Chapter 637: The Capital Astir! (II)
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
“Wang Bowu had a grandson like this!!”
In the Four Quarters Embassy, the Old Master of the Yao Clan, Yao Chong, propped his stick against the ground and stood out of his chair. The atmosphere in the room seemed to change.
At this moment, even if Yao Guangyi closed his eyes, he would still be able to sense his father’s shock and agitation.
As a former Prime Minister of the Great Tang, his father had experienced countless storms and tribulations throughout his life, surviving numerous assassination attempts. But even in the last War of the Princes, when all the dragons were struggling for the throne, his father had always remained cool and collected.
Yet the news of victory in the southwest had shaken his father so much that he had lost his composure.
“Father, everything is still just gossip. There’s no firm evidence, so this might just be a rumor. The southwest might not be what we imagine,” Yao Guangyi consoled.
“Yi-er, you’ve been a minister of the court and general on the border for so many years, yet you still can’t tell if this news is true or false?”
As Old Master Yao leaned on his cane, he glanced at his son, his disappointment difficult to conceal.
“Then Father means…” Yao Guangyi uneasily said.
“The southwest is the gateway to the Great Tang, and this war concerns the Great Tang, Mengshe Zhao, and Ü-Tsang. The course of this war will affect the fate and future prospects of the Great Tang. If we lose in the southwest, do you know what will happen to the Great Tang?
“The Eastern and Western Turkic Khaganates, the Goguryeon Empire, the Khitans, the Xi, the kingdoms of the Western Regions, as well as the Abbasid Caliphate and Charax Spasinu—how do you think they will react?”
Yao Guangyi looked in a daze at his own father, somewhat unable to accept what he was hearing. Why did it feel like his father was standing with the Wang Clan?
“Yi-er, although we stand on different sides from the Wang Clan, this matter has nothing to do with the Wang Clan, but rather relates to the Great Tang. Do you know why our Yao Clan has always enjoyed imperial favor and has always flourished, never waned? It isn’t because we fight with the Wang Clan, nor is it because we fight with King Song, and it certainly isn’t because we stand with King Qi. It was because our Yao Clan has always treated the Great Tang’s benefit as our number one priority.
“Yi-er, despite all your experience, you’re still lacking a little!”
Yao Chong gave his son a disappointed look.
He had fought with Wang Jiuling for more than half his life and he had never once lost to him, but in terms of descendants, he truly had lost. The Wang Clan was not only thriving, it even had a person like Wang Chong.
But when Yao Chong surveyed his Yao lineage, he could not find a single person who could compare to Wang Chong. Not even Yao Guangyi could compare, much less others.
I didn’t think that the Wang Clan would produce someone like this. I suppressed the Wang Clan for half of my life, but one hundred years later, I’m afraid that the descendants of the Yao Clan will have to look up to the Wang Clan!
Old Master Yao gave a long sigh and said nothing for a long while.
“Old Master, the Imperial Court has invited Master Yao to enter the court and take part in the court meeting.” A voice came from outside, causing Yao Guangyi to shiver and immediately turn around.
……
“Hahaha, victory! Young Master Wang actually won; our Great Tang won!”
At this very moment, the four great sword-smithing clans of the capital were rejoicing and the residences of the great clans were festooned with red lanterns. Even the sword smiths and sword shops of the capital were brightly decorated and celebrating.
News from the Imperial Court was rarely spread to the marketplace, but this time was different. The moment the news from the southwest arrived in the capital, the Imperial Court intentionally began to spread the news.
In the last two months, the capital had been panicking, unsettling news falling from the sky like a snowstorm.
News of a great victory was far too necessary.
“The armaments that Young Master used in the southwest, the bows, arrows, and ballistae, were all forged by us. With this victory in the southwest, the Imperial Court is sure to richly reward us.”
The four great sword-smithing clans and the various sword smiths and shops of the capital were all abuzz with excitement.
When they were forging these implements for Wang Chong, none of them had imagined that Wang Chong would use these things in the southwest to defeat the Mengshe–Ü-Tsang army.
Now that Wang Chong had won, they all shared the glory with him.
……
“What?! The southwest was won? We actually won in the southwest?!”
In the estate of a great clan, the dignified clan patriarch stood up in surprise, his face covered in disbelief.
“That Young Master Chong of the Wang Clan actually managed to defeat Dalun Ruozan and Geluofeng?”
“Impossible, inconceivable.”
The news from the southwest stunned all the clans, especially those clans who had loaned Wang Chong experts.
“This is an enormous achievement. I didn’t think that scion would be so formidable!”
At this moment, all the clan patriarchs felt a deep respect for that scion of the Wang Clan who had traded Wootz Steel swords for experts.
To use one hundred thousand soldiers to defeat five hundred thousand soldiers, a good portion of them being cavalry, was truly an awe-inspiring feat.
“It seems that we have to reconsider our relationship with the Wang Clan! Attaching ourselves to that scion is far more important than exchanging for a few Wootz Steel swords.”
On this day, it would be very difficult for any clan head of the capital to avoid this feeling.
……
“Hahaha, victory—Martial Brother Wang actually won!”
“Our Deflecting Blade Manor has made a name for itself this time.”
