The Human Emperor c1-2382

by Huangfu Qi (皇甫奇)

  "When Li Siye stands, the empire stands!"

  "So long as Li Siye is undefeated, the empire is infallible!"

  ...

  His ferocious roars that echo throughout the battlefields bring courage to his allies and fear to his enemies.

  His presence was the cornerstone of the army. No matter how strong an enemy they faced, no matter how dire a situation stood before them, Li Siye's army always stood unwaveringly.

  The army he commanded was as fierce as he was, and they always stood as the infallible fortress halting the progress of their enemy, bringing hope to those they protected.

  There was none in history who were like him, influencing the morale of an entire army based on just valor in itself, turning the soldiers who pursued him into unstoppable berserkers of the battlefield!

  Through this, he reversed the tides of the battle, bringing seemingly impossible victories to Great Tang time after time again, thus eventually giving rise to the title of his conferment, "Invincible Great General"!

  Li Siye might not understand warfare, but his incredible strength he commanded allowed him to neglect any warfare and crush his enemies in a direct confrontation.

  Based on what Wang Chong remembered in his previous life, even the bravest and most formidable of enemies had ended up stopping hesitantly in the face of the Invincible Great General!

  In order to reshape the military of the empire, Li Siye was an important ally he had to rally to his side regardless of the cost. It was to the point that Wang Chong even went to the extent of tapping into his connection with King Song in order to have the Bureau of Military Personnel deploy the latter under him.

  From that, it could be seen how highly he regarded Li Siye.

  Just that, Wang Chong had never expected the future Invincible Great General to appear before him in such a fashion.

  Despite the other party's resounding reputation in the previous life, Wang Chong never had the opportunity to meet him, so this was their first encounter.

  King Song has really brought him to me!, Wang Chong thought excitedly.

  As King Song hadn't informed him of the matter in advance, this had come as a huge surprise.

  As Wang Chong gazed into the furious expression of the future Invincible Great General, several thoughts ran through his mind, and he swiftly understood what was going on.

  Born a warrior, the only thing Li Siye had in mind was battle.

  He had spent the former half of his life training diligently, silently growing stronger. Even as his capabilities matured, the only wish he had was to guard the borders of the empire and do what he does best.

  Eastern Han's Ban Chao had once spoken these grand words, "How could a man allow himself to trapped amidst cutting pens, blinded by paltry gains?", and bravely devoted his body to protecting the borders. His efforts had helped paved his country's way into the Western Regions, earning him everlasting prestige.

  This was also how the story of "abandoning the pen and donning the armor" came about.

  "A man should be buried amidst galloping steeds and the corpses of enemies, how could I slowly wither on this bedframe?" With those words, Xin Dynasty's Ma Yuan devoted his entire life to fighting by the borders, and while he eventually died in the midst of the battlefield, his spirit had kindled the souls of many to come.

  Li Siye shared the same ambitions and goals as those old patriots as well. He wished to dedicate his life to the borders and devote his proficiencies to leading the country to higher grounds.

  ...

  "Should my homeland fall to ruins, let it begin with me!"

  Wang Chong could still remember the last words of the Invincible Great General when Great Tang fell into ruins.

  Li Siye had devoted his entirety to save this salvage the broke Central Plains, and when the darkness of the night set in, he was the only ray of light remaining in this world.

  His fall, just like his prophecy, signified an inevitable descent of a once powerful empire into the annals of history!

  Wang Chong never had the opportunity to meet the Invincible Great General back in those desolate times, but those sincere words of distraught from him had been etched deep into his heart.

  That was a true military man!

  Through practical actions, he showed the world what his convictions, even up to the point of his death.

  There were rarely any whom Wang Chong admired, but the Invincible Great General had won his earnest respect!

  This was also the reason why Wang Chong had tapped into his connections with King Song to have the Bureau of Military Personnel deploy the other party to him.

