“This lowly subject must censure Your Majesty over the construction of a new palace! The sovereign is the center of the realm’s Dragon Qi, and all the realm imitates them, their every action watched by the people. Your Majesty, construction of a new palace is to revive attitudes of extravagance and arrogance, no good thing for the empire. Moreover, the Imperial City already has all the palaces one could desire. What need is there to construct a Peace Pavilion? Your Majesty, please withdraw the decree!”
“This lowly subject must censure…”
“This lowly subject must censure Your Majesty!”
The imperial censors had held themselves back for almost ten days while the Sage Emperor had been absent from court, and they finally had the time to vent their emotions. Before any of the other major officials could speak, the agitated imperial censors stepped out of their ranks and began to issue their censures.
Their voices continued to rise and fall in an endless barrage of criticism!
Wang Chong stood in his own row and said nothing.
He had predicted this scene, but what he was more concerned about was the Sage Emperor himself.
The Sage Emperor was the source of all these problems.
Wang Chong raised his head and began to carefully examine him.
As the censors submitted their memorials, the Sage Emperor remained seated motionlessly on his resplendent throne.
His expression was as calm as an ancient well, unruffled by the endless criticism. It was like nothing in the world could shake his mind.
This was not Wang Chong’s first time seeing the Sage Emperor, but he felt… very different.
Although he was still majestic and noble, a god looking over the world, there was something clearly different about his aura.
It was like mud being stirred from the bottom of a clear spring, or like dried leaves being blown in a cool breeze. From a certain perspective, even though the outside was the same, Wang Chong felt like he was looking at a different person.
What is going on here?
Wang Chong could no longer hear the discussions in court. His expression was calm, but his mind was restless.
Buzz!
A moment later, Wang Chong’s eyes flashed, and his vision peered into the ‘True World’.
The hall remained unchanged, but in Wang Chong’s eyes, the world had transformed.
Colors and objects faded away, leaving only the truth of the world.
Wang Chong immediately focused his attention on the Sage Emperor.
But a moment later…
Bang!
Before Wang Chong could see the ‘true’ Sage Emperor, he felt like he ran into a massive barrier. His body shuddered and he instantly felt lightheaded.
Wang Chong’s True World ability was capable of seeing the essence of all things, peering through all illusions, unstoppable by even the most powerful abilities. Even the Tianfu Divine Lord had not been able to hide his tracks and was forced to flee.
But when Wang Chong used the True World to look at the Sage Emperor, he immediately suffered an intense backlash, and his vision was thrown into disarray.
For the first time, the True World ability had failed.
“!!!”
Wang Chong’s mind tossed and turned.
The True World ability came from the Stone of Destiny, and it was not a true attack, so it shouldn’t have suffered any disruption. But this time, it had failed.
The True World of black and white rapidly faded away, and the officials of Taihe Palace once more appeared in his vision.
When he opened his eyes, he was looking at the Sage Emperor.
Earlier, the Sage Emperor had been motionless, but now, he was looking at Wang Chong, seeming to see through all his secrets and making Wang Chong feel like there was nowhere to hide.
“Your Majesty! This lowly subject implores Your Majesty to take back the decree!” a forceful and resounding voice said.
Imperial Censor Deng Chang gripped his ceremonial tablet and kneeled on the floor.
Everyone’s attention was drawn to the imperial censor, and the Sage Emperor took one last, profound glance at Wang Chong before turning his gaze as well.
“We understand!”
The Sage Emperor’s majestic voice echoed through the palace.
“With regards to the Peace Pavilion, the construction will proceed, but all expenses will be drawn from the inner court’s treasury. As for government affairs, they are to be decided through the joint rule of the Prime Minister, Grand Preceptor, and Grand Tutor!
“Military affairs are to be decided jointly by the King of Foreign Lands, King Song, and Minister of War Zhangchou Jianqiong!
“The selection of talented women will be set aside for now to be discussed at a later date!”
With these words, the Sage Emperor stood up and left.
“Your Majesty!”
“Your Majesty!”
“Your Majesty!”
Everyone was left wide-eyed and slack-jawed. No one had expected the Sage Emperor to be so straightforward, dismissing the court without even agreeing to a single one of the objections. And after making his decision, he immediately left, giving the officials no time to argue their case.
Chapter 1944 - The Sage Emperor’s Commission!
