Translator: ryuxenji Editor: H2dH2mr Wang Gen was an influential official of the royal court, and he had many affairs to attend to. Unless there was something important, he wouldn't contact Wang Chong, needless to say, take the initiative to look for him.
In Wang Chong's memory, the last time big uncle looked for him was when he committed a 'calamity'. Furthermore, the rules of the Three Great Training Camps were strict. Big uncle should understand that unless there was something important, it would be best for him not to disturb Wang Chong.
"Strange?"
Wang Chong was perplexed. Even so, he still left the area.
Leaving the main peak, along a small path, he arrived at a mountain not too far away. A carriage covered in green cloth was parked, and several guards of the Wang Clan stood by the side, surveying the surroundings warily.
"Big uncle!"
Wang Chong boarded the carriage, and within the carriage, he met his big uncle, Wang Gen.
Wang Gen was dressed in green casual clothes, and even though he wasn't dressed in the robes of the royal court, his every movement exuded the authority of an influential official.
When Wang Chong entered, his brows were slightly furrowed, seemingly conflicted over something.
"You're here!"
Upon seeing Wang Chong enter, Wang Gen finally raised his head, and his brows slowly relaxed. A warm smile appeared on his face.
"Sit!"
Wang Gen gestured to his side. This seat was very close to Wang Gen, almost right beside him. This showed his deep trust and closeness to Wang Chong.
Such treatment would have been unimaginable in the past.
"Big uncle."
Wang Chong didn't turn down Wang Gen's invitation. He bowed respectfully before taking a seat beside Wang Gen.
Wang Chong knew that big uncle's attitude toward him was completely different from before. This was because his performance had won his big uncle's trust and respect, and he had been accepted as a core member of the clan!
Love the house, love the crow. Now, uncle treated his mother and little sister very kindly, not as strict as before.
"How is the training camp?"
Wang Gen asked with a smile. Instead of getting down to business, he began to ask about Wang Chong's affairs in the training camp, behaving like a benevolent elder of the clan.
"Not bad, except for the first day when I almost died on the mountain!"
Wang Chong also laughed.
He was now very casual in front of his uncle, treating him as a trustworthy elder. Disregarding those minor matters, there was actually no deep grudge between Wang Chong's family and Big Uncle Wang Gen.
At most, it would be a little competition between Big Brother, Second Brother, and Cousin Wang, as well as a little competition for Grandfather's influence.
However, Wang Chong had already thought it through. He would not compete with his cousin. On the contrary, he would try his best to help his cousin achieve better development and higher achievements.
The development of the Wang Clan should not be limited to a small pond. Instead, he should set his sights on the bigger world.
"Hehe, I also know about this matter. An Dong and An Bei had fought a few battles recently. The Turks and Goguryeons had suffered heavy casualties, and this operation had paid a heavy price! However, the mistakes of the past would serve as a lesson for the future. I'll send a few experts from my family over. With them around, you'll be safer. "
Wang Gen said.
As an influential official of the royal court, he rarely went anywhere, and his range of activity was limited to the capital. As such, he didn't need so many experts by his side. He could easily assign them to Wang Chong.
"Thank you, Big Uncle."
Wang Chong was overjoyed. He had no intention of turning down Wang Gen's help. He didn't have many experts by his side at the moment, and the more top-notch experts he had, the better.
Wang Gen also chuckled. He viewed Wang Chong with great importance. He was the greatest hope of the Wang Clan. Even if he couldn't take over his father's position and influence in the royal court, his third brother, Wang Yan, and fourth brother, Wang Mi, would have to take over.
This included the eldest son, Wang Li, Wang Fu, and Wang Bei. Everything fell onto the shoulders of his youngest nephew, Wang Chong.
Wang Gen knew that once his father passed away, only Wang Chong would be able to accept his influence and lead the Wang Clan to greater heights.
He was the future hope of the Wang Clan!
No matter how many people he sent to protect him, it wouldn't be enough.
"Right, has Yang Zhao contacted you recently?"
Wang Gen suddenly asked.
"Yang Zhao? Why would Big Uncle ask about this? "
Wang Chong frowned.
He had met Yang Zhao a few times, but their relationship wasn't that close. Furthermore, it wasn't inconvenient for them to meet in the training camp.
"He hasn't?"
Wang Gen straightened his back, and a hint of doubt flashed across his eyes.
"But it should be about time. Keep an eye out for him. He should be coming to look for you soon. "
Wang Chong didn't say anything, but the doubt in his eyes deepened. Why would Yang Zhao look for him? And why was Big Uncle so confident?
"Zhangchou Jianqiong wants to come to the capital!"
Seeing Wang Chong's doubtful gaze, Wang Gen fell silent for a moment before revealing the purpose of his visit.
"What!"
Hearing Big Uncle Wang Chong's words, Wang Chong widened his eyes in shock. Zhangchou Jianqiong was the Southern Protector-General, the Great General Who Supports the Empire.
In the military circles of the Tang dynasty, Zhangchou Jianqiong played an important role.
Given Zhangchou Jianqiong's standing, Wang Chong knew that Big Uncle wasn't just saying that he wanted to take a stroll in the capital.
As expected, Big Uncle Wang Gen said something completely different.
