I rode and slashed unparalleled in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1100 The overall situation has been decided
In Yuan Shao's magnificent essay, he unprecedentedly compared Su Yao's western expedition to "the Duke of Zhou assisting in governance, yet far surpassing the Duke of Zhou's achievements in expanding territory," and stated directly that "the Parthians and the Kushans honor him as the King of Kings, not as a usurper, but as a barbarian who submits out of fear of his power. If the Han Dynasty does not bestow upon him a title commensurate with his reputation, it will lose the hearts of all nations."

In the end, Yuan Shao boldly proposed: "The King of Tang should be honored as the 'Grand General of Heavenly Strategy,' commanding all the troops in the world and governing the Western Regions, Parthia, Kushan and other vassal states. In addition to the nine gifts previously bestowed, such as the privilege of not having to call him by name, not having to hasten his steps when entering the court, and being allowed to wear a sword and shoes in the palace, we should also add the condition that his position is above all other kings and that he should be honored on par with the Emperor!"

This proposal immediately caused an uproar between the government and the public.

Wang Yun was at home, holding a newspaper, when in a fit of anger he almost threw his teacup away.

"Absurd! Ridiculous!"

"He actually claims to be on par with the Emperor? Has Yuan Shao lost his mind?! If this precedent is set, where will His Majesty be? Where will the ancestral temples of the Han Dynasty be?!"

He paced back and forth in his study in a fit of rage, his hair and beard bristling. Liu Yu, Zhou Zhong, and the others standing nearby were also ashen-faced, looking as if they had lost their parents.

"The Yuan family has held high office for four generations, enjoying the favor of the Han Dynasty for generations, yet they utter such rebellious words!" Zhou Zhong slammed his fist on the table. "He's trying to use the power of the Tang Emperor to elevate the Yuan family! It's utterly shameless!"

"It must be refuted! It must be refuted immediately!" one of Liu Yu's students exclaimed excitedly. "We must jointly submit a letter to denounce such fallacies! We must not allow such twisted logic and heresy to mislead people!"

However, their anger and cries seemed so weak and powerless amidst the gradually boiling tide of public opinion in Luoyang and even the whole country.

Yuan Shao's article was like a boulder thrown into a lake, creating ripples far beyond imagination. This was not only due to the prestige of his Yuan family, but also because he accurately struck a chord with many people—especially the nobles and merchants who had profited greatly from the Western Regions Development Company and the Silk Road, as well as military generals eager to advance their careers through military achievements.

“Yuan Benchu’s words resonate deeply with me!” A member of the Wei family from Hedong, who had invested heavily in the Western Regions Development Company, exclaimed in approval. “His Highness the Prince of Tang has brought real gold, silver and land with him as he expands the territory! Must we still use old rules to bind His Highness and confine our vision to this corner of the Central Plains?”

"That's right! What do you mean by being on par with the emperor? I think we should go even further!" A burly border general shouted in the tavern, startling his tablemates who quickly tried to cover his mouth, but he broke free. "What's there to be afraid of? His Highness is leading us to wealth and giving us merit. If we don't support His Highness, who should we support? Should we support those pedantic scholars who only know classical Chinese and whose legs go weak at the sight of blood?"

In the marketplace, the discussion was even more heated. In teahouses and taverns, on every street corner, almost everyone was talking about the "Great Etiquette Council."

"If you ask me, His Highness the Tang King is a god descended from heaven! He captured the Parthian King so easily, and can even ride a divine beast to fly through the sky and escape into the earth. What else could he be but a true dragon? I've heard that the people in the Western Regions call him the Holy Lord and revere him as a god-king!"

"Shh! Keep your voice down! But... you're right. Her Majesty is the Empress, and the Prince of Tang is the God of War. Isn't it good that they, husband and wife, rule the world together?"

"General Yuan's statement about 'being on par with the Emperor' is well said! Your Highness has made such great contributions, you deserve a commensurate title!"

Of course, there were also dissenting voices. Some scholars who adhered to Confucian orthodoxy were heartbroken and gathered in the Imperial Academy or private schools, citing classical texts to refute Yuan Shao's arguments and emphasizing that the fundamental principles of loyalty between ruler and subject should not be transgressed. However, their voices were quickly drowned out by the more pragmatic, even somewhat fanatical, wave of support for the Tang dynasty.

This trend quickly spread to all prefectures and counties across the country through the well-developed postal system and the special edition of the "Great Han Monthly".

However, what's intriguing is that the Tang Emperor and Empress, who were at the center of the vortex, have remained completely hidden since that day.

This is not an exaggeration, but a fact.

Su Yao vanished without a trace after issuing the order for a grand ceremony at the Imperial Ancestral Temple that day. Even his newly acquired princess disappeared without a trace that same evening.

