I was the Queen of Persia

Page 8

Of course, modern Iranians have gradually accepted Cyrus the Great as official history, while viewing Keyumarz as a mythological figure. But this does not diminish Keyumarz's high status.

"This talent bonus will perfectly complement the reforms I'm currently undertaking," Shahzani thought, and decisively chose to upgrade.

As soon as she clicked, Shahzani felt a surge of love for her country.

"As expected, this upgrade really did have some effect. If we can continue to improve on this basis, then the future development potential will definitely be even more amazing!"

She thought to herself, and then threw herself into her creative work with even more energy and enthusiasm.

And at the same time.

Shahzani has also arranged for people to be selected from among the refugees with skills to form temporary administrative offices, security patrols, material accounting, prisons and other government agencies to cooperate with the reforms. This can be considered as the initial completion of the construction of the government structure.

Of course, these institutions and departments are still very rudimentary and have a long way to go before they are perfect and mature.

……

A few days later, all the preliminary arrangements had been completed, and the officers were summoned again to announce this major change.

Shahzani looked around at the officers: "Gentlemen, in the past few days, after overall planning and allocation, I have formed a new type of conscripted militia force, which will be called the 'General Mobilization Army'."

Her officers clearly had never heard of this concept of a military organization.

"'General Mobilization Army'? That's a rather novel term. What does it mean?"

“Yes, in our five thousand years of Iranian history (she included the legendary era as well), we had the ‘Paigan’ militia of the Sassanid era and the ‘Ghazi’ militia that preached jihad, but we’ve never heard of a militia called the ‘General Mobilization Army’.”

"Could it be the people's uprising led by blacksmith Kavi when he rebelled against the tyrant Zohak? (doge.jpg)"

They chattered amongst themselves.

Shahzani had anticipated this, so she waved her hand to signal for quiet and said:

"This organization, under the call of God and the motherland Iran, will respond to the divine call of its members, both men and women. In times of war, they are all soldiers; in times of peace, they dedicate themselves to Iran and God. Their will and determination will surpass even the most fanatical Muslim jihadists, hence they are called the 'General Mobilization Army'."

The officers listened attentively, nodding thoughtfully as they gradually came to understand the concept of this system.

“If you still don’t understand,” Shahzani said, noticing the still puzzled looks on the faces of the few officers, “I can issue an order and demonstrate it.”

Chapter 14 The Power of the Common People

Shahzani is planning to dredge and repair several qanats in the oasis outside the city to enhance the castle's water supply capacity and the land's irrigation capacity for the coming spring.

The newly formed General Mobilization Army can play a crucial role.

She then issued an order to conscript manpower.

Once the order was issued, it was quickly relayed to the relevant mahara (communities) and villages, where it was received by the local militia commanders. Upon receiving the order, the militia commanders swiftly recruited able-bodied men and allocated equipment and tools.

Thanks to prior planning and the powerful general aura and talent bonuses of Shahzani, the necessary 3000-plus civilians were gathered in less than a day.

……

On the sturdy and tall city walls.

The few female officers who had been somewhat skeptical earlier looked on in surprise as they gazed at the vast labor force on the oasis outside the city.

This mobilization efficiency is truly remarkable.

Throughout Iranian history, from the time of Keyumarz and Jamshid, to Darius and Ardashir, then to Anushirvan (Khosrul I) and Parviz (Khosrul II), and all the way to the rulers of the Samanid dynasty, there have truly been very few emperors who possessed such a powerful mobilization capability.

The men and women in the labor army were all full of fighting spirit. In the following period of time, after arriving at their designated locations, they immediately began the repair work of the wells and canals under the organization of the officials of all ranks. The karez wells, which were arranged in a straight line on the ground, quickly became a bustling work site.

The various work teams were not only in high spirits, but also had a clear division of labor: some were responsible for excavation and soil turning; some were responsible for diving into the well; some were responsible for setting up temporary equipment; and some were responsible for transporting supplies... The strong level of organization greatly increased their labor efficiency.

The laborers, sweating profusely, chanted some kind of loud work song. Some of the female officers who approached listened closely and realized that the song seemed to be a rousing battle song, with lyrics like this:

Ah, Iran! A land adorned with jewels.

"Ah, your soil is the source of art."

May evil desires stay away from you.

"Your longevity is our wish."

"Ah, if you are a stubborn rock, then I am steel and thorns!"

