Chapter 1579: The Furious First Prince! (1/2)
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
The Great Tang belonged to the subjects of the Great Tang, but more than that, it belonged to the House of Li, and the Great Tang of the House of Li was the First Prince's Great Tang.
As the First Prince, he was the right and proper Crown Prince, and also the right and proper next Sage Emperor. All authority should have stemmed from the Imperial Court, and thus, stemmed from him. For this reason, the First Prince found the matter of the Public Order Office even more intolerable than Li Junxian.
”To set up another Imperial Court is a great taboo!” At this moment, a sharp and high-pitched voice resounded through the Eastern Palace. The white-haired eunuch at the First Prince's side slowly spoke.
”Your Highness, although Wang Chong was the one who gave the order, the soldiers of the Public Order Squads were provided by the Bureau of Military Personnel. In other words, this was Zhangchou Jianqiong's order. If Your Highness wishes to punish Wang Chong, it will not be easy!”
”Zhangchou Jianqiong, hm?”
The First Prince's expression turned cold, his eyes gleaming.
”In the last militarist-Confucian conflict, I didn't make trouble for him. Does he really think that Consort Taizhen's protection means that I can't do anything to him?
”Pass on my order to gather the officials for a meeting. In addition, take this prince's token and take a trip to the Minister of War Residence. I would like to ask Zhangchou Jianqiong what he means by establishing this Public Order Office. What sort of head does he have on his shoulders that he dares to establish such an office without a decree from this prince and the Imperial Court?!” the First Prince coldly said, his eyes seething with killing intent.
”This old slave will deliver the order!”
……
The skies over the capital were dark and an undercurrent flowed beneath the surface. Countless messenger birds flew here and there as innumerable spies moved throughout the capital to gather information on the new Public Order Office.
But the Minister of War Residence was the nexus of all this information.
The initial members of the Public Order Squad had originated from here, and it was true that King of Foreign Lands Wang Chong had paid a visit to Zhangchou Jianqiong before this.
”Wang Chong, you've put me on the roasting rack.”
Within the Minister of War Residence, Zhangchou Jianqiong bitterly smiled at his guest.
A pot made of gold-colored ceramic had been placed on the table, and within it was top-quality tea from Longjing. The tea was still piping hot, and the two exquisitely-crafted cups next to the pot were brimming.
The guest sitting on the other side of the table had a calm and composed expression as they drank cup after cup. Meanwhile, Zhangchou Jianqiong had left his own cup idle for more than five minutes without even a sip.
”Just treat it as me owing you a favor!”
Wang Chong softly chuckled.
”Moreover, all the generals on the border are receiving promotions that are really demotions, and even Geshu Han's subordinates have been transferred to Lingnan to repair bridges and roads, let alone others. The authority of the generals has weakened to the extreme, and it will probably be the Great Generals who are next. You're the Minister of War and have lived more years than I have. If the Great Tang has no more Great Generals, your position as Minister of War probably won't last for very long either,” Wang Chong indifferently said.
”There's no need to talk like this. What favor? If you didn't help me in the war of the southwest, I wouldn't be sitting here. Besides, the Confucian Sect is constantly hounding us. My Bureau of Military Personnel still has enough authority to muster up some cavalry for your Public Order Squads, but if you had waited a little longer, I wouldn't even be able to muster infantry.”
Zhangchou Jianqiong sorrowfully sighed.
He had already considered all the consequences that would come with setting up the Public Order Office, but he had still chosen to help Wang Chong. This was partially driven by the fact that he really did owe Wang Chong a big favor for the southwest, but it was also because the Minister of War… was on the verge of becoming a figurehead.
”The Imperial Court should be coming to find me soon, but given all my efforts over my twenty years in the southwest, not even the First Prince should be able to do much to me, even if he is the heir apparent. But what do you plan to do?” Zhangchou Jianqiong said.
When Zhangchou Jianqiong looked at that young and determined face, he was suddenly reminded of his younger self.
When he was young, he once had the same courageous, determined, and decisive eyes. No matter what kind of setback he endured or opponent he faced, he would have never backed down.
It was precisely this unyielding determination that had allowed him to reach his current point, the Tiger of the Empire, the conqueror of the southwest.
Once, he had dreamed about entering the capital, taking over the Bureau of Military Personnel, dominating the government, and then becoming Prime Minister just like Duke Jiu or Li Linfu. Now, after twenty-some years, with many of his hairs having gone white, he had finally fulfilled his wish. He now served at the feet of the Son of Heaven and commanded all the soldiers of the realm.
But after experiencing one political storm after another, he had gradually learned to be cautious and evasive, losing his original courage and determination.
Without realizing it, he had gotten old.
Zhangchou Jianqiong couldn't help but sigh.
Now, the young man sitting across from him had become the hope of all the protectorates on the border, all the officers and soldiers in the army, and even the Minister of War. If they wanted to oppose the Confucian Sect and the First Prince, who were at the height of their power, Wang Chong was their only chance.
”There's a proper countermeasure for everything. I have my own ideas on how to deal with it.”