  Looking at the brawny man before him, an indomitable figure emerged in his view, and in a moment of daze, it seemed to overlap with Li Siye, leaving Wang Chong with a complex expression.

  "He probably still doesn't anything at all!" Wang Chong sighed.

  Li Siye's current goal was to enter the Western Regions and dominate the battlefield. Yet, through using underhanded means, Wang Chong had dragged him into the capital, the land of decadence.

  This was contrary to what Li Siye had always stood for, so it was no wonder why he would be so furious at his doing.

  To start off on a bad foot right from the start, it seemed like it wouldn't be an easy task for him to rally the Invincible Great General to his side.

  "You have misunderstood!" Wang Chong suddenly spoke up. His voice was calm, seemingly unworried about the situation at all.

  "I didn't summon you here to have you serve as a servant or a fighter. Rest assured, I won't order you around and force you into anything you don't want to.

  "I have the deepest of respect for valiant soldiers like you who have devoted their lives to the battlefield. However, how could one brave through the battlefield without a set of handy equipment? As such, in admiration of your deeds, I wish to offer you a gift."

  "Brat, what nonsense are you spouting before me? Do you take me to be a three-year-old child? What kind of weapon does the military lack that I need a child like you to offer me?" The towering Li Siye glared at Wang Chong menacingly.

  In his view, Wang Chong's words were nothing more than a cheap excuse. How could he possibly believe such blatant lies?

  "Hehe!" On the other hand, Wang Chong chuckled lightly, paying no heed to Li Siye's rage.

  "Have you ever heard of Wootz steel?"

  "What Wootz steel or Blue Steel, don't even try to fool me with such shallow lies!" Li Siye flung his sleeves in annoyance. He didn't feel the slightest goodwill to the cosseted young brat before him.

  "Hahaha!"

  However, upon hearing Li Siye's words, a bizarre expression began creeping onto the faces of the crowd gathered in the area. Some of them even began clutching their stomachs and laughing uncontrollably, as if they had heard the funniest joke in their life.

  In the capital, there was not a single person who hadn't heard of the might of the Wootz steel swords or their maker. And yet, Li Siye thought that Wang Chong was trying to hoodwink him.

  Many of those here had suffered a great deal under Li Siye's oppression over the past few days, so how could they miss this opportunity to mock him?

  Just because he was just that bit stronger than the rest, that bastard toyed with them as if they were mere monkeys. He even went to the extent of even blocking the entrance to the Deflecting Blade Manor today, hindering their passageway.

  Yet, to think that such a "formidable figure" would turn out to just be an ignorant oaf!

  Pen refers to razor sharp knives used to carve words onto wooden scrolls back in that era. By cutting pen, it actually hints at the officials engaging in politics, sending indictments to harm one another with their brushes for their own personal interest.

  Chapter 389: Resolution!

  Chapter 389: Resolution!

  Wang Chong chose not to say anything much.

  Li Siye had spent most of his time at the northern borders of the empire, so it was natural that he hadn't heard of Wootz steel. Th
e crowd was only venting their frustrations at the several days of oppression.

  Klang!

  Not even bothering with words, Wang Chong drew the sword at his waist, and with a casual flick of his wrist, a boulder on the ground was cleanly split into halves.

  On the faces where it was cut, the surface was as smooth as a mirror.

  After doing this, Wang Chong casually flicked his Wootz steel sword and returned it to its scabbard calmly.

  "This, is the Wootz steel sword," Wang Chong said impassively.

  There were no words that could be more powerful than facts. No matter how excellently Wang Chong described the Wootz steel sword, there was nothing that was more convincing than a slice of his sword.

  Standing opposite of Wang Chong, Li Siye was utterly astounded.

  Wang Chong's sword was extremely light. Li Siye could tell that the other party had barely used any strength behind his slash, and he hadn't utilized his sword qi or Stellar Energy in the slash either!

  Yet, the sword still went through the boulder easily, as if it was simply slicing through a blob of tofu.

