I rode and slashed unparalleled in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1138 Anxi's Demise
Three days later, the city of Taixi was sealed off.

Just as Su Yao had predicted, under the dual pressure of an absolute disparity in strength and internal collapse, the Parthians did not resort to any tricks.

At dawn, the massive bronze gates of Ctesiphon slowly opened in the morning light. Led by Khazars, the Parthian royal family members and noble officials, all dressed in plain clothes, with their hair loose and bare feet, knelt on the ground on both sides of the gate.

Led by Khazar, the Parthian royal family members and noble officials, all dressed in plain clothes, with their hair loose and barefoot, knelt on both sides of the city gate. At the very front of the procession, in a magnificent carriage, lay the Parthian King Vologasis VI, still unconscious. He was bound to the bed with ribbons, and the crown and scepter, symbols of Parthian royal power, were placed beside him.

On the city wall, all the Parthian flags had been lowered, replaced by hastily made red flags of the Han Dynasty. Although crude, they fluttered in the wind, announcing the end of an era.

Led by Zhao Yun, the vanguard cavalry of the Han army were the first to enter the city of Taixi.

Their iron hooves pounded the ancient stone pavement, making a crisp echo. The people of the city hid in their homes, watching this legendary, invincible army through cracks in their doors and windows with a mixture of fear and curiosity.

There was no resistance, no riots, only a deathly silence and a pervasive sense of humiliation and bewilderment.

At noon, Su Yao, piloting the Griffin, landed in the square in front of the Taixi King's Palace amidst the watchful eyes of the crowd. Generals Zhang Liao, Cao Cao, and others led the main force into the city and quickly took control of the city's defenses, treasury, and all key departments.

Inside the royal palace, Su Yao sat upon the golden throne that had once belonged to the Parthian king, accepting the formal surrender of the Parthian royal family and nobles. Khazar knelt in the hall, trembling as he presented the Parthian imperial seal, maps of its territory, and census documents.

"Your Majesty, I, the sinful subject Khazar, on behalf of the Parthian royal family and all the nobles, surrender the city to His Majesty! From this day forward, the Parthian kingdom is extinguished, the name Vologasis will never be heard again, and all the land and people are His Majesty's servants, never daring to have any disloyalty! I humbly submit to His Majesty's holy judgment!"

Su Yao took the jade seal, played with it in his hand for a moment, and then handed it to the scribe beside him:

"Record: On the 21st day of the seventh month of the fifth year of Kaiyuan, the Parthian false king Vologasis VI, being muddleheaded and incompetent, angered the wrath of Heaven. Now he has repented and relinquished his title of king, and the whole country has submitted to us. I, in accordance with Heaven and the people, accept his territory. The name of Taixi is changed to 'Taixi Prefecture' and placed under the jurisdiction of the Anxi Protectorate. The original Parthian territory is also divided into ten prefectures, which are governed by the Anxi Protectorate."

"As for the Parthian royal family," Su Yao paused and said, "they will be escorted to Luoyang and handed over to the Empress Dowager for disposal. The other nobles will be employed according to their performance and abilities."

Su Yao's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority beneath its calm tone; this was the final verdict. Upon hearing the order to "escort to Luoyang," many of the Parthian nobles kneeling on the ground collapsed to the ground, sobbing softly, yet none dared to utter a sound of resistance.

After dealing with the Parthian royal family, Su Yao turned his gaze outside the hall and announced loudly, "Cao Cao and Gao Shun, listen to my command!"

"Your subordinate is here!" The two men's eyes lit up, and they immediately stepped forward with their swords, their armor clanging.

"I hereby appoint you two, each leading a general, with 10,000 elite troops and 20,000 auxiliary troops, to use Ctesi Prefecture as a base, cross the Euphrates River to the west, wipe out the remaining Parthian enemies, pacify the surrounding counties, and keep watch on the movements of Rome and its vassals to the west and south. If you encounter resistance, resolutely annihilate it; if you encounter Roman legions, you may take the initiative to engage them without seeking permission. I grant you the right to act first and report later!"

"Your subordinate obeys!" the two men roared in response, their faces filled with excitement and fighting spirit. Finally, the opportunity they had been waiting for had arrived!
"Zhang Liao, Zhao Yun, Bahram, listen to my command!"

"Your subordinate is here!" "I order the three of you to reorganize the surrendered troops, clear out Taixi Prefecture and the surrounding area, stabilize order, ensure the smooth flow of the logistics line, and assist Lu Su and Jia Xu in getting the Anxi Protectorate up and running as soon as possible."

"The last general takes command!"

Orders were issued in an orderly manner, and this newly emerging and enormous imperial machine began to digest the newly occupied territories with great efficiency, while casting its eager gaze toward the western horizon.

In addition to the generals present, Su Yao also gave orders to Ma Chao and Guan Yu's northern and southern armies to continue their sweeping operations.

Ma Chao and Yan Xing's forces in the north continued to move northwest, aiming to take over the western border cities of Parthia, especially those near Armenia, as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei's troops on the southern route have recently joined forces with the main force. After a short rest, they will adjust their direction to avoid the Arabian Desert in the south and head west towards Egypt.

That night, a grand victory banquet was held at the Royal Palace of Taixi Prefecture. Fine wines from the East and delicacies from the Western Regions filled the long tables, and the generals who had made great contributions drank heartily in a lively atmosphere.

Su Yao sat in the main seat, with Princesses Amina and Safia by his side. Watching the jubilant scene of his civil and military officials, Su Yao raised his wine cup and whispered to Jia Xu beside him:

"It's about time to reply to Vologis in Armenia. Tell him that my generals will soon continue their westward advance. Let him decide whether he wants to be my vanguard, joining the invasion of Syria to earn a 'marquis' title, or whether he wants to wait until I have pacified Rome and then use his merit in rebelling against Rome to exchange for the title of Duke of Xiaoyao."

Jia Xu smiled knowingly: "I understand. Vologis is a smart man; he knows how to choose."

Sure enough, ten days later, just as Cao Cao's vanguard was advancing north along the Euphrates River and accepting the rule of the Parthian region, a secret envoy from King Vologius II of Armenia arrived in Ctesi again, bringing exciting news:

The Kingdom of Armenia is willing to submit to His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Han Dynasty and is willing to immediately launch a counterattack against the Syrian province, clearing the way for His Majesty's advance on Rome! Vologus II only asks that His Majesty, after the success of this matter, preserve his family's right to govern Armenia and bestow upon them appropriate titles and rewards.

Upon receiving the news, Su Yao burst into laughter: "Good! Tell Vologis that I have given my permission! Let him go ahead and do it! My army is his strongest backing!"

In August of the fifth year of the Kaiyuan era, while the Roman Senate was still arguing about whether the Han Dynasty's westward expedition to Restoration was beneficial to them, a huge storm had quietly broken out in Syria, their most important province in the east.

Armenian King Vologus II suddenly launched an attack, under the pretext of "responding to the call of Emperor Su Yao, the King of Kings, to expel Roman tyranny," and personally led an army of 13,000 to raid the unsuspecting northeastern part of the Syrian province.

At the same time, Cao Cao led the elite Han army, including Xiahou Dun and Cao Ren, across the Euphrates River and swiftly captured several Roman border fortresses.

This flame of war finally reached the eastern borders of the Roman Empire.

(End of this chapter)