I rode and slashed unparalleled in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1102 Baekje Descends from Heaven
"what?!"

"This"

Upon hearing Wan Nian's announcement, the entire audience of civil and military officials was utterly astonished. Tian Chou and Tai Shi Ci were particularly stunned, unable to believe their eyes.

Haidong Prefecture? This elevates the entire Korean Peninsula and the future conquered lands of Japan to the level of a prefecture, on par with the thirteen prefectures in the interior! Tian Chou has become a powerful regional official, and Taishi Ci has been granted the authority to "conquer with absolute power"—what a great trust and responsibility this is!

Tian Chou's caution was instantly overwhelmed by this immense trust and responsibility. He knelt down with a thud, his voice choked with emotion: "Your subject... Your subject Tian Chou will do his utmost, even unto death, to repay Your Majesty and the Prince of Tang for your kindness and favor!"

Taishi Ci's eyes gleamed, and his voice boomed like a bell: "This humble general, Taishi Ci, will certainly not fail His Majesty and the King of Tang's trust! I will lead my soldiers from the East Sea to defend our territory and expand our borders. I will be ready to die for any task at hand!"

Su Yao nodded in satisfaction and helped the two up: "Get up. Establishing a prefecture is not the end, but the beginning. The Three Han states in the south are not under our rule, and the Japanese islands across the sea are acting erratically, which is why our mission has been out of contact for a long time. I have come here this time to prepare to resolve these two issues."

Having said that, Su Yao took out a map, hung it on the wall, and gave the order:
"First of all, Ziyi, the Liaodong navy you previously commanded must be mobilized immediately and sent to the Southern Strait to take these two islands."

Su Yao's finger landed on two islands in the Korean Strait: "These two islands are named Jeju and Tsushima. They guard the choke point of the sea route between Liaodong and the Three Hans. Not only can we build good harbors and station naval forces on the islands, but the larger islands are also rich in water and grass, suitable for raising fine horses. They are the perfect outposts and supply bases for our army. If we take them, our army can advance or retreat as needed, and firmly grasp the control of the sea in the east!"

"I will finally understand!"

Shi Ci stared intently at the map and said, "I don't know the situation on Tsushima Island, but I do know a little about Jeju Island. It is said that there are several thousand Hu people there, who have established their own kingdom and have close ties with the Three Han states across the way, even having kinship ties. If we rashly launch an attack, I'm afraid the chieftains of the Three Han states will not stand idly by."

"Ziyi, you're overthinking it." Su Yao laughed. "Our Heavenly Dynasty's army will never wage unjust war. You should send out a fleet first, carrying His Majesty's decree, to appoint the chieftain and bestow official titles."

“Give them two paths—either accept the imperial edict, lead their people to surrender to the Great Han, and become obedient subjects under the rule of my Haidong Prefecture. Not only can they continue to live in their ancestral land, but I will also send people to give them farming tools and teach them farming and weaving, so that they can live a much richer and more stable life than they do now.”

Su Yao's voice was steady and powerful, carrying an undeniable authority:
"Either, it will be seen as defying the might of Heaven and resisting the rule of the emperor! When my army is on the border, it will no longer be about bestowing official titles and seals, but about drawing swords and spears! As for the Three Hans?"

Su Yao smiled slightly: "I will not forget them. You should also mobilize the army in the state. I will personally go south tomorrow to persuade the leaders of the Three Hans."

persuade??
Taishi Ci's heart skipped a beat. He had known Su Yao for a long time, and he knew all too well what those words meant.
Taishi Ci clasped his hands in agreement, his gaze falling on the area marked "Bianhan," "Mahan," and "Jinhan" on the map. He couldn't help but ask, "Your Highness, if the tribes of the Three Han refuse to submit, should we directly..." He made a gesture of wielding a sword, a sharp glint of battle-hardened cunning flashing in his eyes.

