I rode and slashed unparalleled in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1097: Great achievements that shake the master?

High in the sky, a fierce wind howled, causing the Empress's dragon robe and jeweled ornaments to flutter violently. At first, she held Su Yao tightly, somewhat nervously, but she was quickly captivated by the magnificent sight below.

"Look over there, that's the Luo River!" she exclaimed excitedly, pointing to the river below, which meandered like a silver ribbon, dotted with boats. "And there's Mount Mang! So this is what it looks like from the sky!"

Su Yao stood steadily on the back of the griffin, one arm around the Empress, the other pointing to the landscape: "Look further into the distance, that vast expanse of fertile land is the Guanzhong Plain. Further west, in the misty land, lies the Longshan Mountains. Beyond that lies the Hexi Corridor, the gateway to the Western Regions."

As if understanding human intentions, Griffin soared in the direction Su Yao indicated. They flew over fields where spring plowing was underway, and farmers, looking up at this mythical sight, put down their tools and knelt in worship; they flew over bustling markets, and the exclamations of merchants and common people could be faintly heard; they even flew low over the Yellow River, watching the turbid waters rush eastward with magnificent momentum.

"It's so beautiful..." Wan Nian nestled in Su Yao's arms and murmured, "I never imagined that the land of our Han Dynasty... could be so vast and magnificent!"

“That’s not all,” Su Yao whispered in her ear, his voice carrying a reassuring power. “Once I’ve pacified the West, I’ll take you to see the Kunlun Mountains, the vast deserts, Persepolis in Parthia, and Purusha in Kushan. I want you to witness with your own eyes that wherever the sun and moon shine, it is all Han land!”

Wan Nian's heart surged with emotion. Looking back at Su Yao, his eyes were filled with tenderness and determination: "Alright! Wherever you go, I will go with you!"

As the two were strolling among the clouds, chaos erupted in the square in front of the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Wang Yun beat his chest and stamped his feet, exclaiming, "What kind of behavior is this?" Liu Yu paced anxiously, worried about the Emperor's safety; while Lu Zhi gazed at the sky, lost in thought.

"Have you gentlemen seen it?"

"The Tang Emperor is becoming more and more outrageous; he's probably not even human anymore."

"We need to be prepared for his sudden return!"

The speaker was Zhou Zhong, the son of the late Grand Commandant Zhou Jing and the uncle of Zhou Yu. He rose through the ranks to become the Minister of Rites and, along with Liu Yu, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, was a core figure in the conservative royalist faction of the court.

The breeze in the Imperial Ancestral Temple Square still carried the coolness of the morning mist. Zhou Zhong's few words, tinged with apprehension, were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, drawing sidelong glances from several conservative officials beside him. Liu Yu paused, stroking his beard, and subtly winked at Zhou Zhong—such criticism of the Tang Emperor, if overheard by others and relayed to the ears of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, would be no laughing matter.

Reminded by Liu Yu, Zhou Zhong hurriedly fell silent. However, his words stirred up hidden anxieties in some, including Wang Zifu, the Vice Minister of Works. Born into the Chenliu Wang clan, a family of officials for generations, he was deeply ingrained with the aristocratic family's obsession with "checks and balances of power." At this moment, gazing at the faintly visible golden griffin silhouette in the clouds, his brows furrowed, and he softly echoed:
"What Minister Zhou said is true. On this western expedition, the Tang King not only subdued the Kushans and Parthia, but also obtained a sacred beast that can fly. Now he even has the means to 'drive thunder and lightning'—such power far exceeds that of a subject. Although he and His Majesty seem to be very close, the ancestral system of the Han Dynasty cannot be abolished. If this continues, I fear it will lead to great disaster."

Upon hearing this, several officials from aristocratic families nodded in agreement. They didn't intend to be enemies with Su Yao, but they were worried that his power might overshadow the imperial authority and disrupt the established order of the court. After all, since Emperor Gaozu of Han established the empire, although the rule that "kings of different surnames could not command large armies" had been relaxed, no one like Su Yao, who held the title of "King of Tang," the "Nine Bestowments," and the command of the western expeditionary army, could command the Empress's absolute obedience.

