Chapter 1651: Wang Chong and the Ghost King! (1/2)
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
”Heh, if I did that, how could I lure you out?” Wang Chong indifferently said.
Wang Chong had sensed that something was wrong long ago. The First Prince was acting completely differently from usual, as if he had an additional advisor at his side. The Great Buddhist Temple incident had only made him more certain.
Not only that, now that he thought about it, although he was outside the capital when the Rebellion of the Three Princes took place and didn't know many of the details, he remembered that there was apparently one other important advisor of the First Prince other than the Eastern Palace advisors who had been executed.
But there was never any information about this individual.
Many events had changed with his reincarnations, but it seemed that the archcriminal who had appeared at the First Prince's side in that life, and led the Rebellion of the Three Princes that resulted in the massacre of so many officials, had also appeared in this life.
One must enter the tiger's den to get the tiger's cub!
Judging by the last few operations, his adversary was extremely cautious and would not recklessly reveal himself. By knowing oneself and knowing one's enemies, one could win one hundred out of one hundred battles. If he wanted to stop his foe, he needed to know who his opponent was.
Given how cautious this man was, only Wang Chong's personal appearance would lure him out, so Wang Chong had no other choice than to risk himself.
From the moment he emerged from Tianxin Palace, Wang Chong had not been focused on the First Prince. He had been focused entirely on the elder standing right behind him.
Other than a few white hairs on his temples, the elder still had many strands of pitch-black hair. Moreover, his eyes were sharp and energetic, and he seemed completely different from an ordinary elder.
His movements exuded refinement and grace, and he naturally radiated the demeanor of a noble, perhaps even nobler than the nobles of the capital. While those nobles only showed such grace in their movements, this man's nobility had seeped into his bones.
Wang Chong had seen many things in his lives, but he had never encountered such an individual. Not even the most eminent of Kings of the Great Tang, King Song, was able to compare.
Such an individual could not possibly be a complete unknown, but even though Wang Chong racked his memories, he couldn't find anyone who matched this elder's description.
Just where did this person come from? He can't have just come out of nowhere. I should know who this person is!
Wang Chong's mind was in turmoil, but his face showed nothing.
On the other side, the Ghost King had no idea of all the thoughts that were going through Wang Chong's mind.
There had been a faint smile on his face, but when he heard Wang Chong's reply, his eyelids slightly drooped and his smile utterly vanished.
To his surprise, Wang Chong had done all this not for Eunuch Gao, but to lure him out!
”It seems like I underestimated you!”
The Ghost King changed the tone in his voice.
”I thought I only needed thirty percent of my strength to deal with you, but it seems like I should use fifty.”
”Is that so?”
Wang Chong couldn't help but smile. This man possessed an extraordinary amount of confidence.
”You think that you're using thirty percent of your strength, so why do you think I'm using all of mine?”
Wang Chong had encountered many opponents, and all of them had been brimming with confidence.
But in the end, they had all lost.
When it came to intelligence and strategy, Wang Chong feared no one.
The Ghost King's eyes narrowed, and he gave Wang Chong a profound glance.
All fell silent as the four eyes met.
This was their first exchange of words, and they had already begun to sound each other out.
Both Wang Chong and the Ghost King exuded a sharp edge indicating that neither would back down.
The air grew tenser and tenser.
After some time, Wang Chong finally broke the silence. ”I don't know what you're planning, but you won't succeed!”
With all disguises ripped away, the two were beginning to cut straight to the point. This man before him was a deep schemer, and while the First Prince stood at the forefront of the Rebellion of the Three Princes as its ringleader, the man behind him was the true culprit behind the curtains.
If he hadn't risked himself to make this man appear, no outsider would ever be able to find out his true identity.
It was only through the energetic and wise rule of the first few Tang Emperors that the Central Plains was able to emerge from the chaos of the Sui and obtain the current peace. All of this had not come easily, and there was still the calamity to come. Wang Chong would not permit anyone to ruin what had taken so much effort to obtain.
This was his true purpose in appearing here.
”Is that so?”
The Ghost King couldn't help but laugh.
”The lofty aspirations of the young are truly worth admiring. Alas, their youthful vigor prevents them from having a clear idea of their own abilities. At your current level, you're still a little lacking.”
Although the Ghost King was smiling, his eyes were cold and sharp.