Chapter 643: Returning to the Capital! (1/2)
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
A joyous reunion left the mind refreshed. After welcoming King Song, the party entered the tent on the summit.
”Wang Chong, when you enter the capital this time, you must be extremely careful.”
In the tent, King Song, Wang Yan, Xianyu Zhongtong, Wang Chong, Wang Fu, and Sun Liuyue were seated cross-legged on the ground. King Song's smile had faded and his expression turned grave.
”With your achievements this time, King Qi is about to explode from anger. Although he can't easily touch you, that doesn't mean he'll give up. I even heard a little news that he's working with the Chamberlain of Dependencies to make trouble for you through the avenue of protocol.
”The magnitude of your achievements means that the Sage Emperor will definitely have to confer a reward to you, but if you make a ceremonial error during the audience and award ceremony, the imperial censors might use this as pretext to arrest you.
”Those imperial censors even dared to impeach the previous Prime Minister and the consorts and concubines of the palace. Although quite a few people support you in the court, the number of people who grimace at the mention of you and want to make trouble for you is also not small.
”You're still young, and if you were to give off the impression of an immature youth, it will have a massive effect on your career. It could even result in the cancellation of your reward. You absolutely can't get careless.”
King Song spoke with heartfelt sincerity.
The Imperial Court was an unfathomable and constantly fluctuating place. Unlike the battlefield, the slightest error there would result in eternal damnation, no matter how great one's achievements.
The previous King Song, a descendant of the royal household and an Imperial Prince of the Great Tang, had still ended up getting shackled and thrown into jail, so how could an ordinary person escape this punishment? Wang Chong was still young, and he represented the hopes of both King Song and the Wang Clan.
As an elder, King Song did not wish for someone to use such trifling affairs to scheme against Wang Chong. This was also the reason he had rushed here to meet with Wang Chong before he returned to the capital.
”I've already had Scholar Lu find an old servant who used to work in the Chamberlain of Dependencies. He's very learned and knows a lot. When you return to the capital, find him and study for a while under him to avoid any problems.”
”My deepest gratitude, King Song.”
Wang Chong gave a respectful bow.
As a person who had lived twice, Wang Chong understood far more than King Song. He did not believe that the Chamberlain of Dependencies could succeed in their schemes against him. But still, King Song's earnest concern had deeply moved him.
”Hahaha, then the rest is fine. That's right, Wang Chong, when you speak to His Majesty, you must have him permit me to completely pacify the southwest. With regards to Ü-Tsang and Mengshe Zhao, Huoshu Huicang is unharmed and Duan Gequan is still alive. If those two work together, I fear that another incident will occur in the southwest.”
King Song's eyes became tinged with worry, his expression turning gloomy.
Duan Gequan and Huoshu Huicang were famed generals of the present age. Purely in terms of martial arts, King Song did not fear them, but strategy and formations were not his area of expertise. This was also why he had made this request of Wang Chong.
”Haha, Your Highness, be at ease—they won't be able to join together, nor would they be very successful. Even if they did have the mind, I would never give them a chance.”
Wang Chong smiled at King Song.
”Oh?”
King Song's eyes brightened as he focused on Wang Chong.
The other people in the tent also began to react and look toward Wang Chong. There were many things waiting to be done on the southwest border. Ü-Tsang and Mengshe Zhao remained a threat, and if Wang Chong could deal with this problem, he would be resolving everyone's concerns.
This would be yet another achievement.
”Chong-er, are you serious?” Wang Yan sternly asked.
”Heh, in the past, this wouldn't have been doable, but now King Song's seventy thousand soldiers change everything.”
Wang Chong smiled and nodded, his face confident and assured.
”The greatest threat from Ü-Tsang and Mengshe Zhao isn't their soldiers, but their alliance. In the past, I really wouldn't be able to do anything against them. Now, however, Geluofeng is still unconscious from his injuries, leaving Mengshe Zhao leaderless. Their entire society is in chaos, giving us the perfect chance to clamp down with our soldiers.
”King Song's 70,000 soldiers added to the 40,000 soldiers of the Annan Protectorate army makes for a total of 110,000 soldiers. When the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army still had 500,000 soldiers, we wouldn't have been able to deal with them, but their strength is greatly reduced, not even one-fourth of their original strength, making them no match for us.
”As long as we place our 110,000 soldiers on the shores of the Erhai, on the border of the Great Tang and Mengshe Zhao, what choice does Your Highness believe that Mengshe Zhao, vexed by problems internal and external, will make? Cede territory and pay indemnities, become a vassal of the Great Tang—this is their only choice,” Wang Chong confidently declared.
”Cede territory and pay indemnities?”
The rest of the people in the tent looked in shock at Wang Chong. His proposal had caught them completely by surprise, and they had never heard of this concept of ceding land and paying indemnities.
Wang Chong chuckled, unsurprised by the reaction. Although the Great Tang was a place where power reigned supreme and was also a place that had a certain grasp of strategy and tactics, in certain aspects, it was still extremely primitive.
A single war was extremely costly, resulting in many casualties and massive consumption of provisions, armaments, and warhorses. In the end, however, the victor would only win fame while the loser would just retreat.