“Since you’ve shown up, you can no longer remain in hiding. Next is for me to drag you out and see just where you came from!”
Wang Chong slowly closed his eyes, and quiet and serenity gradually returned to the study.
……
Wang Chong’s uncle-in-law Li Lin arrived at midday of the next day.
“Chong-er, you were looking for me!”
Li Lin came into the estate in a rush, and even before he had entered the reception hall, his voice resounded through the grounds.
Over this more than half a year, Li Lin had diligently cultivated and was already completely different from the impression Wang Chong first had of him. He had the demeanor of a dragon and the gaze of a tiger, and he walked with great energy and momentum.
When one remembered that Li Lin had started out as a minor officer assigned to supervise a gate, this was simply a jaw-dropping transformation, and all this was possible because of Wang Chong.
“Uncle-in-law, there’s a matter that I will have to trouble you with.”
Wang Chong got straight to the point with Li Lin.
“Haha, speak! As long as I can do it, even if I have to dig three feet into the earth, I will do it!” Li Lin said.
Wang Chong pointed at the table and said, “There is some information on the table. I need Uncle-in-law to mobilize the men of the City Guard to investigate the people of the capital. They should be looking for a Confucian scholar of twenty-six or twenty-seven who has stayed in the capital for no more than five months. And this person should have some minor reputation amongst the Confucian scholars.”
“Chong-er, you’re…”
Li Lin blinked in surprise. Wang Chong’s request was exceedingly strange, but Li Lin was no fool. In this period of time, there was no matter that had caused a greater stir in the Great Tang than the matter of Khorasan.
“Chong-er, have you already found the tracks of those people?”
“Mm.”
Wang Chong nodded.
“If all is as expected, the person I’m looking for is in this group. I hope that Uncle-in-law can investigate these people as quickly as possible along with their associated documents.”
Forcing out his opponent was only the first step. Now was the time for Wang Chong’s true counterattack. Perhaps his opponent thought himself to be well-concealed, but as long as Wang Chong had only a tiny clue, he would not let them so easily escape.
To find a young man of twenty-six or twenty-seven in the capital was like trying to find a needle in the ocean, but the fact that they also needed to be a Confucian scholar greatly narrowed down the scope.
Moreover, as someone who could mobilize the Grand Preceptor, Li Linfu, and King Qi at the same time, this person could not be some mediocre and ordinary individual. Even if they had adopted a false identity, they would still have to be someone with minor reputation among the Confucians.
Moreover, Wang Chong had spent more than half his life in the capital, and he had some understanding of the various schools of thought in the capital. However, he had never heard of someone like this, so it was clear that they were an outsider who had not been in the capital for more than five months.
The number of people who fulfilled these requirements was probably only several hundred. With the power of the City Guard, it wouldn’t take very long to search through these people.
“Understood! Leave this matter to me!”
Li Lin nodded and quickly turned serious. After taking the sheets of paper from the table, he left without another word. The entire Wang Clan from top to bottom was infuriated by that schemer hidden in the shadows who had orchestrated the stripping of Wang Chong’s military authority. Li Lin had watched Wang Chong grow up, and he was even more angered than Wang Chong by what had happened to him.
Li Lin left with almost as much haste as he had arrived, and he soon arrived at the City Guard.
“Come! Come! Everyone, hear my orders! Dispatch everyone as quickly as possible!
“Twenty-six or twenty-seven, Confucian, a young man who has been present for no more than five months and has some small reputation. Search according to these conditions. I want that person found, even if you have to dig three feet into the ground!”
Li Lin’s voice resounded through the City Guard as he summoned all the high-ranking officers. A few moments later, the place resounded with the thundering of hooves as all the soldiers of the City Guard were dispatched.
The tens of thousands of City Guard soldiers were set to work like an enormous machine.
The capital of the Great Tang was the heart of the Central Plains, gathering together all the people of the Nine Provinces, a home to more than one million people. To begin an investigation in such a thriving city amongst such a massive populace was no easy task. But although there were many people in the capital, there were far fewer Confucians. This search was well within the capabilities of the City Guard.
Wang Chong was in no rush, and silently waited within his residence. The arrow had been fired, and there would come a day when it would land. Wang Chong was awaiting this final result.
……
Meanwhile, to the northeast, in the land of Youzhou, a small bird flew with incredible speed, disappearing into the headquarters of the Andong Protectorate.
“Bastard! Wang Chong, are you threatening me?!”
After reading the letter, Zhang Shougui slammed a fist against the table, and the sturdy metal table crumpled as if it had been made of paper. Even the land of Youzhou itself seemed to be quivering.
“Investigate! I need this investigated now! Just who leaked this matter! Once I find him, I’ll tear him to pieces!”
Zhang Shougui clenched his teeth, his entire person erupting with rage.
“Yes! Milord!”
A pale-faced officer behind Zhang Shougui immediately turned and left.
“But, Milord, what do we do about the capital? Niu Xiantong has already exposed the matter, and the King of Foreign Lands is using this matter to threaten us…” A cautious and uneasy voice resounded through the hall.
