"Merit will be rewarded and mistakes will be punished. There is no need for you to be humble."
The earth trembled as the Holy Emperor's authoritative voice resounded in every corner of the royal palace.
"Wang Chong, you still don't have a courtesy name, right?"
Weng!
Hearing the Holy Emperor's words, the officials on the viewing platform were in an uproar. Many of them raised their heads to look at the lofty Taiji Palace and the god-like figure on it, vaguely sensing something.
"Yes, this humble subject is only seventeen this year and has not taken the scholarly examinations. As such, I have not been bestowed a courtesy name by my elders."
Wang Chong said gravely.
The courtesy names bestowed by the Tang dynasty were not given to oneself. Only those of virtue and prestige could bestow a courtesy name. These people were either extremely talented or of illustrious status. As such, the vast majority of people only had a name, but not a courtesy name.
The Holy Emperor was of the same generation as Wang Chong's grandfather. Although he was not as old as Wang Chong's grandfather, he was still more than fifty years old, even older than Wang Chong's big uncle.
In this aspect, he could indeed be considered as Wang Chong's elder.
Weng! The crowd grew even more restless. Many people had vaguely guessed something, but they still did not dare to believe it. However, this doubt did not last for long. Very soon, everyone's guess was confirmed.
"Very good. Since that is the case, We will bestow you a courtesy name!"
Everyone was dumbfounded by the Sage Emperor's words. Beneath the Imperial Stairway, King Qi's teeth were clenched so tightly that they almost shattered.
A courtesy name!
The Holy Emperor was actually going to bestow a courtesy name on Wang Chong?
Since ancient times, there had been emperors who bestowed surnames on their officials, but there had never been a single emperor who bestowed a courtesy name on their officials.
"His Majesty wishes to accept Wang Chong as the Son of Heaven's disciple?"
On the viewing platform, Yao Guang Yi was at a loss. Having been taught by the old master for decades, Yao Guang Yi had always been a calm and patient person. However, when he heard that the Holy Emperor was going to bestow a courtesy name on Wang Chong, he could not help but lose his composure.
Conferred the title of Marquis, conferred the title of nobility, bestowed a courtesy name …
Despite the great contributions the Yao Clan had made back then, they had never enjoyed such a grand favor from the Son of Heaven. Not only had the Holy Emperor created the title of 'Young Marquis' for Wang Chong, but he was also going to bestow upon him a courtesy name, setting a precedent for an emperor to bestow a courtesy name. Just how heavy was this favor?
This was an honor that Yao Guang Yi had never dared to dream of!
Furthermore —
"The Holy Emperor is giving him a death-exemption medallion!"
Yao Guang Yi's face was incomparably pale.
In the history of the Tang dynasty, there were not many people like Wang Chong who could turn the tide of a desperate crisis and turn defeat into victory, saving nearly a million people, but it was not unheard of.
The War God of the Tang dynasty, Wang Zhongsi, the famous general of Taizong's era, and the War God So Jung-son had all performed such magnificent feats, but no one had ever received such a grand reward like Wang Chong.
Yao Guang Yi could not understand why the Holy Emperor seemed to favor Wang Chong so much.
Clang!
With a clear clang and a flash of golden light, the Holy Emperor took out the golden Sword of the Son of Heaven from his waist and hovered it over Wang Chong's head.
Rumble! The moment the Holy Emperor took out his sword, a strange phenomenon appeared in the sky. With the Taiji Palace at the center, a spatial crack appeared, cleaving the thick clouds in two. Golden sunlight sprinkled down from the sky, accurately falling upon the Holy Emperor, Wang Chong, and the majestic Taiji Palace behind them.
The dignified and divine voice of the Holy Emperor resounded from every corner of the Imperial Palace.
