel. The Great Khan Aknuar, hearing of the commotion, rushed to the city wall and was also stunned.

They often ventured south into Iranian territory to plunder, but they never imagined that they would be infiltrated by Iranian troops in the opposite direction.

The Samanid Empire's "Uzbek" legion advanced swiftly, leaving Dong Turan no time to gather the able-bodied young men scattered across the grasslands to form an army. Moreover, Dong Turan's main force was currently dispersed along the long southern border, leaving the capital's defenses rather weak. Apart from a Khan's personal guard of one 10,000-household commander, there were no other defensive forces.

Farukzad gave the Turans no chance to retaliate. His elite cavalry spread out in formation, dividing and encircling the Turan royal guards, and quickly routed the scattered forces on the outskirts, causing them to collapse and become unable to form an effective defense.

The "Uzbek" legion advanced triumphantly, advancing in a coordinated encirclement.

Chapter 396 The Princess's Merits

"Charge! Rustam's courage is our blessing, Huda Akbar!"

Farukzad raised his mace high, guiding his elite cavalry in a charge. Like a raging wildfire, it carried an unstoppable force.

Turan Khan's personal guards were also rapidly assembling, their high-pitched Turkic commands echoing through the sky. The swift Turan warhorses moved with rapid strides, and faced with the Samanid army's deadly assault, they had no choice but to hastily engage in battle.

The crimson battle flag of the Samanid army still flies, embodying the bravery of Iranian heroes such as Rustam, Ghushaspu, and Faramaz, and unleashing a red sandstorm that sweeps across Turan.

The crimson flames clashed fiercely against the dark brown Great Wall, armored cavalry against armored cavalry, spears against spears, steel colliding and sparking dazzling flames, with Persian and Turkic war cries rising and falling.

Turan Khan's guards were elite and highly skilled in combat. Facing the surging sea of ​​countless powerful lionesses, they showed no fear, even knowing that the odds of victory were slim, they were ready to die for their cause.

The armored riders neighed, and the leopard in armor roared.

Despite the formidable strength of Turan Khan's elite troops, they were caught off guard by the sudden attack from the Samanid army. They had hastily assembled, their formations were not yet solid, and their equipment was not yet fully prepared. As a result, they gradually became overwhelmed after a short period of fierce fighting.

Meanwhile, the Samanid army fought with increasing ferocity and had already breached two of the enemy's defensive lines.

A cavalry charge, dividing and encircling the enemy.

Farukzad did not simply charge headlong into battle; she ordered Kyzylhan Beg to lead five elite cavalry regiments on a flanking maneuver. This was to strike at the Turan forces' weak points from the flanks, accelerating the collapse of the Turan army.

The two-pronged attack, combined with the coordinated assault, further disrupted Turan's formation.

In a short span of time, the hastily assembled Turan troops were scattered before they could fully demonstrate their combat capabilities.

Warhorses neighed, cavalrymen howled, and the dark brown Great Wall collapsed for miles.

"Damn Persians! Despicable Tats! Scoundrel Tajiks!"

Aknuer clung to the city wall, watching his troops retreat in defeat, his heart filled with a complex mix of anger, shock, and fear.

His subordinates and attendants advised him that the Samanid army was advancing rapidly and its momentum was unstoppable. The only way to deal with it now was to avoid its sharp edge, withdraw and relocate, so that they could make a comeback.

Just like the traditional practice of the Turan tribe: leave this grassland, migrate to another grassland, and return when the sheep and horses are fat and strong the following year.

The Saman "Uzbek" Legion's offensive continued, and the Turan Guard was completely unable to hold them off. The soldiers scattered and fled, the battle line was crumbling, and each unit was retreating step by step.

"withdraw!"

Aknuer's face contorted in pain, his cheeks twitched, and his voice trembled. After weighing the pros and cons, he finally made this difficult decision.

Faced with the imminent threat, he had no energy left to care about his family, close ministers, followers, city, and golden tent. He could only hastily take a few subordinates and break through the encirclement in the chaos, disappearing into the depths of the grassland.

Turan's army was completely routed.

"Hudaakbar! Regroup your forces!"

Farukzad, beaming with the joy of victory, gave orders to his army to consolidate their gains.

In Afrashyab, the towering arches still stand. The city, also Persian in style, evokes a sense of homeland in the Iranian soldiers.

The troops now stationed outside the city are no longer the Turan army in brown and black armor, but the Iranian army in red and crimson armor.

"Reporting to Shahdukht (Princess)! Turan Khan has fled, but more than a hundred of her relatives, family members, and close ministers have been captured by our army."

"Reporting to Shahdukht! Turan Khan's golden-topped tent has been captured by our army. In addition, we have also captured more than a thousand fine horses, more than a thousand strong oxen, and more than a thousand pieces of fine armor and weapons."

"Reporting to Shahdukht! Thousands of slave artisans have been captured in the city; they are responsible for making weapons and armor for the Turan army."

……

The officers reported on the enormous spoils of the battle.

“Take away the captured Khan’s relatives, the fine horses and artisans that are useful for marching and fighting, and distribute the silks, satins, gold and silver jewelry to the poor people in the local area!”

Farukzadeh issued the order to take action.

She has no immediate plans to capture the city. This is a surprise attack, aimed at using the Uzbek Legion's high mobility and offensive capabilities to dismantle the central government of Eastern Turan, rather than to conquer cities and territories.

