I was the Queen of Persia

Page 57

Coincidentally, even before the war, a large number of Khorami clerics had gathered in Jam. These clerics promoted the doctrines established by Shahzani, which made the city's residents increasingly inclined towards the Samanid regime.

Therefore, when the Saman army arrived, the city's officials, civilians, and garrison surrendered to Shahzani with little resistance, which undoubtedly further strengthened the Saman army's rear security.

Based in Jam, Shahzani actively trained and prepared for war, anticipating that the upcoming battle would determine the overall course of the war.

Chapter 126 The Introduction of Gunpowder

Jam, also known as Zam, is a city located at the border of Khorasan and Khoshistan provinces. It is strategically important, connecting Tus and Nishapur to the north and Herat to the southeast.

Compared to its strategic value, the symbolic meaning of the city's name is also widely discussed.

As is well known, in the Iranian epic system, there is an ancient emperor named Jamshid.

Jamshid is remarkably accomplished in the epic: he established a calendar, designated the spring equinox as the new year of Nowruz, divided society into four classes, and possessed a treasure that granted him insight into all things (the Jamshid Cup). Unfortunately, this emperor grew increasingly arrogant in his later years, gradually losing the support of his people and the protection of his divine light, and was ultimately overthrown by the evil serpent king Zohark.

Regardless of the circumstances, this emperor is extraordinary in the eyes of Iranians, and the fact that the city is given a similar name to an epic monarch suggests that its historical significance should not be underestimated.

Outside the city, in the Saman army's main camp, at the very heart of the command tent.

A Persian carpet was laid out on the ground, with a fruit plate, a copper pot, and a map placed on it. Weapons were displayed on a shelf beside it. Shahzani, Nasida, and Khorshid sat on the ground in a circle, pointing and gesturing on the sand table in the center.

"So, what you're most worried about is the Ghazni army's elephant cavalry?" Shahzani asked with a smile.

“Indeed. Our Shah.” The two female generals said in unison.

They were still haunted by the rampage of the Ghaznavid elephant corps during the Battle of Hajacharan.

Especially Naxi Da.

At that time, she was leading her elite Khwarazmian heavy cavalry in an attack on the Ghaznavid Indian infantry defenses, and success seemed imminent. Unexpectedly, a large number of Ghaznavid war elephants suddenly charged from behind the hills on the flank. The sudden turn of events caught her completely off guard.

She witnessed a Samanian officer bravely slashing at an elephant's leg, only to be lifted up by the elephant's trunk and thrown into the air, then slammed onto the ivory's steel blade, which pierced his body.

Although the former Khwarazmian regime also had elephant troops, their numbers were relatively small (after all, Khwarazm was not an Asian elephant-producing region), and their command and organization were not as advanced as those of the Ghaznavid dynasty.

While armored cavalry were powerful, could they withstand a direct confrontation with a massive herd of war elephants? Failing to achieve their goal, Nasita was forced to retreat in defeat.

Halshid agreed with this.

At that time, Ghaznavid war elephants charged, and many Samanid soldiers died from the trampling of the elephants and the ivory blades.

She was initially flustered by the situation, but she quickly regained her composure and ordered the army to fight and retreat. She also ordered the cavalry (both light and heavy) to form a circular formation and shoot arrows at the war elephants and their handlers.

While this tactic had some effect, it was far from enough to stop the ferocious charge of the war elephants. Not to mention that the elephants had thick skin, some even covered with armor and felt, making it difficult for arrows to penetrate effectively, the Ghaznavid archers on the elephant towers alone had the advantage of a high vantage point, making it easy for them to suppress the Samanid forces.

Therefore, Halshid had no choice but to regroup his forces and retreat while fighting, gradually escaping the pursuit of the Ghaznavid army to avoid a major defeat.

After listening to their remarks, Shahzani changed the subject: "Well, war elephants are indeed very powerful, but they are not without weaknesses."

The two female generals agreed, as they were both from the Iranian cultural sphere. The ancient Persian dynasty had a long history of using elephants, which appeared frequently on the battlefield, in court ceremonies, in heroic epics, and in official historical records. It was impossible for them to be unaware of this.

