I was the Queen of Persia

Page 47

The Turan steppe north of the Syr Darya River was a habitat for nomadic peoples. It had not yet experienced large-scale settlement and cities. It was also plagued by severe cold, but the abundant hay provided a suitable pasture for large herds of livestock.

The Western Regions, east of the Pamirs and north of the Kunlun Mountains, also have many cities, but they are generally smaller in scale and have a much smaller population than those in Central Asia. Moreover, the climate is drier and colder than that of Central Asia, resulting in less output.

Currently, the Karakhanid Dynasty has lost the most fertile Transoxiana region, and Ilik Naser Khan convened a meeting to determine the direction of future expansion.

Mansur advocated expansion to the southeast and occupation of the Western Regions.

Aknuer, on the other hand, advocated expanding northwestward and occupying the Turan steppe.

The two arguments are vastly different, and one must be abandoned.

at this time.

"Khan! Khan! Urgent report from Kashgar!" The messenger hurriedly lifted the curtain and entered the tent, kneeling before Naser Khan.

"What happened?"

"The Khans and nobles of the Hassan lineage launched a rebellion and drove Ahmad Togan Khan out of Kashgar! The Great Khan is now forced to seek refuge in Balasagun!"

The guards hurriedly reported this.

"God above, a disturbance has indeed occurred in Kashgar! It must be the work of spies from the Samanid dynasty!"

"Yes! No wonder there were so many 'Kashgar surrendered soldiers' in the Saman army during the Battle of Whitewater City. It turns out they had been in cahoots all along!"

News of the turmoil in the rear shocked the Karakhanid nobles, who urged Naser Khan to send troops eastward to quell the rebellion.

Il-i-Naser Khan was initially torn between two routes: "eastward" and "westward," but after being strongly persuaded by his subjects, he immediately decided to "go eastward."

Furthermore, in his view, leading his troops on an eastern expedition, holding Ahmad Togan Khan hostage, and annihilating the Hassan rebellion would be a good opportunity to consolidate the seemingly united but actually divided Karakhanid nobles and concentrate power in his own hands.

“Very good, let’s head southeast to Kashgar!” Ilik Naser Khan finally gave the order.

Chapter 103 The Envoy from Khotan

Under the rule of Shahzani, the Samanid dynasty recovered the border provinces and counties, including Baishui City. At this time, the eastern border of the Samanid dynasty had been restored to the state before the invasion of the Karakhanid army in 992-999 AD.

Due to repeated defeats, the Karakhanid Dynasty fell into infighting among its ruling group, with the Hassan faction launching a rebellion and driving Ahmad Togan Khan out of Kashgar.

Il-i-Naser Khan, preoccupied with vying for power, led his troops to withdraw and sent envoys to Shahzani to sue for peace.

To put it bluntly, it's a tactic of playing peace negotiations.

Shahzani knew that Ilik Nasser Khan was not very sincere about peace talks; he was merely trying to achieve a "temporary truce" before seizing power. Once he had real power, he would definitely launch another attack.

The Transoxiana region is rich and prosperous, and the Karakhanid nobles, who have tasted the benefits, will never be willing to easily give up this wealthy land.

But she gladly accepted the meeting.

Bahramu was puzzled: "The Karakhanids are just trying to buy themselves a chance to breathe with a false peace. They are very weak now, why not continue the advance and annihilate them in one fell swoop?"

Shahzani said with a smile, "That's right. The Karakhanid Khanate suffered repeated defeats and was plagued by infighting among its nobles. Its demise was inevitable. However, in warfare, it is also important to be flexible and adaptable."

"Oh? I wonder if there's some profound reason behind this?" Bahram's beautiful eyes revealed a hint of confusion.

Shahzani smiled and then patiently explained to her the geopolitical knowledge related to military strategy.

She pointed out that most of the remaining territory of the Karakhanid Khanate was the western region of the Qin people, and if the Samanid Iranian army were to launch an expedition, it would be difficult for them to gain a moral advantage.

The Samanid dynasty was in a state of war for a long time, which consumed a huge amount of manpower and supplies. It also needed a period of recovery and peace to prepare for war again.

Moreover, according to scouts, the Ghazni dynasty in the south has grown increasingly powerful in recent years. Its ruler, Mahmud Ghazni, has been conquering Hindustan to the east and Sistan and Kerman to the west, and is eyeing the resurgent Samanid regime with covetousness.

