After leaving the Minister of War's residence, Wang Chong returned to his residence.
"Chong-er, you're finally back!"
The entrance to the Wang Family Residence was brightly lit, and Wang Chong's mother, Lady Zhao, and several maids had been waiting at the entrance. When she saw Wang Chong's thin appearance, she immediately pulled Wang Chong into her embrace and wept tears of joy. There was no mother in the world who did not love her child. No matter how awe-inspiring Wang Chong was in the outside world, whether he was made a king or a marquis, in the eyes of a mother, he would always be a willful and mischievous child who needed her care.
With the family reunited, Lady Zhao asked no questions. She only prepared a sumptuous dinner and watched as Wang Chong finished eating.
After an uneventful night, Wang Chong returned to his room. The Wang Clan's residence was like an invisible barrier, blocking all the storms and the disputes of the court outside its walls. Wang Chong did not want to bring the matters of the court to his home.
"Just what's going on?"
In the dead of night, Wang Chong sat cross-legged on his bed, his eyes half-closed, his mind in turmoil. Everything, starting from Khorasan, including the news he had received in Qixi, his meeting with Geshu Han, the people he had encountered at the gate of the capital, the events that had taken place, his conversation with his big uncle, the old butler, and Zhangchou Jianqiong, had passed through Wang Chong's mind, each detail magnified countless times in Wang Chong's mind.
Wang Chong suddenly thought of those three Confucian experts who had taken over his military authority in Khorasan and the marks on their wrists.
In a flash, Wang Chong seemed to think of something.
"Was it them? Could it be them? "
Wang Chong muttered to himself, vaguely understanding. But Wang Chong still had far too many doubts.
Coocoo!
Just as he was deep in thought, the sound of flapping wings suddenly came from the night sky, accompanied by the hooting of owls. Hearing this cry, Wang Chong instantly came back to his senses.
"Come in!"
Wang Chong blinked his eyes and said calmly as he sat on the bed.
It was quiet outside the room. Other than the sound of the night breeze, there was no other sound. But soon, just when people thought that there was no one outside, the door to Wang Chong's room suddenly opened, and a nimble figure suddenly jumped in from the gap.
"Greetings, Marquis!"
Just five or six steps away from Wang Chong, the figure suddenly stopped. The figure was tall and burly, with a huge The Eagle perched on his left shoulder. His body was bent, and his expression was respectful.
"The Eagle, did you find anything?"
Wang Chong suddenly said, revealing the other's identity.
The person who had intruded into the Wang Clan Residence in the middle of the night was none other than the The Eagle that Wang Chong had left in the capital after the southwest war.
After Wang Chong went north to Wushang, he had rarely used the Eagle, but this did not mean that the Eagle was not important. On the contrary, the Eagle had always been carrying out a mission according to Wang Chong's orders. On his return to the capital, the world was treacherous and fraught with danger. The first thing Wang Chong thought of was to recall the Eagle and the newly trained … intelligence squad!
"Lord Marquis, according to your orders, from the moment you arrived at the gate of the capital to the moment you appeared, we placed many spies in the capital. Everything is under surveillance, including those unfamiliar officials. After Marquis left, we sent people to follow those insolent and secretive officials. "
The Eagle sternly said, his body bowing.
"Did you find out where they were staying? And their identity and background? "
Wang Chong asked.
The Eagle hesitated for a moment, then finally shook his head.
"No! Our people followed them, but it wasn't long before we lost contact with them, as if they had evaporated into thin air. These people were all top-class experts that I personally trained and are extremely experienced. When Marquis wasn't here, I took them to Beiting and Youzhou for training, and they all successfully completed their missions. They were just some minor officials, and in normal circumstances, they wouldn't have failed. Thus, when I received the news, I immediately began to investigate. Only now, after the Zi Period, did I find their corpses in the moat outside the city! "
"Buzz!"
At the Eagle's words, Wang Chong's eyes widened and his brow furrowed.
Those two minor officials, especially the one who had provoked Wang Chong, seemed far too abnormal. Wang Chong had ordered the Eagle to send people to follow them, but he hadn't expected this result. If there really was nothing wrong with them and they really were officials of the court, this sort of thing would never have happened.
"Where did the last clue lead to?"
Wang Chong was quiet for a few moments before he suddenly asked.
"The eastern part of the city!"
The Eagle respectfully replied.
"I understand. You can leave."
Wang Chong nodded.
"Marquis, be at ease. No matter what, I will think of a way to find those two minor officials!"
The Eagle took in the expression on Wang Chong's face and said solemnly.
