I was the Queen of Persia

Page 147

Of course, with the support of tyranny and bravery, the Turan Khanate's initial victories were quite brilliant - a large number of Saman Empire forward outposts were captured and many Saman army troops were repelled.

War clouds are already approaching Edarla City.

Chapter 340 Bloodbath Against the E'dala

Outside Edarla City lies the Salarchi Grassland.

Several plumes of smoke rose straight into the sky, and large numbers of slaves, bound together with shackles and ropes, staggered along under the shouts and whips of the Turan cavalry.

Aknuar conquered this place and set up his military camp here, while also spreading disaster and terror throughout the region.

The Samanid army stationed there has been defeated, many soldiers have been captured, and several tribes that graze their livestock there have been accused of "harming the enemy" and have all been enslaved.

The majestic Khan's golden-topped tent was erected, and the Turan army dance, meant to cheer on the troops, began.

Aknu'er sat on the "chairs"—two kneeling slaves—holding wine cups, gazing at the magnificent scene before him.

One hundred large iron cauldrons, used for marching, were arranged on both sides, with boiling water bubbling and scalding steam rolling in.

Large numbers of prisoners of war and slaves were brought up by Turan soldiers in full armor. Some were Saman prisoners, and some were tribal people who had "colluded with the enemy." They were all naked.

Aknuer took a sip of the wine with amusement, his eyes glazed over.

"These people are either despicable enemies or damned traitors! In the name of Almighty God, they shall all be boiled alive at this moment!"

The Khan's face contorted in rage.

The Turan soldiers lined up on both sides immediately burst into excited cheers, and even the rousing music and dance became even more intense under the enthusiastic atmosphere.

An unusual execution officially began.

Turan's soldiers forced the prisoners into boiling cauldrons, amidst a cacophony of screams and cries. Among the dying soldiers, many refused to yield.

"Bah! Turanians! Go ahead and be arrogant! Rustam's descendants will eventually defeat you Afrasiab's offspring!"

"Haha! Go ahead and use all your tricks! I haven't enjoyed a hot shower in ages, hahahaha!"

Several Samanian officers, who were ready to die for their cause, mocked him in this way.

Aknu'er's facial muscles contorted with rage.

"Kill! Kill! Let them never utter a sound again! Let their souls wail in the fire!" Aknuer roared in fury.

The sweltering heat continued to surge.

Everything returned to silence, with only the rising white smoke telling the story of the cruel scene that had just unfolded.

This was also a common execution method used by many rulers of the steppes. Later, one of Temujin's sworn brothers also used it after a battle.

"Give the order!" Aknuer rose, glancing southward with a wolf-like gaze. "Attack Otrar!"

……

The massive army of the Turan Khanate surged toward Otrar.

At the front, there were nearly 5 "Hashaar" conscripts. These cannon fodder servants were basically prisoners of war and slaves forcibly conscripted. They were driven to the front like animals to offset the damage to the nomadic legions in the rear.

On the city wall, Farukzad clenched his fist as he looked at the large number of cannon fodder being driven to the front lines.

"How despicable! This is utterly cowardly tactics!" Farukzad was furious and secretly vowed to deliver a heavy blow to the Turan army.

The war drums sounded, and the suona horns began to play.

The Turan siege force officially launched its attack.

Under the urging of the supervising team, the "Hashaar" troops at the forefront surged toward the city wall. Turan's siege infantry and dismounted cavalry were mixed in among them. The siege ladders slowly advanced, while behind them, gravity catapults were already assembled and were launching boulders and fireballs.

Farukzad did not retaliate immediately. She suppressed her anger and signaled the Samanian garrison to wait for an opportunity to strike.

Behind the battlements, fifty rocket vehicles were already ready.

The Turan army drew ever closer to the city walls, and the battle cries and shouts in various Turkic languages—Turan, Kipchak, Kimak, Oghuz, Karluk, and others—resonated through the sky. The yellowish-brown plains in front of the city were now completely enveloped by a sea of ​​brown soldiers.

However, a flaw appeared.

Farukzad noticed that there was a gap between the enemy's front-line cannon fodder and the rear siege force.

This is exactly what we've been waiting for! The young princess immediately gave the order for the rocket chariots to fire at an upward angle.

Dozens of rocket-propelled vehicles instantly launched countless fire dragons into the sky. The scorching rockets pierced the sky, trailing dazzling flames, and crashed heavily into the Turan army's siege troops, causing wave after wave of explosions.

This is exactly what Farukzad wanted to see: focus the attack on the enemy's troop formations and minimize casualties among the cannon fodder.

Thanks to precise calculations, dozens of siege ladders in the Turan army were also hit and ignited. Although the thick felt covering the ladders mitigated most of the damage from the flames, the subsequent gunpowder explosions were ultimately unstoppable. In an instant, brilliant "sparks" burst forth, the enemy soldiers on the ladders were blown to pieces, and the ladders themselves were destroyed, rendering them unusable for siege warfare.

