Chapter 558: Dalun Ruozans Insight! (1/2)

Chapter 558: Dalun Ruozan's Insight!

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

If one had to point out the people who had created the most problems for the personages assembled in the tent, it would not be Wang Yan and Wang Fu, who had led their army across vast distances to suddenly kill their way into the city and lend it their mastery of defense. Rather, it was the person who had constructed Lion City in the first place, Wang Chong.

At the very start, the Tibetans had jeered at the people of Mengshe Zhao.

But after they experienced the powerful defensive capabilities of that city and were forced to understand again and again the critical and vexing position the city held over the Erhai plains and all of the Great Tang's southwest, they stopped making fun of the Mengshe Zhao soldiers.

The Tibetans didn't have too great an understanding of the people of the Central Plains. At most, they knew that the commanders of the Tang army were Xianyu Zhongtong and Wang Yan. But in terms of reputation, both Xianyu Zhongtong and Wang Yan were a distant second place to Wang Chong.

Right now, even the lowest-level Tibetan soldier knew the name of 'Wang Chong'. This name was often accompanied by all sorts of strange theories.

In the Great Tang army, there were many people saying that this mysterious youth in the distant capital had long ago predicted that Mengshe Zhao and Ü-Tsang would start this war. This was because though Lion City was nominally claimed to be for the purpose of commerce, its defenses and various other preparations clearly indicated that it had been meant for war!

Even the Tibetans had accepted this explanation.

Even Fengjiayi and Jiaosiluo had found themselves interested in this youth called Wang Chong. Although the two didn't believe that he had that much foresight, no one could doubt that the existence of Lion City was a massive hindrance to the strategies of the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army, dealing an incalculable blow to the war effort.

And the name 'Wang Chong' became an existence that the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army could not ignore.

But no one had expected that he would suddenly drop from the heavens, moving from the capital to the southwest. In addition, he had also defeated Jiaosiluo and Fengjiayi. Even the esteemed Ü-Tsang Great General Huoshu Huicang had suffered a minor defeat, having been lured by Wang Chong like a tiger from its mountain.

”Impossible!!”

The first to react with a complete rejection of this result was neither Jiaosiluo nor Geluofeng. It was Fengjiayi.

”How could that brat be this formidable?”

His wide-open eyes were a whirlpool of emotions. Constructing a city and commanding soldiers were two completely different concepts. Even when he had first heard that it had been that brat who had constructed that vexing Lion City, Fengjiayi had felt that the fellow was a threat to Mengshe Zhao.

But this was completely different from Wang Chong commanding troops to defeat him.

”Great Minister, you are sure that it is him?”

Jiaosiluo fiercely raised his head, his words voicing the question on everyone's mind. Although he already believed Dalun Ruozan, Jiaosiluo still felt that the Great Minister was a little too certain with this conclusion.

”That's right. Great Minister, that Wang Jiuling is praised as a wise minister of the Great Tang. In his time, the Great Tang was a shining place. Even the Great Tang's Son of Heaven was raised up by him. He has three sons and one daughter. The eldest son is an important minister of the Great Tang, while his third son Wang Yan is an accomplished military general whose defense might be even tighter than Xianyu Zhongtong's. If we add on Wang Fu and Wang Chong, wouldn't the Wang Clan be a clan bursting with talents?”

Geluofeng's hands rested on the armrests of his chair, his eyes showing a slight turmoil. He had apparently found it rather hard to digest this news.

Although the former Prime Minister of the Great Tang Wang Jiuling had been retired for ten-some years, he still held enormous influence within the Great Tang. He had played a great part in creating the Great Tang's golden age, and though he was now old, he still represented a massive threat.

As long as he wasn't dead, his enemies wouldn't be able to rest easy.

Although Wang Jiuling was now old, he had many talented descendants, and his entire clan seemed to be full of ministers and generals. Just thinking about it gave Geluofeng a massive headache.

The Six Zhao of Erhai were too small. Although he had always had his ambitions, Mengshe Zhao was located on a plateau with thin air. Other than the Tibetans, it wasn't suitable for anyone else.

If Mengshe Zhao wanted to develop, if Geluofeng wanted to realize his ambitions and break free of his status as vassal, if he wanted to become an Emperor, he could only expand to the north, in the direction of the Great Tang.

The southwest of the Central Plains was connected to Mengshe Zhao and its lands were fertile, making it the ideal location to expand. This was the reason Geluofeng had ardently pursued an alliance with Ü-Tsang.

But even Geluofeng had to admit that the difficulties he faced in fulfilling his ambitions were far more serious than he had initially imagined.

”Hahaha, Your Majesty, in truth, it's actually not difficult at all to determine that young man's identity. Xianyu Zhongtong only obeys Zhangchou Jianqiong's orders. Any person who carries Zhangchou Jianqiong's orders will instantly gain Xianyu Zhongtong's military authority. But would Wang Yan give his own authority up so easily?

”I've heard that Wang Yan is old-fashioned and extremely inflexible. To make him hand over his military authority in the constantly changing battlefield, probably not even Zhangchou Jianqiong would be able to do that, no?”

Dalun Ruozan looked around at the crowd.

Everyone was quiet, with only Geluofeng and Duan Gequan appearing to fall into deep thought. The Tibetans didn't have too great of an understanding of the Great Tang, particularly when it came to matters involving the Imperial Court in its heartland.

But Geluofeng was different. He knew the internal affairs of the Great Tang like the back of his hand, so he knew that Dalun Ruozan's words were completely accurate.

”Moreover, why have none of you thought about this: there were so many people on that summit, so why did that child immediately rush off to the mountain occupied by Wang Fu? Unless they had a very close relationship, would he show such concern? So when you connect all these things and recall the Qilin son of the Wang Clan, tell me, who else except him could satisfy all these conditions?”