Chapter 1998 - An Yaluoshan Arrives!

Wunu Shibi, Namri Songtian, Duan Gequan—any one of them was a commander of several hundred thousand soldiers who could conquer a kingdom, but in front of Wang Chong, they were all incredibly meek. It was hard to see the image of a domineering Great General in them.

This sight left a deep impression on all the surrounding foreign emissaries.

But even so, no one believed there to be anything wrong with their attitude.

Wunu Shibi, Namri Songtian, and Duan Gequan might have been Great Generals whose names shook the world, but Wang Chong was acknowledged as the supreme War God of the continent. In front of the War Saint, anyone would appear dim and insignificant.

If Wunu Shibi and the others were the most dazzling stars in the night sky, making all the other general stars appear dim in contrast, Wang Chong was the most dazzling sun. Not even the brightest of the stars could compare to the blazing sun.

“Hmph, friends for all time, never to fight again? Do you lot have the right to say such things?”

Wang Chong coldly sneered at the Great Generals.

“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. Wunu Shibi, if you don’t restrain yourself, there will come a day when I go hunting with your Khagan on Mount Sanmi!”

The proud Wunu Shibi instantly broke out in a cold sweat, his face going white.

If anyone else had said this, he would have just treated it as bluster, perhaps even slapped the speaker, but Wang Chong was probably not blustering. And if he did not fear Wang Chong, he probably would not have come over at this time to explain himself.

Wang Chong quickly swept past Wunu Shibi and settled his gaze on Namri Songtian.

“Namri Songtian, go back and tell your Imperial Minister that I know everything that he’s thinking. Don’t think that the Tibetan Plateau can protect you. I have never faced a barrier I couldn’t overcome. If the Imperial Minister does not restrain himself, then I must look forward to a day when we clash!”

While Namri Songtian managed to remain extremely calm and composed, his mind momentarily shivered. Next to him, Mangri Rinda visibly shuddered in fear.

There were few that a valiant general like Namri Songtian feared, but Wang Chong was one of them.

Namri Songtian possessed absolute confidence, or perhaps blind faith, in the Imperial Minister. When it came to strategies, this man would lose to no one, not even Wang Chong. But the situation in Ü-Tsang had been deteriorating for some time. The Ngari Royal Lineage’s lands were still barren, and its hundreds of thousands of soldiers had been crushed. Even now, the matter of the sheep plague still made all Tibetans pale in fear.

As for the Yarlung Royal Lineage army controlled by Dusong Mangpoje in the northern part of the plateau, it had long ago ceased to exist. On the contrary, the steel fortresses that Wang Chong had erected at the triangular gap still stood, serving as a fish bone in the throat of the Ü-Tsang Empire, a dagger pressing against its back.

In the past, the Ü-Tsang Empire had been so powerful that the soldiers of its four Royal Lineages could completely suppress the Great Tang’s infantry.

But in Wang Chong’s hands, this weak infantry had been completely transformed. The terrifying ballistae paired with the steel defense line had turned the supreme soldiers of the continent, cavalry, into just ordinary soldiers that could easily be wiped out.

The Ü-Tsang Empire’s strength had waned, and all of this was because of this youth.

For hundreds of years, the Ü-Tsang Empire had relied on the natural environment of the plateau, but Wang Chong had conquered even this using roseroot.

Ü-Tsang no longer had anything to back their pride against the Great Tang.

Not even the Imperial Minister, with all his intellect and schemes, dared to offend the Great Tang now.

If not, when Geshu Han died, the Imperial Minister would not have needed to dispatch a delegation to Big Dipper City to apologize and explain!

Wang Chong cared little for what Namri Songtian was thinking, and he quickly turned to Mengshe Zhao Great General Duan Gequan.

In the war of the southwest, this devoted Great General had fled with the previous King of Mengshe Zhao, Geluofeng. Even now, Wang Chong still recalled his departing figure. But Wang Chong quickly focused, his eyes remaining cold.

“Duan Gequan, Mengshe Zhao has already betrayed the Great Tang once. The Great Tang magnanimously forgave this, giving your people one chance on account of our sharing of the same culture of the Central Plains. However, there are some things that can be done once, but not twice. If Mengshe Zhao continues to not know its place, then the words ‘Mengshe Zhao’ will cease to exist in this world… I assume that Fengjiayi does not believe himself to be tougher than Arabia!” Wang Chong indifferently said.

Duan Gequan hastily lowered his head and respectfully said, “We would not dare!”

Mengshe Zhao was far weaker than the other countries, and Duan Gequan had gone to the city gate for other reasons.

“In truth, Duan Gequan came to this capital to represent His Majesty. His Majesty has already reached a marriageable age, and Mengshe Zhao knows the severity of its crimes. Thus, in order to express its willingness to remain on good terms with the Great Tang for all time, my King wishes to request a Princess from the Tang Emperor to make his Queen, with their children serving as members of the Mengshe Zhao royal household to continue the dynasty and maintain the friendship between Mengshe Zhao and the Great Tang for all time.”

