The Human Emperor c1-2382

by Huangfu Qi (皇甫奇)

  Wushang Village provided the Great Tang's best soldiers, with the poorest recruits being slightly below the Profound Martial realm, and the vast majority of them at the Profound Martial realm. This and the harsh environment they had adapted to made the Wushang Cavalry innately one of the world's strongest cavalry forces.

  But their opponent had been the similarly formidable Tibetan White Braves. Even though Wang Chong had planned out all the countermeasures, losses were unavoidable.

  The casualty report quickly arrived. Of the 5000 Wushang Cavalry, 4678 remained. 322 of them had died in the battle just now.

  In addition, around seven hundred had suffered from light injuries and three hundred had suffered heavy injuries, making for around thirteen hundred casualties in total!

  This had been the greatest wound to the Wushang Cavalry since its establishment, and it was a massive number to the Wushang Cavalry that only numbered five thousand.

  The White Braves had won every battle they had ever fought, so they were definitely not some opponent that could be easily dealt with.

  "What of the Tibetans?" Wang Chong asked after a few moments of silence.

  "They should have suffered even greater losses!" Li Siye loudly proclaimed. "Although we can't get an exact count, the Tibetans should have lost around eighteen hundred people, with two thousand being injured. If Dayan Mangban hadn't been so quick to give the retreat order, they would have suffered even more losses. In addition, they also lost more than two thousand cavalry from that group that came to reinforce them."

  To the five thousand White Braves, eighteen hundred deaths was an enormous figure. In comparison, the 322 losses to the Wushang Cavalry were barely worth mentioning.

  This was proof that the Wushang Cavalry's strength was greater than the White Braves', and it was quite the significant gap.

  Wang Chong sighed and finally gave a nod. Although he had wanted nothing more than to finish off all the White Braves in one go, if not even ten thousand Mamelukes at full power could do it, it would be very difficult for him to do so.

  I can only wait for the Wootz Steel and Meteoric Metal to arrive so that they can be forged into weapons and armor. Only after the Wushang Cavalry is fully equipped can I set about exterminating the elite cavalries of the Turks, the Arabs, and the Tibetans, Wang Chong quietly said to himself.

  Chapter 789: Fumeng Lingcha's Choice!

  Translated by: Hypersheep325

  Edited by: Michyrr

  The Wushang Cavalry had only been established around two months ago and were still far from reaching that level of power from the last life. In other words, they still had a lot of room to grow.

  "Li Siye, order the army to rest. In addition, we can begin the plan that we talked about. Dusong Mangpoje is probably going to move out very soon, much faster than we expected."

  "Yes, Lord Marquis!"

  Once this order was given, the army behind the steel walls quickly calmed down.

  ……

  "How is it? Can you still go on?"

  Two-thousand-some zhang away in the Tibetan camp, Dusong Mangpoje stopped his horse to the right of Dayan Mangban.

  "Are you looking down on me? Do you think that I can't defeat two Tang?!"

  Dayan Mangban's face was gloomy and suffused with loathing, and it was possible to hear the grinding of his teeth.

  Dusong Mangpoje could sense the dissatisfaction in Dayan Mangban and smiled.

  "Rest for a while. Let me handle this child called Wang Chong," Dusong Mangpoje lightly said.

  "Impossible!"

  Dayan Mangban immediately rejected the offer.

  "I admit that I was careless. Once I've adjusted my condition, I will definitely go and personally behead him!"

  "Let me do it."

  A smile crept onto Dusong Mangpoje's lips.

  "I can do it…" Dayan Mangban fiercely pressed.

  "Let me do it."

  Dusong Mangpoje repeated himself, his voice neither too loud nor too soft, but the tone had changed. These words brooked no objection.

  Dayan Mangban froze, and then he finally raised his head to look at Dusong Mangpoje.

  Dusong Mangpoje had always had a gentle expression, and he would always accept Dayan Mangban's requests, but now, as their eyes met, Dayan Mangban realized that these eyes were much more determined, suffused with a toughness he had never seen before.

  The Dayan and Dusong Clans were two of the Ü-Tsang Empire's great clans, with long histories and enormous power. The two clans had many experts and brilliant individuals, and many of them were friends with each other.