“Bastard! What does it matter if it was discovered? Must I be threatened by some brat? Other than His Majesty, no one in this world dares to oppose me! In Youzhou of the northeast, this old man’s hand can obscure the sky. Everything goes according to my will here. I don’t believe that I can’t handle this matter!”
Zhang Shougui’s eyes were cold, his body seething with rage.
“But, Milord…”
Before the subordinate could argue any further, bang! An enormous energy slammed him into the wall.
“Wang Chong, this old man was wrong about you! For the Battle of Talas, this old man put aside past grudges and sent you four thousand of my Roaring Tiger Army and several thousand of my Youzhou Army, and then you oppose me! This old man won’t be threatened by you!”
Rumble! The entire hall trembled under Zhang Shougui’s rage.
“Pass on my order! I want this matter completely buried!”
Flapflap! Countless birds took flight, and the entire northeast was thrown into upheaval.
……
Time slowly passed, and several days later, the City Guard’s investigation bore fruit.
Thudthudthud!
Thick stacks of documents were placed on Wang Chong’s table, causing the table to groan under the weight.
“Chong-er, the information you wanted is all here. There were two hundred and seventy-eight people who fulfill your conditions. All of them are new Confucian talents who have been in the capital for five months at most. Surprisingly, however, sixty-three of these people have vanished without a trace,” Li Lin said.
“Mm?”
Wang Chong couldn’t help but crease his brow at these words.
“There’s nothing that can be done about this. There are many people in the capital, and some people just leave when they want to. Even the City Guard has people that they can’t investigate. But the laws of the Great Tang decree that anyone who wants to
enter the capital must have a travel document. The City Guard has records of all of these, and I’ve already sent my men to look through them,” Li Lin said.
“It’s fine. As long as they didn’t disappear in the last month, we don’t need to worry about them. Leave these documents here. You can leave the rest to me,” Wang Chong indifferently said.
After sending off his uncle-in-law, Wang Chong began to swiftly look through the documents.
“Now, it’s time to see who you really are!”
Chapter 1249 - A Sword Pointed at Zhang Shougui!
Chapter 1249: A Sword Pointed at Zhang Shougui!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Two hundred and seventy-eight people was not a small number, and a small mountain of documents had been placed on the study table.
Even the most well-hidden secret would leave behind some clues. For Wang Chong, any suspicious point would allow him to find the ‘footprint’ left behind by his opponent.
After four hours, the mountain of documents had been halved. After a single review, Wang Chong had managed to eliminate more than one hundred suspects, leaving him with one-hundred-and-twenty-some people. Wang Chong quickly had his uncle-in-law Li Lin investigate these people.
“Have the City Guard mobilize and investigate these one-hundred-and-twenty-some people again. In addition, I specifically marked thirty-some people as being the most suspicious. Uncle-in-law, please dispatch experts of the City Guard and Imperial Army to find these people and chat with them in the name of seeking out a criminal and safeguarding the capital. See if their stories check out.”
Wang Chong paused a moment before continuing.
“While interviewing them, pay attention to their wrists to see if they have any sort of special black insignia.”
As Wang Chong spoke, he picked up a brush and quickly drew a black insignia on a white sheet of paper. This was precisely the symbol Wang Chong had seen on the wrists of those three Confucian experts who had come to Khorasan to receive his military authority.
“Remember, don’t let any of them find out!” Wang Chong added.
“Be at ease. Leave this matter to me. I will personally handle it!”
Li Lin took the paper and the register of names Wang Chong had recorded, and quickly left.
The City Guard was once more set into motion.
……
In the southwestern part of the city was a door made of brushwood. Behind this door was a quiet and serene place, and nearby a clear stream was gurgling past.
“The Master said, ‘He who rules by virtue is as the North Star, remaining in place while all other stars circle around it.’
“The Master said, ‘A man of noble character is in harmony with all and does not take sides. The man of lowly character will take sides and is not in harmony with all.’
“The disciple Ji Kang asked, ‘How does a ruler gain the respect and loyalty of his people, and encourage his people to work and strive?’ The Master said, ‘When he presides over the people with solemnity and dignity, the people will respect him. When he is filial and compassionate, the people will be loyal to him. When he raises up the good and honest and teaches the incompetent, the people will encourage each other and strive to work harder1.'”
On this early morning, the sounds of youthful recitation came from behind the brushwood door. A scholar dressed in white robes, elegant and carefree, was studying the contents of the ‘On Government’ chapter of Confucius’s ‘Analects’.
The scholar’s robes rippled with the wind, and they exuded a clean, fresh, elegant, and transcendent aura.
The rumbling of a carriage shattered the morning serenity. The young scholar frowned and raised his head. He saw that ten-some soldiers of the City Guard had ridden over on horses and had stopped in front of the brushwood door.
“Are you Li Junshan?” a City Guard soldier asked.
“This one is. For what reason have Good Sirs chosen to intrude at this time?” The white-robed scholar appeared very patient and restrained.
“The City Guard hopes that you can cooperate with us in our investigation,” the leading officer said, and then he took out a notebook and began to ask questions, noting the answers down.