The key issue, however, lies in the unique nature of Ghaznavid elephant troops: due to Mahmud's strict military discipline and skill in leading troops, his elephant troops possessed a strong sense of organization and discipline, making them difficult to break through.

"Hahahahaha."

After learning of their concerns, Shahzani laughed heartily: "My two beloved generals need not worry. I have already prepared the equipment to deal with the elephant cavalry."

After saying this, he led the two women to the open space of the training ground in the camp.

Meanwhile, dozens of sophisticated and unique projectiles were already set up on the open ground of the training ground, and many Qin soldiers and craftsmen were busy checking and repairing them.

This military machine, with wheels at both ends and a box-like casing filled with arrows in the middle, looks quite intimidating.

"What is this?" Nasita and Holshid both looked puzzled.

Shahzani laughed and said, "You will soon understand their power."

After saying this, she ordered the Qin craftsmen to demonstrate.

Upon receiving the order, the Qin craftsmen picked up torches and lit the twisted ropes on their tools. The flames burned continuously until they reached their end. The next moment, dozens of arrows, spitting out tongues of fire, shot out, drawing dazzling flashes of light in the air, before hurtling towards the target made of wooden frames and piles of dry grass, instantly destroying it.

"This... God Hudah! What kind of weapon is this?" Nasita and Horshid were beyond shocked.

"This is a 'rocket tank'."

Shahzani explained, “The Qin people from the East brought a substance called ‘Chinese Salt’ (gunpowder saltpeter), which can be used to make powerful explosive weapons, similar to the Naftan incendiary bomb. Fortunately, we have many skilled craftsmen in our ranks, which makes it easy to create these new weapons.”

Indeed, in China at that time, gunpowder, as a new technology that promoted change, had gradually entered the military field. However, the equally civilized Persian region of Iran lagged behind in this field. Iran had already produced incendiary weapons such as Naftan, which used oil as fuel, but had not yet come into contact with actual gunpowder.

With the flow of people between civilizations, many Qin people who possessed gunpowder manufacturing technology entered Saman territory, which greatly helped Shahzani. Shahzani incorporated them into the Qin artisan camps, expanding their scale and strengthening their forces.

These skilled Chinese craftsmen lived up to expectations. After numerous formulations and experiments, they finally succeeded in developing gunpowder in Persia.

Chinese and Iranian technologies are merging.

Mo Yuxuan and his team, skilled in their craft, combined gunpowder technology with their own invention of a rotating launcher, and further improved the process, finally developing a new weapon capable of bombarding the enemy with rockets.

Shahzani named it: Rocket Chariot.

After watching the demonstration of the rocket vehicle, both Nasita and Halshid were full of praise.

Of course, in order to better deal with the Ghazni war elephants, Shahzani mobilized other manpower and resources.

She brought in over 2000 camels from Khorasan Province, along with a large quantity of flammable materials such as hay. She already had a plan in mind for how to use these items.

Chapter 127 Preparations of the Warring Parties

Just as Shahzani began preparations for war, Mahmoud also assembled his troops and set off towards Jam, determined to win this crucial battle that would determine the course of the war.

Inside the Sultan's military tent, on a couch covered with a magnificent carpet.

“My Sultan, you have already obtained boundless pleasure, can you forgive me—your lowest servant—for my transgression?” Rajana lay sprawled, her eyes alluring, her tone carrying the obsequiousness of a subject to her sovereign.

"Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful!"

Mahmoud buttoned up his royal shirt with satisfaction: "Ha ha, I swear by the Sultan's beard! Rajana, you are indeed a superb woman. Although you caused me an infuriating defeat in Hayne, I have always treated my subjects with magnanimity and generosity, so I will give you the opportunity to redeem yourself."

Upon hearing this, Rajana was overjoyed. Without even putting on her clothes, she bowed down and said, "Thank you for your boundless grace, Your Majesty. This servant is willing to die for you!"

Mahmoud then ordered her to continue commanding a regiment of the Ghulam Guard, keeping her by his side as a garrison force.

Seeing this, the other favored male slaves, while feeling envious, secretly resolved to make meritorious contributions on the battlefield in order to win the monarch's deeper favor. In particular, there was a male slave named Malik Ayaz named Ghulam.

