The Human Emperor

It was truly a pleasant surprise. An Yaluoshan had initially been rather panicked, not expecting the Sage Emperor to speak up for him.

He was absorbing the Sage Emperor’s Dragon Qi, but the Sage Emperor was surprisingly speaking up on his behalf.

An Yaluoshan was overjoyed.

“An Yaluoshan, We have accepted your kindness. Take this pill and rest.”

The ‘Sage Emperor’ waved a sleeve as he spoke to An Yaluoshan.

“Your Majesty…”

An Yaluoshan ‘struggled’ to get up, and then he ‘furtively’ shot a glance at Wang Chong and hesitantly began to speak.

“This lowly subject has always revered the Son of Heaven. When this lowly subject was on the border, he was always thinking that if he could see the Sage Emperor with his own eyes, he could die without regrets. This lowly subject has now paid respects to the Sage Emperor, but then the King of Foreign Lands… he… An Yaluoshan feels unwell. Your Majesty, please permit me to depart first and rest.”

“Your Majesty, please give your permission!”

Cui Qianyou and Tian Chengsi glared at Wang Chong with crimson eyes as they ‘indignantly’ spoke, appearing to be fearful and wronged.

“Mm!”

Wang Chong’s pupils constricted, and his expression chilled.

“Want to leave?!”

He was well aware that his palm just now had not been that strong, and An Yaluoshan’s injuries were far less severe than they seemed.

He was clearly trying to use this chance to leave the capital without any further difficulties.

In the Pavilion of Petal and Sepal, with all the countries gathered together, he had offered some so-called ‘dragon pearl’ that helped ‘Third Son Xuan’ suppress the Sage Emperor, and then he had stolen the Sage Emperor’s Dragon Qi right in front of Wang Chong and all the other officials. After committing such treasonous actions, did he really think that he could just disregard all the officials and leave as he pleased?

Absurd!

Had he been asked?

“Mm, very well. You may withdraw!”

The ‘Sage Emperor’ didn’t think about it much before giving his agreement.

An Yaluoshan and his men were delighted to hear this. Gao Shang breathed a sigh of relief and quickly prodded Yan Zhuang with an elbow.

“Let’s go!”

They could not remain here for long. Though their plan had been ruined, they had not come away fruitless.

As long as they could smoothly return to Youzhou, they would be as a fish in the sea or a bird in the sky!

“Your Majesty is kind and magnanimous! My utmost gratitude, Your Majesty!”

On the other side, An Yaluoshan acted like he had been relieved of a heavy burden, and he lowered his head, appearing on the verge of tears from gratitude.

“Your Majesty!” A familiar voice that was utterly devoid of emotion rang out.

An Yaluoshan, Gao Shang, and Cui Qianyou all trembled in shock. They turned and saw that Wang Chong had stepped forward, his expression confident as he bowed.

“…This lowly subject also feels rather tired. If there are no other matters, this lowly subject wishes to withdraw early!”

Wang Chong didn’t even glance at Cui Qianyou and the others as he spoke.

But his words made the eyes of Cui Qianyou and Gao Shang twitch in shock.

If Wang Chong were allowed to leave with them, they wouldn’t even be able to dream about leaving the capital today.

“Hahaha, King of Foreign Lands, the Andong Protector-General is injured. You see that he has even vomited on the ground. But there is no need for you to leave as well!”

Someone heartily laughed. On the left side of the ‘U’, Prime Minister Li Linfu stroked his black beard and gracefully walked past his table.

“The King of Foreign Lands is one of the greatest meritorious officials of our Great Tang, one of His Majesty’s trusted aides. Your Highness needs to only look at your seat to understand. Moreover, the feast has only just begun, and there are so many foreign dignitaries here. Your Highness is an important official of our Great Tang, so how could you just leave?”

Li Linfu was smiling so warmly that anyone who didn’t know the truth would think that he was good friends with the Wang Clan.

“Prime Minister, what is the meaning of this? Wang Chong is a martial official. There should be no need for me to entertain the guests, yes?”

Wang Chong coldly glanced at Li Linfu.

Li Linfu’s honeyed mouth disguised the sword behind his back. He left little incriminating evidence, and he would never deliberately expose himself to deal with someone. In front of all the officials, he would always keep up his friendly appearance, but after helping An Yaluoshan, it seemed that he no longer feared Wang Chong.

“Wang Chong, the feast has just entered its main event,” the ‘Sage Emperor’ suddenly said, his deep voice brimming with danger as it resounded in everyone’s ears. “You are the Great Tang’s only King of a different surname, and We recall that you have yet to offer a toast to Us? And you wish to leave? Is this to say that you have no respect for Us?”

The entire pavilion seemed to get colder.

