I rode and slashed unparalleled in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1131 The Parthian Front Collapses, the Han Dynasty Sweeps Away the Enemy (4K4)

"Your Highness is right."

At the Nisa Palace, Zhang Liao smiled and clasped his hands in a fist salute.
"Your Highness's previous move to persuade General Bahram to surrender was truly a visionary step."

Su Yao's heavy reliance on the surrendered general Bahram clearly removed obstacles to the Parthian people's submission.

At first, many people were still observing how the situation would develop.

But when news of the disastrous defeat at Bailaomen spread, everyone knew that the current royal family was probably doomed.

And so, the avalanche began.

"We're doomed! The royal army has fled. How are we supposed to fight those ferocious enemies?"

"Surrender! Surrender now! Immediately send someone to present the surrender document to those Han people!"

"They'll agree to any condition as long as they can save their lives and property!"

In the afterglow of the Han army's resounding victory, countless cities raised white flags, opened their gates to surrender, or simply sent people to find nearby Han generals in order to receive their protection.

"After the great victory at Bailaomen, Zilong and General Bahram divided their forces into two routes. One route advanced westward to crush the enemy, while the other marched south to take over the cities. Cities along the way were terrified at the mere mention of their name, and surrenders poured in. Within half a month, dozens of cities in the former Parthian territory, eastern Media, and even the northern coast of the Persian Gulf were all pacified by a single proclamation. Those who stubbornly resisted, such as a few fortresses in Khuzestan, were also defeated by General Zilong's troops in no time at all."

Lu Su added from the side, his tone carrying the calm analysis of a scholar: "This is all because the Holy Lord's divine power had previously penetrated deeply into the hearts of the people of Xi, and the main force of the false king had been severely damaged. The nobles and generals in his country all knew that the situation was hopeless, and resistance would be tantamount to throwing eggs against rocks. In addition, General Bahram's personal testimony showed that those who surrendered could not only save their lives and property, but even have the opportunity to obtain official positions in the new dynasty. Naturally, followers flocked to him."

Anmoti bowed and said, “That is indeed the case. Now, everything east of the Salt Desert is under the control of the Holy Lord. The surrender documents and household registers of various cities are being sent to Nisa one after another, awaiting the Holy Lord’s decree on the governance strategy. As for the Parthian false king Vologasis VI, he has fled back to Ctesiphon upon hearing the news. Now, only his commander-in-chief Ispabdan is gathering the defeated troops in Ecbatana, intending to use the Salt Desert as a barrier to delay our army’s attack.”

"it is good!"

"Wen Yuan's command was excellent, Zi Jing's deployment was skillful, and Zi Long, An Mo Ti, and Bahram are all my right-hand men. During my return to the east, you not only stabilized the situation but also expanded our territory by thousands of miles, demonstrating our national power. How magnificent!"

Su Yao first praised everyone highly, and then announced various rewards for them.

In addition to the usual promotions and titles, Su Yao also generously allocated a large fiefdom to his confidants in the Land of Rest, creating a scene of land division and territorial expansion.

Immediately, apart from Anmoti and other Parthians, Zhang Liao and Lu Su, along with other Han officials, all changed their expressions.

"This, how can this be?" Zhang Liao stammered, while Lu Su thought about it even more:
"Yes, Your Highness has bestowed these titles without authorization. If this gets back to the court..."

"no need to worry."

Su Yao laughed and handed a stack of newspapers to everyone: "I can still manage with this small reward."

Zhang Liao, Lu Su, and the others took the newspaper, and were all stunned after just one glance.

The front page headline of the "Great Han Monthly" boldly proclaimed in the largest font: "By Imperial Decree: Having established his rule over the East Sea, his power extends throughout the world, his achievements surpass those of three generations, and his title has been officially established!"

