I rode and slashed unparalleled in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1144 Egypt Shaken
"Long live the Emperor!"

"Long live your Majesty!"

"Long live the Great Han Dynasty!!!"

When Su Yao landed in the square in the center of Antioch, Cao Cao, Xiahou Dun, and other generals had already led their troops to control the entire city.

In the square, Han soldiers stood in formation, flanked by Armenian soldiers and auxiliary troops from the Jewish and Semitic tribes, cheering loudly. The city's inhabitants knelt on the ground, not daring to raise their heads. Among them were Roman citizens and local Syrians, all utterly awestruck by the Han army's power and Su Yao's "miracle," no longer daring to harbor any thought of resistance.

Su Yao walked to the center of the square, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, and said loudly:
"Antioct has fallen, and Roman rule in Syria has come to an end! I hereby declare Syria to be renamed 'Xuzhou' and placed under the jurisdiction of the Anxi Protectorate. All former Roman citizens who surrender will be spared death and granted permission to leave the country within a specified period. All other commoners and slaves who wish to submit to the Han Dynasty will become my subjects, protected by the laws of the Han Dynasty, and treated equally!"

Su Yao's voice resounded throughout the square through the loudspeaker, followed by clear Greek and Aramaic translations. A chorus of suppressed sobs and relieved gasps immediately rose from the kneeling crowd.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"His Majesty the Emperor is merciful!"

Many Roman soldiers and civilians who had thought they were doomed now prostrated themselves on the ground, tears of gratitude streaming down their faces. The local Syrians and Greek residents, upon hearing that they would not only save their lives but also gain citizenship under the new dynasty, cast their awe-inspiring gazes upon the god-like figure in the center of the square.

Cao Cao strode forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and reported: "Your Majesty, the resistance within the city has been largely quelled. We have seized countless provisions and weapons from the treasury, captured seventeen Roman officers and officers, and over eight thousand soldiers. The false governor, Basus, has been seriously wounded and captured, and has now been brought here to await Your Majesty's judgment!"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than several Han soldiers shoved a middle-aged Roman nobleman, soaking wet and bleeding from his shoulder, into the square. This man was none other than Marcus Julius Basus, the governor of Syria, who had attempted to escape by sea. His face was deathly pale, his once magnificent toga robe was tattered, and his golden laurel wreath was nowhere to be seen; only his disheveled state and despair remained.

Su Yao looked down at him coldly: "Basus, do you know your crime?"

The interpreter immediately translated the words. Bassus struggled to raise his head and screamed in broken Greek mixed with Latin, “I…I am the governor of Syria appointed by the Roman Senate! You…you barbarians of the East, you have invaded my land without cause and slaughtered my people! Rome…Rome will never let you go! His Majesty Severus’s army will surely crush you…”

"Shut up!" Su Yao snorted coldly, and before he could even finish speaking, he casually pointed with the golden pestle in his hand.

boom--!
A blinding bolt of lightning shot from the tip of the pestle, striking precisely the stone slab in front of Basus's feet, blasting a small, charred crater and sending shards of stone flying.

Barsus screamed in terror, collapsing to the ground. The rest of his threatening words caught in his throat, leaving only a trembling sound. The square was deathly silent; everyone held their breath, terrified by the "divine punishment" summoned so casually.

"Rome?" Su Yao's voice, tinged with sarcasm, echoed clearly throughout the arena. "Your legions think they can withstand this attack?"

After saying that, Su Yao ignored him and directly ordered the man to be stripped naked, taken to the marketplace, executed, and his head displayed as a warning to others.

As for the other surrendered generals, Su Yao showed mercy, confiscating their weapons and equipment, giving them a ship, and then expelling them all from the country. The former Roman legion's citizen soldiers were also given the opportunity to choose their own path.

Those willing to serve the new dynasty could be incorporated into the auxiliary troops of the Han army after paying a ransom and go to the battlefield in eastern India to serve. Although they would not have the glory of the Roman legions of the past, they would be able to get enough to eat, receive military pay, be exempt from corvée labor, and their families could live peacefully within the territory of the Han Empire.

