The Human Emperor c1-2382

by Huangfu Qi (皇甫奇)

  Dalun Ruozan looked up at the summit, his face the picture of sincerity.

  "A good plan from Great Minister. Then might I ask what would happen to the soldiers of the Annan Protectorate army?" Wang Chong scornfully said.

  "Young Master, be at ease. Dalun Ruozan will naturally leave them a path of survival. But they are still soldiers. Nurturing a tiger will only result in being bitten by it. If they return to the Central Plains and once more enter the army, then we would only be releasing the tiger back into the mountain so that it can resume being our foe. Thus, if both sides can reach an agreement, if they are willing to put down their weapons, we are willing to release them in Ü-Tsang or Mengshe Zhao to live out their retirement… This is already a great compromise."

  Dalun Ruozan continued to speak with a look of utter sincerity.

  "Haha, Great Minister, I have an even better plan. Does Great Minister wish to listen?"

  Wang Chong finally couldn't help but laugh.

  "Please explain."

  Dalun Ruozan lightly chuckled.

  Chapter 590: The Decisive Battle! Both Sides Display Their Strategies!

  Chapter 590: The Decisive Battle! Both Sides Display Their Strategies!

  Translated by: Hypersheep325

  Edited by: Michyrr

  "If Great Minister is willing, have the Tibetan cavalry offer themselves as prisoners, and then have the Tsenpo enter the capital to seek forgiveness for his crimes from the Sage Emperor. Perhaps Ü-Tsang can still remain at peace on the Tibetan Plateau. Otherwise, it will face a great disaster!"

  Wang Chong's words caused Dalun Ruozan, Huoshu Huicang, and all the other generals of the Ngari Royal Lineage to instantly pale. Wang Chong had clearly used Tibetan to speak these words.

  "Impudent brat, you dare to offend the Tsenpo!" a Tibetan general furiously roared, his entire body brimming with rage. The faces of the other generals were also tinged with anger. Ü-Tsang might have been divided into four Royal Lineages, but the Tsenpo's position was supreme.

  Even Dalun Ruozan and Huoshu Huicang were incredibly respectful in front of the Tsenpo, neither daring to step out of line.

  "Young Master Wang, I thought that you were a person of culture and that we could talk with each other. I didn't think that you were so impudent. Flowery words and insulting the Tsenpo will be of no benefit to you," Dalun Ruozan said with great displeasure.

  In Ü-Tsang, the Tsenpo's status was even higher than the Sage Emperor's. The reason was very simple. Although the Ü-Tsang Empire seemed to be divided into four Royal Lineages, the Tsenpo reigned over all.

  And its internal hierarchy was even stricter than the Great Tang's!

  "Ha, Great Minister believes that I am intentionally angering you?"

  Wang Chong grinned, regarding the anger of the Tibetan generals with complete disdain.

  "Great Minister is blinded by greed, only seeing victory and defeat in a single war, but Wang Chong is looking at Ü-Tsang and the Great Tang. The Great Tang stands in the center of the four extremes and eight wildernesses, its strength placing it above the other kingdoms. Great Minister has not forgotten about those old events, right?

  "Within the four seas, the eight wildernesses, and the six directions1, no empire can compare to the Great Tang. Ü-Tsang… is no exception! Even if Great Minister has worked with Mengshe Zhao to gather an army of five hundred thousand, so what? It still cannot deal with a meager army of one hundred thousand. And the Annan Protectorate is only one of the protectorates.

  "Great Minister is only thinking about gathering an army today to deal with the Great Tang. Has Great Minister thought about what would happen in the future when the Great Tang gathers its armies to deal with Ü-Tsang?"

  Wang Chong's words clearly had an effect on the Tibetans below.

  Ü-Tsang's strength was inferior to the Great Tang's, but no one had ever stated it so bluntly as Wang Chong. Moreover, even if this army won this war and occupied the Great Tang's southwest, when the entire Great Tang Empire was involved, not even Huoshu Huicang would dare to speak lightly.

  The Great Tang still had Geshu Han, Gao Xianzhi, Zhang Shougui, Wang Zhongsi, and even Zhangchou Jianqiong in the capital… and still many, many more. This time, if the Tibetans had not worked together with the other countries, and if Geluofeng had not pulled off a surprising victory against the Great Tang by the Erhai, allowing the other countries to see the Great Tang's weakness and giving them a chance to strike, just Ü-Tsang alone would not have been enough to challenge the Great Tang.

