I was the Queen of Persia

Page 116

This city, which originated from the classical civilization of the Middle East, now flies the scarlet military flag of the Iranian Samanid Empire. Shahzani led his army into the city gates in a grand procession, receiving the worship of local officials, nobles and commoners.

"People of Aleppo!"

Astride her warhorse, Shahzani's imposing gaze swept over the crowd: "Your monarch instigated this foolish war, causing your homeland to be ravaged by conflict! Now, your city has been captured by the mighty army of Iran!"

The citizens of Aleppo bowed their heads, not daring to face the Queen's majesty.

Seeing that the deterrent effect had been achieved, Shahzani softened her tone slightly: "However, I have always practiced a policy of leniency. As long as you sincerely grovel at my feet, from this day forward, you may retain your original faith, officials may continue to perform their duties, and everything in the city may remain as it is!"

When people heard the Queen's decree, they were initially silent, never expecting that this "Queen of the Persian Sorceresses" would be so magnanimous. After thinking it over and confirming it, led by nobles, priests and other prominent figures, everyone prostrated themselves and praised the Queen's religious tolerance.

After garrisoning troops in Aleppo and other key cities to consolidate their hold, Shahzani marched south along the hilly mountain ranges of the Sharm coast toward Homs and Damascus.

Along the way were only scattered cities and oases. The Fatima garrison had long since hastily retreated, leaving only militias and other irregular armed groups to maintain a presence. Clearly, they surrendered immediately upon seeing the arrival of the Iranian Saman army.

After traveling south for another four days and four nights, Shahzani had approached the north of Homs, forming a pincer movement with Shahini and Princess Selim, thus encircling the Fatima Homs army.

The tide of battle is quietly turning...

Chapter 271 Fire in the Backyard

The fortified stronghold of the Tedmur Line, the main camp of the Syrian army.

Arrows rained down like locusts, dust filled the air, and the fierce battle cries echoed in all directions.

"Syrian warriors! Hold on! God and Allah are with us on our way to victory!" Princess Selim shouted as she ran along the city walls, brandishing her sword.

"Allah is great! Ali is great!"

The Hamdan Guard, clad in Sham-Syrian chainmail—the Sham Scorpion Army—shouted in unison and unleashed sharp crossbow bolts at the attacking Fatima soldiers.

A piercing scream tore through the sky, sharp iron blades pierced through the soldiers' armor, rolling logs and boulders smashed the battering rams, and long-handled iron axes knocked down the siege ladders.

at this time.

As far as the eye could see, plumes of dust suddenly rose from the horizon, growing ever closer, and soon a crimson battle flag, like a raging wildfire, was raised.

"God help us! Our Persian allies have come to our aid!" The Syrian soldiers on the city wall cheered excitedly upon seeing this.

It was the reinforcements sent by Sahini.

The Samanian reinforcements advanced with lightning speed, taking advantage of the Fatima army's exhaustion and struggles in their all-out attack on the Syrian army's fortifications. They surged forward, posing a threat to the flank of the Fatima army.

Faced with such an attack, Fatima's army was naturally caught off guard.

Finally, after a series of fierce battles...

"Restore formation! Retreat!"

With an order from Saeed Filasadin, commander of the Homs Legion and governor of Sham-Palestine Province, the Fatima army had no choice but to abandon its offensive and retreat.

"Victory! Victory! God bless! Ali bless! Hussein bless!"

After enduring a bitter battle, the Syrian soldiers on the city walls cheered with joy when they saw the Fatima people retreating.

……

The Iranian-Syrian coalition launched a coordinated attack, quickly forcing Fatima's forces away from Tadmur.

Meanwhile, Queen Shahzani's army had repositioned to the north of Homs and launched an offensive against the oasis villages on the outskirts of Homs. After a battle, they annihilated and disintegrated the small number of Fatima troops in the area.

The walls of Homs were quite high and sturdy, and in theory they shouldn't have been breached so quickly. However, due to the Fatimid dynasty's hasty preparations for the war, large quantities of provisions and weapons had not yet arrived. In addition, most of the city's troops had been diverted to attack Tedmur, leaving the city's garrison extremely limited and its defensive capabilities severely weakened.

