Chapter 1733 - Evening Feast at the Eastern Palace!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Bai Siling was no longer involved. If she continued to try and intervene, she would simply sink herself deeper and deeper into the mire.
Bai Siling stood motionless for some time, her eyes red, before abruptly saying, “Wang Chong, our Bai Clan doesn’t have this sort of people. Be at ease. No matter what, I’ll get you an explanation!”
After saying this, she left, making her way through the crowd.
Wang Chong internally sighed. He knew that someone with as strong a personality as Bai Siling would find this very hard to accept. But Wang Chong quickly took a deep breath and began to walk over to Zhao Fengchen.
Using Psychic Energy, Wang Chong determined that Zhao Fengchen, while heavily injured, was not in any mortal danger. Not even Bai Hanzhou would dare to kill an Imperial Army Marshal in front of so many people.
“Grand Marshal Bai!”
As Wang Chong was about to walk past Bai Hanzhou, he suddenly stopped. Turning around, he inspected the young Grand Marshal up close for the first time.
The young face of that aloof figure made for a stark contrast with the other Grand Marshals. Even the rather young Zhao Fengchen appeared ‘weathered’ compared to Bai Hanzhou. Anyone who could reach the Grand Marshal post at only twenty-eight or twenty-nine was already a legend of the Great Tang.
But in the end, this legend had not supported him and had chosen to support the First Prince for the sake of his personal gain.
“Does the King of Foreign Lands have something to say?” Bai Hanzhou flatly asked, not even moving his eyes to look at Wang Chong. His cold and aloof face was devoid of emotion.
“Ha!”
Wang Chong chuckled in reply.
“Grand Marshal’s act was truly excellent! If my guess is right, you were also the one who attacked Grand Marshal Li Xuanyi last night, yes?”
Buzz!
Bai Hanzhou had originally been very calm, but when he heard these words from Wang Chong, his pupils constricted and his face twitched.
But a moment later, Bai Hanzhou went back to normal, the transformation so fast that it all seemed like it had been an illusion.
“King of Foreign Lands, I have no idea what you’re talking about! I am also deeply enraged by the attack on Grand Marshal Li. I will definitely find out the truth of this attack!” Bai Hanzhou coldly said.
“Heh, is that so? I have heard that Grand Marshal Bai possesses outstanding talent and astonishing martial arts, but I didn’t think that you were such a good actor as well. Truly a pity!” Wang Chong jeered, and then he walked past Bai Hanzhou toward Zhao Fengchen.
At that moment they passed, when no one could see, Wang Chong’s eyes became ice-cold.
“The second match! Grand Marshal Bai Hanzhou wins! Zhao Fengchen has been defeated and loses the right to challenge!”
The eunuch’s voice resounded over the drilling ground, but there were no other sounds. No one was cheering, and the mood was desolate.
With Bai Hanzhou’s cultivation, he could easily defeat an almost exhausted and injured Zhao Fengchen. There was no honor in such a victory, and for the people of the Great Tang who admired martial valor and heroism, it was an act fully deserving of contempt.
But Bai Hanzhou appeared to not care about the criticism. He urged his horse off the drilling ground.
“The third match…”
The eunuch began to speak, but Wang Chong no longer cared as he made his way up to Zhao Fengchen.
While Zhao Fengchen’s injuries were serious, he had not fallen unconscious.
“I’m sorry! I failed!”
Zhao Fengchen gave a miserable smile, his eyes brimming with shame and self-reproach.
This was no ordinary battle, nor was it an ordinary failure. After this battle, the three Grand Marshals and the one hundred thousand soldiers of the Imperial Army would be almost completely under the First Prince’s control.
The First Prince had finally obtained what he had dreamed of!
“There’s no need to blame yourself. You did your best. Leave the rest to me!”
Wang Chong patted Zhao Fengchen on the shoulder consolingly.
Zhao Fengchen had done his best in the two battles. As for the final result, it had nothing to do with him and was beyond his power to affect, because his opponent had not been just Bai Hanzhou.
Wang Chong looked around at the Xuanwu Army soldiers and said, “Take your Marshal Zhao away! He won’t be able to fight for at least a month, so take good care of him.”
“Yes!” the Xuanwu Army soldiers respectfully called out, then they lifted Zhao Fengchen up and took him out of the drilling ground.
The battle was over for the Xuanwu Army. The coming battle had nothing to do with them.
Bang!
As Zhao Fengchen’s men were leaving, there was a massive boom from the center of the drilling ground, and then the familiar voice of the eunuch called out, “The last match! Lu Qiongji wins!”
The heavily injured Grand Marshal Li Xuanyi was still no match for the Imperial Forest Marshal in peak condition. As Wang Chong looked at the imposing Lu Qiongji, he felt not even a ripple of emotion.
