The Human Emperor c1-2382

by Huangfu Qi (皇甫奇)

  This was how vicious the War of the Princes could get.

  Anything that involved the struggle for imperial authority was bound to be callous and vicious in nature.

  Their failure in the Vast Crane Pavilion incident still allowed the Wang Clan to hold its ground for many years, and even the Consort Taizhen incident only resulted in the demotion of the Wang Clan to normal civilians.

  But as for the War of the Princes...

  As soon as the new emperor ascended the throne, those who supported the opposing princes would find their entire clans completely exterminated.

  Even an emperor as wise as Yu the Great had his own successor being torn to shreds by his own son, needless to say about the others after him.

  Such had been the case when the incumbent Sage Emperor came to power, so why should there be any exception this time?

  Wang Chong had always consciously shied away from the War of the Princes, trying to remain uninvolved as far as it was possible.

  But this spirit vein had swept Wang Chong into the most dangerous vortex in Great Tang.

  The First Prince stood behind Big Uncle Wang Gen, and the mysterious prince who dispatched the seer to find the spirit vein... With these two princes getting involved in this matter, there was no doubt that more would soon come knocking on the doors of the Wang Clan.

  And that was where the trouble lay.

  Amidst this crisis, such a thing known as the 'correct decision' didn't exist at all. There was no ground one could stand on to definitely remain safe. Doing anything was a mistake in itself, and the more one did, the deeper one would sink... But not doing anything was a mistake as well!

  With such thoughts in mind, Wang Chong could only sigh deeply.

  "All that has to happen will happen. I'll just count my steps as I take them."

  Soon, Wang Chong turned around and returned back to the Deflecting Blade Manor.

  ------

  "What a powerful spirit vein!"

  Just as Wang Chong was busy in the Deflecting Blade Manor, he was unaware that a haughty, crimson-robed lady was currently standing at the edge of the Vermilion Bird Peak. A fiery martial halo reminiscent of blazing flames shone beneath her feet. Along with an austere court nanny beside her, she gazed in the direction of the Deflecting Blade Manor.

  Behind them were more than a dozen ladies dressed in court wear. Each of them possessed exceptional cultivation, and even the weakest of them was a True Martial realm. As such, their presence was exceptionally conspicuous in the training camp.

  "Your Highness, this is a good opportunity. It is by the will of heavens that we are in the Kunwu Training Camp, we mustn't let this chance slip by our fingers!" the austere nanny spoke. From the slight golden hue on her skinny, withered fingers, it could be seen that she had cultivated some kind of unique martial arts.

  And held in her five fingers was a letter containing the most recent news from the capital.

  Under her instructions, a scout had already proceeded to scope out the spirit vein, and the news he sent back was that the spiritual energy contained in the spirit vein was unbelievably concentrated.

  And more importantly, the spirit vein covered a wide region.

  This news was sufficient to move any power in the capital.

  Without a doubt, anyone who gained possession of this huge spirit vein would obtain a vital edge in the War of the Princes.

  "Since that is the case, let's take it." , Princess Ni Huang said without any hesitation, holding her head up high. The brilliant splendor of her halo made her astounding features even more beautiful.

  "We will surely have to gain possession of it, but that lad isn't a simple figure..." the old nanny frowned. Even though she had been living in the royal court for far too long, spending most of her time by Princess Ni Huang's side, she was still kept abreast of the happenings outside.

  The old nanny began to fill Princess Ni Huang in on the various rumors she had gathered regarding that lad.

  "Hmph, and here I was wondering what kind of formidable figure he could be. In the end, he's just nothing more than a fellow who is all words," Princess Ni Huang replied in disdain after hearing of the regional commanders incident.

  "No matter how big the Wang Clan is, can it be compared to the royal family? I don't believe that he will dare to refuse me if I were to ask him to hand it over! Besides, even if he were to refuse, all we have to do is to beat him into submission. I don't have the hobby of being rejected." Princess Ni Huang clenched her fists, and a powerful aura gushed forth from her. For a moment, the entire cliff tremored.

