I was the Queen of Persia

Page 87

The pain in her abdomen became more and more obvious, accompanied by a strong feeling of pressure and bloating from needing to defecate or urinate. Shahzani knew that this was an unavoidable problem, so she explained her physiological needs to the doctors on either side and asked them to clean her up.

The urinals were filled one after another, each still steaming hot, and the assistant doctors kept running back and forth, busy as bees.

“Faridon… Rustam… Qushaspur… Shavash… Isfandiyar… I pray for your courage and strength to help me!” Shahzani gritted her teeth and chanted the names of ancient Iranian warriors to strengthen her resolve.

at last!

With a clear and bright cry, Shahzani felt her abdomen become incredibly light, and the intense pain disappeared completely.

"May the most benevolent and great God Hudah protect you, Your Majesty! It is a princess!" The chief physician and all the physicians knelt down and presented the newborn, wrapped in soft swaddling clothes, to Shahzani.

She slowly and excitedly turned her head, brushed aside the messy hair on her forehead, and a warm smile appeared on her face.

The child looked just like her, with features reminiscent of Bahram and Farzana. He was big and chubby, and looked very healthy and robust.

Shahzani opened her strong arms and embraced her daughter, revealing her own body to her daughter. Shahzani was filled with pride and happiness.

At this moment, both mother and daughter were completely naked, as if they had just arrived in this world. The mother's strong body exuded mature beauty, while the newborn daughter represented the future and hope. Nakshbandi, the court painter who was ordered to stand by, immediately memorized this scene. She was to be commissioned by Shahzani to paint it into an exquisite miniature to be preserved in the Samanid court.

"Praise be to Allah Hudda, who blesses His Majesty in the birth of his offspring!"

May our king enjoy boundless blessings!

May our king enjoy eternal health!

The generals and officials waiting outside, from Commander-in-Chief Bahraman to ordinary high-ranking officers, were also ordered to come in and offer their congratulations. Seeing her rosy complexion and serene demeanor, they all breathed a sigh of relief, and seeing the princess's robust health, they all showed joy.

"Please rest assured, everyone."

Shahzani nodded slightly, and said with great confidence, "This pain is nothing to me, as Allah can attest. It's much easier than bleeding and being wounded on the battlefield. Rest assured! I am still the same powerful female warrior I always was, and I will still lead you to victory!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the courtiers erupted in another round of blessings and cheers.

"Your Majesty, please name the princess," one of the ministers suggested.

Chapter 202 Your Queen Sister is Back!

"Falukzad? What a fine name!" the courtiers exclaimed in unison.

“That’s right.” Shahzani nodded slightly. “In our Iranian tradition, the Farrokh represents justice and divine light. I believe that the princess will be an upright and righteous person in the future, and will be protected by the divine light of Allah Hudda.”

After hearing this, everyone offered their blessings and praise once again.

"By the way," Shahzani suddenly changed the subject, "how's the situation at the front?"

“That’s how it is…” Bahram reported, having overseen the overall situation and gained a comprehensive understanding of the circumstances during this period.

She reported to Shahzani the basic situation, including that Mustafa had sent Gulai to supervise the army, that Mustafa's army had launched a counterattack and recaptured several strongholds, and that the two armies were currently in a stalemate.

"It seems Mustafa is unwilling to surrender easily; he wants to struggle a few more times before he is completely annihilated," Shahzani concluded calmly after hearing what was said.

“Yes. The Mustafa regime will not last long, but they are well aware of their fate after their defeat because they have acted perversely since they came to power, so they will put up a stubborn resistance,” Bahramu said.

“Then let swords and blood write this history.” Shahzani’s beautiful eyes suddenly sharpened. “After two days of rest, immediately send troops north to attack Numania and destroy the infidel Gulai’s forces!”

“This…” Bahraim considered that the Queen had just given birth and her strength had not yet recovered to its peak, and was about to advise her to rest.

But then I thought, the Queen has always been resolute and powerful in matters of conquest and rule, so advice probably wouldn't have much effect.

She gladly accepted the order: "I will obey your command!"

……

Two days later, the Samanid troops participating in the offensive broke camp and marched in on time.

Considering the princess's newborn status and extreme weakness, Shahzani arranged for some guards and female slaves to care for her and placed her in the relatively safe non-combat zone of the central army.