Indeed, Mahmud was also extremely fond of men, with countless male concubines in the palace, and his preference for men even surpassed that for women. However, this emperor had a unique way of managing people; he was most adept at making his favorite ministers jealous of each other and vying for favor, ensuring they had enough motivation to achieve merit on the battlefield.

Mahmoud then ordered Ayaz to command another regiment of the Ghulam Guard to strengthen his garrison defenses.

Riding the wave of victory, Mahmud's army advanced triumphantly, with villages and counties along the way surrendering without resistance. More and more chieftains and warriors from the Gur and Khalaj Turkic tribes gathered under his command.

At the same time, Mahmoud continued to actively draw elite troops from various provinces of his empire to bolster his fighting force.

However, perhaps too engrossed in his victory, Mahmoud indulged in sensual pleasures and revelry during the march, and became somewhat lax in his war preparations.

……

Meanwhile, in the Jam region, on the post roads leading from the city to the surrounding towns, caravans of camels and wagons converged like rivers flowing from all directions.

“Your Majesty Shah, Salah al-Shah has brought another 2000 soldiers and 100 carts of provisions.”

"The supplies from Nishapur are expected to arrive tomorrow."

"The supplies transported from Sabzewar will arrive in about three days."

The military staff officers were reporting to Shahzani one by one on the progress of the preparation of war resources.

Ever since Farzana was appointed Grand Vazir and took charge of state affairs, Shahzani instructed that the policy of "building more post stations and improving roads" should continue to be implemented, and Farzana naturally took the lead in these matters with ease.

Not long after the Khorasan Province was recovered, a large-scale infrastructure construction project began. Of course, the province's facilities were already in good condition, and the renovations were mainly to enhance them.

Its greatest significance, however, was facilitating Shahzani's military campaigns. With its extensive network of post stations and roads, the Queen could freely deploy troops and supplies, and implement military deployments.

“Yes.” Shahzani nodded. “Have the nearby counties and towns send in large crossbow bolts, the more the better. Military timber is also fine; our artisans will expedite the production.”

The military staff received the order and were about to turn around and carry it out.

“Oh, right,” Shahzani called out to them, “prepare plenty of blankets and bedding for winter. It’s already late in the month of Aban, and winter will be here soon.”

After giving her instructions, Shahzani signaled them to carry them out.

At this moment, on the training ground of Saman's army camp, the troops stood in neat formation, their banners fluttering. Despite the defeat at Hajacharan, the soldiers, inspired by Shahzani, finally rekindled their belief in victory.

The female guards of Shaher, fully armored and mounted, lined up to practice switching between long-range and short-range weapons, as well as various formation changes.

Qin craftsmen and soldiers were practicing the operation of rocket chariots. As the fuse burned out, dense flaming arrows shot into the sky, drawing countless bright arcs in the air, and finally completely destroyed the target.

Of course, the firearms drills were conducted on a small scale and in a limited scope. After all, gunpowder had just been introduced and was still quite expensive, so Shahzani was reluctant to "squander" it so lavishly.

……

Mahmoud's forces are also steadily advancing towards the Jam area.

Unlike the Samanid army's busy preparations for war, the Ghaznavid army's camp presented a completely different picture.

As night fell again, the Ghaznavid army, which was on the march, chose a location that was easy to defend and difficult to attack to set up camp and rest.

From Mahmud's tent came the melodious sounds of the barbat, the swaying of dancers' anklets, and the soaring recitations of court poets. All these beautiful notes intertwined and seeped into the crimson wine in the king's cup, which he then drank in one gulp.

"My valiant warriors!" Mahmud, cradling his male lover and raising a wine cup, his face flushed, declared, "We will soon march into Jam! The Queen of Saman is attempting a futile resistance there, and what I will do is crush her army and shatter her dreams!"

"Hahaha! It would be best to capture that vixen alive and present her to His Majesty the Sultan as a female slave!"

"That's right, His Majesty the Great Sultan would be very pleased, hahaha!"

A group of generals echoed their sentiments, their laughter deafening.

