While Wang Chong was in the southwest, Miyasame Ayaka had stood guard at home. Right now, she had become the shadow of the Wang Clan, and few secrets in the clan could be hidden from her.
"Haha, you don't need to know. In addition, you wouldn't be able to help me," Wang Chong indifferently said.
"You're not willing to say?"
Miyasame Ayaka's hand paused for a moment before continuing to wipe him down.
"You're worried that the Madam will be worried?"
"It's fine if you know, but you can't let Mother know," Wang Chong indifferently said.
At the most intense moment of fighting in the southwestern war, Wang Chong had singlehandedly killed more than ten thousand people, holding the defensive line. All of this had not come for free.
But Wang Chong told no one about the price he had paid.
Tap tap tap!
While he was thinking, he suddenly heard knocking at the door.
"Young Master, the carriage is ready. We are ready to leave for the Taibai Immortal's Pavilion at any time."
"Mm, I know."
Wang Chong nodded.
"Take care of the towels, clothes, and basin. Don't let anyone else know, especially Mother!"
"Yes!"
……
With these words, Wang Chong opened the door to his room and walked out. Boarding the waiting carriage, he set off for the Taibai Immortal's Pavilion.
The Taibai Immortal's Pavilion was a restaurant that Wang Chong had opened. Built in an impressive style, it had gathered many master chefs under its roof. Through the reputation of Wang Chong's three 'Songs of Peace', the Taibai Immortal's Pavilion had become one of the rising stars in the capital.
Coupled with Wang Chong's glorious achievements in the southwest, the Taibai Immortal's Pavilion was now one of the most popular places in the capital. 'If you don't drink the wine of Taibai, you don't deserve to call yourself a citizen of the capital' was a phrase that had widely spread through the capital. As a result, Wang Chong's Taibai Immortal's Pavilion had become an excellent place for scholars and powerful merchants to hold meetings and banquets.
Its renown in the capital had even surpassed the Yao Clan's Vast Crane Pavilion. Each month, it brought in a princely sum for Wang Chong and the Wang Clan, a wealth that Wang Chong had not expected when he first opened the restaurant.
However, a restaurant that had been opened for Wang Chong's convenience was naturally different from other restaurants.
The greatest difference was that the entire top floor of the Taibai Immortal's Pavilion was reserved for Wang Chong's exclusive use. Moreover, if Wang Chong required it, the entirety of the Taibai Immortal's Pavilion could shut its doors and see off its guests so that Wang Chong alone could use it.
Yet this condition not only did not attract any displeasure from the patrons, it made crowds rush to gather around the restaurant. After all, Wang Chong himself was the greatest attraction of the Taibai Immortal's Pavilion. Everyone wanted to get a look at the hero of the southwest, the youngest marquis in the history of the Great Tang Empire.
Rumble!
Wang Chong's carriage had just gotten close to Taibai Immortal's Pavilion when it immediately caused a stir within the gathered crowd.
"Look over there! The Young Marquis!"
"Wah! It really is the carriage of the Young Marquis!"
"Out of the way, out of the way! Let me see! I've been waiting here for seven days already!"
"I hear that the Young Marquis is only seventeen and still doesn't have a marriage partner. If he sees me, I might be able to marry into the Wang Clan and become partners in love with him!"
"Get out of here! You're more than twenty years old, even older than the Young Marquis, you auntie! Wang Chong, look at me, look at me!"
……
Crowds thronged around the gate to the Taibai Immortal's Pavilion, men, women, the old, and the young tightly surrounding Wang Chong's carriage. And young, unmarried woman were the largest demographic in this crowd.
Wang Chong was only seventeen, born of a clan of ministers and generals, a hero of the empire, and a rising star in the world. Although he was still no general, many people in the capital were already hailing him as the empire's 'Eighth Great General'.
An unmarried young man like this had become the dream lover for countless young girls of the capital.
Wherever Wang Chong went, a throng of girls would appear.
This was one of the important reasons for Wang Chong's prolonged cultivation in his residence.