Of course, she also hoped to keep her daughter by her side, but the situation on the battlefield was constantly changing, and she also bore the heavy responsibility of being the commander-in-chief of the entire army and the ruler of the country, so she was often unable to be in two places at once.

On the plains of southern Iraq, the crimson torrent surged once more, and the battle flags of the Saman army stretched to the sky, contrasting against the endless yellow sand, lush oases, and patches of wetlands.

Shahzani received news that Gulai had gathered his troops and intended to engage her in a decisive battle outside Numania. She was naturally happy to go into battle; how could she let such a fat piece of meat on the chopping block go to waste?

Several days later, the Samanian and Mustafaian armies lined up outside Numania for a battle.

Shahzani stood atop the high hill, clad in sturdy Persian chainmail armor, her warhorse also clad in iron armor. Gazing upon the imposing army, she felt a surge of pride and a burning desire for victory.

This was the first time in months that she had donned her armor again, the first time she had personally returned to the front lines, and the first time she had commanded thousands of troops in a coordinated battle, enjoying a resounding victory. That familiar feeling of fighting on the battlefield was back!

Picking up Birouni's observation binoculars, he looked at the Mustafa army opposite him and found them to be nothing more than a poorly equipped rabble:

The ranks were disorganized, flags were askew, weapons were a motley collection, and armor was incomplete. Apart from the officers and a few elite soldiers in the central army who possessed relatively complete weapons and armor, the equipment of most others could only be described as shabby. It was clear that most had been hastily incited by a brief and blind fervor, having naively believed in false doctrines.

This contrasted sharply with the orderly and impeccably armored Samanian army under her command. The elite Shahr Guard, in particular, stood in the center, impeccably prepared, their bugles ringing out, exuding a chillingly powerful aura.

Under the influence of this powerful deterrent, the morale of Mustafa's army gradually wavered. Looking at the firm and orderly Saman army formation, Gulai also gradually became uneasy, and cowardice and retreat took the lead in his heart.

To mask his fear and to gain the upper hand, Gulai hastily ordered Mustafa's army to launch a full-scale attack.

"All bark and no bite." Shahzani looked at the enemy army, which was approaching aggressively but was not well-organized, and a wicked smile appeared on her lips.

Waving the command flag.

Dust billowed on the right flank as Seljuk nomadic riders charged out, forming a circular archer formation and unleashing a swarm of arrows upon the enemy. Meanwhile, on the right, the roar of steel echoed as Khorasan heavy cavalry surged forward, charging fiercely towards the enemy in a flanking maneuver.

Faced with such a powerful offensive, Mustafa's massive number of fanatical cannon fodder did not immediately collapse. Instead, despite knowing the disparity in strength, they charged fearlessly toward the Samanid Persian army.

As expected, they were felled in droves like wheat, and the charge of the Khorasan heavy cavalry smashed them to pieces, sending them tumbling and flying.

Seeing the heavy casualties among his troops, Gulai's facial muscles twitched repeatedly.

"Order...all troops to advance! Let the frontline soldiers continue their charge and shout encouragement!" This courtier of the Mustafa regime had decided to gamble everything.

Mustafa's troops received this order and continued their "Banzai Charge".

"It's certainly spectacular, but this isn't war at all; it's 'sending people to their deaths for nothing,'" Shahzani muttered to herself as she looked at the scene.

"They wanted to overwhelm us with numbers and fanaticism, but they miscalculated! Our army's will is as strong as iron, and this rabble cannot shake it!" Bahramu said.

“Well said.” Shahzani nodded. “Now I have a plan that can break their offensive even faster.”

So she whispered a few words in Bahram's ear. Then Bahram ordered the entire army to retreat in an orderly manner, first the rearguard, then the central army, and then the frontline fighting troops, who also retreated while maintaining order.

Mustafa's army continued their relentless advance, disregarding casualties. Upon discovering that the Saman army was gradually retreating, they were overjoyed. Under the command of Qulai, they shouted slogans such as "Kill all the false believers and heretics" and charged forward with even greater fervor and fanaticism.

"Warriors of God! Warriors of the Caliph! Charge! Slay those Persian women who blaspheme the holy doctrine!"

Qulai rode on an Arabian horse, a sword in hand, and through the gaps in his black veil, a greedy glint shone, like a pack of hungry wolves spotting their prey.

