In the depths of the Wang Clan Residence, Wang Chong finally saw the person he had been waiting for. This was a middle-aged scholar in his forties or fifties. He was dressed in a white robe and had a long beard. He had a scholarly and frail aura that seemed like a gust of wind could topple him over.
"Paying respects to Marquis!"
Upon seeing Wang Chong and The Eagle walk in, the middle-aged scholar hurriedly bowed, trembling in fear. He didn't even dare to breathe too loudly, his eyes fixed on the ground.
It was clear that he had no idea why this illustrious and prestigious disciple of the Son of Heaven, the Young Marquis of the Tang Dynasty, would summon a nameless and insignificant teacher like him.
"Marquis, according to Marquis's orders, we searched the entire capital. In the end, we found him in an unremarkable Daoist temple. At that time, he was already preparing to go on a journey with his luggage. If we had been just a little later, he would have already left. "
Wei Guo and Wei Wu said.
It was clear that the two of them had no idea why Wang Chong would have them search the entire city for a middle-aged man who didn't even have the strength to truss a chicken and spend so much time and energy.
Wang Chong ignored Wei Guo and Wei Wu. From the moment he stepped through the gate, his eyes had been fixed on the middle-aged scholar.
"I didn't think that I would really be able to find him."
Wang Chong's eyes were bright and his heart was bursting with excitement.
Although this middle-aged scholar seemed nameless, he had an illustrious reputation in another field. Wang Chong rarely had people he admired, but this middle-aged scholar was definitely one of them.
"You are Won Shu-young?"
Wang Chong said expectantly.
"This lowly one is. To be summoned by Marquis is the fortune of this lowly one's three lifetimes! I just don't know why the Marquis has summoned me. "
Won Shu-young's face was filled with fear and trepidation. This was the first time he had seen an 'important figure' of this level, and he felt very uneasy.
"Hahaha, it's really him!"
At this moment, there was no doubt in Wang Chong's heart. His name was Won Shu-young, and he even had a long beard. This person before him was exactly like the person he'd heard of in the legends, and he was absolutely that 'Master Yuan' without a doubt.
In the Tang dynasty, out of disdain for foreigners, very few people learned the language of foreigners. This was why Wang Chong's ability to speak Sindhi and Ouzan had shocked so many people.
Even Dalun Ruozan and Huoshu Huizang found it hard to believe.
However, Wang Chong didn't think so. 'Only by knowing yourself and your enemy can you emerge victorious.' If he wanted to defeat the barbarians, he had to learn their language, understand them, and know their actual situation. He couldn't reject them and hide his eyes and ears.
These were the words of an elder who had taught Wang Chong Sindhi and Ouzan, and these words had come from this Won Shu-young.
Although almost no one in the Imperial Court or among the nobles knew of this Won Shu-young, as long as it was related to the Western Regions, especially the teachers in the capital and the silk merchants of the Western Regions, this Won Shu-young was famous.
It wasn't just because he knew twenty-three languages and was proficient in Turkic, Ouzan, Mengshe Zhao, Goguryeo, Arabian, Charax, and the languages of the various kingdoms of the Western Regions. It was also because he was extremely talented in teaching.
He had taught the elderly, children, Daoists, nuns, women, peddlers, butchers … Almost everyone had learned a language or two from him, and it would only take them a month or two to master it.
Almost all the most formidable linguists of the later generations had been his students, including the elder who had taught Wang Chong Sindhi and Ouzan.
However, this Master Yuan had only stayed in the capital for a few years before leaving for the Western Regions, where it was said that he had ultimately died.
When Wang Chong had heard of this, he had felt a great deal of regret. If the Tang dynasty had paid a little more attention to this Master Yuan, had understood a little more about the surrounding kingdoms, had paid a little more attention to the rising Abbasid Caliphate and Charax Spasinu, perhaps everything would have been completely different.
In order to gain a better understanding of the powers surrounding the Tang dynasty, one needed a large number of talents who could understand their languages, especially those who knew how to teach. Master Yuan was this sort of person.
As long as he was given a little help and a stage, he would definitely be able to raise a large number of talents to assist the Tang dynasty in understanding the surrounding kingdoms.
But this was not the only reason that Wang Chong had searched the capital for him. This was because deep within Wang Chong's heart, he had an even larger plan.
From the Great Emperor Wu of Han of the Qin and Han to the current Tang dynasty, the Western Regions had been divided and reunited, gaining and losing, always in the cycle of occupation and loss. But the kingdoms of the Western Regions had never had much affection for the Central Plains.
And in order to resolve all this and avoid this cycle of occupation and loss, the key lay in language. Because of the language barrier, there was no communication, no understanding, and naturally no affection.
But if both sides, from the top to the bottom, from the high-ranking generals to the low-ranking soldiers, could all freely communicate, then everything would be completely different.