"Young Master, we can't move," the driver of the carriage said. The girls on the street were too frenzied, with teenaged girls seizing the reins of the carriage and blocking its path.
"I know."
Wang Chong slightly furrowed his brow. Fame had its own problems, and he really had no way to deal with this problem.
"This is all I can do."
Wang Chong pushed open the carriage window. Clap! The window opened and his figure shot out. His right hand lightly pressed against the roof of the carriage and pushed. As the crowd gasped, he took off like a hawk, leaping straight to the top floor of the Taibai Immortal's Pavilion.
"Heheh, the grand Young Marquis of the Great Tang, the Son of Heaven's disciple, is actually forced to exit a carriage through the window. If this is spread around, it would make people laugh their heads off."
Giggling came from nearby. Zhao Yatong with her characteristic red-tasseled spear was leaning on a cinnabar pillar, her face beaming.
"Hmph, who told him to be so welcoming to girls. Serves him right!" a voice dripping with envy said. Huang Qian-er, dressed in yellow, her trademark silver sword hanging from the sheath on her back, glared venomously at Wang Chong.
Wang Chong was deeply embarrassed. In this period of time, these girls had made him the butt of quite a few of their jokes.
"Yatong, Qian-er, please stop making jokes about me," Wang Chong said with a bitter smile.
"That's enough. Seeing the Young Marquis who can command troops on the front lines like a god appear so beaten was worth the trip. Sisters, let's not make things any more difficult for him. Wang Chong, hurry. Everyone is already here; we're just waiting on you now."
Nearby, a large, round, sandalwood table had been placed at the top of the Taibai Immortal's Pavilion. Familiar figures were seated all around the table: Guo Feng, Chai Zhiyi, Zhuang Zhengping, Chi Weisi, Zhao Jingdian, Xu Gan, Fang Xuanling, and also Marchioness Yi, Bai Siling, and Xu Qiqin.
Bai Siling was seated on a spacious armchair and looking right at Wang Chong with a smirk on her face.
At this moment, everyone else at the table had their heads turned the other way, perhaps pretending to be drinking tea or pondering some deep matter. Each of them had all wisely pretended to see nothing.
Bai Siling, Zhao Yatong, Huang Qian-er, and Xu Qiqin… these four girls all had a rather ambiguous relationship with Wang Chong. Only a fool would attempt to get between them at a time like this.
These four were renowned beauties of the capital, and when girls of such talent got angry, not just anyone could bear their rage. In fact, there were times when everyone at the table sympathized with the four.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I've kept you waiting."
After playing out a comedy for the assembled party, Wang Chong only needed to smile and shake his sleeves a little to regain his composure. Striding forward, he seated himself between Guo Feng and Chai Zhiyi.
Upon seeing the seat Wang Chong had chosen, the eyes of the girls flashed and the mood instantly softened.
"Formidable!"
Guo Feng and Chai Zhiyi gave Wang Chong looks of praise.
"Brother Wang, why did you call us all here today?"
In the end, it was still Fang Xuanling who broke the silence.
It was only this morning that they had all received Wang Chong's invitation and rushed to the Taibai Immortal's Pavilion. Although they had originally thought that this was just an ordinary gathering, once th
ey saw that Guo Feng and Chai Zhiyi were present, they immediately knew that this gathering was not as simple as they imagined.
Wang Chong had always done things with an objective in mind, but with the war over, no one knew what Wang Chong was planning on doing next.
______________
1.Taibai, , or 'Great White', was the Chinese name for the planet Venus.
Chapter 661: A New Plan!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
"Ladies and gentlemen, I won't hide anything from you. I truly did summon all of you today because I had something to request," Wang Chong casually said as he took a piece of fuling cake from the table and placed it in his mouth.
Wang Chong's words made the eyes of everyone at the table brighten, their expectations affirmed. Even so, none of them showed any signs of backing out. On the contrary, their eyes shone with anticipation.