Mustafa's army pursued the enemy across nearly half of Farsah, reaching a hilly region. Here, the Samanian army vanished, leaving only the silent high slopes around them.

A sense of danger washed over him, and Gulei gripped his weapon tightly, squinting as he cautiously surveyed his surroundings.

Suddenly, a series of loud noises came from behind the high slope to the side.

Immediately afterwards, countless bright sparks surged into the yellowish sky.

Chapter 203 Playing dirty tricks, huh?

The sky was filled with "sparks," which plummeted rapidly and crashed violently towards Mustafa's army.

In an instant, sparks flew and cries of agony filled the air.

This was exactly the plan that Shahzani had just devised:

By pre-deploying lethal weapons such as rocket vehicles and feigning a retreat to lure the enemy deeper into the territory, Mustafa's army formation became stretched out and vulnerable. Once the enemy entered the ambush range, a concentrated barrage of fire was decisively launched. This would not only kill them more effectively but also break their will more quickly.

Under the fierce barrage of rocket-propelled vehicles from the Saman army, Mustafa's soldiers were pierced by flames and killed one by one. Their screams and cries grew louder and louder. But before they could catch their breath, the Saman Shahri Guard, which had been deployed in advance, launched a steel torrent of attacks.

The clanging of metal clashing and the sickening cracking of bones echoed as Mustafa's front-line troops were shattered and torn apart as if struck by a heavy hammer.

Now, Mustafa's army's morale almost completely collapsed, partly due to the ever-increasing number of casualties, and partly due to the Saman army's formidable fighting power and the gunpowder weapons they had never seen before.

"May your mother go to hell! Trying to play dirty tricks on me, huh! Just you wait! Retreat! Retreat now!" Gulai frantically whipped his horse's rump, cursing all the way.

Mustafa's army scrambled away, abandoning countless broken flags, spears, corpses, and wounded soldiers, and fled in disgrace.

Shahzani did not pursue them relentlessly, but only sent Seljuk cavalry to chase around Farsah to expand the gains. She led the main force into Numania and Diyar-Akul, taking over the local grassroots government.

As places deeply misled by Mustafa's false doctrines, these two cities initially resisted the Samanid army quite a bit. So when Shahzani's army first entered the cities, they were met not with flowers and naan bread, but with groups of mobs and stones thrown from the shadows.

"Devout believers! We cannot let the city fall into the hands of these Persians, hypocrites, and devilish women! Take up arms, for this is our path to Paradise!"

Mustafa mullahs incited unrest among the populace and attacked the advancing Samanid army.

"These ignorant fools! Order the Nassak to immediately and secretly arrest and execute the most fanatical Mustafa clerics, and pile their heads into a tower! Once the leaders are dealt with, the rest of the rabble will be easy to handle."

Shahzani coldly observed the chaos in the city, her eyes flashing with an undisguised bloodlust.

As she issued this order, she was also removing her armor, cradling the infant Princess Farukzad in her arms, and nursing her breast. On one hand, there was the majestic and ruthless aura of a monarch; on the other, the tender love of a mother. Two completely different and extreme qualities were fused together.

But this is the nature of struggle; to be soft-hearted towards a stubborn enemy is to desecrate one's own responsibility.

Soon, the sounds of killing spread throughout these towns.

The Saman infantry regiments and the general militia, lined up in formation, armed with shields and batons, charged and dispersed the mob groups, their batons raining down on the ringleaders.

Mo Yuxuan's Chinese engineering battalion brought with them a new type of firearm originating from China—poison smoke balls.

Based on their experience, Iranian engineers combined this smokescreen with the domestically produced Naftan incendiary bomb, and carried out localized improvements. This localized smokescreen weapon is filled with gunpowder and irritating substances such as cumin powder. When it explodes, the smoke disperses, and enemy soldiers who smell it immediately experience runny nose and eyes, coughing uncontrollably, and become unable to resist.

In short, it's like an ancient version of tear gas, a weapon that has repeatedly proven highly effective in quelling unrest.

In the following days, the typical scenes of suppressing riots unfolded: large numbers of rioters were bound to the ground and violently whipped by Nassaks wielding canes; the mullahs who led the unrest were all killed, their heads piled up in squares, gardens, and streets; Mustafa mosques were all raided, and all their Waqf lands were confiscated...