There was an undercurrent in the imperial court. A powerful force seemed to be deliberately targeting Marquis. They were so arrogant that they had even sent people to pretend to be officials to provoke and humiliate Wang Chong at the city gates. This news had already spread among Wang Chong's subordinates in the capital. This was something that Eagle and the others could not tolerate. Whoever dared to go against Wang Chong would be an enemy of all of them.
"I understand."
Wang Chong waved his hand.
"Send someone to meet the family of the spy who was killed and give them a pension. If there are any difficulties in their family, try your best to help them. As for the rest, don't alert them for now. I have my own plans. "
Wang Chong said in a low voice.
"Yes!"
The Eagle quickly left the room, as quietly as he had come, not alerting anyone.
The night quickly passed, and at dawn, while Wang Chong was still meditating in his room, his mother's maid rushed into Wang Chong's room with a red face.
"Young Master, someone from the Imperial Court has come! The Madam says that you must immediately see them! "
At the gate of the Wang Family Residence, Wang Chong met with the emissary from the Imperial Court.
"Marquis, please! Today is your wedding day. Please take a bath and change your clothes, and then come with us to meet His Divine Majesty! The Bureau of Rites has already prepared the documents. Once you meet His Divine Majesty, it will be announced to the world that you will be officially conferred the title of King of Foreign Lands! "
At the gate, an elderly eunuch dressed in embroidered robes had an elated look on his face. Behind him were the officials of the Golden Guards, the Imperial Army, the City Guard, the Bureau of Rites, and the Chamberlain of Dependencies. All of them had come to greet Wang Chong.
Once one was conferred the title of King or Marquis, the ceremony would be announced to the world. Only after meeting with the Holy Emperor and receiving the approval of the Bureau of Rites could Wang Chong be considered the true King of Foreign Lands. This was the most basic ceremony for conferring the title of Marquis in the Tang Dynasty.
"I'll have to trouble Eunuchs!"
Wang Chong bathed and changed into the red ceremonial robe he had worn when conferring the title of Marquis. He quickly boarded the palanquin and set off for the Imperial Palace.
It was still early, and only a little light had begun to peek out from the east, but the streets were already packed with people. All the people who had heard the news were lining the streets to welcome him. They had lived in the capital for a long time, and they were well aware of the customs of conferring titles to Marquis.
"Look! The Young Marquis! The Young Marquis is going to see the Holy Emperor for his conferment! "
"You're still talking about the Young Marquis? He's already the King of Foreign Lands! The first King of a different surname conferred by the Tang Dynasty! "
"Hahaha, only a hero like this is worthy of the title of King of Foreign Lands! A great hero! This is a true hero of our Central Plains! Everyone, look! "
… …
Crowds gathered on both sides of the street, all of them brimming with enthusiasm and joy. The atmosphere was even livelier than during a festival. Yesterday's events at the city gate had already spread like the wind through the capital, and Wang Chong was like the noon sun in the capital.
"He's coming, he's coming!"
As Wang Chong was riding on the palanquin, the crowd in front of him began to excitedly yell.
Sitting in the palanquin, Wang Chong had yet to react when he heard a massive boom. Boom! Amidst the deafening cheers, a resplendent firework suddenly soared into the sky. Under the first rays of the morning sun, the firework soared dozens of meters into the sky and violently exploded, turning into thousands of bright fireworks. Boom! A second firework followed, and then a third … In just a few seconds, the sky over the capital had become a sea of dazzling fireworks, attracting the attention of countless people.
Amidst the earth-shattering explosion of fireworks, the sound of firecrackers could be heard. It wasn't just in one or two places, but all over the capital.
"King of Foreign Lands!"
"King of Foreign Lands!"
As Wang Chong sat in his palanquin, his ears were filled with the deafening cheers of the people.
"In the last one hundred years, the only person in the Tang Dynasty who can receive such love and respect from the people is the Young Marquis!"
As the commoners lined the streets to welcome Wang Chong, the silver-robed eunuch at the front turned to look at the palanquin on which Wang Chong was riding, a look of envy on his face.
The Golden Guards escorting Wang Chong also had respectful looks on their faces. The achievements that Wang Chong had established in the west were precisely what all men and soldiers dreamed of. In a flash, everyone's backs became even straighter.
Wang Chong sat motionless in his palanquin, sensing everything. As he listened to the tide of cheers, Wang Chong mentally gave a long sigh.
The people of the capital still knew nothing and were completely unaware of the impending danger, but this was precisely why they were so adorable.
Wasn't this the reason why Wang Chong had fought with all his might and had sent generation after generation of generals to the frontlines and shed their blood for this very reason?
Amidst the deafening cheers of the common people, Wang Chong's sedan chair passed through the streets and finally entered the Imperial Palace. Rumble! As the two massive golden gates of the palace slammed shut, all sound was cut off. It was like he had gone from one world to another.
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