I rode and slashed unparalleled in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1016 The Arrogant Han Envoy and the Bold Invitation (5K2)

"Something terrible has happened, Your Excellency!"

Gaofu City, the Northern Governor's Office.

A messenger, travel-worn and weary, rushed into the council chamber, knelt down, and shouted:

"The provincial governor, Huvishka, surrendered, and the Han army captured the Kapisa-Kushanian province without firing a shot; almost the entire territory fell!"

"Ouch!"

"what?!"

"how so?!"

The hall erupted in commotion, with civil and military officials chattering amongst themselves, while the Northern Governor-General, Moroko, remained silent.

This most powerful figure in the northern part of the Kushan Empire was about fifty years old, with a dignified face, wearing a purple-gold brocade robe, and with eyes as sharp as a hawk's. He slowly rose from his gilded throne.
With his movement, the council chamber quickly fell silent again.

"How many troops does the Han army have?" asked Moroko, the governor of the north.

"Reporting to you, sir, according to the scouts, the Han army's vanguard only numbers two or three thousand, while the surrendered soldiers have already numbered over ten thousand."

The messenger touched the ground with his forehead and added humbly:

"However, the most terrifying one is that red-robed Han general."

"Is it that so-called divine rhetoric again?" Moroko sneered.

Moroko, the governor of the north, was not blind to what was happening in the north.

Moroko had his own channels, and he already knew about the situation when the Han army suddenly intervened and chased Prince Bodiao all over the place.

To be honest, this made him ecstatic.

That awful prince finally got his lesson.

Not only that, his vitality was greatly damaged, and I even had the opportunity to give him a big blow and solve this problem once and for all, and help my nephew ascend the throne.

Indeed, the position of Governor-General of the North is not one that just anyone can hold. Moroko is the Queen's brother, and his family has been intermarrying with the royal family for generations. The power behind the eldest prince is far beyond what Prince Bodiao, a newly wealthy family from the south, can match.

If the eldest prince is lacking in any area, it is probably in terms of martial prowess.

That Prince of Waves is incredibly skilled in combat.
However, with the help of the Han army, Prince Bo Diao has finally suffered a major defeat and reached the lowest point in his life.

Taking advantage of his weakness to kill him is a universally applicable principle. Upon receiving the report, the Northern Governor-General immediately began mobilizing his forces within the territory, while closely monitoring Prince Bodiao's movements and reinforcing key routes through the Hindu Kush Mountains. He would not allow him to pass through the Khyber Pass unless the Han army took further action.

"What a ghost!"

Moroko's face was ashen, his heart filled with furious rage.

Neither he nor his many advisors expected that those Han Chinese from the distant East, after defeating their Northern Expeditionary Army and seizing their vassal states, would not be satisfied and would instead venture deeper into their territory to invade his lands.

What's wrong?
Do you really want to destroy our country in one war?

Is that all you're relying on?

What kind of joke is this?!

To be honest, Moroko didn't care much at first.

After all, Kushania is a basin surrounded by mountains. Although the prince was defeated, his local defense forces were still capable of holding the city. He could calmly deploy his forces and wear down the Han army. After a prolonged siege, the Han army would have to retreat in disgrace.

However, the situation developed in a way that far exceeded his expectations.

News of defeats at the front came almost every two or three days, with ranches, villages, and cities falling one after another.

The Han army advanced at a speed like a whirlwind sweeping away fallen leaves; almost no city could stop them, and they even began to use the name of their Emperor Shitian.

There's a mole!
There must be a mole inside!

Now that Kapisa has been captured without bloodshed, Moroko almost immediately concluded that it must have been that damned Huvishka who was behind it all, colluding with the Han army to attack from within!

Otherwise, the speed of the Han army's advance and the overwhelming propaganda would be completely inexplicable.

Moroko knew that Huvishka had always been ambitious and often disobeyed his orders, but he never expected that this provincial governor would dare to collude with foreign enemies to carry out separatist activities!

"Order the entire army to intensify preparations for battle!"

"Huviska dares to dream of independence with only a few thousand Han soldiers. I will make him know the consequences of betraying the empire!"

Moroko slammed his hand down on the table, shattering it, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

"What about Prince Bo Diao?"

"Yes, yes, we still have the Parthian troubles in the west, we can't afford to fight on two fronts!"

Seeing that Moroko was enraged by the changes at the front and wanted to launch a military campaign, his ministers quickly spoke up to advise him against it.

