Chapter 1926: A New Technology for Wang Chong! (1/2)
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
The Behemoths were simply too powerful. A single one was enough to threaten a city, and an organized army before their mountainous bodies might as well have been made of ants.
If these Behemoths had appeared at the Rebellion of the Three Princes, the damage caused to the empire would have been beyond estimation.
And there was no guarantee that a 'Wang Chong' would appear in every period of the empire, or that giant ballistae could be produced to deal with them. If this technology got out, a single person could unleash misery and death for all people of the world.
This was one of Wang Zhongsi's greatest worries.
”Lord Junior Guardian's words make sense. We must be cautious on this matter!”
The others turned grave. It was clear that they shared his concerns.
”If we want to prevent others from using it, the best method would be to destroy it. If nobody knows about it, nobody can use it to threaten the Great Tang and the Central Plains. Weapons that are overly powerful are not necessarily good things,” An Sishun said, his expression firm. His stance on the Behemoth forging method was very clear. Destruction was good enough.
”The Great Tang's ballistae were first produced in Taizong's era, and in the current reign of the Sage Emperor, there are nearly one hundred thousand of them. But these have not been distributed to the various Protector-Generals. Instead, they are kept strictly controlled and stored at the Qixi Armory. If not for this, the Great Tang would probably be in chaos, and there would have been countless casualties in the Rebellion of the Three Princes. Perhaps even the Arabs would have stolen the method to make them.
”If such a thing had happened, the Battle of Talas or this war might have ended with completely different results!”
Arabia had its Behemoths, and for the Great Tang, its Behemoths were the ballistae.
In this war, the most lethal and intimidating weapon against the Arabs had been Su Hanshan's ballista army. Moreover, An Sishun had worked with Su Hanshan before, so he had an extremely deep understanding of their power.
”No! We can't simply destroy them!”
Zhangchou Jianqiong's brows furrowed together, and he pensively lowered his head.
”Water can both lift boats and sink boats. Whether it serves as a blessing to the realm or a disaster solely depends on how one thinks, on the person rather than the object itself. These items used to create Behemoths were paid in the lives of countless soldiers of the Great Tang, our hard-won spoils of war. To just destroy them is too great of a loss.
”And as you said, after creating those nearly one hundred thousand ballistae, His Majesty did not destroy them. Instead, he stored them at Qixi Armory. If not for these ballistae, do you still think we would have won this war?”
Everyone was instantly silenced. An Sishun opened his mouth to say something, but he quickly shut it again.
Zhangchou Jianqiong was right. None of them could deny the contribution of the ballistae, but it was also difficult for them to praise his words.
The air became rather awkward. No one had expected the matter of the Arabian Behemoth creation arts to be so divisive.
”If we don't want to destroy these items but also don't want the method to get out and be used by others, there's only one method left. We need to find someone we can trust, someone completely devoted to the Great Tang and who would never betray us to the enemy. Let him control the Behemoth creation method and spread it in a small circle. Thus, this art can be used by the Great Tang if necessary while minimizing the danger it presents,” Gao Xianzhi proposed.
Buzz!
The atmosphere suddenly changed. Everyone simultaneously turned to a single person.
”Mm?”
Wang Chong had been pondering how to deal with this matter when he realized to his surprise that everyone was staring at him.
”What's wrong? Why are you all looking at me?”
But in a rare sight, the group seemed to ignore Wang Chong's words, looking thoughtful.
”It's true. In terms of loyalty, I'm sure that no one else here can surpass the King of Foreign Lands!”
Zhangchou Jianqiong nodded as he voiced his agreement.
”Although it still seems rather improper to me, if it's the King of Foreign Lands, I can consider it,” An Sishun said after a few moments.
”This… If it's not about protecting the Central Plains, we Tongluo have never had an opinion!” Tongluo Great General Abusi declared. After a few moments of thought, he decided to add, ”However, His Majesty has always favored the King of Foreign Lands, and I trust that His Majesty will not misjudge others. If it is the King of Foreign Lands, I have no objection.”
Everyone turned to Wang Zhongsi.
Wang Zhongsi was the Sage Emperor's adopted son and was utterly loyal to him. He was the only one amongst them that had not yet expressed his stance.
Moreover, Wang Zhongsi was the previous generation's war god, so he outranked the rest in terms of influence and status. His opinion was of utmost importance.
”If it is the King of Foreign Lands, it is naturally fine.”
Everyone was rather surprised to hear Wang Zhongsi's words.
”We can start off doing everything as you've described, and the fewer people that know, the better. But this is an extremely important matter, so once we get back to the capital, we must request guidance from His Majesty.”
”Naturally!”