The Human Emperor c1-2382

by Huangfu Qi (皇甫奇)

  Eastern Turkic Khagan Ozmish, Goguryeo Emperor Yeon Gaesomun, the Khitan King, the Xi Queen, the Great Generals of the various countries, Ü-Tsang’s Tsenpo and Dalon Trinling, and even Mutasim III were in the ranks.

  All of them were humbly prostrating on the ground.

  There were no other empires on this continent, only vassals and subjects of the Great Tang.

  On this continent, there was only one empire: the Great Tang!

  “Announce the decree!”

  Li Heng’s eyes flashed as he withdrew his gaze.

  Li Jingzhong stepped forward and unrolled the decree in his hand.

  “Acceding to the will of the heavens, the Great Tang’s Son of Heaven declares:

  “At present, the world is at peace and all countries rejoice together. Now, Kings shall be crowned to keep peace throughout the realm!

  “Yeon Gaesomun is no longer Emperor and has been granted the title of King of the East!

  “Mengshe Zhao’s sovereign is granted the title of King of the South!

  “The Tsenpo of Ü-Tsang is granted the title of King of the West!

  “Eastern Turkic Khagan Ozmish is no longer Khagan and has been made King of the North!

  “Caliph Mutasim III of the Arabian Empire is no longer the Caliph and has been made King of the Far West!

  “Western Turkic Khagan Barshad is granted the title of the Loyal King!”

  The announcement of the titles resounded through the hall.

  “Thank you for Your Majesty’s grace! May the Emperor live ten thousand years!”

  Yeon Gaesomun, Ozmish Khagan, Fengjiayi, the Tsenpo, Dalon Trinling, and the others respectfully bowed.

  The victor was king while the loser was scorned. The other countries had started this war, and since they had lost, they naturally had nothing to say. In fact, the other countries were more willing to accept this than the cultures of the Central Plains. After all, this sort of thing was extremely normal in tribal cultures.

  Moreover, this war had proved that the Great Tang was far stronger than the other countries. It was the unquestioned supreme empire of the continent!

  Now that they had lost, it naturally wasn’t difficult to accept this fact.

  “In addition, several Governors will now be appointed to handle affairs!

  “Zhangchou Jianqiong is made Governor That Subdues the East!

  “Wang Zhongsi is made Governor That Subdues the North!

  “Bahram is made Governor of the Far West!”

  After the sovereigns were made Kings, Li Heng issued a decree appointing Governors.

  Starting from now, Ozmish Khagan, Yeon Gaesomun, and the other sovereigns would become Kings of the Great Tang. But the actual governance of these countries would be under the Great Tang, handled by the Governors.

  This was the result of discussions between Wang Chong, Li Heng, and the officials of the court.

  Using this war with the other countries as an opportunity, they had decided to bring all of these countries under the administration of the Great Tang so that they could be integrated into the empire. This was the only way to realize a long-lasting peace.

  This was beneficial to both the Great Tang and the other countries.

  “This lowly subject accepts the decree.”

  Zhangchou Jianqiong and Wang Zhongsi stepped forward.

  In the ranks of the officials, neither Yeon Gaesomun nor the other sovereigns were surprised to hear this.

  From the moment they had surrendered to the Great Tang, they had known what their fate would be.

  As Li Heng looked down on the sovereigns and officials, his eyes flickered, pride swelling in his heart.

  Since ancient times, the unification of the entire continent had only been something that the wise sovereigns of the Central Plains had dreamed about. None of them had actually been capable of this feat.

  Not the First Emperor of Qin, the mighty Wu of Han, or even this dynasty’s Taizong… None of them had been able to do it.

  But he had been able to realize it under his reign.

  Imperial Father, did you see it? Your son did not let you down!

  Li Heng felt himself trembling in excitement.

  Flapflap! A few moments later, the court session ended, and a messenger bird flew out of the hall and toward the southern face of the Imperial Palace.