With these forceful measures, the riots instigated by Mustafa were quickly quelled by force.

Sometime later...

Shahzani was humming a Persian lullaby to lull Farukzad to sleep. Just then, a soldier entered the tent, bowed, and began to report the situation.

“Your Majesty, a wealthy widow named Fatima Abdul Lubina has brought a large amount of treasure and gifts and requests an audience with you,” the soldier said.

"Oh?" Shahzani thought for a moment and said, "Summon her in."

Before long, a plump, middle-aged noblewoman, surrounded by a group of servants, gracefully entered. The woman appeared to be around thirty-five years old, with an expensive Mosul veil draped over her head, wearing a magnificent silk dress and gold-trimmed sandals.

"In the name of God! Greetings to the great King of Kings!" the noblewoman prostrated. "You are the true defender of the nation and the faith. I have come here to offer you the gold and silver I possess, as a reward for your invincible army!"

Having said that, he gestured to his servants to present the treasures. The two men each presented a gilded tray, on which were placed rubies, emeralds, flawless white pearls, precious silks from China, and high-quality ivory from the land of Sanchi—each piece a treasure.

Rubina added that she had also sent vehicles to deliver more jewelry, which is currently outside the military camp.

“Well, rise, Abdul Rubina,” Shahzani gestured. “Your generosity is commendable, but my army has ample food and clothing, so you need not spend any more money.”

After saying this, he gestured to the guards and attendants on his left and right to symbolically accept a few blankets and silks as a sign of courtesy, while returning all the other precious jewels.

"This..." The noblewoman opposite was somewhat at a loss.

“Please don’t mind,” Shahzani said. “It is inconvenient to carry so many valuables on a military campaign. Besides, in my land, whether Iranian or non-Iranian, Arab or Ajam, all are my loyal subjects, and your property is under my protection.”

Upon hearing this, Rubina bowed her head and said, "Praise be to Your Majesty for your magnanimity! Over the years, countless powerful figures have come and gone, and countless people have plundered and plundered. Some are envoys of the Caliph, some are officials of the Baikal king, some are confidants of the Turkic slave guards, and some are Mustafa's confidants... But among them, you are the greatest and noblest! You are the protector of all Muslims and the model of a king!"

"This is merely a mission for the king," Shahzani said with a faint smile, then turned to the guards around her and ordered, "Send word! Prepare a banquet to entertain this lady!"

They immediately carried out the order.

Soon, the exquisite carpets were laid out, dancers and musicians filed in, delicious dishes were served one after another, and melodious poetry and music slowly began, thus opening a banquet.

But Shahzani's attention was quietly focused on the female attendants beside Rubina.

She was a girl of seventeen or eighteen. Although she was slender, her eyes were as sharp as an eagle's. Although her body was hidden under her long robe, you could still see that her muscles were long and taut. Her movements were powerful and her whole body exuded wildness. Moreover, the veins between her wrists and fingers were prominent, which was obviously the result of some kind of martial arts training. She was clearly used to fighting.

The girl's intuition was also quite sharp. Noticing that someone was watching her, she immediately looked around discreetly. However, Shahzani had already looked away and pretended to eat the mutton buns on her plate as if nothing was wrong.

"This woman is definitely not an ordinary person. What is her background? Why is she here in this kind of situation?" Shahzani began to have many doubts.

"Could it be that someone else is also going to resort to underhanded tactics?"

Chapter 204 As expected, there's something fishy going on behind the scenes.

The banquet continued, with glasses clinking and the air filled with fragrant aromas.

Rubina continued to offer praise and frequently raised her cup filled with jewel-colored nectar as a sign of respect. Shahzani simply smiled in return, saying, "These are all part of a monarch's duty."

Meanwhile, Shahzani was casually observing the noblewoman's attendants, especially the unusual maid... but nothing unusual happened until the end of the banquet.

After the meeting.

“How strange, perhaps I’m overthinking it?” Shahzani told Bahramu about her discovery, leaving her alone with Bahramu.

“Iraq is currently in a state of chaos, so it’s understandable that a wealthy widow like Rubina would keep a few personal attendants skilled in martial arts and combat. However, I also believe it’s best to remain vigilant and cautious…” Bahram stroked his chin, pondering for a moment.