Even the foreign dignitaries sensed that there was something wrong, and looked back and forth between the Sage Emperor and Wang Chong. As for Wunu Shibi and Namri Songtian, they had amused expressions on their faces.

“Your Highness, look,” Wunu Shibi said in Turkic, using a message transmission method to communicate with Irbis Shiyun. “The sovereign of the Great Tang is in discord with his subject. This is our greatest harvest from this visit to the capital, the best chance for our Western Turkic Khaganate!”

Though he had run into a wall with Wang Chong, this scene was enough for him to return to Ishbara Khagan and complete his mission.

Irbis Shiyun said nothing, but there was a pensive look on his face.

“Your Majesty, this lowly subject will withdraw!”

An Yaluoshan’s eyes flashed with glee as he seized the chance to bow, massage his chest, and begin to walk away with a ‘painful’ and ‘ashamed’ look on his face.

An Yaluoshan was keenly aware that this was his best chance to leave.

If he waited a little longer, leaving might be impossible.

After exchanging a glance with Li Linfu, he quickly departed, ‘supported’ by Cui Qianyou and Tian Chengsi.

Gao Shang and Yan Zhuang also silently took their leave, heading for the exit.

With the Sage Emperor’s decree, not even King Song and Zhangchou Jianqiong could stop them.

As for Wang Chong…

It had nothing to do with them now!

An Yaluoshan withdrew, but King Song and Zhangchou Jianqiong had no time to worry about them.

They nervously and worriedly looked at Wang Chong.

They both understood that Wang Chong wanted to deal with An Yaluoshan, but the ‘Sage Emperor’ was clearly helping him, and the ‘Sage Emperor’ was already unhappy with Wang Chong over the Peace Pavilion and selection of women, anxious to find a way to deal with him.

No matter how much Wang Chong wanted to pursue An Yaluoshan, clashing with the ‘Sage Emperor’ was not a wise decision.

They were both worried, but they could not intervene.

Trying to interfere at this time would only further provoke the ‘Sage Emperor’.

The Pavilion of Petal and Sepal was deathly still, and time seemed to have stopped. The air was frozen as everyone stared at Wang Chong.

Wang Chong’s eyes were constantly shifting.

An Yaluoshan was the archcriminal behind the calamity, the future destroyer of the Central Plains.

It was one thing if he was far away at Youzhou, but for this feast of all countries, he had delivered himself right to Wang Chong’s doorstep. This was a rare chance to settle things once and for all.

But Wang Chong had never imagined that the one who would stop him at the final moment would be the Great Tang’s ‘Sage Emperor’, joined by Prime Minister Li Linfu!

And this was the ‘Sage Emperor’, not the Sage Emperor he deeply respected. That one was now slumbering deep within the body, and the one standing before him was a licentious and immoral ‘Sage Emperor’, a completely different person. This was the ‘Third Son Xuan’ who had been criticized several decades ago by the previous Emperor and even stripped of his right of succession—a cruel Prince who did not have the right to his respect!

It was very difficult for Wang Chong to give a toast to such an unprincipled Prince.

“Your Majesty, the King of Foreign Lands had no such intention. He said before to this lowly woman that he planned to toast to His Majesty as soon as the performances were over!” A pleasant voice came from the right side of the pavilion. Xu Qiqin had stood up, her slender fingers holding a goblet as she slowly walked around her table and toward Wang Chong.

“That’s correct, right, Your Highness?”

Xu Qiqin turned to Wang Chong, her beautiful eyes tinged with concern.

She could understand Wang Chong’s thoughts, but now was not the time to oppose the Sage Emperor. Regardless of his desire to leave and pursue An Yaluoshan, he needed to be patient.

So many officials and emissaries were watching. If Wang Chong went against the decree, the ‘Sage Emperor’ would have every excuse to arrest him, and it didn’t matter whether An Yaluoshan was here or not.

She was truly afraid that Wang Chong would give in to his emotions and offend the ‘Sage Emperor’.

Wang Chong met eyes with Xu Qiqin, and countless thoughts passed through his mind.

The concern and anxiety in Xu Qiqin’s eyes finally cleared his mind.

It was true! Now was not the time to clash with the ‘Sage Emperor’. Moreover, as he looked past the walls, he could see the crowd looking back, and their silence finally made him completely calm down.

An Yaluoshan needed to be killed, but he could not rush it. There were hundreds of thousands of people watching outside. If the people of the Great Tang knew that the sovereign was at odds with his subjects, the morale of the people would be dealt a massive blow. And Wang Chong’s status was no longer the same. After one war and the benefits this war had brought to the Great Tang, he had become the supreme and invincible War God to the people of the Central Plains, the protector of the Nine Provinces.

The Sage Emperor was admired by both the people and the officials. No one wanted to see these two august figures openly clashing in the Pavilion of Petal and Sepal.