The Human Emperor c1-2382

by Huangfu Qi (皇甫奇)

  “Haaah…”

  A long sigh pierced through the snowstorm and traveled into the distance. Dalon Trinling suddenly extended his hand and placed it on the saber at his waist.

  His eyes suddenly turned hard and resolved.

  “Pass on my order! Mobilize the army! Prepare to move out!”

  Clang! Dalon Trinling pulled out his saber and pointed it at the sky.

  As Dalon Trinling gave the order, the part of the heavens representing Ü-Tsang shifted, and a bleak energy penetrated through the void, a sharp sword pointed at the Central Plains.

  On the ground, after a moment of silence, all of the Tibetan Plateau began to tremble.

  This tremor was very weak at first, but it took only a few short moments to become as loud as thunder.

  Neigh!

  The neighing of warhorses came from the distance. Behind Dalon Trinling, on both sides of the Ü-Tsang royal palace, two thin, black lines appeared on the horizon, rapidly expanding into giant waves.

  “Kill!”

  In a flash, a vast sea of Tibetan cavalry arrived, sweeping past Dalon Trinling with an unstoppable momentum and carrying Ü-Tsang’s do-or-die resolve toward the Western Turkic Khaganate.

  And as the heavens shifted, the entire world experienced a momentous shift.

  Goguryeo formally declared war against the Great Tang!

  The Eastern Turks formally declared war against the Great Tang!

  Ü-Tsang formally declared war against the Great Tang!

  The Xi and the Khitans formally declared war against the Great Tang!

  In the space of a single day, all the countries to the north of the Great Tang had combined their armies and declared war. This news stunned the world.

  And what was most shocking of all was the final piece of news.

  The Andong Protectorate had rebelled!

  The new Andong Protector-General, at the head of an army of six hundred thousand Youzhou cavalry, had joined the other countries in formally declaring war against the Great Tang!

  Shock!

  Stupefaction!

  Everyone in the Central Plains had been rendered speechless by this series of events.

  What in the world had happened?

  Was An Yaluoshan not the Andong Protector-General freshly appointed by the court, who had rendered great service for the realm?

  Why had he rebelled against the empire?

  And hadn’t the Great Tang declared war against Goguryeo?

  Why had all the other countries joined in?

  Though the weather had been growing colder and colder, all of the people felt as if the world had changed in the span of a single day!

  A war of unprecedented scale had engulfed the eastern world.

  All eyes in the Central Plains now turned to the capital. Everyone awaited the Imperial Court’s decision, though perhaps it was better to say that they awaited the movements of one man.

  “All of you couldn’t restrain yourselves any longer?”

  To the southwest of the Imperial Palace, within the majestic King of Foreign Lands Residence, Wang Chong stood in front of the main hall. A snowstorm howled above him, but not a single snowflake could even drift onto his shoulder. All snowflakes seemed to encounter an invisible barrier when they got three feet from Wang Chong and slid to the ground.

  Wang Chong’s gaze was contemptuous, his entire body exuding a domineering aura.

  “Since you want a fight, this king will fight to the end and end all of you!”

  He flicked his finger, sending the letter from Zhang Que flying through the air. After flying several dozen feet, the letter exploded into paper bits that rained down over the capital.

  The countries had finally joined together!

  Wang Chong was neither shocked nor surprised. After all his effort, the Great Tang was no longer the same Great Tang.

  In his last life, the Central Plains had been in shambles after the Sage Emperor’s death, and it would have found it very hard to fight even one battle against the alliance army.

  But now, the Great Tang was a mighty wall that all the other countries needed to bring down. And behind this barrier, the Great Tang’s million-man army would serve as the worst nightmare for the other countries, demanding their respect.

  Wang Chong would not give the alliance any more chances. He would complete the job and end all wars between the countries of the continent.

  There would be no truce!

  This time, the winner would take all. Only one side would stand at the apex.

  “Li Jingzhong, is His Majesty ready?” Wang Chong said without turning his head.

