novelhk Page 145
Page 145
Little Sahimian put down her observation glasses, pondered for a moment, and said, "The mere Kuban River cannot stop the advance of the Iranian army. However, we cannot charge in recklessly. I have a plan."
He then rushed back to camp, convened a military meeting, and made the matter public to the generals.
In short, it's a feint attack.
……
Then, one night...
The Turan army, which was on high alert, suddenly saw the Saman army's camps on the opposite bank ablaze with lights, and at the same time, the stirring war drums resounded through the night sky. They sent scouts closer to investigate and discovered that the Saman army was busily transporting felt, leather bags, ropes, timber, and other supplies, showing signs of building a bridge for their attack.
"Warning! Warning! Beware of the Persian attack!" Turan's sentries immediately sounded the war drums.
The Turan army camp instantly went on high alert. Lancers mounted their horses and prepared for battle, while mounted archers drew their bows and arrows, ready to strike and annihilate the first wave of Saman troops as they crossed the river.
However, the expected fierce battle did not occur.
After a brief drumming and array formation, the Saman army dispersed and returned to their camp, leaving behind only silence.
The Zaghli special forces were quite puzzled and, perplexed, disbanded their assembled troops. But soon after, the Saman army on the opposite bank sounded the drums of war once more…
Over the next few days, once, twice, three times... after repeated cycles, the Turan army finally became complacent and relaxed. After that, no matter how much the Saman army beat their drums and assembled, the Turan army only paid token attention and no longer strengthened their defenses.
……
"The Turan army has fallen into the trap. Proceed according to plan immediately."
Little Sahinian gave the order with a smug look on her face.
The Samanid army moved out upon receiving the order.
Two thousand light cavalry, who had been deployed and were waiting for orders, made a large-scale detour with the help of the Alans and Khazars, and under the cover of night, quietly crossed the river from a location outside of the Falsahe.
Meanwhile, Sahinian Jr. feinted again.
The main army on the front once again beat drums and blew horns, arrayed themselves in battle formation, and created a terrifying killing intent, pretending to forcefully cross the river, thus continuing to lull Turan's army into a false sense of security.
Turanjun had long since turned a blind eye to this and didn't take it seriously at all.
But this time, the fatal blow truly came.
The Samanid troops, having successfully infiltrated, immediately attacked the flanks of the Turan army. Their cavalry archery, arranged in a ring formation, caught Kilich Chagli Tegin off guard. He hastily redeployed troops to fill the gaps, causing a sudden disarray in the formation.
"Prepare to cross the river!"
Little Sahinian seized the fleeting opportunity and immediately deployed her troops.
Led by Chinese engineering detachments, the Samanian engineering corps efficiently set up rafts and wooden bridges. A large vanguard assault force then pressed forward and successfully crossed the river before the Turan army could react.
Ingenious tactics require not only comprehensive planning but also close coordination between different branches of the armed forces. The Samanid army achieved its seamless cooperation precisely because of its strong organizational and coordination capabilities.
At this point, the outcome of the battle was beginning to become clear.
The Turan army was caught off guard, its lines were thrown into chaos, and it was unable to organize an effective defense. Under several rounds of fierce attacks from the Saman army, it suffered repeated defeats, and no matter how many deserters the Zaghli Tegin killed, he could not reverse the decline.
The Samanid army attacked from two directions, growing stronger with each battle, while the Alan tribesmen who followed closely behind fought even more tenaciously.
"Darahans! Fight with me!"
The Zagli Special Forces were stretched thin and had no choice but to deploy their most motivated noble guards in an attempt to turn the tide of the battle.
But little Sahimian didn't give him a chance to fight back.
The Samanid heavy cavalry launched a frontal attack, while their light cavalry provided flanking cover from both sides, repelling Tulandarahan's forces and killing many enemy soldiers.
With no other option, the Chaglitzin had to regroup his forces and retreat in defeat.
Chapter 336 Aknuer's Choice
The vast dry steppes of the Kuban-Terek River basin.
The Samanid Empire and the Alan people are advancing with unstoppable momentum, pursuing and annihilating the remaining Turan Khanate forces.
Little Sahinnian sent envoys everywhere to persuade the various local tribes to submit to the Samanid Empire.
After the Battle of the Kuban River, the Turan Khanate's army suffered a major defeat, and its rule was greatly weakened. Many tribes, chiefdoms, and small kingdoms in the Caucasus and southern Russian steppes took the opportunity to break away from the rule of the Turan Khanate.
The Circassian tribe, which extends northwest of the Caucasus Mountains, had long been enslaved by the Turan Khanate. Every year, they had to send a large number of male and female slaves to Avrazyab's Khan's Golden Tent, in addition to heavy taxes on cattle and sheep, causing widespread resentment.
At present, the Turan people's rule over the Kuban River grassland is in jeopardy. Naturally, such tribes will not miss the opportunity and immediately defect to join the Saman Empire's army to intercept and kill small groups of Turan soldiers.
Sahimian the Younger continued his pursuit, seizing a large amount of supplies and livestock from the Turan army, and driving the Zaghlit special forces to the steppes of the Ad River (Volga River) and Don River basins.