"Iran's Shaher is immortal!"

"Hu Da Akbar!"

The Saman soldiers on the city walls were greatly encouraged and fought back more bravely against the Turan army's attack.

Aknuer, who was watching the battle from a distant high ground, looked very unwell.

Snapped--!

He kicked aside the slave crawling in front of his boots, stood up, looked at the battlefield, and said grimly, "Prepare our rocket tanks to attack!"

That's right, Turan Khanate now has rocket tanks.

Thanks to the technological diffusion along the Silk Road, a great deal of knowledge about gunpowder preparation had spread to the Turan Khanate. After all, this was not a core secret technology, and it couldn't be kept hidden forever.

Although the warriors of the Turan steppes despised this "unorthodox" approach, believing that only horseback archery and close combat were the traditions that warriors should follow.

However, Aknuar recognized the importance of gunpowder in the military field. He recruited hundreds of skilled gunpowder-making craftsmen through plunder, capture, bribery, and the slave trade, and established a gunpowder workshop in the city of Afrasiab to specifically manufacture this weapon.

The Turan army's rocket chariots were set up and lit, launching a volley attack on the Saman defenders on the walls of Otrar. Farukzad immediately ordered the Saman army to retaliate.

The two armies exchanged fire with their gunpowder weapons, the sky filled with dazzling flames, the enormous sound resounded through the heavens, and the explosions kicked up billowing smoke and dust that blotted out the sun.

Soon, the Turan Khanate's army exposed its weakness: insufficient production capacity.

Despite possessing technology, the relatively low productivity of the steppe region limited the Turan army's gunpowder reserves. The Samanid army, in contrast, had a vast and abundant stockpile of gunpowder.

In such a war of attrition, the Turan Khanate was no match for the Samanid Empire.

However, Faluczad was in no hurry to let the battle end.

Judging that the Turan Khanate was on the verge of collapse, she immediately ordered her troops to switch to a defensive posture. Subsequently, she ordered her troops to withdraw to the rear defensive line, effectively surrendering the front-line city walls.

Aknuar was overjoyed, thinking that the Saman army had given up and retreated. She then ordered Turan's army to take control of the outer walls and break into the city.

Chapter 341 The Princess Resists a Powerful Enemy

It turns out that after the expansion of the Samanid Empire, the city of Otrar had become significantly larger and its defensive capabilities were much stronger.

Now, the city of Otrar has expanded, and an artificial canal has been built by diverting water from the Syr Darya River, dividing the expanded city in two. An artificial river island has been formed in the center of the canal, splitting the river into two streams.

On the river islands, the Samanid Empire built tall and sturdy fortresses, equipped with numerous arrow towers, which served as connecting hubs to enhance the ability to resist enemy attacks and coordinate the defense of the city.

After tactically retreating from the outer city walls, Falukzad deployed his defensive forces here. At this moment, the magnificent brick castle stands tall, its cobalt blue brick glaze gleaming on the dome, and its formidable defenses certainly pose a significant deterrent to any attacking forces.

When the Turan Khanate army arrived at the riverbank, they discovered that the castle was beyond the range of siege weapons. Due to the surrounding houses and fortresses, not only could the cumbersome trebuchets not be deployed, but even rocket chariots could not pass through.

In short, it is easy to defend and difficult to attack.

"These Persian cowards! What kind of warriors hide in their castles? Turan's army, crush their defenses!"

Aknuar was furious and immediately ordered an attack on the castle in the river island.

"Bring it on! Iranian warriors, prepare to reap the lives of the invaders!"

Farukzad also refused to back down and responded head-on.

Several assault troops quickly assembled, filled the sheepskin rafts they had brought with them, and swam across the river in batches.

But clearly, the results were minimal.

The Samanid army's defenses were extremely tight, and the fireballs and arrows rained down like hail. The Turan troops, who were swimming across the river, were unable to fight back and were quickly routed.

The burning Naftan incendiary bombs, leaving trails of flame in the air, slammed into the Turan army crossing the river, instantly igniting a raging inferno. The Turan soldiers screamed and jumped into the river. The attack plan had failed.

"Send them to hell! Mobilize the troops to fill the river and attack!" Aknuer cursed angrily.

Subsequently, amidst curses and whippings, the "Hashar" team transported large quantities of earth and stones from outside the city in an attempt to fill the artificial canal.

"A foolish offensive will only increase losses."

Farukzad scoffed, then raised his command flag and laid out a blocking tactic.

The command flags waved, and the suona horns sounded.

The sound of waves being cleaved and the currents flowing gradually drew closer.

A dozen or so enormous warships suddenly appeared from upstream, each one reinforced with iron armor and covered with thick felt, like the giant beasts in the Book of Kings, appearing in the sight of the two armies in battle.

