I rode and slashed unparalleled in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 987 Wusun Submits, Kangju Sends Envoy (6K4)

"The Crown Prince has been defeated? The 60,000-strong army is wiped out??"

"This, how is this possible?!"

When the Wusun nobles in Chigu City heard the war report from the north, they were all shocked and pale.

That's a full army of 60,000!

They thought that even if things went badly, this battle would last a long time and cause a lot of trouble for the Han people.

But as it turned out, the burly man's Prince Tang actually led three hundred cavalry out of the city and destroyed it overnight, which was beyond their imagination.

"Could the Han people truly have divine assistance?" A tribal chief muttered to himself, his wine cup slipping from his hand and falling to the ground.

"No, that Su Yao isn't even human!" another nobleman who had witnessed Su Yao's battle said, trembling. "I once saw him kill seven or eight people with a single stroke."

The news spread like wildfire throughout the city. The tribal chiefs who had initially been hesitant changed their tune, vying to pledge their loyalty to the Han army. The six major tribes of Rehu sent envoys overnight, offering precious white deer hides and gold as a sign of submission.

In the royal palace, King Guishemi of Wusun stood by the window, gazing at the darkening sky in the north, and sighed, "Such is fate."

Princess Ashley stood beside her father, her eyes filled with worry for her brother's fate: "Father, is my brother still alive?"

Seeing the noble and extravagant silence, the Right Chancellor, Tuolige, said, "Your Highness, the eldest prince has been captured alive by His Highness the Tang King and is currently being escorted back to the city."

Upon hearing this, the princess breathed a sigh of relief. As long as the person was still alive, there was still room for maneuver.

However, Gui Shemi saw it very clearly; the Han people had specifically brought him back and would never let him go easily.

Gui Shemi suddenly burst into laughter, his laughter tinged with madness: "Good, good! My arrogant son has finally learned his lesson!"

"Send down the order to prepare to welcome the triumphant return of the Tang Emperor!"

Sure enough, after Su Yao returned in triumph, a severe trial followed immediately.

Three days later at noon, the East Gate Square of Chigu City was packed with a dense crowd that filled every corner.

On the high platform, Su Yao sat in the center, while the Wusun king Guishemi, Zhou Yu, and Tuolige stood to his left and right respectively.

Below the stage, the captured rebellious nobles and tribal leaders knelt on the ground, their faces ashen, their hands and feet chained, and Han soldiers with knives standing behind them.

"Bring them up!" Su Yao ordered, and dozens of prisoners were brought up to the high platform. Leading them was none other than the eldest prince, An Zhenli, whose clothes were tattered, his face covered in blood, and who had long lost his former imposing manner.

Zhou Yu rose and read out the charges: "An Zhenli and others have been found guilty of treason, disobeying the king's orders, and waging war without authorization, causing widespread suffering and death."

Each time a charge was read aloud, the people of Wusun below the stage gasped in shock. These noble lords, who were usually so high and mighty, were now trembling like lambs to the slaughter.

"According to the law, their entire family should be executed!" Zhou Yu's voice echoed in the square. "But His Highness the Tang King is merciful and has only executed the ringleaders; the rest have been exiled to Luoyang as slaves!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the heads of more than a dozen people in the front row were rolled on the ground.

"Alas--"

"Should we... kill them all?"

The Wusun people and nobles who were watching stared wide-eyed as the tribal leaders who had participated in the rebellion were dragged to the front of the stage and executed in front of the entire city.

Their families were chained together and escorted by the Han army, preparing to embark on the long journey eastward.

"No! Spare me!" A fat tribal chief collapsed to the ground, crying and begging for mercy. "I was forced into this! It was all the eldest prince who coerced me!"

Zhou Yu sneered, "If you knew this would happen, why did you do it in the first place? Drag him away and execute him!"

This scene sent chills down the spines of the Wusun nobles in attendance. Right Chancellor Tolig wiped the cold sweat from his brow, secretly relieved that he had chosen the right side.

Those tribal chiefs who had wavered were filled with lingering fear and knelt down, shouting, "King Tang is wise! We will forever submit to the Great Han!"

Click, click, click.
As heads fell one by one, the execution platform was already stained red with blood.

After the last tribal leader who participated in the rebellion was beheaded, only An Zhenli remained on the stage, kneeling in a pool of blood.

His eyes were glazed over, his body was trembling, and he didn't even realize that his crotch was soaked.

