I was the Queen of Persia

Page 137

Seeing this strategic situation, Shahzani's confidence in victory increased even more.

Continue to mobilize reserve troops and supplies, and concentrate them northward, striving to launch another brilliant counterattack in the Kyzylkum Desert region north of Transoxiana Province, completely disrupting the military deployment of the Turan Khanate.

The troops were naturally led by rising stars who had made outstanding contributions in battle—Princess Farukzade, Prince Consort Iraji, and the brave general Bahmanyar.

According to Shahzani's plan.

Farukzad was in charge of commanding the central army, penetrating deep into enemy territory;

The Prince Consort of Iraq was responsible for commanding the right wing and coordinating support.

Bahmanyar was in charge of commanding the left flank, flanking maneuvers and coordinated attacks.

The three armies worked closely together, planning to cross the Kyzylkum Desert and jointly advance to the oasis along the Syr Darya River, crush the main force of the Turan army gathered there, and sever the connections between the various legions of the Turan Khanate.

The war plan was drawn up, and weapons and provisions were quickly delivered.

The military bureaucracy of the Khorasan Military Region and its provinces and counties mobilized upon receiving the order.

Along the various post roads, camel caravans carrying supplies came and went in an endless stream, and the caravan inns served as military supply depots, facilitating the mobilization and deployment of troops.

With its powerful mobilization system, Shahzani quickly assembled enough troops to complete the offensive and defensive shift against the Turan Khanate's Western Army.

……

And at the same time.

Uzgen was a powerful western city of the old Karakhanid dynasty.

clank--!

Aknuar pushed open the gates of the old Karakhanid palace and strode into the hall with an air of triumph, his joy at "recapturing the old capital" overflowing.

Considering the Turan Khanate's current powerful military strength, which surpasses even that of the Karakhanid Dynasty, she is determined to plant the Turkic war flag once again on the land of Transoxiana.

They walked toward the inner palace prison, the place where captured Samanid royalty had been imprisoned in the past.

Thinking of her family's glorious history, she unconsciously straightened her chest again.

"Heh heh, I, the great Turan Khan, vow to conquer cities and expand territories, and once again imprison the Samanid royal family!"

Aknuer expressed his feelings.

Just then, a scout arrived and reported the deployment and movements of the Samanid army to the Khan.

Upon seeing Shahzani's deployment, Aknuar couldn't help but sneer.

"Hehe, I thought Shahzani was always cautious, but I never expected that she would commit such a cardinal sin in warfare this time." Aknuer said with a smug look on his face.

"Khan, what do you mean by that?" asked Yujia (a Turkic word), the military advisor beside him, puzzled.

"Kizilkum Desert, what place is that?" Aknuer asked rhetorically.

“That is a vast, barren land, a silent, fiery hell of death,” the strategist replied.

“That’s right, and wasn’t it foolish of Shahzani to lead her army to their doom?” Aknuar said smugly.

This line of reasoning does indeed have some merit.

The Kyzylkum Desert is indeed a harsh environment.

Throughout history, caravans and pilgrims who wished to cross this desert had to carry enough naan bread and fresh water to last for forty days in order to safely leave this land of death.

If the Samanid army wanted to cross this desert, it would inevitably have to mobilize more supplies, which would lengthen the battle lines. In addition, facing the harsh environment, it would become very weak.

At that time, the Turan cavalry only need to seize the opportunity to launch a flanking maneuver, cut off their fragile supply lines, and they can annihilate the entire army.

But weren't the Turan cavalry afraid of the harsh environment?

Aknu'er confidently stated: I'm not afraid.

At least, that's what she personally thinks.

As a nomadic people, the warriors of Turan were generally superior to the Persians in terms of their swift mobility, their understanding of the grasslands and deserts, their resilience in enduring hunger and thirst, and their experience in traversing the desert to "hunt for grass."

Based on this logic.

Aknuer issued an order: "There is no need to worry about the Saman Empire's central offensive. Continue to strengthen the forces on the eastern route and take the wealthy cities of Suduishana and Jizzakh as soon as possible."

The order caused an uproar throughout the tent.