It is true that the Governor-General of the North held a high position and wielded great power, commanding a large army and numerous generals.

However, it also bears the heavy responsibility of the empire's defense.

It should be noted that the northern part of the Kushan Empire was where they rose to power, surrounded by vassal states, which had always been their backyard and did not require heavy defense.

On the contrary, in the West, on the Iranian plateau, there was an empire that was equal in strength to the Kushan Empire and shared a large border with it—the Parthian Empire, which was their mortal enemy for hundreds of years.

History can be quite interesting.

These two arch-enemies almost simultaneously embarked on a historical decline. In recent decades, the Kushan Empire lost its glory, and rebellions broke out frequently in various places. The Parthian Empire was also plagued by internal and external conflicts. The Romans in the west were constantly pressuring and encroaching on its territory, while the Persians in Khorasan and other places in the east were also frequently revolting.

Thus, even though they all knew that their old rival was having a tough time lately and was no longer as powerful as before, the two empires remained evenly matched, staring intently at each other for an opportunity.

Therefore, the forces that the governors of the north could mobilize at this time were extremely limited. They had to carefully weigh their options and not commit all their troops to one side. Otherwise, if the Parthians took advantage of the situation, the consequences would be unimaginable.

To deal with the Han army and the rebels of Kushania, a strong field force is obviously needed. This would reduce the number of troops that can surround the prince, and he might take advantage of the chaos to break through the mountain pass.
"His Majesty is critically ill, and the struggle for the throne has reached its most crucial moment. Governor-General, you must not let a small matter cause you to lose the greater good!"

The speaker was Palvaz, a senior advisor to Moroko, a robust man with a long aristocratic lineage, from one of the three great noble families of the old capital.

"Although the Han army came with great force, its strength is ultimately limited. It is only taking advantage of the Prince Bo Diao's defeat. The most urgent task at present is to prevent the Prince from returning to the capital to seize the throne."

Parvaz's rational analysis states:

"If Prince Bo Diao successfully ascends the throne, he will surely eliminate the eldest prince as soon as possible. At that time, the governor's fate will be in his hands."

"At best, you will be dismissed from your post and sent back to your hometown, where you will live out your remaining years in a daze. At worst, there will be a civil war in the empire, with the Han and Parthia vying to intervene, and my Kushan dynasty's centuries-old foundation will be destroyed in an instant."

Upon hearing this, Moroko's expression shifted between anger and uncertainty. He knew that what Parvaz said was true, but how could he swallow his anger at the thought of the Han army running rampant on his territory and Huvishka's detestable face?
"The Han army and the rebels are but a minor ailment; Prince Botiao is the real threat. I urge Your Excellency to reconsider your actions!"

Moroko took a deep breath and asked, "But Huvishka knows us inside and out. If we want to deal with the prince, how can we be sure he won't sabotage us behind our backs?"

"If they are in cahoots, how should I deal with it?"

"Therefore, we must take the initiative!"

Palvaz stroked his beard and said confidently, "Even Huvishka knew to rely on the Han army, so why can't we?"

"what?!"

"what do you mean?"

Everyone present was taken aback by his words, but Moroko vaguely understood something: "You mean..."

Parvaz smiled slightly and lowered his voice, saying, "Your Excellency, although the Han army is coming with great force, its commander-in-chief, Su Yao, is a wise man."

"Just yesterday, a temple priest arrived with tokens and a Han Chinese envoy, requesting an audience and claiming a willingness to discuss important matters with you, sir."

"What?! The Han Chinese envoys have already entered the city???"

Moroko's eyes widened, clearly quite surprised. "That's right, the person who came is said to be a priest from the Yan City Temple."

Parvaz explained:
“As you know, those Brahmins always have some special methods. They didn’t come to see you directly, but went into the temple, seemingly discussing something, and I just happened to stumble upon them.”

"Hmph! What Brahmins! They're just a bunch of pretentious charlatans who misinterpret the holy will. How dare they sneak around causing trouble behind my back? Do they think this is Gandhara?!" Marako roared angrily.

Brahmins are the apex caste in India, who consider themselves descendants of Brahma and monopolize the right to perform sacrifices.

However, in the Kushan Empire, these Brahmins did not have many privileges.

The reason is quite simple: although the Kushans ruled over a large area of ​​northwestern India and centered their rule around it, their core was still dominated by military and administrative nobles, and they did not implement any caste system.

