In a flash, Wanhe Peiluo's eyes once more turned incomparably red, almost dripping with blood. As one of the illustrious and ambitious figures of the Western Regions, Wanhe Peiluo had always been respected and feared. No one had ever dared to use his tribesmen as a hostage like Wang Chong.
To Wanhe Peiluo, this was the ultimate humiliation!
Wang Chong only coldly chuckled, completely disregarding Wanhe Peiluo. His gaze slowly scanned the crowd, quickly settling on Anxi Vice Protector-General Cheng Qianli and Protector-General Gao Xianzhi. Unlike the other Anxi generals, whether it was Cheng Qianli or Protector-General Gao Xianzhi, these two supreme commanders of Anxi were calm, far less agitated than the others.
Wang Chong inwardly smiled as if he understood something.
"Wanhe Peiluo, don't act rashly. Don't blame me for not warning you, but the Western Regions belong to the Tang Dynasty. The Karluk Tribe only has its current status because the Tang Dynasty promoted you, but this does not mean that you can stand on equal footing with us. If you dare to act rashly, you will be offending your superiors. I don't even need a reason to uproot the entire Karluk Tribe! "
Wang Chong looked down at Wanhe Peiluo. His eyes were cold, as if he could see into the depths of Wanhe Peiluo's heart.
When Wang Chong was recruiting mercenaries in the Western Regions, he had killed a chicken to warn the monkeys, exterminating a fickle and treacherous Saka to serve as a warning to all the other tribes. But in Wang Chong's mind, the people he wanted to kill the most were not the Saka, but the Karluk Tribe. They were the most fickle tribe in the Western Regions.
The Karluks colluding with Arabia and betraying the Arabs on the battlefield had enormous repercussions, far worse than any ordinary act of treachery. But the Karluks and Wanhe Peiluo had been recruited by Gao Xianzhi, so Wang Chong could not casually act against them.
"Lord Protector-General, could there be a mistake? Could it be another tribe? The Karluks have fought alongside us for so many years and have always been honest and reliable, never betraying us. How could they possibly collude with the Arabs? "
At the gate, a general of the Anxi Protectorate army couldn't help but step forward.
"That's right. Humans are not birds or beasts. How can we be emotionless? We've fought side by side for so long, and our bonds are so deep. Anyone can betray us, but the Karluks are the least likely to do so! "
Another officer of the Anxi Protectorate army stepped forward and said.
It wasn't that they didn't believe in Wang Chong, but the friendship between Wanhe Peiluo and the Anxi Protectorate army had been forged through one bloody battle after another. From an emotional standpoint, they found it very difficult to believe Wang Chong's words.
Wang Chong shook his head inwardly when he saw this. Humans and beasts were different, and so were the Han and the Hu. The Anxi Protectorate army had been completely unprepared for the Karluk Tribe's rebellion, and someone had even stepped forward to speak for them. It was no wonder that he had not appeared. The Battle of Talas had ended in such a terrible defeat, with the Karluks switching sides and the Anxi Protectorate army having been given a path of retreat, not even one thousand soldiers had managed to escape.
"There's nothing impossible in this world. Don't forget that the Karluks are mercenaries, not the regular army of our Great Tang. The reason they're willing to fight alongside us isn't because they have a deep relationship with us, but because the pay we offer is high enough!"
Wang Chong's eyes slowly scanned the crowd. In a flash, all the Anxi generals fell silent. They naturally understood what Wang Chong was saying, but over time, they had all forgotten that the Karluks were different from them. In truth, they could have betrayed the Tang, but they just didn't want to believe it.
As Wang Chong took in the expressions on their faces, he inwardly sighed. Rome wasn't built in a day, and it was impossible to change the impression the Anxi Protectorate army had of the Karluks in a short period of time. But there were some words that Wang Chong had to say to wake up the Anxi Protectorate army. Otherwise, there would be a second and a third Karluk Tribe in the future.
"Mercenaries only fight for the reward. They fight for whoever offers the highest price. In the last ten-some years, the Tang Dynasty has always offered the highest price, and the Anxi Protectorate army has always been invincible. The Karluks only need to wave their banners and shout their battle cries as they chase after the enemy. The Karluks would naturally do something with such little risk and high reward. This is the true reason they haven't betrayed us.
"They haven't betrayed us not because they are loyal and reliable, but because there is no benefit or reason to betray us! In addition, never forget that benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trust are things that only we Han have. The Hu only care about the weak being prey to the strong, following whoever is stronger. Benevolence and righteousness are of no use to them. "
Wang Chong declared. These words weren't just directed at Wanhe Peiluo and the Karluks. The Tang Dynasty's benevolence and righteousness had allowed the common people to live and work in peace, allowing the Central Plains to prosper.
But in the eyes of the world, the benevolence and righteousness of the Central Plains and the morals of the Confucian school were of no use. Lions and tigers could roar through the forest and rule over all beasts by relying on their overwhelming strength, not benevolence and righteousness.
The cruel forest that was the world was the same.
"Wanhe Peiluo, I'll give you one more chance. In front of everyone, if you come clean, I can still spare your life. Otherwise, all the Karluks will die!"
