The Human Emperor c1-2382

by Huangfu Qi (皇甫奇)

  He had jeered Wang Chong in his visit to the estate, but nothing had happened, and he had smoothly departed. He had concluded from this that Wang Chong would not do anything to him, perhaps because his status earned him some modicum of respect. He had never imagined that Wang Chong would truly dare to lay hands on him!

  Wang Chong had no idea what the old eunuch was thinking, or perhaps it was better to say that he didn’t care. After sealing the eunuch’s movements, he descended from the gate tower.

  “Hmph, pathetic!”

  Zhang Que coldly glared at the old eunuch, derision in his eyes.

  He had gotten sick of that old eunuch’s bossy attitude a long time ago, but Zhang Que could do nothing while Wang Chong remained silent. But now, he could stand on the gate tower for a few hours as a sort of punishment.

  “Let’s go!”

  Zhang Que led his men down the walls.

  Rumble!

  Meanwhile, the thundering of hooves came from the distance as An Yaluoshan and his Youzhou cavalry majestically approached the capital. Wang Chong stood in the center of the gate, his golden armor flashing and his cape flapping in the wind.

  Six li, five li, four li…

  The distance was shrinking.

  From a distance, the air within the dust seemed distorted as the nearly seven hundred black-armored Youzhou cavalry rode up in a disciplined and orderly fashion.

  They came as a great wave, backed with the power of a dragon.

  Wang Chong could tell that this was a formidable fighting force, one of the best in the Central Plains.

  Wang Chong scanned the group and immediately noticed something strange.

  While Zhang Shougui also placed Hu in high positions, he also had numerous Han officers in his ranks. In using Hu and Han together, Zhang Shougui differed from the practices of the Beiting Protectorate.

  But in An Yaluoshan’s hands, this force of nearly seven hundred soldiers was more than ninety percent Hu, an even higher ratio than the Beiting Protectorate.

  Wang Chong’s eyes rippled for a moment, but he swiftly turned his attention to several tall figures riding at the front of the army.

  An Yaluoshan!

  His gaze locked onto the chubby figure at the front.

  After two and a half years, An Yaluoshan had changed quite significantly. There were more angles to his face, and his aura was much more energetic. But his chubbiness continued to make him seem honest and likable.

  His plump face and that innocent smile would make anyone believe that this man posed no threat. They might even make fun of him.

  But Wang Chong knew that the formidable Zhang Shougui had lost to this innocent and guileless face.

  You can trick others, but you can’t deceive me! I’d like to see what scheme you’re trying to pull off!

  Wang Chong stared at An Yaluoshan with a cold chill in his eyes, and an imperceptible killing intent.

  From a distance, An Yaluoshan and his men were also examining Wang Chong.

  “So powerful!”

  An Yaluoshan’s eyes briefly flashed when he saw Wang Chong.

  Comparing this Wang Chong to the Wang Chong from two and a half years ago was like comparing heaven and earth.

  While that Wang Chong who had led his forces in that lethal pursuit against him on that rainy night had seemed extremely sharp and dangerous, he was not as domineering or as imposing as this Wang Chong.

  The Wang Chong from two and a half years ago was a bamboo shoot that had just sprouted from the earth. Meanwhile, this Wang Chong was a mighty bamboo that soared into the sky, standing tall and firm no matter what storm it encountered.

  What An Yaluoshan noticed the most was the eyes: cold, stern, sharp as swords, and infused with a tyrannical energy!

  To match gazes with Wang Chong was to be stabbed by a blade. Even An Yaluoshan found himself unable to endure it.

  Many things had changed in two and a half years.

  But the only thing that hadn’t changed was that familiar and bone-chilling killing intent coming off Wang Chong’s body!

  It was said that the King of Foreign Lands was meek, humble, and loyal to the Great Tang. Even when the Confucian Sect was thinking of every way to bully and humiliate him, he always held back. But the King of Foreign Lands seemed to put on a different mask for him that was overbearing, menacing, and unrelenting!

  One day, I’ll bring you down just like I brought down Zhang Shougui!

  An Yaluoshan’s eyes narrowed as he recalled their past encounter, a sliver of killing intent leaking out.

  Behind An Yaluoshan, Cui Qianyou, Tian Chengsi, Gao Shang, and Yan Zhuang took Wang Chong’s measure.