After the southwestern war, all the clans who had taken part in the war, including those who had come as reinforcements later, were richly rewarded by the Imperial Court. Those clans who had dispatched experts to follow Wang Chong in the initial wave were given particularly large rewards.
This was truly a case where one man attaining the Dao meant that even his chickens and dogs ascended with him to heaven.
Wang Chong's influence in the capital was inconceivably large. All the clans wanted to work with him, because they knew that working with him would result in massive profit.
As long as Wang Chong made the appeal, countless clans were guaranteed to reply in the affirmative.
These people gathered at the top floor of the Taibai Immortal's Pavilion had formed their relationship with Wang Chong the earliest, so they had become members of Wang Chong's innermost circle, envied by countless others.
"Brother Wang, just say the word. Whatever you want, our Chi Clan will do everything it can to find it."
Chi Weisi immediately stood up and volunteered.
He didn't know about the other clans, but he knew that his Chi Clan's firm support for Wang Chong in the war had resulted in an immense reward for them. His two older brothers had even been promoted a rank, stunning the Chi Clan.
It had to be known that his two brothers had originally only been high-ranking commandants, but his relationship with Wang Chong had resulted in their being promoted to generals.
The difference between commandants and generals was like that of heaven and earth.
Swish!
Wang Chong said nothing more, immediately flicking out prepared pieces of paper from his sleeve to land in front of the attendees.
"Oh?"
Their curiosity was piqued by these prepared pieces of paper. Even Bai Siling and Zhao Yatong released Wang Chong for the moment and placed their focus on these small slips of paper.
"Lime?"
Bai Siling looked in shock at the words written on the paper. She thought Wang Chong needed their help for something important, but not anything like this.
"Clay as well."
Zhuang Zhengping had also opened up his small slip of paper, and his expression was even more astonished than Bai Siling's.
Wasn't this what one used to make pottery? One could find it all over the capital!
Why did Wang Chong need such ordinary things?
For a simple thing like clay, Wang Chong really didn't need to summon the Zhuang Clan for assistance.
"I know that all of you find it very strange, but this matter truly is very important to me. In addition, whether it's lime or clay, I need vast quantities of it."
As if predicting their doubt, Wang Chong smiled and gave some explanation.
"What do you mean by 'vast'?" Zhao Yatong asked with a frown.
"Limitless, as much as I can get my hands on. What's available in the capital alone is far from enough for my needs," Wang Chong said.
“。”
Bzzt!
All of them were stunned by these words, with even Guo Feng and Chai Zhiyi widening their eyes. Not even Guo Feng or Chai Zhiyi knew just how much clay or lime there was in the capital.
If they knew at least one thing, it was that it was an amount far more massive than they could ever imagine.
As the capital of the Great Tang, this capital was undoubtedly the champion of the world when it came to the resources amassed within it. For Wang Chong to say that this was far from enough was practically absurd.
What sort of plan would require this much lime and clay? And up to now, Wang Chong had yet to tell any of them what he needed all this for.
What could even be done with such enormous quantities of lime and clay?
"Haha, all of you will know when the time comes," Wang Chong said with a smile.
For his victory in the southwest, Wang Chong had gained three million taels of gold and a large number of pearls, allowing Wang Chong to finally begin another of his plans.
Lime and clay formed vital parts of this plan.
Whether it was the Zhao Clan, Zhuang Clan, Chi Clan, or Bai Clan… these great clans of the capital had operated in the capital for decades, even centuries. They possessed massive resources and networks.
This was the primary reason Wang Chong had summoned Zhao Yatong, Guo Feng, Chai Zhiyi and the rest.
This was a purely economic project. There was no killing involved or thick plumes of smoke, but to Wang Chong, this project's importance was no less than that of the southwestern war. To the Great Tang, it might be even more important.
But right now, no one knew what he was planning except him.
"Right, Wang Chong…"
Chai Zhiyi paused for a moment before continuing.
"For this new plan, if you need a lot of resources and money, can you let our Chai Clan participate?"
