The Human Emperor c1-2382

by Huangfu Qi (皇甫奇)

  Typically speaking, considering his temper and Huang Qian-er's prideful personality, he wouldn't have spoken so amicably, especially since he was the victim here.

  However, as he recalled the indignance in Huang Qian-er's eyes, many thoughts ran through his mind. Often, in the dealings of the upper society, ladies were often sacrificed for the interest of their clan. They were forced to marry anyone whom their clan had decided upon without any room for negotiation.

  The Huang Clan might be reprehensible, but Huang Qian-er's plight deserved pity. Unknowingly, Wang Chong found the anger inside him dissipating.

  On the other hand, upon hearing those words, Huang Qian-er was stunned for an instant. She stared at Wang Chong fixedly, seemingly trying to peer into the depths of his soul to determine the sincerity of his words.

  Wang Chong also chose to face Huang Qian-er's gaze openly.

  For a brief moment, silence loomed in the room.

  Gradually, Huang Qian-er's indignance and rage calmed down.

  "Things have already come to this point. Your words don't matter anymore." Huang Qian-er said.

  Surprise surfaced on Wang Chong's face for an instant before realization struck him, and a bitter smile emerged on his lips.

  Huang Qian-er was right.

  At this point, individual opinions no longer mattered. His "one-sided words" might be able to convince Huang Qian-er, but it wouldn't be sufficient to assuage the fears of the Huang Clan.

  What the Huang Clan needed wasn't a promise. They needed a guarantee.

  And there was nothing that could calm their fears more than a marriage between both clans.

  Even if Wang Chong had wanted to put the entire matter to a halt, the Huang Clan wouldn't agree to it.

  Furthermore, with the eyes of the other powers on this issue, his big uncle and the rest of the Wang Clan would likely support the Huang Clan's decision.

  "You're right. At this point, my words no longer matter." Wang Chong sighed.

  "Hmph, don't you get gleeful. I will never submit to you!" Huang Qian-er glared at Wang Chong coldly.

  "It seems like you are resentful at this outcome?" Wang Chong glanced at Huang Qian-er with a provocative smile.

  Since it was impossible to change anything at this point—even if he were to send Huang Qian-er back, the Huang Clan would never welcome her back—he decided to simply accept it as it was.

  After all, as long as he rejected it, there would not be a matrimony between him and Huang Qian-er, and the latter would remain his maid. In any case, he could just regard her as an additional maid by his side.

  It might be uncomfortable at the start, but a day would eventually come that the unnatural would feel natural.

  "As a clan of generals and ministers, don't you think it's low for the Wang Clan to exploit its authority and standing to oppress our Huang Clan?" Huang Qian-er mocked coldly.

  "Despite the Wang Clan's superior authority and standing, it ended up being schemed by the Huang Clan instead. I wonder what do you think of that?" Wang Chong sneered in response.

  "You..." Huang Qian-er was rendered speechless by Wang Chong's words.

  "Hmph! If I hadn't survived that assassination, your Huang Clan would have already hooked up with King Qi and the Yao Clan. If your Huang Clan doesn't deserve such punishment, does it mean that our Wang Clan deserves to die?" Wang Chong continued coldly.

  Huang Qian-er opened her mouth to retort, but she found herself unable to formulate an argument against that.

  "You're being unreasonable! All of this is done on Huang Yongtu's own whim, why should our entire Huang Clan bear the burden of his sin?" Huang Qian-er argued indignantly.

  "Putting aside that those are one-sided words from your clan head, if the assassination ended in a success, surely the entire Huang Clan would leap at the opportunity to forge a connection with the Yao Clan and King Qi?" Wang Chong scoffed at Huang Qian-er's words with crossed arms.

  Huang Qian-er fell silent.

  As much as she would have loved to deny it, she had no choice but to concede on that point. If Wang Chong had been assassinated, the Huang Clan would surely link up with the Yao Clan and King Qi without any hesitation.

  Ultimately, the interest of the clan would ultimately dictate the direction it would head in. Regardless of what the Huang Clan's original stance on the matter was, an opportunity to join the Yao Clan and King Qi's faction and come under their protection was an opportunity too great to be missed.

