Chapter 1224: Challenge! (1/2)
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Not long after King Qi's lackey departed, a loud voice rang out from the crowd. ”Minister of Ceremonies Zhou Taiqin pays respects to Lord Marquis!”
Wang Chong suddenly stopped and turned toward the voice.
The crowd parted to allow a man with a composed expression, his robes flapping in the air, to stride forward.
At almost the same moment, another figure began to follow him.
”Assistant Minister of Revenue Zheng Chengli pays respects to Lord Marquis!”
These two had been waiting in the back of the crowd for some time, and it was only now that they chose to confidently stride out. The sound of these two names caught everyone by surprise.
”Milords, there is no need for such courtesy!” Wang Chong indifferently said to the pair.
All was quiet for a moment. Zhou Taiqin and Zheng Chengli quietly inspected Wang Chong while Wang Chong did the same to this pair of ministers.
In the Battle of Talas, Abu Muslim and Qutaybah, commanding an army of hundreds of thousands of soldiers, were marching eastward. At this crucial moment, Wang Chong and Gao Xianzhi had almost died because they were lacking in soldiers. And on the topic of sending reinforcements, the loudest voices of opposition had been Zhou Taiqin and Zheng Chengli.
If not for Jiang Yunrang and Cao Qianzong strenuously arguing the other position, and Wang Chong's grandfather Duke Jiu emerging to save the day, all of the Great Tang from the Western Regions to Longxi would probably be in the hands of Arabia by now.
”Young Marquis has achieved unrivalled merit in the west and has been made King of Foreign Lands by His Majesty, an unprecedented show of favor. And on Lord Marquis's return to the capital, more than half of the officials of the Imperial Court and all the noble clans have come out to welcome you. But I cannot help but ask this question. In the bitter fighting over Talas and the additional Battle of Khorasan, the Great Tang lost more than one hundred thousand soldiers. And for these two battles, several hundred thousand peasants and laborers were called up for service. Does Young Marquis not feel ashamed? Can Lord Marquis truly rest easy on the throne of King of Foreign Lands as a general who builds success atop ten thousand bleached bones?”
Boom!
The words of Zhou Taiqin and Zheng Chengli caused everyone around the city gate to pale.
Wang Chong had returned victorious, and at this moment of high spirits, the ministers and generals of court had all come out to visit him. Even King Qi knew to avoid this edge and sent only a minor official, his message only secretly mocking Wang Chong. But there was no one like Zhou Taiqin or Zheng Chengli who dared to directly criticize Wang Chong.
'A general who builds success atop ten thousand bleached bones' was a taboo phrase in front of generals, because this clearly accused the generals that Wang Chong represented of relying on the deaths of others to obtain promotions.
The air instantly tensed, even more than when King Qi's man had appeared.
”Impudent!”
Before Wang Chong could speak, Jiang Yunrang and Cao Qianzong exploded with angry rebukes. In the court debate back then, the two had been Zhou Taiqin and Zheng Chengli's fiercest opponents.
”Zhou Taiqin, Zheng Chengli! What do you two mean with this! The Young Marquis led his army fearlessly on foreign lands, putting his life on the line, and you dare come here and criticize him? Will you only be happy if the Imperial Court is defeated?”
The two of them were utterly enraged by Zhou Taiqin and Zheng Chengli's words. Arguments in court were one thing, but they hadn't expected that even though today's court session was over, the two of them would move the Imperial Court to the city gate and make trouble for Wang Chong right in front of so many people.
Zhou Taiqin and Zheng Chengli stepped forward and fearlessly proclaimed, ”Hmph, right or wrong, straight or crooked… 'what's right is right and what's wrong is wrong'? Must we lose ourselves in trivialities? Just because the Young Marquis has returned, black should become white and lines should become squares? It's not that we hope for defeat, but the prosperity of the Great Tang is the result of many people's efforts. At present, the Imperial Court is neglecting its roots and warmongering without restraint. Even if he has rendered the greatest of military achievements, what exactly is there to celebrate?”
Wang Chong had not been present for that crucial court debate, and Duke Jiu's prestige had been far above theirs. Thus, the two had been aching for an opportunity to argue with Wang Chong. Now that he was back at the capital and surrounded by so many officials and generals, they could not let this opportunity pass by.
”Have Milords finished?”
At this moment, Wang Chong spoke, preventing Jiang Yunrang and Cao Qianzong from arguing on his behalf any further.
Wang Chong slowly took two steps forward, his eyes as sharp as swords as his body exploded with a powerful aura.
Ever since ancient times, officials could use their brushes to turn even the greatest of achievements into nothing. Thus, even though they were criticized, generals rarely argued. But this time, Zhou Taiqin and Zheng Chengli had run into Wang Chong.
”Zhou Taiqin is willing to hear Milord's wise words!”