I was the Queen of Persia

Page 6

Once villages lose the protection of military landlords, they become more vulnerable to being preyed upon by enemy troops, bandits, nomadic peoples, and even wild animals, leaving them at the mercy of others.

Therefore, their lives became increasingly difficult.

After hearing the whole story, Shahzani felt she had to get involved.

First, the villages are currently unclaimed land, which is a good opportunity to win the support of the villagers and bring them under our control, thereby strengthening our overall power.

Secondly, she also felt compassion for the villagers' misfortunes.

She hesitated for a moment, then stood up and solemnly said, "God is my witness. Rest assured, I will lead the warriors to slaughter the lion pride and bring these rampant beasts to their due punishment."

Then, she looked at Bahramu and gave her a knowing look.

His eyes seemed to say, "Weren't you just thinking about going hunting? Well, here comes your chance."

Bahram responded with a smile: "It is the duty of Iranian warriors throughout history to protect the people from the harassment of ferocious beasts. I am happy to use my weapon to slay lions and tigers."

“Then select another 20 warriors to accompany me.” Shahzani flashed her sword with a clang, then sheathed it.

……

The polo match in the square has also come to an end.

The female guards dismounted, removed their sweat-soaked headscarves, and their faces still bore the excitement of the fierce battle, as if they had not yet fully enjoyed the military competition.

Just then.

Bahraim walked over, glanced at them, and announced in a loud voice, "Lady Shahzani has ordered that 20 warriors accompany her to quell the lion menace. Who is willing to go?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the scene erupted in chaos.

"I am willing to serve Lady Shahzani!"

"I will use my armor and spear to slay the ferocious lions and tigers!"

"I will pierce the throat of the beast with my deadly arrow!"

The female guards were all eager to fight, their eyes shining with a desire for battle. They had all been inspired by Shahzani's bravery in the last battle, and they were all looking forward to proving their courage and achieving even more brilliant feats.

Seeing this, Bahraim was satisfied with the soldiers' spirit, but he was also deeply impressed by how Shahzani had managed to elevate the morale of her troops to such a high level through just one battle. He couldn't help but respect his female commander even more.

However, there are limited spots available, so not everyone can participate.

After much deliberation, Bahraim decided to select the bravest warriors and the most skilled horsemen, and said, "Tahmina, Khorshid, each of you will lead your own squad of ten men to accompany us."

A "dah," consisting of 10 soldiers, was typically the lowest unit in the ancient Iranian military system. Moving upwards, 10 dahs formed a "company" (Washt), 10 companies formed a "regiment" (or banner, Drafs), 10 regiments formed a "division" (or corps, Spah), and several divisions could form a larger army group.

Of course, they were not all the same. Some Iranian dynasties even had military units with numbers of "50 men" or "500 men," or used Turkic and Arabic terms to refer to these units.

Soon, the female warriors who were called upon gathered with their equipment and horses ready, and stood by for orders.

Considering that this battle was against lions, long weapons and ranged weapons would be more effective, Shahzani ordered newly crafted, improved long weapons to be taken from the armory and distributed to the soldiers.

The standard equipment consisted of one long spear, one sword, one powerful bow, and thirty arrows per person. Additionally, the warhorses were clad in fabric armor to ensure mobility and protect against lion attacks.

Bahram also brought lassos and two hunting dogs as auxiliary tools.

After making preparations, Shahzani had the village chiefs lead the way. The lion hunting team passed through the huge, protruding archway and headed along the dirt road in the oasis towards the area plagued by lions.

Chapter 10 The Lion's Trail

Shahzani and his group traveled 1.5 farsahs (about 9.3 kilometers) along the dirt road in the oasis, and finally arrived at the village of Saghhar, near the lion pride's den, at dusk.

On the brownish-yellow earth, dozens of earthen houses stand alone, with dwellings, mills, granaries, and livestock sheds interspersed among them.

This is a typical Persian village, with houses mostly built of adobe. There are virtually no farmhouses with more than two stories. On the edge of the village, several standing windmills made of clay and dried hardwood sway precariously in the wind.

The village was silent. A few thin, sallow-faced peasant women and elderly people had just come out of their houses when they saw a group of fully armed soldiers coming to the village entrance. They immediately bowed their heads and hurriedly closed the doors.

"My lady, this is our village," the old village chief said, "also an unfortunate place where lions often come to wreak havoc."

Seeing that everyone was staying indoors, the old village chief's face showed a hint of helplessness.

"Please forgive them. The villagers have lived in fear for a long time, which is why they have become timid and cowardly. Please don't blame them. Please wait a moment while I call them together."

After saying this, the village chief struck a wooden gong and shouted loudly, asking the villagers to gather in the open space in the center of the village.