  "The victors are hailed while the defeated are damned, such is the way of the world. So, stop speaking as if your Huang Clan was the victim here." Wang Chong gazed down on Huang Qian-er coldly.

  The room fell into silence. Despite her indignance, Huang Qian-er couldn't find a word to refute Wang Chong's argument.

  The law of the jungle, the most practical and powerful rule governing the relationship among clans.

  Even if Huang Yongtu was acting on his own accord, a part of him was still doing this for his clan.

  Had the assassination ended in a success, the Huang Clan would be the ultimate victors.

  ……

  ...

  "Are you going to let Huang Yongtu go like that?"

  A few days later, in the Royal Jade Pavilion, after learning of the Huang Clan's resolution to the matter, Bai Siling raged indignantly on Wang Chong's behalf.

  "I thought that you would do away with Huang Yongtu through the Huang Clan." Xu Gan remarked as he sipped on his tea. His expression was calm, as if he was speaking of an insignificant matter.

  In the mission they had conducted as a team, he shared the closest ties with Huang Yongtu. The both of them had banded together to act in unison to deal with Wang Chong back then.

  Nevertheless, Xu Gan had no intentions of speaking up on Huang Yongtu's behalf at all.

  What Huang Yongtu did wasn't just a mere humiliation, insult, or provocation. It was no different from waging war on the Wang Clan, and he should have understood it himself.

  Had it not for Wang Chong's wits in shaking off his pursuers, he would have been a cold corpse by now.

  If such a matter had happened to Xu Gan, the Xu Clan would have never allowed Huang Yongtu to get away with his head on his neck.

  This was not just a matter of vengeance, but one of pride and dignity as well. In the relationship among clans, dignity and pride weren't just empty words.

  A clan without dignity and pride would only appear as weak.

  If they couldn't even deal with those who intended them harm, how could they assert their authority and keep those within their sphere of influence in check? On top of that, they would be encouraging further assassinations and schemes.

  Thus, the duo was rather surprised to hear that Wang Chong had spared Huang Yongtu.

  "I could have indeed killed him." Wang Chong said calmly. "I have considered the matter as well, but I abandoned that notion eventually."

  "Why?" Bai Siling and Xu Gan frowned in incomprehension.

  Since Wang Chong had thought of it, why didn't he go through with it?

  Sighing deeply, Wang Chong spoke with complex emotions, "He had plenty of opportunities to kill me, but he didn't do so..."

  Wang Chong wasn't so naive as to believe that Huang Yongtu would only liaise with assassins to kill him. Huang Yongtu had probably intended to act personally should an opportunity arise.

  At the very least, when Wang Chong was dealing with the Iron Cloak Highwaymen, he felt a sharp sensation reminiscent of a blade on his back.

  Back when they were fighting with the three hundred Tibetan cavalrymen, when the entire battlefield was in chaos, Wang Chong had also felt the same sharp sensation. Huang Yongtu had probably considered acting then as well.

  Even at the very last moment, when the assassins leaped out from the forest, Huang Yongtu was in proximity to him. If Huang Yongtu had tried to stall him for an instant, he might have lost his life to the assassins.

  While Wang Chong was guarded against him, those were
three ideal opportunities, but Huang Yongtu gave up on them.

  Wang Chong couldn't help but recall the words that Huang Yongtu had said back in Huanxi Manor.

  "I had thought of stopping, but it was already too late!"

  Those words were the main reason why Wang Chong chose to spare Huang Yongtu. He could tell that those weren't excuses but the latter's true thoughts.

  Only this could explain why Huang Yongtu had shied away from those opportunities despite his primary intention.

  A single misstep could lead to an irreversible fall into the abyss. There was simply no retreat for some things in life.

  Chapter 386: Fairy of Dainty Hands

  Chapter 386: Fairy of Dainty Hands

  After hearing Wang Chong's side of the story, Bai Siling and Xu Gan fell silent.

  Had Wang Chong never explained these intricacies to them, they wouldn't have been able to decipher them. They could finally see why Wang Chong had chosen to spare Huang Yongtu even though the latter had intended for his death.

