I was the Queen of Persia

Page 121

at this time.

A cloud of dust suddenly rose in the distance, as if riders were rapidly approaching. Sahinian deduced that the scouts sent out earlier had returned.

As expected, the newcomer was Istahrli, who had previously gone to scout the area. As soon as she dismounted, she reported an important military intelligence to Sahinian.

“Pro-Fatima armed forces are gathering nearby, numbering about 1, and are rapidly approaching the Zayd territory of Saada!” Istahli said.

“With 1 men, it means there are even more Fatima troops deployed around. This size of force is clearly something the Zayd forces can hardly contend with,” Sahini mused.

Snapped--!

Sahimian jumped up from the rug, quick as a flash! He rapidly packed his gear and said to the soldiers, "Let's go! We must quicken our pace and turn this unfavorable situation around before the Zaid faction is wiped out by Fatima!"

With strict military discipline and unwavering obedience to orders, the soldiers of the Saman Army's Sacred Flame Brigade immediately returned to a state of high combat readiness, forming a tight combat marching formation and using the cover of the hills and slopes as they sped toward the city of Saada.

The orderly sound of horses' hooves plundering across the plains quickly returned to silence.

Chapter 283 Encounter in the Yemeni Mountains

Sahini led his elite troops cautiously and resolutely toward the city of Saada.

As they passed a mountain ridge, hiding behind a tall rock, they indeed discovered a large number of pro-Fatima armed forces, numbering over ten thousand, stationed on the plains below, their banners covering the battlefield. This large force was still moving in batches, and judging from their trajectory, they were heading towards the city of Saada.

Sahini dared not delay and immediately reorganized the troops to continue their journey. After traveling for a short while, they discovered several Yemeni villages that had been massacred.

The scene inside the village was utterly horrific. Almost all the villagers had been slaughtered; men were nailed to walls, women were disemboweled, children were gathered together and slaughtered, and many heads were severed and impaled on stakes. The sweltering heat and the stench emanating from the corpses were nauseating.

This was clearly the "masterpiece" of the Najd extremist group, who had committed similar abhorrent atrocities on multiple occasions in the Ubaid Oasis. The psychological impact of such horrific scenes is often immense; even seasoned Iranian soldiers couldn't help but vomit.

But at that moment, Sahini suddenly turned stern, disregarding the nauseating smell, and drew the warhammer hanging from her belt, warily scanning her surroundings.

"Something's wrong, be on alert!" Sahinien had clearly sensed trouble and immediately ordered his warriors to prepare for battle, while also observing their surroundings more vigilantly.

Keng——!

Keng——!

Keng——!

The warriors of the Saman Empire's Holy Fire Brigade immediately became alert, drawing their weapons and forming combat formations to strengthen their combat readiness in case of any unforeseen circumstances.

Sure enough, from behind the surrounding hillsides, came bursts of savage howls, mixed with rude Bedouin language.

As the dust rose higher and higher behind the mountain, several groups of fully armed Nejbeduin riders, numbering between three and five hundred, suddenly emerged and charged toward the Iranian soldiers.

"Ready to fight!"

At Sahiannian's command, the well-trained Iranian Torchbearer soldiers instantly coalesced into a fierce torrent of fire, fully entering combat readiness.

With weapons drawn, they charged forward in formation, their warhorses galloping. Initially, the Iranian warriors did not choose to engage the enemy in direct combat. Instead, relying on their superior archery and horsemanship skills, they employed the "Parthian counterattack" tactic against the pursuing Nejd-Yemeni soldiers, fighting and retreating simultaneously.

The power of the dual-purpose cavalry was brought to its fullest potential at this moment. Wave after wave of heavy arrows from Iranian warbler bows flew towards the pursuing troops behind them like locusts, quickly routing them and deterring them from advancing rashly.

The Bedouin soldiers of Nejd were caught in a dilemma. Their arrows were not as powerful as those of the Iranian soldiers, their armor was not as sturdy, their horses were not as strong, and their archery skills were not as refined. After a period of pursuit, not only did they suffer heavy casualties, but the distance between them and Sahini also widened.

"Turn the horses around and form a charge!" Seeing that the time was ripe for a counterattack, Sahini immediately decided to organize a reverse charge.

