“What are you afraid of? The court is packed with our men, so you think he’ll still dare to act so brashly?”
“Don’t get too careless. He’s most likely not coming with good intentions. We have to be on our guard.”
“Mm. Yesterday, the First Prince ordered that we can’t let any of his proposals pass, no matter what they are! If we do this, what does it matter that he’s back in the court?”
“That’s right. I don’t believe that he can put up much resistance by himself or play any sort of trick!”
The group vigorously discussed their common foe. Wang Chong was greatly revered amongst the military, but he had made his fair share of enemies amongst the civil officials, particularly as his ‘Might Makes Right’ had offended the entirety of the Confucian Sect.
Ding!
Soon, the ringing of chimes came from deep within the Imperial Palace. It was time for the morning court session. The two large and heavy gates opened, and a moment later, carriages flooded through the gates, the numerous officials making their way to Taihe Palace.
Before the court session, the officials of the court had gathered in small groups to chatter and converse, and even the common folk had been talking about the matter. But when the gates closed, all the officials became utterly silent.
Although they said nothing, their eyes looked around, searching for that man. But to their surprise, they couldn’t find him in the surge of people.
“Is he not coming today?”
The confused crowd all had the same thought, but they quickly rejected it. After causing such a stir, the King of Foreign Lands had no reason to suddenly retreat.
“Enter the palace!”
The crack of a whip came from the top of the white jade stairs, and the doors to Taihe Palace opened. The officials quickly passed through the threshold and began to take up their ranks. King Qi, whose presence at the court sessions was usually unnecessary, was already standing beneath a coiling dragon pillar, a cold smile on his lips. He was silently waiting for that man to appear so that he could immediately raise a ruckus.
Standing at the very front, Prime Minister Li Linfu had his usual appearance, his eyes half-opened and half-closed. But if one looked carefully, one would notice that Li Linfu’s hands, which were usually hanging by his side, were now concealed in his sleeves as he pondered something.
As for the leader of the Confucian Sect, Wang Chong’s constant rival, Li Junxian, surprisingly, he had not appeared.
As time slowly passed, everyone scanned the hall. Both the place where Zhangchou Jianqiong had once stood and the place where the Advisor-in-Waiting had once stood were empty. There was no sign of the King of Foreign Lands.
“What’s going on? Why hasn’t he appeared yet?”
“It’s been five minutes since the officials were supposed to enter the palace. Let’s wait a little more to see if he will appear!”
Two officials amongst the ranks whispered to each other so softly that only they could hear.
The seconds continued to drip away. Just as the whip was about to crack a second time, and it was the final moment in which officials were allowed to enter the palace…
Bang!
An opulent golden boot stepped over the threshold and into the hall, and a long and slender shadow was cast. The entire hall seemed to shake as the officials turned in unison. Even Li Linfu and King Qi looked over, their opened eyes exuding a sharp and blazing light.
Wang Chong!
The sight of that young and familiar figure immediately made King Qi’s eyes turn vicious. The air in the hall instantly tensed, and everyone looked fearfully at Wang Chong. What should have come had finally come, and Wang Chong had returned to the Imperial Court.
Wang Chong was wearing his dragon robe and bore a confident expression and domineering eyes, his every move exuding vast power. Compared to a few months ago, when he had taken the post of Advisor-in-Waiting, Wang Chong seemed even more composed and mature, exuding a majesty that had been washed free of all impurities.
The natural brilliance coming from his body made all the officials in the hall seem dim by comparison.
Whoosh!
A gentle breeze blew past, and Wang Chong faintly smiled at all the staring eyes. He confidently crossed over the threshold and made his way inside. Tap! Tap! Tap! Wang Chong slowly strode forward. His steps were not heavy, yet they rang out as if they weighed more than a thousand jun, and the entire palace seemed to buckle under the weight, trembling with each step he took.
Buzz!
As Wang Chong strode forward, the quiet crowd became slightly more restless. The members of the Confucian Sect and the officials subordinate to the First Prince and King Qi couldn’t help but back away, instinctively avoiding Wang Chong’s edge.
Chapter 1679 - Wang Chong Makes Trouble!
Chapter 1679: Wang Chong Makes Trouble!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Wang Chong faintly smiled. After going through so much, he had finally returned to the Central Plains’ nexus of power.
Deep down, Wang Chong didn’t actually care about whether or not he could actually enter Taihe Palace to discuss matters of state, and the riches and fame that others so desperately desired were also not what he sought.
But in order to get his revenge and protect this five-thousand-year-old civilization, he needed to enter the Imperial Court.
An oppressive air weighed down on the palace, and no one dared to meet Wang Chong’s starry eyes.
“Hmph!”
Suddenly, a cold snort resounded through the hall.
King Qi walked over and jeered, “Almost coming late on your very first day, having everyone wait for you! Wang Chong, you’ve got some nerve!”
When he saw Wang Chong appear, he had already grown impatient. The man he hated the most in the Great Tang was none other than Wang Chong, even more than King Song. Whenever Wang Chong was present, his plans never went smoothly.
“Hah.”
Wang Chong merely smiled at the comment.