In fact, in order to counter Hindu groups, the rulers of the Kushan Empire began to vigorously promote Buddhism. The founder of the empire, Kujula Kadsyapa, personally reformed Buddhism, portraying the king as a "Bodhisattva in the human world," in an attempt to achieve a "divine right of kings" rule.

This direction is certainly correct, but due to the relatively low administrative capacity of the Kushan Empire, the effect of this effort over the past few centuries has been, in a sense, quite poor.

In this era, Buddhism's influence was far less than it would be centuries later, while Hinduism, or Brahmanism, still enjoyed a broad popular base.

Hindus, who constituted the majority of the empire's population, faced open discrimination, which directly led to ongoing religious conflicts within the Kushan Empire, and Brahmanism's influence in the south grew even stronger.

This situation did not change completely even after Kanishka I moved the capital to Purusha in Gandhara in 127 AD.

In Fulusha City, there still stands a magnificent temple where they preach their heresies right under the Buddha's nose.

The governor of the north, Moroko, came from a traditional Kushan military aristocracy and was a devout Buddhist. Naturally, he had no respect for the Brahmins.

"In my opinion, we should first meet this envoy and find out the true strength of the Han people."

Moroko narrowed his eyes and tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest: "You mean to cooperate with the Han people?"

“Exactly!” Parvaz’s eyes flashed with a sharp light. “Our Kushan Empire is a hundred and eight thousand miles away from the Han lands. What do the Han army want from here? Nothing more than gold and silver treasures, warhorses and slaves, and some empty fame of victory. What we want is the life of Prince Bodiao. If we can each get what we want, why not?”

Upon hearing this, the generals in the hall began to whisper among themselves.

Some people beamed with joy, while others frowned deeply, and still others rose angrily: "Absurd! Cooperating with infidels is a betrayal of the Empire!"

"No and no."

Parvaz stood up and refuted:

"Although this General Su Yao is acting under the banner of a god, he is not indiscriminate in killing. After capturing a city, he opened the granaries to distribute food, punished corrupt officials, and pacified the people. Furthermore, he severely cracked down on Zoroastrians, which is quite in line with our beliefs. He is someone we might as well win over."

Moroko pondered for a long time, then slowly nodded: "Very well, let it be as you say. Summon the Han envoy to come see me tomorrow."

The next morning, in front of the temple of Gaofu City.

A young priest, dressed in a magnificent robe and holding a golden staff, appeared. He was none other than Judoro, the first assistant priest in Yan City to convert to Su Yao's faith.

Behind Judoro was an envoy dressed in Hanfu. The two of them strode confidently toward the governor's mansion, escorted by several Han soldiers.

"The Governor-General has arrived!"

As the guards shouted, Moroko entered the council hall surrounded by his generals. His gaze swept across the crowd, finally settling on Kutara.

"Are you an envoy from the Han people?"

Jutara bowed respectfully and said, “Your Excellency, I am Jutara, a priest under the Heavenly Emperor. I have come by divine mandate to discuss with you the matter of jointly punishing the traitor Bo Diao.”

"Absurd! What kind of Heavenly Emperor is this?" Some people scoffed at the title.

"Outrageous! Prince Bo Diao is the rightful heir of the royal family, how dare you slander him!" someone shouted at his suggestion.

Juduro laughed three times: "Legitimate? A defeated dog who was routed by the Han army, what right does he have to call himself legitimate?"

"Besides, even if you acknowledge him as the legitimate prince, we don't know if he will acknowledge our position as governor as the rightful heir."

"You!" The general's eyes widened in anger, and he was about to draw his sword.

Moroko raised his hand to stop him, squinting at Judoro: "Priest, do you know that with just these two sentences, I can tear you to pieces?"

Judoro smiled slightly: "If you really wanted to kill me, you wouldn't have summoned me here. Besides," he looked around, "killing me would be to completely offend the Heavenly Army of the Great Han. In this northern land, you have enemies everywhere. With the wisdom of the Governor, would you do such a foolish thing?"

"How dare you!" a military officer slammed his fist on the table and stood up. "How dare a mere priest threaten the Governor-General!"

“That’s right!” another general drew his sword and shouted angrily, “We’re not going to take you seriously with just a few thousand Han soldiers!”

Judoro didn't waste any words with them, but simply clapped his hands and had a servant bring in a brocade box. When it was opened, inside was a bloody human head—the head of Bahar, a general under Prince Bodiao.

“This is…” Moroko’s pupils contracted slightly.

