I was the Queen of Persia

Page 177

Upon learning of the Turan remnants' resistance, Farukzad also wanted to immediately lead his troops to attack. However, as expected, the Altai Mountain route southward required careful consideration and meticulous planning.

Just then, an officer reported that several chieftains of the Naiman tribe were outside the tent and requested an audience.

"Please let them in," Farukzad ordered.

Before long, several steppe people wearing felt hats and Turan robes entered the military tent. This was the usual attire of Inner Asian Turan nomads, but what was special was that each of them wore a cross necklace around their neck.

However, the princess had already heard from her mother that there were Christian tribes in the eastern part of the Turan steppe, so she was not surprised by this.

"In the name of my most merciful and magnanimous lord, I pay my respects to the noble Princess of Persia," the Naiman chieftain said, bowing with his hand on his chest.

“In the name of the just and generous God Hud, leaders, please rise. What brings you here?” Farukzad said.

"We have heard that the princess intends to pursue the remnants of Turan's forces, and we are willing to serve as her guides."

The Naiman leaders all spoke in unison.

They then explained the purpose and reasons for this move.

It turns out that the Naiman tribe had previously converted to Christianity through the Eastern Church, but after the rise of the Turan Khanate, which embraced Islam, they suffered from religious oppression. Several years ago, unable to bear the religious oppression any longer, the Naiman people angrily joined the army of "King John of the East" and launched the "Crusades."

Unfortunately, Turan's power was at its peak at the time, and "King John of the East" soon suffered a crushing defeat. The Naiman tribe also suffered a heavy blow due to the defeat, and the tribe was scattered and forced to abandon the cities, churches and pastures they had painstakingly built, and retreat to the depths of the Altai Mountains-Sayan Mountains.

So when the Samanid army arrived, they decisively became "traitors".

"But we Iranians are also Muslims. Since you are hostile to the Turans, who are also Muslims, why are you willing to help us?" Farukzad asked suspiciously.

“By the name of God, we have heard that Queen Shahzani is magnanimous and just, and treats all religious beliefs with kindness. Therefore, we are willing to submit to her protection.” The Naiman chieftains bowed again.

Farukzad nodded slightly, pondered for a moment, weighed the pros and cons, and gladly accepted the Naiman's service.

Guided by the Naimans, the Saman army prepared ample provisions and traveled upstream along the Yar-dish River. They then suddenly detoured at the mouth of the Aya-guz River to avoid the reconnaissance and surveillance of the Turan forces.

Take the enemy by surprise.

The Samanid army launched a surprise attack on the flank of the Turan army.

The Turan army was caught off guard, partly because they had not yet gained a foothold, and partly because they did not expect the Saman army to move so quickly. After a fierce battle, they were quickly defeated, with two thousand killed and ten thousand captured. Their large-scale resistance was crushed.

Aknuer managed to fight his way out and break through the encirclement thanks to the valiant protection of his personal guards.

Now it was her turn to live in constant fear.

……

Deep in the grasslands, in a secluded spot.

The two teams of Turan riders returned on horseback, but all of them looked dejected.

"Khan, the nearby kimak herders are unwilling to provide supplies. Seeing our army approaching, they have all packed up their felt tents, driven their cattle and sheep, and hidden in the Saman army's garrison," complained a Turanyuzbash.

“The Kimak people are all seeking the protection of the Saman army, and we are unable to succeed. We beg the Khan’s forgiveness!” Another Turanyuzbash was also extremely disappointed.

The Turan nobles, who were sitting in a circle, suddenly fell silent, and the roasted mutton in their hands no longer tasted good.

After a moment of silence.

"Khan, it seems that the Saman army has already established its power in Yelshi River. It is not advisable to fight them head-on. I think the only way now is to retreat to the northeast and retreat to the Balabin Steppe. That place has not yet been touched by the Saman Empire, and there may still be hope for revival there."

A female close advisor spoke first.

“These two-faced kimak bastards! They should have been exiled to the far west of Adh long ago,” Aknuar sneered. “Fine, if God has decreed that we have nowhere to go, then we have no choice but to flee there. But before that, we must find the Persians’ weakness.”

at this time.

"It's bad! Your Majesty, the Samanid cavalry is attacking!" A Turan rider responsible for perimeter security rushed forward on horseback.

Meanwhile, in the distance, dust billowed and red flags fluttered.

"Damn it! Regroup your forces!" Aknu'er's expression changed drastically. "Full speed retreat! Quickly!"

"God! It's 'Death' Farukzad! Run! Run!"

All the Turan remnants hurriedly climbed onto their horses and retreated before the Samanid army could encircle them.

The Samanid army charged forward at breakneck speed.

"Uu——!"

Farukzad ordered a halt to the pursuit.

Looking at the roasting mutton on the fire, she laughed and said, "It seems Aknuer is quite 'hospitable,' cooking the meal and leaving the good food for the 'guest,' haha!"

“Shahdukht, these enemies seem to have run out of supplies; their demise is only a matter of time,” said Lieutenant General Kyzylhan Beg.

