I was the Queen of Persia

Page 114

“I am the embodiment of Allah! King of the earth and sea! Ruler of the Nile! True defender of all Muslim believers! Ruler of Mishir, Ifrikiyah, Sham, Palestine, Jordan, Maghreb, Sicily, and all the lands of piety…”

In short, this passage is a list of his various titles to demonstrate his imperial power.

The following words, however, reveal the Egyptian monarch's exceptional "literary cultivation":

"You! You lewd and wanton whore! Protector of the devil's apostles! Evil Persian apostates! What kind of warriors are you and your bunch of naked devilish women? Ha ha! In the name of Allah incarnate, I command you: immediately cease your devilish acts of blasphemy against the holy faith and swear allegiance to me. Otherwise, the army of Fatima will tear down your palaces, rip your tents, trample your carpets, burn your clothes, and send you, you wicked women, back to Hell in a sorry state!"

—Hakim, the ruler of the Fatima dynasty.

"Hehe, this Mishir man's tongue is quite a sharp weapon. It should really be cut off and hung on the city wall as a signal beacon for the city gate!"

Upon reading the arrogant and vulgar letter, Shahzani felt a surge of anger, but outwardly she smiled charmingly.

"What else did the Mishir people send?" she asked the messenger, looking up at him casually.

"And..." The messenger hesitated, glancing at Shahzani again. After receiving the monarch's permission, he stammered, "...and also sent some utterly unsightly items...I beg the great King of Kings to calm his anger..."

Shahzani took one look and realized it was a revealing veil belonging to a palace stripper. In the many harems of the Islamic world, this kind of clothing was designed entirely to please the monarch and offered no real cover. The humiliation of sending such an item was clear: "Abandon your throne and become a prostitute!"

Any other female ruler would probably have broken down after being humiliated like this, but Shahzani just laughed it off.

“It seems that the arrogant Mishir monarch is completely unaware of our vision and spirit. Attendants! Help me put on this ‘garment’!” Shahzani’s eyes were both alluring and sharp.

In the blink of an eye, the exposed veil was draped over Shahzani's body, her alluring flesh faintly visible beneath the thin fabric. Floating golden rings adorned her ankles, and she danced a bewitching dance barefoot on the carpet, revealing her succubus nature while simultaneously exuding an undeniable aura of dominance.

The female warriors of Saman felt a pang of unease watching this scene. If they were in their shoes, they would most likely have laughed it off and not taken the slut-shaming seriously at all, because that was just their nature.

However, their queen is currently being treated with contempt and disrespect, and they have always considered it their duty to defend the queen's honor, so they will not let this go unpunished.

Keng——!

suddenly.

The valiant and dashing commander of the Shahr Guard rose to her feet, her beautiful eyes stern and sharp: "The Mishir people want to humiliate us in this way! But they are sorely mistaken! We, the warriors of Iran, will stand firmly by His Majesty's side. Shahr Guards! Let us dance for His Majesty and offer a song of praise to his valiant charge into battle!"

"Yes, sir!"

In an instant, a series of loud voices erupted, their momentum overwhelming.

The fully armed Shaher guards, numbering about a hundred men, quickly shed their heavy armor and donned light and alluring dancer's gowns, appearing almost naked as war dancers on the vast training ground.

The alluring and seductive bodies, combined with the vigorous and courageous dance moves, created a magnificent and awe-inspiring atmosphere on the vast training ground. This not only provided a highly aesthetic spectacle but also greatly boosted the morale of the troops.

As the dance ended, the soldiers were filled with passion, shouting inspiring slogans in unison.

"Iran! Iran! Shahr of Iran! Hu Da Zhi Da! Kavi Battle Banner!"

The officers and soldiers shouted in unison.

"Scribe, prepare paper and ink!" Shahzani commanded forcefully, looking at the morale that had been roused.

With pen and ink ready, Shahzani uttered a series of witty remarks, which eventually coalesced into a beautifully written Persian manifesto, which she sent back to the Fatima monarch, Hakim.

Chapter 266 Launching from the Red Sea

Cairo, the Fatima court.

"Report! Your Majesty the Great God has sent back a letter!" A Fatima palace eunuch, dressed in a green silk robe, rushed into the palace hall and presented the scroll held in his belt.

Hakim narrowed his eyes, ordered the servant slave beside him to take it, and arrogantly opened it to read. But when he saw the forceful rebuttal in the letter, he was immediately enraged.

