The Human Emperor c1-2382

by Huangfu Qi (皇甫奇)

  Against the powerful pressure of the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army as well as figures like Dalun Ruozan, Huoshu Huicang, Duan Gequan, and Geluofeng, the Great Tang had actually managed to pull off a victory.

  If they hadn't personally seen this sight, they wouldn't have dared to believe it.

  "Young Master Chong truly is a descendant of Duke Jiu! Everyone, hurry up and assist Young Master Chong!"

  Elder Ye was so excited that his beard was trembling.

  It had been no secret that Wang Chong and the Annan Protectorate army were besieged by the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army. Elder Ye had never imagined that when he arrived, the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army would be crumbling.

  All their previous discussions had become meaningless.

  At this time, all they needed to do was assist in the pursuit!

  Rumble!

  The army pursued the defeated. The already defeated Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army now instantly fell apart.

  ……

  "Elder Ye, Elder Zhao, why did you come?!"

  At the edge of the battlefield, the bright-eyed Wang Chong led Li Siye and several hundred Wootz Steel cavalry to meet up with Elder Ye and Elder Zhao.

  The elders were his grandfather's old subordinates. Wang Chong had never imagined that he would see them here.

  "Haha, it was Duke Jiu's order. The war of the southwest concerns the lives of the nearly one million civilians of the southwest. How could Duke Jiu pay the matter no mind?"

  "Young Master Chong has grown up. If Duke Jiu were to know of what happened here, he would definitely be relieved."

  ……

  In the middle of the army, Elders Ye and Zhao looked at Wang Chong, getting more and more elated as time went on, cherishing his existence more and more. Besides Duke Jiu, it had been a long time since the Wang lineage had produced this kind of talent.

  Duke Jiu's eldest son Wang Gen had not reached this level, and his second son Wang Yan was also not up to par. Even his grandsons Wang Li, Wang Fu and Wang Bei were all lacking. But now, in completely unexpected circumstances, the originally naughty and incompetent Wang Chong who no one had expected anything of had fulfilled everyone's dreams and expectations.

  To be more accurate, his performance had far exceeded everyone's expectations.

  Even Duke Jiu at this age had not put on such an astonishing display.

  "Oh yes. Elder Ye, Elder Zhao, what about my little sister?" Wang Chong suddenly asked. His little sister was too young, this gruesome battlefield unsuitable for her. She had to be taken away.

  In addition, if something happened to her, Wang Chong had no idea how he would explain things to his mother back at the capital.

  "Isn't Young Lady Yao-er right here…"

  Elder Ye was prepared to say that Wang Xiaoyao was right here when he turned his head and instantly froze. Just where exactly was she?

  Wang Chong's face instantly sank.

  Seeing the complexion on the faces of the two elders, Wang Chong immediately knew that his little sister had spotted him and was attempting to hide from him. The plains were different from the mountains, and vision was greatly restricted.

  Not even Wang Chong could easily find a single person in the middle of a large army.

  Especially when his little sister was intentionally attempting to hide from him!

  "She's truly gone overboard!"

  Wang Chong was fuming with anger.

  Chapter 634: After the Battle!

  Translated by: Hypersheep325

  Edited by: Michyrr

  The Tibetans had been defeated, thoroughly defeated!

  Mengshe Zhao had also lost!

  There was no more suspense in the war of the southwest. As the Great Tang pursued and cut the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army down from around 190,000 to around 90,000, the Mengshe Zhao soldiers finally understood something and began to flee in every direction.

  Although the war was not completely over, there was no mystery over its conclusion.

  Dalun Ruozan and Huoshu Huicang were already fleeing with the Tibetan army in the direction of the plateau while Duan Gequan had extracted the unconscious Geluofeng and was fleeing in the direction of Erhai. The Erhai Great General of Mengshe Zhao had completely forgotten about the battle behind him. He only cared about Geluofeng's safety.

  Duan Gequan did not dare to stop. He did not want to give the Great Tang any chance to create a result that could not be reversed.

  Without the Great Generals of Mengshe Zhao and Ü-Tsang, the remainder were just weeds, fleeing in every direction, their courage shattered.