He was the last one left, and everyone's eyes were on him. An Zhenli himself was basically in a state of numb waiting for death.

However, Su Yao's subsequent statement surprised them greatly.

"As for An Zhenli, although he is the ringleader, he is, after all, the son of Kunmi and a prince of Wusun. I will not overstep my bounds and make the decision on how to deal with him. Let the King of Wusun decide for himself."

"what?"

"what?!"

These words caused an uproar. The Wusun people whispered among themselves, the nobles looked at each other in disbelief, and even An Zhenli, who was kneeling on the ground, suddenly raised his head and looked at the high platform in disbelief.

There, Gui Shemi's eyes widened in disbelief; he hadn't expected Su Yao to give him such a choice.

But then he thought again and felt despair.

That's a really ruthless move!

He first defined his crime as the chief culprit of the rebellion, and then handed it over to him to deal with.

Gui Shemi could easily understand that Su Yao was asking him to choose between his son and the law of the land.

If he were to let his son off lightly, what would become of the laws of the Wusun Kingdom? Especially since so many nobles had been implicated and executed, yet only their son, whom they followed, had survived. If he were to treat him this way, who would dare to be loyal and die for their family in the future?

But what if one were to personally execute one's own flesh and blood?
Gui Shemi's face turned deathly pale instantly.

Despite his previous suspicions and attempts to control this son, his eldest son was indeed the one he was most satisfied with among all his sons, and the best candidate for crown prince in his mind.

His suppression was merely a way of hoping that his son wouldn't grow too powerful and threaten his rule.

Gui Shemi stood up tremblingly and walked towards An Zhenli under the watchful eyes of the crowd. His aged face appeared somewhat distorted in the sunlight, and every step he took was exceptionally heavy.

"Father!" An Zhenli suddenly struggled to kneel upright, his eyes gleaming with a desperate plea for survival. "Your subject knows his mistake! Father, spare my life!"

Gui Layu's hands trembled violently, almost causing him to lose his balance. He turned to look at Su Yao, only to see the young Tang King looking at him with a half-smile, his eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Your Majesty Kunmi, no matter how you decide to handle this, our Great Han will respect your decision."

Grand and imposing!

They do not believe in extravagance and luxury.

On this blood-soaked platform, Gui Shemi dared not gamble on whether this was a test of the Han Dynasty's loyalty to him.

Then, Gui Shemi took a deep breath, slowly drew the golden knife symbolizing royal power from his waist, and shouted that the rebellious son was about to execute the eldest prince.

However, perhaps it was because he was old, or perhaps it was because he was soft-hearted, or perhaps it was the eldest prince's will to live that erupted when his life was hanging by a thread.
In short, the slash missed its target.

In the critical moment, the eldest prince struggled and rolled off the stage.

"Father, spare me! Your son knows he was wrong!" An Zhenli rolled and crawled on the muddy ground, tears streaming down his face. "Your son is willing to be loyal to the Han Dynasty for eternity and will never betray it again!"

This unexpected turn of events caused an uproar throughout the hall. Gui Shemi's hand, which was holding the golden knife, froze in mid-air, a hint of reluctance flashing in his eyes.

However, he suppressed his emotions and chased after them, hacking and slashing his way through the enemy lines.

Clink-dang-clang.

Right before everyone's eyes, the extravagant and the eldest prince engaged in a "passionate" chase.

The eldest prince struggled desperately, rolling from side to side, but his swords missed their mark with each strike, creating a scene that was utterly comical.

In the end, Zhou Yu could no longer stand it and, after consulting with Su Yao, sent men to capture him.
"King Tang has understood Kunmi's will. His Highness cannot bear to see you father and son harming each other. The eldest prince should be escorted to the capital and handed over to the emperor for judgment."

Su Yao nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping across the entire room like lightning: "The King of Wusun is commendable for his loyalty and righteousness, and I am very pleased. Guards, take the eldest prince to the prison and keep him under strict guard!"

With the clanking of chains, An Zhenli was dragged away, bound hand and foot. He struggled to turn around, shouting hoarsely, "Father! Father, save me!"

The once arrogant King of Wusun knelt dejectedly, his golden sword clattering to the ground. This man, who had been so powerful and powerful, now seemed to have lost his backbone, his body hunched over like a candle flickering in the wind.

"Kunmi, please rise." Su Yao personally stepped forward to help him up, his tone gentle yet authoritative. "We should be setting off back to the capital in three days. I hope Your Majesty will make preparations as soon as possible."

