“Young Master, though we brought back the Rainbow Glass Divine Grass, if the other party is truly who we think it is, then the situation is extremely grave!”
Young Master Qingyang’s face turned dark and grim.
Chapter 2032 - : Summons from Third Son Xuan!
Chapter 2032: Summons from Third Son Xuan!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
The hall was quiet, Wang Chong, Young Master Qingyang, and Sword Dragon saying nothing.
Wang Chong looked at the dagger in his hand and the distinct coiling dragon pattern on it, his brow furrowed.
Wang Chong had developed some conjectures when he had first received news of the attack several days ago, but he had never imagined that it would really be men from the imperial household who had ambushed Young Master Qingyang.
Truly prepared assassins would never use such emblematic weapons that could be used to investigate them.
There were only two explanations. Either the enemy was extremely stupid or extremely arrogant, believing that even if their assassination failed and was discovered, they still had nothing to fear.
It seems that it can only be him!
The image of Third Son Xuan emerged in Wang Chong’s mind, and a dark cloud of worry flitted across his face.
If this were anyone else, there would be an eighty to ninety percent chance that they were being framed, but Wang Chong knew that the man in the palace had exactly the unrestrained style capable of doing such a thing.
More importantly, the appearance of the ‘jadeblood shark’ meant that Wang Chong’s greatest concern had come true.
Young Master Qingyang’s mission to search for the Rainbow Glass Divine Grass was now exposed, and Third Son Xuan had full knowledge of what he was planning!
Wang Chong’s brows shot upward as an intense danger surged up in his mind.
Wang Chong knew that if Third Son Xuan knew what he was up to, then this was far from over!
But Wang Chong quickly got ahold of himself.
“I have been informed on this matter. Thank you for your service. Go and rest. I will deal with the rest!”
“Yes, Young Master!”
Young Master Qingyang and Sword Dragon bowed, their expressions much more relaxed.
Their primary reason for returning this time was not the Rainbow Glass Divine Grass, but to deliver to Wang Chong the news about the imperial household.
But once they saw Wang Chong’s reaction, they calmed down. Whatever the occasion, as long as Wang Chong said this, it meant that he had a way to deal with it and there was no need to worry.
Young Master Qingyang and Sword Dragon quickly departed, and about six to eight hours after they had gone, in the early morning…
Gallop!
A war horse galloped through the nearly deserted streets, riding into the Imperial Palace.
“Reporting!” The guard got down on one knee. “Your Majesty, we’ve just received word that our interception failed, and the Bloodshark Guards suffered heavy losses, with only a few of them managing to escape. In addition, that pair with the Rainbow Glass Divine Grass has already returned to the capital and entered the King of Foreign Lands Residence.
“The other side was extremely sharp and shot down all our messenger birds beforehand, thus causing the news to only arrive now.”
“What?!”
A thunderous roar of rage caused the entirety of Taiji Palace to tremble.
Third Son Xuan sat on his throne, a golden plate set next to him. On this golden plate were three round and dazzling golden pills that exuded a strange aroma.
These were the immortality pills the newly appointed Empire Guardian Heavenly Master had refined for the Sage Emperor. Third Son Xuan had been taking these immortality pills all this time. This was partially to suppress the Sage Emperor’s soul, but Master Xuan Ming had also said that taking these pills could extend his lifespan.
For dynasty after dynasty, whether it was the talented and ambitious First Emperor of the Qin, the peerless conqueror Wu of Han, or even Emperor Taizong of this dynasty…
No matter how wise and powerful the sovereign was, they could not deny the allure of immortality, and Third Son Xuan was no exception.
After taking these pills for several days, Third Son Xuan could already sense that the soul in his body had been completely suppressed. However, the guard’s report still left him furious.
If Wang Chong had truly managed to get the Rainbow Glass Divine Grass, hadn’t his previous efforts been for nothing?
“Damn! You useless things!”
Third Son Xuan gnashed his teeth, and as he shot to his feet, energy swept out from him that caused Taiji Palace to tremble.
The guard who had reported the news was swept up by a golden wave of energy and thrown out of the hall.
“Your Majesty, please calm yourself!”
The attending Master Xuan Ming suddenly came forward and called out, making a hand salute as he began to speak.
“What’s done is done, and blaming your subordinates will not fix anything. The White Tiger Star is a powerful star, and for its subordinates to be extremely powerful is not unreasonable. Your Majesty’s most urgent priority should be to resolve this crisis.
“Although the Rainbow Glass Divine Grass can serve as a powerful restraint against Your Majesty, there is still a chance to stop this!” Master Xuan Ming sternly said.
Master Xuan Ming’s words caused a hint of killing intent to appear in the eyes of the furious Third Son Xuan.
“Bastard! Since you insist on opposing Us, do not blame Us for what happens next!”
Rumble!
As Third Son Xuan bellowed, the atmosphere of the capital suddenly changed. A bolt of lightning flashed across the Imperial Palace, and dark clouds roiled as a storm began brewing.
……
Within the King of Foreign Lands Residence, all was peaceful.
Crack!
Wang Chong opened a sandalwood box to look at the object within.