The Alan Kingdom, revived on the Kuban River steppe, was a long-suffering yet resilient regime in eastern Iran. Inheriting the martial spirit of the Scythians, it continued to stand strong. After its restoration, its leaders and nobles, grateful for the generosity and protection of Queen Shahzani, all submitted to the Samanid Empire.
Shahzani was very pleased and bestowed upon him gifts such as salt, a flag, a gold belt, and a robe of honor. He also established a military fortress on the banks of the Terek River as an outpost for his campaign in the North Caucasus steppe.
……
The Battle of Kuban further weakened the authority of Aknuar and Turan's ruling group.
The Turan Khanate was never a stable, systematic, centralized empire, but rather a nomadic empire maintained by the personal authority of the Khan. The tribal leaders under its rule possessed considerable independence and only submitted to Aknuar through force and temporary subservience.
At this time, many conquered Turkic-speaking tribes were secretly trying to break free from their constraints and were disobeying the orders of the Turan monitors. Even many core Turan tribes were showing signs of centrifugal tendencies.
……
Turgai Grassland.
A large caravan is being formed and is traversing the grassland. The camels, fully loaded, are linked together by ropes. The vigilant caravan guards stand guard on both sides. The lead camel, the mule driver, the observers, and the rear guard each perform their duties clearly, demonstrating a high level of organization and coordination.
Suddenly, a rough battle cry and shouts came from the depths of the grassland, mixed with the howling and roaring of hunting dogs. Then, dust rolled in and horses' hooves approached. Before long, wolf-headed battle banners and a forest of spears came into view.
The attackers were eventually identified as a raiding force from the Turan Khanate.
Robbery/extortion of passing caravans, demanding exorbitant "taxes" and "levies," and even plundering the entire caravan and capturing all prisoners to enslave them... This was quite common on the steppes, where the Turan soldiers' warhorses and swords were the authority to issue orders.
The caravan guards immediately became alert and ordered the entire team to prepare for battle. They tied camels to the ground to form a wall, set up heavy crossbows and projectiles, and formed a defensive formation.
The caravan leader, Sabo, turned a blind eye to this.
On the one hand, he instructed the guards to be vigilant, while on the other hand, he reached into his own bundle and began rummaging around.
Calmly, he took out a half-dried naan from his baggage, gently broke it open, and a dazzling golden light shone out. It was a fine and shiny token, engraved with the Persian Iwan arch pattern symbolizing the Samanid Empire, and with the illustrious name of Shahzani inscribed in Persian calligraphy.
The leader of the Saman caravan held up the token and rode forward calmly to show it to the Turan leader.
The Turan chieftain, clad in heavy steppe lamellar armor, had been fierce and arrogant just moments before, but after seeing this, his expression instantly brightened, and he became much more polite.
Persian was the common language of trade along the middle section of the Silk Road, and many Turan-Turkic officers could speak it. So the two sides then engaged in a long conversation in Persian.
"Ah! God bless you! Visitors from Persia, where are you headed?"
"We come from Sabzewar in Khorasan Province, representing the interests of His Majesty Shahzani, the King of Kings, and are preparing to trade with Bulgar City in the Bulgar Khanate. We wonder how much transit tax we need to pay when passing through your territory?"
"Not at all, not at all. We Turan people are extremely hospitable. How could we possibly make things difficult for merchants who bring us prosperity? Please pass through with peace of mind. May God bless your journey!"
The leader of the Saman caravan nodded. He was a royal merchant under the protection of the Saman Empire's government, and the authority of Empress Shahzani was enough to protect their personal safety and property.
However, officials and businessmen who are good at playing both sides are also good at gauging the appropriate degree of discretion in their actions.
After intimidating the attackers, he symbolically gave the Turan chief a small amount of valuable money as a "reward." The chief, naturally beaming with joy, stuffed the money into his pocket and generously gave the caravan two fast horses and two plump lambs.
Transaction completed.
With a loud shout, Turan's leader raised his whip and led his army away to find their next "target".
……
This kind of clandestine exchange of benefits played out repeatedly on the grasslands along the trade routes.
After all, the livelihood of the grasslands is ultimately inseparable from the trade input from settled civilized areas.
Many tribes far from the emperor's reach have secretly opened the "Otto" (buffer zone) on their borders and resumed trade with Samanid caravans. Even the Khan's personal guard, who was most loyal to Aknuar, has quietly participated in this trade.
Aknuar, however, was troubled by this.
First, the loss of cities in the Syr Darya basin meant that the Turan Khanate lost a stable supply base for food, cloth, artisans, and other trade goods.
Later, the loss of the Terek River steppe meant that the Turan Khanate lost a major and fertile pasture in the west.
She had also sternly forbidden such “collusion with the enemy” behavior, but the tribes that lost their livelihoods through trade soon began to fight each other for water, pastures, livestock and slaves, and fell into a more serious civil war and annexation.
If this continues, the strength of the Turan Khanate will inevitably be greatly diminished.
Before the war, her authority could have intimidated all the factions, but now she no longer possesses that power.