Judoro proudly declared, "This is Botiao's trusted confidant, 'Knife King' Bahar. I wonder how you generals compare him?"

The hall erupted in an uproar.

Bahar was renowned and known to all, and was Moroko's most wary opponent. Unexpectedly, this sword king has now become a victim of the Han army's blade.

The moment this pill was taken out, the arrogant generals present were immediately deflated.

Judoro continued, “Your Excellency is wise. Prince Bodiao is already at his last gasp, and is now being chased by the Han army like a stray dog. If Your Excellency were to send troops to intercept him now, you would surely be able to capture him in one fell swoop!”

Moroko and Parvaz exchanged a glance and a knowing look. They both knew that with Bahar beheaded, Prince Judora was like a man with an arm severed, greatly increasing the chances of capturing him.

However, they remained wary. Parvaz paused and said, "It seems you Han soldiers are indeed quite capable, but do you think the Kushan Empire has no one to rely on?"

"Your plan is for our Governor-General to cause a stalemate between the two sides, and then for the Han army to reap the benefits. Am I wrong?"

"My lord has misunderstood."

At this moment, the Han envoy behind Jutara stepped forward and spoke in broken Kushan dialect, which he had been learning for a long time:
“Our prince said that the fault of this war lies with Bodiao alone. As long as you can hand over this war criminal and solve the problem yourselves, the Great Han Heavenly Army will never make things difficult for the Kushan again. Our army will stop at Kapisa City and will not covet the throne.”

These words struck Moroko's heart like a dagger. He suppressed his excitement and feigned calmness: "Is this true? You only want Bo Diao?"

"It's natural."

The Han envoy's words suddenly became much more fluent: "Our great Han Dynasty believes that anyone who offends our mighty Han, no matter how far away, shall be punished!"

“Prince Bo Diao invaded my vassal state and killed my people. His crimes are heinous and unforgivable!”

"As long as the Kushan Empire hands over the Bodiao, we will immediately withdraw our troops and will never go back on our word!"

Moroko frowned slightly, tapping his fingers lightly on the armrest: "If I help you capture Bo Diao, will you really retreat immediately? What about Dayuan, Kangju, and Kushannia?"

The Han envoy immediately replied, "Dayuan and Kangju are indisputably vassal states of our Great Han! As for Kushania..."

The Han envoy paused, then turned to look at Judoro, clearly indicating that his Kushan language was insufficient to support him in saying anything too complex.

Then Judoro continued, "It is true that the Han army will withdraw, but there is no reason to give back the land that has been captured—Kushania will become independent and serve as a barrier between the two countries. We must guard against the resurgence of war."

"Ha, independence?" Moroko sneered. "What arrogance! Kushannia is a province of the Empire; how can it declare independence so easily?"

Judoro calmly replied, "Your Excellency, the people of Kushania have long suffered under the oppressive rule of the Empire. Now that the Heavenly Emperor has descended to earth to protect all living beings, it is Heaven's will to follow the will of the people and return power to them. Moreover—"

He gave Moroko a meaningful look: "If Your Majesty is willing to recognize the independence of Kushania, my prince is willing to help Your Majesty ascend the throne and become king."

These words caused an uproar. Moroko suddenly stood up, his eyes flashing with a sharp light: "How dare you! I am utterly loyal to His Majesty, how can I allow you to sow discord here!"

“My lord, please calm down.” Parvaz quickly stepped forward. “This priest is spouting nonsense. Let’s hear what evidence he has.”

Judoro calmly took out a letter from his bosom: "This is a letter written by my Highness. His Highness said that as long as you are willing to cooperate, not only can Kushania become independent, but His Highness will also help you seize the throne and even help you deal with the Parthians."

Moroko took the letter and became increasingly alarmed as he read it.

The letter not only provided a detailed analysis of the current situation in Kushan, but also proposed a startling plan—the Han army was willing to help him seize the throne, on the condition that he would only nominally become a vassal, fulfill a symbolic tribute obligation once every five years, and open trade routes, etc.

“Your Majesty is wise,” the Han envoy suddenly spoke, this time in Chinese. “In this way, the Kushans will be protected by the heavenly army of our Great Han, the Parthians will no longer dare to look eastward, Your Majesty’s throne will be extended forever, and the Kushans can also enjoy a prosperous and peaceful era!”

Upon hearing the translator's words, all the civil and military officials present fell into a deathly silence. Moroko's face was ashen, but his heart was pounding wildly.
(End of this chapter)