I rode and slashed unparalleled in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1124 Universal Ruler
The following day, the sun shone brightly at the Hanoi Prefectural Governor's Office.

As Su Yao stretched and walked out of the room, he saw that the county magistrate, Qian Zhao, was already waiting at the door, respectfully presenting a news report sent from Luoyang.

Su Yao took the thick stack of documents presented by Qian Zhao and quickly browsed through the minutes of the court discussions from Luoyang. When he saw the proposal for the title "Emperor," his gaze froze.

How could it be this? I only went to the Japanese islands once.

The first thing that flashed through Su Yao's mind was those abstract elements of the Japanese royal family.

In an instant, Su Yao came to his senses. This title was simply stolen and ruined by the Japanese—the original emperor was Emperor Gaozong of Tang, Li Zhi, and had nothing to do with the Japanese.

Then, Su Yao's gaze was quickly drawn to Yuan Shao and Wei Ming's impassioned speech, and a playful smile appeared on his lips.

"These guys are quite the troublemakers." Su Yao chuckled, turned and went into the house, handing the document to Princess Wannian, who was having her long hair combed by a maid.
"Your Majesty, please take a look. Our ministers have come up with something truly remarkable."

Wan Nian took the document and read it carefully. When his gaze swept over the words "Emperor," his fingertips paused slightly. He then looked up at Su Yao, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

"These Mr. Wei and Yuan Shao have really gone too far in praising my husband, making him surpass three generations in stature. They must be furious. I can already imagine the uproar in the court."

Wan Nian put down the document, sighed softly, and joked, "My husband is quite composed. Knowing that Luoyang is in complete chaos, he still insisted on staying in Hanoi with me, waiting for them to settle their score. I never expected that my husband's methods of political maneuvering have become so sophisticated."

Although Princess Wannian's words were tinged with a hint of teasing, a fleeting look of worry crossed her eyes.

How could she not know the weight of the title "Emperor"?

This is no longer a matter of being on equal footing with the "Son of Heaven," but rather a matter of directly surpassing the "Son of Heaven's" status. This is by no means a simple dispute over etiquette, but a fundamental issue concerning the imperial power structure and ideology.

Upon hearing this, Su Yao laughed heartily, walked behind Wan Nian, took the jade comb from the maid's hand, and personally combed her cascading black hair, his movements gentle yet slightly awkward.

"I don't care what they think, I only care about Her Majesty the Queen's opinion."

Wan Nian suddenly paused, raised her head, and gazed deeply into Su Yao's eyes. After a moment, she took Su Yao's hand, stood up, and gracefully bowed in one smooth motion.
"My lord is the will of the people, and I am willing to abdicate."

"Your Majesty?!" The maids exclaimed in surprise.

Su Yao stared at Wan Nian's sudden prostration and the panicked maids around her, momentarily stunned, then a look of understanding and pity flashed in his eyes. However, he didn't immediately help her up, but allowed Wan Nian to remain in that posture, saying:
"Your Majesty, what are you doing? Get up."

“My lord,” Wan Nian raised her head, took a deep breath, and said, “I am serious. Since my father was imprisoned and the Han dynasty collapsed, if it weren’t for my lord’s efforts to turn the tide and sweep away the rival warlords, let alone this throne, I and the people of this world would probably have fallen into unknown straits long ago. My lord’s achievements surpass those of three generations and cover the entire world; no subject can repay them. Now the people’s hearts are with you, and the mandate of heaven is with you. How dare I go against heaven and the people for my own position? This throne should rightfully belong to my lord…”

"Confused!"

Su Yao interrupted her, finally reaching out to pull Wan Nian up and into his arms, completely ignoring the bowed heads and flushed cheeks of the maids around them.

Su Yao looked down at the lovely girl in his arms, feeling both heartache and anger, and said:
"If I, Su Yao, wanted this throne, why would I have waited until today? Back in Luoyang, I had countless opportunities to don the yellow robe, but I didn't. Why? Because what I, Su Yao, am fighting for is the world, the submission of all under heaven, the tribute of all nations, and the glory of my Han civilization throughout the world, not merely the empty title of emperor of the Central Plains!"

He held Wan Nian's shoulders, making her look directly into his eyes: "Remember, you are my wife, the empress I personally placed on the throne and announced to the world! As long as I, Su Yao, am alive, the emperor of this Han Dynasty will always be you! No one can replace you, including myself."

Su Yao's words brought tears to Wan Nian's eyes.

She was deeply moved by Su Yao's protection, but she knew in her heart that now was the time. Without a proper title, words would lack authority; the countless disputes and conflicts that had occurred in the court since her ascension to the throne were all related to their current awkward position.

Especially after Su Yao's western expedition, rumors and gossip in the court became rampant. Although she established a crown prince, it was difficult to dispel everyone's doubts.