After less than two days and nights of fighting, the Fatima commander stationed in Homs was defeated and fled to Damascus, and Homs came under the control of the Iranian Samanid Empire.

Meanwhile, Philasedin, whose offensive had been thwarted, was about to regroup his forces and return to Homs for a rest when he learned on the way that Homs had changed hands. Enraged and frustrated, he had no choice but to retreat to Damascus.

The Iranian-Syrian coalition pressed their advantage, capturing over a hundred towns and villages along the way.

……

Outside Raqqa, in the Hamdanian-controlled territory of Syria.

As night falls, the ancient Arab city is enveloped in the tranquility of the night, with the lights of towns and villages flickering in the shadows, and the torches of the night patrols still burning.

In a suburban oasis, amidst the ruins of an abandoned building, a group of people dressed in black Arab robes were whispering amongst themselves, while numerous watchers lurked around, vigilantly observing their surroundings.

"Now that everyone is here, let's begin," a cold and authoritative voice rang out.

His entire face was hidden under a large turban, revealing only two sinister and cold eyes. Even though it was night, the chilling light emanating from them still sent shivers down one's spine.

"Great Prophet!" The others prostrated themselves in reverence. "You are the guide of the believers in their faith, and we are willing to follow in your footsteps to the death!"

"Hmm, very good!" The leading "prophet" nodded in satisfaction.

Then, filled with piety and sorrow, he said in a deep voice:

"The purpose of summoning you all here is surely clear to you. This land we live on is the birthplace of the Umayyad Caliphate and should be a paradise for the most devout Muslim believers."

"Unfortunately, however, a group of false believers who follow the Alawite heresy have seized this sacred land. Their leader is a woman named Selim, who is also a remnant of the Hamdan heresy. She not only blasphemes the sacred teachings but also colludes with the Persians who follow the Horamish heresy!"

“Selim has sent her henchmen to every corner of Sham and Jagira! These Alawite landowners and wealthy merchants control the government, occupy the best lands and wealth, and now, in order to cope with the war with the Fatima, they are frequently increasing taxes and levies, trying every means to plunder the people’s wealth!”

“And what about you?!” At this point, the “prophet” swept his sharp eyes across the crowd.

His gaze seemed to radiate an irresistible magic:

“Poor orthodox believers! You are diligent and kind Muslims, yet you are repeatedly bullied by the Alawite heretics and powerful figures. Your land has been seized, your wealth plundered, and you are tormented by toil and hunger every day.”

"What is even more tragic for the world is that while the Alawite heretics are oppressing you, they are doing everything they can to please those Christians who believe in God and those Yazidis who worship the devil! They fawn over these heretics, allowing them to desecrate the holy land and to run rampant over you!"

"By the merciful and compassionate Allah! Can you endure such humiliation?!"

Incited by this "prophet," the crowd was filled with righteous indignation, shouting inflammatory vows and setting the stage for turmoil and chaos.

The long-planned armed rebellion broke out immediately. Within a week, all the major cities under the Hamdan dynasty were attacked by rebel forces, and the capital, Mosul, became almost an isolated island.

……

Just as Princess Selim was about to revel in the joy of victory, devastating news arrived, causing her to plummet from heaven to hell in an instant.

A secret envoy from the capital, Mosul, rushed to the military tent where Selim was. After a brief greeting, he presented the princess with a secret report, his face ashen. After reading it, a heavy cloud of gloom immediately fell over Selim's face.

Shahzani also learned of the rebellion in Syria. Through her spies within Syria, she learned that many important cities had been attacked by rebels, trade routes in many areas were blocked, and the entire Hamdan regime was in grave danger of being overthrown. She also understood that this was a culmination of sectarian and class conflicts within Syria.

Due to the critical situation in her homeland, Selim had no choice but to withdraw from the war. She went to Shahzani's tent and humbly and helplessly explained her predicament.

“In that case, take your troops back home to quell the rebellion,” Shahzani said solemnly. “Only with a stable rear can you fully commit to this sacred war!”

To be fair, Syria was merely a negligible auxiliary force in the war, not indispensable. Moreover, by doing this favor, Shahzani could later use it to strengthen her control over Salim's political forces and, consequently, over the entire Syrian state.