  This brat… is truly much harder to deal with than I imagined.

  Dalun Ruozan's brow furrowed. He could clearly sense the change in the surrounding soldiers' morale, and it was certainly not the result he had wanted. He had intended to summon Wang Chong to break the Great Tang morale, but the exact opposite had been achieved.

  "Great Minister, there's no need to say any more. This child is difficult to handle."

  A vigorous voice came from his side.

  Huoshu Huicang, his brow furrowed, had made the rare decision to intervene. He rarely involved himself in Dalun Ruozan's actions and plans, but this time, Huoshu Huicang felt forced to interfere.

  It wasn't because he didn't believe in Dalun Ruozan, but because the discrepancy in strength between the Great Tang and Ü-Tsang was clear and undeniable. Not even Huoshu Huicang would dare to claim that Ü-Tsang could surpass the Great Tang.

  If that truly was the case, there would have been no need for the alliance with Mengshe Zhao.

  A centipede could die, but it would never fall over. Even though the Great Tang was no longer at its peak, as the strongest empire of the continent, its existence cast a massive shadow on the surrounding countries.

  "Hahaha, Young Master Wang is truly a good talker. But a tree that stands out from the forest will be the first to be blown down. If Young Master has the time, you should first worry about yourself. As for Ü-Tsang… in all these centuries, the Central Plains have never been able to subjugate Ü-Tsang, so it will naturally be impossible in the centuries to come."

  Dalun Ruozan gave a faint smile.

  Speaking frankly, Dalun Ruozan actually felt some admiration for this Wang Chong. Unfortunately… Wang Chong was a Tang, an enemy of Ü-Tsang.

  "Haha, the Tang have never been able to step onto the plateau in the past, but there's no guarantee that this will be the case in the future. And besides, Ü-Tsang can flee to the plateau, but can King Geluofeng?"

  Standing on the summit, Wang Chong smiled and turned to another direction.

  Buzz!

  Before Dalun Ruozan could respond to Wang Chong's words, Geluofeng, Fengjiayi, and the other Mengshe Zhao generals began to pale. They had all been watching the exchange between Wang Chong and Dalun Ruozan, but none of them had expected Wang Chong's spear to suddenly turn to them.

  The alliance between Mengshe Zhao and Ü-Tsang had always concealed a hidden danger. Just like Wang Chong had said, Ü-Tsang and Mengshe Zhao were different. Once defeat seemed imminent or something happened, the Tibetans could retreat to the plateau to protect themselves.

  But Mengshe Zhao could not do this.

  The Six Zhao of Erhai were exposed, and once Ü-Tsang extracted its troops, Mengshe Zhao would be left alone to bear the fury of the Great Tang. And the strength of Mengshe Zhao could never resist such an assault.

  Thus, Mengshe Zhao, from the lowest subject to King Geluofeng, had always worried about Ü-Tsang. They also worried that Dalun Ruozan and Huoshu Huicang wouldn't be willing to commit everything and might leave at any time.

  But this was an extremely sensitive matter, so neither side had brought this up as they were drawing up the terms of the alliance, intelligently avoiding the matter. Now, however, Wang Chong had placed this dreaded matter in front of them.

  A Mengshe Zhao general at Geluofeng's side couldn't help but caution, "Your Majesty, this fellow's tongue is too sharp. You cannot answer him. Although Dalun Ruozan is praised as a wise minister, he truly
chose the wrong target this time."

  He hadn't really felt anything while Wang Chong and Dalun Ruozan had been talking, but once Wang Chong had aimed his spear at them, everything was different. This simple question had caused all their hearts to shiver in dread. These generals felt that nothing good would come of speaking with him, that there was no advantage to be gained.

  "It's fine!"

  Geluofeng's eyes flickered for a few moments, but he quickly calmed himself and waved his hand.

  "It's just a teenager. Since our foe has started the conversation, if we pretend he said nothing, we'll seem too cowardly. If we don't even have this courage, if we quail without even seeing the Great Tang's Sage Emperor, then what right does our Mengshe Zhao have to contend against the Great Tang?"

