I rode and slashed unparalleled in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1096 Sharpness Revealed
Kind yet cruel.

Su Yao's words struck Vologasis V's heart like a heavy hammer. He looked up abruptly, his eyes filled with despair. He struggled desperately, but the Imperial Guards held him down firmly, preventing him from uttering a single rebuttal.

The Imperial Ancestral Temple Master stepped forward at the opportune moment and presented Su Yao with a golden seal symbolizing the Parthian monarchy—the imperial seal that Su Yao had captured during the Battle of Mulu. Su Yao took the golden seal, turned and handed it to Wan Nian, his voice solemn: "Your Majesty, this is the imperial seal of Parthia. Today I offer it to the Imperial Ancestral Temple, wishing that the Han Dynasty's empire will be forever secure and that all nations will come to pay homage!"

Wan Nian accepted the golden seal with both hands, her fingertips gently tracing the Persian inscriptions, tears glistening in her eyes. She raised the seal and addressed the ancestral tablets in the ancestral temple and the assembled officials below:

"Our ancestors are above! Today, the Emperor Consort, the Prince of Tang, presents captives, expanding our territory by thousands of miles. This is a blessing for our great Han Dynasty and for the entire world! I hereby swear that I will stand with the Prince of Tang to protect this beautiful land and let the majesty of the Han Dynasty spread throughout the world!"

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the King of Tang! Long live the Han Dynasty!"

The assembled officials and imperial guards below roared in unison, the sound so powerful it made the bronze bells in the Imperial Ancestral Temple hum. Safia stood to the side, feeling a surge of pride. Looking at the awe-inspiring scene before her, the young girl suddenly understood why Su Yao was called the "King of Kings"—he could not only sweep across battlefields, but also command the cheers of a vast empire and hundreds of millions of its people for his achievements.

Normally, according to custom, the ceremony of presenting captives should have ended here. Next would have been the return to the palace, followed by the distribution of rewards and honors. However, Su Yao never followed the usual path.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, he whistled, and soon a clear cry echoed from the northern horizon. A huge golden griffin spread its wings and swooped down from the clouds, casting an awe-inspiring shadow over the Temple Square.

"absurd!"

"Nonsense!"

"Your Majesty, what are you doing?!"

"This is the Imperial Ancestral Temple, a place of great importance!"

A group of senior officials and censors shouted in unison, while gasps of surprise also came from the crowd.

Their behavior made Su Yao's lips curl into a slight smile. He ignored the old ministers who were blowing their beards and glaring at him, and instead gently focused his gaze on Empress Wan Nian.

"Over the years of our marriage, I have always been a hands-off husband, leaving all the trivial matters to you to handle."

“Every day, you read the memorials written on your pen and listen to the four palace walls guarding Luoyang, but you never have the chance to really look at the vast land we have conquered.”

Su Yao took a half step forward, gently grasping Wan Nian's slightly cool fingertips. His gaze swept over the kneeling officials below and the distant city walls of Luoyang, finally settling back on her eyes:

"Today I bring the King of Parthia back to present him as a captive to the Imperial Ancestral Temple, both to comfort the late Emperor for his past kindness to me and to give an explanation to the people of the world. But what I really want to do is something else entirely, which is to take you on this Griffin and fly to the highest heavens, to see the fertile fields during the spring planting season, to see the smoke rising from the chimneys along the Luo River, to see the mighty Yellow River, and to see just how vast the territory of our Han Dynasty truly is."

Su Yao smiled slightly and asked, "Would you like to come with me, Your Majesty the Emperor?"

The Empress of Ten Thousand Years suddenly caught her breath.

She looked at Su Yao's outstretched hand, then at the magnificent griffin whose golden feathers shimmered in the morning sun, her eyes filled with disbelief and a hint of barely perceptible longing.

Just six years ago, she was a princess filled with confusion and fear about the future. With the fall of her country and the destruction of her family looming, her greatest wish was simply to live a peaceful life and not be drawn into the ambitions and conspiracies of swords and shadows.