These were the defensive ships built under the orders of Falukzad and Iraqi rulers.

As the warships drew near, the Saman soldiers on board immediately drew their bows and fired arrows at the Turan army on the shore, while the crossbows and rockets mounted on the ships also launched an attack on the Turans.

These warships were ingeniously constructed, with a rational and orderly arrangement of various weapons, and they could move freely in the canals. It is unlikely that the Persians, whose shipbuilding skills were average, could complete such a project at present.

Indeed, these are the masterpieces of Chinese engineers in the Samanid Persian army. Chinese craftsmen incorporated shipbuilding wisdom from the Far East, based on the hydrological characteristics of the Syr Darya tributary, resulting in the fusion of technologies from two civilizations and ultimately creating these powerful offensive and defensive weapons.

Warships cruised back and forth, raining down arrows and bullets. The Turan army on the opposite shore was caught off guard, and their lines were almost thrown into chaos. They had no choice but to abandon their plans and retreat in defeat.

"Damn Persian cowards! They only dare to use such despicable tricks!" Aknuer's face was already green with anger.

But she was still not satisfied, so she ordered the incendiary bomb-launching troops to move forward and launch fireballs to burn the Samanian ships.

Turan's grenadier unit was ordered to deploy. Although the cramped terrain made it impossible to deploy large siege weapons, it was more than enough to deploy small projectiles.

Under the intense barrage of fire from the Saman army and suffering considerable casualties, the Turan army finally launched Naftan incendiary bombs. Bright flames pierced the sky, but the moment they hit the Saman warships...

From Aknuar down to every single Turan soldier, everyone was stunned into silence.

The fireball exploded, and the flames flickered weakly for only a moment before going out.

It is the thick fireproof felt covering the warships that plays an important role.

Taking advantage of this lull, the Saman soldiers on the warships continued to launch a volley of fire in return. The towering fireballs turned the sky crimson, and the fiery dragons rushed fiercely towards the Turan troops.

Turan's troops suffered heavy casualties, and if they continued to fight at this rate, they would not be able to defeat the Saman army. In desperation, Aknuar could only order his troops to retreat.

The battle has reached a temporary stalemate.

"The sons and daughters of Shahr of Iran will not yield to the Turans. Warriors! Continue the fight and drive these nomads back to the steppes..."

Farukzad was quite satisfied with the victory and continued to encourage the Saman soldiers.

Taking out a high-powered observation scope, they discovered that the Turan army on the opposite bank was still mobilizing, but instead of attacking the fortress she was defending, they were directing their troops out of the city.

"Oh no! The Turan army is trying to launch a feint!" Farukzad reacted quickly.

She was very clear about the defensive situation in the surrounding area: Edarla was the core, and cities such as Chimugan and Sailan were the strongholds, and the garrison in cities such as Chimugan was even smaller.

If Turan's army were to turn a feint into a real attack, change tactics on the fly, and unexpectedly capture the stronghold, then the defense of Otrar would be at a considerable disadvantage.

Using this as a pretext, Farukzad immediately ordered ten warships, carrying enough soldiers, to go and support his allies and thwart the Turan army's intentions.

Indeed, not only Otrar, but many cities in the Syr Darya basin have undergone large-scale expansion and reconstruction.

The artificial canals, drawing water from the Syr Darya River, crisscrossed between cities and military camps, not only expanding the irrigated area for agriculture but also greatly improving shipping efficiency.

The warships sailed up the Syr Darya, cutting through the waves and sweeping all before them, their crimson Samanan banners fluttering in the wind.

Seeing this, Aknuar ordered the Turan army to build dams and set up ropes to intercept the Saman army's reinforcements, attempting to achieve the tactic of "besieging the city and attacking the reinforcements".

But Farukzad did not give her that chance. The Saman warships, relying on their powerful projection capabilities, fiercely suppressed the Turan troops on the shore, preventing them from approaching and forcing them to retreat step by step.

The barrage of fireballs shattered the chains, unleashing a raging inferno. The warships sailed through the waves, forging ahead and thwarting the Turan army's attempt to intercept them.

With reinforcements on board, they quickly arrived at Akagigan City and, working together, repelled the Turan army's attack on the city.

Using the Syr Darya River and its various man-made canals, the troops of the Samanid Empire coordinated and cooperated closely to repeatedly contain the Turan army's offensive.

Chapter 342 Schemes Against Schemes

In fact, throughout history, there are many examples of the Falukzade tactic.

During the Mongol westward expansion in later generations, Timur Mehri, a general of Khwarazm, used similar tactics when defending the city of Khujand (Khujand).

As the daughter of a staunch "Shubi" emperor, Farukzad grew up listening to stories of various generals and warriors told by her mother, Empress Shahzani, including heroes such as Jalal ad-Din and Timur Mehri who bravely resisted the Mongol invasion.