"The Young Marquis has already rested for three days and three nights. It's about time for him to go!"
A very rude voice came from outside the room, apparently intent on barging into Wang Chong's room.
"You bastards, Marquis is unconscious. You clearly know this, yet you still disturb him! Let me tell you, if anyone dares to touch Marquis, I'll take your life! "
Clanging sounds could be heard from outside the room, apparently coming from Chen Bin and Xu Keyi, who had unsheathed their weapons in agitation.
"Impudent! We're imperial envoys! You dare to attack us! "
"The Young Marquis has just been made King of Foreign Lands, and you already want to rebel?"
… …
Another group of people angrily bellowed from outside the room, apparently also unsheathing their weapons. Wang Chong recognized these people as the officials and guards of the Bureau of Rites.
"Bastard!"
Xu Keyi, Chen Bin, and the others were even more infuriated by this sight. Just when the two sides were about to clash —
"Stop!"
A furious and dignified roar came from within the room.
Outside the room, under a blossoming Plum Blossom tree, the two groups of people who were in a stalemate suddenly stopped and looked in the direction of the voice.
Creak! The door opened, and Wang Chong walked out, his face pale. His aura was in disarray and he appeared extremely weak, but his movements exuded a dignified and noble aura that no ordinary person could possess.
"Milord!"
"Your Highness!"
Chen Bin, Xu Keyi, and the others were delighted to see Wang Chong awake, and they immediately put away their weapons. At almost the same time, the red-robed officials and guards of the Bureau of Rites also showed apprehension in their eyes. The leading official from the Bureau of Rites shot a glance at his subordinates, upon which they swiftly sheathed their weapons.
A man's reputation was like a tree's shadow, and the news that Wang Chong had killed the Arab War God Qutaybah had long ago spread throughout the Tang Dynasty. If they really did fight, no one here would be a match for him, which was why the officials of the Bureau of Rites had exercised so much restraint.
"Young Marquis, look at your subordinates …"
Before the leading official from the Bureau of Rites could say anything, another official from the Bureau of Rites suddenly stepped forward and pointed a finger at Wang Chong as he harshly rebuked, "Wang Chong, do you have any idea what you're doing? However, before he could finish speaking, peng, a majestic force, like an ocean wave, sent the guard leader of the Ministry of Rites flying with a bang, and he fiercely smashed onto the ground, unable to get up.
Clang!
In an instant, the expressions of all the accompanying guards from the Ministry of Rites changed drastically. Almost instinctively, they drew their swords and sabers and pointed them at Wang Chong.
"Stop!"
Before Wang Chong could speak, the leading official from the Ministry of Rites shouted angrily and reprimanded the crowd.
"You bastards! Without my order, no one dares to move!"
The leading official from the Ministry of Rites glared fiercely at the guard leader who had made a move, his heart filled with hatred.
This idiot! He had completely forgotten what he had told him on the way here. He had long ago warned them not to move in front of Wang Chong. It was one thing for Wang Chong to bully his subordinates while he was unconscious, but now that the other party was awake, if they still dared to act so rashly, they were seeking death!
"Your Highness!"
The leading official suddenly stepped forward and changed the way he addressed Wang Chong, his tone much gentler.
"It's not that we're going too far, but that this is an order from the Imperial Court. We are just civil officials, and we are only following orders. We hope that Marquis can cooperate and not make things difficult for us minor figures. "
The leading official bowed, his hands at his side, his expression extremely respectful. The incident at Khorasan had already spread throughout the world, and everyone knew that the Young Marquis was a hot potato. No one dared to provoke him at a time like this.
Wang Chong said nothing, only calmly stared at the leading official, his eyes so sharp that they seemed to pierce into the depths of the official's mind and see all his secrets. In an instant, the leading official from the Ministry of Rites broke out in a cold sweat, his face turning pale.
He had a feeling that from start to finish, Wang Chong had understood all their tricks.
It was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop, and the atmosphere was oppressive to the extreme. After some time, he finally heard Wang Chong's voice.
"I understand!"
Wang Chong indifferently said, and then he quickly turned around and returned to his room.
"Chen Bin, Xu Keyi, get ready. We're leaving for the capital!"
"Yes!"
Everyone bowed, and the officials from the Bureau of Rites breathed a long sigh of relief at this voice.
Several hours later, Wang Chong boarded a carriage that had been specially prepared for him. Next to him was the still ill Xu Yi-qin, while Chen Bin, Xu Keyi, and the others closely guarded the carriage on their warhorses.
"Qiqin, you know that there's no need for you to travel with me in your current state. Moreover, this trip to the capital won't be very peaceful."
Moreover, this trip to the capital won't be very peaceful, "Wang Chong said to Xu Yi-qin.
On this trip to the capital, Wang Chong had not expected Xu Yi-qin to be so determined to stay by his side.
"I've been here long enough."
Xu Yi-qin opened the curtain and glanced at the Qixi Protectorate headquarters, a complicated look in her eyes. While Wang Chong had been fighting at Talas, she had been presiding over Qixi Residence, never taking a single step out of it. But everything would eventually come to an end.