Duan Gequan lowered his head even further in an expression of meekness.

Wang Chong raised an eyebrow in surprise.

The words of Wunu Shibi and Namri Songtian were not sincere, merely a way to buy time, but Duan Gequan was different.

Marriage proposals were not unheard of in the history of the Great Tang.

In the reign of Emperor Taizong, a Tsenpo had sought a marriage partner from Emperor Taizong, but the Princess he married was not made Queen, nor did she produce an heir. On the contrary, there were many obstacles within Ü-Tsang that were meant specifically to prevent the Tsenpo from having children with the Princess.

But in Mengshe Zhao’s marriage proposal, it would treat all children the same as any other royal child.

This would mean that the imperial blood of the Great Tang would flow through the royal household of Mengshe Zhao, and the two families would be united in blood. This was completely different from what had happened with Ü-Tsang.

Moreover, the Tang Empire had many Princesses, and if Mengshe Zhao was sincere, the imperial household would probably not be against the idea. This would allow it to control Mengshe Zhao in the future.

Wang Chong silently considered the proposal.

Duan Gequan remained deferential. Even though this youth had been the principal culprit behind the death of the previous King of Mengshe Zhao, Duan Gequan felt no hatred, nor did he dare to complain. When the roof was too low, one could only bow their head. In the war of the southwest, Mengshe Zhao had engaged in its greatest resistance against the Great Tang in its history.

But Mengshe Zhao had lost!

The final result could only mean that Mengshe Zhao could not be a foe of the Central Plains for generations, at least not while the Great Tang still reigned! Since they were weaker and would never be able to defeat their foe, the second-best option was to simply become one with their foe.

This marriage proposal was an expression of Mengshe Zhao’s stance.

Meanwhile, Wang Chong had finished thinking and began to coldly speak.

“The Princesses of the Great Tang are not objects. The Great Tang does not need its Princesses to seek peace, nor does Mengshe Zhao have this right!”

Wang Chong’s words were rude, but Duan Gequan did not dare to express any anger.

“Yes!” Duan Gequan said, meekly lowering his head.

Wang Chong’s words were rude, but they were true.

“Moreover, what you speak of is not my domain, but the domain of the Imperial Court. You must say this to the Imperial Court. But there is one other point. The Great Tang will no longer be engaging in the policy of peace marriages. If Fengjiayi wishes for a Princess, he must express his own sincerity and obtain a Princess’s favor. And another point… tell Fengjiayi to come to the capital himself!” Wang Chong indifferently said.

“Yes!”

Duan Gequan did not dare to even utter the word ‘no’.

As Wang Chong had spoken, Fengjiayi would probably have to start off for the capital on the same night. This was Wang Chong’s current level of prestige. In truth, Duan Gequan mentally sighed in relief. As long as it wasn’t complete rejection, everything else was negotiable.

“King of Foreign Lands, our Ü-Tsang has no intention of committing an offense…”

“Your Highness, you’ve misunderstood…”

Wunu Shibi and Namri Songtian saw that Wang Chong’s expression had softened and seized the moment to explain themselves. But Wang Chong quickly cut them off with a cold laugh.

“There’s no need to waste your words. If the Western Turks and Ü-Tsang don’t show restraint, you’ll meet the same end as Arabia!”

The two of them instantly paled.

In front of Wang Chong, they could only be passive, and despite their prodigious abilities, they could never fully exert themselves.

As these two were feeling extremely awkward…

“Reporting!”

An old eunuch standing in front of the Pavilion of Petal and Sepal loudly announced, “The newly appointed Andong Protector-General, An Yaluoshan, and his right and left deputy generals have arrived!”

The large, U-shaped hall instantly fell silent. Wang Chong’s expression slightly darkened and his brow creased as he turned to look.

At the bottom of the steps was a chubby figure, his face ruddy and smiling as he slowly walked up, several other people standing around him.

“Notice!” The Stone of Destiny’s cold voice spoke into Wang Chong’s mind. “Special Event! User has encountered ‘Destined Foe’! Special Event begins! User’s following actions will have an influence on this world and could draw attention from the World Consciousness! Be cautious!”

Wang Chong’s pupils constricted, and his face turned cold and harsh.

An Yaluoshan!

Wang Chong had been planning to check whether this An Yaluoshan was the real deal, but the Stone of Destiny’s voice had made this unnecessary.

Unlike the one at the eastern gate, this An Yaluoshan was the original!

Only encountering An Yaluoshan’s real body would trigger the Stone of Destiny.

And if this was An Yaluoshan, those around him were undoubtedly the backbone of his Youzhou force.

Wang Chong looked around and spotted an azure-robed scholar to the right of An Yaluoshan.

Gao Shang!

If his guess was right, this man was An Yaluoshan’s primary strategist. For this visit to the capital, this man was most likely the schemer behind the curtains.