"The war of the southwest began at the Erhai, the starting point of everything you have done. A Kun swimming in the water is a Kun, soaring in the sky is a Peng. We will bestow upon you the courtesy name 'Kun Peng'. We hope that you will not only swim in the water, but also soar in the sky. Like the Kun Peng of the heavens and earth, you will become a loyal subject of my Tang Dynasty! "
At this moment, no one knew that the Holy Emperor's voice was not only resounding in the Imperial Palace, but also resounding in the ears of everyone in the capital.
The usually bustling and bustling capital was now deathly silent.
Clap!
In a restaurant in the western part of the city, a man wearing a black cloak sat alone in a corner, silently drinking wine. Upon hearing this voice, he snapped the chopsticks in his hand.
"Many thanks, Your Majesty!"
At this moment, Wang Chong had no idea what was happening outside. Upon hearing that the Holy Emperor had bestowed upon him the courtesy name 'Kun Peng', Wang Chong respectfully bowed.
As someone who had lived two lives, Wang Chong had only met the Holy Emperor twice, and both times had been in this life. But even so, Wang Chong was brimming with respect for this supreme existence of the Tang Dynasty of the Central Plains.
This was an emperor who had dedicated his entire life to the Tang Dynasty, who had striven forward and swept away the barbarians, who had expanded the territory and influence of the Central Plains to the limit, and who had personally created the golden age of the Tang Dynasty. No matter what, he was worthy of anyone's respect and following.
Clang!
A majestic golden light flashed through the air. The golden Son of Heaven sword in the Holy Emperor's hand swayed in the air and then returned to the sheath at his waist, all the phenomena vanishing.
Wang Kun Peng!
At this moment, Wang Chong finally had his first courtesy name, and it had been bestowed by the Son of Heaven!
This was a true disciple of the Son of Heaven!
With the Holy Emperor's bestowal, Wang Chong's conferring ceremony came to an end amidst grand cheers. In stark contrast to the bustling celebration in the capital of the Tang Dynasty, the current Ouzan Plateau was a completely different scene.
The corpses of cows and sheep were piled up, scattered across the plateau. The cows and sheep that had been lively not too long ago were now lying on the ground, their eyes wide open as they turned into corpses.
Countless flies buzzed about, gathering around the corpses like dark clouds. Vultures would occasionally pierce through the clouds, their sharp claws piercing into the rotting corpses of the cows and sheep.
The vultures warily glanced at the mastiffs nearby, then began to peck at the corpses as if there was no one else around. However, this was only a feast for scavengers. For humans, these former food had become extremely dangerous.
The stench could be smelled even from several li away, and it was no longer suitable for human consumption.
This was an unprecedented plague. The once-mighty Ouzan Empire was now plunged into a severe food crisis.
The war of the southwest had ended, but the damage this war had inflicted on the Ouzan Empire was still far from beginning to end. The plague that Wang Chong had sent Li Siye to spread on the plateau was still spreading, spreading from the territory of the Ngari Royal Lineage all the way to the royal capital.
The fires continued to burn day and night, and the smoke from the burning cows and sheep soared into the sky, not dissipating for a long time. This was the only solution that the Prime Minister of the Ouzan Empire, Dalon Trinling, had come up with in this crisis.
Only the Tang Dynasty had the secret cure for the sheep plague. Treating it was already impossible, so the only solution was to prevent it. Burning the cows and sheep to prevent the plague from spreading was the only solution that the five ministers of the fourth district of the Ouzan Empire had come up with.
But compared to the plague, the war of the southwest was the focus of the entire Ouzan Empire. After all, this was the source of everything. Two hundred thousand Ouzan cavalry had marched east, but in the end, only ten thousand had survived. The entire Ngari Royal Lineage had basically been crippled.
Whether it was the deaths of more than two hundred thousand warriors or the sheep plague that affected the entire Ouzan Plateau, all of them could not escape a single name: Wang Chong!