  An hour later, the battle was over. Wang Chong, Li Siye, Elder Ye, Elder Hu, Old Eagle, Wang Yan, and Xianyu Zhongtong once more convened on the mountain.

  "Boohoohoo…"

  Before even reaching the mountain, Wang Chong could already hear the sounds of weeping. It was a very young and familiar voice.

  "Just a little girl—who told you to come over!

  "Just how old are you? And you want to learn how to fight on the battlefield? What were you thinking!

  "Who gave you these metal hammers! In the future, you are forbidden from using them."

  ……

  From a distance, Wang Chong could hear the harsh discipline of his father Wang Yan. Raising his head, Wang Chong saw a girl of twelve or thirteen dressed in armor, her hair made up into two braids. She was currently wiping tears from her eyes as she wept in front of Wang Yan and his older brother Wang Fu.

  On the side, Wang Fu advised with great solemnity, "Little Sister, listen to your big brother. You shouldn't have come to this place."

  Only his little sister Wang Xiaoyao could achieve the feat of being scolded simultaneously by both Wang Yan and Wang Fu.

  "Daddy, Big Brother, I just wanted to help… and I'm also very strong. Even Master praised me about it."

  Wang Xiaoyao pursed her lips as she whined.

  "You still dare to mouth off!"

  Wang Yan's face had gone white from rage.

  Seeing that her father was truly enraged, Wang Xiaoyao finally shut her mouth.

  "…You still keep running off. I'll have to let you suffer a little hardship this time."

  Wang Chong couldn't help but mentally chuckle at his little sister's submissive state as he slowly rode the White-hoofed Shadow up the mountain. This stubborn girl would immediately begin to run over to him as soon as she saw him. Even without his father and big brother present, Wang Chong would still have given her a harsh lesson.

  Now was an even better time. Such a willful girl needed to suffer some hardship.

  "Young Lady!"

  Although Wang Chong had succeeded in suppressing himself, Old Eagle couldn't help but yell out upon seeing the scolded Wang Xiaoyao. Wang Xiaoyao's entire body trembled at this voice and she immediately turned around.

  The tearful Wang Xiaoyao seemed to find her spine upon seeing Wang Chong. She ran over and hugged the White-hoofed Shadow as she tearfully implored, "Third Brother, Daddy and Big Brother are scolding me! Hurry and help me…"

  "Seeking help from your third brother is useless! Today, no one is permitted to speak on your behalf!"

  Wang Yan's rage was exposed for all to see. Wang Xiaoyao had clearly stoked the flames of anger in his heart to an impressive level.

  The Wang Clan was a clan of ministers and generals. Wang Xiaoyao was a girl, a twelve-year-old at that. And she wanted to learn from boys and fight and kill on the battlefield? What sort of person was she aiming to become?

  Wang Yan had always been a stickler for family traditions, so this sort of thing was absolutely unacceptable.

  "Master told me to come. He said I could help you."

  Wang Xiaoyao raised her head to her third brother, the look on her face conveying that she was innocent and being maligned.

  "Still arguing!"

  Wang Yan was fuming, but Wang Chong was moved by this explanation, a pensive look on his face. While others might not know, Wang Chong knew that the master his little sister spoke of
was his own master, the Demonic Emperor Old Man.

  Wang Chong's brows rose as he asked his little sister, "You said that Master told you to come?"

  "Yes! Do you think he would have let me go otherwise?"

  Wang Xiaoyao continued to look at him with that aggrieved look.

  Wang Chong glanced at her as he continued to think. His little sister didn't seem to be lying, and given his master's abilities, if he didn't want her to leave, she wouldn't be able to leave even if she flipped over the heavens.

  Wang Chong turned his head and said to his father, "Father, let's let this matter go. Little Sister is still young. In the future, I'll watch her."

  Strangely, the moment Wang Chong spoke, Wang Yan's explosive rage suddenly subsided. His complexion twitched only a little before accepting the proposal.

  It took mere moments for seventy to eighty percent of his anger to be extinguished.