The report detailed the grand ceremony of worshipping Heaven in the southern suburbs of Luoyang, the joint honorary title bestowed upon Emperor Su Yao and Empress Wan Nian, and the original text of Su Yao's edict, which stated that he "commands all the troops under Heaven, is in charge of rites, music, and conquest, educates the barbarians, and is above all kings and emperors," and was repeatedly quoted and highlighted in bold.

"His Majesty the Emperor?!"

Zhang Liao's hand trembled, and he almost dropped the newspaper. He looked up at Su Yao with disbelief and shock in his eyes.

Lu Su quickly skimmed through the rest of the article. When he saw phrases like "The Emperor and Empress, husband and wife as one, sharing the Mandate of Heaven, jointly caring for all people," a look of realization, admiration, and deep emotion flashed in his eyes. He let out a long sigh, solemnly closed the newspaper, and bowed deeply to Su Yao once more.
"We, your humble servants, are isolated overseas, cut off from all news, and were completely unaware of this earth-shattering upheaval in the Central Plains! Your Highness... no, His Majesty the Emperor, with your profound wisdom and unique insight, has devised a strategy that not only achieves unparalleled merit but also secures the foundation of the nation and establishes eternal legitimacy. We... are utterly convinced and submit!" He finally understood. Su Yao was not abusing his power; rather, he had already acquired a supreme title and authority surpassing that of traditional emperors. With the title "Emperor," his act of granting fiefdoms was no longer an overstepping of authority but rather the exercise of the supreme power of the Emperor, "ruling over all realms!" The court? The court was now jointly ruled by the Empress and the Emperor, and the Emperor's will was itself the highest law!

Zhang Liao also realized what was happening, his face flushed with excitement, and he and the other generals knelt down with a thud: "We, your humble generals, thank Your Majesty the Emperor for His divine grace! Long live Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty!"

The previous worries vanished instantly, replaced by boundless excitement and honor. Territory personally bestowed by the Emperor—what an honor and trust this was!
Princess Amina was even more excited, staggering and kneeling, her eyes glistening with tears as she looked at Su Yao.

"No need to be polite, just get up."

After accepting the bows of the crowd with composure, Su Yao chuckled and said, "The Land of Rest is vast and rich, not something that can be governed by one person or one race. You have fought alongside me in bloody battles, expanding this land by thousands of miles, and you should share in this land. From now on, you will be my bulwark in the west. You must not only protect the land and its people, but also promote Sinicization, making this place an inseparable part of the territory of my Great Han!"

His gaze swept over the excited crowd, finally settling on Anmoti and the other surrendered Parthian officials: "Anmoti, your defection from darkness to light is a great achievement. I will not be stingy with my rewards. I hope that you will devote yourselves to assisting Generals Zhang Liao and Lu Su in governing the region, educating the people, and making our Han civilization shine brightly here."

Anmoti and the others were already moved to tears, and they fell to the ground, shouting in heavily accented Chinese: "We swear to serve His Majesty the Emperor to the death! We are willing to serve His Majesty like dogs and horses, and our loyalty will never waver!"

With this, Su Yao's rule in eastern Parthia became even more secure, thanks to the confirmation of his official title and the generous rewards he bestowed. His civil and military officials, regardless of whether they were Han or non-Han, were all grateful for the Emperor's grace, and morale and loyalty reached their peak.

Su Yao nodded in satisfaction, and the topic returned to military matters: "Alright, regarding the rewards, the specific details will be drafted by Zijing after the meeting. Now, let's talk about how to take Ecbatana, and... Tessphon."

As he spoke, Su Yao's gaze shifted to the map of Parthia on the table, landing on the place names "Ecbatana" and "Ctesiphon," a cold smile curling at the corner of his lips:
"That Sixth King did escape quite quickly, but he's far too naive to think he can stop our army's advance with just the salt desert. I will put a final, complete end to the Parthian dynasty's fate!"

Before the festivities and rewards in Nisa had even subsided, the horns of war had already sounded once more.

