I rode and slashed unparalleled in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1118 The Pacification of the Japanese Islands
"Blood for blood!"

"Tit for tooth!"

Around the altar, countless Han soldiers shouted in response to Su Yao's words.

In haste, two elite Han soldiers escorted Himiko, who was shackled and emaciated, to the altar. This once arrogant and domineering king, now with disheveled hair, tattered clothes, and scorch marks from a lightning strike on his face, had lost all his regal bearing.

When he saw the skeletons and banners on the altar, and then glanced at the densely packed Han soldiers with cold eyes below the platform, as well as the leaders from Yamatai and the Three Hans, his legs went weak and he collapsed to the ground on the spot, losing control of his bladder and bowels. A foul stench immediately filled the air.

This disgraceful display drew a scornful murmur from the audience. Queen Himiko of Yamatai, seated beside the Empress of Ten Thousand Years, watched her former nemesis in such a wretched state, her eyes filled with no pity, only boundless awe for the might of the Han Dynasty.

At this moment, the Queen was incredibly grateful that she had chosen to pay tribute and submit to the Han Dynasty instead of acting recklessly like the Dog Slave Kingdom. The leaders of the various tribes of the Three Han were all trembling with fear, remembering how they had almost ended up in the same situation, and they all lowered their heads, afraid of attracting Su Yao's attention.

Soon, after Taishi Ci publicly read out the crimes of the Dog Slave Kingdom, the final execution was finally scheduled.

After exchanging a glance with Wan Nian, Su Yao said to Jiang Qin, "Gong Yi, the chief envoy of the mission was your comrade-in-arms who died here. This enmity should be settled by you personally."

Jiang Qin's eyes were already bloodshot. Upon hearing this, he clasped his hands in a fist salute, his voice like a sob: "This humble general obeys! Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness!"

With a clang, he drew the ring-pommel sword that had accompanied him in battle and had also tasted blood on Tsushima Island, and strode onto the altar.

Jiang Qin walked step by step toward Himiko, that dark-skinned, ugly little man. Images of his comrades dying tragically, his own days and nights of imprisonment, and the brothers who were tortured to death flashed through his mind.
"Thirty-seven brothers in my mission died because of you. Today, I will use your blood to comfort their souls in heaven!"

Jiang Qin's chilling murderous aura caused Himiko, who had already resigned herself to her fate, to suddenly struggle violently, letting out unintelligible whimpers and howls as she tried her best to crawl away, but was held down firmly by her personal guards.

Jiang Qin took a large step forward, without the slightest hesitation, and with a swift motion, he slashed down with his knife.

Swah——

Blood splattered, Himiko's howl abruptly ceased, his head flew high and rolled to the ground, his eyes wide open, filled with boundless despair and fear, as he completed his sinful life.

Seeing this, everyone below held their breath, not daring to even breathe loudly. Queen Himiko of Yamatai clenched her hands tightly, her nails almost digging into her palms.

If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she simply couldn't believe that the Dog Slave Kingdom, which had been relentlessly pursuing her just over ten days ago, had fallen so easily. The ambitious king, Ruzhu, was slaughtered like a pig or a dog, and the capital, hidden in the mountains, was burned to the ground.
After beheading Himiko, Su Yao did not stop. He glanced at the Dog Slave Kingdom's Grand Preceptor, Dog Kojihiko, and several core nobles who were being held aside, and said coldly, "These people are the masterminds behind the ambush of the Han envoy and the mistreatment of prisoners. Their crimes are unforgivable. Execute them all, and hang their heads at the port of Hakata Bay for three days!"

The Han soldiers responded in unison, and with another flash of swords, several heads fell to the ground. Blood flowed down the stone steps of the altar, dripping into the sea below, attracting seabirds to circle, adding to the grim atmosphere.

After dealing with the ringleaders, Su Yao turned to the leaders of the various tribes on the Japanese islands below the stage—besides the Yamatai Kingdom, there were also the leaders of several nearby small tribes that had submitted to the Dog Slave Kingdom, who were now ashen-faced with fear. “You were once affiliated with the Dog Slave Kingdom. Although you did not directly participate in the ambush, you were guilty of condoning it. However, considering you were not the masterminds, I will not pursue the matter for now. But from this day forward, all the tribes on the Japanese islands must submit to the Great Han, be governed by the Haidong Prefecture, pay tribute on time, and send your sons to Luoyang to learn the customs and laws of our Han Dynasty. Those who disobey will suffer the same fate as the Dog Slave Kingdom!”