  “Your Highness, the Imperial Court has been in session throughout the night, and everything has been decided. The Six Bureaus are hard at work, and His Majesty has already decreed that all the resources of the empire are at your disposal. Starting from now, Your Highness’s words are His Majesty’s words. No one can defy them.”

  Only a few paces behind Wang Chong, Li Jingzhong bowed, his expression filled with awe and reverence.

  The Great Tang had a million-man army, and Wang Chong stood at the top of it. Above him was only the Emperor, and beneath him were all the people of the Central Plains, including all the soldiers and generals. All of them were at Wang Chong’s beck and call.

  If Wang Chong wanted to rebel, no one would be able to stop him.

  It was an unthinkable level of authority.

  But all levels of the court, including Li Heng, had absolute trust in him. This was Wang Chong’s current status.

  Li Jingzhong swallowed before adding, “In addition, His Majesty has said that he is waiting for you at the northern drilling ground.”

  “Mm!”

  Wang Chong gave a slight nod, and then he vanished like a ghost. Li Jingzhong couldn’t even tell how he had left.

  At the northern drilling ground, cold winds howled as snowflakes drifted down from dark clouds.

  A somber air engulfed the drilling ground. Tens of thousands of cavalry were neatly arranged across the training ground, their bodies radiating killing intent that distorted the air.

  At the very northern end of the drilling ground, a high platform had been set up. A massive dragon banner flapped above it, and beneath the banner was a youthful figure wearing imperial robes. He stood straight and tall, his eyes awesome and chilling. While his face was young, it possessed the aura of a sovereign.

  This was the Emperor of the Great Tang, Li Heng.

  Behind Li Heng stood Zhangchou Jianqiong, the Grand Preceptor, the Grand Tutor, Beacon General Jiang Yunrang, and more than half of the other major officials of the court.

  Bzzz! In a flash of light, Wang Chong appeared in front of Li Heng, his cape flapping and his armor shining.

  “Lowly subject Wang Chong pays respects to His Majesty!”

  His voice resounded through the drilling ground as he got down on one knee.

  Since ancient times, for every campaign, the sovereign would build a platform and erect his banner. This ceremony was known as the appointing of a general.

  Chapter 2152 - The Alliance Gathers!

  Chapter 2152: The Alliance Gathers!

  Translated by: Hypersheep325

  Edited by: Michyrr

  “You’ve come.”

  Li Heng looked at Wang Chong and nodded, his entire body relaxing.

  “Are you ready?”

  “Your Majesty, please give the order!” Wang Chong respectfully replied.

  Clang!

  Li Heng became focused, and he pulled out the Son of Heaven’s Sword and pointed it at the sky.

  “The skies have turned yellow, and a rebel leads the other countries in an assault. We, as the Emperor of the Great Tang, upholding the will of the Sage Emperor, appoint the King of Foreign Lands as the Supreme Marshal of the Nine Provinces to lead the army against the enemy.

  “All Protector-Generals, Great Generals, and officials must heed the orders of Wang Chong! Those who disobey will be executed!


  “Wang Chong, receive the decree!”

  Clang! The Son of Heaven’s Sword suddenly turned around in Li Heng’s hand and thrust into the ground.

  The drilling ground trembled as it made impact.

  Wang Chong lowered his head and loudly declared, “The subject, Wang Chong, accepts the decree!”

  A pillar of energy erupted from Wang Chong’s body and soared into the air.

  Rumble!

  The heavens once more went through a momentous shift, and in the eyes of countless astrologers, a large star in the region of the Central Plains suddenly began to move northward, away from the Emperor Star. It exuded a somber energy like a sharp sword, and it was aimed toward the northeast.

  “Sacred Lord White Tiger! Sacred Lord White Tiger is leaving the capital!”

  “A war is stirring! This is an omen for a coming slaughter! The last time the White Tiger Star moved, Arabia was vanquished and millions of people were killed. Now that the White Tiger is moving again, who knows how many people will die?”

  “The serpents bite at the dragon, attacking the Great Tang. This has provoked the White Tiger, and once it has begun to move, there is no going back!”