  The relationship between Dayan Mangban and Dusong Mangpoje was also this way.

  Since Dayan Mangban had decided on this operation, Dusong Mangpoje would not involve himself in it, much less refuse him. But this did not mean that Dusong Mangpoje would let Dayan Mangban do whatever he pleased.

  In the northern region of the Tibetan Plateau, Dusong Mangpoje was the true commander-in-chief, with the highest military authority. If Dayan Mangban had used all his strength and still could not finish off his foe, then it was Dusong Mangpoje's turn to strike.

  "Dayan, war is not a game. I've already given you a chance, and the Tsenpo will not tolerate even more defeats from us. In addition, this is not a negotiation."

  Dusong Mangpoje finally showed the face of an Imperial Great General.

  Perhaps Dayan Mangban was the Asura War God of the plateau, and perhaps his White Braves were a mighty force, but right now, Dusong Mangpoje's status was firmly above his.

  Dayan Mangban looked confusedly at Dusong Mangpoje and then seemed to understand something, finally lowering his head. Although he was reluctant, he currently did not have the strength to challenge Dusong Mangpoje.

  "Hmph, that brat! No matter what, I'll kill him with my own hands."

  Dayan Mangban argued no more. With these final words, he galloped off. This defeat had been an enormous humiliation to him, and someone of his personality would never so easily give up.

  But this time, Dusong Mangpoje said nothing.

  ……

  "Heba Ye, pass on my order! All soldiers should rapidly retreat ten li. In addition, all of you will come with me and leave this place!"

  At this moment, on the northwest region of the Tibetan Plateau, Fumeng Lingcha was leaning forward on his horse, a vicious light glimmering in his deep eyes.

  "A pile of useless trash! It appears that I've waited here for so long for nothing! In the end, I'm still the one who has to do it."

  Fumeng Lingcha savagely glared in the direction of the Tibetan army, his mind full of deep dissatisfaction.

  This battle had developed in a way he had never imagined. There had been so many Tibetans, and Dayan Mangban and Dusong Mangpoje had been backing them up, and they had still failed to kill an immature teenager. This left Fumeng Lingcha deeply disappointed.

  This result meant that he could not proceed with any of the plans he had made for the aftermath.

  Fumeng Lingcha truly did not want to make his actions so blatant, but this was all he could do to obtain the effect he desired.

  Gallop!

  Before anyone else could react, Fumeng Lingcha had already turned his horse around and galloped off into the distance. Behind him, the generals of the Qixi Protectorate army were dumbfounded.

  None of them had expected this from Fumeng Lingcha.

  "Didn't you hear? Hurry and go!"

  Heba Ye gave one last complicated glance in Wang Chong's direction, a mixture of sympathy and shame, but he still waved his arm and led the other generals away.

  During this battle, the Qixi Protectorate army had remained watching from the sidelines, and even Fumeng Lingcha had made an appearance on the front lines.

  But this time, all the members of the Qixi Protectorate army, even its scouts, retreated from the battlefield, leaving not a single person behind.

  Buzz!

  An unmoving Qixi Protectorate army attracted little attention, but th
is wholesale retreat immediately garnered the focus of both sides.

  "Lord Marquis, it's Fumeng Lingcha and the Qixi Protectorate army!"

  Upon hearing the turmoil as the Qixi Protectorate army withdrew, many gazes behind the distant steel walls began to look in that direction.

  The mounted Xu Keyi was near Wang Chong, and as he looked at the cloud of dust, a hint of anxiety appeared in his eyes.

  The surrounding atmosphere also began to tighten up.

  "Fumeng Lingcha intends to have Dusong Mangpoje finally move." Li Siye trotted his horse forward, a grave expression on his face.

  "Mm." Wang Chong gave a stern nod, his expression extremely solemn. "He has no more patience. Even if the Imperial Court censures him afterward, he still wants to borrow the Tibetans to finish us off."

  Fumeng Lingcha had always been a lurking danger, and he had been willing to go to any lengths to remove Wang Chong. As an Imperial Great General, not only had he not led the Qixi Protectorate army to reinforce Wang Chong, he had turned his back and left so that the enemy's hand would be freed. Such conduct was truly contemptible.