The pragmatic military nobles of Turan repeatedly advised the Khan, requesting that the monarch make a careful decision, but they could not stop Aknuar from going his own way.

Consequently, a large number of Turan troops continued to be transferred to the eastern front to strengthen the eastern offensive.

……

And at the same time.

Shahzani proceeded methodically, mobilizing troops and supplies, and actively preparing for war.

"Shahsha, is it really a safe choice to target the Kyzylkum Desert this time?" Some of the Saman's strategists and advisors couldn't help but ask cautiously.

“Absolutely safe.” Shahzani smiled firmly.

Then, a military map was unfolded, with clear terrain and roads, and the locations of oases, wells, and salt marshes were clearly marked.

Its accuracy surpasses that of any other geographical map from the time of Ptolemy to the time when "The Land of the World" was written.

"This is the masterpiece of scholars, the culmination of the tireless efforts of the most outstanding geographers at Jahan Shahr University, who inherited the wisdom of their predecessors," Shahzani said proudly.

To be honest, what makes Shahzani more gratified than the powerful army is the gathering of many intelligent scholars and the establishment of a comprehensive academic research system.

What makes her even more gratified is that even as the older generation, such as Birouni and Ibn Sina, gradually grows old, fresh blood continues to replenish the academic ranks.

Of course, this is also thanks to the academic prosperity of Iran's golden age of Islamic knowledge.

What Shahzani did was to translate these theoretical research findings into practice in order to enhance national strength and military power.

As the famous saying goes: Science and technology are the primary productive forces.

"These maps have been distributed to the soldiers and will guide them to victory," Shahzani said confidently.

After reviewing the map repeatedly, the military advisors of the Samanid Empire also felt that this version of the map was more accurate and detailed.

“Praise be to the King of Kings! This map, used in battle, will surely ensure the invincibility of the Iranian warriors!” the advisors exclaimed.

In conclusion, with its powerful military, abundant finances, ample supplies, and advanced technology, the Samanid army embarked on a journey across the vast desert.

Chapter 321 The Red Storm in the Desert

Drawing maps is just the tip of the iceberg of Shahzani's grand strategy.

Shahzani has already carried out numerous transformations of the Kyzylkum Desert—to the maximum extent permitted by the level of productivity.

Includes, but is not limited to:

First, create protective forests to stabilize sand and improve soil.

Second, expand wells and canals, reclaim oases, and restore sandy land to farmland (pastoral areas).

Third, more post stations and roads were built to connect the fragmented oases in the desert.

Although the desert environment remains harsh, it has actually improved compared to the past.

Despite making so many strategic changes, Shahzani remained vigilant.

She mobilized a sufficient number of engineering troops and camel supply troops, ordered the construction of marching roads, and proceeded steadily and surely, ready to support the princess at any time.

Soon, the military assembly area in northern Ha Trung province presented a magnificent scene of troops gathering, supplies accompanying them, and banners fluttering in the wind.

Shahzani was stationed in the capital, overseeing and directing operations.

……

Marching through the desert is certainly fraught with danger.

Dramatic changes in temperature challenge the limits of endurance, while the threats of water and food shortages and supply disruptions are ever-present.

The sudden dust storms can easily cause an army to lose its way, soldiers to go missing or scatter, or even bury the entire army.

Thousands of years ago, weren't the Achaemenid army that conquered Egypt buried in the endless yellow sand?

Princess Farukzad, however, demonstrated exceptional military talent.

They formed marching formations, rationally deployed scouts, coordinated the advance of all units, ensured sufficient food and supplies, and launched a slow but rapid attack.

With banners as their signal, and the formation echoing each other, the dense battle line could not be broken by the swirling sandstorm.

More importantly, the Samanid Empire had a complete system and ample supplies, ensuring a continuous supply of resources to the advancing troops, which even the desert could not hinder.

Faced with such a powerful command and support system, the once insurmountable Sea of ​​Death and desolate chasm became less insurmountable in the face of such outstanding command skills.

……

at the same time.

Aknuar continued to order the Turan Eastern Route Army to launch an even fiercer offensive against Sudsana, the eastern gateway to Transoxiana.