“No need, village chief,” Shahzani waved her hand and said, “We brought our own tents and provisions, and we will camp in the open space outside the village tonight.”

She had already noticed something amiss: hunger, war, and frequent disasters had made these farmers at the very bottom of the national pyramid fearful and suspicious of everything outside.

In this situation, it is pointless to disturb their already difficult lives. Only by helping them eliminate the disaster and return them to a stable and peaceful political order can they be grateful.

After dismissing the village chief, Shahzani chose an easily accessible area outside the village, set up a temporary camp, and established a rotating sentry system to guard against attacks from wild animals and bandits.

It's getting late, so it's not convenient to start the operation now, since lions have far better night vision than humans. She plans to stay overnight and carry out the plan the next day.

The warriors took out their own water and naan bread to eat, fed their warhorses, and then checked and sharpened their weapons so that they could better fight the lion pride the next day.

Night falls.

Shahzani assigned herself to the first shift. She stood like a statue on a tall rock, clad in heavy armor and holding a spear, her gaze sweeping over her surroundings with a stern expression.

The village was pitch black in the night, with not a single fire in sight. Clearly, the villagers had been terrified by the rampant lion pride. Apart from the sound of the wind and sand and the occasional cries of wild animals and birds, there was no other sound.

It was late autumn, and most of the Persian-Iranian region, with its temperate and subtropical continental climate, was already quite chilly for the season.

Soon, a cold wind blew in, carrying unpleasant sand and grit, making Shahzani shiver several times.

She couldn't help but breathe out a few breaths of warm air and move her hands, hidden beneath the iron arm guards, to ward off the night's chill.

Sudden.

Shahzani noticed with alarm that there were rustling sounds coming from the village.

Sensing this unusual aura, she immediately held her breath, gripped her spear tightly, and watched warily in the direction from which the commotion was coming.

The sound grew closer and clearer.

Suddenly, a pitiful "Baa! Baa!" rang out, followed by the sounds of claws tearing and biting, and an unpleasant low growl.

"Something's up! Be on alert!" Shahzani shouted decisively, tapping her weapon.

Acting swiftly upon receiving orders is a quality expected of well-trained elite soldiers. The female warriors, who had slept in their armor, immediately awoke from their dreams, grabbed their weapons as quickly as possible, and assembled.

Meanwhile, Shahzani had already mounted her warhorse and charged fiercely into the village, galloping towards the source of the sound under the cover of night.

Within seconds, she pinpointed the source of the sounds: a farm's livestock enclosure. In the dim light of the night, three shadowy figures could be clearly seen inside, brutally attacking the fleeing sheep.

Three lions.

They are enormous, with thick, glossy fur, sharp teeth, and thunderous roars. Every time they pounce, they cause the lambs to scream in terror.

Without hesitation, Shahzani swiftly drew her bow and fired, the arrow whistling through the air and instantly piercing the hind leg of a lioness, gushing blood. The beast howled in pain, its piercing eyes locking onto Shahzani, and lunged at her with bared fangs and claws.

at this time.

"Whoosh—! Whoosh—! Whoosh—! Whoosh—!"

Several arrows whistled through the air and struck the lion pride with pinpoint accuracy, catching the three lions completely off guard.

The attack was launched by the palace female soldiers. They had formed a battle formation, rode their horses to outflank and surround the lions, and used long-range weapons to strike the pride, taking advantage of the cover of the rural houses and terrain.

"Ouch——"

Two of the three lions howled in pain, forced to abandon the lambs that were already in their mouths, and struggled to run towards the wilderness outside the village, quickly disappearing into the night.

There's only one left.

Shahzani had already drawn her spear, the tip upright, and was constantly urging her horse to move and maneuver, trying to outmaneuver the beast in front of her.

The lion tried several times to raise its sharp front paws and charge forward, but it was always pushed back by the gleaming spears.

The two, man and beast, remained locked in a stalemate for a moment. Shahzani used the advantage of her long weapon to gradually corner the lion.

"call--!"

Suddenly, a sturdy noose emerged from the darkness and snagged precisely around the lion's neck.

It was Bahram who launched the attack.

With the enhancement from Shahzani's system, her arm strength had become quite formidable, even surpassing that of the strongest male warriors.

Her lasso weapon was also extremely tough and sturdy, like a steel shackle that firmly bound the lion's body.

Bahraim regained control of the lion, then suddenly concentrated his strength and pulled it backward. Caught off guard by this sudden attack, the beast lost its balance and stumbled to the ground.

Shahzani seized the opportunity, raised her spear, and thrust it forcefully into the beast's head.