  "What an irony it is. His hesitation ended up saving him instead!" Xu Gan said deeply.

  "Nevertheless, it seems like things are going well for you too!" At this point, Bai Siling suddenly shot a playful glance at Wang Chong and chuckled.

  "Spare a Huang Yongtu, and you earned a beautiful lady from the Huang Clan instead."

  "Hahaha!" Hearing Bai Siling raise that subject, Xu Gan couldn't help but burst into laughter.

  The news that the Huang Clan had sent a doted daughter of theirs to the Wang Clan to wait on Wang Chong had been spreading like wildfire in the capital in recent days.

  With most powers in the capital keeping a close eye on the conflict between the Wang Clan and the Huang Clan, it was impossible to hide the matter in the first place.

  To be honest, most of them hadn't expected this matter to be resolved with a matrimony. After all, considering that the Huang Clan's doing had nearly cost Wang Chong his life a while back, they had expected the hostility between both clans to run deeper.

  It was bizarre that the Wang Clan had chosen to let Huang Yongtu get away with his life, but since both sides had shown the intentions to resolve this matter amicably, and the Huang Clan had taken an extremely humble attitude as well, there was no one who had any qualms about the resolution.

  In a way, this was for the best too.

  The Wang Clan had managed to earn a great deal of profit, and the Huang Clan was spared from utter destruction. This could be considered as a win-win deal.

  "What are you bastards talking about? She's just a guard!" Wang Chong replied awkwardly.

  "Hahahaha..." Seeing Wang Chong's embarrassed look, the duo laughed even louder and more heartily.

  Wang Chong had always maintained a wise and astute image in front of them. This was truly a rare opportunity to see him being placed in a spot.

  Even Xu Gan couldn't help but tease him as well.

  "Hmph, you should learn to be content! Great Tang's "Fairy of Dainty Hands", famed for her superior looks and martial arts, is serving as your maid, what else do you want?" Bai Siling said as she glared at Wang Chong.

  "Fairy of Dainty Hands?" Wang Chong asked in surprise.

  "The famed Fairy of Dainty Hands in the capital is actually Huang Qian-er. She's the most talented offspring of the Huang Clan. You didn't know that?" Seeing the bewilderment on Wang Chong's face, Xu Gan added in interest.

  The Huang Clan wasn't of the same standing as the Wang Clan, but it was still a powerful clan in the capital. Among the scions of the upper society in the capital, there was no one who was unaware of the Huang Clan's Fairy of Dainty Hands.

  The Zhao Clan's "Spear of Crimson Blaze" Zhao Yatong, the Huang Clan's "Fairy of Dainty Hands" Huang Qian-er... These were figures who possessed incredible prestige within the capital. Possessing both unparalleled beauty and might, they were admired by countless scions.

  In terms of reputation, "Fairy of Dainty Hand" Huang Qian-er could fit into the top three among the younger generation, far above "Spear of Crimson Blaze" Zhao Yatong.

  This wasn't just because of Huang Qian-er's younger age nor her exquisite appearance, but more importantly, her cultivation was far beyond Zhao Yatong.

  "Amidst those fair dainty hands conceal might rivaling the heavens", such were the words used to describe her.

  In the past seventy years, Huang Qian-er was the only Huang Clan offspring to master their "Thunderous Resonance of the Dainty Hands"!

  It was her?, Wang Chong's heart jolted in astonishment.

  He had never expected the young lady whom the Huang Clan had sent to his bedside to wait on him would turn out to be the famous Fairy of Dainty Hands!

  In his previous life, Wang Chong had never managed to get into the circles of the scions of upper societies, such as Xu Gan and Bai Siling, and thus, there were many news and information among them that he lacked a thorough understanding of.

  Furthermore, when Huang Qian-er walked into his room, she carried a massive silver sword on her back. As a result, Wang Chong had thought that she would specialize in swordsmanship, so he had never thought

  ——After all, considering the name, the Thunderous Resonance of the Dainty Hands was indubitably a secret art involving one's hands.

  However, this wasn't the only thing that had left Wang Chong astonished. Along with the realization of Huang Qian-er's identity, he also recalled another matter closely related to it.

