I was the Queen of Persia

Page 7

Deadly arrows swept across the "battlefield," and several lions, riddled with arrows, eventually collapsed and died.

at this time.

With a deafening roar that shook the earth, another enormous figure leaped out like the wind, and the earth seemed to tremble slightly the moment it landed.

The lion king of the pride.

This ferocious beast, weighing over 200 kilograms, was terrifying in size, with mane like spears. It leaped in front of everyone in a few quick movements, and then pounced on Shahzani, who was closest to it!

Shahzani had long since adapted to her body and martial arts skills. With quick reflexes, she spurred her legs, and her warhorse immediately understood her command, raising its iron-shod hooves to confront the beast head-on.

Faced with the iron hooves of a warhorse, even a predator as powerful and ferocious as a lion king must temporarily retreat. It quickly used the resilience and physical advantages of a feline to stop its strength and take several steps back.

Shahzani gave the beast no chance to catch its breath. She pushed off with her legs, and her warhorse neighed and galloped away, using a circling maneuver to glide and strike the lion king.

As she galloped on her horse, she thrust her lance fiercely at the Lion King. Not only was she an excellent horseman, but she was also highly skilled in weaponry. The heavy cavalry lance was like a light toy in her hands, or rather, an extension of her arm, moving with agility and ease.

The gleaming steel spearheads relentlessly pierced the lion king, causing it immense suffering. The most difficult targets for wild beasts to lock onto are those that are constantly circling and moving, especially when the lion is now facing a well-trained man and horse.

The farmers, armed with sickles and torches, though hesitant to fight, cheered loudly from their "safe zone," adding to the fervor of the female warriors' heroic performance.

Amidst the rising tide of the crowd and the fierce onslaught of the iron soldiers, the Lion King was in despair. But it was clearly unwilling to die. After being struck by several spears, it attempted a desperate struggle. It let out an angry roar, then channeled the last of its strength into a fierce pounce on Shahzani.

The villagers who had been shouting on the periphery were terrified by the sudden scene. Many screamed in terror, while others retreated, raising their hands to shield their eyes, as if they dared not bear to watch the bloody scene to come.

But Shahzani was prepared. She skillfully maneuvered her warhorse, leaping away to easily dodge the fatal attack. Just as she brushed past the beast, her spear pierced its neck.

Her large wrists spun rapidly, and the steel spear tumbled violently within the embedded cavity.

The lion king let out a final, desperate roar, and as blood splattered everywhere, it crashed heavily to the ground, creating a scene of utter devastation, the light of life in its eyes gradually fading.

The remaining lions were also wiped out by the female warriors, who swept them away like autumn leaves in the wind.

Chapter 12 Preliminary Construction of the Administrative System

The rampant pride of lions was wiped out.

Shahzani held aloft her bloodstained spear, upon which lay the lion king's head, its mouth still wide open with sharp teeth, but lifeless.

The surrounding Saghhar villagers were completely impressed by her bravery and knelt down in submission, praising her with effusive words of praise to show their allegiance.

They were not interested in regime change at the macro level; whether it was the rule of the Samanids, the Karakhanids, the Ghaznis, or other forces, they were all pretty much the same to them.

What they value most are the most basic immediate interests; whoever can provide them with enough to eat and wear, and whoever can bring them order and stability, they will choose to be loyal to.

"Praise be to Hu Da! Lady Shahzani, we have no one else to rely on, so we are willing to submit to you. From this day forward, we are willing to pay tribute to you and await your command!"

Led by the old village chief, everyone bowed and prostrated themselves to kiss the ground in order to show their submission to Shahzani.

At this time, in addition to Saghhar village, the village chiefs and elders of the four neighboring unclaimed villages of Nazri, Qani, Beshyurk, and Suhabad also gathered here and knelt down to Shahzani to show their submission.

Shahzani instructed everyone to rise and let the village elders continue their duties as usual, and for life in the village to continue as normal.

Out of gratitude, the villagers offered more than a dozen lambs as a tribute, but Shahzani politely declined.

“You need these things more than I do.” Shahzani, mounted on her warhorse, surveyed the crowd. “Therefore, I have decided to reduce your taxes. Of course, I will still provide you with the necessary armed protection. May the Great Bless you with prosperity.”

The villagers were extremely grateful and kowtowed again to express their thanks.

The next few days.

Shahzani led his troops on a tour of several newly surrendered villages, reiterating the reduction of tribute in order to revive the already depressed production.

After doing all this simply, Shahzani led her soldiers back to Zanshahr Castle.

……

Shahzani and her group walked along the dusty dirt road in the oasis.

The occasional wisps of dust made her instinctively squint and cough a few times. She then pulled the headscarf wrapped around her pointed helmet to cover her mouth and nose.

