I rode and slashed unparalleled in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1141 The Messiah of the East
Elia Gabidoren.

The former governor was passionately denouncing the evil of the Jews in front of Su Yao, with only one purpose: to prevent the Jews from returning.

The reason he was so actively promoting this matter was because he saw a considerable number of Jewish forces among the attacking Han army.

Indeed, if we were to say who in this western land was the most enthusiastic about the Han Dynasty's westward expedition, it would undoubtedly be the Jews!

Since being expelled from the "Promised Land" by the Romans, and enduring nearly a century of diaspora and suffering, the Jewish people have always longed for the arrival of a powerful savior to lead them back to Jerusalem and rebuild their former glory.

The arrival of Su Yao and his Han army, and their overwhelming victory over the Parthian Empire, the Roman legions, and their vassals, were seen by many Jews as almost identical to the prophesied Messiah!
The only problem is probably the identity of this messiah from the East. This has been difficult for many Jewish communities and rabbis to accept upon hearing the news.

However, this problem quickly disappeared with Su Yao's series of great victories in Anxi.

The vast Parthian Empire was destroyed in less than a year. His Majesty the Emperor was revered by countless Eastern religions and peoples as the only supreme being in heaven and earth, the representative of the supreme deity on earth, whose power far exceeded the imagination of mortals.

When "miracles" and "victories" become undeniable facts, lineage and origin become insignificant. For the Jews, who have suffered the pain of displacement and yearn to return to their homeland, an invincible "Messiah" from the East may be the unfathomable proof of God's will.

Thus, as the collapse of Parthian rule in Central Asia became almost inevitable, a Jewish community scattered within the Parthian Empire proactively sent a clear signal of alignment to the Han army stationed there.

An elderly rabbi with a white beard, accompanied by several respected elders from the community, tremblingly carried an ancient parchment scroll and sought an audience with Governor Anmoti, who was then in charge of security and civil administration in Eqbatana (now known as Ansi).

With utmost humility, the old rabbi presented the manuscript of Isaiah, supposedly passed down from the time of Solomon, and excitedly proclaimed in heavily Aramaic-accented Greek (recorded by an interpreter): the community's sages, after days of prayer and debate, had found revelation in the ancient prophecy—the image of the "King of Victory" "coming from the East," the "Judge of All Nations" "riding a mysterious beast," was strikingly similar to the Eastern Emperor before them, who swept across the world! This was no coincidence, but part of God's grand plan, His outstretched hand of salvation, even if that hand wore Eastern gloves.

Anmoti dared not delay and immediately reported the matter, along with the ancient scroll, to Zhang Liao and Lu Su, who were stationed in the area.

Zhang Liao was not very familiar with such superstitious matters, but Lu Su keenly recognized their enormous political value.

Lu Su personally received the old rabbi, treating him with the utmost courtesy, and inquired in detail about the Jews' demands and the prophecies. He then hastily wrote a letter, which, along with a copy and translation of the Book of Isaiah, was urgently sent to Su Yao, who was enjoying a brief period of peace with his two queens.

At that time, Ekbatana had just surrendered the entire city under the orders of Ispabdan and was renamed Anxi City by Su Yao.

Countless surrounding tribes and their former lords, all prostrated themselves at Su Yao's feet, begging for the protection of the Han Dynasty. Logically, a petition from a community of only a few hundred people shouldn't be considered a matter of great military importance. However, Lu Su included his detailed insights in the letter, believing that this matter, "though small, could have a profound impact." He pointed out that the Jews, scattered far and wide, possessed considerable influence, especially in trade and intelligence, and their desire to return to their homeland was extremely strong. If properly guided, they could become a significant force in the Han Dynasty's westward expansion. Furthermore, this could demonstrate to all ethnic groups oppressed by Rome the Han Dynasty's "divine mandate and inclusive spirit," greatly undermining Rome's foundation of rule in the East.

When Su Yao received the news, he was strolling with Amina and Safia in the newly decorated inner courtyard of the Anxi Palace. He unfolded Lu Su's earnest letter and the translation of the ancient parchment scroll, and couldn't help but smile.

"These Jews are indeed quite clever."

Su Yao smiled and handed the parchment to the two curious princesses beside him, saying, "Look, in order to return to their homeland, they even dare to claim the title of 'Messiah' on me."

“Your Majesty, the Jews are always stubborn. They probably don’t believe you are some kind of divine messenger. I think they are just using this as an excuse to find a backer who can stand against Rome.”

Amina took the parchment scroll, her delicate brows furrowing slightly. As a former Parthian queen, she knew a great deal about Rome, the empire's archenemy, and was well aware of the oppression the Romans inflicted on the various ethnic groups under their rule. Naturally, she was also aware of the suffering of the Jewish diaspora.

But at the same time, she also understood the risks behind this "borrowing power": "These Jews have lived in the Western Regions and the Western Lands for a long time, and they are very shrewd. Since they dare to use 'divine oracle' to curry favor, it is hard to guarantee that they will not use 'divine oracle' to cause trouble in the future. We must be careful."

Safia nodded in agreement. As the daughter of General Bahram, she was well aware of Rome's tyranny, but she had also heard many stories of tribes that wavered between the two great empires.

There are many instances where these people, after restoring their nation with the help of outsiders, have turned on their former allies and bitten them back. Furthermore, Jews are notoriously unruly.

“Your Majesty, among my father’s former Parthian followers are those who have close ties with Jewish merchants. I’ve heard that they are extremely good at managing money, but they are also the most vengeful. The Romans destroyed their holy city, and they probably wish they could devour the Romans alive. If we could use them as an ally, we could certainly restrain Rome, but if we can’t control them, it could cause disaster.”

"You're both right."

Su Yao smiled slightly. Knowing the later stories of the Jews, how could he not understand the nature of this nation? However:
"But it is precisely because they are vengeful and cunning that they are worthy of my use. The Romans have been operating in the East for a century, enslaving and dividing various ethnic groups, and portraying themselves as a superior 'beacon of civilization,' but in reality they have been sucking our marrow and exploiting us to the bone. We have long harbored deep resentment."

"Now I will repay them in kind—they wanted to use my sword to avenge Rome, so I will use their hands to deliver a 'Royal Grace Earth-Shattering Fist' to the Romans."

As he spoke, Su Yao walked towards the map of the Western Regions hanging on the wooden frame in the courtyard, traced a line from Anxi City all the way to Jerusalem with his finger, and slowly began to speak:
“Zijing is right, ‘to move mountains.’ The arrival of these Jews is perfectly timed. They are scattered far and wide, with trade networks spanning Mesopotamia, Syria, and even Egypt. Their intelligence network is more sophisticated than my own spies. They hate Rome to the core, and if they are allowed to return to Jerusalem, they will fight Rome with all their might. More importantly, they are now a symbol of ‘the oppressed by Rome’—by accepting them, I am proclaiming to all ethnic groups enslaved by Rome: follow the Han, and you will have meat to eat, justice to be served, and your homeland to return to!”

(End of this chapter)