After regrouping her troops, Princess Selim led the forces belonging to the Hamdan dynasty of Syria on her journey back to quell the rebellion.

Chapter 272 The Serpent's Venom

Damascus, the governor's residence of the Fatimid dynasty.

Philasedin was depressed about his defeat in battle and spent his days hiding in his mansion, indulging in sensual pleasures.

As a member of the military aristocracy of the Fatimid dynasty, he was always proud, but the defeat at the Battle of Aleppo-Homs was such a blow that he became despondent and sought solace in indulgence day and night.

Just then, a servant of the manor came to report that Hakawi, the leader of the Blackblade Cult in the Syrkha Valley, had sent a secret envoy to visit.

As a Shia military landowner, Fila Sedin had always despised the Blackblade Cult, considering them nothing more than hypocrites who used the Prophet's name for personal gain, bloodthirsty madmen, and treacherous villains. However, with the current precarious situation on the front lines and his own position in jeopardy, this Fatima general-governor decided to make contact with the Blackblade Cult for practical reasons.

When the envoy arrived, there was naturally a lengthy exchange of greetings and pleasantries before he got straight to the point, mentioning the rebellion currently spreading within the Hamdan dynasty of Syria, and advising Fila Sedin to seize this opportune moment to organize a counter-offensive.

"As you can see, General."

The Black Blade Messenger emphasized, “Our great leader, the Prophet Haqqavi, has already ignited the flames of holy war throughout Sham and Jagira. The uprisings in Syria are merely the tip of the iceberg. Other mysterious armed forces will also join us one after another. I believe that with the current strength of our sect, assisting your army will surely lead to an earlier victory.”

"Yes, may Allah protect you!"

Philasedin rolled his eyes and weighed the options, deciding that this strategy was acceptable. Although he deeply loathed the Blackblade Cult's extremist doctrines, he reasoned that enemies of enemies could be used against each other, and he could simply discard them after he had exhausted their usefulness.

After thinking for a moment, he raised his wine cup filled with fine wine: "Come! To our common cause of fighting the Persians, cheers!"

Another deal of interests has been struck.

Shortly after the Blackblade messenger left, another report came: 2 reinforcements from Cairo had arrived in Damascus, including 3000 elite Hakimiyya guards. The arrival of this reinforcement delighted Philasedin.

……

Homs was a military camp of the Samanid Empire of Iran.

"Have you found out the cause of the rebellion in Syria?" Shahzani asked Shahini, who had come to report the military situation.

“It’s been found out. As expected, the instigator of the rebellion was Hakawi and his group of despicable Blackblade cultists,” Sahimian said.

“Selim has just regained her kingdom, and in order to stabilize her rule, she can only favor the Alawites who support her. However, this will undoubtedly affect the interests of the vast majority of Sunnis in the region. The Blackblade sect, which is good at launching ‘silent holy wars’ to create chaos, has found a favorable opportunity to carry out their despicable conspiracy,” Shahzani said.

Looking at the map drawn by Biruni: the Hamdanian dynasty of Syria, sandwiched between three great powers—the Samanid Empire of Iran, the Fatimid Caliphate of Egypt, and the Byzantine Empire. Such a small country, situated between powerful nations, already faced immense difficulties, but now, with the added burden of domestic rebellion, its predicament was compounded.

“So, what is the situation in Syria now?” Shahzani asked again.

“It’s very serious. Sunni rebels have been seen in cities such as Raqqa, Haran, Amid, Nasbin, and Mosul, and the rebellions are clearly organized and premeditated. Although the Syrians have been able to hold onto major cities and fortresses with the strong support of the Iranian troops, the situation is still far from optimistic.” Shahini shook his head slightly.

After hearing this, Shahzani paced back and forth for a moment, deep in thought.

It has been clearly established that the instigator of the rebellion is the Blackblade Cult. After several battles with this extremist armed group, Shahzani has been able to basically understand their belief system and code of conduct. Overall, the Blackblade Cult is not good at direct combat (compared to the Saman Empire), but is very good at assassination, sowing discord, and creating chaos.

