Chapter 1229: Entering the Palace to Meet the Divine! (1/2)

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

Upon leaving the Minister of War's Residence, Wang Chong immediately went back to his own home.

”Chong-er, you've finally returned!”

The gate of the Wang Family Residence was brightly lit, and Wang Chong's mother was waiting with several maids. When she saw Wang Chong's slim figure, she immediately embraced him while weeping tears of joy. There was no mother in the world that didn't love their own children, and no matter how mighty Wang Chong was on the outside world or if he was a King or Marquis, in the eyes of his mother, he would always be that willful and naughty child that required a mother's care.

With her son back home, Madam Zhao asked nothing, only laid out a sumptuous dinner for Wang Chong and watched him eat.

The night passed peacefully, and once dinner was over, Wang Chong returned to his room. There seemed to be an invisible barrier around the Wang Family Residence that kept out all the storms and court debates. Wang Chong also had no desire to bring court politics back home.

”Just what is going on?”

Late in the night, Wang Chong sat on his bed, his eyes half-closed as he racked his mind for clues. Everything he had seen and heard about: Khorasan, Qixi, his meeting with Geshu Han, the people he had encountered at the gate and the events there, his conversations with his big uncle, the old butler, and Zhangchou Jianqiong… he reviewed all these pieces of information, repeatedly examining each detail.

Suddenly, Wang Chong once more recalled the three Confucian experts who had taken his military authority and the mysterious mark on their wrists.

Wang Chong had an idea.

”Is it them? Could it be?”

Wang Chong muttered to himself as he vaguely began to understand. However, his mind still had far too many doubts.

Hoothoot!

As he was thinking, the flapping of wings and the call of an owl could be heard outside, shaking Wang Chong from his stupor.

Wang Chong blinked once and then called out from his bed, ”Come in!”

The room was quiet, the only sound the blowing of the wind. Quickly, however, just when it seemed like no one was outside, the door to Wang Chong's room opened and a nimble figure jumped in.

”Paying respects to Lord Marquis!”

The figure stopped five or six paces from Wang Chong. This figure was tall and muscular, and there was a similarly muscular eagle on their left shoulder. They bowed with extreme respect.

”Old Eagle, have you found anything?”

Wang Chong's words exposed this person's identity.

This person who had entered the Wang Family Residence in the middle of the night was none other than Old Eagle, who Wang Chong had left in the capital to serve as a go-between after the war of the southwest.

Ever since Wang Chong had gone north to Wushang, he had rarely put Old Eagle to work, but this did not mean that Old Eagle was not important. On the contrary, Old Eagle had been carrying out a mission this entire time. Upon his return to the eerie and dangerous capital, Wang Chong had immediately summoned Old Eagle and his newly-trained… intelligence team!

”Lord Marquis, according to your orders, when you arrived at the city gate, we had planted many spies in the crowd who kept an eye on everything, including several unfamiliar officials. After Lord Marquis left, we sent men to follow those extremely strange and mysterious minor officials,” Old Eagle sternly said.

”Did you find out where they went? Or their background?” Wang Chong asked.

Old Eagle hesitated a moment before finally shaking his head.

”No! We followed the men, but after a little while, we lost contact with our own men, as if they had vanished in a puff of smoke. These were top-class experts that I had personally trained, and they had plenty of experience. When Lord Marquis was not present, I sent them on training missions to Beiting and Youzhou, and they succeeded in all of them. These were just some minor officials, so in normal circumstances, they shouldn't have failed. Thus, when I learned the news, I immediately began to investigate, but it was only after the Zi Period that I discovered their bodies in the city moat!”

Buzz!

Wang Chong's eyes widened and his brow creased.

The two minor officials who had appeared during the day, particularly the one who had blatantly challenged Wang Chong, were far too abnormal. Wang Chong had ordered Old Eagle to have them followed, but he hadn't expected such a result from a mere probe. If they truly had been officials of the court, such a thing would have never happened.

After a few moments of silence, Wang Chong said, ”Where was the last place they were spotted?”

”The eastern part of the city!” Old Eagle respectfully said.

”I understand. You are dismissed.”

Wang Chong nodded.

”Lord Marquis, be at ease; no matter what, I will think of a way to find those two minor officials!” Old Eagle solemnly said as he observed Wang Chong's expression.