Chapter 1944: The Sage Emperor’s Commission!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
No one had predicted how this court session would turn out!
A few moments later, the Sage Emperor had withdrawn into the side hall.
“This is absurd!”
The beards of the imperial censors trembled in rage. Despite their many exhortations, they had not been able to realize a single one of their desires, and their criticisms had achieved no effect.
Wang Chong and King Song both frowned.
The two of them exchanged a swift glance and nodded. If they couldn’t get an answer from today’s court session, they might need to force their way in.
This was something that had been decided during the previous meeting.
Wang Chong had an Imperial Dragon Bracelet, which was essentially a ticket of pardon. As Wang Chong could not enter the Imperial Palace through normal means, he would have to leave through Taihe Palace.
The sovereign was key to the function of the country, so an answer was needed for this problem.
Clap!
Just when Wang Chong had made up his mind and was preparing to charge into the rear hall, footsteps came from above. Everyone watched in shock as a eunuch wielding a horsetail whisk walked out.
He looked around and quickly spotted Wang Chong.
“King of Foreign Lands, His Majesty has decreed for you to follow me!”
The voice was neither too loud nor too soft, but it instantly silenced the entire hall. Everyone turned to Wang Chong in shock.
The court session was over, so no one had expected the Sage Emperor to summon the King of Foreign Lands for an audience in the rear hall at this time.
King Song was also flabbergasted.
“Yes!”
Despite his surprise, Wang Chong immediately strode forward, following that eunuch into the rear hall.
Bang!
Once Wang Chong was gone, the officials in Taihe Palace finally realized what was going on and exploded into an uproar.
“We can only depend on the King of Foreign Lands now.”
……
The rear hall was gloomy, only illuminated by the fist-sized luminescent pearl embedded in the ceiling.
As Wang Chong entered, he discovered a lofty figure standing with its back toward him.
But when Wang Chong looked around, he was taken aback.
All the other doors were tightly shut, and the attending palace maids, eunuchs, and guards, even the eunuch who had led him in, had all disappeared.
The only person present besides the Sage Emperor was Gao Lishi, his expression as usual.
It was just the three of them in this hal
l.
An eerie stillness reigned.
“The lowly subjects pays respects to His Majesty!”
Though he was surprised, Wang Chong quickly bowed to the Sage Emperor.
“Rise!”
Upon hearing his voice, the Sage Emperor finally turned around, his face wise and majestic as it usually was. His dragon eyes were deep and profound, seemingly able to see through everything.
Wang Chong’s body trembled as he hastily lowered his head. For some reason, this Sage Emperor felt to him like the original one.
Just when Wang Chong was beginning to wonder why he had been summoned, a voice began to speak.
“Come! Play a game with Us!”
The Sage Emperor spoke in a level tone. Startled, Wang Chong followed the Sage Emperor’s gaze and realized that a golden chess board had been laid out in front of the Sage Emperor. It was just that Wang Chong had been so focused on the Sage Emperor that he had failed to notice when he first came in.
“This!”
Wang Chong was flabbergasted.
Before coming in, he had thought up all kinds of hypotheses, but the one he had not thought of was that the Sage Emperor had called him so they could play a game of chess.
“Yes!”
Wang Chong swiftly pushed through his surprise to seat himself across from the Sage Emperor.
Since he was here, he might as well enjoy himself. Wang Chong was confident that the Sage Emperor had an ulterior motive for calling him here.
“We have heard that you played chess with Su Zhengchen, obtaining his promise with but a single piece. Come and accompany Us in a game!”
The Sage Emperor pulled a piece from one of the gourds by the board, his expression calm.
“Many things are like chess, in both governance and the battlefield. And human lives are pieces on the board.”
Clack! The Sage Emperor lightly placed the piece on the board.
“Wang Chong, it’s your turn!”
Wang Chong fell silent, but after a few moments of hesitation, he took a black piece and placed it on the board.
As he examined the Sage Emperor’s clear eyes, he couldn’t help but be a little confused.
Not too long ago, the Sage Emperor was slapping the Crown Prince in the Eastern Palace, playing around with the palace ladies, refusing to attend court, proposing new construction, and even asking the provinces of the realm to offer their talented ladies to the harem.
But now, the Sage Emperor was appearing before him as a wise and profound sovereign, calmly discussing the similarities between governance and chess.