"Alright, let's fill our stomachs first before chasing after these starving bandits. Order! Rest here!" Farukzad gave the order.

Chapter 405 The End of the Turkic Khan

Aknuar led his remaining troops to escape by sheer luck, but the early spring weather in Ye'er was bitterly cold, and these Turan remnants were exhausted, hungry, and desperate.

After much deliberation, the group decided to head towards the Balabin Grasslands, where the Samanid Empire had not yet come under their control, and they might be able to try their luck there. Along the way, several subordinates frequently chose to desert.

Shahzani was in no hurry to pursue; she decided to first consolidate her occupation step by step, constructing a complete network of postal fortifications to form a mutually reinforcing blockade before annihilating Aknuar's remnants. Under her coordination, the province of 'Kimakstan' was quickly established, with its capital in Imaqa, and troops and jihadist construction legions were stationed there.

After nearly a month of this back-and-forth struggle, Shahzani saw that the defenses of the newly conquered lands were becoming stronger and stronger, and were now strong enough to withstand large-scale nomadic raids. He estimated that the remaining enemy forces were already facing a shortage of supplies.

And it turned out just as she had predicted.

The scouts patrolling the front lines reported that recently, remnants of the enemy have been frequently coming to surrender.

According to these defecting enemy soldiers, Aknuer was hiding on the Balabin steppe, and due to the lack of supplies, he had fallen into the state of banditry. The local tribes—mainly Tatars, Kyrgyz, Kimak, and Tirangut—regardless of their ethnicity or beliefs, were filled with resentment due to these scourges.

A message also came from the outpost: several Tatar and Kyrgyz tribes crossed the grassland to the garrison fortress, seeking our protection.

The final blow against the remaining enemy is already being planned.

Shahzani knew that Aknuer was eager to obtain supplies, so she deliberately created a "flaw": she deliberately weakened the defense of a certain supply outpost at the front, but secretly set up an ambush to lure the remnants of Turan into taking a risk.

Aknuar fell for the trap and led his remaining troops to plunder, only to be attacked from both sides by the Samanid army.

A brief but fierce battle broke out on the banks of the Shihe River in Ye'er.

The Samanid army unleashed a barrage of artillery, rockets, and tanks, several volleys of which sent Turan's troops reeling.

The Saman cavalry advanced in two columns to encircle and gradually annihilate the remnants of Turan's army. Turan's soldiers were also motivated to break out of the encirclement. Although they were at their wits' end, Aknu'er's fighting prowess was still formidable. She seized an opportunity when the Saman army had not yet closed in and fought her way out.

This turn of events was unexpected by Shahzani, but she was still generally satisfied with the results. This ambush destroyed another 70% of the enemy's forces, leaving Aknuer with only a little over a hundred survivors who fled back to the Balabin steppe.

“It’s just the dying struggle of a person on the verge of death,” Shahzani thought.

……

The air on the Balabin Grassland remains crisp even in spring.

Aknuar's remaining forces suffered a defeat and ran out of supplies, leading to a continuous stream of desertions. Within weeks, Aknuar was left with only about twenty personal guards.

After days of hunger, they finally found an isolated nomadic yurt. Aknuer led his troops in a charge, killing the rebellious male master. Fearing that the female master and children would report the incident, he also slaughtered them. Then he ransacked the pen and took all the lambs before retreating to a secluded spot.

A hastily lit campfire was lit, and the lamb was skinned and roasted for consumption.

However, the guards on both sides had little appetite. They were constantly robbing and fleeing, doing all sorts of things that were unbecoming of soldiers, which made them tired of the guerrilla warfare of hiding and running away.

Only Aknuar still had the ambition that had not yet faded on his face.

"After we finish this meal, we'll cross the Altai Mountains and escape to the Khitan Kingdom of Peach Blossom Stone. The Khitan Kingdom is on good terms with our country, and there are many Turan tribe herders there. Once we've established a foothold there, we'll come back to fight our way back." Aknuer sucked on the charred roasted mutton with relish.

"Khan, we have something to say," a female Khan's personal guard said, her expression solemn.

Aknuer glanced at her: "What? Speak!"

“God has ordained that the Persians will rule Turan, and our continued fighting will be futile. We believe it is better to abandon this pointless struggle and surrender to Shahzani,” the female soldier said.

"Your Majesty, please consider this carefully." The other guards also rose and knelt down in unison.

Snapped--!

Aknuar smashed the lamb ribs he had just finished eating to pieces, his facial muscles twitching violently.

"You vile and despicable creatures, it is not your place to challenge my decision! Almighty God above! I will tear your flesh apart and make your bones suffer the torment of being whipped!"

After saying this, he raised his whip and began to lash his subordinates and personal guards violently.

Seeing that their advice had been ineffective and had only fueled the Khan's anger, the guards were filled with regret and quickly got up and ran elsewhere. They went to the stream, drank some water, and then began to sigh and complain again.

