Li Ying was forced to lie prone on the ground, not able to move a muscle!
“You still try to commit evil in front of Us!”
The Sage Emperor stared straight ahead, not even glancing at Li Ying.
“Release me! Release me! The throne is mine! Mine!”
Li Ying’s face was twisted, and he struggled like a madman. Finally, his vision went dark, his overexertion causing him to fall unconscious.
“Come; take First Prince Li Ying away, and keep a close watch on him!” the Sage Emperor said.
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
Several True Dragon Sentinels stepped forward and took Li Ying away.
“Wang Chong, you played an enormous role in pacifying this rebellion. We truly were not wrong about you!” the Sage Emperor said with his hands behind his back, his cold expression softening.
“Many thanks, Your Majesty. This lowly subject only devoted all of the meager strength that he could. The battle in the capital is still not over, and Zhang Zheng’s soldiers are still trying to get into the city. They still need to be pacified!”
Wang Chong walked up to the Sage Emperor and bowed.
The Sage Emperor understood Wang Chong’s meaning, and indifferently said, “Since Zhang Zheng dares to rebel, there is no need to keep him!”
Zhang Zheng was nothing in the past, but now, he was the Beiting Protector-General of the Imperial Court. Regardless of the fact that the First Prince had appointed him, this important status meant that not even Wang Chong could kill him without a decree. This was why Wang Chong had said such things.
“This lowly subject understands!”
Wang Chong nodded.
“Imperial Father!”
A familiar figure arrived with many more soldiers. Fifth Prince Li Heng and the soldiers of Jinyang Palace had finally arrived.
He dismounted at a distance and immediately began to rush over. At this time, there was another rumbling of hooves. Not far behind Li Heng, Tongluo Great General Abusi was riding over with his ten thousand Tongluo Cavalry.
Chapter 1797 - The Final Notes of the Rebellion of the Three Princes! (I)
Chapter 1797: The Final Notes of the Rebellion of the Three Princes! (I)
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
“Your Majesty!”
“Your Majesty!”
Behind Abusi, even more people were coming. Wang Chong peered far into the distance and spotted Li Junxian leading the Confucian Sect, as well as Li Linfu and Yao Guangyi. A look of derision flashed in his eyes.
The battle earlier had been intense, yet there had been no sign of these people. But now that the battle was over and everything had settled, all of these people had appeared together, anxiously rushing over to aid the sovereign.
Wang Chong noticed that many of these people were even stained with blood as if they had been through a vicious battle.
Truly deserving of their statuses as high nobles!
Wang Chong took in a deep breath and calmed himself.
“Your Majesty, this lowly subject has other matters to attend to and will withdraw for now!”
“Mm, you’re dismissed!”
The Sage Emperor nodded.
Wang Chong bowed, and as he rose, there was a faint trace of fatigue on his young face. Wang Chong quickly withdrew, and as he did, he glanced to the southwest. The area where Su Zhengchen had been was empty.
Not even Wang Chong had noticed when Su Zhengchen had taken his leave.
Whew!
Wang Chong breathed a sigh of relief, his entire body relaxing. In this operation, the only person he had not been completely sure about was his master, Su Zhengchen. Although that battle had seemed fraught with danger, for Wang Chong, the moment his master had appeared near Taiji Palace, the actual danger had disappeared.
With the Sage Emperor here, danger could not possibly exist!
As Wang Chong brushed past Li Heng, the two of them exchanged a glance. As they passed each other, Wang Chong could clearly sense several powerful figures turning to look at him, but Wang Chong did not stay, swiftly walking away.
“Young Master!”
As he passed through Chongsheng Gate, he was welcomed by Miyasame Ayaka and Young Master Qingyang.
Wang Chong subtly nodded as he looked at them, a surge of warmth in his heart. While he had planned out this entire operation, he had to rely on all his subordinates to execute it. And while it seemed like everything had basically gone according to plan, the battle had been extremely dangerous.
“How are things?” Wang Chong asked.