Wang Chong stared at Wanhe Peiluo, his expression cruel and callous.
Wang Chong's callous gaze caused Wanhe Peiluo's heart to clench, but he quickly returned to normal.
"Bastard! I have no idea what you're talking about! Lord Protector-General, our Karluks have fought with you for ten-some years. Even if we haven't done much, we've still worked hard. In the end, is this how you treat us? "
Wanhe Peiluo ignored Wang Chong and turned to Gao Xianzhi, his eyes brimming with rage. This young Tang Dynasty Protector-General had come with a menacing aura and was extremely difficult to deal with. At a time like this, Wanhe Peiluo could only place his hopes on Gao Xianzhi.
"Wanhe Peiluo, calm down. Protector-General Wang isn't someone who doesn't understand reason and makes trouble out of nothing. He must have his reasons for doing this."
Gao Xianzhi sternly said. After saying this, he turned to Wang Chong.
"Protector-General Wang, Wanhe Peiluo and the Karluks are friends of our Anxi Protectorate army. We have worked together for many years, and they are worthy of our trust. If Protector-General Wang believes that Wanhe Peiluo is colluding with the Arabs, I hope that Lord Protector-General can produce conclusive evidence so that the soldiers will be convinced. "
Wang Chong smiled, keenly sensing a few things from Gao Xianzhi's final words.
"Lord Protector-General is wise! Wanhe Peiluo, death is at hand, but you're still struggling. It seems like you won't give up until you reach the Yellow River! "
Wang Chong lightly snapped his fingers as he coldly stared at Wanhe Peiluo.
"Hmph, Wang Chong, you slander us, saying that we're colluding with the Arabs. If you can't produce convincing evidence, I, Wanhe Peiluo, swear to the heavens that no matter the price, I will cut you into a thousand pieces to vent the hatred in my heart!"
Wanhe Peiluo fiercely gripped the Barbaric God Axe, his expression savage. Although he said this, in reality, the confident and indifferent expression on Wang Chong's face made Wanhe Peiluo feel rather uneasy.
"Wanhe Peiluo, since you want to die, I'll fulfill your wish!"
Wang Chong grinned and waved a hand behind him.
"Xue Qianjun, bring it up!"
Wang Chong's words instantly caused the atmosphere to tense. Everyone turned to look, and Wanhe Peiluo's heart began to thump as he began to panic.
He had been so calm because he was certain that Wang Chong had no evidence. But if Wang Chong brought out evidence, everything would be completely different.
Tap! Tap!
A few moments later, heavy footsteps came from the rear. As the Anxi generals and spectators watched, Xue Qianjun strode forward, his body ramrod straight and fully armored, accompanied by four burly and burly soldiers with bulging temples.
These four soldiers each took a corner, and they quickly appeared in front of the crowd, each of them carrying a massive and ornate treasure chest made of fine gold. Hong, the four of them tossed it with all their might, and the heavy treasure chest immediately landed heavily on the ground with a deafening boom.
Amidst the rumbling, everyone could hear a strange sound coming from the treasure chest. It was as if thousands of small things were swaying and colliding inside.
Clang!
Xue Qianjun's expression was indifferent. The moment the four soldiers put down the chest, he unsheathed his saber, shattering the lock on the chest, and then pushed open the lid.
Bang!
The sight of the contents of the chest caused an uproar. The chest was densely packed with all kinds of pearls, agates, emeralds, corals, and gems. Its value was immeasurable.
When Wanhe Peiluo saw this, he felt as if he had been struck by lightning. His breathing became ragged.
"Protector-General Wang, what is this?"
Cheng Qianli's eyes widened as he asked.
"Lord Protector-General, General Cheng, and soldiers of Anxi, I found this chest of pearls and agates in a secret cave in the Karluk tribe. This many pearls, agates, and emeralds shouldn't have been gifted by Lord Protector-General, right? Or did the mercenary Karluks learn to trade and make money? "
Wang Chong said to the crowd.
The crowd buzzed with chatter as the Anxi Protectorate army soldiers stared at the dazzling array of pearls and gems in the chest, a strange expression on their faces.
The Anxi Protectorate army and the Karluks had a long-term employment relationship, paying them a generous reward every time they completed a mission. But not even the Anxi Protectorate army could afford to pay the Karluks such an enormous sum.
Whether it was pearls, agates, or emeralds, they were all far more valuable than gold of the same size. This chest of pearls, agates, and emeralds was so valuable that even the finance officer of the Anxi Protectorate army found it difficult to calculate its value.
Moreover, Wanhe Peiluo and the Karluks had always been extravagant, not thrifty people. Every time they returned from a victory, they would spend as much as they wanted. Not even ten-some years could have accumulated so much wealth!
"Lord Protector-General, is this really all from the Karluks?"
An officer of the Anxi Protectorate army asked in a daze as he stared at the dazzling chest of treasures. Previously, no matter what Wang Chong had said, no one in the Anxi Protectorate army would believe that the Karluks were colluding with the Arabs.
But now that Wang Chong had taken out this chest of treasures, everything had changed. At the very least, the firm conviction in their hearts had begun to waver.
"Haha!"
Wang Chong chuckled and shook his head. As everyone watched, he slowly raised a finger.
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