  “Calamity! Calamity is coming!”

  Numerous astrologers across the realm sensed this development.

  “Wang Chong, it’s all up to you.”

  After finishing the appointment, Li Heng looked at Wang Chong, his energy fading and his imperial aura dissipating.

  Country first and family later. Now that imperial matters were done, they could once more treat each other like friends.

  “Be at ease. I will never permit enemy soldiers to invade the Nine Provinces. Those who offend the Great Tang will be punished no matter how far away they are! I will not let them get away unscathed!” Wang Chong sternly said, a harsh light in his eyes.

  Just how powerful was the Great Tang now? It had defeated Ü-Tsang, vanquished Arabia, and killed millions, but even this was not enough to cow the other countries!

  Was it because their ambitions were too great, or was it because the Great Tang had been too soft? Regardless, he would correct this ‘mistake’!

  Whoosh!

  A moment later, Wang Chong mounted his horse and pulled out his sword.

  “All soldiers, move out!”

  Rumble! The earth swayed as the tens of thousands of soldiers gathered at the drilling ground began to make their way to the northeast.

  The invasion of all the other countries had not only provoked the rage of Wang Chong and the Imperial Court, but also the fury of the people of the realm.

  “Kill!”

  “Kill!”

  “Kiiill!”

  With these infuriated roars, the war machine of the Great Tang began to spin at one hundred times its previous speed. According to the plan, the newly recruited soldiers swiftly replenished the ranks of the protectorate armies. Other than a small portion that was moved to Wushang’s City of Steel in the northwest, nearly ninety percent of the army began to march toward the north.

  The Divine Martial Army, the Mo Saber Unit, the Wushang Cavalry… all of the Great Tang’s elite forces, along with Bahram’s Aswaran Cataphracts, began to march toward the northeast.

  Countless people within the capital watched as the army marched northward, the mood grim and oppressive.

  “Grandpa, we’re going to win this war, right?” a child of only four or five asked his grandfather.

  “Of course! Definitely!” the old man soothed, but his brow was tinged with worry.

  This was no longer just a question of Youzhou. Goguryeo, the Xi, the Khitans, the Eastern Turks, the Ü-Tsang Empire… almost all of the empires bordering the Great Tang had joined in on this war.

  The Great Tang had been through a war and a change in sovereigns. The new Emperor was recently enthroned, and the country’s situation was not yet stable. It was an extremely bad situation for the Great Tang.

  “King of Foreign Lands, it all depends on you!”

  Countless people in the crowd looked toward that massive banner, the same kind of hope in their eyes.

  No matter what sort of peril the Great Tang faced, it would not be so easily shaken. This was a firm conviction that the people of the Great Tang had developed over countless years.

  Winds would herald a coming storm!

  The stench of war had reached maximum saturation, and fighting could break out at any time.

  When all of the Great Tang’s attention was on Wang Chong and the battlefield, a slender figure stood on a wall tower in the southwest corner of the capital. Holding up an oiled umbrella and wearing a cloak of white goose feathers, she silently watched Wang Chong leave.

  “Young Lady…”

  Behind her, a beautiful maid hesitantly looked at Xu Qiqin.

  “There’s no need,” Xu Qiqin indifferently said, lightly shaking her head as if she knew what her maid wanted to say.

  “A true man is born to seize the world. At a time like this, we should not burden him with more. Let him go in peace.”

  The maid was taken aback by these words.

  Winds howling around her, Xu Qiqin silently watched until Wang Chong’s army had vanished beyond the horizon.

  ……

  Rumble!

  Bwoooom!

  Bongbongbong!

  As the Great Tang’s armies gathered at the steel fortress, in the northeast, on the border, drums thundered and horns blared.

  The Eastern Turks, the Goguryeons, the Xi, the Khitans… all of these countries had mobilized almost everything they could, and an army of more than one million was gathering in Youzhou at the place agreed on beforehand by the alliance.

  The thundering of hooves could be heard far off in the distance, and as time passed, the mood of Youzhou continued to grow more and more somber.

