Zhangchou Jianqiong's eyes were brimming with killing intent. At this moment, even Wang Chong and Wang Gen had grim expressions on their faces.
The moment Zhangchou Jianqiong revealed his identity, he was no longer the person who was chatting casually at the banquet. Instead, he was the Protector-General of the empire, one of the few commanders of the empire!
Smelling the thick stench of blood in the air and listening to Zhangchou Jianqiong's words, Wang Chong finally understood why this Protector-General would choose to host a banquet here on his first day in the capital.
The assassination and encirclement in the capital, as well as King Sosurim's death, couldn't have escaped Zhangchou Jianqiong's eyes and ears. He must have known that his appearance would invite the Goguryeons to assassinate him.
He was doing this intentionally.
Hosting a banquet at the Ten Sun Tavern wasn't just to borrow the yang energy of the ten Golden Crows. The Southern Protector-General's actions were far more violent and domineering than he seemed on the surface!
He was using his blood as a sacrifice to pave a path to the central courtyard!
And the Goguryeons were the perfect target.
However, Wang Chong had no objections to it. How could a commander who had bathed in blood on the battlefield not have a thirst for blood?
Which commander didn't have their hands dyed red with blood?
"Wang Chong offers a toast to Protector-General!"
With such thoughts in mind, Wang Chong suddenly filled his cup and raised it.
"Hahaha, good!"
Zhangchou Jianqiong was taken aback for a moment before he burst into laughter. A hint of admiration flashed in his eyes. How could a descendant of a clan of generals not have any guts?
He thought that this lad would be frightened by the previous scene and lose his appetite. Yet, to think that the other party would remain calm, not showing the slightest hint of panic. His composure didn't seem befitting of someone of his age at all.
"Chong gongzi is indeed a tiger of our clan of generals. I'll drink this cup of wine!"
On the other hand, Zhangchou Jianqiong raised his cup and drained it in a single gulp.
"Brother Jiexin, this nephew of yours is truly a dragon among men! He has guts, insight, and charisma. Given time, he will surely have a bright future ahead of him! "
Zhangchou Jianqiong looked at Wang Gen and said.
Wang Gen's expression changed slightly. The Wang Clan was not a purely scholarly family. When the old master was young, he had led troops into battle, and his hands had seen plenty of blood.
Wang Gen didn't even bat an eyelid at an assassination attempt in a tavern. What truly moved him was Zhangchou Jianqiong's words.
To be able to obtain the praise of the Tang dynasty's Great Crocodile Zhangchou Jianqiong at the age of fifteen, it would definitely be of great benefit to Wang Chong's future development.
This was different from the regional commanders incident. This kind of praise from the upper echelons of the imperial military was extremely difficult to obtain.
Whether it was Zhangchou Jianqiong, Fomonlința, Gao Xianzhi, or Zhang Shougui, at their level of strength and status, they treated their words like gold.
It wasn't that they were stingy with their praise, but at their level of strength and status, every word they uttered would have a unique impact, especially in the military.
As the saying went, spilled water could not be retrieved. If a person they had taken a liking to or praised ended up achieving nothing, or if they had great ambitions but little talent, their accomplishments would be limited. This would have a massive impact on the other protector-generals and commanders.
Thus, in the Tang dynasty of the Central Plains, it was very rare to hear a protector-general or commander of an empire praise someone publicly. Even if he was displeased, he would never say it out loud or in public.
As the saying went, 'words of gold and jade'. The higher one's status, the more this was true!
If Wang Chong were to enter the military in the future, Zhangchou Jianqiong's praise would be extremely beneficial to him. Just this praise from Zhangchou Jianqiong would be able to reduce the difficulties Wang Chong would face in the future.
To be able to receive such praise before even officially entering the military, Wang Chong was probably the only one in the capital who could do so.
"Thank you, Lord Protector-General!"
Wang Chong reacted quickly and respectfully expressed his gratitude. Wang Chong had never imagined that a cup of wine could be exchanged for Zhangchou Jianqiong's praise.
"Haha, I'm not praising you. Work hard!"
Zhangchou Jianqiong gestured with his eyes, and a general of the southwest immediately walked over, took out a special silver chopstick, and plunged it into the bowl of shark fins.
Swish!
In the blink of an eye, the silver chopstick turned black, and the tip of the chopstick was even tinged with a bluish-violet color.
At the sight of this, the faces of everyone in the pavilion turned extremely ugly.
"This thing is very poisonous!"
Wang Chong was inwardly alarmed. Silver chopsticks would at most turn black upon contact with poison, but this chopstick was tinged with bluish-violet. It was clear that the poison had reached a pinnacle, far surpassing that of ordinary poisons.
These people had first delivered four non-poisonous appetizers to numb the crowd before delivering the true 'feast'. They had truly put in a lot of effort.
Even if they failed, they still had other means of assassination.
This was the territory of the Goguryeons, and it was far too easy for them to gather the Goguryeons for an assassination.
Even if they were to walk past the crowd, they would only think that they were from the Ten Sun Tavern.
However, they had only miscalculated the identity of the people around them and Zhangchou Jianqiong's capability.
"… Poisoning in front of a Saint Martial Realm expert, you're really trying to show off in front of an expert, you're seeking death!"
Glancing at the bloodstains on the floor, Wang Chong didn't feel the slightest pity for the culprit. Those who aren't of our tribe should be spared.
There was no need for us to show mercy to those who aren't of our tribe.
