Chapter 641: The Start of Everything, Zhang Qiantuo II (1/2)
Chapter 641: The Start of Everything, Zhang Qiantuo (II)
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
”Then what of Governor Zhang? Take me to see him. I have something I need to ask him,” Wang Chong said.
Everything about the southwest war could be traced back to the battle of Jiange. Zhang Qiantuo's raping and murdering Geluofeng's wife and daughter had resulted in all of this.
Right now, all of the Great Tang believed that Zhang Qiantuo had died in Geluofeng's assault on Jiange. Privately sheltering an important official of the court for personal reasons was a major offense, which was why Wang Chong did not want others to know of this matter.
Wang Chong didn't even want his own father to know. Wang Chong knew that someone of his father's personality had an eighty to ninety percent chance of reporting the matter to the Imperial Court upon learning of it.
Given all the misdeeds Geluofeng had committed as a result of this incident, if the Imperial Court knew that Zhang Qiantuo was still alive, the only fate awaiting him would be execution.
Thus, no matter what, no one could know that Zhang Qiantuo was still alive.
Suddenly, a low and raspy voice came from within the basement. ”Many thanks to Young Master for the kindness of saving my life, but I am no longer Zhang Qiantuo, only a faceless man who is too ashamed to see the world.”
A large figure slowly approached in the fiery light, and upon seeing the man's face, even Wang Chong was given a start.
”Governor Zhang! What have you done?”
Wang Chong saw that the figure in front of him had placed a strange black metal mask over his face. This mask had no eyebrows or hair, and seemed to be branded to his flesh.
If Wang Chong hadn't met Zhang Qiantuo in the capital and recognized his voice, he would have never imagined that the man wearing this metal mask was that meticulous, sincere, and upright Governor of Jiannan.
”Young Master Wang, this is my own choice. Please do not interfere. Until I find out who murdered my wife and children, who those black-clothed men are, and what is the true identity of that disloyal, unfilial, heartless, and unrighteous bastard who schemed against this Zhang, I will never remove the mask on my face.
”Alive, Zhang Qiantuo has no face to see the world, and dead, has no face to see his wife and children. Young Master, please no longer call me Zhang Qiantuo. Zhang Qiantuo died in battle at Jiange. All Young Master sees now is a faceless man whose heart is dead. I only have one goal in life: kill those bastards and find out the truth of Jiannan. Before this, I will never fall, never!”
The faceless man clenched his fists, causing his knuckles to crack, his body to tremble, and his eyes to go red. The anger bursting from his body was like a loathing flame that could never be extinguished. This sight was enough to shock anyone.
”Milord!!”
Wang Chong and Solitary Wolf called out in alarm at the same time as they noticed two trickles of tears beginning to flow down the mask. But these were tears of crimson, tears of blood!
”Bin-er, Tong-er, Wife, wait for me. I'll definitely avenge you! Definitely!!”
The last words were almost howled out.
As they looked at the weeping faceless man, Wang Chong and Solitary Wolf were both deeply moved.
Men did not easily cry, only when they were deeply hurt. This was Wang Chong's first time seeing a proud seven-foot man weeping like this. No one could have imagined that the steely and courageous Governor of Jiannan that he had met in the capital would become this loyal and faceless man, crying tears of blood.
Even after many years, Wang Chong would still remember this scene.
”Sir, be at ease! This matter does not only concern Sir, but the entire Great Tang. As long as Wang Chong still breathes, he will definitely help Sir investigate the truth,” Wang Chong earnestly said.
Zhang Qiantuo was a good subject of the Great Tang, and a loyal one as well. If Solitary Wolf had not promptly rescued him, he would have already committed suicide by cutting his throat. An important official of the Great Tang who had guarded the border for decades, he wasn't someone who should have to live like this, his entire family killed, his name reviled, and his face covered in a mask, ashamed to face the world.
The will of the heavens was clear. Even if they were complete strangers, Wang Chong would never allow this sort of thing to happen to a person of the Great Tang, much less to a loyal subject.
The former Governor of Jiannan, Zhang Qiantuo, now the faceless man, clenched his fists and declared, ”Young Master, my gratitude for your benevolence is beyond words. If my wife and children can be avenged and my name cleared, this faceless man is willing to serve Young Master for the rest of my life, serving as your ox or horse!”
Wang Chong was of an influential background, born from a clan of ministers and generals, the grandson of the sagacious minister Duke Jiu, and now he had even accomplished the wondrous feat of winning the war of the southwest. If there was one person in the world who could clear his name, that person would be Wang Chong.
”I don't need your service.”
Wang Chong shook his head. If it was just about service, Wang Chong had many people under his command. In addition, he had even more people in the gradually maturing Kunwu Training Camp and Deflecting Blade Manor who could serve him.
In the war of the southwest, the people of Deflecting Blade Manor had been of great assistance to him, and their future potential was limitless.
”Wang Chong came here to find Sir with regards to the Jiannan. Sir only needs to investigate those people, find out the truth of Jiannan, to be of greatest assistance to Wang Chong,” Wang Chong said.
The faceless man's eyes widened as he looked at Wang Chong in confusion.
”Heh, I will not hide anything from Sir. I also have a matter that needs investigation, and I suspect that it relates to the people that were chasing after the two of you.”
Wang Chong chuckled and, not holding them in suspense, immediately revealed the pitch-black arrow shaft.
”This is?”
In an instant, Solitary Wolf and the faceless man looked over. The broken arrow that Wang Chong had taken was of extremely bizarre construction. It appeared to require a level of craftsmanship that far exceeded anything of the present era, and the arrowhead was missing for some reason.