Chapter 1608 - The Enraged Li Junxian!
Chapter 1608: The Enraged Li Junxian!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
“Bastard!”
Within the sleeve of his long white robe, Li Junxian clenched his fingers into a fist, and his entire body shook in rage.
But in the distance, Wang Chong gently smiled and proceeded to ignore Li Junxian.
Those of a different path could not conspire together. What had needed to be said had been said, and he did not have much to discuss with Li Junxian anymore.
Li Junxian had lost this round, and he would lose every other one as well!
Whoosh!
With a wave of his sleeve, Wang Chong began to climb the stairs to the stage.
“Look; it’s the King of Foreign Lands!”
The moment Wang Chong appeared, he was immediately noticed, and the crowd began to cheer.
“The King of Foreign Lands!”
“The King of Foreign Lands!”
“The King of Foreign Lands!”
Whether they were men, women, young, old, noble, or poor, they all cheered until they were red in the face.
This young man had created a miracle on the northern steppe, his four hundred men defeating twelve thousand. Even though many of them had opposed Wang Chong in the militarist-Confucian conflict, all of them strongly supported him in this border incident.
No one could lightly humiliate the Great Tang. Anyone who offended the Tang had to pay a price. Wang Chong was of one mind with the crowd and was a voice for their opinions.
“Milord!”
Cheng Sanyuan respectfully retreated to the side. At this moment, Wang Chong was the undisputed most dazzling existence in the world.
Wang Chong nodded and slowly turned around. With the rolling of those heads, their eyes still wide open, and the blood gushing from their necks, the border incident had been brought to a grisly close.
As the crowds thundered and cheered, Wang Chong only sighed.
This operation had expended immense manpower and resources. What Wang Chong had wanted was for all the world to see that the Great Tang was still the same Great Tang, that no one could afford to recklessly offend this country and its people.
Bang!
At this moment, the woman suddenly dropped to her knees, her head touching the ground. As she prostrated herself, her body trembled and her eyes wept.
“King of Foreign Lands, my utmost gratitude for allowing this lowly woman to hold the saber and take revenge for this massacre. This lowly woman will remember Your Highness’s kindness for the rest of her life!”
Miss Duan’s face was covered in tears. As for the bloodstained saber, she had already cast it aside.
Although Hulugan and Ashide had been executed, the dead could not be brought back to life. None of what she had lost could be brought back.
Those heart-wrenching sobs made Wang Chong feel a stab of pain in his heart.
Didn’t the general campaign on the borders against foreign countries precisely to protect the innocent people?
As the Great Tang’s King of Foreign Lands, as one of the best generals of the Bureau of Military Personnel, he could not escape the blame for this incident.
“Miss, please rise. Wang Chong cannot accept this bow!”
Wang Chong hastily helped Miss Duan up.
“This operation was not just for you. It was for the sake of all the people of the Great Tang.”
Wang Chong turned to the vast crowd, his expression somber.
It became so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. All the people looked toward Wang Chong with gleaming eyes.
In corners where no one could see, Hu wearing thick, face-concealing robes were stricken with fear.
The thought of a raid on the execution ground had passed through their minds, but when they saw Wang Chong in the crowd, they had relented.
At this moment, all the Hu understood that the youth on the stage was the most terrifying existence they had ever known.
None of them could predict what kind of grievous consequence an attack on the execution ground would incite.
Buzz!
At this moment, the white-clothed Li Junxian was in a daze. He was not focused on Wang Chong, but on the widowed Miss Duan prostrated before him and the bloodstained saber she had cast aside.
“How could it be her?”
He had believed that it was one of Wang Chong’s subordinates who had beheaded Ashide and Hulugan, but now, he realized that the executioner was the widow from the massacred village.
“How could this be?”
No one except those of the Confucian Sect had noticed the dumbstruck expression on Li Junxian’s face.
If Wang Chong had killed those two, Li Junxian would have been able to make a case to court, but if it was Miss Duan… not even he could pursue the matter.
On the stage, Wang Chong continued to speak.
“…In this operation, we have given all the foreign countries a message: those who offend the Tang will! Be! Punished! No matter how far!”
Wang Chong’s expression was cold, and his every word caused the minds of the people to tremble.
Bang!
Suddenly, the crowd exploded with thunderous cheers.