The most reliable measure was to "increase revenue"—to increase wealth accumulation and satisfy the rising Turan-Turkic military slave owners.
After losing cities in the Syr Darya basin, Aknuar planned to follow the example of Afrasiyab, conscripting slaves around the city to build more farmland, dig more urban outposts, capture more settled slaves to put into workshops, and gradually develop agriculture and handicrafts under the steppe military slave system.
However, this requires a large investment of resources and a long period of construction.
More importantly, no matter how hard the Turan Khanate tried to manage it, its size was still insignificant compared to the wealth of the Samanid Empire.
Chapter 337 A Journey to the Khanate of Bulgar
Shahzani did not give Aknuer ample time to think.
While annexing the cities along the Syr Darya River and controlling the Alan Grassland.
This brilliant and ambitious Samanid empress continued to oversee the overall situation, allocating troops and resources in various war zones, provinces, and counties, and was able to deploy troops and resources more effectively.
"My ally, the Khanate of Bulgar, is also currently threatened by the Turanian cavalry. We should head north to 'unify' the country and form a wider encirclement of the Khanate of Bulgar..."
Shahzani's gaze shifted to the northwest corner of the map.
This khanate, established by the Bulgar Tatars, was rich in resources and held an important strategic position. It had long maintained close trade relations with the Samanid dynasty of Iran, but at this time it had become weak due to the incursions of the Turan Khanate and was in great need of external support.
Through long-term efforts, the major cities of the Bulgar Khanate had retained many permanent representatives, ambassadors, and caravan leaders from the Samanid Empire, who served as an important reserve force for Shahzani's strategic operations.
Sending capable generals to that country to consolidate its forces and boost morale would undoubtedly be of great benefit to the war effort. More importantly, it would allow for a further strengthening of control over the country.
Okay, now that we have a plan, we should narrow down the candidates.
After much deliberation, Shahzani found a general who was a perfect fit: Ishtarhiri, a former subordinate of Shahzinian and the current commander of the Khorasan Military District of the Holy Fire Brigade.
Nazarin Fatme Istakhli was not only adventurous and combative, but also learned to speak several Turkic-Tatar languages, including Bulgarian, from a young age by following his father, a border guard.
As a young man, he read the manuscripts of Ibn Fadlan (who had represented the Khalifa of Baghdad as an envoy to Bulgar) and had also served as the chief of guards for the government's merchant caravan heading north, so he was quite familiar with the steppe routes to Bulgar.
More importantly, through years of following Sahini's campaigns, he gained a wealth of experience in winning over, lobbying, and uniting the people.
Ever since.
Just before Sahini the Younger led his expedition to Kuban and returned the Alan people to their homeland.
A unit with a special mission set off from Abbaskun Port in Gorgon Province, embarking on its journey.
……
After passing the vast and wide Khazar Sea (Caspian Sea), it enters the Ad River (Volga River).
On the distant shore, the once glorious city of Adil still stands magnificent and imposing. This was once one of the trading centers of the Khazar Khanate, yet the battle flag of the Turan Khanate flies atop its walls.
Meanwhile, affected by war, plunder, and heavy taxes, the once bustling trade routes have significantly decreased. This has resulted in a large amount of goods and wealth being unable to circulate and be traded, which inevitably feels like a "waste" for this rather fertile land.
According to reports from the imperial court, Aknuer also liked this precious land and preferred to use it as his winter grazing ground.
Every autumn, she would lead a large number of her personal guards, servants, and livestock to set up camp near Adal to spend the harsh winter deep in the Turan steppe.
By then, the plains will be filled with felt tents and camps, and the grasslands will be teeming with cattle, sheep and horses. The Khan's magnificent golden tent will stand tall in the center, creating a truly spectacular scene.
However, it is not yet winter, and the Turan Khanate's rule in this area is still very weak. Its troops are stationed only in a few large cities and pastures, and it maintains only a loose, tributary rule over the local tribes and clans.
Of course, hot and cold are relative concepts.
Compared to the cold city of Afrasiab, this place is relatively mild; however, compared to the warm Khorasan province, it is rather frigid.
A cool breeze blew by, carrying the coolness of the water.
Ishtarkheri and her entourage unconsciously pulled their cloaks tighter around themselves. The further north they went, the colder it became; both the Bulgars and the Rus' lived in a place with "long, cold winters" and "short, mild summers."
As the cold wind blows, the scenery along the shore gradually changes from dry grassland to a mix of grassland and pine forest.
This means that they have already set foot on the land of the Bulgar Khanate.
……
Then they turned to walking and entered the territory of the Bulgar Khanate.
Traditionally, the overland route from Khwarazm to the Aral Sea and then to the steppe would take about 70 days to reach the Bulgar Khanate. However, due to Shahzani's extensive repairs to the post road system, improvements in transportation technology, and the suppression of bandits and pirates, coupled with the fact that the caravans used the more convenient Caspian Sea route, the arrival time was shortened.
They broke through the weak points of Turan Khanate's rule, shattered the encirclement and blockade of a small Turan patrol, and reached the city of Bulgar.