In other words, if the battle lines are stretched so far into the heart of the grasslands, even if cities are captured, the troops are far from their own forces and unable to support each other. How long can the gains be consolidated?

Farukzad allowed his troops to rest for a few days and appease the surrounding nomadic tribes before withdrawing them and returning home along the same route to join up with the main force of Iraj.

……

On the post road connecting Transoxiana Province and Khorasan Province.

"Giddy-up! Giddy-up! Get out of the way! Good news from the front!"

The Samanid messenger galloped away, his voice brimming with barely contained excitement. His pace seemed much faster than usual, and he soon delivered the news of victory to the capital, Jahanshahr.

The Imperial Mosque, with its enormous dome covered in ornate tiles, shines brilliantly, much like the immortal aura of the Iranian queen.

It was Friday, the day of Friday prayers.

Wearing a chadur and barefoot, Shahzani stood on a high platform and solemnly announced the news of the victory in the north to the Iranian Muslims who had come to hear her sermon:

"My subjects! The power of Dongtulan Khan is already teetering on the brink of collapse!"

"Princess Farukzad, through a surprise long-distance raid, struck straight into the heart of the Eastern Turan Khanate, severely damaging its regime!"

"After this battle, the ruling center of Eastern Turan collapsed suddenly, the Khan's imperial guard was completely wiped out, the core tribes scattered and separated, and Turan Khan Aknuer fled to the Ertis River (Irtysh River) with only a few hundred remaining people!"

"Let us praise the achievements of Shahdokht Farukzadeh! Let us praise the bravery of the Iranian soldiers and people! Huda Akbar! Iran Javadan (Iran Forever)!"

The people erupted in cheers that resounded through the heavens.

In the eyes of Iranian officials and the public, this was an absolutely unparalleled victory, far surpassing Rustam's illustrious achievements.

Iran and Turan, these historical rivals, will soon find a victor.

In the following days, at the Jahanshahr court.

Following their resounding victory, optimism and high spirits filled the Samanid court. Shahzani convened several Diwan military conferences to discuss the next strategic steps, during which opinions varied, with two main proposals emerging:

First, immediately assemble an army, cross the Syr Darya River, head north to Turanstan, and conquer the various tribes of Turan;

Secondly, we should first divide and weaken them. The various tribes of Turan were already leaderless. We should wait for them to fall into chaos on their own before sending troops north to defeat them one by one.

Shahzani believes that victory should not be rushed.

Because Turanstan is mostly desert and steppe, unlike the Samanid Empire which has a dense network of post roads, directly assembling a large army to march north would inevitably consume a lot of food and resources, greatly reducing the cost-effectiveness of victory.

After weighing the options, she chose the second one.

Chapter 397 The Disintegration of Dongtulan

After the Avrashiyab raid.

Prince Turan, his vassals, and tribal leaders, who had long harbored ambitions, killed the inspectors sent by Aknuar, established their own independent states based on their respective ulugs.

The Samanid Empire continued to launch surprise attacks on the various tribes of Eastern Turan, weakening the Turan army and accelerating the disintegration of the Eastern Turan Khanate by seizing the initiative on the battlefield.

In the spring of 1030 AD, the year 399 in the Persian calendar.

Exciting news came from the Tulan grasslands—

The Eastern Turan Khanate eventually collapsed and disintegrated.

Grand Vazil-Falzana has summarized the details and is presenting them to the Queen in a row.

"Although most of the Turan tribes after the dissolution still use the name 'Turan,' they are distinguished by different colored flags. The current situation is as follows."

"Prince Musa Ogurchak ruled over the former territory of Oghuz Yaghu, east of the Mazandaran Sea (Caspian Sea) and north of the Khwarazmian Sea (Aral Sea), with a red flag, and called himself the 'Kizil Turan Khanate'."

"Prince Arslan Qadir Hassan controlled several cities in the Seven Rivers region, including Balasagun and Bals Khan, and his banner was yellow. He called himself the 'Sari Turan Khanate'."

"Prince Mansur Baisunkhur established his own territory in the city of Ader on the lower reaches of the Ader River. His flag was white, and he called himself the 'Khanate of Ak-Turan'."

"The Khan Suleiman Bogra Baytash, who controlled the Turgai steppe region, recovered the Kipchak and Kangli chieftains, raised a blue flag, and called himself the 'Kok Turan Khanate'."

“Akenur fled to the Shi River basin of Yer, and with the support of some Kimak people, he continued to be Khan. His flag was still brown and black, and he called himself the ‘Kara Turan Khanate’.”

From then on, the vast nomadic empire that spanned Eurasia finally ceased to exist, and the northern pressure faced by the Samanid Empire suddenly decreased.

Diwan's civil and military officials all advised that they should take advantage of the fragmentation and infighting among the various parts of Turan to gather forces and conquer Turanstan in order to prevent the emergence of a powerful enemy in the north.

Shahzani shared this idea, but she had another important task to complete before putting the military plan into action.

……

After Nowruz.

Several foreign missions visited Jahan Shah, the capital of the Samanid Empire.

The delegation consisted of over a hundred people, all with dark skin, dressed in unusual South Indian attire, and wearing pagoda-shaped crowns. The women in the delegation were almost naked, covered only by a few strips of silk. The tribute they presented included coral, sandalwood, sappanwood, and other items.

"The Chalukya Dynasty delegation! The Arapa Dynasty delegation! The Chola Dynasty delegation! We pay homage to the great Shah Shah of Iran, the center of the universe, the projection of Allah on earth!"