  Fairy of Dainty Hands...

  In truth, Wang Chong had heard of this name in his previous life before, albeit how far away he was from it then.

  The famed offspring of the Huang Clan had created an immense reputation for herself in the previous life, and it was far more impressive than those that were currently known to the world.

  Her astounding accomplishment in martial arts had left many of her fellow peers in the dust, and many thought that she might reach achieve great things in the future.

  However, that never came to be.

  While there was no doubt that the Huang Clan's Thunderous Resonance of Dainty Hands was powerful, it had a fatal flaw to it. It was not without reason that no one had managed to master it in the past seventy years. Huang Qian-er's wilful cultivation of the technique had left an immense trauma on her body.

  When she was still younger and her cultivation wasn't too high, the trauma wasn't very apparent, and it didn't hinder her by much.

  However, the further she progressed, the greater the trauma grew. Eventually, before she was even twenty-seven, the famed Fairy of Dainty Hands had already breathed her last.

  Just like how swiftly she rose, her dethronement was equally abrupt and quick.

  Wang Chong had never seen the Fairy of Dainty Hands in person his previous life, but he had heard about her tragic outcome, and he had felt great pity for her as well.

  Who could have thought that the Fairty of Dainty Hands would turn out to be Huang Qian-er, and the Huang Clan would actually send her to him. This sure was a curious turn of fate.

  "Hmph, not only did you receive a hefty compensation from the Huang Clan, you even scored yourself a beauty. You must be extremely gleeful now!" Bai Siling had been staring at Wang Chong intently, and upon seeing that he had fallen into a daze, she harrumphed in displeasure.

  "Why would I?" Meeting Bai Siling's cold gaze, Wang Chong found himself at a loss for words. How did the subject get to this? What he was thinking about was completely different from what Bai Siling was saying!

  On the other hand, despite Xu Gan's nonchalant exterior, he was already laughing heartily on the inside. Even a fool could easily see that Bai Siling was being jealous.

  "Siling and Wang Chong, I still have some things to attend to so I'll take my leave now. You two can continue whatever you were doing." Xu Gan stood up, and with a vague smile on his face, he bade his farewell.

  He wasn't so foolish as to get between the both of them at this moment.

  "What do you mean by that? I have nothing to continue
with him! I'll be leaving now!" For some reason, Bai Siling abruptly flew into a rage at Xu Gan's words. She abruptly stood up and left without any hesitation.

  Upon seeing that sight, Wang Chong was completely stumped.

  "A woman's heart sure is indecipherable!"

  Only Xu Gan, who had been watching the entire scene from the side, seemed to be able to comprehend what had happened, and he shook his head with a helpless smile.

  Nevertheless, the affairs between the both of them should be resolved amongst themselves. Outsiders like him shouldn't interfere in it.

  ...

  Eventually, the tension between the Wang Clan and the Huang Clan gradually calm down, and the curtains finally fell on the incident of Wang Chong's assassination.

  As for the Yao Clan and King Qi...

  Without sufficient evidence, no matter how certain Wang Chong was of the matter, there was nothing he could do about that. This was also another convention within the upper society.

  Nevertheless, the Yao Clan and King Qi also didn't walk out of this matter completely unharmed. While it was impossible to deal with the both of them, their allies weren't as untouchable. In the period when Wang Chong was recuperating from his heavy injuries, they found themselves heavily suppressed.

  Making use of the momentum from this incident, King Qi and the Yao Clan's influence in the Bureau of Military Personnel were clipped.

  Despite so, in order to appease the Wang Clan, they chose to remain silent on the matter.

  Otherwise, that could easily spell a war between both factions.

  After all, even the old master of the Wang Clan was incensed over this incident!

  ...

  It's about time for me to return to the training camp!, Wang Chong thought as he gazed at the fleeting clouds above him from the entrance of the Wang Family Residence.

  It had been twenty days since the end of the mission, but Wang Chong had yet to return to the training camp to report the end of his mission.

  As such, the Halo of Dusk Stallion wasn't in his hand yet.

  Since he had already recovered from his injuries and dealt with whatever that was necessary, it should be time for him to return there.