  “So powerful!”

  This was the first thing Cui Qianyou and Tian Chengsi felt.

  He’s grown even more frightening than two years ago!

  Their eyes twitched and their hearts shivered.

  In Youzhou, the strongest and most feared had undoubtedly been Zhang Shougui, but not even Zhang Shougui had such an imposing majesty. And most terrifying of all was his aura, which was as sharp as a sword. Just looking at him made it feel like one’s eyes were being stabbed.

  There was no number one amongst scholars and no number two amongst martial artists. These two had once considered fighting with Wang Chong, but when they actually saw him, they banished these thoughts from their minds.

  They might have been able to compete with other Great Generals, but never Wang Chong!

  This was what the two of them felt.

  Chapter 1990 - The Two Sides Meet (II)

  Chapter 1990: The Two Sides Meet (II)Translated by: Hypersheep325

  Edited by: MichyrrGao Shang and Yan Zhuang felt something entirely different.A dragon amongst men!This was Gao Shang’s immediate reaction.Gao Shang had never met Wang Chong before, and this was his first time meeting the legendary War God of the Great Tang. In the past, Gao Shang would have somewhat looked down on Wang Chong. After, scholars and martial artists pursued different paths.But after that fortune manifestation, the number one strategist had gained an entirely different opinion of Wang Chong.Young! Far too young!Gao Shang inspected Wang Chong. He had a perfectly formed face, with strong and sturdy cheekbones. In the field of bone divination, this was considered the face of a dragon or phoenix.Gao Shang had begun traveling the world at a young age, and he had met many heroic characters: governors, powerful border officials, court officials, nobles… Though he was never able to enter their homes or offices, he could still see them from a distance.But none of these heroic figures could compare to this golden-armored youth standing at the gate.But most important of all was that he was simply too young!Pacifying the southwest, Ü-Tsang, Talas, and destroying Arabia… even for legendary War Gods and generals, these were difficult feats, but this man had done it all before the age of twenty.Truly the most superb of vassals!Gao Shang had studied all the histories, even the unofficial ones, but he had never heard of someone like this.If one needed to describe him in a few words, it would be ‘hero of the age’!What a pity that we must be enemies!Ripples of unease appeared in Gao Shang’s heart, but he quickly managed to calm them, his expression turning ice-cold.The mightier and more heroic Wang Chong was, the greater the enemy he was to Youzhou and the more he needed to be removed.Fortune and fame were found in danger, and he would never allow anyone to stop him and the others of Youzhou from pressing forward.Any stumbling blocks had to be eradicated!Everyone was focused on Wang Chong, but suddenly…“Everyone, watch out!”Tian Chengsi and Cui Qianyou paled, the two of them going for their sabers and their faces tensing.They had been so focused on Wang Chong that they had failed to notice the heavy ballistae and sharp arrows targeting them from behind the city gate. Moreover, Wang Chong stood in the center of the road with an icy visage, clearly not welcoming any visitors.The Sage Emperor had ordered Wang Chong to welcome An Yaluoshan, but where was the welcome?This was clearly the prelude to a battle!Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!Following Cui Qianyou’s order, the nearly seven hundred Yo
uzhou elites dismounted, their energies rising as they tensely gripped their weapons and prepared for battle.Heavy ballistae could not be underestimated!Although Wang Chong had only brought out ten, heavy ballistae needed just a few seconds to inflict massive casualties.Through various wars, the ballistae had long ago developed the reputation as meat grinders of the battlefield!Youzhou was a chaotic land in which battles were frequent. The soldiers of Youzhou were known for their courage and fearlessness, but not even the greatest courage could stop a ballista!The tension instantly soared.“Ah!”As the two sides took up their positions, cries of alarm came from the surroundings. The onlookers suddenly dispersed like frightened birds.The common folk were rather slow to realize what was going on, but now that both sides were clearly preparing for battle, how could they fail to see it?Gao Shang and Yan Zhuang also became nervous.While Gao Shang tried to remain composed, his fan was creasing up from how tightly he was gripping it, betraying his true feelings.Gao Shang was an intelligent strategist, but according to An Yaluoshan, this man in front of them was a madman, caring not for etiquette or imperial authority.At any time or place, he could attack them!Gao Shang had not put too much stock in these words, but now, he completely believed them.If someone who dared to take out ballistae to ‘welcome’ a newly promoted subject of the court in front of the common people was not a madman, what was he?!If Wang Chong decided to defy the laws and attack, his schemes would be for nothing!