  This was the incredible strength that Profound Martial realm experts harnessed at their fingertips.

  As a member of the royal family, she had the qualifications to be proud. Before her, not even Abutong was worth anything.

  "Your Highness is right. No matter how powerful the Wang Clan is, they are no more than servants of the royal family. I'll escort Your Highness over later on. If that lad were to dare to utter a word of refusal, your humble servant will teach him a lesson in Your Highness's stead and have him obediently hand the spirit vein over," the old nanny nodded as a bone-chilling smile surfaced on her lips.

  No matter what the princess wanted, even if it was the stars in the sky, she would obtain it for her.

  That was her mission as a servant!

  Chapter 308: Princess Ni Huang!

  Chapter 308: Princess Ni Huang!

  "Gongzi, we have tallied the name list."

  Unknowingly, several hours had passed, and the crowd outside slowly scattered. Zhao Jingdian stepped into the room with a thick stack of papers in his hands.

  "Place it on the table."

  The room was decorated in an elegant, antique fashion. Wang Chong was currently seated behind an ancient Han Dynasty painting as he gestured to a rosewood table beside him.

  The commotion resulting from the spirit vein had brought in more applicants to the Deflecting Blade Manor than expected.

  Perhaps I should change the rules, Wang Chong thought.

  His original plan was to gather a group of talented commanders from Kunwu Training Camp and groom them to achieve greater things in the future.

  But the arrival of the men from Shenwei and Longwei had made Wang Chong reconsider his decisions.

  He suddenly felt that he could expand his original plan to include those from Shenwei and Longwei, as well.

  However, the prerequisites to entering the Deflecting Blade Manor wouldn't change.

  Wang Chong didn't intend to recruit martial artists. There were plenty of experts throughout Great Tang whose services he could employ if that was the case.

  Who Wang Chong intended to recruit were those who possessed a sharp eye for the battlefield, or those who possessed potential in that aspect.

  In other words, Wang Chong wanted to bring in allies who would stand on the same front as him, future generals who would fight for Great Tang!

  Starting from the very first page, Wang Chong began to read through the names while scavenging through the memories of his previous life to sieve out the list of priority candidates.

  Xie Qingyun from Longwei Training Camp. He sounds familiar... Isn't he the scion of the Xie Clan? He is quite famous in the capital, and he is renowned for his loyalty. To think that he would be here as well!, Wang Chong thought as he stared at a certain name in the middle of the list.

  While Shenwei and Longwei failed to produce as many outstanding generals as Kunwu Training Camp, there were still quite a few who had achieved considerable feats.

  Even though Xie Qingyun couldn't compete with the top-notch talented generals such as Su Hanshan and Sun Zhiming, he was still a relatively outstanding commander.

  According to what Wang Chong remembered, the other party eventually become a commandant, a high-ranked officer in the military.

  Coming from a large clan, he should have come into contact with military affairs and the sort from a young age, so his talent should be acceptable. The o
nly thing he is lacking is the determination to reach for greater heights. Since he was able to become a commandant in his previous life, he should have some talent in commanding an army. If he could be groomed in the Deflecting Blade Manor, he might be able to surpass his previous achievements and reach heights beyond his previous life, Wang Chong thought.

  The future held countless possibilities. As long as one reached out, there were many things one could grasp. However, after seeing Xie Qingyun's name, Wang Chong suddenly recalled another recruit of Longwei Training Camp.

  That person had one of the humbler backgrounds among those in Longwei, and his clan didn't seem to regard him highly, either.

  However, to uphold the honor of the clan, he was still allowed to enroll in Longwei Training Camp despite being the son of a concubine. Such matters were rather common in large clans.

  A moment later, Wang Chong eyes lit up as he found the ordinary-sounding name. "I found it, Wei Anfang!"