“Martial Brother Wang is no less than a god. With him, our Kunwu Training Camp can definitely suppress the other two training camps.”
“Hahaha, let’s all apply for Deflecting Blade Manor. Young Master Chong established it! This one is willing to be his doorkeeper!”
……
When the news of the victory in the southwest reached Kunwu Training Camp, it immediately elicited a heaven-shaking transformation. Zhao Qianqiu, who was playing chess in Deflecting Blade Manor, almost stomped the chessboard to pieces in his rush to stand.
“Is, is, is this true?”
Zhao Qianqiu was stammering, barely able to form sentences.
Although he had felt talent in Wang Chong the first day he entered Kunwu Training Camp and even acknowledged him as unusual, Zhao Qianqiu had never imagined that Wang Chong could accomplish such a feat.
Dalun Ruozan and Duan Gequan were people that Zhao Qianqiu didn’t even dare to think about. Yet Wang Chong had managed to defeat them in a proper battle, even when severely outnumbered.
“Impossible! This is just too unbelievable…”
Zhao Qianqiu’s chest was heaving, and it took quite a while for him to calm down.
The entire capital, from the highest noble to the lowest commoner, was jubilant. Cheers could be heard from every part of the capital, and some people even lit firecrackers in celebration.
But at this moment, the most enthusiastic people were not on the streets, but in the Imperial Court.
Deep within the Imperial Palace, all the officials, civil and martial, had gathered in Taiji Palace. The atmosphere was most warm and enthusiastic.
“Hahaha, this is the best news this court has ever received! Wang Gen, Duke Jiu has a fine grandson. Your Wang Clan has once again produced a pillar of the empire!”
In the court, an old imperial censor with grizzled hair, seventy or eighty years of age but of ruddy complexion, immediately moved to shake Wang Gen’s hand upon his arrival.
The old censor was extremely old and it had been many years since he had participated in a court assembly. In terms of status, he had even higher rank than Imperial Censor Duan Cao. But after hearing of Wang Chong and the great victory in the southwest, he had put on his official robe and hat, and come to participate in the assembly.
Wang Chong was only seventeen years old, but this old imperial censor was already describing him as a pillar of the empire. No normal person could enjoy this honor, but none of the officials present could find any objection.
The victory in the southwest was far too significant. Based on the preliminary news, throughout the course of the campaign, the Great Tang had lost around 160,000 soldiers. If one added the reinforcement army led by Li Zhengyi that had been ambushed, their losses came to 180,000 to 190,000.
But the losses of Mengshe Zhao and Ü-Tsang added together exceeded 400,000, more than double the Great Tang’s. In addition, a significant portion of this total consisted of the famed armored cavalry of Ü-Tsang.
This victory was enough to shake the world!
One could easily imagine the joy in the old censor’s heart.
“Imperial Censor’s praise is too much,” Wang Gen hurriedly said.
“Too much! How is it too much? Wang Gen, your Wang Clan has performed a great deed for the Great Tang! With the soldiers Ü-Tsang and Mengshe Zhao have lost, they won’t be able to invade the southwest for decades.”
Wang Gen had barely spoken when the Minister of Personnel arrived with a flock of officials and surrounded him.
“That’s right! Today, the Wang Clan is the most outstanding servant of the Great Tang! And with achievements comes reward. There’s no need for Lord Wang to be so humble.”
“Precisely. Once Young Master Wang returns from the southwest, His Majesty is certain to reward him mightily. The Wang Clan having such a Qilin son is a blessing for my Great Tang.”
“Young Master Chong already has the demeanor of the duke!”
……
The officials from the Bureau of Revenue, the Bureau of Personnel, the Bureau of Military Personnel, and the Bureau of Works, as well as the nobles of the court, all came up to offer their congratulations to Wang Gen.
The nobles were particularly enthusiastic. Normally, it would be quite a feat for even half of the nobility to show up, but today, upon hearing the news of the victory in the southwest, all the first-class nobles of the empire had gathered.
“Lord Wang, when you have the time, I beg you to visit my residence for a banquet. Particularly Young Master Wang. Lord Wang must do all he can to bring Young Master Wang with you.”
“Right, right, whenever Young Master Wang can come, our Duke Zhao Residence is ready to clear the schedule and wait upon him.”
“I hear that Young Master Wang is already seventeen, past the age of adulthood. It’s about time to discuss marriage. I have a single daughter who is excellent in both appearance and moral character. Perhaps Lord Wang can play the matchmaker? Our Wang Clan and Zhang Clan can get along like Qin and Jin1!”
(TN: In the Spring and Autumn Period, the states of Qin and Jin allied with each other through a marriage alliance.)
“Duke Zhang, this is improper. I have a little daughter who is superbly qualified…”
……
Wang Gen was surrounded by officials, his face red with happiness, and he laughed so often that his mouth was rarely closed. In his decades struggling his way up the ranks of the court, this day could be said to be his happiest.
In the entire court, Wang Gen and the Wang Clan he represented had become the unquestioned main characters. They even surpassed the Great Tang’s Prime Minister.
Today was a day that belonged to the entire Wang lineage!
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1. In the Spring and Autumn Period, the states of Qin and Jin allied with each other through a marriage alliance.↩