  "For the sake of your third brother, I'll put aside this matter, but if there's a next time, I'll break your legs!"

  Wang Yan's face was as cold as sheet of frost.

  At these words, Wang Xiaoyao raised her head, her stunned gaze shuttling between her father and her third brother.

  She didn't recall her father ever being so amenable or her third brother's words ever being so effective.

  "Little Sister, don't do this again. Hurry and go."

  Wang Fu also waved his hand, his expression also much better.

  Wang Xiaoyao's shock only increased. But this was not the time to think about such things. She had been scolded here for so long that the news that she could leave made her feel like a criminal would feel upon being pardoned. With a soft grunt, she took off.

  After his little sister left, Wang Chong dismounted and hurried toward Wang Yan.

  "Father, how are your injuries?"

  'To shoot a person, first shoot the horse, and to capture the underlings, first capture their king.' This ambush on Geluofeng had been according to Wang Chong's plan and had succeeded, but both Wang Yan and Xianyu Zhongtong had paid a price.

  Huoshu Huicang and Duan Gequan had each given their opponent one last blow.

  "It's fine. The most important thing is that we won the war of the southwest," Wang Yan said. His face was a little pale, but his overall complexion was still fine.

  The Mighty Miracle God Formation gathered up the strength of many people, so when he was injured, a significant portion of the injury had been transferred to the other members of the formation. Thus, Wang Yan's injuries were not as severe as imagined.

  But a period of recovery was unavoidable.

  Upon receiving this answer, Wang Chong gave a long sigh of relief.

  "Old Eagle!"

  Wang Yan's gaze shifted from Wang Chong to Old Eagle behind him.

  These words were so sudden that both Wang Chong and Old Eagle were caught by surprise. Old Eagle had been at Wang Chong's side for so long, but this was the first time Wang Yan had called on him.

  "Yes, Master."

  After his initial daze, Old Eagle quickly stepped forward and gave a respectful bow to Wang Chong's father.

  "You are skilled in training eagles and other birds to send messages, correct?" Wang Yan somberly asked.

  "Yes, Master. Does Master have some order?" Old Eagle deferentially said.

  "The war of the southwest is already over. Mengshe Zhao and Ü-Tsang have lost. Without sufficient provisions, it will be very difficult for them to counterattack. The Imperial Court is still waiting for news from us. Send one of your birds to deliver this news to the capital. Those ministers are probably beside themselves with worry," Wang Yan sternly said.

  Around him, the other people began to respond. Correct! The war of the southwest had been the start of everything, with countless people keeping watch on it.

  At a special moment like this, news to calm the people was essential.

  The news of victory in the southwest would be particularly useful against those foreign powers on the borders of the Great Tang who were now lustfully looking toward it. This news would shake their ambitions.

  "Correct! We should spread this news as quickly as possible. In addition, the army led by King Song should have already left the capital. If he were to receive this news, he would definitely be encouraged!"

  "In order to reinforce the southwest, King Song has put great efforts in gaining support, taking many risks. This news will be a great boon to him."

  ……

  Elder Ye and Elder Hu agreed, adding their own views into the mix.

  "King Song?"

  These words immediately attracted the notice of everyone else, even Wang Chong appearing surprised. He had not heard any of this from the two elders before.

  "Young Master Chong, the southwest war has gone on for so long, you didn't think that we could be reinforcements from the Imperial Court, right?"

  Elder Ye gave Wang Chong a bitter smile.

  "We in the capital learned that the empire's southwest was in peril and decided to serve as the vanguard. Because we're not proper soldiers, we aren't bound by so many restrictions."

  "Before leaving, we had already learned that King Song had managed to reach an agreement, so we left first to reinforce the southwest while King Song would lead the main army behind us," Elders Ye and Hu explained.

  The war of the southwest involved three countries and nearly one million civilians. People both within and without the court were paying attention to this war, so it was impossible for there to not be any movement.

  "But we didn't think that Young Master was so formidable as to defeat the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army before we even arrived."

  The elders bitterly smiled.