  The gusts of wind were warm as they blew through the palace avenues, and if one looked down from the heavens, one could see that all of the capital had thawed. Jubilation was in the air.

  Crowds thronged the streets, and there were Tibetans, Arabs, Goguryeons, and Turks within them.

  Although the capital had never lacked for foreigners, the number of Hu in the capital was far greater than ever before.

  Though the countries had lost and submitted to the Great Tang, for the people of these countries, this was an opportunity.

  This war with the Great Tang had made everyone acknowledge the Great Tang’s power and prosperity.

  Anyone would feel a yearning to live in such a powerful empire.

  Chapter 2282 - Don’t Burden Those Beside You!

  Chapter 2282: Don’t Burden Those Beside You!

  Translated by: Hypersheep325

  Edited by: Michyrr

  Many common folk from the other countries had followed their sovereigns in entering the interior of the Great Tang, many of the shepherds slaughtering their livestock so that they could hawk the meat in the markets.

  The cold wave had just passed, and the Great Tang didn’t have many sheep or cattle. But the Hu sold their sheep and cattle at extremely fair prices, and they had an endless stream of customers.

  And with the silver the Hu obtained from selling the meat, they bought up steamed buns, pastries, tea leaves, silk, porcelain…

  The Tang people and the Hu had completely different lifestyles, and the Hu found this sort of lifestyle extremely interesting.

  Though the marketplace had people from all countries, all of them speaking different languages, there was a harmonious mood in the air, and no conflicts or quarrels popped up.

  The Hu had fierce personalities, and they were prone to resorting to weapons at the slightest conflict.

  This had been the case for numerous dynasties, and the conflicts had been without number.

  But that was then and this was now. That incomparable war had truly won the respect of the Hu.

  In the space of a single day, all of the Hu seemed to have been tamed.

  Whoosh!

  The messenger bird flapped its wings, flying over the streets of the capital. At a certain restaurant in the southern part of the city, it turned and flew past the balcony, toward a youth of unusual bearing.

  Wang Chong extended his hand to receive the bird. After glancing through the letter it had delivered, he smiled and put it away.

  A voice came from the side. “How is it? Did everything in the court go smoothly?”

  Not far from Wang Chong, Xu Qiqin, dressed in a white gown, appearing like a fairy out of a painting, looked at Wang Chong and smiled.

  “Mm, everything went according to plan. The sovereigns of the other countries have been made Kings, and the Governors have been appointed.”

  Wang Chong smiled, hiding nothing from Xu Qiqin.

  “The other countries are all very subdued toward you after the Youzhou war. So long as you are present, the other countries will probably not dare to rebel. But to have the other countries completely integrate with the Great Tang is no easy task.

  “After all, they have different customs, and as time passes, quarrels will inevitably appear. This is unavoidable.

  “If the Great Tang wishes to truly subdue these countries and unite the world, this will be a heavy burden that will take many years to achieve,” Xu Qiqin calmly said. Though she was a woman that did not possess any prodigious martial arts, when it came to politics and military affairs, she was able to be of great aid to Wang Chong.

  Perhaps because she was a woman, she was always a
ble to see through the current situation and see the possible dangers in the future.

  “Yes, it’s unavoidable.”

  Wang Chong waved his sleeve and softly smiled.

  “Besides having the sovereigns made into Kings and appointing Governors, I have also ordered for the armies of the other countries to be reduced by half and to be scattered amongst the various Tang armies.

  “There are several phases to this plan, and this is only the first step. There will be a second step and third step, and in the end, the countries will not have their own armies. Even if they do, they will be on a much smaller scale.

  “In the future, the countries will integrate. This is the general trend, and no matter how long it takes, it will be done.

  “In addition, I have already ordered the Bureau of Revenue and Bureau of Personnel to take impoverished families from various areas and send them to the bordering countries. The Bureau of Revenue will pay the travel expenses, and if they are willing, the Imperial Court will provide them a certain number of cattle and sheep for free. Once they have developed their herds to a certain level, the Imperial Court will purchase their livestock and sell them in the Central Plains.”