The tribal chiefs dared not utter a single objection, and knelt down one after another, repeatedly promising, "We are willing to surrender to the Great Han! We will obey the orders of the Tang King and will never have any disloyal thoughts!"

Following these people, Queen Himiko of Yamatai also rose from her seat. Holding the golden seal of the king that the Han envoy had brought her earlier, she knelt down with a thud.
“Japan is a tiny and insignificant country. We dare not claim to be kings or to be on par with Your Majesty.”

Her words were sincere. Himiko had already found out on her way there that the young and valiant god-king in front of her was just a mere king, just like herself.
This, this, this.
What level are they at? What level are we at? Do we even deserve to be called kings?

Immediately, Himiko raised the golden seal high above her head, her voice trembling with awe, and said, "Today, thanks to the arrival of heavenly troops, the rebels have been annihilated and my people saved. The Kingdom of Yamatai wishes to forever be a vassal state of the Great Han, to serve Your Majesty and the King of Tang as our common rulers, to faithfully uphold our duties as subjects, and to come to court every year. We earnestly request Your Majesty and the King of Tang to take back this seal and bestow upon it a new name, so as to set the record straight!"

Her kneeling and pleading were extremely humble, expressing both her fear of the Han Dynasty's swift and decisive actions and her utmost sincerity and submission. She knew very well that having witnessed the destruction of the Dog Slave Kingdom, maintaining the so-called independence of the "King of Wa" was nothing but a pipe dream. Voluntarily returning the golden seal and requesting "rectification of name" was, in fact, the best option—a strategic retreat to gain a relatively advantageous position in the new order.

The Empress and Su Yao exchanged a glance and nodded slightly. Su Yao stepped forward, but did not immediately take the golden seal. Instead, he said loudly, "Queen Himiko is wise and righteous, and has taken the initiative to submit. This is a blessing for the people of the Japanese islands. Your Majesty and I are very pleased."

"His Majesty has bestowed upon you the golden seal of the King of Japan by word of law. This is a divine favor, and there is no reason to take it back. Since you have sincerely submitted and are obedient to the duties of a subject, you may sit on this throne with peace of mind."

Himiko felt somewhat relieved upon hearing this, but remained prostrate, awaiting further instructions. She knew that the true power structure was bound to change.

Su Yao changed the subject, his gaze sweeping across the entire bay and the Kyushu mountain range faintly visible in the distance:
"However, the Kingdom of Dog Slave has rebelled against the Celestial Dynasty, and the evidence of its crimes is conclusive. Its territory has already been pacified by the royal army. This land of Kyushu cannot be without a master for even a day, and it must not be allowed to be ravaged again."

He paused briefly, then his voice suddenly rose, carrying an undeniable air of authority:

Therefore, Your Majesty and I have reached the following decision:
I. The former Dog Slave Kingdom and its affiliated territories, namely the entire Kyushu Island, will be established as 'Yinghai County' and placed under the jurisdiction of Haidong Prefecture! This will involve promoting immigration and land reclamation, suppressing remaining enemy forces, and registering households as equal citizens.

2. The Yingzhou Commandery of Kyushu, the Yamatai Kingdom of Honshu, and all other tribes, large and small, on all other islands must abide by the laws of the Great Han Dynasty, abolish private punishments, and are prohibited from maintaining more than the allotted number of soldiers. As for the necessary defenses…”

Su Yao looked at Jiang Qin, patted him on the shoulder, and pointed to the ground beneath their feet, saying:
"Now, Gongyi is promoted to the rank of Fusang Zhonglang General, leading 3,000 troops to build 'Fusang Castle' on the shore of Hakata Bay, where he will be stationed and garrisoned permanently! He will oversee the defense of Yinghai County and the various domains on the Japanese islands, and supervise all departments. If there is any unusual activity, you are authorized to execute first and report later!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Qin's heart surged with emotion. The humiliation and hatred of the past few months transformed into a heavy sense of responsibility and trust. He knelt heavily on one knee, clasped his hands in agreement, and his voice was as firm as iron:

"This humble general, Jiang Qin, obeys the order! I will use my life as a shield to defend Haidong and will never fail His Majesty and His Highness's trust! The city stands as long as I stand, and the city falls as I fall!"

(End of this chapter)