  "This…"

  Geluofeng showed little hesitation. As the hegemon of the southwest, as a local powerhouse, if he lacked even this daring, he was letting down his own authority.

  "Young Master Wang is a man of culture and talent. As your elder, I will not bicker with you. There are reasons for the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang alliance, and Young Master Wang need not worry about it. However, now that I think about it, I am an old acquaintance of your Wang Clan. I once had the opportunity to meet your grandsire in the capital. As I think about it, his demeanor and conduct were truly admirable. If Young Master can return, please give him my regards."

  "Young Master, this Geluofeng is a cunning fox. You can't take his bait."

  Old Eagle's eyes widened as he hurriedly advised caution. After spending so long in the capital, his eyes and ears listening in on everything, Old Eagle had learned many things. If Geluofeng's words were to find their way to the capital, the capital's old censors would certainly deluge the Imperial Court with a flurry of impeaching memorials.

  With so many people serving as witnesses, there was no escaping the charge of the Wang Clan colluding with Mengshe Zhao to betray the Great Tang. Even if this charge were to be cleared in the future, the stain would forever remain. The descendants of the Wang Clan would forever find it difficult to advance, whether in officialdom or in the army.

  "It's fine."

  Wang Chong smiled. As someone who had spent so long in the capital, and as a scion of a great clan, he completely understood what Geluofeng's aim was. The Imperial Court had always been a place of groundless accusation, and the battle for political power had always been abnormally intense.

  In order to overturn their opponents, each side was willing to resort to any method. At the very least, once King Qi learned of this news, he would definitely do his utmost to use this opportunity to suppress the Wang Clan.

  "Geluofeng is also a powerhouse of the southwest. He's a master of those political schemes that are played out in the capital. If I ignore him, then there really will be a problem. Old Eagle, I know what you mean, but in dealing with Geluofeng, there's no need to be so passive, much less so afraid."

  Saying this, Wang Chong stepped forward, appearing transcendent and unearthly, even before this army of hundreds of thousands.

  "There's no need for any regards. Grandfather is a man of all-seeing insight. In the capital, this humble one heard him evaluate the heroes of the world. He said that Geluofeng is a man of gentle face and cold heart, a disloyal man who seems kind but is inwardly vicious, someone who was certain to betray the Great Tang in the future. Everything has proved Grandfather's judgement to be correct. Grandfather has always hated and loathed rebels and traitors like King Geluofeng. When people share different principles, there is little ground for understanding. It is better if King Geluofeng does not mention anything about sending regards!"

  Wang Chong's voice resounded over the vast army.

  Rumble! His voice echoed over the field. Wang Chong had used a bit of Stellar Energy so that his voice could be heard within a radius of several li.

  Upon seeing this sight, Geluofeng actually chuckled.

  "Royal Father, did Wang Jiuling really say such words?" Fengjiayi asked.

  Everyone said that Wang Jiuling had a good eye for people. As long as one had visited the capital of the Great Tang, whether they were from Mengshe Zhao, the Abbasid Caliphate, or Charax Spasinu, they would know of Duke Jiu's name, and they would all feel great respect for it.

  The Great Tang's prosperity was inextricably tied to Duke Jiu. Even the distant foreign countries knew the stories about how the sagacious minister Duke Jiu had served as the Sage Emperor's arms and legs.

  Fengjiayi, who had been a hostage in the Great Tang's capital, naturally held great respect for the name of Duke Jiu. In this aspect, he was completely different from the rest of Geluofeng's sons.

  Geluofeng grinned and replied, "Hmph, you also believed that? It's just a nonsense story made up by that brat."

  ______________

  1.The eight wildernesses refer to the lands extremely far from the Central Plains, to the north, northeast, northwest, southeast, etc. The six directions include the normal four directions as well as up and down. It is usually used to refer to the whole world.

  Chapter 591: The Decisive Battle

  Chapter 591: The Decisive Battle

  Translated by: Hypersheep325

  Edited by: Michyrr

  "If Wang Jiuling were truly this formidable, he wouldn't be a man, but a god, and our Mengshe Zhao would never have stood a chance. So how could we have arrived at today's battle?"