  Wang Chong spoke with a natural persuasive force in his voice.

  Xu Qiqin’s eyes flashed as she looked at Wang Chong, a hint of admiration within them.

  On this continent, Wang Chong did not possess the greatest amount of experience, but his insight and observational abilities were incomparable amongst the famed generals of the continent.

  Through his feat of uniting the world under the Great Tang Empire, Wang Chong had already cast all the other renowned generals and officials into the shadows.

  Pop! Crack!

  As the two were speaking, firecrackers burst out, accompanied by the raucous cheers of the crowd.

  The pair stopped their conversation and turned their heads to look outside.

  Large crowds packed the street, and there was a festive mood in the air.

  Wang Chong and Xu Qiqin looked down just in time to see a fireworks team passing by.

  “Wow! Such pretty fireworks!”

  “Tanghulu! I want to buy a tanghulu!”

  The crowd was lively and bustling. Wang Chong spotted a child of three or four being raised up on his parent’s head, but his attention was less on the fireworks and more on the tanghulu stand by the side of the road.

  The cold wave had thawed, and several months had passed since the war. The people had completely forgotten about this war and were completely immersed in the festive mood.

  If one were only able to witness this scene, they might not even realize what the Central Plains had been through.

  “In truth, it is the common folk that are the most blessed,” Xu Qiqin said with an emotional sigh.

  Wang Chong nodded.

  “That’s true. No matter what has happened or what will happen, their lives will never change too much.

  “Whether it’s the matters the court discusses with the other countries or the farther-off threat of the Celestial God Organization, these ordinary people will know nothing about it and will never need to worry about it.

  “They are immersed in the world before them. All they need to do is happily forget and experience the festive air.”

  Wang Chong’s eyes became unfocused as he recalled his last life.

  At the time, wasn’t he also one of these common people with few worries?

  At the time, all he had needed to worry about was his daily meals. As for conflicts between countries and various secrets, they were beyond his ability to influence.

  Wang Chong had made an indescribable realization. Though he had already lived a lifetime, he truly didn’t know much about the truth of the world.

  Xu Qiqin didn’t know what Wang Chong was thinking. Her gaze seemed to be entranced by the blissful crowd.

  “In truth, it’s best for them to live in the present. After all, there’s no telling what will happen in the future. Humans can only be sure about what is happening in the present. That’s why they can be so happy.”

  Xu Qiqin sighed.

  Xu Qiqin’s casual comment instantly caused Wang Chong to freeze.

  Wang Chong turned his head and inspected Xu Qiqin’s face.

  Xu Qiqin was still looking down at the crowds below and failed to notice his gaze.

  Wang Chong carefully examined her face. In this life, Wang Chong had been almost completely focused on resisting Arabia, resisting An Lushan, and resisting the Celestial God Organization. He had grown accustomed to receiving Xu Qiqin’s support in planning and logistics.

  But it was only now that Wang Chong suddenly realized that he had never before looked closely at Xu Qiqin.

  Just like he recalled, Xu Qiqin was still as beautiful as a fairy. But her face was much paler and lacking in that healthy glow, and her aura was somewhat weak.

  In addition, her inky brows were somewhat creased in worry. Just like him, she was seemingly worried about something.

  Wang Chong felt incredibly moved.

  Suddenly, he recalled that energetic and beautiful woman who had disguised herself as a boy and challenged him in the Kunwu Training Camp.

  This whole time, Xu Qiqin had actually taken on many of his burdens, but she was not all hard and tough. In truth, she also hoped to be like the common folk of the capital, immersed in simple bliss.

  But she would never say this in front of him.

  He had been constantly working since his rebirth, and though he had saved a lot, he had also unknowingly missed a lot.

  There were truly many dangers in the future: the Celestial God Organization, Heaven, and the army of otherworldly invaders. But perhaps it was as Xu Qiqin said—perhaps one could not always look into the distance and forget about those at their side.