The books he had previously collected had given detailed descriptions of the Rainbow Glass Divine Grass, but this was the first time Wang Chong had seen this legendary grass of the Kunlun Mountains with his own eyes.
Befitting its name, the grass was transparent like glass. If he had not seen it with his own eyes, he would have found it hard to believe that nature could produce something so miraculous.
And if he looked carefully, he could see that a light green sap was flowing through the stem, seemingly brimming with energy.
There was no sunlight in the hall, but the torches blazed on the walls, and there were also candlesticks. As this light passed through the glassy stem and leaves, a dazzling rainbow of light came out from the other end, carrying a type of special and spiritual beauty that only plants possessed.
“Yes, this should be the Rainbow Glass Divine Grass!”
Wang Chong looked at the plant and sighed.
It would be lucky to encounter such a plant once in one hundred years, and many people had only heard of its name, never seen the real deal. When he sent Young Master Qingyang and Sword Dragon to find this plant, he was only doing everything that he could, not actually expecting it to be found.
Although Young Master Qingyang had not said anything, the two of them had undoubtedly paid a significant cost to find it.
However, for Wang Chong, getting the divine grass was only the start. It was important, but what was most important was finding out how to most effectively use the divine grass so that it could call back the true Sage Emperor.
Though Wang Chong had books recording the Rainbow Glass Divine Grass, none of them mentioned which part could be used.
After all, how many people across history had ever been able to touch the Divine Martial realm?
Let alone touch, most of the supreme experts of the world had never even heard of the Divine Martial realm.
Even with the divine grass, he had no use for it without a prescription
.
Not only that, Third Son Xuan had completely changed the guards around him, and the conflicts regarding the Peace Pavilion and selection of women had worsened the relationship between Wang Chong and Third Son Xuan, putting Third Son Xuan on his guard.
Let alone feeding Third Son Xuan medicine, Wang Chong would find it hard to even get close to the man.
Wang Chong gazed at the Rainbow Glass Divine Grass and then closed the box, his brow furrowing once more in thought.
At this moment, a voice came from outside the hall.
“An imperial decree has arrived!”
Wang Chong raised an eyebrow and looked out of the hall.
In the blink of an eye, there was a rush of footsteps and a great clamor that was rapidly approaching Wang Chong.
“King of Foreign Lands, receive the decree!”
A few seconds later, with a haughty declaration, the doors to the room were pushed open.
A graying eunuch with a sinister gaze walked in, holding a decree in his hand.
Behind him were a group of Golden Guards and minor eunuchs.
Around them were Xu Keyi, Su Shixuan, and a group of red-faced estate guards.
“Your Highness, my apologies! They forced their way through! We couldn’t stop them!”
Wang Chong glanced at them and said, “Withdraw!”
He had earlier ordered that he was not to be interrupted while researching the Rainbow Glass Divine Grass, but Xu Keyi and his men could not stop an imperial decree.
“Yes, Your Highness!”
Xu Keyi’s face was stricken with shame.
“Hmph, Your Highness, don’t waste time! Receive the decree!”
The old eunuch coldly snorted as he got straight to the point.
“Wang Chong receives the decree!”
After a few moments of thought, Wang Chong stepped forward and bowed.
The eunuch unrolled the decree and began to speak in his shrill voice.
“Acceding to the will of the heavens, the Emperor declares:
“The King of Foreign Lands is a strong pillar of the Great Tang, a major contributor to the well-being of the country. We have not seen him in many days and have missed his presence. The King of Foreign Lands is ordered to enter the palace without delay!”
The contents of the decree immediately made Wang Chong frown.
An imperial decree was a formal order, and as the saying went, ‘the decrees of a sovereign are like a mountain, and a sovereign does not speak lightly’. Thus, decrees were often revised several times by the Bureau of Rites, and the wording was often solemn and followed a strict style.
But this imperial decree contained only a few words written very casually and in a loose style. Rather than an imperial decree, it was more like a verbal order.
Before Wang Chong had time to think, the old eunuch rolled up the decree and shot Wang Chong a cold sneer.
“Your Highness, the Sage Emperor is not to be kept waiting. His Majesty ordered that Your Highness was to leave for the palace immediately upon receiving the decree, without the slightest delay. A carriage is waiting outside, so there is no need for Your Highness to find some excuse. Please!”
The old eunuch made an inviting motion.
Chapter 2033 - The Plot Exposed!
Chapter 2033: The Plot Exposed!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Whoooah!
Upon hearing the old eunuch’s words, Xu Keyi and Su Shixuan instantly paled.
Visitors did not come with good intentions, and those with good intentions did not visit!
The process of announcing and receiving the decree was extremely ceremonial. Even if the Sage Emperor was summoning someone for an audience, some time was left for the subject to bathe and change clothes before they went to court or to have an audience.
But now, right after the decree was read, Wang Chong was being ordered to enter the palace without any time to prepare. This was clearly a compelled summons!
Was there any wise sovereign in history who had given their subject a compelled summons?
“Understood! Wang Chong receives the decree!” Wang Chong quickly replied to the old eunuch’s exhortations.