If they could understand what sort of Central Plains the Tang dynasty was, what sort of Tang dynasty the people of the Western Regions had, their feelings for the Central Plains would be completely different.
And to achieve this, one did not have to teach the people of the Tang dynasty the language of the Western Regions, but to teach the people of the Western Regions the language of the Tang dynasty. Only in this way could one solve the problem once and for all.
— But first, someone who knew the language of the Western Regions had to teach them.
And Won Shu-young was the key person that Wang Chong found to solve this problem.
"Teacher, Wang Chong has been rude, but if I may be so bold as to ask, does Teacher really know twenty-three different languages?"
Wang Chong said.
Yuan Shusong's eyes flashed with a hint of surprise when he heard this. He did know many languages, but even the people around him probably did not know that he knew 23 languages. How did this famous master in front of him know? And it was such a small matter.
"Yes."
Although Won Shu-young was surprised, he did not dare to be negligent in his answer.
"I wonder how Teacher learned so many languages?"
Wang Chong said with a smile, and his eyes became softer.
"This … When this lowly one was young, I was young and frivolous, not knowing the immensity of the heavens and earth. Coupled with the fact that my family was rather wealthy, I spent a period of time wandering around the Western Regions, traveling through Sindhu, Arabia, and Charax Spasinu, learning their languages."
Won Shu-young said.
"You've been to Arabia?"
Wang Chong was rather surprised.
"Yes, I lived there for a short time."
"How long?"
"About two years."
Won Shu-young blushed.
Wang Chong became pensive as he saw Won Shu-young's reaction. This person had traveled the world in his youth, and his arrival in Arabia was probably not as simple as a short stay.
"In other words, you should have a very good understanding of Arabia?"
Wang Chong said.
"This lowly one has a little understanding."
Won Shu-young froze, and as he stared at the Young Marquis, he began to understand his intentions.
"Arabia is completely different from our Central Plains. Their territory is enormous, probably about the same size as our Tang dynasty."
"About the same size? Are you trying to say that it's even larger than our Tang dynasty? "
Wang Chong said.
Won Shu-young's body trembled as he stared at Wang Chong in astonishment. In the Tang dynasty, everyone believed that the Tang dynasty was the largest country in the world, and their impression of Arabia was that it was a small country around the same size as Goguryeo.
If even the people of the Chamberlain of Dependencies thought this way, then anyone else would. He was already very daring to say that Arabia's territory was about the same size as the Central Plains, but he had never imagined that Wang Chong would directly say that Arabia's territory was even larger than the Tang dynasty.
This was the first time Won Shu-young had ever encountered such a noble. He suddenly felt like he couldn't understand this young man.
"Master Yuan, since you've been to Arabia, that's even better. Tell me, what is your impression of Arabia and its people? How do you think they compare to the Tang dynasty?"
Wang Chong said before Master Yuan could think any deeper.
"This …"
"There's no need to be apprehensive. I want to hear your honest opinion."
"Then forgive this lowly one for speaking recklessly. The people of the capital only know that the Hu merchants of the Western Regions are good-natured, skilled in business, and easy to get along with, but in reality, the true Arabs are extremely fierce and valiant. Everyone says that the people of Ouzan are natural warriors, but even the people of Ouzan are far inferior to them. "
Won Shu-young lowered his head, his first words causing The Eagle to shudder in shock. Only Wang Chong gave a slight nod, not too surprised.
"The Arabs do not fear death, not only against outsiders, but also against their own people. I once had the fortune to witness one of their internal battles. Everyone charged forward, not one retreating, fighting to the very last moment.
"The Arabs value weapons, armor, and warhorses more than any other wealth, so the Arabs have developed an extremely advanced weaponsmithing industry … This is something that everyone in the capital knows. But this lowly one believes that what the Arabs are most famous for is not their weapons, but their warhorses.
"When this lowly one was in Arabia, this lowly one once saw their warhorses up close. They were as tall as a man and extremely muscular. Moreover, their charging and explosiveness were also very powerful. In this aspect, not even the highland steeds of the Ouzan or the warhorses of the Turks can compare.
"But when this lowly one was traveling through Arabia, what I felt most uneasy about was the way of thinking of the Arabs. Although many of them have never been to the Tang dynasty, even ordinary people know of the existence of the Tang dynasty, and all levels of society make no attempt to conceal their desire for the Tang dynasty.
"This lowly one once heard in the marketplace that their sovereign once declared in front of all his ministers that anyone who could conquer the east, conquer the Tang dynasty, would be made Emperor of the Central Plains.
Rumble!
Won Shu-young's words caused both Wang Chong and The Eagle to tremble in shock.
In the Central Plains, the Holy Emperor was a supreme existence. The Arab Emperor's words were clearly the greatest insult and contempt for the Holy Emperor and the entire Central Plains.
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