That night, suppressed sobs echoed from the depths of the palace. The Queen of Wusun knelt before the Buddhist hall, her tears soaking the scriptures. Meanwhile, Guishemi was alone in a secret chamber, chugging down bottle after bottle of his treasured wine.

He was the Kunmi of Wusun, but now he can't protect anything.
Once he enters the Han capital, he will be completely trapped and can only watch helplessly as the Han people triumphantly kill his son and devour his territory.

Suddenly, he remembered something and immediately shouted towards the door:
"Quickly! Summon the princess here, and have Ashley come to see me!"

In the dead of night, when Ashley rushed to her father's bedchamber, the overwhelming smell of alcohol made her frown. In the flickering candlelight, the king, in his luxurious attire, slumped on a wool carpet, his golden crown askew, his magnificent robes stained with wine—he was a far cry from the regal figure of a steppe ruler.

“Father!” Ashley knelt down and snatched the wine jug from his hand. “You can’t drink anymore!”

“Ashley, my little Ashley.” His decadent, cloudy eyes suddenly flashed with a terrifying light, and he grabbed his daughter’s wrist. “Go and beg him! Only you can save your brother now!”

The girl's wrist ached from being gripped so tightly. Looking into her father's bloodshot eyes, she suddenly understood: "You mean you want me to go and beg the King of Tang?"

"That's right!"

The luxurious voice was deep and hoarse:
"I know, that Han general must have some feelings for you, otherwise why would he only allow you to move around freely?"

"Father, I..."

"I don't care what your relationship is or what has happened between you, but this is our last chance!"

Old Wang's gaze swept over his daughter's slender, snow-white neck and budding, graceful curves. His eyes reddened, and he gritted his teeth, urging her in a low voice:

"Go beg him! Use every means possible to make him let your elder brother go!"

Ashley shuddered, her face turning deathly pale. She understood the implication in her father's words, but the request felt like falling into an ice cave.

“Father… I…” Ashley’s voice was barely audible, her eyes filled with tears.

Gui Shemi suddenly pulled his daughter closer, his breath reeking of alcohol in her face: "Are you just going to watch your older brother die? He's your own brother!"

“But…but the Tang Emperor…” Ashley trembled uncontrollably as she recalled that demonic figure, “He won’t listen to me.”

"How will you know if you don't try?" The extravagant woman released her grip and slumped back against the cushion. "Ashley, this is our last chance. If you don't go, your older brother will surely die."

Ashley knelt on the ground, tears streaming silently down her face. She remembered the times her older brother would take her horseback riding and archery when she was little, and how he would always bring her gifts after returning from battle.
"I'll go," the girl finally nodded, her voice choked with emotion.

A complex light flashed in Gui Shemi's eyes as he reached out and stroked his daughter's hair: "Go, my little Ashley. The future of Wusun rests on your shoulders." A short while later, soft footsteps and voices echoed from the entrance to Su Yao's bedchamber.

"Princess, please wait. The King of Tang has already retired for the night. If there is anything else, please come again tomorrow."

"I...I have urgent business to discuss with His Highness the Tang King," Ashley's voice was barely audible, her hands tightly gripping the hem of her dress.

The guards exchanged a troubled glance: "This..."

Just then, the door opened gently, and Hong'er came out wearing an overcoat. She was slightly taken aback when she saw Ashley: "Your Highness? It's so late."

Ashley took a deep breath and mustered her courage to ask, "Miss Hong'er, could you please allow me to see His Highness the Tang King?"

Hong'er sized Ashley up and down, and seeing the Wusun princess's swollen eyes and disheveled hair, she already guessed what she was up to.

"Your Highness has been fighting for days and has just rested. If there is anything, please come again tomorrow."

Ashley bit her lip, looking at the slight flush on Hong'er's cheeks and her slightly disheveled clothes. Knowing that this girl was always by Su Yao's side, she immediately disregarded everything else and knelt down, pleading and crying:

"This concerns my elder brother's life, please, Miss Hong'er, help me spread the word!"

Seeing this, Hong'er quickly helped Ashley up: "Your Highness, what are you doing? I am just a servant girl, how can I accept such a great courtesy? Please get up quickly."

Seeing that Ashley didn't move, Hong'er hesitated for a moment, then finally sighed softly, "Never mind, I'll go and report to His Highness now, but will His Highness see you?"

“I understand, thank you, Miss Hong’er.” Ashley nodded gratefully.