The Tang Emperor was too powerful; no one was unafraid of his position.

Such internal strife is definitely not good for the imperial court, nor can it last.

Therefore, Wan Nian had been preparing in her heart all along, waiting for this day. Now that she saw Su Yao taking the initiative to promote the development of public opinion, she knew that the time had come.

Although she was indeed reluctant to give up this power and status, she also felt quite guilty about the change of the Liu family's dynasty.

But she knew very well that this was beyond human control. Her husband had long transcended the realm of humans; he was a celestial being.

Since fate cannot be defied, why not be more magnanimous, adapt to change, minimize the turmoil in the world, and reduce casualties among the Liu clan?

Wan Nian, her eyes brimming with tears, said, "My lord, the will of Heaven is unyielding, and the people's hearts are with us. This title of 'Emperor'..."

"If they dare to make the offer, then of course I dare to accept it!" Su Yao smiled slightly, touching Wan Nian's cheek, his smile filled with an air of domineering confidence. "But this 'Emperor' is not going to replace your 'Son of Heaven' and Emperor."

Immediately afterwards, Su Yao pulled Wan Nian to the window and pointed to the vast sky and earth outside:

"Look, under this vast sky and on this fertile land, the world is far more expansive than this corner of the Central Plains beneath our feet. My battlefield is the entire world! I will make the banner of the Han Dynasty fly high in Kushan, Parthia, Rome, and even more distant and unknown lands, and let our names be sung."

He turned around, his gaze intense: "'Emperor' can be my title, representing my supreme authority and great achievements in ruling the eight wastelands. I am the King of Kings, the ruler of the universe, the only sovereign under heaven, and the representative of the gods on earth. 'Son of Heaven' is still you, your earthly emperor who rules over China and governs all people. We are husband and wife, one. I am the 'Emperor,' and you are the 'Empress,' still holding the throne of the Han Dynasty, managing the Central Plains on my behalf and overseeing all earthly affairs. In this way, divine power and imperial power coexist without conflict, rewarding my achievements without stripping you of your position, and bringing peace to the hearts of the people. What do you think?"

Su Yao's words were like a thunderclap, exploding in Wan Nian's heart and instantly dispelling all the confusion and anxiety. She had never imagined that this title could be interpreted in this way, or that power could be arranged in this way!

"Emperor...Empress..." Wan Nian murmured to himself, his eyes growing brighter and brighter.

She immediately realized how ingenious Su Yao's suggestion was:
The title "Emperor" highlights his extraordinary achievements and status, making him a godlike figure. It satisfies the admiration of his subjects and the pressure of public opinion, while also elevating his personal authority to an unprecedented level, almost equal to "Heaven," above all secular royal power. He is the king of kings and the emperor of emperors.

The title "Empress of Heaven" not only clearly defined her supreme status as the Emperor's principal wife, but also preserved her identity as the "Son of Heaven" and the actual power of the Emperor, allowing her to continue ruling the Han Dynasty and governing the Chinese territory. This was not an abdication, but an elevation; it was the addition of a higher-level, symbolic, and divinely significant supreme position to the existing power structure.

In this way, there was no need to shake the legitimacy of the Han Dynasty, and the problem of Su Yao's great achievements overshadowing the emperor and his titles being insufficient to reward his merits was completely solved. Furthermore, the relationship between the two was more closely bound together through their titles, making them the highest symbols of this vast empire.

"My lord, this plan, this plan is brilliant!" Wan Nian excitedly grasped Su Yao's hand, her voice trembling slightly. "In this way, the laws and regulations can be upheld, meritorious officials can be rewarded, and the world can be at peace! However, however, this Emperor seems somewhat unrealistic. Wouldn't that be unfair to my lord?"

The thought that Su Yao would occupy the supreme, yet perhaps even more detached, position of "Emperor," while she herself would still hold real power, made her feel somewhat uneasy.

"Feeling wronged?" Su Yao laughed loudly. "This world belongs to our family, what is there to feel wronged about? I've said before, you handle the trivial political affairs, I'm too lazy to care, I'm happy to be idle, I just need to focus on expanding our territory and conquering the rebellious. Now that we have this title of 'Emperor,' it's even more legitimate. In the future, when I lead a large army to conquer the west, or ride the Griffin to tour the world, who will dare to utter a single word of dissent?"

Upon hearing this, Wan Nian burst into laughter through her tears, the last trace of gloom in her eyes completely vanishing, replaced by unparalleled brightness and determination. She gripped Su Yao's hand tightly and nodded vigorously:

"I understand! I will do as my husband says! I will now draft an edict to summon all the ministers to discuss the grand ceremony of bestowing the title of 'Emperor'!"

(End of this chapter)