"Hmm." Mahmoud nodded, raising his glass. "To celebrate the upcoming victory, my Royal Guard General Rajana has prepared a special program."

With that, Rajana led five Ghazni soldiers to the outside of the tent and brought in five naked Samanian female prisoners of war. Apart from their briefs covering their private parts, they had no other clothing, and their hair was disheveled.

Rajana gestured for everyone to be quiet and said, "These few are officers and soldiers of the Saman army's River Heavy Cavalry Regiment. Now let them perform their 'battle' act."

“You vile enemies! Go ahead and be arrogant! The victorious army of Saman will avenge us!” The Samanian female prisoners shouted curses and insults, but were still dragged onto the field by the Ghazni soldiers.

They were forced to the ground on all fours, their buttocks raised high, their panties stripped off, their flower buds stuffed with chickpeas, and five sheets of paper erected as targets a distance away.

The Ghaznean soldiers then sprayed pungent spices such as pepper and cumin into their faces. Stimulated, the five Samanian female prisoners sneezed incessantly, while those behind them launched chickpeas at the target like catapults, accompanied by streams of glistening water.

"Hahaha! What an extremely interesting game! Brilliant! Brilliant!" The Ghaznavid generals present all laughed heartily, and many even began counting the number of hits and making bets.

Rajana was extremely pleased with herself. The defeat at Hain City had cast a shadow over her, and now she had a perfect opportunity to humiliate these Saman female prisoners of war—why not?

Mahmoud squinted, poured himself a sip of fermented juice, and watched the spectacle with smug satisfaction.

Just then, a servant quietly ran to his side and whispered, "Your Majesty the Sultan, the Saman army has already deployed outside Jam!"

Chapter 128 The Army Approaches the Jam Plain

Upon learning that Shahzani had deployed troops and occupied advantageous positions, Mahmoud realized the danger and regretted his negligence over the past few days. The next day, he ordered his troops to set off and speed up their advance toward Jam.

And at the same time.

Shahzani had prepared for battle and had dispatched highly mobile Seljuk cavalry to harass Mahmud's relatively weak rear supply lines.

Under the command of their respective Ombashi (ten-man commanders) and Yuzbashi (centurions), the Seljuks launched repeated attacks on Ghaznavid army supply convoys in small groups.

In a surprise attack, the Seljuk cavalry, led by emerging leaders such as Timur Beg, Arslan Tegin, and Tughlaar Beg, successfully outflanked the Ghaznavid army, captured a relay station serving as a vital supply route, and took more than ten Ghaznavid officials prisoner.

Despite its small scale and limited damage, this hit-and-run tactic infuriated Mahmoud.

The enraged Ghaznavid monarch dispatched his Arab nomadic cavalry to pursue them, but the Arabs were already few in number (there were very few Arabs in Persia and Central Asia), and their mobility and organization were inferior to the Seljuks, so the pursuit was always in vain.

Only by disrupting the opponent's mindset can you better seize the initiative.

In the midst of constant confrontation and maneuvering, the main forces of the two armies clashed on the battlefield of Jam.

……

November 22, 1002 AD, the first day of the month of Azhar in the Persian calendar.

Shahzani's Saman army and Mahmud's Ghazni army engaged in a major battle on the plains of Jam.

The Samanid army had approximately 7.9 troops (after mobilization, replenishment, and reduction), with key generals including Nasita and Khorshid; the Ghazni army had approximately 10.5 troops, with key generals including Artuntash and Rajana.

The battlefield was covered with enemy formations and banners, stretching as far as the eye could see.

"Mahmoud does indeed have some tricks up his sleeve."

Shahzani climbed to a high place and looked at the Ghazni army in the distance: "The formation of the army is very well-organized and more tightly connected than any other army I have ever seen before."

“Your Majesty the Shah, the enemy’s elephant cavalry is deployed in the rear. It seems they intend to use the elephants as a reserve force to avoid them being startled too early and disrupting their main force,” Halshid analyzed.

Shahzani nodded: "That's right. The Ghazni are trying to repeat their victory and want to launch another attack with their elephants while the two armies are locked in a stalemate. But this time, their plans are likely to fail."