“General Cheng and the others already appeared and took Hou Junji away. Venerable General Cheng said at the end that as long as they were around, Young Master would no longer need to worry about Hou Junji, and he would not have any more chances to start a rebellion,” Young Master Qingyang said as he looked at Wang Chong with sincere admiration.
This rebellion had involved more than one hundred thousand soldiers, numerous factions, a War God from Emperor Taizong’s generation, and even an unfathomably powerful foe like True Lord Yellow Dragon. But Wang Chong had predicted almost everything, and not a single piece could escape his board.
Young Master Qingyang had also made his fame through his intelligence and had once been rather proud of this, but after this incident, he found himself brimming with admiration for Wang Chong.
Wang Chong did not notice this. After hearing Young Master Qingyang’s report, he gave a slight nod. As long as the ‘Chaotic Demon King’ of Taizong’s era still lived, and with those other two seniors to assist him, Hou Junji would no longer be able to make any great waves.
“In addition, I’ve already saved Eunuch Gao and placed him in Sweet Dew Palace. Inform Yang Zhao and have him go and receive Eunuch Gao. He can also be considered to have contributed in this way,” Wang Chong said.
Yang Zhao had played no small part in the smooth pacification of the Rebellion of the Three Princes, but he was too weak to take part in this battle. Wang Chong could only indirectly assist him in this way.
“Mm.”
Young Master Qingyang nodded.
Miyasame Ayaka got down on one knee and reported, “Right, Young Master, we just received word that when the coup failed, that Goguryeon Eagle King of the Eastern Palace immediately fled. This person is extremely formidable, and he also commands the more than ten thousand spies under the First Prince. If we can’t deal with him and he escapes back to Goguryeo, he’ll probably be a major source of trouble for us.”
The birds and spies trained by Kim U-Seok had dealt them considerable damage in this rebellion. More importantly, this man was incredibly crafty. Now that the First Prince had failed, he was no longer safe in the Great Tang.
And whether Kim U-Seok fled to Goguryeo or any other foreign country, he would be able to deal considerable damage to the Great Tang.
Wang Chong stared straight ahead and indifferently said, “There’s no need to worry. He can’t run very far. I’ve already sent Old Eagle to personally take care of him.”
“What? Old Eagle!”
Upon hearing this, all his subordinates turned to Wang Chong in shock and excitement.
“Wasn’t Old Eagle still unconscious from his injuries?”
“Is he already awake?”
Even the kneeling Miyasame Ayaka brightened up, raising her head in anticipation.
Wang Chong merely nodded in reply.
Everyone rejoiced upon receiving the confirmation. This was some of the best news the King of Foreign Lands Residence had received in a while.
“Let’s go!” Wang Chong said, and then he paused and turned to Young Master Qingyang. “In addition, inform Sword Dragon that the Sage Emperor has given his approval. With regards to Zhang Zheng… he can take action now.”
“Mm.”
Young Master Qingyang nodded and gave a long sigh of relief. Now that they had the Sage Emperor’s permission, Sword Dragon no longer needed to hold back.
<
br /> Whoosh!
As a messenger bird took to the skies, Wang Chong and Young Master Qingyang quickly passed through the palace gates and departed.
……
The skies were pitch-black. It was still around an hour until daybreak.
While everyone was focused on the Imperial Palace, very few people noticed a figure riding a warhorse out of the capital, fleeing to the northwest.
“Impossible! Impossible! How could the Great Tang’s Sage Emperor be so terrifying!?”
Kim U-Seok pressed himself against the back of his horse, great waves in his mind. His mind was still repeating the scene of the Sage Emperor unleashing that heaven-sundering blow, tens of thousands of times brighter than the sun. He did not dare to imagine just how powerful this man really was.
“I have to get out of here!”
Kim U-Seok spurred his horse into an even faster gallop.
As the winds rushed past him, Kim U-Seok felt much more relieved behind the scarf wrapped around his head. Unlike the others, Kim U-Seok had prepared for both possibilities. After fleeing the Imperial Palace, he had changed into the garb of a Western Regions merchant and even pasted a fake beard onto his face.