"Bring the dishes up! If you don't wish to die, prepare this banquet properly. Otherwise, everyone in this tavern will die. Since it's a traitor, you must have accomplices. Kill everyone in the surrounding streets as well! "
Zhangchou Jianqiong said coldly. His voice reverberated throughout the entire tavern.
In the booths, the kitchen, the first floor, the second floor, the third floor … There were still many assassins who hadn't been dealt with yet, but they were all intimidated by Zhangchou Jianqiong's means.
Zhangchou Jianqiong couldn't be bothered with them. Regardless of whether they were assassins, chefs, or maids, regardless of their identities, this feast had to be prepared for him.
Even if he was a burly assassin, he would have to obediently serve as a cook for him today, cooking up a feast that was both beautiful and fragrant!
Cold sweat trickled down the foreheads of the assassins in the Ten Sun Tavern. The strength of these people had far exceeded their expectations.
Moreover, he had never seen such a domineering person.
The golden and red tavern on the third floor was deathly silent, and the air was suffused with an intense aura of death.
"Hmm?"
A cold voice sounded from the third floor. Even though they couldn't see anything, the aura of death in the air was more than a hundredfold stronger.
That fearsome threat of death left everyone's hair standing on end. But what left the Goguryeon assassins the most fearful was Zhangchou Jianqiong's final threat.
"Why? We are the only ones who are here to kill you, why must you implicate the innocent? "
Countless pairs of eyes stared at the wooden floor of the third floor where Zhangchou Jianqiong and the others were seated. Deep indignation, rage, fear, and helplessness could be seen in their eyes.
Only a small portion of the Goguryeons in the shops around the Ten Sun Tavern had participated in this operation, and most of them were innocent.
Most of the assassins were already prepared to be killed in the event of failure. But now, the nature of the situation was completely different.
There was no doubt that the expert of the Tang dynasty on the third floor would do as he said and kill everyone on the street.
Death wasn't scary.
However, a meaningless death that would implicate the innocent and ordinary people was unacceptable to them.
In just a short moment, under the urging of some invisible force, the group of assassins in the Ten Sun Tavern began to move.
Some chopped the vegetables, some cooked the vegetables, some washed the dishes … The entire Ten Sun Tavern seemed to have become an intricate gear. After a momentary pause, it began to move once more, as if nothing had happened at all.
"Alright, I can continue with the banquet now!"
Sensing the commotion in the tavern, Zhangchou Jianqiong sneered coldly before turning his attention back to the banquet on the third floor.
Pah!
With a light flick of his finger, the venomous phoenix-winged fish tail flew out of the tavern and onto the street.
Wang Chong watched on coldly from the side. He couldn't be any clearer about the changes in the atmosphere in the tavern. After killing the assassins, he actually managed to convince the Goguryeons in the Ten Sun Tavern to swallow their anger and continue cooking, as if nothing had happened.
Even Wang Chong was impressed by Zhangchou Jianqiong's means.
There isn't a single Protector-General of the Tang dynasty who is weak. In my previous life, the southwest has been peaceful for far too long, so I didn't hear much about this Protector-General. Now that I think about it, I've probably underestimated him.
Wang Chong thought.
'Those who are good at fighting don't rise to fame', this was the impression Zhangchou Jianqiong gave off. As Wang Chong thought, he soon recalled the other purpose of his trip.
"Right, Protector-General, may I know if you can give me a token?"
Wang Chong suddenly asked with a smile.
"Oh? What do you want my token for?"
Zhangchou Jianqiong asked curiously.
If it were anyone else who had made such a request, it would have seemed rude and offensive. However, Wang Chong's request as a junior felt that it was reasonable and natural. Thus, Zhangchou Jianqiong was only a little curious.
"Hehe, I have never left the capital before. If there's a chance in the future, I would like to pay a visit to the southwest Jianghu Pavilion to do some business. If I have Lord Chong's token, it will be much more convenient. "
Wang Chong said half-jokingly.
"Oh?"
Zhangchou Jianqiong's shoulders twitched as he leaned forward with an interested look on his face. He hadn't forgotten that the person before him was an expert at doing business.
"May I know what kind of business Gongzi Chong wishes to do? If that was all, there would be no need to go through so much trouble. Zhong Tong is here now, and the affairs of the southwest will be managed by him. If Gongzi Chong wishes to do business, we can grant you any convenience you require right now. "
Zhangchou Jianqiong said.
This could also be considered a show of goodwill. He had come to the capital alone, and even if he could become the Minister of War in the future, he would still need the help of the other great clans.
In this aspect, Consort Tai Zhen was of no help at all.
The imperial harem was not allowed to interfere in politics, and this was an ironclad law in every dynasty. Zhangchou Jianqiong needed allies, and a very powerful one at that.
Zhangchou Jianqiong didn't just intend to treat Wang Gen and his nephew to a meal.
Wang Gen didn't say anything, but his brow furrowed imperceptibly as he shot a glance at Wang Chong. How could Zhangchou Jianqiong's thoughts be hidden from him?
But what surprised Wang Gen the most was still Wang Chong.
What is this child up to? I clearly told him earlier that Zhangchou Jianqiong was in too muddy of a situation, and while it wasn't good to offend him, it wasn't good to get too close to him either. What is this child up to?
Wang Gen's brow furrowed, his mind in turmoil.
Zhangchou Jianqiong wanted nothing more than to get close to the Wang Clan, and Wang Chong was the one who was giving him this opportunity. Wang Gen wanted to stop him, but in the end, he chose to remain silent.
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