“God above! We have abandoned our homes and businesses, fought in the north and south, and given our lives to promote the cause of the Khanate and God, yet the Khan treats us like this!” the young guard complained.

“By Almighty God! The Khan is blinded by ambition; she is futilely resisting the destiny ordained by God and will ultimately lead us to destruction!” said the older guard beside him indignantly.

“In that case, let’s kill her! Let’s surrender to Queen Shahzani!” the third guard urged.

“Yes! That’s right! Aknuar will only lead us to our deaths. Only the Great Khan of Khans—Shahzani—can protect the Turan people and lead them to prosperity!” The guards all agreed.

Without hesitation, the soldiers mustered their courage and turned back along the same route.

At this moment, Aknuer, having eaten and drunk his fill, was fast asleep on a bare rock. His personal guards gripped the lasso tightly, pounced on him with all their might, and easily bound him securely.

"What are you trying to do? How dare you defy me?! Damn it! I am your Khan! You bastards of wolves and foxes!" Aknu'er struggled and cursed in vain.

But it doesn't help.

……

The Saman army outpost at Ye'er's Stone River, the encampment of Shahzani.

The Queen and Princess were discussing military tactics and history in their tent, their central topic being the potential future of Aknuar. Shahzani believed she would be betrayed by her subordinates, while Farukzad disagreed. The mother and daughter shared their opinions, chatting and laughing.

At this moment, a soldier outside the tent reported: Scouts on the outskirts have discovered more than a dozen Turan soldiers holding Aknuer hostage, requesting to surrender to our army.

“It seems I’ve won this round. Let’s go take a look,” Shahzani said with a smile.

“Alright then, a bet's a bet, the goods will be on credit. Let’s go, haha.” Farukzad followed.

Outside the account.

Turan's personal guards brought Aknuar, who was bound hand and foot, to the front and made him prostrate himself before the Queen's boots.

"In the name of the Most Merciful and Just God! We are weary of war and do not wish for further bloodshed in the war between Iran and Turan. Therefore, we have captured the warlike Khan and surrender to the Great Shah Shah."

"Please rise," Shahzani said indifferently. "You, as the Khan's personal guards, have received great favors, yet you have ultimately betrayed your master."

At this point, his tone turned stern: "Aren't you afraid I'll execute you?"

"We do not covet rewards, but are weary of war and have come to surrender. If Shah were to kill us, even if it were just a bloody patch of ground, we would gladly accept it; if Shah were to serve us, we would gladly give our lives. Allah is our witness!"

The guards all spoke up.

“Very good.” Shahzani nodded, believing that although these Turan soldiers were her enemies, they were all brave warriors.

Most importantly, even though Aknuer's army was exhausted and out of supplies, they remained loyal and devoted to him. If Aknuer hadn't been so arrogant and cruel that he had disillusioned them, they certainly wouldn't have defected.

Shahzani admired their courage and character, and ordered them to be rewarded and dispersed into various units.

He then ordered Aknuer to be escorted back to the capital, to be dealt with after the army's victorious return.

Chapter 406 The Failed Mutiny

With Aknuar becoming a prisoner, the various tribes of Turan in the east successively submitted to Shahzani, and the territory of the Samanid Empire extended rapidly northward from the Syr Darya River, encompassing the vast Turanstan steppe as far north as the Ishim-Yerdish River.

Shahzani established provinces and counties on the newly conquered lands, creating provinces such as "Oghuztan," "Seven Rivers," "Kuman-Kipchatstan," and "Kimakstan." The empire's finances were very abundant, and Shahzani extensively repaired castles, post stations, and official roads, establishing a more dense network for the transport of troops and supplies.

During the war to conquer Eastern Turan, large-scale settlement and migration also took place simultaneously. A large number of farmers, merchants, mendicant monks, and artisans from the "Agricultural Holy War" military settlements continuously migrated to the newly established military camps. The reclamation of grasslands and the establishment of bazaars near the military camps led to the emergence of numerous new settlements.

From points to lines, and from lines to surfaces.

The numerous Samanid castles, outposts, and settlements strengthened the control of the central high gate, which in turn benefited from the transportation routes.

The Khorasan Road, as the main transportation artery of the Samanid Empire, continued to run through the empire from east to west and north to south, playing a vital connecting role. Its northeastern end extended from the Khorasan-Transoxiana province to the Syr Darya region, and then from the Syr Darya into the vast Turan steppe.

……

With the affairs in the east settled, Shahzani turned her attention to the west.

The force she needs to subdue next is the western half of the vast Turan Empire—the Khanate ruled by the Chaglitzin Khanate.

Coincidentally, a westward-bound caravan recently returned home, and the Nassak spies planted within the caravans compiled and reported the information from the European continent to Shahzani:

Due to a series of defeats, the power of the Chaglitt government has gradually weakened. To date, many powerful leaders and military commanders in the border region have established their own independent regimes, especially the indigenous Christian noble lords.

The letter reported a mutiny:

……

Let's rewind to a few months ago.