  It seems like whether or not I can deal with the Tibetans, I have to think of a way to remove him from his Protector-General position and transfer him away from here, Wang Chong mused, his mind even more set against Fumeng Lingcha.

  ……

  "As expected, he left!"

  As he saw a muscular eagle unfurl its wings and take off from the rear of Fumeng Lingcha's army, a smile appeared on Dusong Mangpoje's lips.

  Fumeng Lingcha's actions seemed very sudden and surprising to others, but Dusong Mangpoje had predicted all of it.

  In both his aloofness that was out of sorts with his identity as Qixi Protector-General and the deliberate gap in his defenses that had allowed Dayan Mangban in, Fumeng Lingcha had bared open his intentions.

  But Fumeng Lingcha was still a veteran Great General. He wanted to use the Tibetans to deal with Wang Chong, but that did not mean that he would not also take the chance to deal with Dusong Mangpoje as well.

  Dusong Mangpoje was sure that if the moment was right, Fumeng Lingcha would definitely lead out his soldiers to attack him so as to gain merit on the battlefield that he could use to request a reward from the Imperial Court.

  In this battle, Dusong Mangpoje had dedicated more than half of his mental strength to watching this Qixi Protector-General. But now, Fumeng Lingcha had left of his own volition, withdrawing all his soldiers, and Dusong Mangpoje could finally relax.

  "Haha, Fumeng Lingcha, my thanks! Since you're so intent on this, I'll grant your wish. I'll eliminate this youngest son of the Wang Clan for you!"

  Dusong Mangpoje heartily laughed as he looked into the distance, and then he turned his eyes toward Wang Chong and the several thousand Wushang Cavalry.

  The time was ripe to bring this battle to an end.

  "Rengong, pass on my order. Have the entire army get ready to attack… I will be personally commanding this time!" Dusong Mangpoje said.

  "Yes, Milord!"

  At these words, the Tibetan general called Rengong was energized and immediately left to issue the order.

  "I didn't think that our second meeting would come to an end like this! What a pity!"

  A strange light appeared in Dusong Mangpoje's eyes as he gazed at the Wushang Cavalry.

  It didn't matter how intelligent Wang Chong was, how formidable his tactics were, or that he had defeated Dayan Mangban several times. The moment Fumeng Lingcha retreated and he personally took the stage, Wang Chong's fate was sealed.

  Dusong Mangpoje wasn't afraid that he would escape, as escape was impossible. No one could outrun the reach of an Imperial Great General. Moreover, if he did so, he would doom those Wushang Cavalry and the eight-thousand-some craftsmen in the fortress.

  Given what Dusong Mangpoje understood of the Great Tang, even if Wang Chong managed to get away, the magnitude of his error meant that only death would await him back in the Great Tang.

  "Call over General Dayan Mangban. Tell him that the time of his revenge will be soon."

  With these words, Dusong Mangpoje began to make his way toward the center of the army.

  Bwoooom!

  Quickly, the yak horns began to blare over the plateau with a special metallic sound that had never been heard before.

  Rumble! Thousands of Tibetan highland steeds began to stomp on the ground as the preparations for battle were carried out. With all these thousands of horses stomping their hooves, the air grew restless and the entire plateau trembled, stirring up countless bits of grass and dirt.

  This time, Dusong Mangpoje was personally leading his army of tens of thousands of cavalry, and Dayan Mangban and his remaining White Braves were taking part as well.

  When he heard that he could get rid of Wang Chong and the Wushang Cavalry, Dayan Mangban had immediately volunteered to add his White Braves to the army.

  The entire world was somber and still. The only sounds came from Dusong Mangpoje's vast army. A vast and suffocating air began to fall over the plateau, exerting a formidable pressure.

  Winds heralded the coming of a storm, and this silent pressure that came before battle was even more terrifying than the fierce battle itself.

  Chapter 790: The Last Battle!

  Translated by: Hypersheep35

  Edited by: Michyrr

  "Lord Marquis, the Tibetans are about to attack again!"

  Everyone behind the steel walls became nervous as they heard the distant yak horns blare. This attack had come faster than any of them had expected.

  And all of them could hear something different in those horns. This battle would definitely be more dangerous and fraught with tension than the ones previous.