“But, Your Highness…”
Xu Keyi and the others were anxious and wanted to say more, but Wang Chong cut them off with a wave of his hand.
“Sir Eunuch, I’ve troubled you. Wang Chong will follow Sir Eunuch into the palace!”
The decrees of the sovereign were as immovable as mountains!
He understood why Xu Keyi and the others were worried, but the other party had clearly come prepared. A verbal command was enough to call him into the palace, but an imperial decree had been used specifically to prevent him from refusing.
Third Son Xuan had long been dissatisfied with him. If he defied the decree, he would immediately be accused of disobedience.
At that point, entering the palace late would be about the same as not entering the palace for Third Son Xuan.
“Your Highness!”
At this moment, Young Master Qingyang and Sword Dragon charged out from the rear.
The two of them had been resting from their journey in the rear hall, and had rushed over when they heard about what was happening.
Glancing at the old eunuch with the decree and then glancing at Wang Chong, the two immediately understood what was happening, and deep concern appeared in their eyes.
Too fast!
They had just arrived in the capital with the Rainbow Glass Divine Grass, but only a few hours later, Third Son Xuan had responded and sent his men!
“Wait in the estate. I’ll be back soon!”
Wang Chong’s eyes were grim, and he exchanged a glance with Young Master Qingyang before following the eunuch.
“Please enter!”
“Return to the palace!”
Wang Chong boarded the carriage and was quickly escorted by the eunuchs and guards toward the Imperial Palace.
Whoosh!
Not long after he had left, messenger birds took off in every direction.
The news that the Sage Emperor, who was seemingly displeased with Wang Chong, had sent eunuchs to pick up Wang Chong and escort him to the palace was quickly sent to Zhangchou Jianqiong, King Song, and Li Heng.
This incident set off a major shockwave.
Each of them found the matter very suspicious. For the Sage Emperor to suddenly call on Wang Chong was far too abnormal.
“Prepare my carriage. I must immediately go and see His Majesty!
“And get in touch with Zhangchou Jianqiong. Have him enter the palace with me on the pretext of an important matter in the Bureau of Military Personnel!”
In his estate, King Song felt extremely uneasy, his eyes twitching.
A few moments later, the carriages of King Song and Zhangchou Jianqiong were heading toward the palace gates.
But when the two of them arrived, they saw the palace gates closing shut.
Atop the high walls, a general made an emotionless proclamation.
“The Sage Emperor has decreed that nobody is to enter before noon!”
King Song and Zhangchou Jianqiong glanced at each other, their hearts sinking.
Boom!
Within the ornate carriage, Wang Chong heard the metallic clang of the gates shutting, and he imperceptibly frowned.
The palace gates should not have shut at this time. This was far too suspicious.
Moreover… the Imperial Palace was too quiet today!
“Your Highness, there is no need to overthink things. His Majesty is waiting in Taiji Palace, so we should make haste! We cannot let His Majesty wait for too long!” The old eunuch’s chilly voice came from outside.
“Sir Eunuch, please lead the way,” Wang Chong indifferently said.
This old eunuch was merely a messenger, so there was no point in arguing with him.
The carriage passed through the various palace avenues, the surroundings frighteningly quiet
.
Wang Chong had been into the palace before, even infiltrated the Imperial Palace in the middle of the night once to force Hou Junji into the open, but even then, the Imperial Palace had not been so quiet.
Moreover, even though Wang Chong was seated in the carriage and couldn’t see outside, his mental waves spread for thousands of feet around him, and he could ‘see’ the reactions of all the soldiers, maids, and eunuchs.
Wang Chong’s carriage attracted a great deal of attention wherever it went.
The Imperial Army soldiers standing guard on the walls stood at attention, their gazes pointed unswervingly ahead, but when Wang Chong’s carriage rode past, these people couldn’t help but shoot the carriage a glance.
Even though they quickly turned their heads back around, Wang Chong had still sensed their movements.
These people… were all transferred over to watch me!
Wang Chong’s heart thumped as this idea flew through his mind.
At this moment, he finally understood.
After taking over the Great Tang, Third Son Xuan had engaged in a major reshuffling of the palace, including in the Imperial Army.
Moreover, Wang Chong’s reputation had risen to a high point in the Imperial Army after the war of the northwest. Normally, the vast majority of the Imperial Army venerated Wang Chong, and they would not be like these sentries, who appeared to be guarding their posts but were actually observing Wang Chong.
At that moment, Wang Chong’s brow lightly creased with worry, but he said nothing.
Whoosh!
The carriage continued forward, and a few moments later, with a great boom, it stopped. At this time, the old eunuch gave a cold chuckle.
“Your Highness, we’ve arrived! Up ahead is Taiji Palace. Your Highness, please go in. This lowly one cannot accompany you.”
Once Wang Chong came out, the old eunuch left with the Golden Guards and minor eunuchs.
The area was eerily still. Wang Chong looked up and saw that Taiji Palace was just as majestic and soaring as ever, but he sensed that there was something slightly different about it today.
“His Majesty has decreed that the King of Foreign Lands is to make haste to enter and see His Majesty!”
At the top of the steps stood an old eunuch, his shrill voice resounding across the steps.
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