The scholar remained extremely patient throughout. Although he was slightly displeased, he did his utmost to cooperate with the investigation. His age, place of birth, goal in coming to the capital—he answered everything that he could, hiding nothing. The interview lasted for an entire hour, but the white-clothed scholar did not show the slightest hint of impatience.
Once the investigation was over, the soldiers quickly took their leave.
When they had traveled several hundred meters, the City Guard officer rode up to the carriage.
“Milord, we looked and saw no black insignia on his wrist. He should not be the person that we are seeking!”
“I understand! You’re dismissed!” A voice came out from the carriage, causing the City Guard officer to bow and ride off.
Once the City Guard officer was gone, Li Lin turned to Wang Chong.
“Chong-er, this was the last one, and none of them had the symbol you spoke of. What do we do now?”
Li Lin looked worriedly at Wang Chong.
Wang Chong had been observing the entire time while the City Guard carried out its investigation, but the thirty major suspects that Wang Chong had chosen, including this Li Junshan, did not have the symbol Wang Chong had spoken of.
Wang Chong sat motionless, his eyes closed in thought. The investigation had not obtained the result he had desired, and in this aspect, one could say that Wang Chong’s judgments had been completely off the mark. But from his expression, he did not seem too affected.
After some time, Wang Chong opened his eyes and said, “They’ve probably already made preparations!”
“Ah!”
Li Lin trembled, instantly speechless.
“If that’s the case, then won’t we never be able to find him?”
Li Lin had also managed to understand some things about their opponent from Wang Chong in this period of time. Given this person’s abilities, if this person had already taken notice of Wang Chong’s actions and had grown wary, he would truly be very difficult to find.
“Uncle-in-law, relax. This operation was not a fruitless endeavor, and I will very soon be able to expose him!” Wang Chong lightly said, his eyes gradually beginning to exude a blazing light.
As Wang Chong was still searching for the schemer behind the curtain, the day after, an incident took place in the Imperial Court that shook all of society.
Investigating Imperial Censor Ye Haicheng held up his ceremonial tablet and stepped out, his face ashen. “Your Majesty! This subject Ye Haicheng has a memorial. Andong Protector-General Zhang Shougui has deceived the sovereign by concealing the military situation. On the shores of the Huang River, he suffered a major defeat at the hands of the Xi and Khitans, losing countless soldiers and officers, but he decided to conceal the matter and not report it. Not only that, Zhang Shougui even dared to collude with an imperial emissary, secretly bribing him in the hopes that the emissary would deceive everybody and make his major defeat into a major victory. Zhang Shougui has grown impetuous from his many achievements, and he cannot be lightly forgiven for this crime of deceiving the sovereign!
“This lowly subject has a letter from his subordinate divulging the matter. This evidence is firm. Your Majesty, please thoroughly investigate the matter and harshly punish the wrongdoers!”
Bang!
Ye Haicheng’s voice set off a storm in the court. All the officials, whether civil or military, were utterly astounded.
Even the spectating King Song couldn’t help but be shocked, his pupils constricting.
The Sage Emperor had reigned over the Great Tang for thirty-seven years now, and whether it was in civil administration or martial might, his talents were peerless, causing him to be hailed as the sovereign of the generation. For an
Emperor to be praised as such while still enthroned was extremely rare, but everyone could see that the Great Tang was prosperous and thriving, its armies mighty. Even the foreign countries on the border had to revere it.
Decades ago, the Sage Emperor had taken command of the Great Tang army and led it in defeating the various foes on the border, compelling them to acknowledge the Great Tang as the strongest empire of the east. And the dominion of the Central Plains had reached its largest extent under the Sage Emperor.
Not even mighty emperors like the First Qin Emperor or Emperor Wu of Han had ever done this before. Besides that, the Sage Emperor was also a formidable martial artist, the first to become infinitesimally close to the Divine Martial realm.
And to reach the Divine Martial realm was to be a true god!
Before the Sage Emperor made his attempt at the Divine Martial realm, the Divine Martial realm had always been a legend with no evidence that it existed, even to top-class experts.
Everyone in the Great Tang Empire felt nothing but reverence for the Sage Emperor. No one had expected that someone would be so bold as to deceive him, and that this person would be Andong Protector-General Zhang Shougui!
Is it beginning so soon?!
Wang Chong listened to the uproar in court from his place at the very back, his eyes narrowing. Almost instinctively, Wang Chong smelled a scheme.
Starting with Khorasan, the Confucian school had been doing its utmost to have the Great Tang turn its swords into plowshares and put down its arms, and the greatest obstacles to this endeavor were the Great Generals and Protector-Generals stationed on the border. Wang Chong had already wrecked the proposal to dissolve the prefectural armies, but the Confucians were clearly not intending to give up so easily.
Zhang Shougui was the number two individual in the army, and he had made Youzhou an impregnable fortress that seemed like his own personal territory. If not for this, Zhang Shougui would have never been so bold as to turn a defeat into a victory and lie to the Imperial Court. If the Confucians could pull down Zhang Shougui and make an example of him, it would serve as the best kind of warning for all the other Great Generals and Protector-Generals.
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