"Sacrificing my life for the purity of the soil is my wish!"

"Because my love for you has become my duty."

"My thoughts of you have never left me."

"For your ideals, what are our lives worth?"

"May our land of Iran prosper forever!"

……

The stirring battle songs echoed across the oasis fields on the outskirts of Zamshahr. Every worker participating in the labor service, fueled by their high spirits, exerted all their strength and threw themselves into the work.

Well, Shahzani must admit that this song is actually a 20th-century Iranian patriotic song, and she spread it to this era for the purpose of uplifting people.

The catchy melody and uplifting tune quickly rekindled the flame of hope in the hearts of many refugees who were originally pessimistic and depressed.

As a result, the word spread like wildfire, from one to ten, from ten to a hundred, from a hundred to a thousand... In just a few days, the song became the most well-known war song in the Zanshahr region.

Since the formation of modern Persian (Dari Persian) during the Samanid dynasty, Persian has not undergone significant changes for over a thousand years. Therefore, placing a 20th-century song from a thousand years ago doesn't feel out of place, except for the arrangement sounding somewhat ahead of its time.

More importantly, this song, "Ah, Iran," is easy to understand and contains the most basic patriotism. Even an elderly farmer who can barely read can hum a few lines and thus develop a determination to serve his country.

This is also why Shahzani chose to promote this war song. As a modern Iranian who traveled back to this era, she is well aware of the significance and status of this patriotic song in the turbulent modern history of Iran.

In 20th-century Iran, various factions, including the clergy, the Pahlavi monarchists, the bourgeoisie, the Tud Party, and the left wing, were constantly in conflict. However, no matter how sharp their contradictions were, whenever Iran faced foreign invasion, whenever the song "O Iran" was played, all factions and social classes in Iran could always temporarily put aside their prejudices and unite against the external enemy.

With this in mind, Shahzani promoted this widely used patriotic song to ancient Iran a thousand years ago, using it as one of the methods to inspire people, and it actually achieved some success.

Of course, Shahzani knew very well that if she wanted to fully boost the morale of the military and civilians and mobilize their strength, the inspiration of a single song was far from enough.

Next, she plans to continue to improve her newly created "pirated Bassky system." The system is still in its early stages and has already revealed some problems and shortcomings. In the future, as her territory expands and her financial resources increase, she will invest more manpower to make it more perfect.

……

Shahzani led several officers to inspect the various construction sites for the repair of the karez.

The work was in full swing and proceeded in an orderly manner. All processes were carried out step by step. As the underground channels were gradually cleared, the wells that had been drying up began to flow with sweet water again. At the same time, more water resources flowed into the public reservoir (Ab-Anbar) to meet the needs of domestic and agricultural irrigation.

After a long inspection, the sun was blazing overhead.

Shahzani arrived at the arched eaves of an abandoned inn, unsaddled her horse, spread a carpet on the ground, and prepared to have lunch and rest.

In Iran, the sun shines very intensely. Even in autumn and winter, the sunlight and temperature differences can still make you feel like you're being exposed to the sun during the day.

At that moment, a soldier on horseback hurried over.

She quickly dismounted, ran to Shahzani, saluted, and said, "Lady Shahzani, the labor corps at the Rusdak Well in the northwest was attacked by a group of unknown bandits. However, thanks to the valiant counterattack of the 'General Mobilization Army,' these damned villains have been defeated."

A sense of unease flashed through Shahzani's mind as she asked, "How many enemies are there?"

“More than 200 people.”

"What about their respective casualties?"

"We had 11 martyrs and 15 wounded; the enemy had 25 killed, 7 captured, and the rest scattered and fled."

The soldier replied.

The officers around him began to discuss among themselves.

"Could it be that the Karakhanid army has come again?"

"It's unlikely. If the Karakhanid army were to advance, scouts would discover their marching tracks and movements in advance."

"Could it be... the Seljuks?"

"The Seljuks are currently nomadic in Nura-tau, which is quite far from us."

"Or perhaps, it is a tribe that has submitted to the Karakhanid Dynasty?"

"They're probably just ordinary bandits and outlaws."

……

“Alright, stop.” Shahzani waved to stop the female officers, then looked at the soldier who had come to report the news, “Take me to see those prisoners.”

She understood that only by seeing the situation with her own eyes could she determine exactly what had happened.