The difference between these two was like that between heaven and earth, two completely different people.
Even though he had been through so many hellish battlefields, Wang Chong felt rather confused and befuddled.
While his mind pondered these matters, he continued to play at a rapid pace.
Clack! Clack! Clack! One black piece after another crisply struck the board.
Meanwhile, the Sage Emperor said no more, and the only sound was that of pieces striking the board.
If the Sage Emperor remained silent, Wang Chong found it awkward to speak, so he continued to play his pieces.
White and black pieces battled as swiftly as the falcon on the hunt against the hare.
Time continued to slowly meander by…
Clap!
Wang Chong placed another piece on the board, but this time, the Sage Emperor stopped, his piece still in hand.
“A human’s life is like a chessboard, and so is war. You are the Nine Provinces Protector-General and the supreme war god of the realm. You are recognized as being the greatest in both the art of war and chess, but today’s game is not even over, yet your mind is unsettled!
“When your mind is unsettled, defeat is inevitable!”
The Sage Emperor shook his head.
Clack! The Sage Emperor placed his piece, upon which a large number of Wang Chong’s black pieces was encircled by the Sage Emperor’s white.
The Sage Emperor waved his sleeve, snatching up the black pieces and taking them into another gourd, leaving a vacant area on the board.
Looking at the chess board, one could see that white had the firm upper hand. Meanwhile, black was in scattered disarray and had no hope of recovering the board.
Wang Chong had failed to show any of his skill in this match.
“Your Majesty, please forgive me. Your lowly subject has matters on his mind that have remained unsettled for too long, so your lowly subject is unable to focus on the game.”
Wang Chong put down his piece, stood up, and hastily bowed.
The Sage Emperor remained seated and smiled, apparently having expected this reply.
“We know what you are thinking. Today, if We did not summon you, you would have gone to any length to see Us. We ordered the Imperial Army Marshal at the gates to forbid you from entering the palace, and with your personality, you would inevitably try to force your way into the palace, perhaps even infiltrating Taiji Palace in the middle of the night,” the Sage Emperor indifferently said.
“Your lowly subject would not dare!”
Wang Chong shuddered at these words and hastily rejected the idea. But deep down, he began to coldly sweat.
The Sage Emperor was right. If he had not been able to see the Sage Emperor this time or get an answer to his questions, he truly would have tried to enter the Imperial Palace at night.
The Sage Emperor simply chuckled and put the matter aside.
“It is or it isn’t, will or will not—none of it is important. Do you know why We did not summon anyone else, not even King Song or the Crown Prince, only summoning you?” the Sage Emperor asked.
Wang Chong trembled once more at this question. He knew that the Sage Emperor had to have personally summoned him to give him a decree, but he had not pondered the nature of this decree.
Compared to the other officials, Wang Chong, as the Nine Provinces Protector-General, truly did enjoy the most favor from the Emperor. But that was not necessarily so compared to King Song or the Crown Prince, an imperial family member of many decades and the future master of the realm respectively.
“Your Majesty, please enlighten me!” Wang Chong sternly said.
The hall grew still, and the expression on Gao Lishi’s face slightly shifted.
“There is no need to be nervous. We have no other intentions.”
The Sage Emperor smiled at Wang Chong’s reaction.
“We only wish to ask you a question…
“Wang Chong, can We trust in you? Can We believe that, in the future, you can stand in Our place and protect the rivers and mountains, the earth and the grain, the people of the Central Plains?”
The Sage Emperor’s smile vanished, replaced by a grim and somber visage.
Bang!
This question and the majestic and solemn face of the sovereign instantly sent great waves surging through Wang Chong’s mind.
Wang Chong had considered many possible topics of conversation. Perhaps the Sage Emperor would bring up the Eastern Palace incident, or the matter of the Peace Pavilion, or even the selection of talented women. But he had not expected this sort of solemnly asked question.
Wang Chong was caught by complete surprise.
And what did he mean by ‘stand in Our place and protect the rivers and mountains, the earth and the grain, the people of the Central Plains’?
What in the world did the Sage Emperor mean?
Wang Chong’s mind was in disarray.
Countless thoughts flew through his mind, but he was unable to make any rhyme or reason out of them.
“Your Majesty!” Wang Chong sternly said, a slight tremor in his voice. This question had inexplicably stirred a feeling of ill foreboding in him.