Su Yao chuckled softly, his fingertips gently stroking the golden pestle, which immediately crackled with subtle lightning: "Courtesy before force is the way to show the grandeur of our Han Dynasty. I will take Griffin to see their leader. If they are sensible and willing to offer land, tribute, and send their sons to Luoyang as hostages, I can preserve their tribe and even grant them Han official titles; if they remain stubborn..."

Before he could finish speaking, Tian Chou stepped forward and added, "I have already had people investigate and found out that among the Three Hans, Ma Han is the strongest. Its leader, Kim Yeon, calls himself 'King Jin' and has 30,000 tribal warriors under his command. In recent years, they have frequently harassed our Liaodong border and plundered Han people to enslave them. Although Byeonhan and Jinhan are weak, they also rely on Ma Han and outwardly comply with our Great Han while inwardly opposing it."

"Thirty thousand warriors?" Su Yao scoffed. "Nothing but chickens and dogs."

And so, on that very day, Haidong Prefecture was officially established. Taishi Ci issued a mobilization order, while Su Yao, after arranging everything, took Wan Nian and Shafiya to tour Lelang City and enjoy the festivities with the people. The next morning, as dawn broke, Griffin let out a long howl and flew south with Su Yao on its back.

In the sky, he saw three hundred warships on the coast setting sail, their red dragon flags fluttering in the sea breeze, like a red torrent heading south. Behind the warships followed hundreds of civilian ships of various sizes, transporting soldiers.

This fleet was not only heading towards Jeju Island, but also shouldering the important task of carrying out the Incheon landing.

As for why this is the case...
Looking down at the earth from the sky, Su Yao saw that the central part of the peninsula was covered with mountains and dense forests, and there was not a single smooth road leading south.

This is also the fundamental reason why the Han Dynasty's control over the Korean Peninsula was always limited to the northern plains, making it difficult to effectively penetrate into the heart of the Three Han states in the south. Land marches were not only time-consuming, but also involved navigating complex terrain and potential ambushes, and supply lines were easily cut off.

"Indeed, a amphibious landing and a direct assault on the enemy's stronghold is the fastest and most effective method," Su Yao realized. Taishi Ci clearly understood his strategic intent: a simultaneous land and sea assault.

Griffin flew at incredible speed, soaring over the fleet and eliciting gasps and cheers from the soldiers below. Su Yao did not stop, flying directly towards the southern part of the peninsula.

Griffin's speed far surpassed that of any warship or steed. In less than two hours, he crossed the mountains of central Korea and arrived at the border of Mahan. The scenery below gradually changed from high mountains and dense forests to open plains.

His first target was Wirye Castle, the core stronghold of the Mahan Kingdom, which was a vassal state of Baekje.

Baekje Kingdom was the same as Baekje Kingdom, and Wirye Castle was the capital of Baekje Kingdom at that time. The city was located on the banks of the Han River in the central part of the Korean Peninsula, where the land was flat and fertile.

In later generations, Wiryeongseong was better known by the name Hanseong or Seoul.

Using Griffin's air superiority, Su Yao quickly located the city of Weili. It was an earthen and stone fortress built against the mountains and overlooking the sea. Its scale was far smaller than that of cities in the Central Plains, but it was still quite imposing for this region. Inside and outside the fortress walls, many soldiers wearing leather armor and carrying bronze or iron weapons could be seen patrolling. In the center of the fortress, there was a significantly taller building decorated with animal skin banners and huge animal bones, which must have been the "royal court" of Baekje.

When Griffin's enormous golden figure appeared in the sky above Weili City, the entire fortress was instantly plunged into unprecedented panic.

"Oh my God, what is that?!"

"Look, there seems to be someone on that bird!"

"Could it be... a mount of a god?!"

Upon witnessing this scene, the Baekje people within the city—soldiers, nobles, and commoners alike—rushed out of their houses, gazing up at this mythical sight. Screams, prayers, and the cries of children filled the air. Many knelt directly on the ground, bowing in worship to the sky.
(End of this chapter)