"It's just a lousy road from the natural economy era..." she thought to herself. "When I have the financial resources and the means, I'll definitely build a good road."

What she wants most now is to return to the relatively comfortable castle and mansion, and wash away the dust of the journey.

The tall, magnificent, earthen-yellow fortress drew ever closer. Huge, protruding archways, meticulously crafted walls of sintered brick, and a forest of imposing watchtowers... gradually magnified in the field of vision.

But suddenly.

She was drawn to a commotion.

Looking in the direction of the sound, one could see a group of people fighting and arguing fiercely at the foot of the city wall a little further away.

"What's going on? Let's go check it out." Shahzani immediately led her troops to investigate.

Upon closer inspection, she discovered that the two groups of refugees, who were temporarily residing in the castle and seeking asylum, were fighting over something and were completely unaware of her arrival.

They fought fiercely, using all sorts of "weapons" such as pottery plates, bronze bowls, and begging sticks. Blood splattered everywhere, debris flew in all directions, and the intense scene even caused quite a commotion.

Shahzani's face was extremely pale.

"Snapped--!"

She raised her riding whip and lashed it sharply in the air. Although she was only striking the air, the sound that erupted was as deafening as thunder, instantly silencing all the noise and commotion and bringing the chaotic scene to a sudden silence.

Both groups were so frightened that they all prostrated themselves on the ground, heads bowed, none daring to look directly at the majestic and valiant female city lord.

"Who started it?" Shahzani's tone was icy, her sharp gaze sweeping over the crowd. "By Allah, you'd better confess, or else..."

She raised her riding whip and lashed it hard against the rock beside her. With a loud "crack," a shocking crack appeared on the rock, and powder and debris fell to the ground with a soft rustling sound.

Those involved in the fight gasped in shock. Then, several burly but poorly dressed refugees crawled forward unsteadily a few steps.

at this time.

A female palace guard, accompanied by a dozen or so militiamen, rushed over. According to the temporary rules established by Shahzani, they were responsible for patrolling this area.

"Lady Shahzani!" the female soldier hurriedly saluted respectfully. "I failed to arrive at the scene in time to stop a dangerous riot. Please punish me severely!"

Shahzani looked at the female soldier, her face still clouded with anger: "These ringleaders who caused the chaos will each receive 20 lashes. After you've dealt with these matters, come to me personally to collect your 5 lashes."

“…Yes!” the female soldier replied.

Like the kings and generals of Iran, Shahzani placed great importance on the stability of order. Without order and discipline as constraints, this defenseless city would inevitably fall to the enemy sooner or later.

Upon returning to the fortress, Shahzani first removed her armor with the help of soldiers, took care of some simple matters, and then immediately summoned the officers to discuss the events she had encountered on her journey.

“Lady Shahzani. To be frank, the situation is not good.” Falzana’s expression was equally grim as she presented a summary report. “In the past few days, at least twenty similar incidents have occurred.”

“This is a problem.” Shahzani looked at the documents in her hand, her brows furrowed. “The suffering people are flocking to this castle as a refuge. Their numbers are increasing, they have nothing to do, and they are dissatisfied with their misfortune, which will inevitably cause chaos.”

“I’m afraid so. The castle is currently taking in nearly 2 refugees. If we don’t mobilize the forces of order to control them in time, even bigger troubles are bound to arise in the future,” Farzana said worriedly.

Shahzani put down the Samarkand paper documents and began to ponder.

She knew that with the expansion of her territory, the surge in the population under her rule, and the increasing complexity of their composition, the crude and temporary system she had established at the beginning of her transmigration was no longer suitable.

Relying solely on the few hundred palace guards under his command was becoming increasingly insufficient to handle the complex situation, necessitating the establishment of a more robust institutional system.

"I know what to do." With that thought, she glanced at the officers. "Listen to my command."

"Hoslu, get more weapons from the armory, arm more militia patrols, increase the frequency and scope of patrols, and punish anyone who causes trouble immediately according to military law!"

"Yes, sir," Hoslu replied solemnly, her almond-shaped eyes shining with unwavering determination. Back in the Saman court, she had been one of Shahzani's most trusted female guards, and she remained loyal to this day.

“Firuz, select 1000 strong and healthy women from the female militia who fought in the last battle, provide them with armor and weapons, and train them rigorously,” Shahzani said.

“I will obey your orders,” Firuz replied. She was the oldest and most experienced of the female military officers. When Harun Bogra Khan (the ruler of the Karakhanid Khanate) invaded Bukhara, she was ordered to protect a group of concubines during their evacuation. Along the way, she used her wisdom and strength to overcome dangers and fulfill her mission.

“Afuxin, you will screen the refugees, focusing on those with literacy skills, preferably those who have previously worked as clerks, staff members, scribes, tax collectors, accountants, Qatib, Muanjin, etc., understand?” Shahzani said.