Thinking of this, Shahzani suddenly stopped in her tracks: "I am worried that the Black Blade Cult's conspiracy is not so simple... Shahini, issue a general order to strengthen the vigilance of the entire army! We must guard against the enemy lurking in the shadows."

It was as if God had specifically come to confirm her fears.

Within days, troops stationed west of Homs reported repeated attacks by unidentified armed groups, suffering minor losses. Although the Iranian soldiers eventually repelled the enemy, this group was also very agile and tenacious. After encountering unfavorable situations, they immediately dispersed and hid in the nearby mountains and hills, only to return when their strength was restored…

"Just as I expected!"

Upon receiving the report, Shahzani dared not be careless and immediately ordered the surrounding troops to assemble for joint defense. At the same time, she personally led her most elite Shahzani Guards to provide support.

……

A small outpost of the Samanid army (stationed with a company of about 100 men) in an oasis west of Homs.

A small-scale but back-and-forth battle is underway.

Whoosh—! Whoosh—!

A deadly arrow shot out from the shadows, bypassing the armor's defenses and striking a Saman soldier in the face. She groaned and fell heavily from the watchtower.

Another Saman soldier beside her had just turned her head in astonishment at her comrade's sacrifice when several arrows came flying at her. Most of them were protected by her armor, but two of them pierced through her relatively thin neck guard and embedded themselves in her throat.

"God above! Rear troops, provide immediate support!" A platoon leader, astonished by the enemy's fierce offensive, was about to call for friendly forces to provide support when she did not notice that a gleaming dagger was already pressed against her throat. In an instant, her armor cracked open, and blood spurted out.

The light turban helmet reflected the sunlight, the white turban covered their faces, the short, lightweight chainmail shirts clung to their bodies, and the fast boots on their feet moved swiftly, stealthily advancing in small squads, alternating between swords and crossbows.

They cooperated seamlessly, acted swiftly, yet maintained the ferocity required for an offensive. Their superb small-scale tactics left many seasoned veterans of the Saman army in awe.

This is exactly how the attacker displays themselves, like a venomous snake lurking beneath the desert, waiting for its chance to strike swiftly.

During the fierce battle, the attackers even penetrated the outer trenches and stockade walls of the Saman army camp, forcing the Saman soldiers to shrink their defensive line and continue to resist under the cover of the camp and stables.

at this time.

The thunderous sound of iron hooves echoed around the camp, and from afar, dust filled the air; up close, blood-red flags blotted out the sun!

It was Shahzani's elite fighting force—the Shaher Guard of the Saman Empire.

Faced with the heavily armored Saman cavalry, both men and horses were heavily armored, the attackers' arrows and crossbows proved somewhat ineffective. The elite Iranian cavalry then formed a pincer movement, quickly defeating the outer attacking detachments and tightening the encirclement in an attempt to annihilate them.

However, the attackers did not surrender. They took advantage of their agility and quickly broke into smaller groups, and before the Saman Empire's encirclement could be completed, they swiftly moved and withdrew to the nearby mountains.

Chapter 273 Mysterious Armed Group

The brief skirmish came to an end, leaving behind only the devastation of the battle.

"Clean up the battlefield, and make sure to find out the identities of these attackers as soon as possible!" Shahzani commanded from horseback.

Clean up the dead, collect weapons, inventory supplies, and tally losses...

To the west of Homs lies the north-south trending Syrian-Lebanese coastal mountain range, later known as the Alawite Mountains-Pre-Lebanon Mountains-Post-Lebanon Mountains.

This mountain range divides the Sham-Syria region into two distinct worlds: to the east, a yellow world where arid deserts and oases blend, and to the west, a narrow lowland, a blue coastal world.

But Shahzani was more concerned with the strategic value of the coastal mountains themselves. The terrain there was rugged and easy to defend, which was advantageous for expansion when the forces were strong and for defensive operations when they were weak. It had always been a stronghold for various armed groups in the Sham region.

"Sham Assassins!"

The name of the organization flashed into Shahzani's mind in an instant.

Recalling the assassin who broke into the military tent at night without triggering any alarms (see Chapter 210), and combining it with the image of this well-trained and swift attacker, the two images in his mind gradually merged.