The Human Emperor c1-2382

by Huangfu Qi (皇甫奇)

  Such rumors abounded in the capital, but none of the great clans knew whether they were true. Some of the great clans had learned from their scouts that the guilty party was very difficult to deal with. Those soldiers who had massacred the village had already returned to their main force and were hiding in a force of more than ten thousand soldiers, ready to flee at any moment.

  This mission was basically impossible to complete.

  But to everyone’s surprise, the rumor was true. Wang Chong’s men had not only defeated that army, they had even brought back the criminals.

  “Come on! Let’s go and look!”

  All the noble houses and great clans sent men to the execution ground stated on the posters.

  Soon, countless people of various levels of status were converging on that location.

  On Xuanwu Street, in the eastern part of the city, stood a massive stage which had taken less than ten minutes to set up. In fact, before the announcement had even been posted, seventy to eighty skilled craftsmen had already started to set it up.

  All the needed material had already been stored in the surrounding stores, and the stage was built using steel modules Wang Chong had shipped over from the Western Regions. It was obvious that this had all been planned out beforehand.

  A few moments after the announcements had been posted, a great sea of people had surrounded the platform, and some people had even taken to climbing onto roofs.

  “Why is there nothing? Where are they?”

  “Didn’t they say the execution was taking place here? I don’t see anything!”

  The crowd was impatient and uneasy. The border massacre had truly stirred their anger, and all of them wanted nothing more than to see justice carried out with their own eyes.

  Bang!

  After some time, the crowd suddenly exploded with commotion, and everyone began to turn in one direction.

  “Everyone, look over there! They’re coming!”

  The crowd became restless. To the southeast of the stage, a group of soldiers was escorting two Hu who had hoods covering their heads.

  “Brutes! Kill these two beasts!”

  The crowd erupted in fury, and even women and children began to curse. The commanding Tang officer made a gesture, and a moment later, the two guards removed the hoods.

  “Beat them to death! Beat them to death!”

  The furious crowd treated this as some sort of signal, their curses and rebukes intensifying as they tossed vegetables, eggs, and even rocks at Hulugan and Ashide. As the two were escorted through the crowd, some of the furious mob even ran past the guards to claw and kick at them.

  For just a little food, they had killed four-hundred-some people and even set their bodies aflame. Not even death was enough to forgive their crimes!

  Such was the crowd’s fury and so vigorously did they surge forward to tear and beat at the pair that the two guards that Wang Chong had sent had to work with all their might to protect them. They did not want the mob to beat the pair to death before they could be executed.

  “It wasn’t me! You’ve got the wrong person! I didn’t kill anyone!”

  Hulugan fearfully looked around at the infuriated mob, his face pale.

  On this journey, every time the convoy had been intercepted, he thought he would be saved and returned alive to the Great Steppe, but after so many days, none of those people had succeeded, and they had only gotten closer and closer to the capital.

  Hulugan had never imagined that he would be taken from the Great Steppe and escorted as a prisoner all the way to the capital of the Great Tang.

  His initial courage had long ago crumbled to nothing, and when he looked at the furious mob who wanted nothing more than to tear him to pieces, he felt only a fear that reached into the depths of his soul.

  When he first planned that raid, he had never imagined that this would be the result.

  But as he didn’t understand the Tang language, he had no idea what all these people were saying.

  “Useless thing, you’re a Turkic warrior, not a beggar. Even if you have to die, I need you to stand up straight!” Ashide cursed, a look of contempt on his face. If he had a saber, he probably would have executed Hulugan himself.

  Because of this bastard, at least six thousand soldiers of the Black Wolf Army’s vanguard were now eternally slumbering on the steppe, and even he had been dragged in. If he had known that there would be so much trouble, he would have killed Hulugan on the steppe.

  “Release me! I’m a Western Turkic general! You have no reason to kill me! Kill me and you will only cause an even greater problem, even cause a war between our two countries!” Ashide bellowed, unshaken by the eggs and vegetables striking his face.

  He was the general of the vanguard, completely unlike Hulugan.

  Although Ashide had spoken in Turkic, Cheng Sanyuan had understood.

  “Hmph, you think you’re innocent? The moment you protected Hulugan and his men and began to feast on the spoils of that village, you decided your fate. And besides, Hulugan is your subordinate. Even if Hulugan holds the main responsibility for the lives of those four hundred villagers, as his commander, you cannot escape the blame! A commander will attract subordinates of the same ilk. If not for your lack of discipline when commanding your troops, and even your encouragement of this behavior, would such a thing have happened? Would those Tang have died in such a meaningless manner?”

  Cheng Sanyuan coldly sneered as he replied in Turkic.

  Ashide was rendered speechless.

  Yes! When he first learned of the incident, he had taken the matter in stride and even encouraged the action. He had even distributed the supplies Hulugan had plundered to the rest of the army.

  In this aspect, he truly was not innocent!

  “Take them away!”

  Cheng Sanyuan saw the complicated look on Ashide’s face and knew that he had understood. Without another word, Cheng Sanyuan had the guards take the pair onto the platform.

  Boom!