Whether they were nobles, generals, or ordinary folk, they had heard their sincere beliefs arise from Wang Chong’s mouth.
Because this was the Great Tang!
All the Confucian Sect experts were dazzled, and they felt a bitterness in their hearts.
What defeated them was not all of Wang Chong’s tricks and the execution of Hulugan and Ashide, but the joyful and sincere cheers of the crowd.
Not too long ago, who could have imagined that the ones the crowd were cheering and supporting would be the Confucian Sect’s sworn enemy?
Li Junxian also had a nasty scowl.
Buzz!
At this moment, he sensed something odd and looked up to see that Wang Chong was looking at him.
Their eyes met, and neither said a word.
“Wang Chong, don’t get too complacent! You won this round, but this is far from over. I will never let you destroy this world peace that I have worked so hard to bring about!”
Li Junxian’s mental wave passed through the crowd and resounded in Wang Chong’s mind.
“Hmph, you still don’t understand? At this stage, you’re still clinging to your ideals? Just think of those four hundred souls massacred on the border! Is that the Harmonious World you sought?” Wang Chong coldly replied with his Psychic Energy. He would never back down to Li Junxian and his Confucian Sect.
“It’s precisely because of such things that the Harmonious World must be realized! I will let no one ruin our plans—not even you, King of Foreign Lands!”
Li Junxian’s pupils constricted, his face turning into a sheet of ice.
“So, you want even more of these tragedies to occur? Can you not see even now the ambitious hearts of these countries?! Wolves are wolves, and they cannot change their nature. Trying to use benevolence to reason with those who worship strength is truly the peak of idiocy!” Wang Chong angrily retorted.
It was said that pedant scholars would harm the country, but someone like this, whose eyes could not be opened to the real world even by four hundred lost lives, was truly an idiot down to their bones.
“Ha, I won’t give up. In order to realize a great goal, prices must be paid. As long as we can realize the Harmonious World and bring peace and good fortune to even more people of the Great Tang, I would even sacrifice myself and all of the Confucian Sect!” Li Junxian coldly replied.
The road before them was never going to be smooth. The Confucian Sect had come to understand this long ago. Wang Chong’s appearance and this defeat had only strengthened his convictions and the vision of his goal.
Buzz!
Wang Chong’s eyes went cold, as did his demeanor.
“There’s a limit to everything! Since this is the case, then let the Confucian Sect be destroyed!”
Time seemed to stop. The cheering crowd had failed to notice the clash between Wang Chong and Li Junxian. This was the last compromise the two would ever make. Starting from this point, the two of them would no longer show mercy.
Of these two, only one could stand in the Great Tang.
Amidst the thunderous cheers of the crowd, Li Junxian silently led his Confucian Sect experts away.
As Wang Chong watched Li Junxian leave, he faintly smiled.
This was not their first clash, nor would it be the last. But as long as he was here, the Confucian Sect would never succeed.
“Let’s go!”
Wang Chong turned and left with Cheng Sanyuan and his men.
Behind them, the cheers went on and on.
This was a day of celebration for the people of the capital. On the streets, in the tea houses, amongst the common people, nobles, generals, and ministers… the entire capital was rejoicing.
More importantly, the people of the world had seen the value of the Bureau of Military Personnel. No one else could have accomplished this!
“Wonderful! Wang Chong, I truly had you right!”
Flapflap! The news in the capital was spread out on the backs of numerous birds. Gao Xianzhi within the Anxi Protectorate, Big Dipper Great General Geshu Han on the western border, An Sishun in Beiting, and the other Great Generals and Protector-Generals all smiled upon receiving the news.
The militarists had been on the back foot for so long, suppressed and beaten on every front. But this time, the militarists had won a round fair and square. They had also shown to all the people of the empire that they had the will and resolve to protect this land.
“Come! Gather all the generals! We’re all going to have a drink! A toast to the kid!”
Within Big Dipper City, Geshu Han heartily laughed. He tore the seal off a wine jar and began to madly guzzle it down, and one of his deputies hastily attempted to stop him.
“Milord, your injuries!”
“Haha, enjoy all the pleasures which life affords! Didn’t the kid say something like that? If you run into something that makes you happy, you naturally have to celebrate! As for my injuries, they’re fine! No need to worry!”
Geshu Han laughed.
On this day, Big Dipper City was brightly lit and abounding with laughter.