Taking advantage of the relatively open battlefield, the Iranian Torchbearer cavalry swiftly turned around and charged fiercely towards the Bedouin in a wedge formation. The sickening sound of bones cracking echoed everywhere. The Bedouin were routed by this charge, losing all will to fight, and fled in disarray.

At the same time, another armed cavalry unit, numbering about two hundred, suddenly appeared from behind the ridge on the right.

Judging from their attire, they were clearly Arab-Bedouins, though different from the Nejd. These riders, shouting the names "Hussein," "Ali," and "Zaid," joined the battle with fervor, charging fearlessly towards the Nejd.

With forces from both sides attacking from both sides, the morale of the Najd troops was completely shattered, and they all scrambled to flee the battlefield. This sudden encounter ultimately ended in victory for the Samanid Empire's army.

"Who are you people?" the leader of the armed group asked warily as he stepped forward.

“Our soldiers of the Samanid Empire of Iran, His Majesty the Supreme King of Kings, have commanded us to come here in hopes of helping you defeat the invasion of the Fatima and the Nejd,” Shahini stepped forward and replied solemnly in Yemeni Arabic.

“Abdul Ali Saif al-Hussein, warriors of Zayd in Yemen, may God bless you!” the other party responded. “We praise your great act of traveling a long distance to aid our cause, but…”

“Just what?” Sahimian asked.

“Alas! Our beloved leader seems to have fallen! Brave warriors, come with me. If you can help us solve this thorny problem, Allah will always be with you!” Hussein said.

Led by Zaid's armed forces, the Samanid army took a hidden path and headed towards the city of Sada.

During the journey, Sahinian and the female warriors removed their disguises, revealing their true female appearances. The Saman Empire's army remained predominantly female; of the hundred or so people who went on this expedition, about 70% were female warriors, with only 30% being male.

This greatly surprised the Zayd militia, because in Yemen, where patriarchal tribal society remnants are still strong, women have an even lower status and are not allowed to engage in "noble professions" such as professional warriors. The sudden emergence of so many female warriors, and their undeniable fighting prowess, undoubtedly opened the eyes of Houthi and other Yemenis.

……

Saada is an ancient desert city. Nestled in a valley with rocky cliffs, the city is filled with haphazardly packed, simple Yemeni-South Arabian-style mud-brick houses, interspersed with several three- to four-story mud-brick and stone buildings—a characteristic high-rise architecture of the Yemeni region. Zaid warriors stand guard and patrol on the city walls and watchtowers.

As soon as the female warriors of the Saman Empire entered the city, they immediately attracted the attention of many town guards and civilians. Although they were relatively robust and their armor was imposing, their beautiful faces, hidden behind their helmets, could not deceive anyone.

"O God! They are women! God above! Can women also charge into battle?"

"These women must have made a deal with the evil devil! Otherwise, where would they get the strength to wield weapons and fight on the battlefield?"

"These are a group of immoral women! The Prophet Muhammad said that women should be gentle, submissive, and chaste. These women may have bribed their way into military positions with their bodies!"

"Yes! Yes! I've heard from merchants who have been to Persia that Persian women are naturally promiscuous and never undergo circumcision; they're nothing but prostitutes!"

For a moment, passersby stopped to watch, their gazes filled with a complex mix of surprise, confusion, suspicion, and even disdain.

The soldiers of Sahini's powerful battlefield awareness also gave them keen hearing. Moreover, they were all fluent in Arabic, so all the discussions that were not hushed fell into their ears, but they did not pay any attention to them.

On the battlefield, merit is earned through sharp weapons and wisdom, not through a gossipy tongue. Such slut-shaming is utterly ineffective against them.

The more important task was to meet with the leader of the Zaide faction as soon as possible to discuss countermeasures against the enemy in order to deal with the urgent situation to come.

Chapter 284 Armed Coup in Yemen

The sky over the northern mountainous region of Yemen remains a hazy yellow. Due to frequent sandstorms, the surrounding hillsides obstruct air circulation, causing the entire mountain town to be shrouded in a gray world for a long time.

To the Iranian soldiers from the prosperous Silk Road civilization, this secluded mountain town did seem somewhat isolated from the world at first glance, just like its inhabitants who clung to various outdated tribal customs and laws.

Sahimian, accompanied by several female soldiers, arrived at a four-story mud-brick house built into the mountainside.