“An Yaluoshan, having seen this king, are you still not coming?”Wang Chong’s face was aloof, his eyes cold, and he disdainfully looked down at An Yaluoshan.Even in front of the crowd with so many foreign emissaries watching, Wang Chong had no plan to hide his killing intent.With regards to the future archvillain behind the chaos of the Central Plains, Wang Chong didn’t mind killing him if he had the chance. No matter who was around or who tried to protect him, he would try to kill An Yaluoshan, even if he had to pay some price for it.But Wang Chong first needed to know something.All was silent, the city gate watched by crowds in the open and those hidden in the shadows.An Yaluoshan squinted and quickly broke into a laugh.“Hahaha, what are all of you doing? Don’t you see that this is the Nine Provinces Protector-General? You bastards, hurry and put away your weapons!”An Yaluoshan turned his head and rebuked his soldiers.“Cui Qianyou, Tian Chengsi, don’t you see that this is the hero of the Great Tang? Put your weapons away!”Cui Qianyou and Tian Chengsi hesitated, but they still sheathed their sabers. However, their bodies were still tense and wary.An Yaluoshan turned back around and gave Wang Chong a sincere smile.“To think that the Nine Provinces Protector-General himself would welcome us…! An Yaluoshan is panicked and anxious! He cannot accept this honor!”An Yaluoshan dismounted, bowed his body, and began to walk forward.Cui Qianyou and Tian Chengsi nervously kept close to his side, protecting him.Wang Chong glanced at the two before turning his gaze to An Yaluoshan.“Hmph, I’d like to see how long you can keep up this act.”Wang Chong coldly sneered.An Yaluoshan was trying to play the honest and innocent fool. This might have worked against Zhang Shougui, but not on him.Clap!Wang Chong stepped forward, energy erupting from his body and slamming down on the three like a mountain.Boom! The ground beneath Cui Qianyou and Tian Chengsi exploded, and the two of them paled.An Yaluoshan was in a somewhat better state, but cold sweat broke out on his temples.Wang Chong seemed truly ready to attack them.“The Andong Protector-General is truly bold. You dare to make this king wait for so long? Truly fitting… for the future master of the Central Plains!” Wang Chong coldly said, going to great pains to emphasize the last few words.Whoosh!These words made An Yaluoshan break out in a cold sweat all over.Some of the initial cold sweat had been feigned, an intentional show of weakness in front of Wang Chong, but now, An Yaluoshan was truly frightened.He had prepared himself for all sorts of difficulties from Wang Chong, but Wang Chong had immediately opened with an intimidating salvo that An Yaluoshan found it hard to stand against.An Yaluoshan wiped off his sweat and said, “Yo-your Highness, I have no idea what you’re saying.”“Hmph, do you really not know, or are you only pretending not to know? Do you still plan to use the same disguise you used to hoodwink Protector-General Zhang?” Wang Chong coldly said.With each step he took toward An Yaluoshan, his killing intent thickened.It was so concentrated that it was almost tangible, and even though An Yaluoshan was a Great General, he still felt terrifying pressure.Cui Qianyou finally couldn’t help but speak. “King of Foreign Lands, the Sage Emperor decreed that you should welcome the Lord Protector-General, not question him, and we reported our arrival time to the court long ago. It is Your Highness that came too early.”An Yaluoshan was still the Andong Protector-General, the future True Dragon, Son of Heaven. Even if Wang Chong was the King of Foreign Lands and the Nine Provinces Protector-General, he could not bully his master like this!Wang Chong softly chuckled. Ignoring Cui Qianyou, he turned his eyes back to An Yaluoshan.“You’ve truly got some guts. I let you escape two and a half years ago, but did you think I wouldn’t recognize you?” Wang Chong said in a whisper, his voice oozing bloodlust.Buzz!An Yaluoshan, Cui Qianyou, and Tian Chengsi trembled in shock, and their faces visibly paled.Their greatest worry was that Wang Chong would mention the incident from two and a half years ago.They thought that the passage of the time, the increase in their status, and their favor from the Imperial Court would allow them to at least be polite to each other on the surface.But Wang Chong refused to go along.The feast of all countries was such an important affair with so many important dignitaries, and there were so many spectators, yet Wang Chong had shown no fear and exposed their feud.“This bastard!”Cui Qianyou and Tian Chengsi gripped their sabers, their bodies trembling.Two and a half years ago, Wang Chong had led his forces and inexplicably attacked them. Now that they were meeting again, Wang Chong showed no signs of contrition. On the contrary, he was even more vicious and unrelenting.