  Li Siye was no expert swordsmith, but that didn't mean that he was ignorant. There was no doubt that the weapon in Wang Chong's hands was anything but ordinary.

  Looking at the smooth face of the boulder, Li Siye muttered to himself in shock, "What a sharp sword!"

  As a soldier, he had seen many top-notch swords with astonishing sharpness wielded by the commanders and generals, but there were none that came close to the prowess displayed by the sword in Wang Chong's hands.

  In that instant, even Li Siye had no choice but to admit that he was moved.

  On the battlefield, one wouldn't face a lack of armored opponents. There were even those who wore armor forged out of Xuan metal, and ordinary weapons would hardly leave a dent in them.

  Clashing with such opponents was extremely tiring and tricky, especially when it came to armored cavalry.

  Only those who had engaged in the bloodshed of a battlefield would understand the true significance of a good weapon.

  As a warrior, Li Siye had tried to seek a good weapon for himself too, but his humble background left him with no connections or financial ability to do so.

  On top of that, he possessed a far stronger constitution than others. Ordinary weapons in the marketplace simply weren't suitable for him. Thus, after some time, Li Siye eventually had no choice but to give up.

  But the weapon in Wang Chong's hands...

  If he had such a weapon on the battlefield, he was confident that there would be no opponent who could stand in his way. He would be able to bring out the full extent of his ability and contribute better to his country.

  "It's a pity that your weapon is too short!" Li Siye muttered subconsciously under his breath.

  But regardless of how sharp the weapon in Wang Chong's hands were, it was simply too short at only three chi long, making it unsuitable for a man of his physique. Wielding a sword that was unsuitable for him would only end up restricting his movements instead.

  "Hahaha, the length isn't a problem at all. I can always have it specially crafted to your needs!" Wang Chong's sharp ears caught wind of Li Siye's muttering, and he roared heartily in laughter.

  From the very start, Wang Chong had already considered this aspect.

  The most ferocious of tiger should be paired with the sharpest of claws!

  The reason why Wang Chong brought Li Siye over wasn't to subordinate and restrict him, but to aid him in reaching heights he had never achieved in his previous life.

  Not only would Wang Chong pair him with a Wootz steel sword perfect for his build, he would also have the sturdiest armor forged for him once Cousin Wang Liang shipped back the iron meteorites from overseas, as well as gift him the best of steeds!

  The Invincible Great General of the previous life was valiant, but he lacked defensive capability. It had been a problem from the time he started off as a low-ranked soldier.

  As an offensively-minded warrior, he would tend to exchange injury for injury, resulting in wounds heaping up on his body. By the time he was conferred as the Invincible Great General, his body was already filled with cuts and scars, and there was hardly a patch of unharmed skin on him.

  His ultimate demise couldn't be said to be unrelated to the traumas and internal damage he had accumulated over the years, either.

  Thus, Wang Chong intended to make up for this weakness of his. On top of forging a top-notch Wootz steel sword and rallying an army for him, he would have the toughest armor that could withstand the attack of any enemies crafted for him, as well!

  Li Siye’s eyes gleamed with desire for a short moment, but in the next, he woke up from his reverie.

  "Hmph! Brat, do you expect me to believe you to be so kindhearted?" Li Siye glared at Zhang Xuan coldly.

  There was no such thing as a free lunch in the world. How could Wang Chong possibly have him deployed over here from the northern barracks just to gift him a top-notch sword for nothing?

  An unfounded solicitude could only have malicious intentions concealed behind it!

  "Hahaha, you're right! Indeed, I do have something to ask of you. As long as you accomplish several tasks for me, not only will I give you a Wootz steel sword, I will even have the sturdiest of armors forged for you! On top of that, I will even have you deployed to the barrack of your liking at the end of the matter!" Wang Chong chuckled.

  He was aware of the current dissatisfaction Li Siye harbored towards him. His act of forcefully having Li Siye deployed here was indeed a little despicable from the other party's point of view, so he hadn't expected the other party to put his trust in him at the very start.