However, in just a few short years, with the help of the man before her, she became an unprecedented empress, ruling the world. Her husband had also conquered an unprecedentedly vast territory for her and for this empire. Looking at the familiar smile and unquestionable confidence in Su Yao's eyes, it was as if time had turned back to the day when they first met.

Let alone letting her ride a griffin to see the beautiful landscape, even if she were asked to go with him to the ends of the earth, she would not hesitate for a moment!

"I'm willing!" Wan Nian threw himself into Su Yao's arms. "No matter where we go, I'll go with you!"

"Your Majesty, you mustn't!"

Wang Yun was the first to react, urgently advising, "Your Majesty's body is of utmost importance; how can you ride such a ferocious beast? If anything goes wrong, we ministers will be held accountable even with ten thousand deaths!"

“Yes, Your Majesty, this is against etiquette, with all the officials watching in front of the Imperial Ancestral Temple!” Liu Yu quickly echoed.

Several seasoned and prudent ministers knelt down, pleading with the Empress to prioritize her safety and the law. Even Grand Tutor Lu Zhi, who rarely expressed his opinion, stepped forward, his tone earnest:

"Your Majesty, I know that the Tang King and Your Majesty share a deep bond, and I also know that Griffin is a sacred beast protecting its master. However, the act of flying into the sky is unprecedented, and the variables in the high sky are unpredictable. Your fate is tied to the Han Dynasty, so you must not act rashly!"

As soon as Lu Zhi finished speaking, all the civil and military officials knelt down, urging His Majesty to reconsider.

"Ha, what do you mean by the dangers of the high heavens? Do you all think I can't protect my own woman?"

Su Yao chuckled, and suddenly a golden pestle appeared in his hand: "This is a family matter between His Majesty and me. You all must remain silent, or else..."

Su Yao pointed his golden pestle, and suddenly lightning crackled around its tip, sending a bolt of lightning shooting straight into the sky and piercing through the clouds!
"what?!"

"This"

In the instant the lightning ripped through the sky, the clamor in the Temple of Heaven Square ceased abruptly. Everyone was stunned by the silver-blue arc of electricity that pierced through the clouds.

Is that golden pestle truly an extraordinary object, a divine artifact capable of drawing upon the power of heaven and earth? Or has the Tang King himself advanced further, undergoing a complete transformation and reaching the realm of controlling qi and commanding thunder and lightning?

No one knows the truth, but everyone is in awe of the unknown. Liu Yu stood there, the words of advice he was about to say stuck in his throat, staring at the golden pestle crackling with lightning in Su Yao's hand, a chill running through him.
Wang Yun, Lu Zhi, and the others all shut their mouths and lowered their eyes in the face of this power of heaven and earth, no longer uttering a single sound.

The entire square was quiet, save for the occasional flapping of the griffin's wings and the faint gasps of wonder from the people in the distance.

Seeing this, the last trace of hesitation in the Empress's eyes transformed into determination and pride. She took Su Yao's arm, faced the assembled officials, and spoke in a clear yet undeniable voice:

"I am aware of your intentions, my lords. However, the King of Tang is a treasure bestowed upon the Han Dynasty by Heaven, and his actions are beyond the comprehension of ordinary people. Today, I accompany my husband on a tour of the heavens and the earth, not for personal gain, but to demonstrate to the world that I and the King of Tang are of one mind and one heart, and will jointly protect this beautiful land! This decision has been made, and you need not advise me further."

After saying that, she turned to look at Su Yao, her eyes sparkling: "Husband, let's go."

Su Yao laughed loudly, put his arm around the Empress's waist, and with a swift movement, lightly leaped onto Griffin's broad back. The griffin let out a long, earth-shattering cry, its massive wings flapping and kicking up dust, soaring into the sky amidst the astonished gazes of the officials!
"Your Majesty—!" Wang Yun and the others stretched out their hands in vain, only to watch the golden figure soar higher and higher, merging into the azure sky.
(End of this chapter)