  Chapter 1991 - Wang Chong’s Killing Intent!

  Chapter 1991: Wang Chong’s Killing Intent!

  Translated by: Hypersheep325

  Edited by: Michyrr

  An Yaluoshan’s heart was also brimming with killing intent, but the more this was the case, the gentler his expression became, completely devoid of anger.

  “Heh, Your Highness is joking. Since Your Highness attacked us, we must have made a mistake somewhere to incur Your Highness’s anger. If Your Highness was angry and wanted to discipline us, then it was only right.”

  Surprisingly, An Yaluoshan laughed and joked instead of being angry, even bowing in Wang Chong’s direction.

  “I was the rude one. An Yaluoshan apologizes to Your Highness! Your Highness is a man of great character, venerated within Lingyan Pavilion. Presumably, you would not be bothered by a mere Protector-General like me!”

  As An Yaluoshan finished speaking, the area fell silent.

  Though An Yaluoshan was a Hu, he was also a newly promoted official who had just defeated Yeon Gaesomun in the northeast. No one had expected him to be so meek in front of Wang Chong, even bowing and apologizing to him.

  Even Wang Chong was rather surprised.

  A few moments later, Wang Chong regained his composure. He mentally gave a cold laugh as his eyes chilled.

  Zhang Shougui had been a tiger of the realm, and Wang Chong had heard of the ways in which An Yaluoshan had managed to deceive him, but nothing could compare to seeing it for himself.

  An Yaluoshan was a chubby man who would apologize and grovel the moment he was chastised. With the fawning look on his face, he was truly nothing more than a clown to bystanders.

  After being threatened and bullied repeatedly, anyone else would have exploded in rage, but not An Yaluoshan. In front of his subordinates, soldiers, the people of the capital, and all the foreign dignitaries, An Yaluoshan had still lowered himself, showing none of the dignity and pride a normal person would have.

  A normal person who saw An Yaluoshan lowering himself and praising them might have believed that they had won, or that this man was uninteresting, so they would hav
e let him go.

  This fiend truly needs to be killed!

  Wang Chong squinted as the urge to kill him once more appeared in his mind.

  An Yaluoshan was far too shrewd. It was not that he was a person without dignity, nor was he someone that would lower himself in front of the crowd. But as long as he could numb his enemy so that he could eventually defeat them and achieve his goal, An Yaluoshan did not care about dignity. He could even lower himself to the very bottom or play the role of a clown to amuse his enemy.

  Trying to insult this man was like trying to punch cotton. There was no good place to strike.

  But An Yaluoshan’s strategy was useless against Wang Chong. The more he was like this, the more Wang Chong wanted to kill him.

  He was simply too frightening, too patient, too shrewd. The more he displayed these qualities, the greater the scheme he was brewing.

  “Do you not realize… that this is of no use against me?”

  Wang Chong’s eyes flashed as he took another step forward. The two of them were now just a few inches from each other. Wang Chong leaned forward and whispered to An Yaluoshan.

  “An Yaluoshan, you can’t trick me. No matter what you do, I will kill you.

  “Right, I forgot to tell you: Zhang Shougui already knows that you were playing the fool to frame him. In addition, I’ve already treated the poison in his body. He won’t let you go.”

  Buzz!

  An Yaluoshan had a beaming smile on his face, and he had planned to smile and laugh no matter what Wang Chong said. But Wang Chong’s words immediately made his body go stiff and the smile freeze on his lips.

  Silence!

  Absolute silence!

  After what seemed like an eternity, one in which An Yaluoshan’s mind tossed and turned, all of the smiles on An Yaluoshan’s plump face faded, and his little eyes turned cold.

  “King of Foreign Lands, you can’t kill me!” an almost inaudible voice whispered into Wang Chong’s ear.