Chapter 15 The Mysterious Attacker

Rusdak Well Canal, the site of the attack.

The repair of the karez wells is still ongoing. The excavated mounds of earth and the erected work sheds stand side by side. Labor teams, singing battle songs, carrying loads on their shoulders, baskets on their backs, and pushing carts, move through the area in an orderly manner, like streams.

Everything seems to be the same as before.

The only difference was the few bandits who were bound hand and foot. They were forced to kneel on the ground, while the mobilized militiamen, armed with guns and spears, stared at them warily and angrily.

When Shahzani went closer, she realized that something was amiss.

Because these bandits all wore black turbans, and scriptures were written on the turbans in blood.

This is an organized manifestation. However, it is neither the military uniform of the Karakhanids, nor the clothing of the Khwarazmians, nor the attire of the Seljuks, nor the attire of any Turkic-speaking nomadic tribe in the Transoxiana region.

So, which force could it be?

"Who exactly are you people? Who ordered you to launch this attack?"

With this question in mind, Shahzani glanced at the captured bandits and asked in a cold tone.

But who knows.

"Bah! Shameless witch!" a bandit cursed, speaking in Persian but with a heavy Arabic accent. "You, a woman, ruling with troops is a blatant violation of the Prophet's holy deeds! Just wait! Just wait to go to Hellfire! Ha..."

"Snapped--!"

Before he could finish laughing, a sturdy and powerful whistle stick slammed heavily onto his head.

Shahzani sneered and glanced at her soldiers: "Oh? It seems these 'friends' aren't appreciative. Take them to the castle prison and give them a severe beating!"

Although the exact origins of the other party are still unclear, Shahzani has concluded that they are not ordinary bandits or brigands, and that they may be harboring some kind of dirty conspiracy.

……

At this time, at Zamshahr Castle.

A scene of bustling production and construction unfolded. In the artisan district, the sounds of hammers striking and furnaces smelting echoed continuously. Outside the city walls, numerous labor teams mobilized by the general army, under the command of officials at all levels, erected sheds and brick kilns, and laid foundations in suitable locations, making preliminary preparations for the expansion of the city.

The expansion of the castle was also part of Shahzani's plan to accommodate a larger population.

Ancient cities within the Iranian cultural sphere, especially those that served a military function, can be broadly divided into three main functional zones:

First, there is the castle district, called Arg in Persian, located in the very center, which mainly houses barracks, stables, government offices, military workshops, and treasuries.

Second, there is the old city, known as Shahristan in Persian, located on the outskirts of the castle district. It is an area where residences and workshops are concentrated.

Thirdly, there is the suburbs, called Rabad in Persian, located on the outermost edge of the city, which can be considered as a further extension of the old city.

Currently, Zanshahr only has the castle district (arg), and its area and capacity are clearly insufficient to accommodate the ever-increasing population.

Therefore, Shahzani decided to establish the "Shahristan" residential area outside the castle so that the general public could have a relatively stable place to live.

The construction crews were still busy, and as the soldiers escorted the captured bandits past, they all cast disdainful glances their way.

Shahzani ordered the prisoners to be taken to prison for interrogation first. Afterward, she went alone to Farzanna's office.

With the establishment of a rudimentary form of government, Farzana has been appointed as the castle's chief administrator, assisting in the management of all affairs within the castle grounds. When Shahzani is away on business, she serves as the acting chief administrator.

Shahzani explained the whole story to Farzana and asked for her opinion.

"Lady Shahzani, as the proverb says, 'The unknown serpent always lurks in the sand.'"

Farzana pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "We currently have many potential enemies, not just the Karakhanid Dynasty. We cannot be complacent in the face of this situation."

“You’re absolutely right,” Shahzani nodded. “Although I have initially established a general mobilization army system, and with this more efficient mobilization system, we can concentrate military and civilian resources more quickly, as the proverb says, ‘The dagger hidden in a cloak is the hardest to guard against.’ We must remain highly vigilant against these unknown enemies.”

“If you allow me, I can organize to further strengthen defenses and mobilize resources to find out who these people are,” Farzana said confidently.

“I will investigate their identities myself; you don’t need to concern yourself with this matter,” Shahzani waved her hand. “You just continue to increase the scope and intensity of patrols, striving to leave no blind spots.”

Falzana nodded.

Afterwards, Shahzani decided to go to the prison to check on the interrogation.

……