Chapter 36: Outburst in the Capital (1/2)

Time slowly passed.

Wang Chong spent his time cultivating while waiting patiently for the cold-forged Wootz steel weapons to be completed. But ten days from then, a sudden news from the borders rattled the capital.

Yao Guang Yi! A famous general of the Great Tang known for his schemes and wits, the third son of ‘Old Master Yao’. When the Hu crossed the border and stepped on Great Tang’s border, he abruptly led his army out from his deployment location for no apparent reason and appeared on ‘Duke Jiu’s’ second son’s, Wang Yan, deployment location!

But what was bizarre about the situation was that General Wang Yan, who was closest to the invasion point and should have been guarding his location, happened to move his campground back 50 li before the Hu invaded!

li -> 0.5km

Thus, such a bizarre sight appeared for the first time by the borders:

The general who should have been guarding his location was looking at the battle from behind while the general who shouldn’t have appeared in the location took over the guarding general’s position to destroy the invading Hu army!

In the centuries since Great Tang’s establishment, never had such a sight appeared before!

The ones involved in the incident, Yao Guang Yi and Wang Yan, were keeping mum about the matter. However, this bizarre ‘assault incident’ had caused a huge uproar in the capital.

Before the Hu invasion could cause any damage, it was already destroyed by the Great Tang army. On this aspect, the ‘assault incident’ was only an insignificant skirmish by the border, not worth mentioning at all.

However, those in the capital weren’t fools. The ‘Old Master Yao’s’ third son, Yao Guang Yi, and ‘Duke Jiu’s’ second son, Wang Yan, were involved in the matter, and considering the fact that King Song and King Qi happened to be in a heated political war at the moment, the situation was definitely not as simple as it looked

Even fools could tell that if Wang Yan did not coincidentally retreat 50 li from his deployment region before Yao Guang Yi’s appearance, the significance of the matter would be completely different.

Regardless of the truth, just the political meaning behind the ‘Yao and Wang Clan working together’ to repel the invaders opened up too many hints about the relationship between the two.

People don’t believe what you say, they only believe what they see!

But now, when Yao Guang Yi’s army appeared in the zone, Wang Yan took the initiative to avoid the suspicion and retreated 50 li to stay away from the battlefield.

This made the entire incident a one-man show on Yao Guang Yi’s part, and he ended up striking down the Hu in Wang Yan’s place!

Even fools could tell how intentional the affair was, and the scheme that lay behind it.

Regardless of what the Wang Clan was up to, Wang Yan had used his actions to display the attitude of the Wang Clan!

Yao Guang Yi, a scheming old veteran of the royal court, had never lost in the past. He singlehandedly created the feud between the Song and the Qi and stripped King Song of his trusty aides. For the first time, by the border, he suffered a crushing defeat in the field he expertized in!

——Furthermore, he lost in an extremely foolish manner, making a huge laughingstock out of himself.

“Hahaha, great!”

When the news reached King Song Residence, King Song abruptly slammed his hand on the table. All of the worry and frustration he accumulated throughout recent days disappeared along with that slam.

At this moment, King Song felt extremely relaxed.

“Wang Yan, I have not judged you wrongly! I have not judged the Wang Clan wrongly! As long as I have the assistance of the Wang Clan and Duke Jiu, even if everyone were to betray me and leave my side, what do I have to fear?!”

Sitting in the main hall, delight exuded from King Song’s face. This was the most positive news he had heard in this half month.

Wang Yan had used his actions to express the attitude and stand of the Wang Clan. At this moment, the final doubts that King Song had of him disappeared along with the wind.

“Hehe, Your Highness, didn’t I say that Wang Yan wouldn’t betray you?”

At the bottom of King Song’s seat, Lu Ting looked at King Song with a smile. He was dressed in a blue robe and he held a fan in his hand.

“Hahaha, Academic Lu, you can say anything you want on the matter!”

King Song pressed against the handles of the chair and stood up from his throne.

“I would like to see what King Qi thinks of the matter. That bastard! I nearly fell for his tricks!”

Recalling everything that had just happened, King Song was still traumatized. King Qi and Yao Guang Yi had poached too many people from his side. Sometimes, he couldn’t help but doubt everyone around him, unable to find the mood to eat even.

After living in the royal court for such a long time, King Song was well aware of what his subordinates would think if they were subjected to his delusional guesses.

It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that everyone might leave him due to that.

He was just a step off from that, but right before the edge of the cliff, Wang Yan woke him up. As long as Wang Yan and the entire Wang Clan supported him, he hadn’t lost yet. He would still have an opportunity to make a comeback.

It was an utter failure of the King Qi faction in this battle!

As he thought so, he turned around to look at the old butler. Even though the latter was placid and it was impossible to see any emotion on his face, he soon understood the meaning behind his master’s gaze.

“Your Highness, your old servant admits that his mistake. I was too skeptical on this affair and wronged the Wang Clan. If possible, I would like to go ahead and apologize to General Wang directly!”

The old butler said calmly.

Back then, it was him who invited Wang Yan to the King Song Residence. It was also him to told King Song when he had chosen to trust Wang Yan to not be too trusting of others, and the truth could be determined in the future.

Facts had proven that it was all Yao Guang Yi and King Qi’s scheme to frame the Wang Clan, and that Wang Yan was a trustworthy subordinate.

Even though he was wrong, the old butler wasn’t depressed in the least. Rather, he felt happy for King Song.

“Hehe, what are you thinking of? This was my intention back then and it had nothing to do with you. I will clean up my own mess, so there’s no need for you to look for Wang Yan. When Duke Jiu’s birthday comes, I will apologize to him myself and explain this to him.”

King Song waved his hands.

The fact that Wang Yan knew that he had to retreat 50 li showed that the Wang Clan wasn’t completely oblivious on the matter. At the very least, they knew that King Song was suspicious of them.

King Song wasn’t an irresponsible person. Since he had made a mistake, he wouldn’t push the blame onto others.

“Hehe, Your Highness, don’t worry about it. Duke Jiu wouldn’t be bothered by it. I will accompany Your Highness when the time comes.”

Seeing this sight, Lu Ting chuckled beneath his hands. This was the King Song that he knew! Even though he might be blinded by a moment of folly, he would soon realize his own mistakes and admit his own faults courageously!

Given his identity as a member of royalty, this quality of his was extremely precious and rare. This was also the reason why he was so loyal to King Song.