I was the Queen of Persia

Page 72

Her solution was to establish a number of government-run books and publications, allowing the copyists to shift from copying to more in-depth creative work.

In fact, as early as during the war with Ghaznavidy, Qin strategists Liu Wenyuan, Lu Changgong, Cui Shang and others had advised the queen that the Qin state in the east had an official document called "Dibao" that could convey government policies to officials and people in various places, so as to facilitate the smooth flow of government orders.

Shahzani knew about this kind of thing and approved of it.

Therefore, in early 1004 AD, she issued an edict:

In Bukhara, a central government-run gazette called the Fars Gazette (Persian Gazette) was established. It was ultimately under the jurisdiction of the History Department of the central Diwan institution, with branch offices set up in local Diwan government offices.

Newspapers at all levels were compiled and edited by government officials and scholars, and their contents mainly included imperial edicts, religious teachings, military reports, introductions to Persian history and culture, and so on.

Newspapers were printed by government-run printing houses and distributed through the postal system. They were given priority to officials and missionaries at all levels, and any surplus was distributed to booksellers in the market for sale to the general public. However, the prices were set by the government.

Of course, all channels for compiling, printing, and distributing newspapers were firmly controlled by the state bureaucracy, and private newspaper publishing was strictly prohibited.

At this time, the Samanid dynasty also possessed a higher level of media resources.

Thanks to Shahzani's vigorous literacy campaign in the early stages, the literacy rate in the Samanid dynasty had significantly improved. Officials, soldiers, and priests were all literate, and merchants and artisans in towns and cities could generally understand simple and commonly used Persian words.

With the restoration of urban order and the prosperity of urban life, the demand for culture among the urban residents has increased significantly. According to a report submitted by the Khorasan provincial government, the best-selling books in the bazaar bookstores in the two months following Nowruz last year were the Muruzi, Tajiki and Mansur Barish editions of the Shahnameh.

However, due to the high cost of paper, many people could not afford the thick books, and only wealthy merchants and the rich of Dehghan could afford to buy them in full. Most people could only pool their money to hire scribes to copy out the essential chapters and circulate them among themselves.

Newspapers and magazines, with their short length and low price, precisely met the needs of the general public in this regard.

With these favorable conditions, the Fars Gazette became an instant bestseller upon its release.

……

"Friends! Distinguished guests! May the Most Gracious and Merciful God bless you! Look at the newspaper! Look at the newspaper! The Most High Queen has issued a divine decree, to..."

Throughout the cities of Samanid, the cries of various booksellers filled the air. In bazaars and on the streets, people gathered in small groups, reading and conversing with great interest, newspapers in hand. Occasionally, a scholar with a white turban and books in his arms would pass by, and they would gather around him, seeking answers to their questions and perplexities.

In a Dabilistan school in Tus, a group of teenagers and young students, having finished their schoolwork, spread out a carpet and sat together, taking out the newspapers they had just bought to read.

"Look, the Baiyi Dynasty and the Caliph have formed an aggressive alliance and have repeatedly invaded our borders. The court is currently amassing a large number of troops in Kerman Province, presumably to wage war against these false believers."

An older student in his twenties pointed to the contents of the newspaper and said to his younger classmates, his white turban and the silk ribbons adorning his robe indicating his academic rank and status.

“God above! The Caliph is the leader of all Muslims! We are all devout believers, how could he send troops to invade our land?” A young student next to him asked cautiously and with some confusion.

"Bah! What 'Caliph'? He's nothing but a hypocrite and a heretic!"

The older student scoffed dismissively: "More than four hundred years ago, our Sasanian dynasty was incredibly powerful. What 'caliph' was there? That was just a hypocritical position created by Arab invaders!"

The older student continued indignantly: "The courts of these so-called 'Caliphs' are filled with ugly conspiracies for power and profit, and they plunder the devout believers in every way. They have no holiness or purity whatsoever. How can they be 'commanders of the believers'?!"