Hong'er turned and went back into the inner room. A moment later, she came out to deliver a message: "His Highness says he would like the princess to come in."

Ashley took a deep breath, straightened her clothes, and followed Hong'er into the inner room.

In the flickering candlelight, Su Yao, with his long hair draped over his shoulders, sat fully clothed on the edge of the bed, his expression obscured.

Ashley fell to her knees with a thud, her forehead pressed against the cold ground: "Your Highness, please have mercy and spare my brother's life!"

"What do you mean, Princess?"

Su Yao's tone was slightly playful:

"It was your father's will to execute the eldest prince. I could not bear to see them kill each other, so I decided to escort him to the capital for execution. If you want to save your brother, why don't you ask your father for help instead of asking me? Isn't that putting the cart before the horse?"

Ashley looked up, tears glistening in the candlelight: "Father... Father... He had no choice. I know Your Highness, you are the one who truly decides my brother's life and death."

Trembling, she loosened the belt around her waist, and her magnificent robe slipped to the ground: "As long as Your Highness spares my brother, Ashley is willing... willing to pay any price."

As she spoke, she bent down and knelt at Su Yao's feet, and surprisingly, she lowered her head and kissed Su Yao's toes.

hiss--

A tingling sensation rose from the soles of Su Yao's feet. Even though he was somewhat prepared, Su Yao was still taken aback by the little princess's sudden action.

Su Yao narrowed his eyes slightly, looking down at Ashley kneeling at his feet. The girl's slender neck gleamed like pearls in the candlelight, and her long brown hair was spread out on the carpet like a piece of fine silk.

“Your Highness, do you know what you are doing?” Su Yao’s voice was low and dangerous.

“I know.”

Ashley trembled, her amber eyes brimming with tears, but she gripped Su Yao's legs even tighter.
"This is the highest form of submission from our Wusun people. If Your Highness is so kind, Ashley is willing to serve you as a slave for life."

Su Yao frowned as he looked at the girl curled up on the ground like a small animal, and in the end, he could not deny the emotion in his heart.

Is this what it feels like to be a conqueror?
No wonder countless emperors flocked to it, one after another, to conquer all directions.

When the emperor is angry, millions die; his every word and action can determine the fate of countless people.

Now, with their decisive victory on the battlefield, the entire Wusun has prostrated itself at his feet, and the humble submission of this foreign princess in this candlelit bedchamber is the best proof of that.

With just a flick of his finger, this once incredibly spoiled and willful little princess would offer herself to him on the bed tonight, becoming his plaything.

"Your Highness."

In a daze, Su Yao seemed to hear Hong'er calling softly. He looked up and saw that the girl did not speak, but was looking at him with concern.

Su Yao snapped out of his daze, took a deep breath, and suppressed the restless desire in his heart.

"Please rise, Your Highness. We will discuss this matter later."

A glimmer of hope flashed in Ashley's eyes, yet it was tinged with fear: "Has Your Highness agreed?"

Su Yao did not answer directly, but turned to Hong'er: "Take the princess to the side hall to rest, we'll talk about it tomorrow."

Hong'er understood and gently helped Ashley up: "Your Highness, please come with me."

Ashley wanted to say something, but seeing Su Yao's unquestionable gaze, she could only lower her head and follow Hong'er away.

After the two left, Su Yao stood alone by the window, glanced at Chigu City under the moonlight one last time, and then fell asleep.

For the first time in a long time, Su Yao chose to hibernate with the system and quickly passed the night.

The next day, as soon as he got up, Hong'er, who was beside him, hurriedly reported to him.

Princess Ashley has fallen ill.

It turned out that the little princess hadn't rested properly after leaving last night, but instead chose to kneel outside his palace for the entire night.

It was the dead of winter, and she was dressed in thin clothes. Before Su Yao woke up, she collapsed first.

"What are you doing?"

In the princess's bedchamber, Su Yao looked at Ashley's pale face and sighed softly.

"Your Highness, I have nothing left. Please spare my elder brother's life!"

Ashley grasped at Su Yao's hand tightly, as if it were her last straw.

"Do you know what your elder brother would mean to our Han Dynasty if he were alive?"

Ashley was taken aback, then understood Su Yao's concerns—his elder brother held great prestige in the army, and if he lived, the Wusun would forever have a spark of rebellion.

"But," she choked out, "he is, after all, my own brother."

"His own brother?"

Only then did Su Yao realize why the princess had dared to stubbornly run north.