  If he continued like this, he would repeat his last life. Though he would get rid of many regrets, he would replace them with new ones.

  When that time came, it would truly be too late for regrets.

  “Qiqin.”

  Looking at the woman by his side, Wang Chong felt endless affection swell up in his heart.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Xu Qiqin looked over at him.

  “Will you marry me?” Wang Chong spoke in his softest tone.

  “Ah!”

  Xu Qiqin’s face froze, her eyes flying open. Time in the restaurant seemed to stop, but a moment later, Xu Qiqin understood, her face blushing.

  Her gorgeous visage under the light of the morning sun made Wang Chong momentarily lose himself.

  “Mm.”

  Xu Qiqin turned her head and nodded, her voice almost inaudible.

  …….

  Boom!

  The news that Wang Chong wanted to marry Xu Qiqin set off an uproar in the capital.

  The imperial household, high nobles, great clans… all the people of the Great Tang, including the Great Generals, and even the sovereigns of the other countries, were stunned.

  From a certain perspective, this matter swiftly drew more attention than even the Great Tang’s war with the alliance.

  After ending that unprecedented war of empires, Wang Chong had become the most dazzling existence on the continent.

  For the people of the Great Tang, Wang Chong was a true hero!

  Chapter 2283 - Go-Between Li Heng!

  Chapter 2283: Go-Between Li Heng!

  Translated by: Hypersheep325

  Edited by: Michyrr

  In terms of influence, no minister, or even Emperor Li Heng, could compare to Wang Chong’s power.

  Most importantly, even though he had accomplished so many miracles and defeated so many foes, Wang Chong was still only twenty and yet to be married.

  The marriage of such a mighty hero was certain to draw everyone’s attention.

  Countless maidens of the Great Tang had once dreamed about being the wife of the King of Foreign Lands, but in the end, Wang Chong had chosen the precious Xu Qiqin of the Xu Clan.

&
nbsp; Though this had shattered the dream of countless maidens, those in the know within the empire were unsurprised.

  Xu Qiqin might not have come from some particularly prestigious family, and she was no imperial descendant, but the Xu Clan was still a clan that had developed some fame over several dynasties.

  Moreover, besides the ‘Queen of Logistics’, Xu Qiqin was also known as the number one beauty of the capital.

  From this standpoint, the two were undoubtedly a match made in heaven.

  As more information got out, those women in the capital, though still envious of Xu Qiqin, lost most of their hostility.

  While Wang Chong was campaigning across the land, Xu Qiqin had been quietly giving him support, constantly sacrificing for his sake. When Xu Qiqin was participating in a war, Wang Chong never had to worry about his supply line.

  And for Wang Chong’s sake, Xu Qiqin had even quarreled with her own clan. How could anyone stand to be envious of a woman like this?

  But what truly raised the level of this marriage was Emperor Li Heng’s intervention.

  Not long after he learned that Wang Chong was going to marry Xu Qiqin, not only did Li Heng feel happy for Wang Chong, he also issued a decree offering to serve as a witness to their marriage. In addition, he also offered to propose for Wang Chong and serve as a go-between for the two clans.

  This news caused an even greater uproar, making this a marriage for the ages.

  Putting aside the outside reaction, the Wang Family Residence was festooned with lanterns and bustling with activity.

  Wang Chong’s mother had personally come out to hang up large red lanterns around the estate, and the maids and servants of the estate were also in high spirits as they worked.

  Their young master had finally understood and was going to marry the lady of the Xu Clan, and they were all ecstatic.

  They didn’t know what exactly had finally opened his mind, but this was what they had all hoped for.

  Their young master had done so much for the empire, so he naturally needed to embrace his beloved. Most importantly, he needed to continue the line of the Wang Clan and pass on its traditions and influence.

  This was a major event for the Wang Clan, and though the wedding was still two months away, the Wang Clan was jubilant.