“There is no need to overthink it. We simply need you to say if you can or cannot.”
The Sage Emperor seemed to understand what Wang Chong was thinking, and he thrust out a palm to prevent Wang Chong fr
om voicing his string of questions.
The hall was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. The Sage Emperor stared at Wang Chong, his eyes brighter than the stars, seeming to stare straight into Wang Chong’s heart.
Chapter 1945 - Double Fish Jade Pendant!
Chapter 1945: Double Fish Jade Pendant!Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: MichyrrWang Chong said nothing, but his mind was buzzing. He truly had too many questions on his mind, but in the end, when he saw the Sage Emperor’s expectant gaze, all of his questions, everything he wanted to say, coalesced into a single sentence.“No matter what the time or situation, as long as your subject still breathes, he will do everything he can to protect the Central Plains and all its people!” Wang Chong firmly declared.His words carried so much weight that it felt like they audibly thumped against the ground.The floor itself seemed to tremble in resonance with Wang Chong’s voice, and a silence reigned throughout the hall. After what seemed like an endless second, the Sage Emperor’s solemn expression began to fade, his chilliness to thaw, and he gave a faint and understanding smile.Wang Chong was startled.Even after seeing the Sage Emperor so many times, he had never seen the Sage Emperor so happy before.Yes, he was happy!It was like he had been unburdened of tens of thousands of jin, free and relaxed. This was not the expression that should have appeared on the face of a sovereign.“Wang Chong, We truly did not misjudge you. No matter the occasion, you have never disappointed Us.”Thump!Before Wang Chong could react, the Sage Emperor took something from his waist, placed it on the chess board, and pushed it across.“This is something We have kept for several decades. We know that you have many questions. When the time is right, this jade pendant will give you all the answers.”The Sage Emperor stood up, shook his sleeve, and strode out of the hall.“Eunuch Gao, send him out of the palace!”The Sage Emperor’s voice came from the distance.Wang Chong simply stood in front of the board, his mind in chaos.Wang Chong had no idea what was going on, having spent this entire meeting in a muddleheaded game of chess with the Sage Emperor. And the Sage Emperor seemed to have been making certain implications with his words.All sorts of thoughts came to mind, but in the end, they all scattered, and Wang Chong lowered his head to see what the Sage Emperor had left behind.This is… a double fish jade pendant! Wang Chong quietly said to himself.The Sage Emperor had left a jade pendant about the size of a fist. It consisted of two lifelike fish, one black and one white, their heads linked to the tail of the other.It was exquisitely crafted, the scales, eyes, and tails rendered in astonishing detail. Moreover, from the glossiness of the jade, one could immediately tell that it was made from high-class jade.And from how smooth the edges were, it was clear that the jade pendant was held often.This double fish jade pendant… what’s the meaning behind it? Wang Chong asked himself with a slight frown.As Wang Chong grabbed the jade pendant and prepared to further inspect it, Eunuch Gao’s voice rang out in his ear.“King of Foreign Lands, come! I will send you out of the palace!”After a few moments of silence, Wang Chong nodded, put away the double fish jade pendant, and left with Eunuch Gao.Not long after they had left the hall, unfamiliar eunuchs came out and began to walk next to Eunuch Gao and Wang Chong.“Your Highness, it’s getting late! Let us escort you out of the palace!”Wang Chong recognized one of the eunuchs as the one who had presided over the court session in place of Eunuch Gao.A dark cloud passed over Wang Chong’s face.He glanced at Eunuch Gao and saw that the man was unperturbed, so Wang Chong said nothing and allowed the group to escort him out of the palace.At the inner gate of the Imperial Palace, Wang Chong stopped, turned around, took two steps forward, and said to Gao Lishi, “Sir Eunuch, up to here is fine!”But merely by taking two steps forward, he immediately drew the attention of the flanking eunuchs. Their faces chilled, and two of them immediately came forward to stand in front of Gao Lishi.“Your Highness, please!”“Impudent!”Wang Chong’s expression went cold. Unable to suppress his anger, he shook his sleeve, sending out a wave of energy that knocked the eunuchs back. The eunuchs paled, a sliver of fear finally showing on their faces.Although they were powerful cultivators, they were still gravely lacking compared to the Great Tang War God. Moreover, Wang Chong had the Imperial Dragon Bracelet, so he had nothing to fear from them.