Shahzani wrote in the letter:

"You! You hypocrites of Mishield, put away your arrogance! You are nothing but a bunch of cowards and fools who have forgotten the history of your ancestors. How dare you contend with my mighty Iranian army? Look! Our Darius and Khos the Great have both marched on your land, drunk from the Nile, and climbed to the top of the pyramids!"

"And now, rumors about our boundless army are as widespread as the legends about Rustam and Esfandiyar. Bring it on! If you dare to wage a foolish and unjust war, the fierce warriors of Iran will sweep through your army with iron and blood, cleanse your land with fire and sword, shatter your crowns, and reduce your cities to ruins!"

Snapped--!

Hakim jumped up from his throne with a jolt, very quickly! His eyes were bloodshot, his facial muscles twitched and contorted, and his clenched fists were bulging with veins, like the Nile River about to burst forth.

"Immediately order the frontline army and navy to advance in unison! The Red Sea naval fleet shall march on the Persian Sea at once! I will tear these shameless and lewd Persian sluts to pieces!" Hakim shouted, his eyes bloodshot, as he addressed the assembled officials.

“But…” Minister Dumiyat quickly stepped forward, “But Great Allah incarnate! Troops in many regions have not yet been fully assembled! Food and weapons have not yet been distributed!”

"Stop waiting!" Hakim roared. "My mighty Fatima army is invincible. Do you think we'd be afraid of those women?! My mind is made up. No further advice is permitted!"

Dumiyat and the other Fatima ministers had no choice but to obey the king's decree.

The imperial edict was delivered from the Fatimid court to the front lines, and the various Fatimid armies immediately regrouped and mobilized to prepare for a deeper war with the Iranian Samanid Empire.

……

A forest of Arabian-style sails covered the sky, and the massive Fatima fleet cleaved through the waves.

Departing from the naval port on the Sinai Peninsula, the ship sailed majestically past the holy cities of Medina and Mecca, heading towards the Persian Gulf.

How far is it from the Yemen-Abyssinia Strait?

The Fatima naval commander in charge of the fleet, Muhammad ibn Ibrahim, asked his officers.

"Reporting to the general, there are still about two days' journey ahead," the Fatima officer replied truthfully.

"it is good!"

Muhammad ibn Ibrahim, eager for victory, exclaimed with delight: "Once our massive fleet reaches the Persian Sea, those Persian women will surely surrender without a fight. Order! Increase the speed!"

Mighty and majestic, with a spirit that soars to the heavens.

At this time, the Fatimid Caliphate was the undisputed hegemon of the Red Sea. With its control over two major Islamic holy sites, the Fatimid regime had a strong appeal to most Muslims, and its powerful national strength also inspired awe and respect from the surrounding small states and tribes.

Even before the navy set sail, Hakim had already sent envoys to Yemen, ordering the local coastal chiefs and nobles to prepare provisions and supplies to support the Fatima navy, and to build fortified camps for the Fatima army to stay and rest.

At this time, Yemeni politics was fragmented, with city-states, sects, and tribes acting independently. Even the influential Zayd Shia mainstream religious group was divided into numerous sects, making it impossible to form a strong cohesive force.

This weakened state of affairs made it impossible to resist the continued infiltration of the Fatimid dynasty. For a long time, through the infiltration of merchants, travelers, and missionaries, the Fatimid Shia regime has gradually extended its influence to Yemen, supporting puppets and allies there.

Of course, not all Yemeni armed groups were willing to submit. Some smaller Zaydi militias chose to oppose the Fatimid dynasty. As the Fatimid navy was about to arrive, they frequently attacked Fatimid Yemeni allies, plundering food, livestock, and trade wealth.

"These reckless Yemenis, prepare to face the endless wrath of Allah!" Upon learning of the Zayd militant uprising, Muhammad ibn Ibrahim immediately ordered the Fatima-Yemeni coalition to assemble and suppress them.

He also sent an order to the newly appointed Governor of Najd – Muhaddaeb – instructing him to send troops to assist.

Under combined land and sea pressure, the Zaid rebels were routed. They were forced to retreat to the mountains of northern Yemen, where they waged guerrilla warfare, taking advantage of the terrain and facing a powerful adversary.

Mohammed ibn Ibrahim, ambitious and eager for glory, intended to completely annihilate the rebels and expand the Fatimid Caliphate's influence in Yemen. At his command, the Fatima-Yemeni-Najd coalition forces marched into the mountains to besiege the retreating Zayd militia.