Even the king of beasts, however ferocious and bloodthirsty, is ultimately made of flesh and blood and cannot withstand the powerful and sharp steel weapons. Thus, with a "splat," blood gushed out, accompanied by the beast's painful roar.

Finally, the beast lay down on the ground and stopped struggling.

"The lion...was killed?"

"The lion has been killed."

"The lion has been killed!"

"God bless! The wicked lion has finally been punished!"

The villagers opened their doors one after another, cheering and shouting with joy. The once quiet village was instantly transformed into a sea of ​​happiness.

Chapter 11 The Lion-Slaying Warrior

Shahzani's feat of slaying the lion quickly earned her praise.

The villagers' emotions were no longer as fearful and resistant as when they first arrived. Now, they eagerly rushed out of their homes to offer Shahzani's soldiers naan bread, dried meat, honey, dried fruit, and other food, and also warmly invited the soldiers to stay overnight in the village.

As it turns out, these producers of resources at the very bottom of the national pyramid still possess the most genuine kindness and enthusiasm. However, this requires a strong ruler to establish a stable political order, ensuring their peaceful and prosperous lives.

The palace guards were flattered by the enthusiastic atmosphere, which added to their sense of pride as Iranian warriors.

At this time.

"Villagers!"

Shahzani climbed onto the platform and looked at everyone with a smile.

"Praise be to Allah! May Allah bless your village with prosperity and peace!"

“As warriors of Iran, we have our own discipline and virtues. You are currently being harassed by wild beasts, and our excessive disturbance will inevitably cause you a lot of inconvenience. Therefore, we appreciate your good intentions and kindness, but we will still camp outside.”

"As you have seen, those lions are not invincible. Tomorrow, when the sun rises, I will lead my warriors to sweep through the lion's den, annihilate these beasts, and eliminate any future threats. Let the light of order in Iran shine again on your land!"

As Shahzani delivered her speech, she pointed her spear, and the female warriors behind her shouted in unison. Their steel armor and iron weapons clanged in unison.

At this moment, they exuded a strong sense of confidence, as if telling everyone: they were just like the Iranian warriors in the epics such as Rustam, Shavash, and Isfandiyar, with the strength to flatten and crush ferocious beasts and protect the peace of the region.

The crowd was awestruck by their heroic bearing, and felt even greater awe in their hearts.

Shahzani dispersed the crowd and strengthened security around the village, so no further incidents occurred in the latter half of the night.

The next morning.

Under Shahzani's orders, all the soldiers, fully armed and equipped, quickly assembled and began preparations to sweep through the Lion's Den.

Inspired by them, all the villagers had already prepared torches, long poles, wooden sticks, rakes and other tools, and gathered at the village entrance, ready to participate in this "war to exterminate the lion".

Shahzani admired this spontaneous act of bravery, but she was also worried because these farmers lacked organization and equipment. If they encountered something bad while facing wild animals, she would have to spare some energy to protect them.

With this in mind, she decided to slightly adjust the marching column, allowing her palace female soldiers to form a relatively open search formation. This would not only cover a larger area, but also allow them to quickly regroup, change formations, and support each other in the event of a sudden crisis.

During last night's raid, two lions escaped wounded, leaving trails of blood along their path. Shahzani used this as a clue to search the nearby fields.

The tall, dense grass obscured the view, leaving only slivers of light to barely make out the path ahead. The alert hounds sniffed carefully at the hidden corners, while Shahzani directed the warriors to line up and advance in shifts.

It was very close to the bloody lion's den.

"Awooo—! Awooo—!"

From deep within the bushes, several low growls suddenly came, followed by several dark figures leaping out and charging forward menacingly.

Shahzani immediately gave the order to fight. The palace warriors, who were marching in formation, spurred their horses and quickly drew their bows and arrows, shooting at the approaching lion pride.

One, two, three... Shahzani counted them all; there were nine lions! No wonder Saghhar village had become poor and desolate under the rampage of these wild beasts.

However, even the fiercest beasts cannot ultimately defeat organized humans, let alone the well-trained Persian warriors under Shahzani's command.

Sand flew up and horses' hooves thundered.

The palace guards formed a circular formation, charging on horseback, shooting as they went. Their heavy composite bows, armed with sharp arrows, relentlessly pierced the lions' flesh and blood.

They were all "dual-role cavalry," or, in European terms, "Oriental heavy cavalry." This type of cavalry was common in various regimes, including Persia, Byzantium, Armenia, North India, Afghanistan, Central Asia, the Central Plains dynasties, Goguryeo, and the nomadic tribes of the Eurasian steppes. They were not only highly skilled in close combat but also adept at archery and horsemanship, often making them more valuable than some cavalrymen who only performed a single function.