Chapter 416: Sharpness Revealed!
Chapter 416: Sharpness Revealed!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
On the practice ground, Wang Chong and Dusong Mangpoje were separated by ten-some zhang. Dusong Mangpoje's leather jacket and cloth gown fluttered in the wind as he stared at the Great Tang youth. For the first time, he appeared surprised.
His joining the diplomatic mission was such a secret that only a very small number of people knew. Not even many people in Ü-Tsang knew.
Dusong Mangpoje could not imagine how this secret that had been kept for more than three months could be exposed by this dubious youth of the Great Tang.
At this moment, a storm was stirring in Dusong Mangpoje's mind. For the first time, he found himself unable to see through someone.
But Dusong Mangpoje was far from the only person to be shocked.
"Dusong Mangpoje!"
In a distant building, a figure tightly gripped a balcony railing, his eyes wide as he looked down in utter disbelief at the figure standing in the square.
On the battlefields between the empire and Ü-Tsang, very few people did not know of Dusong Mangpoje's name. This Great General of Ü-Tsang assuredly had a place on the blacklist of the empire.
In the capital of the empire, one would have to queue for an attempt on his life.
Without this person, Ü-Tsang would be greatly weakened.
However, though many people had heard of Dusong Mangpoje's name, few had actually ever seen him. Even if he was right in front of them, few people would be able to recognize him.
The Chamberlain of Dependencies was responsible for all the diplomatic missions for the foreign countries, and they had taken special care with the mission from Ü-Tsang.
But not even they knew that Dusong Mangpoje, this mighty figure of Ü-Tsang, had sneaked his way into the Great Tang.
He was right under their eyes!
"Young man, what are you saying?"
Dusong Mangpoje spoke in Tibetan. His expression was calm, and he had regained his composure so quickly that other people might think that everything from a moment ago had been an illusion.
"Hahaha, Dusong Mangpoje, do you really not know what I'm saying?"
Dusong Mangpoje spoke to Wang Chong in Tibetan, but Wang Chong didn't take the bait. In front of countless scions, he spoke in the language of the Central Plains.
"If I remember correctly, the legendary Dusong Mangpoje can speak both Han and Tibetan. And also… haha, Dusong Mangpoje, if I were you, I would leave the Great Tang as quickly as possible, leave this troublesome place and not remain in the capital of the Great Tang for a moment longer."
Wang Chong gave a hearty laugh. Not only did he not retreat, he rode his warhorse forward, slowly approaching the Great General of Ü-Tsang.
Wang Chong had only guessed that Dusong Mangpoje might be attending to the Ü-Tsang First Prince. After all, rumors changed as they traveled from person to person, so they couldn't be treated as truth.
But Dusong Mangpoje's reaction had already settled the problem. If Wang Chong had only been guessing at the start, he could now be sure that this Tibetan man before him—who, despite his not-at-all-imposing body and restrained aura, still seemed courageous and strong—was the Ü-Tsang Great General famed throughout the world, Dusong Mangpoje.
Ü-Tsang did not have many famous generals, but Dusong Mangpoje was undoubtedly one of the most important ones. The armies he led were fierce and valiant, and he was extremely intelligent, not relying solely on martial skill.
In the wars between the Great Tang and Ü-Tsang, the Great Tang had always held the upper hand, but once Dusong Mangpoje appeared, he seemed to offset this advantage.
Many generals, high-ranking officers, and veterans of a hundred battles had died to his armies, and the vast majority of these generals and officers had arisen from the great clans and noble houses of the capital.
One could say that as long as a clan had members in the western armies, they had a hate for Dusong Mangpoje that extended into their bones.
This hostility was incredibly intense and proactive. After all, as long this person still existed, the descendants of the great clans on the western border would continue to be injured or killed in great numbers.
Wang Chong was sure that there were a large number of people from the great clans in the capital, and perhaps even the Emperor in the palace himself, who would be happy to take Dusong Mangpoje's life!
A Great General was no trifling matter!
Wang Chong knew that let alone himself, even all the experts of the Wang Clan would probably be powerless against this Great General.
But just because he couldn't kill him, and the Wang Clan couldn't kill him, didn't mean that there weren't other methods.
There were more than enough people in the empire that could kill him!
As long as Wang Chong exposed his identity, it didn't matter if he was right. Everything else would be handled and finished by other people.
You were the one who did this! Wang Chong inwardly sneered.
In normal circumstances, it was basically impossible to deal with foreign Great Generals like Dusong Mangpoje outside of the battlefield. But he had been too proud, felt that his movements were secretive enough, that nobody would recognize him, and infiltrated the capital of the Great Tang Empire.
"Young man, what is your name?"
Dusong Mangpoje still spoke in Tibetan. His eyes flashed with an indescribably dangerous light.
He had already understood this youth's intentions. It didn't matter what he said or did, as this boy had already decided to use this method to deal with him under the eyes of the public.
Perhaps at another time, Dusong Mangpoje might have paid him no attention and crushed him to death with a single palm. But now, he only felt a sharpness, like he had actually hit a hedgehog.