Even the members of the Eastern Palace wouldn’t have recognized him.
I’m a Goguryeon, so they’ve definitely put up defenses to the northeast. In contrast, the Beiting Protectorate army just marched through the northwest, so there won’t be many people paying attention to it. I’ll travel to the Western Turks and wait for the turmoil to die down, and then I’ll go up to the Tibetan Plateau to the capital of Ü-Tsang.
I hear that Tibetan Imperial Minister Dalon Trinling is incredibly intelligent and knows how to use people, an extremely formidable character. I’ll go and join his side. He’ll definitely be interested in what I have to offer!
Kim U-Seok mentally calculated as he spurred his horse onward. The tens of thousands of spies under his command were the biggest chip he had in his negotiations with the foreign countries.
Neigh!
Suddenly, his horse shrieked and reared up on its hindlegs in fright. Kim U-Seok trembled and warily raised his head.
“Who is it?!”
“The one who will bury you!”
A figure emerged from the shadow of a hill. On his left shoulder was a sharp-eyed eagle.
Bzzz! Kim U-Seok’s pupils constricted, and his face paled.
“It’s you!”
……
Time slowly passed. As Li Heng was receiving instructions from the Sage Emperor and the lingering embers of the rebellion were being snuffed out, nearly a hundred li away from the capital, a black wisp of smoke pulsing with weak life energy floated above a mountain.
“Too frightening! Even True Lord Yellow Dragon died!
“This was a scheme, a brazen scheme concocted by that blasphemer to deal with us!”
The Tianfu Divine Lord floated in the air, staring in fright in the direction of the capital.
Su Zhengchen’s attack had destroyed his fleshly body, and the Tianfu Divine Lord only had half his body left. Not even a Great General could have survived this, but the Tianfu Divine Lord was still alive.
Within the lingering dark smoke, a metal talisman slowly spun, exuding a red light that covered his shattered body and protected his soul.
Everything that had happened in the capital replayed itself in his mind.
Everything was slowly becoming clear. There was no doubt that the Great Tang’s Sage Emperor had been plotting against them, and he had succeeded. The death of True Lord Yellow Dragon was a massive blow to the Celestial God Organization.
There was no record of an expert of this level dying since the founding of the organization.
“But they shouldn’t celebrate just yet. This is only the beginning! The day will come when they pay the price for their transgressions! Li Taiyi… and that brat!”
With this thought, the Tianfu Divine Lord’s body vanished away, moving toward the northwest.
Dawn was breaking in the east, and the turmoil in the Imperial Palace was gradually quelled by the Fifth Prince and various other parties, the fires extinguished.
It was only when everything was pacified that the common folk of the capital finally dared to leave their homes.
The Rebellion of the Three Princes might have been over, but the effects and damage of this unprecedented revolt were only now beginning to emerge.
The Great Tang had been at peace for several decades. While there had always been wars going on, these had all been at the border, never at a core area like the capital.
The common folk gathered together and began to discuss the matter. For these people who were so used to peace, this battle had been a major blow to their psyche.
Chapter 1798 - The Final Notes of the Rebellion of the Three Princes! (II)
Chapter 1798: The Final Notes of the Rebellion of the Three Princes! (II)Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
As the capital was still shaken by the recent events, at the King of Foreign Lands Residence, the soldiers were standing guard, and the lights had burned the entire night.
In the main hall, Wang Chong sat on his raised throne. In front of him were Li Siye, Guo Ziyi, Su Shixuan, Xu Keyi, and his other close subordinates.
Even though he had left the Imperial Palace, Wang Chong was still keeping a watch on the activities within so that he could respond to any unexpected developments.
After some time, a figure staggered in through the entrance. The man’s clothes were tattered and bloodstained, and he had clearly been injured.
“Master!”
Zhang Que cried out in alarm and hastily ran up to support the man.
“I’m fine!”
Old Eagle shook his head and pushed aside Zhang Que’s hand.