  With regards to this point, the pair still couldn't believe it. It all seemed like a dream. The difference in numbers was so vast, and his opponents had been people like Dalun Ruozan and Huoshu Huicang, yet Wang Chong had succeeded in thoroughly defeating them.

  If they hadn't seen it for themselves, they wouldn't have believed it even if they were beaten to death.

  "Elder Ye, Elder Hu, you flatter me!"

  Saying this, Wang Chong turned to look at Old Eagle.

  "Old Eagle, did you hear?"

  "Yes, Young Master," Old Eagle confirmed with a nod.

  Flapflap!

  A few moments later, the sound of flapping wings could heard from the summit. Carrier pigeons, eagles, and other birds took off for the capital, quickly vanishing into the sky.

  This day was certain to stun the entire world!

  ……

  The war was over, but the matter of the southwest was far from settled. Many soldiers had been dispatched to sweep up the defeated Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army, and there were still many matters concerning the empire's southwest that Wang Chong and the others needed to discuss.

  "King Song still hasn't arrived, so before he does, we need to remain in the southwest to guard against any desperate attacks from Ü-Tsang and Mengshe Zhao. The Annan Protectorate army has far fewer soldiers than it used to have."

  "Impossible! The Tibetan Plateau is overrun with plague and the Mengshe Zhao granaries were already burned by Young Master. Without sufficient provisions, how could they counterattack?"

  "Ü-Tsang still has the strength to fight. Don't forget that Dalun Ruozan at the very minimum has more than ten thousand cavalry. Cavalry below ten thousand is insufficient, but it is invincible above ten thousand. If we run into them on flat terrain, what will we fight them with? Don't forget that Dalun Ruozan is an individual on par with Zhangchou Jianqiong, the Tiger of the Empire."

  "Did you forget that we have Young Master? Dalun Ruozan couldn't beat Young Master with five hundred thousand soldiers, so how could he now?"

  ……

  On the mountain, all the high-ranking generals of the Annan Protectorate army had gathered. Sun Liuyue, Luo Ji, Lin Wushou, Zhao Hong, and Zhao Wujiang were all present, and everyone was engaged in an intense and ceaseless debate.

  Chapter 635: Black Arrow
!

  Translated by: Hypersheep325

  Edited by: Michyrr

  Although the war of the southwest was over, remaining vigilant after the war was of utmost priority. But when Wang Chong was brought up, everyone on the summit looked silently toward him.

  The southwest was still in chaos, and the threat of Duan Gequan and Dalun Ruozan still existed.

  If there was one person who could stabilize the southwest and calm the hearts of its people, at the same intimidating Mengshe Zhao and Ü-Tsang, that person was not Wang Yan or Xianyu Zhongtong, but the seventeen-year-old Wang Chong.

  Neither Wang Yan nor Xianyu Zhongtong could deny this.

  "Generals, you are too kind."

  Wang Chong's eyes widened. He had been listening on the edge of the crowd, not thinking that the flames of battle would catch onto his clothes.

  "But all of you can be at ease. Until His Highness King Song arrives, I will not leave this place."

  Upon seeing these expectant gazes, Wang Chong suddenly realized that he now had an extremely high position in all their minds. Everyone was treating him like the pillar that propped up the southwest.

  "Wonderful, with Young Master here…"

  The generals rejoiced at Wang Chong's words, one general even shouting in excitement.

  Buzz!

  Wang Chong's mouth was open in preparation to speak when his eyes suddenly widened. He felt a danger that he had never felt before.

  This danger was so intense that Wang Chong felt like his skull was going to explode, and goosebumps rose up over all his body. This feeling was like that of walking through a scorching summer day and then suddenly being plunged into an icehouse.

  What is this?

  Wang Chong was stupefied. At this moment, he could smell the thick scent of death on his nose.

  Not during the entire southwestern war had he ever felt such a terrifying pressure.

  Buzz!

  Wang Chong's mind had barely touched upon this thought, and the southwest generals before him still had the expressions on their faces from just a moment ago, when Wang Chong immediately sensed a dark shadow enveloping him. The stench of death instantly thickened.

  "Not good!"