If one becomes too engrossed in the war with the Karakhanid Khanate and neglects the potential threat from Ghazni, one is easily vulnerable to a fatal blow from behind, resulting in extremely serious consequences.

“I see. Then we’ll ‘adapt to the situation’ and temporarily negotiate peace with these descendants of Tur and Avraziyab.” Bahraim looked enlightened after hearing the analysis.

Ultimately, the Samanid and Karakhanid dynasties signed a ceasefire treaty in Tashkent, stipulating that the Karakhanids would pay the Samanids 150 million dirhams, 20000 sheep, 5000 horses, and 2500 camels, with the Syr Darya River and the city of Baishuihu as the border between the two sides.

This was the result of negotiations between the two sides. Ilik Nasser Khan was eager to make peace, but since he still held considerable power, Shahzani did not make excessive demands and only asked for partial compensation.

After the peace talks ended, Shahzani spent Mehrgan (the 16th of Mehrgan in the Persian calendar, around October 7th in the Gregorian calendar) on the front lines.

The victory in the war added to the festive atmosphere. The poets accompanying the army composed poems in praise of Shahzani, comparing her to epic heroes such as Rustam and Shavash, and singing her praises of her great military achievements. The miniature painters accompanying the army created paintings of the victory, depicting grand and magnificent scenes.

The Samanid soldiers, tired of the barley bread, dried fruit and nuts they ate during the war, could finally improve their meals during the festival. They enjoyed fragrant wheat-baked naan, spicy cumin-roasted meat, and fresh fruits and vegetables.

After the festival celebrations in Mehrgan, Shahzani appointed Bahraman to garrison the eastern theater, leaving 50 dirhan to repair and improve the irrigation facilities in Tashkent, before returning home.

……

During the following month of Aban, Shahzani handled state affairs in Bukhara, and the Samanid dynasty maintained a ceasefire and peace. This coincided with the autumn harvest, and villages across the region were bustling with agricultural activity, presenting a prosperous scene.

But on the last day of Aban, a special mission appeared in Bukhara.

“Oh? An envoy from Khotan has arrived?” Shahzani asked in the palace study.

“Yes,” Farzana replied, “They disguised themselves as Sufi Dervich to evade the Karakhanid Khan’s surveillance, but the Khotan king’s tokens are still on them.”

Farzana presented a jade seal, its texture warm and lustrous, with two lines of text engraved on the bottom: one line was square and upright, which Shahzani recognized as Chinese characters; the other line was winding and meandering, which Shahzani guessed was a Khotanese script spelled with Brahmi letters, similar to the Pahlavi script of the Sasanian dynasty.

“These envoys traveled a long way, and had to be wary of the threats from the Karakhanid scouts along the way. By the time they reached our borders, they were already dressed in tattered clothes and exhausted.” Farzana sighed, a look of sympathy on her face.

"Yes, first lead them to the envoy's residence to rest. After they have rested, summon them to the court and inquire about the purpose of their visit," Shahzani instructed.

The Khotan envoy was led to the post station, and Shahzani sent court attendants to deliver new clothes and other supplies. After three days of rest and recovery, he was summoned again.

"The Khotan envoy, Mashuhan, on the orders of King Yuchi Sengharama, pays homage to Queen Shah of the Samanid Dynasty of Iran." The leading Khotan envoy, speaking in a mix of Chinese, Khotanese, and Persian, knelt and kowtowed.

Shahzani gestured for them to stand up and asked them what they had come for.

The Khotan envoy sighed heavily and reported to the Queen in detail about the Karakhanid army's unstoppable advance in the Western Regions.

original.

After Il-Khwarazm sued for peace and withdrew his troops from Balasagun, he turned his expansionist ambitions eastward to the Western Regions.

He first used his remaining main force to control Ahmad Togan Khan and the situation in Balasagun. Then he launched an eastward campaign and wiped out Yusuf Qadir Khan and the Hassan faction of nobles, firmly controlling the situation in Kashgar and Artush.

With Kashgar as his center of power, he intensified his "holy war" against Khotan and Gaochang, and with the help of his powerful Karakhanid cavalry, he repeatedly broke through the Buddhists' defenses.