However, the situation took a turn at this moment.

After the Zaid forces retreated to the mountains of northern Yemen, their morale rose rapidly. They then used their familiarity with the local terrain to skillfully maneuver against the Fatima army.

Muhammad ibn Ibrahim was unwilling to give up the victory that was within his grasp, so he frequently mobilized troops and supplies to encircle and suppress the Zaydi forces.

Unbeknownst to them, they missed a more important opportunity.

……

Shahzani has arrived in Baghdad, the capital of Iraqi province.

This is a magnificent and famous city, and also the place where she once made great achievements.

Several years earlier (in 1005 AD), she held a grand coronation ceremony as Queen of Kings in this very palace of the former Abbasid Caliph, becoming the first emperor after Yazdegerd, the last Sasanian ruler, to unify East and West Persia and dare to use the ancient Persian title in public. Thus, she raised the Kavian banner that guided the Persian Empire forward.

Upon seeing her long-lost best friend Sahinian, the joy was palpable. The two mature women exchanged gifts, such as handkerchiefs they had embroidered themselves, intimate clothing, and items symbolizing love and desire, like figs signifying "I yearn for your secret garden," and salted hazelnuts meaning "I still crave every inch of your skin."

In the first few days after arriving in Baghdad, the two sworn sisters, the ruler and his minister, worked together tacitly to handle the numerous and complex military and political affairs during the day, and at night they shared a bed and slept in each other's arms.

One morning, before the morning prayers had even begun, the two had just awoke from the passionate and chaotic night of their battle when they received a secret report from Nassak, the messenger from the front lines.

The battle report stated that Fatima's Red Sea Fleet was busy suppressing Yemeni armed groups, thus delaying its advance into the Persian Gulf.

“This is a golden opportunity bestowed by God!” Shahzani thought as she looked at the battle report.

Chapter 267 Desert Standoff

The Fatima navy on the southern route was preoccupied with dealing with an armed insurgency in Yemen, which delayed its offensive.

This disrupted the Fatima army's original plan to advance by both land and sea, leaving the Fatima army, which was gathering in the Sham-Jajira region in the north, without support from the south and in a state of fighting alone.

Overall, Fatima's army was weaker than the Samanid Empire's, and if they were to fight head-on on the battlefield, they would likely suffer more defeats than victories.

Shahzani seized on this point and quickly mobilized troops from various provinces under the Fars Military District, including regular troops, local militias, militias, and logistics transport units, totaling more than 5 people. In addition, 3 armed personnel were provided by Syria, bringing the current troop strength to 8.

After gathering and resting within the territory of the Hamdan dynasty in Syria, the Iranian army and Iranian-affiliated armed forces suddenly turned back and marched to the edge of the Syrian desert. Along the Fatimid army's only route, they seized pastures and wells, and set up camps and deployed troops under the cover of military outposts and terrain.

……

as predicted.

Several days later, on a section of the front line, the Seljuk cavalry regiment of the Saman Empire, which was on patrol, discovered a small group of Fatima vanguard troops infiltrating and invading. Judging from their attire and appearance, they should be Berber-Bedouin nomadic tribes from the Mishar Desert region, but the supervising commanders leading them looked more like military landowners and nobles from Cairo or Iskandaria.

Under the command of officer Urugbek Arslan Gorgani, the Seljuk cavalry outflanked the Fatima light cavalry and, relying on their superior archery, weaponry, and armor, decisively defeated their opponents.

Most of the Fatimian scouts were annihilated, and their main leaders were all captured. The Fatimians' attempt to strike first was thwarted...

During this period, such sporadic skirmishes occurred frequently along the front line stretching over a hundred kilometers.

This type of engagement mainly involves small-scale raids and encounters by mobile cavalry. It is not intense or large-scale, but it occurs frequently and puts a great test of the command abilities of junior officers.

While a small number of elite Fatima warriors might have a slight advantage in individual combat, they were no match for the Samanid army in large-scale battles that emphasized organization and coordination. Furthermore, their North African desert horses were no match for the robust warhorses of Persia and Turan.

After several rounds of encounters and skirmishes.

With superior rank-and-file command, better armor and equipment, and stronger warhorses and camels, the Samanid Empire has won more battles than it has lost, capturing Fatima prisoners several times in recent weeks, thus gathering more detailed intelligence.

