“That’s right!”
The packed crowd below loudly cheered and clapped their hands.
This isn’t right! A country should be able to tolerate differing opinions. The King of Foreign Lands might have recruited a private army, and he might have opened the armory without permission, but his words were correct! The Great Tang shouldn’t be one-sidedly reducing its armies and placing its hopes on talks with the other countries!
In the dense crowd, no one noticed a stalwart man subtly frowning.
At the start, he had also been infected by the frenzy of the crowd, but gradually, a different voice had begun to speak in the depths of his mind.
‘Might makes right’, ‘law of the jungle’, ‘the strong eat the weak’… the ideas in that book floated to the surface of his mind, and even when the criticisms of Wang Chong were at their most extreme, they had never vanished. On the contrary, they were even more deeply carved in his mind.
None of this is right…
The man muttered to himself. A complicated look flashed through his eyes as he gazed at the frenzied crowd. Finally, he turned around and left the restaurant.
He was far from the only person with this mindset.
In the western part of the city, an intoxicated storyteller was staggering over to Golden Crow Pavilion. He was the primary storyteller of this restaurant, and every time, he would tell stories to a full house. The conflict between militarists and Confucians had particularly made the storyteller large sums of money.
“Boss, let’s get this started! Tell them to get ready for today’s program!”
The robed storyteller prepared to start his storytelling program. Although he was drunk, whenever he told stories, he would always be extremely eloquent and imaginative. This was also the reason he was so warmly received in the western part of the capital.
This time, however, before he could go in, a waiter came out of Golden Crow Pavilion and blocked his path.
“Apologies, Mister Zhang. We’re not holding a storytelling session today.”
“What?! You must be joking! Do you know what will happen to you once I tell your boss what sort of nonsense you’ve been saying?!”
The drunken Zhang Qiao belched, cursing the waiter as he tried to push his way past.
But the waiter once more came around and blocked his path.
“Mister Zhang, you really can’t go in! This order was from the boss!”
“What!”
Zhang Qiao came to a trembling stop, his eyes sobering up as he looked at the waiter.
“Impossible! The boss would never do this. Don’t you know how much business you’ll lose for each day I’m not telling stories?!” Zhang Qiao sternly said.
He believed that the waiter would yield a little, but the result was completely different from what he expected.
“Haha, the boss said that he can endure this loss. Mister Zhang, you should head elsewhere!” the waiter said, bowing as he gestured with a hand to indicate that Zhang Qiao should leave.
“Fine! But I’ll remember this! There won’t be time for any regrets!”
Zhang Qiao finally understood what was going on. He glared and shouted at the restaurant before leaving in a huff.
Once the storyteller was gone, a figure walked out from the shadows of Golden Crow Pavilion.
The waiter walked up to the boss and said, “Boss, Mister Zhang is known throughout the capital for his way of telling stories. Was it really the best idea to drive him away? The restaurant might lose a lot of customers!” His eyes showed deep concern.
“Let him go!”
The restaurant owner had a look of abnormal resolve in his eyes.
“The criticisms against the King of Foreign Lands are getting louder and fiercer as time goes on. I don’t know if what the King of Foreign Lands said is right, but I do know that he really did save the southwest, Anxi, and Qixi. A person like this shouldn’t have to endure such humiliation.” And he is not necessarily wrong!
The last part remained unspoken. The voices calling for peace and opposing war were only getting fiercer as time went on. In this general environment, no one dared to voice any other opinion. However, deep inside, they knew that not everything said about the King of Foreign Lands was true.
He had silently pondered this matter for a long time before finally making this decision. The country needed someone to voice their true opinion. He might lose a lot of business like this, but if he didn’t do it, he would never be able to rest easy at night. At the very least, this was what he truly felt deep inside.
As time passed, it seemed like people were waking from a dream.
As countless people were joining the anti-war movement, another wave was slowly gathering strength.
Although no one could oppose Master Zhu’s influence or fend off this mighty wave, more and more people began to question themselves and express their support for Wang Chong in their own ways. The entire empire was beginning to think.
In the capital, it wasn’t just one restaurant that stopped the telling of stories. And while the crowds madly cheered, it wasn’t just one person who turned away and left.
……
“Master Zhu isn’t necessarily right. We should make our own voices heard!”
Several Confucians had gathered in a bamboo forest, one of them suddenly speaking at this time.
If others had been present to hear these words, they would have been stunned.
Master Zhu’s status was unshakeable and supreme. There was no second voice to be heard in the schools now, and no student dared to argue against their teacher. But everyone knew that even the Sage could make mistakes, let alone Master Zhu.
In the Central Plains, civil and martial had existed alongside each other for more than one thousand years, and there had to be a reason for this. Yet now, the Confucian school was no longer simply promoting its thoughts, but trying to pull up the militarists from their roots. If the foreigners had been amenable to Confucian ideals and kept to their promises, the entire world would have already been at peace, not in its current state.