“That’s right, we are all God’s children, so why should these Arabs be the ones in the highest position? In terms of religious contributions, we Iranians are greater than any other ethnic group; in terms of civil and military achievements, our Queen surpasses any Muslim. As for the position of ‘the leader of all Muslims,’ our Queen is more qualified to sit there!” Another student, who was usually good at thinking, also expressed his opinion.

This group of passionate young people continued their heated debate, and they finally reached a consensus: their homeland, Iran, is a great country with a glorious history, and if the enemy in the west were to launch an invasion, they would all immediately put down their pens and paper and join the army.

……

This is also the effect that Shahzani wanted to achieve: to subtly strengthen the loyalty of his subjects through intangible instruction and teaching, thereby enhancing the cohesion of the state power.

She opened the [Chronicles of the King of Persia] system.

"【Cultural Technology - Printing and Media Revolution】, Effects: Efficiency of government decree transmission +30%, National stability +30%, Public loyalty +30%."

Just as she was filled with joy, she suddenly felt a wave of nausea in her chest. "Ugh..." she quickly covered her mouth, her beautiful eyes slightly furrowed.

"Your Majesty! Quickly, summon the imperial physician!" Maids and palace servants gathered around with concern.

“No need…no need.” Shahzani waved her hand with a smile. “Perhaps I’m just a little tired from reviewing memorials day and night.”

Tensions have recently risen on the western border, with the Baiyi Dynasty's army repeatedly launching probing attacks, suggesting a major battle is imminent. Under these tense circumstances, Shahzani has been very busy for the past few days.

Despite this, the palace maids, out of caution, still summoned the royal physician for a consultation. The result, however, surprised everyone—Her Majesty the Queen was pregnant!

This news immediately caused a sensation in the court. In an instant, civil and military officials, from Grand Vizier Falzana to ordinary Divan officials, flocked to pay their respects and offer their congratulations. The courtiers had long heard that the Queen possessed "extraordinary abilities," and this confirmation of those rumors was regarded by everyone as a "miracle."

Chapter 163 Samanid-Song Dynasty Envoys

In early May of 1004 AD, during the month of Ordibehsht in the Persian calendar, just as tensions were escalating on the western border of the Samanid dynasty, the Sahini envoy, sent eastward, successfully arrived in Kaifeng, the capital region of the Song Dynasty.

Kaifeng Prefecture, Bianjing.

The houses were neat and magnificent, the streets were bustling with people and vehicles, and people of different clothes and social statuses were coming and going. The shouts of vendors rose and fell, and the bustling atmosphere of the city was overwhelming. Its prosperity even surpassed that of any city in Transoxiana and Khorasan.

Accompanied by diplomatic officials such as the Hemen Zhihou and Chengwu Lang, the Sahinian delegation entered this prosperous international metropolis. The Persian envoys were experiencing the wealth of the Maqin region for the first time, and their eyes revealed undisguised shock.

“The Prophet said, ‘Go after knowledge and wealth, even if it is as far as China.’ Praise be to God! Nowhere in the world can compare to the wealth of China.” A member of the mission said to his companion with a look of envy.

"Her Majesty's decrees have always been wise. China is a vast and resource-rich country with superb skills, and it is a great power that Iran should befriend. May Hu Da bless us! I believe that under the supreme rule of the Queen, Bukhara and Tus will one day shine with such glory."

Sahinian feigned composure, but a hint of envy flickered in her eyes. Especially after seeing so many handsome young men as fair and delicate as her lover Zhu Jiande on the road, an extremely strong desire welled up in her heart, and her beautiful eyes, like fire, flashed with an aggressive light.

But she skillfully suppressed her burgeoning desires, casting an appreciative and approving glance at the bustling marketplace.

A form of mutual appreciation and recognition between ancient civilizations.

In contrast, their heroic figures, imposing armor, and exotic appearances and attire also attracted the attention of the people of Bianliang City.