“King Qi, if I remember correctly, only when the whip cracks a second time is the time for the officials to enter the palace over. From this point of view, this king is still not late.”
“You!”
King Qi’s mouth opened, but no words came out.
Although the period to enter the palace ended with the second whip crack, for many years now, almost all the officials entered Taihe Palace long before that. King Qi hadn’t expected this argument from Wang Chong, but there was truly nothing wrong with it.
“In addition, King Qi, this king is the Minister of War. You’re blocking my path!”
Wang Chong shot a glance at King Qi, his cold words causing everyone else to stare.
Before anyone could react, Wang Chong took two steps forward and brushed King Qi aside, after which he walked to his own position.
This minor action made King Qi’s face turn the color of liver and left the other officials flabbergasted.
Wang Chong’s action had been extremely rude, but when the officials saw where King Qi and Wang Chong were standing, they knew that there was nothing to be done.
While King Qi was a revered King of the Great Tang, when it came to political power, he was beneath the supervisor of all of the Great Tang’s armies, the Minister of War.
In terms of rank, the Minister of War stood higher than King Qi.
By walking out of his place, King Qi really had blocked Wang Chong’s path, and so his action had been justified.
“Bastard!”
King Qi clenched his fists, his body trembling in rage.
The illustrious King Qi of the Great Tang had a status nearly equal to King Song’s, and the officials of the court even paid more respect to him than they did to King Song.
No one had ever spoken in such a tone to him before, much less treated him with such disregard as Wang Chong had.
One day, this king will make you and the entire Wang Clan pay
a price for this! King Qi resentfully cursed.
But in the middle of his shame and anger…
Bong!!
A gong rang out, and then a eunuch began to speak in his shrill voice.
“The First Prince has arrived!”
A moment later, a stately figure with head held high walked in from a side door, escorted by guards and eunuchs to the dragon throne.
Everyone inwardly trembled, and the hall fell silent. Even King Qi returned to his place.
“Paying respects to Your Highness!” the officials loudly proclaimed as they bowed.
“Rise!”
The First Prince waved his hand as he seated himself on the dragon throne. His eyes scanned the officials and quickly settled on Wang Chong.
At that moment, there was a burst of cold and frigid light.
At almost the same time, Wang Chong stopped smiling, He looked up to the throne, his expression turning cold.
As their eyes met, the temperature in Taihe Palace plunged.
From the moment Wang Chong had Huo Jue submit that memorial, his stance had become plain and clear. His goal had never been to become Minister of War or enter the court.
Wang Chong was simply using this method to let everyone know that even if the First Prince was the regent, his authority reaching the heavens, he could not dominate the world just yet.
He had entered the court to oppose the First Prince. As long as he was here, the First Prince, King Qi, and the Confucian Sect would not be able to do as they pleased.
When the world was in chaos, someone had to stand up and bring order and stability to the people.
In the Great Tang, this man had been King Song, and with King Song down for the count, it was his turn now.
Wang Chong, making an enemy of this prince was the worst mistake you’ve ever made. You should not have refused this prince.
The First Prince made no attempt to hide his chilling stare from the assembled officials.
He naturally understood what Wang Chong’s goal was, but if Wang Chong thought that he could oppose him in court with just the position of Minister of War, then he was gravely mistaken.
This was his territory, and none of the officials dared to oppose him. Could Wang Chong alone overturn the heavens?
“Hmph!”
With a cold chuckle, the First Prince looked away, gesturing at a silk-robed eunuch.
The eunuch immediately stepped forward.
“His Highness has decreed that subjects with concerns should submit a memorial. If there are no concerns, please withdraw!”
The shrill voice resounded through the hall. In the past, officials would have stepped forward to submit memorials, but surprisingly, everyone seemed to have lost their voices.
The Prime Minister was the leader of all the officials, but Li Linfu had already closed his eyes and was acting like he had nothing to do with the matter.
The officials belonging to the Confucian Sect had also seemingly been notified, and all of them had their mouths tightly shut.
The other officials were apprehensive, their eyes constantly glancing up at the solemn First Prince and then back at the indifferent and newly promoted Wang Chong.
No one dared to speak out at a time like this.
Only King Qi, standing next to the pillar, was sneering at the nearby Wang Chong.
The seconds continued to pass, and the stifling silence persisted.
Fifteen minutes passed, but still no one spoke.
The First Prince quietly sat on the throne, profoundly gazing at Wang Chong with a smile on his face. Today was Wang Chong’s first day as Minister of War.
Today, he wanted Wang Chong to realize one thing. Even if he had entered Taihe Palace and was the Minister of War, the First Prince still ruled the court.
Without his consent, not even the court session could proceed.
The First Prince coldly chuckled as he got to his feet. “Since there are no concerns, the court is dis–”
But before he could say ‘dismissed’, a clear and bright voice resounded.
“Your Highness, this king has a memorial!”
This voice was neither too loud nor too soft, but it made everyone’s hearts thump.
Whoosh!
Prime Minister Li Linfu, who had seemed to be asleep, suddenly opened his eyes. King Qi also immediately frowned.
He suddenly had an ill foreboding.