  The current Wei Anfang was probably going through one of the worst phases in his life. There was no one in the clan who valued him, he was snubbed in Longwei Training Camp, and he even had a conflict with his elder brother recently.

  Wang Chong raised his brush and wrote a tick beside Wei Anfang's name.

  Wei Anfang was one of the high achievers that had emerged from the Longwei Training Camp. The army that he led had performed unexpectedly well in several huge battles.

  He was a dedicated person who could fulfill the instructions of his superior perfectly, and even go beyond that.

  Every single great general needed to learn the art of effectively commanding an army. But similarly, they would also require loyal commanders who could understand their military tactics and intention, and execute them perfectly.

  Wei Anfang definitely belonged to the latter.

  His talent might not be particularly outstanding, paling in face of Sun Zhiming, Chen Burang, and the others, but as a loyal and flexible commander, he was a sought-after talent of all great generals who possessed great ambitions.

  And more importantly, Wei Anfang was the type to only shine later on.

  His life in Longwei Training Camp was ordinary and unspectacular, and he only began to rise swiftly after he officially entered the army.

  With each passing battle, he had undergone metamorphosis after metamorphosis, eventually becoming one of the few rising stars from Longwei Training Camp.

  If Wang Chong could bring him to his side now, the other party would surely become his most reliable comrade.

  "Jingdian, send an invitation letter to this person. Tell him that he need not take the examination, and he can come here straight."

  Pointing to Wei Anfang's name, Wang Chong instructed Zhao Jingdian.

  Upon hearing Wang Chong's words, a sliver of astonishment flashed across Zhao Jingdian's eyes. He couldn't understand what kind of capabilities Wei Anfang possessed for Wang Chong to extend an invitation straight to him without undergoing the entrance examination.

  Furthermore, this was under the circumstances that Wang Chong had yet to finish looking through the list!

  "Yes, gongzi."

  Even though Zhao Jingdian was bewildered, he still followed Wang Chong's instructions without any complaints.

  After arranging this matter, Wang Chong continued browsing through the list.

  "Zhang Tuwen, no impression of him at all..."

  "Xu Tong, this person has a horrible reputation. Back when I was still hanging in the streets, his name surfaced on many occasions."

  "Huang Yanwu, I should give him a chance when the time comes."

  "Shi Rongrong..."

  Seeing the feminine name amidst the list, Wang Chong grabbed his forehead as a pang of headache struck him.

  There were quite a few female applicants to the Deflecting Blade Manor this time, but Wang Chong's original plan didn't involve the recruitment of ladies. Of course, Marquess Yi was an exception.

  Furthermore, they didn't seem to just be interested in entering the Deflecting Blade manor!

  The words they had spoken earlier were still fresh in Wang Chong's mind!

  This is truly troubling!, Wang Chong thought.

  This matter had surpassed Wang Chong's expectations. It would not be feasible for him to reject every single one of them. After all, most of them came from distinguished clans, and if they were to cause a fuss, it would be vexing.

  But accepting those ladies in... He hadn't really entertained such a possibility before.

  Besides, Wang Chong had another doubt in his mind.

  The spirit vein is indeed enticing, but the number of ladies who applied for the Deflecting Blade Manor is simply too many. This is a little suspicious…, Wang Chong thought.

  Calming himself down, Wang Chong continued scanning through the names and leaving a mark on some of them.

  ------

  Some time later, as Wang Chong was still busy marking the names on the list, a lady's voice suddenly sounded. Even though the voice was pleasant, it had a haughty and domineering vibe to it.

  "Where is Wang Chong? Come out right now!"

  "Hmm?"

  Wang Chong raised his head from the desk doubtfully. The voice seemed to be coming from the entrance, and it didn't seem to be Marquess Yi.

  Boom!

  Before Wang Chong could process what was going on, a loud explosion sounded, and the gate to the courtyard was kicked open. A shock wave gushed into the room.

  Following which, the sound of wooden boards and human bodies crashing onto the floor sounded.

  It seemed like the guard had been kicked in along with the door.