These are different ethnic groups from the Khitan and Tangut. Their high noses, deep-set eyes, curly black hair, and honey-colored skin indicate that they come from a western land far more distant than the Western Regions. They resemble the "high-nosed, deep-eyed" "Hu people" recorded in the ancient texts of previous dynasties, but they are much more beautiful than those Hu people with rough and fierce appearances.

The more learned scholars of the Song Dynasty knew that they came from the Persian-Huihui-Dashi Kingdom in the west (in the Five Dynasties and Song Dynasty records, "Dashi" often refers to the Iranian-Islamic Empire that dominated Persia and Central Asia, rather than Arabia).

They continued along the Bian River for a while and arrived at Huaiyuan Post Station, a temporary post station established by the Song court to entertain envoys from Central Asia, West Asia, and Southeast Asia.

The Song Dynasty was great in every way, except that missions entering the capital had to be accompanied by dedicated officials and were not allowed to leave their designated areas of activity. This was to ensure the safety of the mission members and to avoid unnecessary incidents and disputes.

Before entering the palace to meet the Song emperor, they had to go through a period of seeking permission and reporting to the emperor. During this leisure time, officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Court of State Ceremonial specially led the Samanid delegation to visit the beautiful scenery of Bianliang (Kaifeng). Several days later, they were finally granted permission to meet the emperor.

"The Persian envoy, Shaheniyan, is here to pay his respects!" The loud, clear voices of the imperial eunuchs echoed in the hall.

Wearing an Iranian-style formal robe, Sahini walked confidently onto the central avenue of the hall, amidst the admiring gazes of the courtiers on either side.

She understood that as she was now being sent as an envoy to the great Eastern nation, she was carrying the honor of her motherland and the majesty of the Queen. Therefore, she displayed a composed and confident demeanor, neither arrogant nor humble, as if she were a special envoy conveying equality and mutual friendship between two ancient civilizations.

She stopped in front of the hall and, in slightly accented but generally fluent Chinese, kowtowed and bowed: "The envoy of Queen Shahzani of Persia pays respects to His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty, long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

Her beautiful face, her upright posture like a pine tree, her heroic figure, and her masculine spirit all impressed the Song Dynasty emperor and his ministers. Even the envoys from Goryeo, Champa, Annam, and other countries standing to the side couldn't help but marvel at her.

"Since ancient times, all the envoys who have come to pay tribute to China have admired the power and prestige of our great nation. Yet this envoy is so calm and composed. Moreover, this woman is full of heroic spirit, quite like Fan Lihua and Hua Mulan of the past. I truly admire her."

Emperor Zhenzong of Song pondered as he sat on the dragon throne.

He felt that as the emperor of a great nation, he should show magnanimity and open-mindedness, so he said to Sahinian and others: "Your esteemed envoys have come from afar, and your etiquette and customs are different from those of China. There is no need to stand on ceremony. Please rise."

Sahimian stood up, maintaining proper diplomatic etiquette, neither humble nor arrogant. She then presented the list of tribute gifts to the Song emperor and expressed the Samanid dynasty's sincerity in its willingness to establish relations with the Song dynasty.

The gifts brought included Khorasan brocade, Bukhara floral cloth, sturdy steel, and armored warhorses—all top-quality products of the Samanid dynasty. The heavily armored horses, in particular, were a significant weapon for the Song court, which was relatively short of horses, serving as a demonstration of military strength.

The Song court gladly accepted the tribute from the Samanid dynasty and issued an imperial edict to give a grand reception to Samanid envoys, including Shahini.

In the following days, the Samanid delegation paid homage to the Song court multiple times and continued to express its willingness to establish friendly relations with the Song court. The two sides held several rounds of talks.

during this process,

Some Song Dynasty officials questioned this, still adhering to the ethical principles of Confucianism. They believed that "women in power in Persia would likely cause disaster," "sending women to our Celestial Empire would be a loss of national dignity," and "Persian Hui women are extremely promiscuous and lack decorum," and so on, expressing considerable criticism of the Samanid dynasty.

More importantly, a very small number of people believed that the Celestial Empire was "vast and rich in resources" and "possesses everything," so there was no need to trade with these foreign "barbarians."