“It’s here!”
Everyone else in the hall turned toward the speaker.
Today’s court session was bound to be an uneasy one. Everyone had already realized this. The First Prince had tried to force Kong Wu through, but Wang Chong had ruined it all.
No one believed that the First Prince was someone to just let this go.
As for Wang Chong…
The Public Order Squad incident and the border incident had made everyone understand Wang Chong’s style. No one believed that he had just come to replace Zhangchou Jianqiong.
Everyone waited with bated breath.
In his dragon robe, Wang Chong confidently stepped forward.
This action caught everyone by surprise.
They all understood that today’s court session had been meant as a display of power from the First Prince to cow Wang Chong. But when everyone was refusing to submit a memorial, Wang Chong had come forward to submit his own.
The First Prince had just been ready to go. When he saw Wang Chong come up, his expression darkened and he immediately stopped.
“Wang Chong, what memorial do you want to submit?!”
“This subject wishes to impeach someone!” Wang Chong unconcernedly said.
Buzz!
The air in the hall froze, brimming with tension.
“Who do you want to impeach?”
The First Prince’s eye twitched, but his voice remained steady.
“Assistant Minister of the Bureau of Military Personnel, Kong Wu!”
Wang Chong’s words resounded through the palace!
Boom!
Upon hearing the name emerging from Wang Chong’s lips, everyone in the hall, whether civil or military official, paled.
The First Prince nastily scowled.
As for Kong Wu, who was standing not far behind Wang Chong, he had turned ghastly pale. Wang Chong’s words had taken him completely by surprise. He had never imagined that Wang Chong would choose to work on him from the very first day.
“Kong Wu neglected his duties, placing personal affairs above the public good. Not only is he unfit for the position of Assistant Minister of the Bureau of Military Personnel, I request that Your Highness strip him of his position and drive him out of the court, to never be employed again,” Wang Chong loudly proclaimed.
“Impudent! Wang Chong, you just took the post of Minister of War. Are you already choosing to close ranks and expel any dissidents?”
The First Prince immediately exploded in rage.
Kong Wu was his man, and also the person he had tried to promote. He had never expected Wang Chong to try and submit a memorial impeaching Kong Wu on his very first day as Minister of War.
This was clearly an attack on his dignity. If Wang Chong succeeded, would he even have enough pride to show his face anymore?!
Chapter 1680 - Seizing Kong Wu!
Chapter 1680: Seizing Kong Wu!
“Your Highness First Prince, this subject is being unjustly accused! This lowly subject has worked in the Bureau of Military Personnel for several decades and has always been conscientious and loyal. How could this subject ever do such a thing? And Your Highness King of Foreign Lands, Kong Wu naturally cannot compare to you in prestige, nor in rank. When Lord Zhangchou became unwell and the Imperial Court wished to select a temporary Minister of War, I had no idea that you desired the post. But, Your Highness, even if you are unhappy, there is no need to slander and vilify this Kong so much!” Kong Wu said in agitation, his face ghastly pale.
“King of Foreign Lands, you’re acting too excessively!”
The hall buzzed with chatter, and the officials of the Confucian Sect and the First Prince’s faction used the chance to cause trouble. Although they had been caught by surprise, they couldn’t let Wang Chong just get rid of Kong Wu.
The First Prince said nothing, only stared grimly at Wang Chong, his eyes getting colder and colder.
“Hmph!”
Wang Chong coldly took everything in, an unperturbed smile on his lips.
“Wang Chong, this prince does not care what prejudices you have against Kong Wu, but this is the court. Although Kong Wu is not the Minister of War, he is still a vital official of the court. If you do not have any firm evidence and are recklessly throwing out accusations, this prince will be forced to heavily punish you for causing trouble in court and disregarding the laws!” the First Prince finally said.
“Your Highness, this subject naturally has evidence,” Wang Chong coldly said, showing no signs of backing down. “Kong Wu has been an Assistant Minister in the Bureau of Military Personnel for ten-some years. He has placed private gain above public good and allowed his wife’s younger brother to enter the Bureau of Military Personnel as a director. To intercept the money the Bureau of Military Personnel sends to the local magistrates for military expenses is one thing, but not long ago, when the Imperial Court was engaged in peace negotiations with the other countries and when the armies were being reduced from the capital all the way to the border, Kong Wu’s brother-in-law actually dared to intercept a portion of the money being paid out to the families of soldiers who died in battle and the soldiers who were being told to retire.
“A member of the Bureau of Military Personnel found this while performing an audit and was planning to report the matter to the Imperial Court. But Kong Wu managed to seize the man, and under the charges of colluding with outside factions and disrespecting his superiors, he had the man imprisoned. In the end, he died under torture in the prison of the Bureau of Military Personnel. Kong Wu, has this king said anything wrong?”
Wang Chong coldly turned his head to Kong Wu, whose face immediately paled once more.
Before Kong Wu could speak, an old official stepped forward and rebuked Wang Chong. “King of Foreign Lands, don’t speak nonsense! Everyone in the court knows of Lord Kong’s reputation. How could he possibly do such a thing!?”
The Human Emperor c1-2382 Page 1034