“Sahinnian… uh… Ms. Sahinnian, our leader—Imam Sayyid—lives here. I’ll take you to see him now, hoping he still retains some of his sanity.” Hussein looked troubled.

Sahimian was initially puzzled: what difficult choice did she need to make to meet your leader? But after following Hussein into the house where the Imam’s personal guards and servants lived, she understood the reason for the matter.

It turns out that, with each defeat, Imam Sayyid, the leader of the Zaydi militia, gradually lost his initial bravery and vigor, degenerating into a walking corpse. Currently, this Zaydi religious leader has also developed a marijuana addiction, becoming even weaker, more decadent, and mentally unstable.

The imam's room was filled with the smoke of cooking fires.

"Who are you?" Imam Sayed leaned back on the cushion, looking at the Iranian female officer who walked in, his expression numb and indifferent.

“Shahinian, commander of the Samanid Holy Fire Brigade of Iran, has come to help you resist the invasion on the orders of the Supreme Queen,” Shahinian said.

“Oh, yes.” Imam Sayyid’s eyes were vacant and unfocused. “God said, ‘We created men and women, so that you might multiply and thrive…’”

Then he slowly began reciting the lengthy Quran, completely ignoring the urgent matters at hand. Of course, saying he was reciting the Quran is somewhat inaccurate, as it included a large number of his own quotations.

After reciting for a long time, he suddenly convulsed and his speech became slurred. He quickly took a few deep breaths from the special container burning marijuana next to him until he was completely intoxicated, and only then did he regain his senses.

"Imam leader".

Sahimian finally lost his patience and interrupted him: "The Najd and Yemeni troops who are affiliated with Fatima have already gathered nearby and are heading this way. The situation is very serious."

"This is all God's arrangement. God wants the city of Saada to fall into calamity, and no mortal can stop it. Get out! The sacred abode is not a place for women to stay for too long!" The Imam resolutely refused and issued an order to leave.

The Iranian soldiers, filled with resignation, walked out of their houses.

“Well, so this is your leader? He doesn’t seem capable of doing his job at all,” Shahinian asked Hussein.

“Yes. Although he was once brave and unyielding, he is now a complete coward! God! He has been defeated by successive defeats and has completely lost his fighting spirit…” Hussein shook his head helplessly.

"But no matter what, you don't want to die under the evil blade of the Nej people, do you?"

“Absolutely not! I swear by God, I will defend Sadah to the death, even if I die on the walls, I will never surrender to the Nej!”

“Very good.” Sahinnian nodded. “You will immediately lead your men to train and prepare for battle, and reinforce the city's defenses! The more men the better, and you must rekindle the morale of the troops!”

Houthi accepted the order and withdrew.

At this moment, Istahri, a close confidante, stepped forward.

“Sadar (leader), I must say, this is a golden opportunity to seize power. For God’s sake, that imam has gone mad. If we don’t depose him, we will all go to Hell!” Ishtarhili whispered his advice.

“Of course I know,” Sahinian said coldly, “but now is not the time. Let’s wait until we’ve established ourselves!”

Sahimian knew very well that the faction controlled by Hussein was the only viable fighting force in the city, and that Hussein still maintained courage and fighting spirit compared to the increasingly demoralized Imam. Therefore, she decided to gradually increase her influence over Hussein, using this as leverage to change the situation.

Thanks to their brief experience fighting together, Houthi's men had a great respect for the Iranian soldiers, especially the decisive and efficient Commander Shahini, even though most of them were women.

Shahinian personally directed the Houthi soldiers in training and fortifying the city's defenses. His decisive and resolute authoritarian style won over many Houthi soldiers, and by this time, many Houthi soldiers obeyed Shahinian's orders without question.

Seeing that the time was ripe, Shahini contacted Houthi to discuss the matter of an armed coup.

“You are a smart man and you are well aware of the dire situation we are in. If we let this continue, the entire Zaide faction will perish,” Sahimian warned.

“But…” Hussein still hesitated, “He is, after all, the leader of our sect, so what about me…”

“He has lost God’s protection and is no longer qualified to hold a high position,” Shahini said solemnly. “Go for it! I will give your cause strong support.”

“Alright! We’ll act tonight! God help us!” Hussein finally answered resolutely.

That night.

As planned, Shahini and Hussein led their followers and attacked the Imam's residence without warning. Imam Sayyid's trusted servants were caught off guard and were killed in a brief but fierce battle.

