I rode and slashed unparalleled in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 995 Clash of Empires, Su Yao Goes to War Again (5K8)

The following morning, sunlight streamed through the windows into the new room of the Tang Prince's Mansion.

Ashley slowly woke up in the warm sunlight, stretched her aching body, and then suddenly realized that she was curled up in a broad embrace.

In an instant, she stopped what she was doing, afraid of disturbing Su Yao who was fast asleep beside her.

Ashley slowly raised her head, opened her eyes, and gazed quietly at the man who had changed her destiny, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

Just then, Su Yao suddenly opened his eyes, a smile playing on his lips: "What is the punishment for peeping at your husband?"

Ashley gasped and quickly covered her face with the blanket: "Your Highness woke up without saying a word!"

Su Yao laughed and pulled her into his arms: "Why are you still calling me Your Highness? You should change your address."

Ashley's face instantly flushed red to her ears. Memories of last night flooded her mind, making her involuntarily shrink deeper into the covers: "Husband, husband."

Su Yao was amused by her shy appearance: "You're already husband and wife, why are you still so shy?"

Ashley covered her face, pulled the blanket over herself, and got up, stammering, "This concubine should go and pay her respects to His Majesty."

Su Yao then pressed her down, saying, "No rush, Wan Nian isn't one to stand on ceremony. You can familiarize yourself with the Prince's residence first, and go later."

After a brief moment of tenderness, Su Yao took Ashley on a tour of the mansion.

Ashley's residence was a newly built side hall in the northwest corner of the palace, filled with exotic charm and decorated in a lavish yet elegant style. Outside the hall was a small garden, planted with flowers and plants transplanted from the Western Regions, which made her feel very at home.

"Do you like it?" Su Yao asked, holding her hand.

Ashley nodded, her eyes sparkling with delight: "This place is so much better than I imagined."

“This is all from my husband’s heart.”

Approaching them were the Alyssa sisters, who also lived in this side hall. After bowing to Su Yao, they said to Ashley:

"He was worried that you might not be used to life here since you're new here, so he specially ordered people to speed up the arrangements."

Ashley's eyes reddened slightly upon hearing this.

But before she could say anything, a series of hurried footsteps approached.

Lu Su rushed over, holding an urgent report: "Your Highness, urgent report from the Western Regions!"

"Is it finally here?"

Su Yao's spirits lifted, and after taking a look at the military report, a smile immediately appeared on his lips.

Ashley and her sisters, seeing this, were puzzled and asked, "Husband, why are you so happy? Has something good happened in the Western Regions?"

"Great news! Excellent news! The Kushans have launched an attack!"

"The Kushans have sent troops?!" Ashley exclaimed in shock, her face turning deathly pale. As a princess of Wusun, she knew all too well the power of the Kushan Empire.

After migrating westward as a whole three hundred years ago, the Yuezhi people first defeated Parthia and plundered a large part of its border territory. Then they moved south to India and occupied the mysterious and rich Ganges River basin. In one fell swoop, they grew from a nomadic tribe with no more than two or three hundred thousand people into a huge empire with tens of millions of people and hundreds of thousands of soldiers.

In their long struggle with Kangju, if it weren't for the assistance of the Kushan Empire, Kangju would have been destroyed long ago.

Upon hearing that the Kushan Empire had sent troops, the princesses from the Western Regions around them immediately turned pale and became extremely nervous.

Of course, the people most frightened by this news were not them, but the envoys from Kangju and Dayuan who were currently in the tribute procession in the capital.

"No, it's impossible!"

"Why did the Kushans attack our country?!"

In the Nangong Political Affairs Hall, the two envoys who had been summoned were deathly pale.

According to intelligence provided by the Han Dynasty, the Kushan Empire dispatched an army of 100,000 to the north, and with the help of the troops stationed in Dayuan, they quickly overthrew the rule of the Dayuan king and installed a new puppet.

Kangju, benefiting from its large territory, had ample depth and time to react. Faced with the Kushan army, they mobilized urgently and defended their capital, Beitian (present-day Samarkand), to the death. At the same time, they submitted a memorial to the Kushan king to apologize and urgently sent people to Chigu, the capital of Wusun, to request support from the local Han army.