Su Yao's return instantly boosted the morale of the Han army and the Parthian surrendered officials at the front lines. His ascension to the throne and the various honors he bestowed further dispelled the last doubts in everyone's hearts.

After listening to detailed military reports from Zhang Liao, Lu Su, and others, and having a clear understanding of the battle situation, Su Yao issued several orders in succession, actively deploying the task of destroying the country and securing peace.

First and foremost, it was crucial to consolidate the newly subjugated forces. Su Yao ordered Lu Su and Queen Amina to take full responsibility for the administrative integration of the conquered eastern Parthian territory (roughly equivalent to the eastern Iranian plateau). A policy of Sinicization was implemented, the territories were re-established, and counties were set up. Simultaneously, efforts were made to relocate some Han Chinese from the east to live alongside the subjugated Hu people and surrendered Parthians, promoting the use of the Chinese language and characters. Furthermore, the influence of surrendered generals like Bahram was utilized to quickly stabilize the situation and transform the new territory into war resources. Supplies and troops (including well-trained Parthian auxiliary troops) from the east began to flow steadily westward.

The second point was to promote Zhang Liao to deputy commander of the western expeditionary army, giving him overall command of the frontline forces and assisting him in coordinating the various units under Zhao Yun, Guan Yu (southern army), Ma Chao (northern army), and Bahram. He ordered all units to complete their rest and reorganization before launching a full-scale attack on the Parthian heartland from the north, central, and south.

Ma Chao's mission for the northern route was a strategic detour, advancing towards the southern coast of the Caspian Sea, gathering all the surrendered nomadic armies, sweeping across the southern plains north of the Elbrus Mountains, seizing one of the two most important grain-producing areas of Parthia (the other being the Mesopotamian Plain), breaking through the northwest of Parthia in one fell swoop, and then detouring south to sever Parthia's connection with Armenia and Rome.

Guan Yu's southern army continued its advance along the Persian Gulf waterways, first attacking Persepolis, then Susa, and finally cutting through the Iranian plateau, heading straight for Ctesiphon. As for the central army led by Zhao Yun and Bahram, which was blocked by the salt flats, Su Yao decided to personally lead the charge, directly traversing this formidable barrier.

"Though the salt desert is treacherous, it cannot hold back my troops." Su Yao traced a thin, dotted line on the map along the edge of the salt desert, marking the ancient trade route ruins as indicated by the system. "Send word to Zilong and Bahram that I will personally accompany them on this 'Sea of ​​Death'."

Upon hearing this, everyone readily accepted the order, for nothing could be a stronger guarantee than the personal presence of this supreme being.

In order to break through the salt desert, Su Yao immediately ordered the entire army to carry out meticulous preparations. They not only frequently transferred large quantities of water bags and cloaks from the rear, but also requisitioned nearly three thousand camels from various places—these animals could find deep underground water in the salt desert, which was the key to solving the problem of marching.

In the fifth year of the Kaiyuan era, at the end of May, on the edge of the Kavir Salt Desert, at the outpost camp of the Parthian army.

"My God, sir, have you heard?"

A panicked sentry scrambled into the makeshift tent of the outpost commander, shouting at the commander who was dozing off:

"I heard those Han Chinese are making a move, saying they're launching a three-pronged attack, a really big one. We're probably doomed."

The outpost commander, a weathered veteran, impatiently kicked the sentry after being woken up: "What's the panic! If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up. Do you think this salt desert is so easy to get through? This is the 'Sea of ​​Death'!"
The outpost commander spat out the grass stalk in his mouth, pointed to the vast white salt desert outside the tent, and said with disdain, "Last year, a Scythian tribe tried to take a shortcut through the salt desert. What happened? Of the thousands who went in, only three survived, and they all went insane! Even if the Han people have camel caravans and Lord Bahram as guides, they still have to move step by step. Our scouts scout every half hour. As soon as they dare to venture deep into the salt desert, the news will immediately reach Ekbatana."