The Imperial Army competition had been decided not on the battlefield, but outside of it!
Wang Chong quickly looked past Lu Qiongji to the smug and elated First Prince, and then to the inconspicuous elder at his side.
At almost the same time, the elder turned to look at Wang Chong.
Neither side said a word in this distant standoff.
While the ones on the field had been Duan Zhuyan, Zhao Fengchen, and Bai Hanzhou, these two had been the true combatants!
“You lost!”
A stream of Psychic Energy carrying Hou Junji’s voice resounded in Wang Chong’s mind. With Li Xuanyi’s defeat, the Imperial Army competition was settled.
Everything had gone exactly as he had planned.
Those spectators had only seen the beginning when he was already seeing the end!
“Is that so?”
Wang Chong was completely unmoved as he stared at the distant Hou Junji, his eyes chilling. He had deeply underestimated the shamelessness of his foe, but if Hou Junji thought that this would be enough to defeat him and make him back away, then he was gravely mistaken.
“You won this round, but our match is far from over! He who laughs last, laughs best!”
With a wave of his sleeve, Wang Chong turned around and left. Hou Junji was momentarily taken aback, but then he grinned and turned to leave.
“Your Highness, let us return!”
Hou Junji vanished into the crowd.
……
Imperial Forest Army Marshal Lu Qiongji had defeated Li Xuanyi and taken his place as Grand Marshal. The news of the first new Grand Marshal in ten-some years quickly spread through the capital.
And the news that Bai Hanzhou had emerged at the crucial moment and used his privilege as Grand Marshal to eliminate Zhao Fengchen quickly spread through the great clans.
For the Great Tang, an uneasy future lay ahead.
Time slowly passed, and as night fell, the Eastern Palace was brightly lit and noisy.
The main hall resounded with the clinking of plates and cups.
“Hahaha! Good! This is the happiest day in this prince’s life! The Imperial Army is finally under this prince’s control.”
First Prince Li Ying held up a wine cup, his face bright red and his body brimming with excitement.
“Congratulations, Your Highness, congratulations!”
The calls of congratulation from all around made the First Prince heartily laugh.
The First Prince turned around and excitedly said, “Ghost King, this prince was right about you. A toast for your contributions!”
“Your Highness flatters me!”
Hou Junji had a cup of tea in his hand as he indifferently replied, his face emotionless to the First Prince’s praise.
Raising his tea cup, he clinked cups and then finished his tea.
“Reporting! Grand Marshal Bai Hanzhou has come to seek an audience!”
At this moment, an Eastern Palace guard rushed inside, getting down on one knee some seven meters away from that delicacy-laden table.
“Hahaha, great! Our valuable subject has arrived! Quickly, let him in!” the First Prince ordered, his eyes bright.
At that moment, the cheering crowd went silent and turned in a single direction.
A few moments later, there was a clattering of armor from outside, and then Bai Hanzhou, still wearing his dazzling suit of armor, came inside.
His expression was aloof and his eyes domineering. With every move, he exuded power and grace.
Even Huang Tianzhao, who was seated to the First Prince’s left, was somewhat lacking in comparison.
“Paying respects to Your Highness!”
Bai Hanzhou quickly looked around the hall before settling his eyes on Li Ying, and then he got down on one knee, the clattering of his armor bouncing off the walls.
Bai Hanzhou had the traits befitting an outstanding general: a handsome appearance, a cool demeanor, powerful strength, astounding talent, formidable background, and also… the ability to make the right choice at the right time!
He had won the First Prince’s praise in every aspect.
“There’s no need! Rise!”
The First Prince put down his cup and stepped forward to help Bai Hanzhou stand.
“Bai Hanzhou, this prince truly did not make the wrong judgment. You played a major role in this prince’s seizure of the Imperial Army. If you did not adjust to the situation and step forward to eliminate Zhao Fengchen, the competition might have gone in an unexpected direction.
“Be at ease. Once I sit on that seat, I’ll have a place for you and bring many blessings on the entirety of your Bai Clan!” the First Prince sternly said.
“Many thanks, Your Highness!”
Bai Hanzhou hastily bowed once more.
“Not just Bai Hanzhou, but all of you as well. As long as this prince succeeds, all of you will become Ministers of the Dragon! This prince will richly reward all of you!” the First Prince loudly and excitedly declared.
“And Ghost King, this prince will give you everything I promised!”
These words were spoken with extreme force and resolve.
“Many thanks, Your Highness!”
Everyone stood up and bowed. Even the Ghost King couldn’t help but slightly lower his head, a strange light in his eyes.
“Hahaha, wonderful! With all of you by my side, this prince can accomplish anything!”
The First Prince’s confidence swelled, his complexion turning even redder.
“Bai Hanzhou, come! Drink with this prince! Let’s go on until we can’t stand anymore!”