"Dalun Ruozan, you have truly disappointed this king. This king believed in your strength, so I sent you to the Ngari Royal Lineage to assist the Fourth Prince. In the war of the southwest, you said that you wanted to form an alliance with Mengshe Zhao to drive the tiger to swallow the wolf, and this king agreed to everything. But look at what you've done! "
The royal capital of Ü-Tsang was dimly lit. Giant prayer wheels forged from gold were tinkling as they spun. Not far from these prayer wheels, pieces of ambergris wood were tossed into simple and crude bronze incense tripods, causing fragrant smoke to rise from them.
The smoke shrouded the entire great hall of the royal capital, making everything seem illusory and unreal.
Through the smoke, one could see a figure wearing a loose white robe kneeling on the ground, his face turned downward. If one looked carefully, one would realize that this was the Prime Minister of the Ngari who had been defeated by Wang Chong in the war of the southwest, Dalun Ruozan.
The defeat in the southwest had resulted in grievous casualties and rampant plague. Tens of thousands of Ouzan shepherds were living in dire straits. The Tsenpo was enraged and immediately issued an order summoning Dalun Ruozan to the royal capital for questioning.
"Your Majesty, this lowly subject has nothing to say!"
Dalun Ruozan remained kneeling on the ground, making no attempt to refute the Tsenpo.
"Bastard!!"
The Tsenpo was enraged by these words. He had lost more than two hundred thousand elite cavalry and caused a massive sheep plague, but Dalun Ruozan's reply was that he had nothing to say.
How could the Tsenpo endure this?
"Someone! Strip him of his position and imprison him to await this king's punishment. "
The Tsenpo's furious voice was like a peal of thunder, audible even from several li away.
In the hall, a bitter smile appeared on Dalun Ruozan's lips. He had long ago anticipated how he would be punished upon entering the royal capital.
As the Prime Minister of the Ngari Royal Lineage, as well as the commander-in-chief of the entire war of the southwest, he could hardly escape the blame for this defeat. Any punishment would not be excessive.
"I wholeheartedly accept my loss in this battle."
Dalun Ruozan kneeled on the ground, his mind recalling the distant capital of the Tang Dynasty, that seventeen-year-old youth who had been receiving a reward.
That war in the southwest of the Tang Dynasty had been long and drawn-out. He had used all his methods, but in the end, he had still been no match for that youth. What else could he say?
If one was willing to bet, one had to be willing to lose.
Bang!
The door to the hall opened. Amidst the rising green mist, a few warriors of the capital wearing heavy bronze armor strode in. These warriors of the royal capital had muscular bodies and thick arms and legs. As they scanned the hall, their gazes quickly fell on the nearby Dalun Ruozan.
The guards of the royal capital were elites that only the Tsenpo could mobilize. All of them had been handpicked from thousands and were extremely powerful. Normally, they would only move out when the Tsenpo needed something, and the vast majority of the time, it was not something good.
"Wait a moment!"
Just as the guards of the royal capital strode toward Dalun Ruozan, a figure shrouded in smoke suddenly spoke to the Tsenpo's side.
"Your Majesty, may I ask a few questions?"
This person suddenly left his seat and walked over from behind the table. As the smoke scattered, one could see that this man had a mustache and fair skin. He exuded an aura that was somewhat similar to Dalun Ruozan's, but he was more composed and steady than Dalun Ruozan, and his eyes were sharper and wiser.
In the entire Ouzan Empire, the only person who dared to act so boldly in front of the Tsenpo was the head of the Five Ministers, the Prime Minister of the Empire, Dalon Trinling.
Although he was the head of the Five Ministers, Dalon Trinling was actually a little younger than Dalun Ruozan. But even so, when Dalon Trinling spoke, the Tsenpo, the two royal capital guards, and even the Prime Minister of the Ngari Royal Lineage and Dalun Ruozan all revealed expressions of respect.
In the Ouzan Empire, there was only one person who could reign supreme through his wisdom and whose words even the Tsenpo had to respect.
Dalon Trinling was an honorific that conveyed the meaning of prime minister. In this aspect, Dalun Ruozan could not compare.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