Before long, the efficient Nassak torturers extracted a great deal of intelligence from these Sunni prisoners whose faith was not particularly firm, and compiled it into a book.

Intelligence sources are always diverse.

Located at a strategic point in the Syrian desert, Knife Sheath Fortress was also playing an important transit role. Through the spy network established there, as well as the spies planted among the local residents and merchants, the Samanid army gathered more detailed information on enemy movements.

This information was quickly compiled and presented to Shahzani.

Looking at the list on the Samarkand paper, Shahzani pondered:

"From this perspective, Fatima's army forces involved in the war were mainly divided into three corps, with 3 troops stationed in Aleppo, 2 in Homs, and 4 in Damascus..."

"Because their movement and troop deployment efficiency is inferior to ours, these three corps have not yet been fully deployed, and subsequent resources and troop supplies have not been fully delivered..."

"More importantly, the Fatima army is riddled with internal conflicts: between Sunnis and Shiites; between Muslims and non-Muslims; between the Hakimiyya guards, local garrisons, militias, tribal armies, and landowners' militias; and between Egyptians, Berbers, Bedouins, Sudanese, and Balkan peoples—all are fraught with discord..."

Through continuous analysis, Shahzani uncovered one weakness after another in the Fatima army. Knowing your enemy and yourself, you will never be defeated—this law of war applies worldwide.

……

More troops and supplies were continuously transported to the front lines of the standoff via the Khorasan Road and its extensions. With this solid material reinforcement, the Samanid army became even stronger in combat.

Through Shahzani's efforts in development and construction, the Saman Empire's army was no longer merely a fighting force, but also a formidable production force. During their confrontation with the Fatima forces, under the command of officers at all levels, they undertook large-scale construction projects in their garrison areas.

Weapon workshops sprang up, furnaces emitted plumes of smoke, and fields were cultivated. In a relatively short period of time, the once sparsely populated edge of the desert began to show signs of prosperity.

Shahzani planned to develop this into a crucial supply base for the army's advance, facilitating the rapid delivery of supplies to combat troops. The priority was winning the immediate war; the post-war disposal of this military settlement would be determined on a case-by-case basis.

……

Faced with this situation, the Fatima army on the other side of the line of confrontation gradually lost its strategic focus.

Due to internal strife, Fatima's various legions have yet to coordinate closely. Within its leadership, opinions are evenly divided between those advocating an offensive and those advocating a defensive posture.

Although many officers hoped to remain inactive, the ambitious commander-in-chief, Sayyid Filasadin, decided to take the initiative and attempt to seize the battlefield advantage by surprise.

He used the Holmes Legion as the main attacking force, and after requisitioning and conscripting, expanded its strength to nearly 4, and supplemented it with war munitions such as ballistae and catapults.

“General, the troops from Aleppo and Damascus have not yet joined up.” An officer mentioned this to Fila Sedin, but the Fatima commander, eager for victory, clearly failed to take it seriously.

Fatima's army quickly defeated the small Hamdan forces at the outpost and captured several cities and villages under Hamdan's control. However, news of the march was soon learned by Saman's spies stationed at the front.

Soon, information about the Fatima army's advance appeared on Shahzani's desk.

"It's clear that the Fatima army is losing patience."

Shahzani decisively laid out the tactics: "Princess Selim, Shahini! You will lead 5 troops to seize the strategic location of Tedmur and block the enemy army coming from Homs; I will personally lead 2 troops to take Aleppo!"

Despite having a small force, Shahzani selected seasoned and elite officers and soldiers, including two regiments of the Shahr Guard, five main cavalry regiments drawn from the Fars Military District, and camel caravans and other troops suitable for desert marches. Shahzani was confident in launching a surprise flanking maneuver.

Chapter 268 Thunder of Aleppo

Having prepared the necessary food and supplies, Shahzani personally led his elite troops toward Aleppo.

The road to Aleppo was not difficult. Thanks to the thriving trade in the eastern Mediterranean region, most cities in Syria were connected by trade routes. Although not as extensive and well-developed as the postal system of the Samanid Empire in Iran, it was still sufficient to facilitate the movement of troops.

However, to achieve a surprise effect, Shahzani deliberately avoided the main trade routes and chose less traveled desert trails. A resilient camel caravan served as the vanguard, with the warhorses' hooves reinforced and thickened to allow for easy movement across the sand.