It turns out that although the King of Wusun had many children and grandchildren, his eldest son and Ashley were rare siblings born of the same mother.

However, based solely on feelings, how could Su Yao let it go so easily?

If he were to disregard the greater good of the nation for the sake of a woman's feelings, wouldn't he become one of those tyrannical rulers in history books?
"Actually, it's not impossible to spare their eldest prince's life."

It was Zhou Yu who spoke.

News of Princess Ashley kneeling for a whole night in front of the Tang Emperor's bedchamber, disheveled, quickly spread throughout the palace and beyond.

Zhou Yu also arrived early to check, and upon noticing the change in Su Yao's expression, he immediately stepped forward and spoke:

"Your Highness, I have a plan that can both save the Crown Prince's life and eliminate future troubles."

Su Yao raised an eyebrow: "Oh? What brilliant idea does Gongjin have?"

Zhou Yu's suggestion was simple.

Now that the King of Wusun has decided to execute the eldest prince and make his stance clear, the court can be more magnanimous and pardon him, demote the eldest prince to a commoner, and send him to serve in the army in the northeast or in the southern overseas regions.

In this way, the court's benevolence was demonstrated, and the eldest prince was kept away from his homeland of Wusun, thus eliminating any possibility of his resurgence.

"As for Princess Ashley," Zhou Yu glanced meaningfully at the girl on the bed, "the princess is so loyal and righteous, pleading for mercy despite the rumors. Why don't Your Highness grant her wish and bring her into the royal palace? It would be a respectable way for the Wusun royal family to maintain good relations. Such a marriage between the two countries would better demonstrate the virtue of our great Han Dynasty in its benevolence and power."

Upon hearing this, Su Yao turned his gaze to Ashley on the bed. A blush rose on the girl's pale face, but she dared not meet his eyes, instead clutching the corner of the blanket tightly, awaiting his decision.

Su Yao pondered for a moment, then finally nodded: "Alright, let's do as Gongjin says. However..."

He turned to Ashley and said sternly, “Princess, you must understand that although your elder brother may be spared death, he shall never return to Wusun in this lifetime. If he harbors any further disloyalty, do not blame me for being ruthless.”

Ashley wept with joy, struggled to her feet, and kowtowed, saying, "Thank you for your mercy, Your Highness! Ashley Ashley is willing to serve Your Highness for the rest of her life, with no other intentions!"

Su Yao helped the girl up, looked at her haggard face, and sighed softly: "Take care of yourself first. We'll be setting off back to the capital in three days. The journey will be long and arduous."

It's really not easy.

The battle resulted in numerous prisoners and a rich haul. Furthermore, almost the entire Wusun royal family had been relocated to the Central Plains, and the leaders of various tribes had brought a large amount of supplies with them when they came to the capital to pay tribute. It was impossible to prepare everything in just three days.

As a result, the originally planned three-day journey was delayed again and again, and it took a full seven days for the team to finally set off on their journey back east.

At the very front of the procession were the elite Han troops led by Su Yao, in the middle were the Wusun royal family and the nobles who had surrendered, and at the rear were convoys laden with spoils of war and teams escorting prisoners.

King Guishemi of Wusun stood before his carriage, taking one last look at the majestic city walls of Chigu. This capital city, where he had lived for decades, was now completely changed.

“Father.” Ashley supported her father, her eyes filled with worry.

Gui Shemi patted his daughter's hand and forced a smile: "Let's go, it's time to hit the road."

As the bugle sounded, the procession slowly moved eastward. On the city walls, the Wusun officials and civilians who remained knelt to see them off, their cries filling the air.

Su Yao rode at the very front, with the Han banners fluttering behind him. He glanced back at the receding Chigu City, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

This expedition has finally come to a temporary end. With the entire territory of Wusun surrendering, the overall situation in the Western Regions has been settled.

Next, a grand victory celebration banquet awaits him in Luoyang, along with his wife and children whom he hasn't seen in a long time.
The procession continued its march, and along the way, the massive group kept adding more members.

Upon hearing of the general's triumphant return, various tribes and kingdoms along the way came to join the tribute mission.

Even envoys from vassal states as far west of the Pamir Mountains as Dayuan and Kangju, which had already submitted to the Kushan Empire, joined in.

They brought cartloads of precious tributes and gifts, hoping to make a good impression on the General and the Emperor of Han in order to accomplish their mission.

"Oh? Envoys from Dayuan and Kangju?"

"They've come at the perfect time. Bring them up."

(End of this chapter)