Chapter 896: A Meeting of Cunning Foes! (1/2)
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
”Pass on my order. All soldiers are forbidden from acting without my permission,” Dalun Ruozan suddenly declared, a sharp light in his eyes.
”As for that person, both you and I met him already in the southwest. With his abilities, isn't such a display very normal? And besides… only by defeating someone like this will this battle be meaningful, don't you think?”
Dalun Ruozan faintly smiled and then urged his horse onward, descending the hill in the face of the roaring winds coming from Talas. At this time, his gaze was fixed on that distant seventeen-year-old youth.
In this world, there was nothing that could attract his attention except this youth of the Great Tang riding toward him!
……
”Lord Marquis, Dalun Ruozan is coming over.”
In the distance, Li Siye's eyes flashed as he turned to look at Wang Chong.
”Mm.”
Wang Chong gave a faint smile. Dalun Ruozan had only brought a couple of people with him, none of them elite experts.
”Wait here for my orders. I'm going to meet Dalun Ruozan.”
”This…”
Li Siye hesitated for a moment, worried over what might happen, but in the end, he gave a nod. Wang Chong was getting stronger and stronger, and not even Brigadier Generals could threaten him. No one except Great Generals could threaten him now. Moreover, it was clear that Dalun Ruozan was coming to meet with the marquis.
The southwest was where Dalun Ruozan had been defeated and the marquis had made his reputation. The two were destined to be mortal foes. This was their moment, and it was not right for any others to step in.
Gallop!
The crisp sound of hooves against the earth rang out over the plains to the east of Talas, as everyone silently waited, a stark contrast to the earth-shaking momentum coming from the Arabs to the west. Everyone watched as those two figures slowly approached each other, and even Gao Xianzhi standing at the northeast corner of the walls was no different.
The appearance of the Tibetans had placed an important chess piece on the battlefield of Talas. Seventy thousand Tibetan cavalry was enough to completely alter the course of this battle, and even Gao Xianzhi had to wait to see how this battle would develop.
”Pass on my order! All troops stand ready to receive my orders!” Gao Xianzhi said.
”Yes, Milord!”
An Anxi general turned and hurriedly left.
……
The two not-particularly-imposing figures in the churning dust and sand had managed to attract the focus of thousands of gazes.
At a distance of fifty-some zhang, the two stared at each other, lightning seeming to crackle in the space between them.
”Wang Chong, long time no see!”
A voice came from the other side. Dalun Ruozan pulled on the reins of his horse as a faint smile crept onto his lips.
”It has been half a year since we parted in the southwest. Congratulations. In this short period of time, you have managed to reach the lofty position of Qixi Protector-General. Not in all the Great Tang's history has there ever been a Protector-General as young as you.”
Wang Chong chuckled and said, ”Your words are too much. Since our last meeting, Great Minister appears like an imposing mountain towering over the abyss, even more composed and reliable. Marching rapidly over a vast distance without stirring a single trace of suspicion, even avoiding discovery by my birds and the Anxi Protectorate army in Suiye, Great Minister is also no one to be underestimated.”
Dalun Ruozan was taking his measure, and Wang Chong was taking Dalun Ruozan's.
Dalun Ruozan was thinner, much thinner. In Wang Chong's view, Dalun Ruozan seemed to have had all his attachments washed away, losing much of his sharpness and replacing it with restraint. But this only made him more difficult to deal with. It had to be said that Dalun Ruozan had chosen the perfect moment to make his silent advance on Talas, instantly placing Wang Chong at an extremely disadvantageous position.
”Your words are too much. Wasn't I still discovered by you in the end?” Dalun Ruozan replied, that faint smile still on his lips. Even though they were meeting as enemies on the battlefield, Dalun Ruozan continued to maintain his relaxed and graceful bearing.
”In our half a year of parting, this one could not go a single moment in the royal capital's prison without thinking of Protector-General. Do you remember the gift you gave me in our first meeting in the southwest? The thousands of li of the Ngari Royal Lineage are now deserted. The grass is lush and verdant, but there are no cows and sheep. There is no longer any need to worry about those old problems like a potential lack of food and water in the winter or grazing of the herd. All of this was bestowed by your distinguished self, and Dalun Ruozan recalls it fondly, branding the memory in his heart. Thus, this humble one has come today with a gift specially prepared for your distinguished self.”
All was quiet as Dalun Ruozan's voice echoed over the plains. That faint and polite smile had remained on his face as he spoke, as if he was discussing a most commonplace matter. But on the other side, Li Siye felt his heart thump. In the war of the southwest, Wang Chong had dispatched a group of soldiers to spread plague through the Ngari Royal Lineage, and Li Siye had been the one to carry out this order.