“I trust that everyone understands what’s going on with the King of Foreign Lands. If he had harbored treasonous motives, the Sage Emperor would have never tolerated his presence. A person who has contributed so much to the country should not be disgraced like this. That is what it truly means to be just and righteous!” another Confucian said.
“Not only that, we’ve all read ‘Might Makes Right’, and we all understand what’s right about it and what’s reasonable about it. Everyone is currently in an irrational state. If this continues, a problem is bound to crop up eventually!” a third Confucian said. As he did, he shot a glance at the ‘Might Makes Right’ book in front of him.
The more one argued, the clearer the truth became, and it was true that a relationship of warmth and affection did not exist between countries. The past had confirmed the theories of the King of Foreign Lands many times over.
It was precisely because they had read this book and found its insights so incisive and penetrating that they had all gathered together.
“We have to do something. We can’t let this continue!”
The people in the bamboo forest glanced at each other and firmly nodded. But while they had fast reactions, there were those who had reacted even more quickly.
Several days later, several books written by anonymous authors were published in the capital. These books, ‘On the Correctness of Might Makes Right’, ‘Law of the Jungle’, and ‘The Relationship Between Countries’ all interpreted Wang Chong’s two books in various ways and supported his views.
……
“We want peace, not war!”
“Bring down the King of Foreign Lands! Bring down the Demon King of Slaughter!”
“Without propriety, men are no different from beasts! ‘Might Makes Right’ is just a pile of nonsense!”
“Reduce the armies! Reduce the armies! We don’t want soldiers!”
One wave of protestors
after another surged onto the bustling Azure Dragon Street. They extended from one end of Azure Dragon Street to the other, and they even filled Vermillion Bird Street and other streets, stretching on endlessly into the distance.
______________
1. Cheng Zhijie, also known as Cheng Yaojin, was a general of the early years of the Tang Dynasty, serving under Gaozu, Taizong, and Gaozong. In popular culture, he is known for being somewhat inept and bumbling, showing up at the right time and place to save the day.↩
Chapter 1322 - First Buds, the Opening of the Minds of the People! (II)
Chapter 1322: First Buds, the Opening of the Minds of the People! (II)
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
The vast crowd of protestors numbered more than one hundred thousand.
No one noticed that in a house not far from the protesting crowds, a young man of twelve or thirteen was holding a sword and earnestly training within the narrow confines of a small yard.
“Zhao Wu, why are you still practicing? Don’t you see that everyone is out marching to make their voices heard? Even Master Zhu has said that the Great Tang should not have too many wars. Let’s go! Stop practicing and come with us to join the marches!”
Another young man quickly went to pull at Zhao Wu, but Zhao Wu quickly shook him off.
“You guys go. Don’t disturb me!”
Zhao Wu’s face was indifferent as he spoke and continued to practice with his sword.
“Zhao Wu, the Great Tang is at peace with all the foreign countries. There are no enemies to fight, and the soldiers of the various protectorates haven’t seen enemies in ages. Even if you practice your martial arts, what’s the point? You should just play around with us. Don’t you see that we’ve all stopped practicing martial arts?”
Another youth came up to pull on him.
From their expressions, it was apparent that these youths were all friends.
“It’s your own business if you want to give up, but one day, you’ll realize that I was right!”
Zhao Wu once more shook off the hand and continued to practice with his sword. Even if no one understood him, this empire needed people who would still do the right thing, and it was proper for a true man to persevere in their own path. This was also the respect he showed for that King of Foreign Lands who he most revered.
“Idiot!”
“Let him be! Forget about him!”
The two softly cursed before turning and leaving.
There was not just one voice in the world. While many people were outside marching in protest, others were using their own methods to express their support. While countless had given up on ‘Might Makes Right’ and were throwing them in piles to burn, others were silently preserving copies and silently supporting it from the shadows.
The world was continuing to operate in its own fashion. While vast crowds were filling the air with slander and criticism, others were using their own methods to support Wang Chong.
……
At the same time, outside of the storm but in the center of authority, two figures were silently observing everything.
“Your Majesty, the Shadowguard sent word a while ago that the King of Foreign Lands vomited blood and fell into a coma. Your Majesty, should we really allow this to continue?” a voice worriedly said.
In the darkness, Taiji Palace was utterly silent.
After a long while, a voice came out of the depths of the palace, majestic and seeming to understand all things. “He who desires the crown must bear the weight! Let him be! Only if he can endure this can he endure the plans We have for him in the future!”
“…Yes!”
Gao Lishi lowered his head and fell silent.
……
In the solitude of the night, Wang Chong was pacing alone through the grounds of the residence, the storms of the outside world kept out by the high walls. During the day, Wang Chong could still hear the sounds of protestors, but ever since that night in the stone room beneath the ground, Wang Chong had been able to open his mind and disregard all these things.
Taking no joy in receiving and feeling no concern in loss, Wang Chong was now able to calmly accept everything. Whether the flower bloomed or withered, the clouds gathered or dispersed, he no longer placed much importance on these matters.