Chai Zhiyi had spoken with great hesitation, but Wang Chong's reaction caught him completely by surprise.
"Haha, of course you can," Wang Chong replied with a roar of laughter.
With the results of the southwestern war beginning to manifest, even a stubbornly conservative clan like the Chai Clan was beginning to show interest, hoping to get a share of the profits and glory.
But this was precisely what Wang Chong wanted. The plan that he was about to begin required capital and manpower far greater than he alone could provide.
The Chai Clan might have believed that Wang Chong wasn't willing to share the glory, but it was the exact opposite. Wang Chong needed many clans like the Chai Clan to participate in his plan.
"Brother Chai, Brother Guo, as well as the rest of you, if any of you want to participate, Wang Chong will not refuse you. The more the better! Although I can't guarantee anything else, I can say that this project will be able to provide much merit to all your clans," Wang Chong said with a smile.
The eyes of the attendees brightened. These words alone were enough to gain their participation.
……
Leaving the Taibai Immortal's Pavilion, Wang Chong headed east.
"Stop!"
After several thousand meters, Wang Chong had the carriage stop by an area shaded by dense foliage. Thump! The carriage door opened, and a figure that seemed to know that Wang Chong would stop here entered the carriage.
"Lord Marquis."
The figure bowed to Wang Chong.
"Haha, there's no need for Sir Zhang to be so polite. Just call me Wang Chong. Please, sit!"
Wang Chong pointed at the seat across from him and smiled.
"The best way to show respect is to obey."
Zhang Shouzhi clasped his hands and put aside any further courtesy, seating himself across from Wang Chong. From Lion City to the decisive battle in the southwest, Zhang Shouzhi had been Wang Chong's constant follower.
Zhang Shouzhi had played a key role in Wang Chong's success, and he was one of the critical members of Wang Chong's innermost circle.
"Just what matter would have you personally pay me a visit?" Wang Chong said.
He had only come here because he had received a lett
er from Zhang Shouzhi.
"It's really nothing. I just received a request from someone to ask a favor from Young Master," Zhang Shouzhi replied with a smile.
"To be able to request this from you, this person must have quite some status. Speak. Cheng, Zhang, Huang, Lu—which of those four clans ran over and persuaded you to come on their behalf?" Wang Chong said with a chuckle.
After getting used to Zhang Shouzhi's harsh and demanding character, one would find it almost inconceivable that he would suddenly rush over to request a favor on someone else's behalf. But for Wang Chong, it wasn't very difficult to guess the perpetrator.
Zhang Shouzhi was a master architect, one who had built the Imperial Palace. Those who could build a close relationship with him, besides those bricklayers and other construction workers, could only be the sword-smithing masters from the four clans of Cheng, Zhang, Huang, and Lu.
"Haha, Young Master is truly perceptive. It really was the capital's Huang Clan who came to find me to request a favor from you," Zhang Shouzhi said.
"Is it about that matter?"
Wang Chong's expression had clearly chilled.
"Yes!"
Zhang Shouzhi nodded, his expression also growing much more serious. Before Wang Chong had even left for the southwest, he had requested the four great sword-smithing clans as well as all the sword smiths and shops of the capital to forge a large number of war implements.
But at the crucial moment in the war, a large number of armaments had been missing. This problem had arisen from the Huang Clan.
They had utterly failed to fulfill their quota of armaments.
In the end, this resulted in Wang Chong lacking any reserve steel walls to fill in the gaps.
Wang Chong knew of this, Zhang Shouzhi knew of this, and all the craftsmen who had taken part in the battle knew of this.
If the Annan Protectorate army had been defeated and Wang Chong had died there, nothing would have come of it. But Wang Chong had come back alive, and with a great victory.
The Huang Clan was clearly worried that Wang Chong would come to balance the accounts, so they had sought help from Zhang Shouzhi, who had a very close relationship with Wang Chong.
"Hmph, at least they still had the face to mention it."
The Human Emperor c1-2382 Page 445
