"Senior!"
Upon seeing that familiar figure, Wang Chong walked over and respectfully bowed in front of the old man, his expression extremely respectful and serious.
If the people of the capital knew that Wang Chong, who had just won a major victory in the southwest and was viewed as a triumphant hero by the entire Tang dynasty, would be so respectful to this old man, they would definitely find it inconceivable.
But Wang Chong knew that no matter who it was, the old man before him was worthy of such a grand gesture.
This was because he was So Jung-son, the War God of the Tang dynasty, a legendary existence whose name had already spread throughout the world in Taizong's era. Even famed generals like Wang Zhongsi and Zhang Shougui paled in comparison to him.
"I'm here."
So Jung-son's voice was very soft, like that of an ordinary old man. It was impossible to imagine that he was that famous war god.
"Sit."
So Jung-son didn't even raise his head, only pointed at the chessboard across from him.
"Hahaha, Senior Brother."
A cute little head poked out from under So Jung-son's ribs, its two eyes twinkling in the light. It was none other than the 'Xiao Jianjian' who often accompanied So Jung-son.
"Little fellow."
Wang Chong chuckled, extending a hand to lovingly stroke the boy's short hair.
"Senior Brother, let me tell you, Master has been waiting for you for a very long time."
Xiao Jianjian intentionally lowered his voice.
"You talk too much!"
So Jung-son didn't even raise his head, but he rapped a finger on Xiao Jianjian's head.
"It's no fun. Master's angry."
Xiao Jianjian cutely stuck out his tongue and quickly retracted his head.
Wang Chong glanced at So Jung-son, a pensive look in his eyes, and then he quickly sat down across from So Jung-son.
"Accompany me for the next round."
So Jung-son finally raised his head and pointed at the chess jar opposite him. The orange-red light shone on his face, changing constantly.
"Yes, Senior."
Chuckling, Wang Chong picked up the chess jar and held it in his hand. However, when Wang Chong saw the chess pieces inside, he was slightly stunned. In the past, when Wang Chong and So Jung-son played chess, So Jung-son played the white pieces, Wang Chong played the black pieces, and the white pieces went first.
But this time, So Jung-son gave him only white chess pieces.
"In the past, you were only a little clever, so I let you take the black pieces. But now, you are worthy of these white pieces."
So Jung-son's voice came from the air.
In an instant, Wang Chong seemed to understand something. The night was slightly cold, but Wang Chong felt warm in his chest, and he was slightly touched.
So Jung-son didn't say anything, but there was no doubt that he had expressed his approval of him in this way. This was something that he had never felt before.
"Let's play chess."
Before Wang Chong could say anything, So Jung-son had already picked up the chess piece in his hand.
"Yes."
Wang Chong smiled calmly and placed a white chess piece first.
The game went on from midnight until dawn. In the end, even the lantern next to So Jung-son was about to be extinguished.
"Okay, I lost."
At the last moment, So Jung-son gave up and admitted defeat. Undoubtedly, he lost. But even so, So Jung-son wasn't the slightest bit upset. Instead, he seemed unusually happy, as if he was the one who won.
"Scholars don't love wealth, while military officials don't mind death. This is the way for a country to prosper and never decline. Chong-er, you did well in the war of the southwest. You didn't lose face for the Tang Dynasty! "
So Jung-son stood up and looked at Wang Chong with a gratified expression.
"Yes, Senior."
Wang Chong lowered his head, his heart filled with gratitude. So Jung-son's few words were the greatest affirmation he could give. So Jung-son never lightly participated in the politics of the court, much less the border. In the entire empire, very few people could receive this kind of affirmation from him.
For the sake of these few words of affirmation, countless people were willing to fight until their heads bled and they paid an enormous price.
"Do you still have the white piece I gave you last time?"
So Jung-son suddenly asked.
"Yes."
Wang Chong hurriedly took the white piece from his bosom.
"Give it to me."
So Jung-son took the white piece from Wang Chong's hand, lightly flicked it, and then returned it to Wang Chong.
"The blood energy in your body is too fierce. I can't do anything about this problem of your bloodline. I can only temporarily suppress it for you and protect your dantian. Everything else will depend on your own luck. "
As Wang Chong was examining the white piece in his hand, he suddenly heard a voice at his ear. Before Wang Chong could react, bang! Wang Chong's right shoulder went numb as a palm lightly patted him. A moment later, the palm was withdrawn. But in the blink of an eye, a majestic and unbelievably powerful Sword Qi surged into Wang Chong's body like a flood.
It was different from the Sword Qi that Wang Chong had felt before. Although this Sword Qi was extremely powerful and sharp, it contained a strong vitality.
As soon as this Sword Qi rushed into Wang Chong's body, it immediately divided into thousands of pieces and dispersed into Wang Chong's meridians and dantian.
"Jian 'er, it's daybreak. Let's go."
A voice sounded at his ear. Wang Chong raised his head and saw a figure with fluttering sleeves and a seven or eight-year-old child walking into the distance.