“Your Highness!”At this moment, Gao Lishi spoke, shaking his head at Wang Chong with a helpless look in his eyes.Wang Chong’s expression went slack, and the Stellar Energy gathering in his fists began to disperse.“Hmph!”Wang Chong coldly snorted, glared at the eunuchs, and then bowed to Eunuch Gao.“Eunuch Gao, Wang Chong bids farewell.”After saying this, Wang Chong boarded his carriage and left.……Outside the Imperial City, Wang Chong was rushed by officials.Even though the court session was over, and Wang Chong had played chess with the Sage Emperor for some time, the officials had yet to disperse.Everyone had seen the Sage Emperor summon Wang Chong into the inner hall.“King of Foreign Lands, what happened? What did His Majesty say?”“Did you persuade His Majesty into changing his mind?”“The selection of talented women cannot be allowed to go through!”The cries of officials came from all sides, and their faces burned with passion as they stared at Wang Chong’s carriage. They could not be blamed for this reaction. None of these officials, not even Prime Minister Li Linfu, had been permitted to see the Sage Emperor. Wang Chong alone had been summoned.It would be far stranger if they didn’t have any questions.Inside the carriage, Wang Chong slightly frowned, truly not knowing what to say.“How was it?”As the crowd outside chattered, the carriage door opened, allowing a cool breeze to come in. King Song and Zhangchou Jianqiong entered the carriage together and seated themselves across from Wang Chong.The moment they entered, the noise outside died away.It was clear that King Song and Zhangchou Jianqiong represented the officials.Wang Chong straightened his back, and after some thought, finally said, “It’s hard to say. The Sage Emperor did not say much to me, only that everything would become apparent once some time passed. When the time comes, I’ll explain more.”“。”“Mm.”The two of them simply nodded.The two just needed any answer, the knowledge that Wang Chong had a plan. The matter of the Sage Emperor was no minor affair. There needed to be an understanding so that everything could be put on the right track.……The curtain of night soon fell.In the rear garden of the King of Foreign Lands Residence, Wang Chong stood motionless, his hands held behind his back.Wang Chong looked down at the double fish jade pendant in his hand and muttered, “Your Majesty, just what did you mean?”He had been inspecting this jade pendant ever since his return, but there was an unbelievably powerful seal upon it. Even with Wang Chong’s Subtle realm cultivation that had defeated Khatabah, he was still unable to break through it.Compared to the supreme Sage Emperor who had once tried for the Divine Martial realm, Wang Chong was far too insignificant.It was clear that while the Sage Emperor had given Wang Chong this pendant, he did not intend for him to open it now and learn the secrets within. But it had never been Wang Chong’s style to sit around and wait for news.And compared to the double fish jade pendant, Wang Chong was more concerned with what the Sage Emperor had said to him in that meeting.Their conversation had been circling around his mind from the moment he had left the palace.For some reason, Wang Chong felt extremely uneasy, making it impossible for him to sit still and just watch as the situation developed.No matter what, I have to stop all of this and find out the truth! Wang Chong quietly said to himself.This had all happened before in his last life. At the time, Wang Chong had thought that the string of defeats and an indulgence in luxury had changed the Sage Emperor, making him turn ‘incompetent’, but now that he was experiencing everything for himself, he realized that things were not as simple as the tales from his previous life made them out to be.Wang Chong sensed that he was slowly getting closer to the truth.The future calamity, the Sage Emperor’s ‘incompetence’… the answer seemed to be within.No matter what, I can’t let this happen all over again, Wang Chong said to himself.I’ll see if it works out tomorrow.Wang Chong looked up into the depths of the night sky,
a million thoughts turning through his mind. At this moment, the figure of Eunuch Gao flashed through his mind.……At this moment, in the inner court of the Imperial Palace, the man himself was standing outside a hall, looking up at the night sky in concern.“Haaah…”He had changed into casual clothes, and he glanced worriedly at the nearby Taiji Palace.Gao Lishi had many thoughts on his mind. Even though he had followed the Sage Emperor for decades, not even he knew what the future would hold.Should I really go to see him?Gao Lishi mentally sighed as he looked down at his palm. In the darkness, one could see a paper slip in his palm.
The Human Emperor c1-2382 Page 1179