  For the time being, he would have Li Siye stay by his side and slowly find ways to convince the other party to aid him in his mission.

  "Hmph, as I expected!" Li Siye sneered coldly, having anticipated this.

  "If my intelligence is accurate, you are only a Ten Man Squad Leader in Beiting at the moment, right? If you wish to climb to higher heights, you will have to sharpen your edge first. Think about it, you won't waste much time following me for three months. Also, don't you want to be deployed to the Western Protectorate Manor? If you still wish for it at the end of the three months, I will use my connections to make it happen!" Wang Chong offered with a smile.

  "How did you know that?" Li Siye's face warped in shock after hearing Wang Chong's words.

  He was a soldier of the Beiting Protectorate Manor, but his dream was to emulate the actions of Fu Jiezi and Ban Chao back then, and dominate the battlefields of the Western Regions.

  However, the Western Regions were filled with the Hu, so the Western Protectorate Manor never recruited straight from the region. Most of the soldiers were mainly deployed there from the Western Regions Protectorate Manor and Beiting Protectorate Manor by the royal court.

  Li Siye had reported at the Western Region Protectorate Manor, thinking that there would be a good chance that he would be deployed to the Western Protectorate Manor due to proximity to it. However, who knew that he would end up being deployed to Beiting instead!

  Even though there were wars to be fought in Beiting, the region was mainly peaceful. The Eastern and Western Turkic Khaganates were not ready to wage war on Great Tang yet, so they were still mainly engaging in diplomacy with the Great Tang at the current point. As a result, there were only minor skirmishes in the area.

  Thus, Li Siye wasn't able to find any outlet to utilize the fearsome prowess he had trained hard for in Beiting, and it frustrated him deeply.

  His current greatest wish was to get into the Western Protectorate Manor and fulfill his dreams at the war-torn Western Regions.

  Wang Chong's Wootz steel might have sparked his desire, but what had convinced him was the offer made at the very end.

  "... Brat, you aren't jesting with me, are you? Do you really wield the power to do so?" Li Siye gazed at Wang Chong intently.

  "Since I was able to deploy you here
from Beiting, do you think that it will be difficult for me to send you to the Western Regions?" Wang Chong chuckled softly.

  Li Siye's eyes lit up upon hearing those words. Indeed! Since the young man before him was able to drag him here from Beiting, surely sending him to the Western Regions wouldn't be a problem.

  So long as he could successfully get into the Western Protectorate Manor, tolerating what he would face in the next three months didn't feel like much of a deal anymore

  In the next instant, Li Siye's gaze fell on the sword hanging by Wang Chong's waist...

  He couldn't help but feel tempted.

  All heroes adored a good weapon, and Li Siye was the same. However, with his current means, there was no way he could procure a weapon of the caliber Wang Chong had shown.

  A sword that could easily split a boulder into two just by its sheer sharpness, how could Li Siye not be moved by the offer?

  "Brat, tell me what do you intend me to do? I will just tell you straight up, don't even dream of making me commit despicable acts for you! I, Li Siye, will never commit atrocious deeds for you!" Li Siye said with clear determination.

  Even the most righteous of men wouldn't turn away wealth and power, but they wouldn't lower themselves to obtain those. A true man should live righteously and never turn his back on his conscience!

  No matter how much Li Siye wanted to head to the Western Regions to build a name for himself, no matter how much he wanted the Wootz steel sword, he would never go against his principles for that!

  "Don't worry, I will never make you do such things!" Wang Chong reassured him confidently.

  As the saying goes, "Better to fight upright than to beg with a bent back". Even in his humblest moments, he still chose to adamantly stick with his principles.

  This was what a true hero was!

  Li Siye might not be the Invincible Great General he was in his previous life yet, but his words had already won Wang Chong's admiration.

  Even if Li Siye never achieved the heights he had in his previous life, his character was more than worthy of respect.