Chapter 761: The Twin Walls of the Empire! (1/2)
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Gao Xianzhi was the most powerful man of the Western Regions, his authority stretching from Qixi to the Cong Mountains. Other than that title of Imperial Great General which gave him authority over the Anxi Protectorate, tens of thousands of Great Tang elites, and the best weaponry and equipment, he also had a host of other titles. Among these were 'Great General of the Right Imperial Guard' and 'Prefectural Duke of Miyun'!
Duke, marquis, count, viscount, and baron—in the noble rankings below 'Imperial Prince', Gao Xianzhi was a duke, his status above all marquises.
However, as a Protector-General, Gao Xianzhi spent most of his time on the western border, so he let others carry out the responsibilities of his other titles.
”Changqing, take a look at this. The Young Marquis of our Great Tang, the Sage Emperor's cherished disciple, has written us a letter.”
Gao Xianzhi's lips twitched into an ambiguous smile as he passed the letter behind him to a man dressed in gray, short and slightly hunch-backed with an ugly face but clear and sharp eyes. At the sight of his commander's smile, this man who simultaneously held the posts of Attendant Advisor and Deputy Commander, Feng Changqing, showed a hint of surprise in his eyes.
After his many years of service, he was extremely familiar with his commander's personality. The Protector-General had a composed and steady temperament. Before a battle, he would become firm and tenacious, as steady as a mountain. He would rarely display such emotions.
”Lord Protector-General, could it be that the youngest son of the Wang Clan is requesting something from Milord?” Feng Changqing guessed.
Wushang was the territory of Qixi Protector-General Fumeng Lingcha. Given that man's personality and coupling it with the existences of Beiting Vice Protector-General An Sishun and Big Dipper Great General Geshu Han, that scion of the Wang Clan was probably not in a very good situation.
”Huh, Changqing, there are times when even you can guess wrongly.”
Gao Xianzhi stroke his mustache and smiled.
”It's exactly the opposite of what you're thinking. Not only is he not asking anything from me, it seems like we should be asking something of him! You'll know once you read it.”
”Oh?”
A look of shock and confusion appeared in Feng Changqing's eyes. This answer had completely surpassed his expectations. Given the Protector-General's status, authority, and power, what would he need to request from that Wang Clan boy? It should have been the other way around.
But Feng Changqing was never one to speculate too much. He more enjoyed personally investigating a matter, trusted more in his own insight and judgment.
Lowering his head, Feng Changqing began to read the letter. Slowly, Feng Changqing's face turned stranger and stranger, and by the end, he had fallen quiet, with a pensive look on his face.
It had to be said that the contents of the letter had surpassed his expectations. He suddenly understood why the Protector-General had been so strange.
”That youngest son of the Wang Clan is advising us to not attack the Shi Kingdom?”
Feng Changqing turned his head to his commander.
Over his many years in Anxi, he had read countless letters, but this was the first time Feng Changqing had ever read such a puzzling and inexplicable letter.
The Shi Kingdom was to the west of the Cong Mountains, beyond the lands of the Great Tang. It was one of the Nine Tribes of Zhaowu, and together with the Kang Kingdom, the An Kingdom, and the rest of the nine, they served as a neutral state between the Great Tang and the Abbasid Caliphate.
All the Hu merchants traveling between the north and south along the Silk Road would have to pass through the Shi Kingdom.
Truthfully, the Anxi Protectorate and the Shi Kingdom had never had problems with each other, and the Anxi Protectorate had no plans to attack the Shi Kingdom. Thus, Wang Chong's letter was truly inexplicable and made one scratch their head.
As the Twin Walls of the Empire, Gao Xianzhi and Feng Changqing could completely disregard this baffling letter, but in reality, the atmosphere in the hall clearly indicated otherwise. Gao Xianzhi and Feng Changqing both had extremely mysterious expressions.
”Now you know what I meant by 'interesting'?”
Gao Xianzhi's eyes seemed to communicate a deeper meaning.
”But, Milord, this… How did he know?” Feng Changqing finally said.
As the Deputy Commander of Anxi, the 'Sack of Impeccable Schemes Feng', he was rarely surprised by anything, but at this moment, Feng Changqing was staring at the letter like he had seen a ghost.
Attacking the Shi Kingdom was still just a mere thought in the commander's mind. The number of people who knew of this in Anxi Protectorate, in all of the Great Tang, could be counted with one's fingers. The plan had not even been fixed yet, so how did a teenager several thousand li away know of it?
”Hey, the only one I told about attacking the Shi Kingdom is you. No one else knows, not even Duan Xiushi or any of the others. In other words, in all of Anxi, only the two of us know. Right now, I would like to know, just how did that Wang Clan boy find out?” Gao Xianzhi said.
The two commanders of Anxi had extremely odd expressions. The letter from Wushang in Feng Changqing's hand was a riddle, and for the first time, the pair couldn't see through that Wang Clan son in Wushang.
It was now very clear that the information they had obtained was not complete, and there was some discrepancy between the Wang Chong that they knew and the real one.
The hall was silent, a strange atmosphere persisting for quite some time before it was finally broken.
”Milord, then should we… reconsider?” Feng Changqing probed.
”Hmph, he's just a teenager. Should we change our plans just because of a few words?”
Gao Xianzhi chuckled at the question. As the commander of Anxi and one of the Great Generals of the empire, Gao Xianzhi was proud and confident.
Since he had decided to attack the Shi Kingdom, he naturally had ample reasons to do so, so how could a few words suddenly change his mind?