Currently, Zhou Yu and Zhao Yun are stationed in Chigu City. Upon learning of this matter, the two immediately mobilized their troops and urgently reported it to higher authorities.

"that is the truth."

Xi Zhicai, a scribe in the Imperial Secretariat, produced a letter from the Kingdom of Kangju requesting aid, saying:
“This bears the seal of your king, so it cannot be faked.”

"It seems that your plans were not kept secret, and the Yuezhi people discovered your duplicity, which is why they sent troops to punish you."

The Kangju envoy collapsed to the ground, his face ashen: "It's over, it's over! The Kushan army of 100,000 is pressing in! Our country is in grave danger!"

The Dayuan envoy knelt down and wept bitterly: "My king has been deposed, and the entire royal family has been imprisoned. What can be done for my good king? I have failed you so badly!!!"

Seeing their panicked expressions, Su Yao sneered, "What's the panic? No matter how strong the Kushans are, can they be stronger than the iron cavalry of my Great Han?"

Su Yao walked up to the two men, pulled them up, and said, "Don't forget that you are messengers who have received the king's orders. Now you only have two paths to choose from."

"Either you obediently return and submit to the Kushan king, becoming a puppet of that fallen kingdom; or you join my mighty Han cavalry on a westward expedition and personally reclaim everything you have lost!"

The Kangju envoy trembled and looked up at Su Yao's eyes, which were burning with fighting spirit: "Your Highness means that the Great Han is willing to send troops to help?"

"That depends on how sincere you really are."

Su Yao said coldly:
"The Kushan king could not tolerate a two-faced rebel, so how could my great Han tolerate a vassal who is half-hearted?"

Su Yao's gaze swept over the two envoys like a blade: "If you want my army to send troops to help, Kangju and Dayuan must completely submit and become vassal states of my Great Han in the Western Regions that will never betray us!"

"In this way, the heavenly army of our Great Han will protect our vassal states, help you drive out foreign enemies, and ensure the eternal prosperity of your nation."

The two envoys exchanged a glance, knowing full well that they had no other choice.

The Kangju envoy was the first to kneel down and prostrate himself: "Kangju is willing to submit to the Great Han forever, and has no other intentions!"

The Dayuan envoy also quickly kowtowed: "Dayuan is also willing to submit, only asking Your Highness to send troops to help!"

Su Yao nodded in satisfaction: "Good! In that case, you should immediately write back to your country and tell your king and people that the Great Han will not stand idly by while its vassal states are bullied. Soon, the Heavenly Army of the Great Han will step in to help you reclaim your homeland!"

"As for the two of you, hurry up and get ready. Once my army is assembled, we will set off together and serve as guides for my troops."

Upon hearing this, the two envoys were so moved that they repeatedly kowtowed:

"Thank you, Your Highness! Thank you, Your Highness!"

"We will certainly do our utmost to serve the heavenly army!"

After the envoy left, the hall of state affairs immediately fell silent.

Grand Tutor Lu Zhi, Attendant-in-Ordinary Xun Yu, and Minister of the Imperial Secretariat Zhu Jun—the heads of the three provinces—all stared silently at Su Yao. Finally, Wan Nian, who had been sitting to the side, stood up and broke the silence:
"This matter came suddenly, yet the King of Tang seemed so confident. Could it be that he had been prepared all along?"

This is not the modern society where you can send a message thousands of miles away with just a phone call.

It doesn't seem very reasonable that the envoys from Dayuan and Kangju, who had secretly set out on their missions, were exposed and triggered retaliation from the Kushans before they even returned.

Especially judging from Su Yao's behavior, it seems that he had been waiting for this moment for a long time, making it hard not to suspect that there was something fishy going on behind the scenes.

"really."

Xun Yu stroked his beard and said, "The Yuezhi's actions have given us an excellent reason to send troops. Our Great Han is punishing the wicked and comforting the people, protecting our vassal states. Once we succeed, our sphere of influence will cross the Pamir Mountains in one fell swoop. Even a counterattack against the Kushans is not impossible."

"Hahaha!"

Su Yao laughed three times, and frankly admitted the answer to everyone's doubts:

"Yes, I did it!"

It turned out that Su Yao had already devised this plan in his mind when he returned in triumph and met with the envoys from Dayuan and Kangju.

