Chapter 1613: Catching a Turtle in a Jar! I (1/2)

Chapter 1613: Catching a Turtle in a Jar! (I)

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

The four golden Qilins meant that Wang Chong had a higher status than King Qi, something that King Qi could never accept.

The King of Foreign Lands Residence was finished. Fireworks exploded and countless officials and generals voiced their congratulations as Wang Chong and his joyous subordinates officially moved in.

The new residence was twice the size of the Wang Family Residence and exuded an air of majesty. The Sage Emperor had even placed five hundred Golden Guards to guard his residence. These men were the elite of the elite, and all of them were loyal and reliable. And upon seeing the insides of the residence, Wang Chong could only sigh in praise.

He had thought that King Qi would cut corners on the construction, but it was apparent that since the Imperial Court had already confirmed the treatment and standards Wang Chong should enjoy, not even King Qi dared to do anything more than delay the work. He didn't touch a single detail of the insides.

This was the power of the Imperial Court's laws!

After the party was over, everything returned to peace and quiet.

Whoosh!

An exquisite tea pot decorated with golden dragons was held in the air, white steam pouring out from the tiger-shaped spout as tea was poured into a teacup which was white on the outside and uniformly green on the inside.

”Good tea! This should be the Jinjunmei tea that the First Prince gifted you, right?”

Within the main hall of the King of Foreign Lands Residence, King Song took a light sip of tea and sighed.

”Your Highness truly has sharp eyes. This is the Jinjunmei tea that the First Prince gifted me.”

Wang Chong lightly chuckled as he put the tea pot back on the table. After a long wait, the King of Foreign Lands Residence was finally done, and King Song had seized this rare opportunity where the two of them could just sit down and enjoy some tea.

”Savor it well. This is high-quality tribute tea, and only five boxes were offered in all. Two boxes were left for the Empress and the Consorts, one for the Sage Emperor's personal use, and another box was for the Grand Commandant. This box was one that the First Prince had left for his personal use. From this, we can see that the First Prince was plotting something when he gave you those rewards.”

King Song took another light sip of tea.

Wang Chong silently smiled. He truly couldn't understand the path of tea, nor did he aspire toward it, so he couldn't taste the value in this tea.

”The situation in the capital is very strange,” King Song abruptly said.

”Oh?”

Wang Chong blinked in surprise. King Song wasn't someone to just randomly comment without reason.

”You might not know this, but your residence has already exceeded the initial standards in some places. These were things that the craftsmen did on their own without telling King Qi.”

King Song smiled.

Wang Chong was shaken by these words. He was rarely involved in such affairs, and he truly had not known of this.

”But the Bureau of Works… hasn't it always been under King Qi's control? How could they tolerate it?” Wang Chong asked in shock.

”Heh, you think they wouldn't know what the craftsmen under them were doing? This time, the key to the early completion of your King of Foreign Lands Residence was those officials in the Bureau of Works. This is also why King Qi is so furious.

”More than four hundred lives were lost in this border incident, and the Confucian Sect, instead of trying to find a solution, tried its best to suppress and diminish it. Not even the officials belonging to the Confucian Sect could stomach this, but they didn't dare to protest. However, they used their actions to show their support, and this was how your residence came to be so swiftly constructed.

”In this aspect, Wang Chong, you performed splendidly!”

King Song put down his teacup and lightly stroke his beard, a look of praise in his eyes.

Wang Chong couldn't help but be taken aback by King Song's words. The First Prince and Confucian Sect acted in unison within the court, and Wang Chong had almost instinctively paid the court no attention. If King Song hadn't brought it up, he would have never noticed the changes wrought by the border incident.

King Song smiled and explained. ”Heh, there are not so many sects and clans, and the Confucian Sect and Confucian school are not as powerful as imagined. As they say, justice resides in the hearts of the people, and everyone can decide for their own what is right and wrong. Justice and righteousness are concepts that exist beyond sects and factions.”

As a senior of Wang Chong's, he could never rest easy, so no matter what happened, he always had to go to court and do all he could to help Wang Chong. But this time, King Song was greatly relieved.

The times had changed. In the past, he had once been the backer of the Bureau of Military Personnel, one of the standing pillars of the Great Tang's military, but now, the younger generation had matured. Even if he weren't around, Wang Chong would be able to skillfully navigate the situation, enduring the pressure of the First Prince, King Qi, and the Confucian Sect to emerge with a beautiful victory.

This was the passing of the torch. He had spent more than half his life working for the Great Tang, never once able to relax, but now, he could draw his hand away and let Wang Chong and the other juniors hone themselves in the court and uphold the Great Tang.

Wang Chong pensively looked at King Song, his mind in turmoil.

King Song merely smiled.