"Wang Chong! You probably don't understand right now, but in the future, you'll definitely know."
Wang Chong smiled from his horse.
"Hmph, you're not afraid that I'll kill you right now?"
Dusong Mangpoje squinted, continuing to speak in Tibetan.
One spoke Tibetan and the other person spoke the language of the Central Plains. The languages were completely different, but they communicated without any problems.
"Afraid! Of course I'm afraid!"
Wang Chong chuckled and added, "But can you believe this: if you don't kill me, you still have a chance of leaving the Great Tang alive, but if you kill me, you won't even leave this practice ground?"
Dusong Mangpoje narrowed his eyes and said nothing, his sharp gaze attempting to see into Wang Chong's soul.
For the first time in his more than three months in the Great Tang, he had seen someone that he could not comprehend at all, and it was a young man still in his teens.
Killing intent budded in his eyes, but he still did nothing.
He was not confident, and he could not completely see through this youngster's background.
But no matter the youth's origins, he was right about one thing. Starting from now, this imperial capital of the Central Plains was not safe for him.
The more he delayed, the less safe it became.
"Young man, I won't kill you this time, because your clan is about to face an even greater problem!"
Dusong Mangpoje gave a profound look at Wang Chong and said, "The First Prince is not someone you can kill just because you want to!"
"Hahaha…."
Dusong Mangpoje's words made Wang Chong almost break into laughter. However, this was still a Great General of Ü-Tsang, a falcon of the plateau, that was now speaking these words.
It was too bad that he knew what was actually going on.
"Great General speaks well. I also happen to have a few words that I want to say to General."
Under the crowd's strange looks, Wang Chong suddenly leaned over and whispered a few words into the ear of the Ü-Tsang Great General.
Just these words sent a shock through Dusong Mangpoje's body. He fiercely turned his head to look at Wang Chong, his face looking like he had seen a ghost. That indistinct killing intent in his eyes had completely vanished.
"HAHAHA…."
Wang Chong leaned back and laughed. Patting the back of his horse, he galloped off to the other end of the practice ground, where the Ü-Tsang diplomatic mission was.
Wang Chong stopped in front of these Ü-Tsang horseman and smirked.
"Chihan!"
The first sentence of Tibetan Wang Chong spoke caused a massive change in the expressions of these horsemen.
"Beware of your little brother! The throne truly is yours, but alas, you might not be able to sit on it in this life! Hahaha…"
After saying those words, Wang Chong laughed. He stopped playing around with them and galloped off. Whether it was Ü-Tsang Great General Dusong Mangpoje or the Tibetan horsemen on the practice ground, not one of them attempted to stop him. They simply watched as he arrogantly rode away.
"Move out!"
Dusong Mangpoje's eyes twitched as he shouted his order. He then took up the corpse of the Ü-Tsang horseman that Wang Chong had killed and broke through the crowd.
This place was no longer safe. Even though nothing had happened yet, Dusong Mangpoje already felt an incredible danger.
This mission had completely failed. Every step he took now in the capital of the Great Tang Empire was dangerous. Dusong Mangpoje didn't even know if he could reach the Tibetan plateau alive.
Just like that youngster had said, every second he remained here added to the danger.
Rumble!
Ten-some elite Tibetan cavalry said not a word as they dejectedly followed Dusong Mangpoje out.
"Congratulations to user! For altering the practice ground incident: Tibetan Challenge, you are awarded 10 Destiny Energy!
"Congratulations to user! For altering the conflict over the Ü-Tsang throne, you are awarded 5 Destiny Energy!"
……
Two voices rang out in Wang Chong's mind. At almost the same instant, the quiet practice ground exploded in cheers!
"Wang Chong!"
"Wang Chong!"
"Wang Chong!"
……
Wave after wave of cheers thundered into the sky. Few people knew just what Wang Chong had done, but everyone knew that those insufferably arrogant Tibetan emissaries had left in dejection. And once again, it was Duke Jiu's grandson, Wang Chong of the Wang Clan, who had done it.
I really did gain both fame and fortune here!
As Wang Chong listened to the cheers of the crowd, his lips slowly curved into a smile. The harvest from the practice ground incident had been worth coming down the spirit vein mountain.
Defeating the Ü-Tsang First Prince had been worth 10 points of Destiny Energy and saying those words had been worth 5. He had easily gained 15 points of Destiny Energy, almost reaching the number of points he had gained for killing the Goguryeon assassins.
Wang Chong was beginning to realize that as long as he could influence those major incidents that affected the empire, the resulting harvests would be far more than what he could achieve from simply working himself to the bone.
With the 79 Destiny Energy I had before, I now have 94 Destiny Energy… It's just a pity that Ü-Tsang is too far. The heavens are high and the Emperor is far away. I could only say those words. Otherwise, if I continued to poke at the issue, I could have made a lot more than 5 points of Destiny Energy, Wang Chong thought to himself, feeling a little regret.
But just saying those words had been worth 5 points of Destiny Energy. That was already rather decent.