When they first invaded Wusun, although they had a reason to retaliate, they were still considered invaders within the country and could hardly gain any support. Even if they captured the capital, they could not quell the war quickly.

This time, Kangju and Dayuan came to his doorstep, so Su Yao naturally had to make good use of them.

He astutely sensed the fear and dissatisfaction towards the Kushans in the words of the envoys from both countries, and secretly instructed the Imperial Guards to spread rumors in the Western Regions, deliberately revealing that the envoys from both countries were secretly paying tribute to the Han Dynasty. At the same time, he also ordered the forgery of some documents, implying that the two countries were plotting to unite with the Han Dynasty against the Kushans.

"The Kushan Empire has been plagued by internal strife for the past decade or so, and its neighboring vassal states have been restless, all seeking independence. When this news reaches their ears, they will naturally take action." Su Yao's eyes gleamed with cunning. "And this is the reason we've been waiting for to send troops!"

"Your Highness's plan is ingenious, but isn't it too hasty?"

Lu Zhi frowned and slowly said:

"The Western Regions have only just been pacified, and the people's hearts are not yet won over. Our army has just returned from its campaign and has not yet had time to rest. To start another war at this time would be a waste of resources and manpower, and that would probably not be a good thing."

Su Yao waved his hand confidently and said, "Lord Lu is overthinking it. Our army has reaped a great harvest in this western expedition, and the Wusun treasury is almost entirely in our hands. In addition, with the profits from the Western Regions Development Company, the military expenses are more than enough."

"As for the soldiers," Su Yao chuckled, "we can simply use a rotation system to send them out."

"Rotation?" Wan Nian asked in surprise.

“That’s right.” Su Yao’s lips curled up slightly. “The last western expedition was very successful. The victorious soldiers spent money on property. Those who weren’t selected were envious. This time, it’s a good time to rotate the troops. I will still lead some elite troops, and we will also recruit Hu and Qiang cavalrymen, plus the local troops stationed in the Western Regions. That will be more than enough to deal with the Kushan.”

After speaking, Su Yao presented the troop deployment plan he had prepared beforehand. It could be said that this was the largest troop mobilization Su Yao had undertaken since unifying the country.

With the full support of blacksmith workshops across the country and the warhorses he acquired from the grasslands and traded, the Imperial Guards of the Twelve Guards in the capital finally completed their replenishment. The nearly 80,000 Imperial Guards had an armor rate of over 70%, and the ratio of infantry to cavalry reached 1:3.

This time, Su Yao directly conscripted 8,000 Imperial Guards cavalry, and at the same time summoned 3,000 Three Rivers Knights, 8,000 Liang Knights, 8,000 Xiongnu Knights, plus the troops previously stationed in the Western Regions and the vassal troops of the Western Regions, as well as the Wusun Xianbei Knights who had submitted. A total of 50,000 Han and Hu cavalry troops made their dazzling debut.

Although this number is indeed less than the 100,000-strong cavalry force that Emperor Wu of Han assembled by selling everything he owned when he attacked the Xiongnu in the north, this was achieved after all, only four years after the Empress ascended the throne and less than two years after unifying the country.

However, even with such a large army, the ministers still seemed somewhat lacking in confidence.

Huangfu Song expressed his deep concern: "I have heard that the Kushan Empire is a great nation with tens of millions of people and hundreds of thousands of soldiers. Our country has marched thousands of miles into enemy territory, and with only 50,000 troops, I am afraid it will be difficult to shake them."

"That might have been true decades or even a decade ago."

Su Yao chuckled and unfolded a map of power, saying:

"The Kushan Empire is no longer the hegemon it once was, and its internal conflicts are numerous. In recent years, the royal family has been embroiled in infighting, and the governors of various regions have also been self-reliant with their own armies."

"The western part of its country borders Parthia, and the two countries are long-time enemies, with heavy troops constantly facing each other. Meanwhile, the most populous Indian states in the south have long disagreed with the rule of the Yuezhi people, and rebellions are now frequent. Therefore, the 100,000 troops that the Kushan Kingdom has sent to Kangju this time are actually the limit of what it can mobilize."