Sahimian couldn't help but laugh; she decided to convince the other party with facts.

After obtaining Emperor Song's permission, she took out her weapon, a fine steel warhammer, and tested it. The warhammer, carrying immense force, struck the shield used for testing with a violent metallic clang, sparks flying. Upon closer inspection, the hard shield was dented in half and shattered, revealing fragments inside, clearly having suffered an unimaginable blow.

This weapon of war, enhanced by Shahzani's system and meticulously crafted by Iranian artisans, is naturally incredibly powerful.

"I never imagined that this foreign land would possess such exquisite weapons..." This was the true sentiment of many Song Dynasty officials at that moment.

Sahinian pressed her advantage, analyzing the pros and cons for the Song Dynasty ministers. Her tongue was as sharp and incisive as her sword; her words were forceful, resounding, and hit the nail on the head.

"Your country is constantly at war with the Liao people in the north and is currently in dire need of horses, while our country possesses millions of strong and capable warhorses. If our two countries were to trade, you could sell us your tea and porcelain, and we could sell you our fine steel warhorses. This would be a mutually beneficial arrangement, so why not?"

Hearing her say this, the ministers couldn't help but nod in agreement. They had to admit that Sahinian's words were all reasonable, and that mutually beneficial trade between the two countries was more advantageous than disadvantageous.

"Excellent!" Emperor Zhenzong of Song was overjoyed and finally agreed to establish trade relations with the Samanid Dynasty.

In order to demonstrate the generosity of the great Song Dynasty, the Song court reciprocated by giving the Samanid delegation a large number of gifts.

……

The Samanid mission from Sahini stayed in Bianjing for two months, only setting off for home in July 1004. Meanwhile, the Samanid war with its western enemies had already begun.

Chapter 164 The First Invasion of the Baiyi Dynasty

Just as the Ordibehsht month began, and the Sahiniian mission had just arrived in Bianjing (Kaifeng) of the Song Dynasty, an urgent military report came from the outposts in Kerman Province on the western border.

Shahzani opened the newspaper, her brows furrowing slightly.

According to the report, the Baikal dynasty, the Baghdad Caliph, the Kurdish tribes, and many small Islamic dynasties in Azerbaijan have formed an "anti-Saman alliance," electing the Baikal kings as "alliance leaders" and the Caliph as "religious leaders." They have amassed large armies in places like Rai, Shiraz, and Isfahan, intending to invade eastward.

"The inevitable turmoil will come." Shahzani smiled contemptuously, already prepared for war.

at this time.

"Your Majesty the Shah, urgent intelligence!" A Nassak rushed into the palace with a messenger, presenting a scroll of secret documents at his waist.

Shahzani opened the package and was furious.

The letter stated: "The Turkic guards of Baghdad and Samara, in the name of the Caliph, incited bandits and mobs to attack the caravan belonging to the royal merchant Bazargan, killing the caravan's guards and servants, looting all the goods, and selling the unbelievers girls accompanying the caravan into slavery..."

Among them was Bazargan's capable assistant, the Slavic female bodyguard, Polodina.

This attack on a sovereign nation's caravan was tantamount to a declaration of war, and it carried a strong provocative tone, further enraging Shahzani.

at this time.

"Your Majesty the Shah, the Caliph of Baghdad has sent you a letter!" Another Nassak rushed into the palace with a messenger, presenting the secret document at his waist.

Shahzani opened it and found it was a "declaration of war" from the Caliph, which stated:

"Shahzani, the devil's woman! You have usurped power through Satan's schemes, defied the teachings of the prophets, and attempted to overthrow the majesty of Allah and defile the sacred doctrines. I have assembled an army of devout believers and will surely overthrow your rule, casting you into the infernal fire of eternal damnation..."

Shahzani looked down with a cold smile:

"...You! You inexperienced young woman, you've only been in power for a few days and you already think you're the ruler of the world. Don't you know that from the East to West Africa, from emperors to beggars, all believers in Allah are my servants, and I can gather them all together!"