"Senior, when can we meet again?"
Wang Chong's heart skipped a beat and he couldn't help but ask.
"When the time comes, there will be a chance to meet again!"
So Jung-son's voice floated in the wind. The old man and the child quickly disappeared into the night.
Wang Chong looked at the two figures in the distance. An inexplicable feeling welled up in his heart. He knew that after this trip, the two would once again enter that deep mansion and be isolated from the outside world.
He didn't know how long he would have to wait to see them again.
After calming his mind, Wang Chong quickly returned to his residence. After paying his respects to his mother, Wang Chong quickly went to bed. He had barely closed his eyes during the war of the southwest. Now that he was back in the capital, he could finally rest.
… …
While Wang Chong was resting at home, the Imperial Palace was in turmoil. The Holy Emperor's decree had already been issued. The Bureau of Rites, the Six Bureaus, and the officials of the Imperial Court were discussing the issue of rewards for the generals of the southwest.
Whether it was Xianyu Zhongtong, Wang Yan, Wang Fu, or any of the other generals of the southwest, there were no problems with their rewards. Only Wang Chong's reward was a problem.
"This is not proper! The youngest son of the Wang Clan, Wang Chong, doesn't even have half an official position. How can he be rewarded? "
"That's right! Although he was born in a clan of ministers and generals, he's only the son of a commoner. Not even the Annam Protectorate has a record of him, so how can he be rewarded? "
… …
In the Imperial Court, several officials from the Bureau of Rites, the Chamberlain of Dependencies, and the imperial censors all spoke up to stop this.
"A country has its laws, and a clan has its rules. Even if we want to reward Wang Chong, we have to follow the rules of the Imperial Court. Without rules, nothing can be accomplished. Are we going to throw the rules of the Imperial Court into disarray because of one person? "
Imperial Censor Duan had a stern expression as he stood next to the coiling dragon pillar, ready to take on the world by himself.
It wasn't that he had a grudge against Wang Chong, but the Imperial Court's decision to greatly reward Wang Chong would throw the Imperial Court's rules into disarray. As an imperial censor, he should not fear the nobility and swear to protect the laws of the Imperial Court to the death. Whether it was the sovereign or the common people, as long as they violated the laws of the Imperial Court, they had to swear to the death to impeach them and fight to the end.
Moreover, ever since the founding of the Tang dynasty, there had never been a precedent of a 'commoner' being rewarded so generously.
Nearby, King Qi was inwardly overjoyed as he coldly watched.
In the war of the southwest, he had been too conspicuous and was no longer suitable to jump out. Thus, he had contacted the people of the Chamberlain of Dependencies and the Bureau of Rites, then found these inflexible and conservative imperial censors, all for the sake of suppressing that most conspicuous Qilin son of the Wang Clan.
In King Qi's eyes, the entire Wang Clan, whether it was Wang Gen, Wang Yan, Wang Fu, or anyone else, had limited potential.
If they were really that formidable, they would have long since been made King or Marquis. Only this Wang Chong made him feel an enormous threat.
A seventeen-year-old who was already able to defeat Dalun Ruozan and Huoshu Huizang had already made King Qi smell the scent of Duke Jiu.
When Duke Jiu was still on the throne, his King Qi Residence had been almost completely suppressed. No matter what, King Qi could not allow such a formidable opponent to appear in the Imperial Court.
And Wang Chong had no official position, nor was he part of the army. This was his greatest weakness. According to the rules of the Imperial Court, if Wang Chong was not part of the army, there was no way to record his achievements.
No matter how great Wang Chong's achievements in the southwest were, they would have nothing to do with him.
"Hmph, then according to Imperial Censor Duan's meaning, given that Wang Chong has made such a great contribution, should we also charge him with privately raising an army, forging weapons, and interfering with the command of battle?"
A strange voice came from the side. Before anyone else could speak, another imperial censor across from Imperial Censor Duan spoke, his voice brimming with sarcasm.
"Imperial Censor Yang!"
Duan Qian instantly paled at the sight of this imperial censor. This sarcastic imperial censor had graying temples. It was his former superior, Yang Wei.
It would have been fine if someone else had rebuked him, but it just had to be Yang Wei, a fellow imperial censor, and his immediate superior.
Duan Qian's face immediately turned red, but he quickly regained his composure.
"Why not?"
Duan Qian stiffened his neck. The Imperial Court had its laws. If one violated the laws, so what if one was his superior?
"Hmph, so what you mean is that we should imprison Wang Chong and imprison him. Then you will lead the army to the battlefield and lead the Tang Dynasty to defeat Dalun Ruozan, Huoshu Huizang, Duan Gequan, and those ambitious foreign lords in the surroundings, and then protect the common people of the Tang Dynasty?"
All of a sudden, a voice came from behind him. Before Duan Qian could react, a skinny hand suddenly reached out and pinched his ear fiercely. Then, it started twisting violently.
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