“I’m just tired. This blood isn’t mine!”
As Zhang Que stared in shock, Old Eagle took a deep breath, walked over, got down on one knee in front of Wang Chong, and bowed.
“Your Highness! I have carried out my orders and successfully killed Kim U-Seok. Your Highness will not have to worry about this person in the future!”
As Old Eagle spoke, he took out a large bag and placed it on the floor.
Everyone’s eyes brightened upon seeing this bag.
While Kim U-Seok had not been a particularly powerful martial artist, he had inflicted far more damage than many martial artists added together. More importantly, this man had a cunning nature and fled the moment he sensed something was wrong.
They had also searched for him, but they had found no trace. But to their surprise, Old Eagle, who had only recently awoken from his coma, had immediately gone out and killed the dangerous Goguryeon Eagle King.
“Not bad!”
Wang Chong nodded.
“Thank you for your service! You still haven’t recovered, so go back and rest.”
He flicked his finger, sending a golden stream of Stellar Energy into Old Eagle’s body. The Origin Immortal Art’s energy immediately made Old Eagle’s complexion healthier, and his consumed energy and injuries were rapidly restored.
“Thank you, Your Highness!”
Old Eagle sighed in relief as he stood up. The bag Old Eagle had brought, which contained Kim U-Seok’s head, was quickly taken away.
Once Old Eagle was gone, Sword Dragon entered the hall.
Unlike Old Eagle, Young Master Qingyang’s powerful and devoted guard was covered in armor, and there was a mask over his face. The moment he entered the hall, he looked toward Young Master Qingyang, who was standing on Wang Chong’s right side, and then he looked to Wang Chong.
“This general pays respects to Your Highness!”
Sword Dragon strode forward, his armor clattering as he got down on one knee.
“How was it?” Wang Chong sternly said.
“Everything is over. Zhang Zheng was more troublesome than expected. When he saw the battle in the city settling down, he immediately decided to r
etreat. I pursued him for several dozen li before successfully killing him. In addition, when I returned, the Tongluo Cavalry entered the battle. As the Beiting Protectorate army had no leader, it quickly surrendered,” Sword Dragon respectfully said.
Wang Chong nodded, unsurprised. The wavering of Abusi’s Tongluo Cavalry in this coup, particularly in the early stages where it had even joined the First Prince’s side, would have stirred the Sage Emperor’s anger. Atonement through merit was Abusi’s only choice. And the large number of Beiting Protectorate army soldiers outside the city presented the perfect chance for Abusi and his Tongluo Cavalry.
“Thank you for your service. What were the losses amongst the soldiers?” Wang Chong asked.
Sword Dragon and his men had played a large part in this stratagem of pretending to repair the gallery roads while secretly crossing at Chencang to fool Hou Junji and the Eastern Palace, but this also meant that defending against Zhang Zheng’s army had relied entirely on them.
(TN: ‘Repair the gallery roads while secretly crossing at Chencang’ was a strategy used in the conflict between Chu and Han after the end of the Qin Dynasty. When Liu Bang, founder of the Han Dynasty, withdrew to his territory in modern Sichuan, he destroyed the gallery roads, plank roads built into the mountains. When Xiang Yu, Hegemon of Chu, was busy putting down rebellions, Han Xin, Liu Bang’s general, pretended to repair the gallery roads to put his enemy’s focus on it. Meanwhile, he secretly advanced his forces through the city of Chencang and took the enemy by surprise.)
“Many of our brothers were lost, but fortunately, the walls were tall, and all of them had taken part in the Battle of Talas. Thus, the losses were still acceptable. Our casualties are primarily injured,” Sword Dragon truthfully reported.
Wang Chong nodded. The soldiers that Sword Dragon had led were almost all the former bandits who had been recruited from the Silk Road. These people were top class when it came to running for their lives, digging holes, and laying down tripwires. These were the ones who had laid down the traps hindering Zhang Zheng’s advance, causing his army to arrive an hour later than the Eastern Palace had agreed.
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