  The Wang Clan was truly quite famous, and that former Prime Minister of the Great Tang was even more famous. However, Wang Chong's words could only deceive those people who didn't know the inside story. To formidable characters like Geluofeng, Wang Chong's words were complete nonsense. It would be stranger if they had believed a single word.

  "Damn it!"

  Fengjiayi quickly realized and cursed at himself. It was all because Duke Jiu's reputation was too inflated, with everyone talking about how virtuous and noble he was, with the entire world praising him as a sagacious minister.

  Fengjiayi had fallen for this first impression and treated Wang Chong's story as the truth.

  "This despicable and cunning scoundrel!"

  Geluofeng waved his hand and said, "There's no need to get angry at him about this. When two countries fight, every method is on the table. That's how it's always been. The urgent task at hand is to think about how we should attack the Annan Protectorate army."

  Truthfully, if it hadn't been so necessary to sweep over the southwest as quickly as possible and subjugate this area, Geluofeng was actually quite interested in Wang Chong. It had been a very long time since he had met such a formidable youth. Whether on the attack or the defense, he covered up every possible angle and left no flaws to exploit.

  The crime of rebellion, with Geluofeng himself making the charge, truly might have made any other person fall for his trap. But Wang Chong had quickly nullified this most dangerous of political schemes. This was not something any ordinary person could do.

  Putting aside his knowledge of military strategy, his attainments in the realm of politics and schemes meant that he truly wasn't an ordinary person. This was also why Geluofeng immediately put aside any further attempts to make trouble.

  "Follow me!"

  With a sweep of his great robe, Geluofeng turned and strode in the direction of Dalun Ruozan and Huoshu Huicang. At the same time, Dalun Ruozan and Huoshu Huicang were leading the Tibetan generals in Geluofeng's direction.

  Although they were people of differing principles, as formidable characters of the southwest, the two of them thought on exactly the same level.

  "What sort of ideas does Great Minister have?"

  Geluofeng cut straight to the point with his stern question.

  "This brat is difficult to handle."

  Dalun Ruozan took in a deep breath before continuing.

  "The urgent task is to remove the defenses he erected on the mountain. Without those metal walls, the one hundred thousand soldiers of the Annan Protectorate won't stand a chance against our army."

&nb
sp; "That's right!"

  Geluofeng also gave a long sigh.

  "The Great Tang dominated the world through its infantry, and their expertise is in positional warfare and defensive battles. And the people from the Wang Clan also seemed to be experts in these aspects. In the battle of Erhai, we were able to completely rout the Annan Protectorate army, but we're completely helpless here."

  Geluofeng and the Mengshe Zhao army were the ones who had most profoundly felt this change in the Great Tang. Previously, they had relied on pure numbers to swiftly topple the Great Tang, but now, they had lost nearly seventy thousand soldiers on the mountain. The Annan Protectorate army seemed to give off a completely different feeling, as different as the heaven and the earth.

  "We underestimated this boy. He clearly came with a plan. In this entire war, he's the one that we underestimated the most," a Mengshe Zhao general suddenly said.

  These words instantly plunged all of them into silence. He was right. Compared to saying that they had underestimated the entire Annan Protectorate army, it was better to say that they had underestimated one person. Whether it was Lion City or this fortress before them made up of scattered steel walls, or even the profound transformation of the Annan Protectorate army, all of it was caused by one person.

  From a certain perspective, this war was really a war between the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army and a single person.

  The Great Tang had only sent a single person, yet this had been enough to completely overturn the war and upset the foregone conclusion.

  Fengjiayi suddenly spoke, a pensive look on his face. "Royal Father, Great Minister, sir generals, I feel that we also shouldn't overestimate this boy too much."

  "Oh?"

  Everyone immediately turned to him.

  "Does His Highness the Crown Prince have some wisdom to share?"

  Dalun Ruozan faintly smiled, appearing to be deeply interested in hearing whatever there was to say.

  "I wouldn't dare to call it wisdom, but has everyone forgotten why the Tang chose to break out of Lion City?" Fengjiayi asked.

  Buzz!

  The moment Fengjiayi finished speaking, everyone's eyes lit up. It was true that in terms of safety, Lion City was much safer than this mountain. The Annan Protectorate army had only chosen to break out for a very simple reason…