Sahini's vanguard, Ishtarhiri, kicked open the door, dragged out the suddenly awakened Imam Sayed, and brought him before Sahini.

"What are you doing?! I am the Imam!" Sayyid shouted in shock.

"Bah! You fame-seeking false prophet!" Shahinien roared. "You cowardly and degenerate, you can no longer protect the people of Allah! Ishtarhiri, execute him!"

Click——!

With a swift stroke of the axe, Istahri brought down her physical and religious life.

Shahinian continued to expand the scope of the crackdown, wiping out the Imam's close associates and high priests. These religious nobles were either executed, had their eyes gouged out, or were imprisoned. The entire ruling group of the Imam regime was eradicated.

The Zaid separatist regime, centered around the city of Saada, thus changed hands.

Shahini Anlihouse, as the new Imam, is training her troops in preparation for an invasion by pro-Fatima forces. However, how to defend the weak city of Saada and turn the tide of battle will be a significant challenge for this seasoned female general.

Chapter 285 The Defense of Sadar (1)

War clouds loomed over the city of Saada.

After taking over the government, Sahini's first priority was to crack down on military discipline.

Imam Sayyid was addicted to marijuana, and his influence spread to many soldiers in the Zayd militia. Sahini immediately issued a ban on drugs throughout the army and executed several exemplary individuals as a warning to others. Under this sweeping measure, the discipline of the Zayd militia improved significantly in a short period.

A few unruly soldiers defied Shahini's orders and even continued to mock the Iranian female soldiers' gender. The outcome was predictable: they were successively executed, and their bodies were hung on both sides of the streets as a warning.

Having been tempered by iron fist and despotism, no one dared to question Sahinnian's authority anymore, and limited human and material resources were concentrated in preparation for war.

Sahimian assessed the current combat readiness:

The defending forces were quite small, numbering only about 1000 at most. Even if the entire population of the city were added together, the number would only be around 4000 (Sada was, after all, a small city), which was naturally incomparable to the much larger attacking force.

The troops were weak and their equipment was extremely rudimentary and disorganized: most of them wore linen clothes or simple cotton vests and carried crudely made weapons such as spears, swords and javelins, while only a few were equipped with incomplete chainmail.

With such a meager force and extremely outdated equipment, it was certainly difficult to confront the enemy head-on. Only by mobilizing the masses could they gain a better chance of victory.

He then issued orders, first organizing the residents of the city, and then implementing a scorched-earth policy, relocating people from the surrounding villages to the city. In this way, he had more than 6000 people at his disposal.

With the support of strength and military achievements, this is relatively easy to achieve.

Thanks to her strong discipline, the strength of the soldiers and civilians was fully mobilized. Under the command of flags and batons, people were either practicing for war, transporting supplies, or reinforcing the city's defenses; the entire city of Sada was bustling with activity. Even those who had recently held an arrogant and disdainful attitude towards women serving in the military were now succumbing to her intimidation.

"Do not question my orders! We are in a dangerous situation now, Zaidi believers!"

"Now, if any of you have lost your courage or do not want to take responsibility, I will grant your wish and let you go to Allah for further study!"

Sahimian moved through the narrow city walls, constantly shouting orders to the busy soldiers and civilians.

"Immediately reinforce the trench with spiked stakes! Now! God above, take a step! Use your hands!"

On the other side, Istahri was also running around beside the moat below the city, directing her soldiers to reinforce the outer defenses.

Hussein, the newly appointed Imam, led his troops to open the former Imam's private armory and distributed all the weapons stored therein—daggers, swords, spears, crossbows, helmets, chainmail, and other armor—to the people. Although the stockpiled weapons were limited and the temporarily conscripted laborers were unlikely to be particularly powerful in combat, this act still boosted the morale of the entire city.

Sahimian calculated that the defending troops numbered over 300 ranged soldiers, including archers and javelin throwers. Although their skill levels varied, they could be divided into three groups to fire in rotation. At the same time, she ordered the city's craftsmen to rush to produce shields, partitions, and other items as important protective equipment to reduce the damage from enemy ranged weapons.

After a full-scale armed operation, the city of Saada fortified its defenses and entered a state of high alert before the enemy arrived. Although the disparity in strength remained significant, it had at least narrowed the gap relatively.