"In addition, they've already taken over the Qixi Protectorate, and you're no longer Qixi Protector-General. There's no point in me staying here, and it's time for me to go."
After a few moments of silence, Wang Chong finally nodded.
"Zhang Que, let's go!"
Crack! A whip cracked through the air as Zhang Que, who was seated at the front of the carriage, shook the reins. As the carriage rumbled along, the group quickly set off toward the southeast.
"Follow!"
At almost the same time, the accompanying officials from the Bureau of Rites and the Golden Guards of the Imperial Court urged their horses to follow.
… …
Unknowingly, several days passed by.
"Marquis, the City of Steel is up ahead!"
A voice suddenly rang out in his ear, and then, like some sort of curse, the entire convoy, including the carriage, came to a halt. In the carriage, Wang Chong was also stunned. He almost subconsciously raised the curtain and looked into the distance, where he saw a majestic city forged from steel.
The city was bustling with noise and it looked very lively.
This city was built by him in the Gobi Desert. This was the beginning of his entire westward journey, and in the end, he still returned to this place.
"Marquis, should we go over and take a look?"
A soldier rode over and asked.
"There's no need!"
Wang Chong let down the curtain, mentally sighed, and continued onward. Around three days after traveling east from the City of Steel, they entered the territory of Longxi, and ten-some days after entering Longxi, they would reach the capital.
"Reporting!"
Not long after they entered Longxi's territory, a horseman suddenly galloped over. Behind them, a thick cloud of smoke roiled.
"Milord, there's an army up ahead blocking our path. It seems to be coming for us."
"Who goes there!"
Xu Yi-qin said in surprise, her brow slightly creasing. The Tang Dynasty had reached an agreement with Arabia to withdraw its soldiers from Khorasan, and Wang Chong had been summoned back to the capital. The entire world knew of this matter. Xu Yi-qin did not understand who would be blocking Wang Chong's path at a time like this.
"I don't know. They're not wearing armor, so it's impossible to tell."
The horseman lowered his head and respectfully said.
On the carriage, Xu Yi-qin was confused, and around her, Chen Bin, Xu Keyi, and the others were also looking ahead with clear hostility in their eyes.
"Qiqin, wait a moment for me!"
At this moment, an extremely calm voice rang out. Wang Chong, who had been sitting with his eyes closed, stood up from his seat. Pushing open the door, Wang Chong stepped out of the carriage.
"Put away your weapons. They're not hostile. It's an old friend!"
Wang Chong indifferently said, as if he had long ago guessed who this person was.
The road was quiet, and the only thing that could be seen was the faint rays of the sun reflecting off the dust in the wind.
Wang Chong disembarked from the carriage, and with a light wave of his sleeve, he slowly walked forward. His steps were unhurried and unhurried, as if he was meeting with an old friend.
"Chen Bin, Xu Keyi, Milord's situation isn't good. Should we go and protect him?"
Zhang Que uneasily turned his head to Xu Keyi and the others.
"There's no need!"
Xu Keyi said after a long period of silence.
"Zhang Que, I am no less worried than you, but no matter the time, I have always believed in Marquis, and I also believe in Marquis's judgment and decisions. Since Marquis doesn't feel that they're hostile, this must be the case. "
Zhang Que froze for a moment, and then he finally fell silent.
The road was quiet, with only the faint sound of Wang Chong's footsteps. As he walked along the road and around a corner, Wang Chong finally saw the 'army' that the scout had spoken of. There were ten-some people on the other side, all of them dressed in cloth. At a glance, they didn't seem to be soldiers, but the halberds in their hands, their ramrod-straight bodies, and the iron-blooded temperament they exuded proved that they were truly soldiers, and the elite sort at that.
All of these people were guarding a middle-aged man in a gray robe who stood ramrod straight in the middle.
The middle-aged man's long hair was loose, and his back was to Wang Chong, his expression relaxed and content. At his side was a small square table, and on the table was an exquisite, long-necked white porcelain bottle. Next to the bottle were two small white porcelain wine cups. The middle-aged man lifted the white porcelain bottle, poured himself a cup, and then carefully sipped from it.
His movements were elegant and calm, exuding a noble aura. It gave Wang Chong the feeling that he was a swordsman brandishing his sword.
This sort of demeanor was like that of a high mountain, one that left one in awe. Wang Chong had seen many people, but there were very few who could compare to this person in this aspect.
"Lord Wang!"
A mellow and warm voice came from the road. Hearing the footsteps behind him, the gray-robed man finally turned his head. At that moment, Wang Chong could clearly see that the gray-robed man before him was elegant and handsome. He had a long beard on his chin, and his handsomeness was not one bit inferior to that of the Beautiful War God, Go Seonji. In terms of elegance, he even surpassed Go Seonji.
More importantly, this person had deep eyes and a high nose, and his body bore the strong mark of the Hu. And even though he was doing his utmost to restrain his aura, it was impossible to conceal that majestic aura from Wang Chong's eyes.
Wang Chong didn't remember seeing this person before, but Wang Chong immediately recognized him.
"Geshu Han!"
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