"Zhangchou Jianqiong has been guarding Jiannan for more than twenty years now. There is no war at Erhai, and Ouzan is safe as well. Zhangchou Jianqiong hasn't contributed much to the military while guarding Jiannan. This time, he wants to change his position and enter the capital. "
Wang Gen said impassively, his face devoid of any emotion.
Wang Chong's expression turned grim. Zhangchou Jianqiong was the Southern Protector-General, an existence on par with Gao Xianzhi and Fomonlința.
For such a figure to suddenly want to be transferred to the capital, it wasn't because he wanted to become a minor official, but because he had a bigger goal in mind.
"This is like a huge shark barging into the capital!"
A thought flashed across Wang Chong's mind.
In the royal court, all positions were already fixed. This was the result of the constant competition between the various powers. Now that Zhangchou Jianqiong wanted to enter the capital, it would be like a ferocious dragon crossing the river.
The entry of a new power would disrupt the existing structure. This would affect all parties. Even the Wang Clan and Big Uncle would be affected.
Because there was so much porridge in the city, if too many people were to eat it, it would surely affect others.
More importantly, Zhangchou Jianqiong didn't belong to any faction at the moment!
Wang Chong suddenly understood why Big Uncle would make an exception to appear at the Kunwu Training Camp to look for him. Initially, this matter didn't have much to do with the Wang Clan or Big Uncle.
The crux of the matter was Wang Chong himself.
Not too long ago, Zhangchou Jianqiong was one of the heavyweights who supported him in the regional commanders incident. The Wang Clan owed Zhangchou Jianqiong a favor, or to be more precise, Wang Chong owed Zhangchou Jianqiong a favor.
"Which position does he want?"
Wang Chong asked.
"Minister of War!"
Wang Gen replied.
Ssss!
Hearing those words, Wang Chong's eyelids twitched violently. He took in a deep breath and said,
"That person … sure has a big appetite!"
The Minister of War was in charge of the mobilization of the armies of the Tang dynasty, as well as the various border armies. He wielded great influence in the royal court, and he was a truly influential official.
In terms of standing, the Minister of War was above the Protector-Generals and Protector-Generals.
For Zhangchou Jianqiong to become the Minister of War, he was truly ambitious.
This move was simply too abrupt. Even Wang Chong was taken aback by it, needless to say, Big Uncle and the others.
This was a reshuffle of the upper echelons. Big Uncle, The King of Song, King Qi, the Yao Clan, the prime minister … Everyone was involved.
Wang Chong raised his head and looked at Big Uncle Wang Gen. It suddenly dawned on him that he wasn't the only reason why Big Uncle Wang came to look for him. The King of Song was also involved.
"Did Yang Zhao look for you?"
Wang Chong asked.
"Not yet. Even if he did, he wouldn't be the one to look for me. "
Wang Gen replied calmly. Wang Chong understood what he meant. Big Uncle Wang Gen was an influential official in the royal court, and he was responsible for the governance of the nation. On the other hand, Yang Zhao didn't have any official position yet. The two of them weren't on the same level.
Even though Wang Chong knew that the future Yang Zhao would surely become a powerful figure in the Tang dynasty, it was clear that he hadn't reached that level yet.
"Even though I didn't look for him, I already have the intention. Yang Zhao is just an insignificant figure, so there's no need to pay him any heed. However, the Consort Tai Zhen backing him isn't someone we can ignore. At the moment, it's still unclear if this is the intention of the Consort Tai Zhen, the Holy Emperor, or perhaps Zhangchou Jianqiong is acting on his own.
"But no matter what, since this matter has been brought up, no one can ignore it. There has never been a successful case of a Protector-General being appointed as the Minister of War. In the previous dynasty, the Anxi Protector-General requested to be appointed as the Minister of War, but he failed. It was the same for Gaozong's era and Taizong's era. "
A contemplative look appeared in Wang Gen's eyes. A powerful aura began to emanate from his body, revealing his identity as an influential official of the royal court.
"Zhangchou Jianqiong's request to be appointed as the Minister of War is highly likely to fail, but it's not impossible. The problem now is that if we agree to it, Zhangchou Jianqiong's entry will stir up the other powers, and our Wang Clan will become the common enemy of the other powers.
"By then, it won't just be King Qi, the Yao Clan, the prime minister, the other neutral powers, dukes, marquises, generals, and protector-generals. Zhangchou Jianqiong has offended quite a few people in the military.
"If we don't agree to it, it's fine if Zhangchou Jianqiong fails. But if he succeeds in becoming the Minister of War, our Wang Clan's enemies will not only be the Yao Clan and King Qi, but also the Minister of War. Do you understand what I mean? "
Big Uncle Wang Gen said grimly.
The Wang Clan wasn't greedy for credit, but if the Wang Clan were to agree to it and Zhangchou Jianqiong succeeded, the Wang Clan would become the common enemy of the other powers in the royal court.
On the other hand, if the Wang Clan didn't agree to it and Zhangchou Jianqiong succeeded, the Wang Clan would become the common enemy of the other powers in the royal court.
The Wang Clan had quite a few powers in the military, and this included Wang Chong's father, big brother, cousin, and little uncle. The 'Minister of War' wielded the authority to mobilize troops. If the Wang Clan offended a Minister of War, even without leaving too much of a trace, the Wang Clan could just deploy its troops to the most dangerous location, and the Wang Clan would be in deep trouble.
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