"At that time, regardless of whether Lord Ispabudan chooses war or peace, there will be no more missions for us here. So what are you afraid of?"

The outpost commander was of noble birth, and he knew the situation was bad, but he was still very confident in completing the mission.

After all, it's not like they're being asked to fight the Han army to the death at the outposts; it's just about issuing warnings, which is an easy job.

The sentry was so scolded that he couldn't even lift his head, but the fear between his brows didn't dissipate: "But...but I heard that their devil has returned, and he even calls himself some kind of emperor!"

"That guy stole the late emperor's divine beast, and he's a monster who can summon wind and rain. It's said that he smashed open Mulu City with a single bolt of lightning..."

"Shut up! If you dare to undermine morale again, I'll chop you down first!"

The battalion commander's expression changed, clearly provoked by the word "demon." He quickly regained his composure and said, "What monster that can summon wind and rain? That's just something those useless guys on the front lines made up to scare people."

"Those thunderbolts have been proven by the Commander-in-Chief to be weapons specially made by the Han people using a secret formula, and not some kind of sorcery by wizards."

"As for that demon, even if he can ride a divine beast and fly, what can he do alone? This godforsaken place can melt people during the day and freeze their ears off at night. When the wind blows, you can't even open your eyes—even if he is some kind of evil spirit in the world, he is still bound by the rules of heaven and earth!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a sharp whistle rang out from outside the tent, followed by soldiers' cries of alarm: "From the sky! Something's coming from the sky!"

hiss--

The battalion commander gasped, jumped to his feet, and rushed out of the tent. When he looked up, he was instantly struck dumb, his blood freezing in his veins—a giant bird, its body entirely gilded, was slowly circling in the sky above the salt desert, its wings spanning over ten feet. On the bird's back stood a figure in black armor and a red robe, the golden mace in its hand gleaming blindingly in the sunlight, even more dazzling than the blazing sun overhead.

"That...that's...no way?!" The battalion commander's voice trembled as he pointed at Griffin in the air, his teeth chattering.

Although he had heard that the late emperor had tamed such a sacred beast, seeing is believing. In his more than forty years of life, this was the first time he had seen such a divine creature, not to mention that there was a guy standing on it who exuded an "inhuman" aura.

"It's a demon from the East!"

"He really can fly!"

"Shoot, shoot quickly!"

Some people screamed in panic, while others tried to fight back.

In the midst of the chaos, the outpost battalion commander's mind went blank; all his previous confidence and disdain were instantly shattered.

Although he tried to command his men to launch a counterattack and attempt to construct a rain of arrows for defense, all of this was naturally in vain.

The golden bird completely ignored their feeble resistance and swooped down, the gale whipping up the white dust of the salt desert like the cloak of death. He could even see the cold gaze of the person on the bird's back, and the blinding lightning that began to leap and gather at the tip of the golden scepter.

"No—!" The battalion commander let out a desperate roar, turned around to run away, but his legs felt as heavy as lead.

The next moment, the world was engulfed by blinding white light.

boom--! ! !
A thick bolt of lightning struck down from the heavens, directly hitting the arrogant battalion commander on the head, leaving behind a charred corpse that emitted wisps of smoke.

Immediately, after a brief moment of deathly silence, the camp erupted into chaos.

"Run! The devil is coming! Run!"

No one tried to fight back anymore; they all wished their parents had given them more legs and hurriedly ran away.

Instead of going to great lengths to pursue them, Su Yao simply told these people to go back and report.

"Tell your so-called commander-in-chief that within ten days, I will personally stand atop the walls of Ekbatana. If he knows what's good for him and opens the gates to surrender, I will spare his entire clan and prevent the city's inhabitants from being slaughtered in the flames of war; if he insists on resisting..."

Su Yao stood on Griffin's back, his voice carried by the fierce winds of the salt desert, clearly reaching the ears of every fleeing Parthian soldier:

"This thunderbolt will be his fate!"

(End of this chapter)