  "Don't get nervous! I have everything planned out!"

  Wang Chong solemnly looked forward, his body unmoving.

  Dusong Mangpoje was going to move, and Wang Chong was keenly aware that he was absolutely no match for this Ü-Tsang Great General, not even with the Karmic Battle Armor.

  Dusong Mangpoje was a transcendent expert on the same level as Zhangchou Jianqiong, Geshu Han, and Fumeng Lingcha. He simply wasn't prepared to fight with an expert of this level.

  Rumble!

  Like a flash of lightning, a massive black war banner was suddenly thrust into the air, bearing the image of a silver-white eagle. In front of this banner was a slender figure riding a stalwart divine steed of the Great Snow Mountain, a demonic god appearing before all of them.

  He wasn't a very tall man, but he exuded an aura as vast as the seas that could make anyone feel tiny and meek.

  Dusong Mangpoje!

  Even at this distance, Wang Chong immediately recognized the Ü-Tsang Great General he had met in the capital.

  Time seemed to grind to a halt.

  A second seemed to drag on for countless years, and then the earth quaked. Countless Tibetan warriors charged out behind Dusong Mangpoje, a black flood of steel washing over the earth.

  "Kiiill!"

  As thousands of Tibetans howled with all their might, the waves of sound were like a massive explosion, stirring a fierce gale that surged toward the triangular gap.

  This formidable momentum caused even the heavens to lose their color, and all the Tang paled at this sight.

  "Lord Marquis!"

  They all turned to look at Wang Chong. At this moment, only Wang Chong could soothe the army and guide them in the right direction.

  "Do everything as before. All craftsmen should remain in the fortress. Everyone else, mount your horses and wait for my signal!"

  Wang Chong's voice was indifferent and devoid of emotion, but it was precisely this voice that made everyone find their backbone and calm down.

  Rumble!

  The rumbling intensified as the hooves thundered, the Tibetan cavalry picking up speed as they closed the distance.

  Tens of thousands of soldiers charging as one, led on by a Great General like Dusong Mangpoje—this enormous pressure
was enough to make anyone shrink back in fear.

  Fourteen hundred zhang, thirteen hundred zhang, twelve hundred zhang!

  Clang!

  A massive golden Halo of Thorns appeared beneath Dusong Mangpoje's divine steed, radiating like a brilliant sun and expanding to every Tibetan horseman, even Dayan Mangban's White Braves.

  The Tibetan cavalry grew even stronger, their strength swelling to astonishing heights.

  In comparison, Wang Chong's fortifications on the triangular gap were like rocks in the face of a massive wave, in danger of being shattered at any moment.

  "All soldiers, withdraw!"

  In a flash, a loud voice resounded across the skies. The thousands of Wushang Cavalry instantly turned around and flowed like a stream into the small fortress in the rear.

  This sudden change left all the Tibetans dumbstruck, and even Dusong Mangpoje momentarily paused.

  After getting used to Wang Chong's vigorous and fearless charges in the face of any number of opponents, even Dusong Mangpoje was surprised to see Wang Chong 'flee'.

  "It seems like he's a little smart, but since you've already offended me, isn't it a little too late to flee?"

  Dusong Mangpoje faintly smiled as he urged his horse to go even faster.

  No matter what Wang Chong thought, the moment he stepped onto the plateau and built these fortifications, he had already placed himself in a perilous situation.

  And when Fumeng Lingcha left, this rising star of the Great Tang, this young military genius, was foreordained to fall here.

  "All soldiers, charge! Those who retreat will be executed!"

  Dusong Mangpoje's order further invigorated his army.

  "Damn it! Charge!"

  Seeing Wang Chong flee, Dayan Mangban was furious. He could not permit Wang Chong to escape. Even if he had to pursue Wang Chong all the way back to Wushang's City of Steel, he would definitely kill him.

  ……

  "Careful! The Tibetans are fully mobilized. They're going to attack the fortress! Even that Tibetan Great General has moved out!"

  "Hurry, hurry! Open the gate; let Lord Marquis and the others in!"

  "Everyone, hurry with the welding and harden the walls! If the Tibetans get in, all eight thousand of us are dead. Remember, we can't let any of them get over the walls!"