“But the Tang Emperor has rendered unparalleled service!” Wang Yun couldn’t help but speak, his tone hesitant. “If it weren’t for him, the Kushan cavalry would have invaded the Western Regions long ago, and the Parthian delegation wouldn’t have obediently offered tribute. Now, the trade routes to the Western Regions are open, and the national treasury is gradually filling up. These are all tangible benefits…”

"The Imperial Censor is mistaken!" Zhou Zhong immediately retorted, lowering his voice even further. "To have merit that overshadows one's lord is always a path to disaster! Han Xin and Peng Yue, who didn't make great contributions to the Han Dynasty? But what were their ultimate fates? Although the Prince of Tang has no intention of rebelling now, most of his generals and soldiers are his confidants. Generals like Zhang Liao, Zhao Yun, Ma Chao, and Lü Bu, who among them doesn't only recognize the Prince of Tang and not the court? If the Prince of Tang were to have other intentions in the future, who would be able to restrain him?"

"What Minister Zhou said makes sense."

Even Xun Yu stepped forward to respond: "Those who serve others with their beauty will lose favor when their beauty fades. Now the Tang King's harem is constantly expanding, and His Majesty will grow old one day. At that time, the Crown Prince will be young and the imperial clan will be weak. If the Tang King uses his military power and the influence of his harem to interfere in the affairs of the court, who can protect the Han dynasty?"

Upon hearing this, even Wang Yun, who had hesitated before, fell silent. Liu Yu sighed deeply, his voice filled with helplessness, "Now, in Luoyang, the people all recognize the Prince of Tang, and His Majesty has become a mere foil. In the army, there are more soldiers shouting 'Long live the General,' than 'Long live the Han Dynasty.' If this continues, I'm afraid the foundation of the Han Dynasty will slowly shift to the Prince of Tang's residence."

"Is there really no way for us?" Prince Fu clenched his fists. "Are we just supposed to stand by and watch? What kind of loyal subjects of the Han Dynasty would we be?!"

"Watch your words!" Liu Yu suddenly hissed, his gaze sweeping warily across his surroundings. Not far away, several Imperial Guards in flying fish robes stood with their hands on their swords, seemingly on guard, but their eyes were sharp as eagles, clearly having overheard the whispers of the crowd. Cold sweat instantly broke out on Liu Yu's back. He quickly raised his voice, changing the subject:
"The Tang King's achievements are unparalleled, a pillar of the Han Dynasty bestowed by Heaven! Your Majesty and the Tang King are husband and wife, ruling the world together, which is a blessing for all people! We, his subjects, should wholeheartedly assist him, how could we have any other thoughts?" As he spoke, he winked at Zhou Zhong, Wang Zifu and others, signaling them to be careful with their words and actions.

But Prince Fu had clearly had enough of this. He flicked his sleeves, showing no sign of restraint, and instead stepped forward, surveying the assembled officials, and spoke with great passion:
"I cannot agree with what Liu Taichang said! The Han Dynasty was won by Emperor Gaozu's uprising after slaying the serpent and by the bloody struggles of twelve emperors. How can we allow a king of a different surname to be above the imperial power? Although the Prince of Tang has military achievements, he should still fulfill his duties as a subject! Today, his willful act of taking His Majesty to heaven is already extremely disrespectful. If he were to use the power of sacred beasts or immortal magic to command the world tomorrow, how would we, the subjects of Han, conduct ourselves? What face would we have to meet our ancestors in the afterlife?"

These words struck like a thunderbolt, instantly silencing the Imperial Ancestral Temple Square. Even the Imperial Guards patrolling in the distance stopped in their tracks, their gazes all fixed on this direction. Zhou Zhong's face turned deathly pale; he tried to pull Wang Zifu away but was pushed away. Wang Yun stamped his feet in frustration, unsure how to smooth things over. Xun Yu frowned, his lips moved, but ultimately remained silent. As for the former warlords like Yuan Shao and Liu Biao, who had been subdued by Su Yao, they all quietly took a few steps back, afraid of being splattered with blood by this hothead's "loyal advice."

The Yuan family had finally benefited from his risky decision, investing all their resources in the Western Regions Development Company, which greatly increased their wealth and allowed them to barely maintain their prestige and regain some of their former glory. They had no desire to get involved in the mess of this "power struggle." Liu Biao turned around, took a few steps back, pretended to straighten his official robes, and sighed inwardly, "Is Prince Fu tired of living? He's finally had two years of peace, and he's already forgotten how the Tang Emperor killed people before?"

(End of this chapter)