The dark brown sea of ​​soldiers filled the valley, and the banners of the nine sacred trees blotted out the sky. The slogans praising Afrashiyabu echoed between the ancient road and the oasis.

The offensive of the Turan Khanate army was exceptionally fierce.

Small groups of Saman troops along the way were wiped out one after another.

The various nomadic rivals of the Turan people in the past—the Saka, Huns, Kushans, Yueban, Chule, Jidoro, Yanda, Western Turks, Turgesh, Karluks, Oghuz—seemed none as formidable as the Turan Khanate of today.

Burning bullets flickered with fire, piercing the dark night sky, as the dark mass of Turan soldiers roared as they charged toward the city walls.

The Samanid soldiers defending the city fell one after another.

Frail elderly people and young children volunteered to join the army to transport supplies and help defend the city.

Faced with such a fierce offensive, the Saman general defending the city, Sahini, and his children calmly and bravely directed the response.

With their exceptional courage, ingenious tactics, and fortified walls and defenses, the Samanian defenders repelled wave after wave of Turanian attacks.

Sahimian understood that her mission was to tie down the main force of the Turan army, thereby creating an opportunity for the princess to break through in the middle.

With a glint in her eyes, she suddenly conceived a plan to launch a surprise attack. She meticulously planned and acted decisively, launching a night raid on Turan's siege camp.

Good tactics and strategies can often withstand repeated use.

Little Sahini led the charge, and the Saman cavalry pressed forward, the surprise attacking Iranian elite troops moving as if they were in an empty field.

The ruins of the camp were engulfed in flames, illuminating the night sky as bright as day.

Such surprise attacks, while not able to immediately annihilate the enemy, are enough to delay their advance.

The longer the Turan army is tied down on the eastern front, the greater the chance of a successful counterattack on the central front.

……

Princess Farukzad indeed fulfilled her mission admirably.

It only took two weeks.

The Samanid army successfully crossed the Kyzylkum Desert and advanced directly towards the Syr Darya basin, which was under the control of the Turan Khanate.

Like a rolling storm from the desert, it swept across the Syr Darya region.

At this time, the Turan Legion in the central region had suffered a new defeat and its morale was low. Furthermore, its troops had been largely redeployed by Aknuar to the eastern front, leaving its defenses somewhat vulnerable.

In accordance with the great decree of Queen Shahzani.

After careful planning, Farukzad and her husband Iraj quickly assembled their forces, gained a local advantage, and launched an attack on the Zhuchengzhai oasis controlled by the Turan army.

The first to be affected was Sighnak (or Saghnak), which was controlled by the Turan Khanate. It was an important hub connecting the Turan steppe and the Iranian lands, and a distribution center for trade goods.

Caught off guard, the Turanian army defending the city fought valiantly but was ultimately defeated and forced to abandon the city and retreat. Farukzad then successfully took control of the city.

Do not give the opponent a chance to regroup or react.

Iraj decisively led his troops down the Syr Darya River, defeating the fragmented Turan army along the way and quickly capturing another major city controlled by the Turan Khanate—Jand.

This was the power center of the Oghuz Yabghu tribes and the origin of the Seljuk family. Controlling this area undoubtedly strengthened control over the various Oghuz clans.

Continue to deny the opponent a chance to regroup and counterattack.

Farukzad left only a small force in Xignahe to continue his advance with his strong elite troops. He first joined forces with Iraj, and then advanced triumphantly to continue to disperse the various Turan forces that had not yet completed their assembly. He then approached Yanghkent, another major city controlled by the Turan Khanate.

However, at this point, the central army of the Turan Khanate finally reacted, and they amassed a considerable number of troops to set up defenses around Yangjigan.

Meanwhile, the Western Army of the Turan Khanate, upon hearing the news of the Saman army's unstoppable advance in the Syr Darya basin, hastily slowed its attack on Khwarazm and redeployed a large number of troops to support the Central Army.

At this time, a delicate balance of power emerged between the two sides on this local battlefield along the Syr Darya and Aral Sea.