Chapter 463: The Calm Before the Storm (I)
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
The combined army of Mengshe Zhao and Ü-Tsang would annihilate the 180,000 elites of the Annan Protectorate, leaving the door to the south wide open and casting the common people into misery!
But this was not even the most serious consequence. When the tiger was old, even the monkeys would dare to ride on its back.
Pandora's box had already been opened, and what was waiting for this empire was an unprecedented catastrophe!
In less than a second, countless thoughts flashed through Wang Chong's mind. His entire body trembled as a shiver crept up his spine!
"No! None of this has happened yet; the Imperial Court has yet to make a decision! As long as the mobilization of the 180,000 elites can be avoided, there's still a chance!"
Wang Chong's mind quickly turned. In his last life, the Wang Clan had already fallen from grace and he had only been the insignificant scion of a fallen clan. It had simply been impossible for him to involve himself in such a large-scale war.
But now was different. The Wang Clan had not fallen and its alliance with King Song was still as firm as rock. As long as he could persuade his big uncle and King Song, there was still a chance.
"No! I have to meet Big Uncle and King Song right now!"
Wang Chong immediately turned around with the intention of going down the mountain. His big uncle and King Song wielded great influence in the Bureau of Military Personnel. As long as he could borrow their help to prevent the court from mobilizing troops, he still had time to salvage the situation.
The Nanzhao War did not have to start!
At the very least, as long as the 180,000 elites were not completely wiped out, everything would be different.
"Wang Chong! Where do you think you're going!"
Just when Wang Chong turned around, there was a flash of light, and a thunderous roar pealed through the heavens. A figure suddenly rose from the lush forests around the mountain like a great bird. With a boom, it landed in front of Wang Chong.
"The Chamberlain of Dependencies is handling a case. Please come with us!"
This person had a harsh expression, his white robe drifting in the air while his body exuded a thick aura.
Upon seeing the emblem of the Chamberlain of Dependencies on the man's clothes, Wang Chong instantly paled.
Without even thinking, Wang Chong turned and began running in another direction. He did not fear the Chamberlain of Dependencies, nor did he fear imprisonment.
But not at this time, not now!
Boom!
But right as Wang Chong was trying to run, there was another boom. Like a wooden pillar stabbing down from the heavens, another figure barred his path.
This person had an icy expression, and on his chest was the striking symbol of the Chamberlain of Dependencies.
"Young Master Wang, please!"
"You can't escape!"
"The country has its laws and the clans have their regulations! Even the Son of Heaven will be judged by the people when committing a crime. Do you still want to run?"
……
One icy voice after another resounded through the heavens like mighty bells. And with these voices came boom after boom as figures dropped from the sky.
Two, three, four… in a short time, six callous figures dropped from the skies at once. Like mighty gods, they surrounded Wang Chong, cutting off all his paths of retreat.
These people were all experts of at least the Profound Martial realm!
As a gentle breeze blew by, the mountain forests were suddenly packed. Near and far, Wang Chong could see the Imperial Army, the prison guards of the Court of Judicial Review, and the experts of the Imperial Clan Court in the morning light. All of them had surrounded this place. It seemed like they had just come from the summit.
After one night, they had finally reached Deflecting Blade Manor.
Wang Chong's heart chilled as he instantly came to a stop!
……
Boom!
When Wang Chong was arrested, the entire capital quaked.
Anyone with some standing in the capital knew of last night's turmoil, and everyone was watching to see how the matter developed.
And in the Imperial Court, this incident had become a major one. Seizing upon this excellent opportunity, the Yao Clan and King Qi truly did add fuel to the fire, doing their utmost to exaggerate the matter. But the most astonishing of all was that the Imperial Army, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Chamberlain of Dependencies had come together to arrest Wang Chong.
Such a thing had never happened before!
Once this matter became known, even the common folk of the capital began to chatter about it, and when more details began to filter out from the court, the entire capital fell into an uproar.
In the Imperial City, under the feet of the Son of Heaven, Wang Chong had led several hundred experts in broad daylight to Drunken Sparrow restaurant and begun killing without a word. Even if one went back three hundred years, such a thing had never happened in the Imperial City.
And this matter also involved many great clans and noble houses, as well as the students of Kunwu Training Camp, Longwei Training Camp, and Shenwei Training Camp, making the common folk of the capital go red with anticipation.
This incident was bursting with riddles.
It was understandable if one said that Wang Chong had attacked Drunken Sparrow restaurant for the sake of his older cousin, but to ignore all the people in the restaurant and chase after that little Hu soldier under Zhang Shougui was an almost absurd twist.
Wang Chong had even had that other Hu killed in front of Zhang Shougui, and this was a Hu that Wang Chong had never even seen before!
There were just far too many questions!
Why had Wang Chong done this? Was revenge for Wang Liang really worth such a big fuss? And why was it that Wang Chong loathed that Hu so much, even though they had never met?
On the second day of Wang Chong's imprisonment, further developments brought in another big character. Much less the common folk of the capital, even the Yao Clan and King Qi were left with jaws agape.
Three of the Four An Brothers were An Yaluoshan, An Wenzhen, and An Xiaojie, but their fourth sworn brother was actually An Sishun, Vice Protector-General of the Beiting Protectorate!
Boom!
When this news exploded onto the scene, even the mentally prepared Wang Clan was stunned.
Wang Chong's operation had not only offended Andong Protector-General Zhang Shougui, it had also offended Beiting Vice Protector-General An Sishun!
In the Great Tang Empire, An Sishun's status was inferior to the Han Zhang Shougui and Wang Zhongsi, and it also could not compare to the extremely senior Hu like Fumeng Lingcha, but as someone who had to deal with both the Eastern and Western Turkic Khaganates, An Sishun's status was not one bit inferior to Geshu Han's!
And in some aspects, he even surpassed him!
Unlike what most people imagined, although An Sishun had the esteemed status of Beiting Vice Protector-General, he was still extremely young.
In the empire's six protectorates, he was undoubtedly the fastest-promoted and youngest Vice Protector-General. His future potential was endless.
It wasn't enough for Wang Chong to offend Zhang Shougui. He had even offended Beiting's An Sishun! No one had expected this.
The Imperial Court had already been engaged in the fierce quarrel, and now it threatened to overturn the heavens!
But no matter how intense the debate became, the Wang Clan was somehow extremely restrained throughout!