Deep within his mind, Wang Chong had already received the tranquility he desired.
Swoosh!
At some point, Wang Chong had once more walked up to the high walls. With a leap, Wang Chong took off like a bird and then gently drifted down on the other side of the walls.
Ever since that night, Wang Chong had slowly developed a habit of going out alone at night when no one else was around. Dressed in civilian clothes and with his hands held behind his back, Wang Chong ventured into the darkness, allowing the winds to blow away his worries.
Whoosh!
As Wang Chong ambled through the streets, a figure suddenly shot out of the shadows toward Wang Chong.
“Big Brother! This tanghulu is for you!”
Before Wang Chong could properly see who it was, an extremely young voice rang out in his ear. And then a tanghulu stick appeared before his eyes.
This happened so abruptly that Wang Chong was left flabbergasted. Looking carefully, he saw that this was a child not even ten years old, gripping a tanghulu stick with an incredibly serious expression. Wang Chong was taken aback. He had strolled like this for quite a few days now, but he had never encountered a situation like this.
It was rather strange for a child to suddenly appear on the side of the street at such a late hour.
“Little friend, you know who I am?”
Wang Chong bent down and patted the boy on the head. There was a high chance that this boy had mistaken him for someone else.
But the boy’s words left Wang Chong greatly surprised.
“Of course I know! You’re the King of Foreign Lands!” the boy boldly said in his young voice.
This only increased the sense of strangeness in Wang Chong’s mind. For a boy to appear in the middle of the night and say such words was truly too bizarre.
“How did you know that I would show up here?” Wang Chong softly said.
The boy raised his head and earnestly said, “When you returned to the capital last time, my father and I went to watch, so I recognize you. I’ve already seen you coming through this place for quite a few nights. You go by this place every time!”
Wang Chong was immediately at a loss for words.
He had never imagined that while those schemers had failed to notice him going out alone every night, this boy had noticed. And he was even gifting him a tanghulu. Wang Chong unconsciously reached out to take it, an indescribable feeling in his heart.
As Wang Chong was somewhat in a trance, the boy stunned him by saying, “They all say that you’re a Demon King of Slaughter! But I know that you’re not! You’re a hero! You only kill bad guys!”
After saying this, the boy ran off into an alley and out of his sight.
Buzz!
An arc of electricity seemed to course through his mind, and Wang Chong stood speechless as he stared in the direction the child had run off. After so many days and nights of constant slander and curses, Wang Chong had never imagined that the first words of support and comfort he would hear from the people would come from a boy less than ten years old.
The night was chilly, but Wang Chong felt a surge of warmth.
In this city of one million people, the support of a single boy was insignificant. For Wang Chong, however, this was the first ray of light that he had felt in a very long while. It was a tiny ray of light, but it was not weak. Occasionally, even a tiny bit of sincere support was enough.
“At least there are still people in this empire who support me!”
Wang Chong felt a rush of emotion.
Holding the tanghulu, Wang Chong continued forward. After some time, suddenly—
“Who goes there!”
Wang Chong’s eyes chilled as he turned to a dark corner near a wall. All was quiet, and there was nothing to be seen. It was as if Wang Chong had been hearing things.
“Hmph, still not coming out?”
His expression chilling, Wang Chong extended two fingers from his right hand. In a flash, a bolt of violet flame shot out from his fingers and streaked like a comet into that dark corner.
The Fire of Lu Wu!
This was one of Wang Chong’s most powerful skills. Once the flame attached, it was very difficult to extinguish.
Swoosh!
As that violet flame shot toward, there was a flash of light from the dark corner, and then a silhouette shot into the air like a hawk, dodging Wang Chong’s attack by a hair.
“Hahaha, King of Foreign Lands, I had heard that you were depressed from the Confucian-militarist conflict and that your strength had dropped, that even an imperial physician had paid you many visits, but it seems like the rumors were false!”
Loud laughter came from a place around twenty paces from Wang Chong. A black-clothed man appeared on the top of a wall, his face covered in a mask. Black flames seethed from his body while a large cape snapped in the wind. His entire body exuded an aura as vast as the ocean.
The mysterious black mask on his face and the roiling black mist around him made him seem extremely enigmatic in the darkness.
“It’s you lot!”
Wang Chong grimaced as he suddenly removed a metal box from his bosom. At this moment, the jewel at the top of the box was scalding hot and blinking with a dazzling green light.
The metal box given to him by the Sindhu High Priest would only react to one group of people: these mysterious men in black. These were also the ‘Gods’ mentioned in that Book of Paimon found deep beneath Khorasan!
“Haha, that old fellow buried under Sindhu seems to have really taken a liking to you. He even gave you that! Such a pity, however, that even with that, you’ll still die today!”
The man’s eyes turned sinister as he spread apart his arms, his black cape immediately unfurling like two wings. Whoosh! Black mist was still left in the air, but the man in black had vanished with astonishing speed, almost as if he had become invisible. His aura had also vanished without a trace. It was as if he had left this world and stepped into another.
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