Despite the fierce resistance of the Khotan-Gaochang people, who even achieved several victories through cunning, they were unable to reverse the overall defeat. Now, the capital of Khotan has fallen, and many nobles and monks have been forced to retreat to the mountains for refuge.

For a long time, Khotan regarded China as the legitimate dynasty. However, the Song Dynasty, as the legitimate successor of the Chinese nation, was busy with wars against the Liao and Khitan peoples and could not reach the distant Western Regions.

"Our king has heard that Her Majesty the Queen is highly skilled in martial arts and has a deep-seated hatred for the Karakhanids, so he has specially sent us to pay homage, hoping that Your Majesty will send troops from the west to attack the Karakhanids from both sides."

Finally, the Khotan envoy bowed again and said with heartfelt sincerity.

Chapter 104: Combine vertically and horizontally

"Respected envoy, first of all, I express my deepest sympathy for the unfortunate plight of your vassal state."

Shahzani first adopted a diplomatic and polite demeanor.

“However,” she then changed the subject, “the Western Regions are the original territory of Qin (a vast Qin state), and your country has always regarded the Central Plains as the legitimate sovereign, so it is not appropriate for me to intervene in your military and state affairs.”

"Your Majesty, your martial prowess is renowned far and wide... King Yuchi promises that after our allied forces conquer the territory of the Karakhanid Khanate, we will cede all the cities of Balasagun, Talas, Haiyali, Alimatu, and Balmas to you!"

The Khotan envoy quickly offered words of praise, and to persuade Shahzani, he also brought up the diplomatic benefits offered by the King of Khotan.

But Shahzani remained noncommittal.

“Hehe, Your Excellency, we Iranians have a proverb: ‘It is unwise to easily promise someone benefits that you have not yet received.’” She smiled and declined the offer.

"This..." Faced with her clever answer, the Khotan envoy was speechless for a moment.

“How about this,” Shahzani said again. “The Karakhanid Khanate is the sworn enemy of my Samanid dynasty, and it also has conflicts and disputes with your country. They are our common enemy. Such important matters of state cannot be settled in a day. You should go back to the inn and rest well, and allow me to carefully consider the matter before making a decision.”

"Well... alas... we will obey His Majesty's orders." The Khotan envoys could only reluctantly agree.

After they stepped out of the protruding archway of the Bukhara Palace, they all shook their heads in disappointment.

Shahzani watched the Khotan delegation depart into the distance.

She knew that a complete peace had not been achieved between the Samanids and the Karakhanids. Just weeks after the ceasefire agreement was signed, Bahram sent a report saying that the two armies had clashed repeatedly on the border, and that Karakhanid tribes were even attempting to cross the border to plunder and invade.

However, war must be approached with caution, especially given the current complex situation. Rashly assembling a large army and reigniting a direct war with the Karakhanid Dynasty would be an unwise move.

She glanced at the civil and military officials in the palace and said calmly, "Gentlemen, what are your thoughts on this?"

Farzana, who stood in a prominent position at the front, was the first to step forward from the ranks of subjects:

“Great Shah, now the Ghaznavid dynasty is stirring up trouble in our south. It is time to concentrate our forces and launch a major defense against the south. I believe it is not advisable to launch a large-scale military campaign against the Karakhanid dynasty for the time being.”

Firuz, Afushin, and other courtiers also agreed that war should not be resumed against the Karakhanid Khanate.

Samanian elder Parviz then stepped forward from the ranks of subjects:

“Great Shah, I agree with the proposal of Grand Vazir (Falzana). However, if the Karakhanid Dynasty conquers Khotan and Gaochang and becomes powerful in the east, I fear that the eastern threat facing our country will return.”

“What suggestions does Lord Parviz have?” Shahzani asked.

“We do not need to launch a large-scale military campaign. We only need to send a small number of intelligent and brave warriors to secretly assist the Khotanese and help them stop the Karakhanid army from advancing,” Parviz replied.

This idea aligns with Shahzani's: to avoid large-scale troop deployments and instead use a limited number of elite troops for "special operations."

“Hmm, that’s a good idea.” She immediately agreed.

As an Iranian from the 21st century who traveled back in time, she was very familiar with this tactic.