He left behind only a letter, stating that all national affairs, except for military matters, would be temporarily handled by the various departments of the three provinces, and that they must be devoted to serving the country and loyal to their duties. He himself then personally led the Empress on a tour of the four directions, "to personally witness the magnificence of our great Han Dynasty and to observe the realities of the people's suffering."

This extraordinary event threw the imperial ministers, including Lu Zhi, Xun Yu, Zhu Jun, Wang Yun, and Dong Cheng, into chaos.

Although they urgently tried to block the news and discuss a countermeasure, a report came from Chenliu City that evening that a divine bird had descended from the sky and His Majesty had personally arrived, shattering all their efforts.

In an instant, officials were in uproar, and the entire nation was shocked. "Outrageous! Outrageous! Nonsense!"

Lu Zhi, the old Grand Tutor who had cultivated a remarkable ability to control his temper since assuming the position of Grand Secretary, finally lost his temper once again, and his entire being erupted in anger:
"The Tang King's actions are far too reckless! The 'Great Rites Controversy' is at a critical juncture, and with both the Emperor and Empress leaving the capital, how will the affairs of state be handled? If further changes occur in the various prefectures and counties, how will the court respond?"

Lu Zhi was furious.

It should be noted that Lu Zhi, as someone who dared to stand up and directly criticize Dong Zhuo's tyranny back then, naturally had an extremely volatile temper.

However, he always turned a blind eye to Su Yao, enduring it for the sake of the country, and that was about it.

After all, Lu Zhi knew that Su Yao was frivolous, but this man had indeed made great contributions to the country and was extremely powerful. Lu Zhi had almost personally witnessed this young man climb to the top of power and sweep across the world.

Moreover, aside from the occasional outrageous behavior, Su Yao has always maintained a policy of non-interference in daily state affairs, and he is rarely seen in court throughout the year. Without contact, there are naturally few conflicts.

But this time, it was really, really too much.

How could they just kidnap the emperor without saying a word?

What should they do?
Lu Zhi's anger echoed in the Hall of State Affairs, but the only response he received were the helpless smiles of several senior officials and the faint sounds of bustling city life coming from outside the window—the people of Luoyang were still discussing the "Great Rites Controversy" and the news of His Majesty and the Prince of Tang's tour of Kaifeng.

"Lord Lu, please calm down."

Xun Yu, the Chamberlain, spoke slowly, but his thoughts differed somewhat from Lu Zhi's.

He picked up the letter Lu Zhi had tossed on the table, his gaze falling on the words "temporarily handed over to the Three Departments and various ministries," and suddenly smiled:
"Grand Tutor, you're blinded by your own involvement. The Tang King's actions may seem frivolous, but they are in fact a test of his trust in us."

Lu Zhi was taken aback by these words: "What do you mean by that, Wenruo?"

Xun Yu gently placed the letter back on the table, his gaze sweeping over the solemn faces of the people in the Hall of State Affairs:

"Have you all forgotten? Since the Tang Emperor reformed the system and vigorously promoted the Three Departments and Six Ministries, the powers and responsibilities of the Secretariat in charge of decision-making, the Chancellery in charge of deliberation, and the Department of State Affairs in charge of execution have been clearly divided. Furthermore, the Six Ministries each have their own duties—the Ministry of Revenue is in charge of grain tax, the Ministry of Personnel is in charge of appointments and removals, the Ministry of War is in charge of military and political affairs, and the Ministry of Justice is in charge of criminal justice. Even the performance evaluation of local counties and the dispatch of post stations have ready-made regulations to follow."

"The fact that the Prince of Tang dared to leave the capital with His Majesty at this time demonstrates his trust in our governing abilities and is also a test of whether this new system can withstand scrutiny!"

He paused, looking out the window: "Moreover, the Tang King hasn't completely relinquished control. The letter clearly states that military affairs remain under the jurisdiction of the Grand General's Mansion, which is enough to deter any troublemakers. Furthermore, that divine bird can travel a thousand miles a day; if something truly happens, it can arrive in a matter of days. This is truly a pillar of stability. As for this 'Great Rites Controversy'..."

Xun Yu turned his gaze to the window, looking at the azure sky, and sighed softly: "The Tang King has left this to the world to discuss, while he himself is taking His Majesty on a tour of the four directions. This is the most brilliant move."

"The core of the 'Great Rites Controversy' was never 'whether or not to be granted a title,' but 'whether the people of the world will accept it.' If the Tang Emperor had remained in Luoyang, whether he nodded or shook his head, he would have been accused of 'using his power to oppress others' or 'disregarding merits.' But now he is touring the country with His Majesty."

"Just imagine, what would the people think when they saw him riding the divine bird?"

"The outcome is decided! The outcome is decided!"

(End of this chapter)