  "Damn it, who are those people?" Fury flashed across Wang Chong's eyes as he smashed his palm onto the table. It was one thing to cause trouble in the Deflecting Blade Manor, but to hurt his men was going way too far!

  Peng!

  Opening the door, Wang Chong was just about to walk out when what he saw left him frozen.

  At the entrance, he saw a group of ferocious young ladies dressed in court wear, and a formidable-looking nanny standing in front of them.

  And standing in front of those young ladies and beside the old nanny was a fair-skinned young lady. She was beautiful, but her face was frosty like a winter night. Standing above a resplendent pink halo reminiscent of flames, she gazed at the crowd with an air of superiority.

  The Imperial Army members whom Uncle Li Lin had dispatched here were kneeling before her with their heads lowered.

  "You are Wang Chong?"

  Upon noticing Wang Chong, the cold-faced lady immediately turned her head over. Her attitude was overbearing and intolerable.

  Seeing the young lady, Wang Chong was taken aback.

  He didn't recognize the lady, but he recognized the brilliant martial halo beneath her feet. He had only seen it from afar on the night of the Goguryeons' night assault, but...

  Princess Ni Huang!

  This thought flashed across Wang Chong's mind, and in an instant, a bad premonition struck him.

  "I am talking to you!" Not receiving an answer, Princess Ni Huang immediately became a little irritated.

  "Yes, I am. May I know the reason behind Your Highness's visit?" Wang Chong said as he walked down the stairs.

  "Hmph, it's good that you're him." Ignoring the guards of the Deflecting Blade Manor, Princess Ni Huang walked up to Wang Chong. The cold-faced nanny and the group of ladies behind her immediately followed suit.

  "I am honored by Your Highness's visit. May I know what can I do for you?" Wang Chong said nonchalantly as he gestured to a guard beside him.

  "Bring a pot of tea over..."

  "There's no need for it!" Before Wang Chong could finish his words, Princess Ni Huang interjected.

  "Hmph, since you know who I am, that will make things simpler. I heard that you have a spirit vein under your name. Hand it over!" Her voice was forceful, leaving no grounds for negotiation at all.

  Peng!

  With just a glance, the court lady
behind immediately stepped forward and placed a blank deed on the rosewood table to the side.

  Even the red ink used to seal the deed had been prepared.

  Chapter 309: Coercion!

  Chapter 309: Coercion!

  That bad premonition had become a reality.

  Looking at the deed and the red ink before him, Wang Chong's complexion turned ugly.

  Princess Ni Huang was indeed here for the spirit vein.

  He knew that the exposure of the spirit vein would surely bring about great trouble, but he didn't think that it would come that quickly.

  A princess had actually come before him for the spirit vein.

  Even though Wang Chong knew that he was bound for trouble, he didn't expect the other party to be so arrogant. To expect him to hand over the spirit vein freely like that, how could there be something as good as that in the world?

  If it was just for private purposes, he wouldn't mind giving the spirit vein away.

  However, the spirit vein simply played too crucial a role for him in changing the future. Otherwise, he wouldn't have wasted his resources on it in the first place.

  Not to mention, he wouldn't have continued holding onto it despite the danger of being embroiled in the War of the Princes, especially after receiving the letter from Big Uncle Wang Gen.

  But from the looks of it, Princess Ni Huang would never leave unless she achieved her aims here. Most probably, the matter here wouldn't be resolved peacefully.

  Glancing at the brilliant martial halo beneath Princess Ni Huang's feet, he asked calmly, "May I ask Your Highness a question? Given Your Highness's superior cultivation, what use do you have seeking the spirit vein?"

  "Hmph! You need not bother about that. I'll just ask you one simple question: will you hand it over or not?" Princess Ni Huang's eyebrows shot up as she spoke authoritatively.

  "Lad, I know that you are the grandson of Duke Jiu, but since Your Highness has already requested it from you, you better obediently hand it over," the austere old nanny who possessed unfathomable cultivation added.