In the 21st century, Iran adopted a similar "special strategy," uniting Iraqi Shiite militias, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthi rebels in Yemen to establish an "arc of resistance" that puts the United States, Israel, Tafiri, and ISIS at risk.

These military forces are neither vassals nor proxies of Iran, but under common goals, they are able to maintain a considerable degree of cooperation and understanding to achieve common interests.

“Shah, I agree with Elder Parviz,” Farzana affirmed.

After some discussion, the other civil and military officials also agreed that this was the best solution.

In the following days, Shahzani focused on two things.

The first matter was to negotiate with the Khotan delegation; the second matter was to discuss specific matters with the ministers, namely how to send people to infiltrate Khotan and establish an ancient version of the "Arch of Resistance".

“It’s not difficult at all. The Bazargan merchant caravan is preparing to send a caravan to the Qin people’s Guasha Prefecture to collect local specialties such as rhubarb. Our soldiers can disguise themselves as guards and blend in with them,” Farzana said.

Bazargan's caravan has been incorporated into Shahzani's forces and become the official caravan of the Samanid court. Currently, the caravan has over 3000 crew members and 5000 pack animals, with professional camel drivers, grooms, mule drivers, and armed guards. Its support system is comprehensive, and its scale is even comparable to that of the Baghdad Caliph's private caravan.

Caravan trade amassed a great fortune for Shahzani and became a powerful tool for her to conduct diplomatic relations and gather intelligence from abroad.

“The Karakhanid dynasty’s finances are heavily reliant on customs duties collected from passing merchants, so they won’t stop our caravans. The only thing to be wary of is the inspection and questioning by their border guards,” Farzana added.

"Yes, but there's one more thing to note."

Parviz further warned: "Some Karakhanid officials and nobles are insatiable. They will demand and exploit without restraint, and may even secretly instigate bandits and robbers to carry out attacks, murder and robbery."

"Hmph, if they dare to do such a despicable thing, they are digging their own graves to hell."

Shahzani gave a cold laugh.

If the Karakhan dared to attack her caravan, it would be a violation of the ceasefire agreement, tantamount to an open declaration of war, and an intolerable provocation for her.

Even if there is a huge threat from Ghazni in the south, she will still draw an elite force from her victorious army to sweep across the cities of the Karakhanid Khanate and deal them a heavy blow.

Of course, before things completely break down, we should all exercise due restraint. After all, it is not the behavior of a mature politician to openly declare war and struggle at the drop of a hat.

And at the same time.

Since the goal was to unite various forces in the Western Regions and establish a replica of the "Arc of Resistance" to contain the Karakhanid Khanate, there must be a location for the command headquarters.

Shahzani chose Dunhuang.

First, Dunhuang is located at a key point on the Silk Road, making strategic connections relatively convenient.

Secondly, Dunhuang is home to a diverse range of ethnic groups, including the Qin people, Sogdians, Uyghurs, Longjia people, and Tanguts (Dangxiang people), making their activities relatively discreet.

Third, Dunhuang was under the control of the Qin people's Guiyi Army, which nominally pledged allegiance to the Song Dynasty, thus allowing them to deepen their ties with the Song Dynasty.

Soon, the framework of the plan was completed, and the next step was to select personnel.

Since the mission was to travel to the Western Regions of the Qin people, the participants naturally needed to be fluent in the Qin language, knowledgeable about the cultures of various ethnic groups in the Qin region and the Western Regions, and also be brave, resourceful, and adaptable.

The guard officer, Sahimian, was the first to be selected. This young woman was not only brave and skilled in battle, with superb martial arts, riding and archery skills, but also quite knowledgeable.

She was the daughter of a wealthy landowner in Khorasan Province. Her family had elders who were involved in trade along the Silk Road, and through this exposure, she also gained a great deal of knowledge about the Machin region in the East.

Moreover, her temporary husband was a Confucian scholar from Qin.

If the wives are all eager to participate, how can the husbands be timid and hesitant?

Upon learning of Shahzani's plan, Zhu Jiande volunteered. Although he lacked combat skills, he was resourceful and had a deep understanding of the Western Regions. More importantly, the ambition to make a name for himself in the Western Regions had always resided deep within this refined young man's heart.

“Yes, you Qin people have a proverb, ‘A great man’s ambition lies in all directions.’ Go, go and establish your achievements.” Shahzani cast an approving glance at the boy.