  The seething crowd reached new peaks of fury when they saw the pair ascend the stage, exploding with vehement curses. If looks could kill, those two would have already been executed via death by a thousand cuts.

  ……

  In the western part of the city, Li Junxian was flying through the streets.

  Flapflap! Carrier pigeons descended around him, and the Confucian Sect experts began to converge on Li Junxian.

  “Young Master! It’s bad! The King of Foreign Lands has posted announcements across the city that he plans to immediately execute those two Hu!”

  “Young Master, the King of Foreign Lands has left his residence for the execution ground!”

  “Young Master, Hulugan and Ashide have appeared! The majority of the city’s population has gathered!”

  All this news, from the posting of the announcements, to the setting up of the stage, and Wang Chong’s departure, came within seconds of each other. It was obvious that Wang Chong had planned everything out well ahead of time.

  Even Li Junxian was forced to admit that he was badly losing.

  Chapter 1607 - Public Execution!

  Chapter 1607: Public Execution!

  Translated by: Hypersheep325

  Edited by: Michyrr

  But Li Junxian believed that everything was not over yet. Hulugan and Ashide were not dead yet and the capital was only so big. With his strength, he could get to the execution ground in time, and they could still be saved.

  “Wang Chong!”

  Li Junxian’s eyes seethed with fire and worry. Time was short, so Li Junxian opened his mouth and whistled.

  The Confucian Sect’s supreme sacred sword erupted with boundless energy, causing Li Junxian to streak into the distance like a comet.

  He was getting closer and closer!

  ……

  On the stage, Cheng Sanyuan looked down on the furious crowd. “Everyone! I presume that everyone knows of the border incident. We have now captured the two ringleaders!”

&nb
sp; “Kill them! Kill these brutes!”

  The crowd became even more furious.

  Many people rushed toward the stage, and if not for the surrounding guards, they would have gotten onto it.

  Cheng Sanyuan made a gesture calling for the crowd to quiet down.

  “…Half a month ago, these two beasts massacred an entire village in the north of four-hundred-some people for the sake of a little food, not even letting the elders and children go. Such conduct truly chills one’s blood. They believed that if they hid in their camp, protected by thousands of soldiers, they would be able to rest easy, but this time, let us tell all the people in the world that no matter who you are, where you are, or how many soldiers you have behind you, this is what will happen to you if you dare to lay a hand on the common folk of the Great Tang! Because this place is the Great Tang!” Cheng Sanyuan declared to the people down below, his words ringing with force and resolve.

  Bang!

  The crowd exploded with cheers that reached to the heavens.

  “Great Tang!”

  “Great Tang!”

  “Great Tang!”

  The cheers came again and again like massive waves.

  As Cheng Sanyuan looked down from the stage, he also felt rather excited. To capture these two Hu, almost eighty percent of Wang Chong’s forces had been mobilized, either directly or indirectly.

  Some of these men had even sacrificed their lives for this operation, but it had all been worth it.

  All of them had planned night and day and stressed over every detail for the sake of one goal: to have all the countries of the world know that the Great Tang could not be lightly humiliated.

  When needed, soldiers would serve as the firmest shield for the people.

  No one could massacre the people and not pay the price. More importantly, before taking action, the other countries would have to carefully weigh the pros and cons of enraging the Great Tang.

  Four hundred had defeated twelve thousand and extracted the two ringleaders from countless soldiers, meaning that the Great Tang had the ability to defeat even more of such armies.

  To have one’s enemies endure greater pain and pay a greater price…

  This was the duty and pride of a soldier!

  This was why he and countless others were willing to follow the King of Foreign Lands and give their lives for him. Only this man could unite the empire and give it the form it was meant to have!

  “Have them kneel!”

  With a gesture from Cheng Sanyuan, Hulugan and Ashide were forced to their knees, yet Ashide tried to keep his back straight in resistance.

  But the guard kicked the back of his knee and swiftly brought him down.

  “Release me! I said before, you have no right to capture me! I’m a vanguard general of the Western Turks! The Great Tang has no authority to judge me!” Ashide harshly said.

  Unlike the fearful and shrinking Hulugan, Ashide had maintained the fierce pride of a soldier, but Cheng Sanyuan paid no attention to him this time.

  “Bring out Miss Duan!”

  A few moments later, a woman wearing white mourning robes was escorted onto the stage. Upon seeing this woman, the raucous crowd instantly fell quiet.

  It’s her!

  All of them recognized this sorrowful woman.

  In this period of time, almost everyone in the capital had come to know this woman. Anyone who heard with their own ears her tragic plight would feel sympathy for her and anger toward the foreigners.

  At the same time, they also felt deep admiration for her firm and unbending resolve to avenge her village.

  The woman’s eyes were streaked with blood. It appeared like it had been many days since she had last closed them.

  The moment the woman appeared, she spotted the kneeling Hulugan and Ashide, and her eyes exploded with hatred.

  “You beast!”

  That widowed Miss Duan, a bitter and forlorn look on her face, struck out with her palm and slapped Hulugan’s face.

