I rode and slashed unparalleled in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1053 Instigating Rebellion
"Your Majesty is wise. His Majesty the Fifth is indeed not in the city."

Anmoti was pinned to the ground by two armored soldiers, his forehead pressed against the cold mud.
"His Majesty led his army north to Khwarazm ten days ago and has just defeated your country's northern army."

Su Yao nodded slightly: 'It seems my guess was correct after all.'

It turns out that the scout's report was just an act.

In an era without instant communication, it was extremely difficult for three armies to maintain contact while on campaigns abroad. Otherwise, there wouldn't have been so many problems in ancient wars, such as someone getting lost or missing their deadline.

Although Su Yao's system gave him a cheat code, allowing him to understand his own position to some extent, detailed military intelligence and enemy information were all shrouded in a "fog of war."

Warfare hinges on intelligence disparities, and Su Yao understood this perfectly well.

While he could certainly push through one route with his own strength, he also needed to know the situation of friendly forces on other routes. Only in this way could he make the right decisions.

Therefore, after summarizing the situation he had roughly understood, Su Yao decided to take advantage of Anmoti's visit to trick him, and it worked as expected.

"So, your griffin is real?" Su Yao asked casually.

"Yes, it is."

Unaware of this, Anmoti nodded repeatedly and said, "Griffins do exist. I don't know exactly where they came from, but I do know that three months ago, His Majesty went hunting in the mountains north of Mesopotamia and suddenly brought back that sacred beast, the Griffin."

Three months ago? Wasn't that probably the time when Vasudeva became king and acquired supernatural powers?

Is there any connection between these events? Or is it just a simple coincidence?

“Griffin?” Su Yao asked calmly. “Is that the name of that griffin?”

Anmoti nodded repeatedly: "Yes, His Majesty named it Griffin, saying it was a mythical beast from ancient mythology. It is incredibly strong, invulnerable to swords and spears, and can even breathe fire."

"Ten days ago, after learning of the great defeat of General Mihran in the north, His Majesty led his 20,000 troops, along with those of Murrue, northward and won a series of victories, and has now recaptured most of Khwarazmian territory."

"Good heavens, this griffin can breathe fire?" Zhang Liao gasped. "No wonder Meng Qi and General Zilong were no match for it."

Su Yao tapped the table thoughtfully: "Continue, does this Griffin have any weaknesses?"

"What weakness does this mythical beast have?"

Anmoti looked troubled, and seeing Su Yao's displeasure, he immediately racked his brains to explain: "I am of lowly status and really do not know the details. If there is any weakness, it is that it hates fire, and its combat power on the ground is far inferior to that in the air."

"His Majesty once had the sacred beast display its skills in the arena."

Anmoti recalled with his eyes closed, "When it took to the air, a single swipe of its claw could tear even a water buffalo apart; its breath of fire could instantly burn down a wooden watchtower. But if it remained on the ground, its movements would be much slower. Although still ferocious, it could at least be held back for a moment by the spear formations of heavy infantry."

It seems that the principle of "hairy and weak fire" works even on this mythical creature. As for the other point:
"So, as long as its takeoff is restricted, it's just a large war elephant?"

"Restrict its takeoff?"

Anmoti was taken aback, then smiled wryly and said, "That's a sacred beast, the kind that can create a whirlwind with just a flap of its wings."

"No problem, there's always a way to solve a problem."

Su Yao waved his hand and continued staring at Anmoti: "One last question—what's the situation in Mulu City right now?" Anmoti remained silent, but he knew he had no way back. He gritted his teeth and replied:

"Before His Majesty left behind less than two thousand soldiers in Merv, to be jointly managed by the court secretary, Lord Shapur, and the finance minister. But after General Bahram's defeat and return, he brought back more than two thousand remnants of his army, so there are now about four thousand soldiers in the city."

"However, their morale is low and their equipment is incomplete; they are utterly powerless to resist Your Majesty's heavenly army. Today, they are offering women and valuables in an attempt to buy time until His Majesty returns to reinforce them."

"I see." Su Yao sneered. "It seems you all have a lot of confidence in that griffin."

Anmoti dared not reply, but repeatedly kowtowed: "I have reported everything I know, please spare my life, Your Majesty!"

Upon hearing this, Su Yao's eyes flashed with a sharp light: "In that case, Mulu City is already in our grasp."

Zhang Liao cupped his hands and said, "General, now that we know the true state of the city, why not take advantage of their unpreparedness tonight and capture it in one fell swoop!"

Yufuluo rubbed his hands together, eager to join in: "Exactly! The Parthians want to stall for time, but we won't let them have their way. We'll attack the city tonight and catch them off guard!"

Su Yao pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Anmoti, I see that you are always the one who comes on the mission, so you must be a person of importance in Parthia?"

A complex expression flashed across Anmoti's face, but it was quickly replaced by fear. He knelt on the ground, his voice trembling:

"Your Majesty flatters me. I am merely a scribe under the Suren family. I was chosen as this messenger because I have some knowledge of a few languages. In Parthia, there are many people like me."

"The Suren family?" Su Yao raised an eyebrow. "The family that Bahram belongs to?"

“Exactly.” Anmoti quickly replied, “The Suren family is the head of the seven great families of Parthia, with immense power. General Bahram is just one of them. The Prime Minister is the true leader of the family. I am already incredibly lucky to have secured a position under him.”

Su Yao tilted his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over An Moti as if assessing his worth: "Since you serve the Suren family, you're now betraying them for personal gain. Aren't you afraid of being purged in the future?"

Anmoti bowed even lower, trembling as he said, "Though I am foolish, I know that destiny is hard to defy. King Anxi is obsessed with the power of the sacred beast and insists on opposing the Holy Lord despite the strength of his kingdom. Now he is at his wit's end. I am willing to abandon darkness and embrace light, and serve the Holy Lord like a dog!"

"it is good!"

Su Yao laughed and said, "I like smart people who know how to adapt to the times."

Su Yao suddenly stood up, looking down at Anmoti: "In that case, I'll give you a chance to make a name for yourself—tonight, lead my army into the city and hunt down those ringleaders. If you can capture that palace secretary and Bahram and the others in one fell swoop, without leaking any information, I'll appoint you as the acting governor of Murr, and make your former colleagues act according to your wishes. What do you say?"

hiss--

Anmoti's pupils widened, and he gasped.

"This humble man comes from a lowly background; I'm afraid he's not up to such an important position."

"so what?"

Su Yao laughed and said, "I never ask about people's background when I employ them. Among my soldiers, there are commoners from humble origins and former enemy soldiers who surrendered. As long as they can make meritorious contributions and be loyal, they will still be ennobled and appointed as generals."

As he spoke, Su Yao yanked him up from the ground:
“You are fluent in multiple languages, familiar with the inner workings of Parthia, and we are destined to meet. As long as you serve me faithfully, being a mere acting governor is just the beginning.”

(End of this chapter)