Su Yao did not mistreat the Roman soldiers who were unwilling to pledge allegiance to the new dynasty. They were allowed to keep their personal belongings and bring their local families. After signing an oath never to be an enemy of the Han Dynasty and a confession, they received a small amount of rations and were sent in batches to towns on the west coast that were not yet under Han control, left to fend for themselves.

In the end, nearly 30% of the soldiers chose to stay, while the rest silently stepped onto the ship's railing, their backs filled with disappointment.

"Your Majesty is wise," Jia Xu said, stroking his beard. "Those who remain will be used for their bravery, and those who leave will spread their might. When these people return to Rome, they will spread the word of Your Majesty's 'miracle' and the strength of the Han Dynasty throughout the West, which will be more effective than any spy." Su Yao laughed heartily: "You understand me best, Wenhe."

As the saying goes, the best strategy is to subdue the enemy without fighting; the next best is to disrupt their alliances; the next best is to attack their army; and the worst is to besiege their cities. When dealing with such a vast empire, winning hearts and minds is always the most important thing.

Soon, thanks to the Mediterranean highway, news of the Roman Empire's crushing defeat at Antioch spread quickly, and the surrounding coastal regions were abuzz with talk of a threat from the east.

"Have you heard? Have you all heard?!"

"Antioch! Antioch, the stronghold of the Tenth 'Straits' Legion, has been captured in a single battle."

"The East, a remarkable person has arrived from the East!"

In the marketplace of Alexandria, a Greek sailor draped in tattered linen waved his arms, spittle flying as he spoke excitedly. Merchants, porters, and slaves gathered around, their eyes filled with fear and curiosity.

"Impossible!" A Roman veteran with a full beard slammed his fist on the stall, spilling most of the olive oil from the jar. "The walls of Antioch are stronger than those of Carthage! The Tenth 'Straits' Legion is the elite of the Empire, how could they be defeated by a bunch of barbarians from the East?"

"It's true!" The sailor's face flushed with anxiety as he pointed towards the merchant ships in the direction of the harbor.
"See those people? They're refugees who fled from Antioch! They say that the Easterner calls himself the 'Emperor,' more noble than the King of Kings, and that he tamed a griffin, can unleash lightning with a wave of his hand, and even blasted the city walls to pieces!"

"The new governor of Syria, Basus, was defeated and spoke rudely, offending the emperor. He was arrested and his head was displayed on the city gate like a ripe pomegranate!"

"what?!"

"The governor is dead?!"

"how so?!"

The crowd erupted in an uproar. Some trembled as they made the sign of the cross, praying for the protection of Zeus or Jehovah; others quietly packed up their stalls, plotting their escape to mainland Italy; and some Egyptians, oppressed by Rome for years, had a secret hope in their eyes—if these Easterners could truly defeat Rome, could they also escape their fate of enslavement?

Inside the Egyptian governor's palace, the atmosphere was equally heavy. Governor Gaius Tullius Flavius ​​held the urgent report from Antioch, his hands trembling uncontrollably. The edges of the letter were soaked with sweat, and the words "The Han army breached the city in a single day, and Basus died a martyr" stung his eyes.

“Your Excellency,” Lieutenant Lucius rushed in, his armor not even fastened, “the people of Alexandria are saying that the Easterners are coming! The Coptic people on the outskirts of the city have begun to gather, and some are even secretly sending messages to the Han army!”

Flavius ​​slammed the letter onto the table, the agate wine glass rolled to the floor, and the wine smeared dark stains on the Persian carpet.

"A bunch of fools! How can the majesty of Rome be trampled upon by barbarians? Issue my order: close all ports, confiscate weapons from the civilian population, and kill anyone who colludes with the Han army!"

"I refuse to believe that my province of Egypt, with two legions under my command, can't defeat these barbarians!"

"Someone, assemble the legion immediately, gather the auxiliary troops, and send another message to His Majesty the Emperor!"

“Tell him that I—Flavius—will fight to the last man to protect the Empire’s granary!”

(End of this chapter)