As he spoke, Su Yao pointed to the Fergana Valley west of the Pamir Mountains on the map:
"Our army only needs to break through the natural barrier of the Pamir Mountains and help Dayuan restore its kingdom, and then we can drive straight into the heart of the Kushan Empire."

"At that time, whether we march south to threaten the capital of the Kushan Kingdom and incite separatist forces within it, or rush north to aid Kangju and cut off the return route of its 100,000-strong army, we will be able to advance or retreat at will."

Su Yao's confidence infected everyone present, and even the most conservative Lu Zhi had to admit that this was indeed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Empress Wu Zetian looked around at everyone, and seeing that no one had any further objections, she made the final decision: "In that case, I grant the Tang King's request and will immediately begin preparations for the western expedition. All departments must cooperate fully and without fail!"

"Your Majesty, we obey!" the ministers replied in unison.

And so, an unprecedented westward expedition was decided.

In the days that followed, Luoyang City became busy once again.

Inside the Tang Prince's palace, Su Yao, along with Huangfu Song, Cao Cao, Jia Xu, Guo Jia, and Lu Su, planned day and night, mobilizing troops and generals. The Ministry of Works worked overtime to produce military equipment, while the Ministry of Revenue was busy allocating provisions to ensure the army's logistics were not a problem.

At the same time, all the trading posts along the route of the Western Regions Development Company also received orders to do their utmost to gather and prepare supplies to ensure smooth resupply for the army along the way.

Amidst this tense atmosphere, the Tang Prince's Mansion was filled with warmth.

With the help of the Alyssa sisters, Princess Ashley gradually adapted to life in the royal palace. Besides learning Han Chinese etiquette, she spent her days accompanying Su Yao or interacting with other women in the household.

One day, Ashley was practicing calligraphy in the garden when she suddenly heard footsteps behind her.

"Well written." Su Yao's voice rang in her ears. "It seems the princess has a lot of talent."

Ashley quickly put down her brush, stood up and bowed: "My lord, you flatter me. I simply wish to learn Chinese as soon as possible."

Su Yao smiled and took her hand: "Don't be so reserved. Come on, let me teach you to write a few words."

He stood behind Ashley, took her hand, and wrote the four characters "永结同心" (May you be forever united) on a piece of paper.

Ashley looked at those words, tears welling in her eyes: "My husband."

Su Yao gently stroked her long hair: "I will be going to war in a few days. You must take good care of yourself in the manor."

Ashley trembled and gripped Su Yao's sleeve tightly: "My husband, you must come back safely."

"Don't worry." Su Yao gently kissed her forehead. "When I return victorious, I will teach you more Han etiquette."

Ashley nodded emphatically, resting her head against Su Yao's chest, silently praying that the war would end soon.

Unfortunately, the princess's idea was merely wishful thinking. As for Su Yao, he knew very well that his path and the journey ahead were likely endless.
Therefore, all he could do for his women was to spend as much time with them as possible during the short truce, create some beautiful memories, and leave behind the fruits of their love, so that even if he were gone, they would still have children to accompany them and wouldn't be left alone in their empty rooms.

For example, this time, although the Alisa sisters really wanted to go on the expedition with him again, the two pregnant women were left in Luoyang by Su Yao.

What surprised Su Yao was that Hong'er's belly showed no signs of pregnancy, which was completely illogical.

Su Yao still doted on Hong'er, and even on the expedition, he often visited her. After her elaborate Hu Ji attire, he frequently took her and the three sisters, Alisa, to hold uninhibited parties together.

It makes no sense that the Hu sisters are all pregnant, but Hong'er hasn't shown any signs of pregnancy.

"Did you secretly do something?"

Su Yao pinched Hong'er's cheek and asked half-jokingly.

To everyone's surprise, Hong'er's face turned deathly pale upon hearing this, and she knelt down with a thud, stammering, "This servant...this servant wouldn't dare!"

Su Yao had only asked casually, but seeing her reaction, he frowned immediately: "What's wrong? You didn't actually do something, did you?"

Hong'er bit her lip and lowered her head, saying, "This servant...this servant did indeed use some contraceptive medicine."

"Why?" Su Yao asked in a deep voice.

Hong'er raised her head, her eyes brimming with tears: "This servant...this servant is a little scared."

"afraid of what?"