  This slap had been done with all her strength, even leaving a bruise on Hulugan’s face. Miss Duan’s palm was also shaking from the strength of the blow, and it became swollen as blood surged into it.

  “For the sake of a little food, you actually killed all the four-hundred-some people in our village! Give me back my father-in-law! Give me back all the people of my village!”

  As the woman spoke, she lunged over and began to beat and gnaw at the two men.

  The woman’s frenzy, her outpouring of hatred, and those looks from the crowd that wanted nothing more than to eat them alive, caused the two men to reveal expressions of deep fear.

  As for Miss Duan, ever since she had discovered that massacre, she had spent every second of the following days looking forward to this moment.

  Miss Duan vented her rage on the pair, and Cheng Sanyuan did nothing to stop her.

  After using up all her strength, Miss Duan let out a plaintive wail as if her entire body was breaking down.

  “Oh heavens!”

  Miss Duan suddenly collapsed onto the stage, her body shaking as she wept.

  “The heavens have eyes! King of Foreign Lands, please carry out justice for this woman! This woman is willing to be your bull and horse and will never forget this kindness!”

  That voice caused tears to be shed in the crowd, and there was no one who did not feel pity and compassion. Even Cheng Sanyuan couldn’t help but sigh.

  “Relax! His Highness will carry out justice for you!”

  Cheng Sanyuan turned to the fearful Hulugan and grimacing Ashide, his body exuding a chilling killing intent.

  “Executioner, stand ready! Prepare for the execution!”

  Everyone’s hearts pulsed in excitement.

  That massacre on the border which had caused such a great stir within the capital was finally about to reach its end.

  “Milord!”

  At this moment, the kneeling Miss Duan suddenly raised her head, a chill in her eyes.

  “This lowly woman has another request. Milord, please, you must agree!”

  ……

  “Young Master, we’re here! The execution ground is just up ahead!”

  Li Junxian, after shooting like a lightning bolt through more than half the city, had finally reached the eastern end of the city.

  This entire time, Li Junxian had been exerting all his strength, and when he saw the stage, he finally felt a sliver of hope.

  “There’s still time!”

  The crowd had not dispersed and were all expectantly looking in one direction. This meant that those two were still alive, and as long as they were still alive, he had a way to save them and neutralize this crisis.

  Buzz!

  But just when Li Junxian was brimming with hope, there was a cold flash of light from the stage—that of a saber being raised high into the air.

  The sight of that saber raised high and about to descend caused Li Junxian to pale.

  “Stop!”

  The blood rushed to his head and he erupted with a heaven-shaking roar. Li Junxian transformed into a ray of light as he shot toward the stage.

  As he flew forward, he flicked his finger, sending a chilling bolt of Sword Qi toward the saber.

  Alas, despite the swiftness of his reaction, he was still too slow.

  Plush! Plush! Saber met flesh, and then two heads flew into the air and thudded onto the stage.

  Boom!

  The moment the heads fell, the crowd exploded with heaven-shaking cheers.

  At that moment, the buildings of the capital quivered and even the roof tiles of the buildings near the stage were loosened.

  But while the crowd was ecstatic, Li Junxian was slowing down, his heart freezing as it sank like a stone.

  Too late!

  In the end, he had been just a step too slow!

  Li Junxian had never imagined that even though he had used all his power and had already reached the place, he had still been too slow. Hulugan and Ashide had been killed right before
his eyes.

  “Wang Chong!”

  After his initial shock, flames of indescribable rage began to build within Li Junxian’s heart.

  Hulugan and Ashide were dead, and a conflict with the Western Turkic Khaganate was now inevitable.

  He had done all he could to stop it and preserve the entire empire, hoping to preserve a peace that would last for generations for its people, but in the end, despite his best efforts, he could not overcome Wang Chong, could not get past the name of the King of Foreign Lands.

  Li Junxian’s eyes reddened. He had never been like this before, never felt such intense killing intent.

  As these thoughts flew through his mind, he heard a bang.

  The Sword Qi he had sent out had not been able to strike the executioner’s saber. Instead, it had been blocked by a bolt of violet energy.

  Li Junxian instantly turned his eyes toward where the bolt had come from, and in the middle of the dense crowd, he spotted a familiar figure.

  Wang Chong!

  Guarded by several black-armored soldiers, Wang Chong was wearing a golden crown and dressed in casual clothes. He was looking over the crowd at him, a calm expression on his face. It was like everything that had happened, including that last desperate attack, had all been predicted beforehand.

  Chapter 1608 - The Enraged Li Junxian!

  Chapter 1608: The Enraged Li Junxian!

  Translated by: Hypersheep325

  Edited by: Michyrr

  “Bastard!”

  Within the sleeve of his long white robe, Li Junxian clenched his fingers into a fist, and his entire body shook in rage.

  But in the distance, Wang Chong gently smiled and proceeded to ignore Li Junxian.

  Those of a different path could not conspire together. What had needed to be said had been said, and he did not have much to discuss with Li Junxian anymore.

  Li Junxian had lost this round, and he would lose every other one as well!

  Whoosh!

  With a wave of his sleeve, Wang Chong began to climb the stairs to the stage.