“Yes, sir,” Afuxin replied. She was the daughter of a caravan leader and had traveled the trade routes with her father since childhood. She was knowledgeable and experienced, making her a suitable candidate for the task.

……

Finally, Shahzani looked at Farzana: "As for you, Farzana, lead the people to register the households in the newly surrendered villages, measure the land and wells belonging to each village, verify the number of trees, and pay special attention to calculating the distances."

“Understood, I will do as you instruct.” Falzana nodded solemnly.

Shahzani has decided to build a more comprehensive administrative system, and the above measures can be considered as her preliminary preparations.

After the soldiers received their orders and dispersed, Shahzani began to deeply consider the matter of change in light of the current situation.

Chapter 13 General Mobilization Army System

Night falls.

In the arcade-like barracks, the palace guards who had withdrawn from their duties drifted into sweet dreams.

Shahzani tiptoed in, glanced at the soldiers sleeping soundly in neat rows, nodded slightly, and then quietly went to the bed of the female soldier who had been flogged during the day, gently covering her with a blanket.

This is the quality of Iranian soldiers and soldiers from all countries: strict rewards and punishments, and mutual assistance and love.

Do it all.

Shahzani went to the meeting hall alone, lit the candles on the bronze stand, and began to think about the reforms.

The key to current reforms is to integrate and mobilize the vast, scattered, and idle workforce. This will foster cohesion and greatly improve the efficiency of mobilization, warfare, and construction.

In addition, there is already a temporary militia force within the castle, but it is essentially a feudal militia. She wants to unite and integrate these militias, reform them, and form a more organized and larger paramilitary force.

Based on this line of thinking.

Shahzani took out a quill pen and began designing and conceiving the institutional framework on stacks of blank Samarkand paper.

This paper is not like the paper you might imagine. It's not the thin, white, and delicate paper you might think of. This paper is thick, rough, and contains a lot of impurities, making it a bit awkward to write on.

Even so, it was one of the best papers of the time. The Persians praised it as far superior to the papyrus of Mishil (Egypt) and the various parchments that had been around for a long time.

At the same time, it also has extraordinary historical significance.

It must be said that paper, invented by the Qin people (Chinese), was indeed an excellent medium for promoting the dissemination of knowledge.

Following the Battle of Talas in 751 AD, with a large number of captured Tang Dynasty artisans settling in Central and West Asia, papermaking techniques were introduced to Iran. From the 8th to the 10th centuries AD, Samarkand became the papermaking center of the Persian world.

To some extent, it was the widespread adoption of papermaking that enabled Iran (or the eastern Islamic world) to produce a vast number of academic masterpieces in the following centuries.

This history has been deeply ingrained in people's minds.

Thanks to ample stockpiles, and the capture of some papermakers during the previous battle whose productivity was greatly enhanced by their production skills, Shahzani had more than enough paper to freely express herself.

……

After much thought and deliberation, from the perspective of a 21st-century keyboard historian, the scope of the template was continuously narrowed down, and finally two highly efficient mobilization systems in modern history were identified.

First, there is the militia system of the Soviet Union and socialist countries.

Second, there is the "General Mobilization Army" after the Iranian Islamic Revolution, also known as the "Basij".

Both systems have their advantages, and after weighing the options, Shahzani chose to use the Basij of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a blueprint.

This is not because the Soviet model was not good enough; rather, the Soviet quasi-military system was too advanced, far exceeding the level of productivity development of that era. If it were simply copied, problems would arise.

In contrast, the Basij system is better suited to agrarian societies with low levels of industrialization, and can also leverage the simple Iranian national and religious fervor to achieve efficient mobilization at a lower cost.

Of course, she did not blindly copy the system, but modified and selected parts of it according to the actual situation in her own territory, so that it could be "most suitable for the national conditions".

While she was building the new system, her [Chronicles of the Persian King] system had also accumulated enough experience to be upgraded and unlocked.

Turn on the system.

Four talent trees:

National Management (0/25)

Military Warfare (1/25)

Economic development (1/25)

Culture and Technology (0/25)

Experience points: Level 3 (86%/100%)

Current remaining talent points: 1

Considering the current situation, after repeatedly filtering through several talent trees, Shahzani finally decided to focus on the "National Governance" line and upgrade a wave of talents related to politics.

"【Kyaukmarz's Bloodline】, the effect is: mobilization efficiency of all Iranian ethnic citizens +25%, cohesion +15%, mobilization cost -15%."

When Shahzani saw this entry, she was reminded of the historical records.

In the Iranian mindset, Keyumarz was the first Persian king since the beginning of time, the founder of the Bishdadi dynasty, and the common ancestor of all Iranians.

Cyrus the Great, who is famous in world history, did not have such a high status and was even unknown to Iranians for a considerable period of time.