The manifesto, written in hundreds of Arabic words, was indeed beautifully crafted, but it also ignited a fierce rage within Shahzani.

"Heh." The Queen clenched her fists, her beautiful eyes flashing with a cold sneer. "Since that's the case, let these 'Dushi Barbarians' (enemies) forever grovel at my feet!"

She stood up abruptly, her tone authoritative: "Issue the order! Convene an immediate meeting of the Diwan court officials!"

Soon, Bahraim, Farzana, and all the civil and military officials of the Diwan organization gathered in the palace council hall.

Shahzani announced the news of the invasion and then circulated the letters to his courtiers for review.

Seeing that the nation, faith, and the dignity of the Queen had been so desecrated, the ministers were filled with righteous indignation and righteous indignation, and they were determined to fight against the enemy in order to defend the honor of Iranian warriors.

Shahzani declared resolutely, “As you all have seen, the enemy in the west is attempting to invade our sacred land through a shameful war, but Iran will not tolerate these hypocrites’ desecration! The order is hereby issued: the entire army is to enter a state of combat readiness, guarding against any invading enemy. May Hurghada protect us! May the glory of the warrior Rustam guide us!”

The Queen decided to lead the army in person, and she appointed Commander-in-Chief Bahraim to lead the entire army; Hoslu, Rustam Zaman, and Tahmina led troops to participate in the battle; Grand Vizier Farzana stayed in the capital to oversee the country; Nasita and Holshid led troops to garrison key provinces around the capital to support various places; and the remaining officials performed their duties and upheld their obligations.

"However..." The ministers all showed concern. "Your Majesty, you are currently pregnant. How can you lead the army into battle? Why don't you stay in the palace and rest? We are willing to lead the army to defend against the enemy!"

"Haha, what does it matter?" Shahzani laughed. "The legendary heroine Gushaspu once fought on the battlefield while pregnant, conquering all directions and slaying countless warriors. Since she could achieve such great feats, I can do the same."

He then decided to personally lead the army on the expedition.

……

On May 17, 1004 AD, a coalition of troops consisting of the Bai Yi army, the Caliph's royal guard, and Muslim religious conscription forces arrived at the gates of Kerman and then launched an attack on the city.

In their first battle, the allied forces were riding high, and their powerful offensive initially overwhelmed the Saman defenders in Kerman. However, the Saman officers in charge of the defense did their utmost to boost the morale of their troops, and they tenaciously resisted the attackers' onslaught.

At this time, Shahzani led his troops to Khorasan and temporarily stationed them. Upon hearing the news that Kerman was besieged, he immediately ordered Bahram to lead his elite cavalry to his aid.

Bahraim marched south day and night, passing through the province of Kushistan, and reached Birjand, where he received supplies and rested. He then suddenly turned southwest, crossing the desert region on the edge of the province, and went straight to the Purman region.

Bahraim launched a surprise attack on the enemy's flank. The Saman heavy cavalry charged into the enemy ranks, tearing through their weak defenses in an instant. They then joined forces with the defenders of Kerman to inflict a crushing defeat on the enemy.

The enemy had never seen such a powerful female general before. After suffering heavy losses, they were terrified and hastily withdrew their forces, retreating westward in panic.

The siege of Kerman was successfully lifted.

After the Battle of Kerman, the Baiyi Dynasty army, seeing its plans thwarted, decided to concentrate its forces to defend the cities of Rai and Yazd. Having experienced the formidable strength of the Samanid women's army for the first time, the Baiyi princes, for the sake of preserving their power, dared not launch an attack rashly, hoping to send their "allies" to strike first.

Shahzani saw through the coalition's weaknesses.

She understood that this was just a motley crew. Not only were the kings of Baiyi at odds with each other, but the Caliphate, the Kurds, the Rawad dynasty, the Salari dynasty, the Shirvan Kingdom, the Emirate of Hoy, and other regimes were also riddled with contradictions, each with its own agenda.

The strongest of these was the Baiyi Dynasty.