"This servant...this servant is afraid that if I become pregnant, I will no longer be able to serve Your Highness."

"Is that all?" Su Yao raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." Hong'er gently wiped her eyes and said, "This servant comes from a humble background, and it is already a great blessing to have Your Highness's favor, not to mention that you have even bestowed a marquisate upon Nian'er."

"This servant is already satisfied and dares not have any more desires. From now on, I only wish to serve Your Highness every day and never be separated from you again."

Upon hearing this, Su Yao's heart softened, and he reached out to help Hong'er up: "Silly girl, who told you that you can't stay with me just because you're pregnant?"

"I know."

Hong'er Nuonuo said:
“Your Highness has ambitions beyond the four corners of the world, with endless battles and journeys to be fought. If I become pregnant, I will have to stay in the mansion like the other ladies and will not be able to serve you.”

"Your Highness, I really can't bear to part with you. The thought of you not being able to eat or sleep well without someone to take care of you is unbearable. Please grant my request and let me continue to serve you."

Su Yao gazed into Hong'er's tearful eyes, feeling both moved and somewhat puzzled.

It's true that Hong'er is capable of doing this, but it doesn't seem to be that simple.

Since learning that this world is the real world, Su Yao has stopped viewing the people around him in such a stereotypical way.

To be honest, after spending so much time together, Su Yao believed he understood Hong'er quite well.

While there's no doubt about the girl's loyalty to him, Hong'er is actually quite shrewd and intelligent, despite her seemingly petite and pitiful appearance.

If she really wanted to keep it a secret from me and was secretly using contraceptive medicine, would she have told me about it with tears streaming down her face just because I made a joke?

In an instant, several guesses came to Su Yao's mind, but at this time of year, he didn't want to cause any unnecessary trouble.

Let's observe again.

"In short, you are not allowed to use this herbal medicine anymore!"

Su Yao grabbed Hong'er's hand and said sternly:
"These kinds of drugs are harmful to the body. If you use them too much, not only will you not have the chance to have children again, but it could also cost you your life. Do you understand which is more important?"

“This servant knows she was wrong…” Hong’er lowered her head, tears dripping onto Su Yao’s hand. “This servant will never dare to do it again.”

"Alright, alright, it's good that you know you were wrong."

Su Yao patted his head and comforted him, saying:

"Also, stop calling me 'madam' all the time. You are now a lady and need to learn to adapt to your new identity."

Hong'er raised her head, her eyes filled with tears, but she smiled and said, "Yes, Hong'er remembers."

"Good, that's a good girl."

Su Yao patted her little face and said:

"I'll ask the Imperial Hospital to prescribe some medicine for you to recuperate. You should rest well these next few days and try to give me a big, healthy son when you come back this time."

"Yes, Hong'er will listen to her husband."

Inside the Tang Prince's Mansion, a warm and inviting atmosphere prevailed, while outside, galloping horses galloped incessantly.

Centered on Luoyang, countless courier horses galloped in all directions, issuing urgent troop mobilization orders to the Sanhe and Bingliang regions.

Led by their respective garrison commanders or tribal chiefs, the knights assembled and set off.

Among them, the Three Rivers Cavalry was led by Yan Liang, the Bingzhou Iron Cavalry was led by Cheng Lian, a trusted veteran of Su Yao, the Liangzhou Cavalry was still led by Ma Chao and Yan Xing, and the Xiongnu tribe was led by Chanyu Yufuluo himself, who went on the expedition with Zhang Liao, the envoy to the Xiongnu.

As for the Imperial Guards in the capital, Su Yao dispatched Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, who had already returned to the capital to report, each leading four thousand cavalrymen to attack.

A few days later, on March 28, banners fluttered outside Luoyang City as the expeditionary force once again swore an oath before setting off.

This time, considering issues such as the battle location and supplies, Su Yao did not engage in formalism by having the entire army from across the country assemble in Luoyang. Instead, he set up the assembly point in Dunhuang, allowing troops from various regions to assemble on their own.

Therefore, only the Imperial Guards and the Three Rivers Knights from the surrounding areas of the capital gathered outside Luoyang. Although the scale was not as spectacular as the last western expedition, the elite troops were even more superior.
(End of this chapter)