  Some six hundred li from Wang Chong’s steel fortress, four large and two small banners had been thrust in the snow. Beneath these banners, several powerful figures had gathered.

  Behind each of them was a vast army. In this small region, more than two hundred thousand soldiers had been gathered.

  “The time has come!”

  “Can Ü-Tsang be trusted? Do we really need to plant their banner?”

  “Relax! Dalon Trinling will definitely send his soldiers!” An Yaluoshan said. “Although Ü-Tsang’s soldiers are cut off from us for now, they can still hold down part of the Great Tang’s army. And I trust that someone of Dalon Trinling’s strength can eventually break through the blockade and join with our army!”

  He maintained his short and chubby appearance, but he exuded a domineering majesty that no one would dare to directly confront. At this moment, none of the countries dared to underestimate this ‘slave general’. A clown could have never reached this stage, nor would a clown possess such ambition, daring to want all of the Great Tang.

  “Mm.”

  All of the leaders nodded.

  Though Ü-Tsang’s army was alone in the northwest, since An Yaluoshan had spoken, they trusted that there would be no problem.

  “What of Arabia?” Yeon Gaesomun suddenly said. “Gao Xianzhi and An Sishun are both capable generals with veteran armies. If those armies attack our rear at the crucial moment, we’ll be in dire straits!”

  Before they swore the oath of alliance, they needed to consider every scenario. No one would be able to take the responsibility for an error, and Yeon Gaesomun had never underestimated the Great Generals of the Central Plains!

  With the cold wave’s descent, the Goguryeo Empire had already bet the fate of its country on this war. No one could bear the price of failure!

  “Be at ease. Once we set out, the Fulin people will also mobilize their army and attack Arabia to hold down Gao Xianzhi and An Sishun. In addition, Baghdad will also send some soldiers. Although it won’t be enough to defeat An Sishun and Gao Xianzhi, it will be enough to hold them down,” An Yaluoshan calmly replied, his tone that of someone who had already envisioned and taken care of al
l possible scenarios.

  “If that’s the case, then I have no more objections!”

  Everyone nodded, Yeon Gaesomun included.

  Whoosh!

  A moment later, the representatives of the five major factions, four men and one woman, each extracted a curved knife from their bosoms. They made small cuts in their fingers, each letting a drop of blood fall into an ancient, rectangular cauldron that had been filled with wine.

  Though the weather was cold enough to freeze flowing water, the blood of these five powerhouses was hot and bursting with energy.

  And once all five had added their blood to the cauldron…

  Clap!

  Several Youzhou soldiers opened the toad-shaped apertures around the cauldron, filling goblets with the wine and offering them to the five leaders.

  “A toast! For the alliance!”

  “A toast! For the alliance!”

  “A toast! For the alliance!”

  The goblets clinked, and then An Yaluoshan, Yeon Gaesomun, Ozmish Khagan, the Xi Queen, and the Khitan King drained the cups of wine.

  An alliance sworn on blood!

  At this moment, the alliance had formally taken shape!

  Ozmish Khagan, Yeon Gaesomun, the Khitan King, and the Xi Queen turned to An Yaluoshan.

  Although it was said that all members of the alliance were at an equal level, An Yaluoshan had already been acknowledged as the de facto leader.

  If not for An Yaluoshan serving as the mediator, it would have been very difficult for this alliance to take form.

  Moreover, An Yaluoshan was the Andong Protector-General, and he had the greatest understanding of the Great Tang. Letting him lead would make the war effort easier and also increase their chances of defeating the Great Tang.

  Chapter 2153 - Starting Today, I Am An Lushan!

  Chapter 2153: Starting Today, I Am An Lushan!

  Translated by: Hypersheep325

  Edited by: Michyrr

  The world fell silent as An Yaluoshan looked to the south.

  For some reason, after receiving the baptism of the black dragon and fusing his destiny with its, he had not only gotten stronger. His perception of the world and his control over its power had also gotten stronger. At certain points, fragmentary images would flit by his eyes.