The Four Quarters Emba.s.sy was silent, but w.a.n.g Chong knew that this was the most heavily guarded locations in Central Plains.
Who knew how many Imperial Army experts were stationed here? Glancing from afar, one could see distortion in the s.p.a.ce above the Four Quarters Emba.s.sy, and even the sun and stars looked slightly strange from here.
The Four Quarters Emba.s.sy has a simple design, and one could easily enter its compounds by flipping over the wall. However, when one truly entered the emba.s.sy, one would realize that countless peril awaited for them within.
One might be able to enter easily, but the same couldn’t be said about getting out!
Everytime w.a.n.g Chong entered the emba.s.sy, he would feel as though he was entering a steel enclosure.
“To think that I would return here.”
Looking at the Four Quarters Emba.s.sy, w.a.n.g Chong’s thoughts wandered and complicated emotions flashed across his eyes. w.a.n.g Chong had never liked the Four Quarters Emba.s.sy.
The reason was simple. The atmosphere here was too solemn, and it never felt like a family gathering. Rather, it seemed as though he was attending a ‘court a.s.sembly’ instead.
Furthermore, his grandfather, or the old master (this was how w.a.n.g Chong addressed him inside) was too incorruptible and upright.
w.a.n.g Chong was rebellious, inept, and often caused trouble. This made the old master particularly unfond of him. Thus, every time w.a.n.g Chong came here, he would be treated as though he was invisible, and he would be sidelined.
No one noticed him, and no one was concerned about him.
Because of this, w.a.n.g Chong grew more and more averse to coming here.
There were many things that one would only find important after losing them.
w.a.n.g Chong only felt the weight of that old master after his death. The entire w.a.n.g Clan lost its pillar of support, and the heavens crumbled upon them, causing them to fall all the way down.
It was until then did w.a.n.g Chong awakened and realized the significance of the old master to the clan.
Humans had to learn from their mistakes to grow.
Only many years later, when he was no longer young, did w.a.n.g Chong understand the intentions of his grandfather.
He has lived an upright and incorruptible life. Wealth, standing, and authority, none of these interest him. Even so, no one disliked being surrounded by children and grandchildren, and no one disliked living a blissful and leisure life after retirement.
The reason why he held on for so long, remaining in the Four Quarters Emba.s.sy even during his declining years, was for this family. It was for the offsprings of the w.a.n.g Clan!
Thus, in his previous life, many years after the death of his grandfather, when he roamed about the capital of the Great Tang once more and saw that the empty, unguarded Four Quarters Emba.s.sy, its weed-filled interiors, and that it has become nothing more than an ordinary residence, big uncle and little uncle fell to the ground and wailed in agony!
w.a.n.g Chong could never forget that sight.
In the past, w.a.n.g Chong felt fearful of this location, but after having lived his life once, his view of this location has completely changed.
It didn’t just represent the kins.h.i.+p flowing in his blood. To w.a.n.g Chong, this was also a sliver of hope for the empire.
If w.a.n.g Chong wanted to change the fate of the empire and the Central Plains, he had to receive the acknowledgement and a.s.sistance of the old master in the Four Quarters Emba.s.sy!
This was w.a.n.g Chong’s only choice.
Jya!
The yelling of the coach pulled w.a.n.g Chong back to reality. Retracting his head from the windows, w.a.n.g Chong sat quietly beside his mother as the carriage headed slowly for the Four Quarters Emba.s.sy.
This wasn’t the first time the w.a.n.g Family’s carriage was brought to the Four Quarters Emba.s.sy, and the insignia on the carriage was recognized by many in the Great Tang Empire. Even so, the carriage still underwent stringent checks. Only after double confirming that there were no errors was the carriage allowed into the compounds.
“You should alight here! We will inform you once Duke Jiu issues his summon.”
Before they could reach far in the Four Quarters Emba.s.sy, they were stopped by black-armored Imperial Army sentries. With impa.s.sive looks, they crossed their sword before the carriage, blocking its path.
They were currently at the outer perimeter of the Four Quarters Emba.s.sy. Even though they were from the w.a.n.g Clan, they were only qualified to walk up to here. They had to wait here for Duke Jiu’s summons before they were allowed in.
Without rules, it was impossible to accomplish anything great. Even though w.a.n.g Chong wasn’t used to these formalities, he knew that these were set by the current Sage Emperor to prevent anyone from sneaking in.
The emperor thought highly of the Four Quarters Emba.s.sy.
“Wait here. When big aunt and the others arrive, we’ll enter as one. Remember, don’t run about.”
Madam w.a.n.g ordered. She was already used to the formalities here, so she wasn’t too surprised.
w.a.n.g Chong and his little sister nodded their heads. Opening the doors of the carriage, they alighted from within.
The Four Quarters Emba.s.sy was extremely firmly guarded. With a single glance, there was a sentry every five step, and a patrol every ten. In other words, the interiors were completely filled with Imperial Army guards.
Those silent gazes from all directions made one feel as though every single one of one’s movements was being scrutinized.
In his previous life, w.a.n.g Chong always felt discomfort from their monitoring, but after going through innumerable tribulations in his previous life, such minor matters could no longer shake him.
“Mother, I’ll help you.”
Standing by the carriage, w.a.n.g Chong a.s.sisted his mother down. Madam w.a.n.g nodded, and a surge of gladness struck her heart.
Her child has truly grown up. In the past, he would have never been so considerate.
If one were to disregard the Imperial Army guards whose presence filled in entire compound, the interiors of the Four Quarters Emba.s.sy were actually quite beautiful. The trees were lush, and in between the trees, there was a neatly paved bluestone path.
At the two sides of the path, there were numerous green-colored ridged fake hills and boulders. A meticulously crafted clear stream flowed in the surroundings.
Glancing about, w.a.n.g Chong could even see stalk after stalk of carefully cultivated bamboos. Verdant and imposing, they added liveliness to the residence.
——The old man favored tranquility, and he studied both academics and martial arts when he was younger. These were things that he fancied.
Gu gu lu!
Soon, the rumbling of a carriage echoed from behind.
“Oh, isn’t this Zhao Shu Hua? You sure came early! Shu Hua, you sure put in a lot of effort for father-in-law’s birthday!”
Before even seeing the person, mocking words sounded from the large green carriage. w.a.n.g Chong turned around and saw an extravagantly dressed middle-aged lady looking out from the windows, staring at them. Her lips were curled up disdainfully.
“Big aunt!”
A bolt of lightning streaked through w.a.n.g Chong’s mind. The person in the carriage was no other than w.a.n.g Chong’s big aunt, Xing Yuan Chun.
If big uncle never liked w.a.n.g Chong in his previous life, then what big aunt held for him was hatred. This hatred wasn’t just limited to w.a.n.g Chong, but for the entire w.a.n.g Family, be it big brother, second brother, father, mother, or little sister.
In fact, even after the w.a.n.g Clan fell from grace, big aunt’s att.i.tude has never changed.
Hards.h.i.+p should have been a time for a family to unite together, but big aunt kept nagging and complaining about everything.
During meals, she had to have the best. When it came to picking food, she would always choose the biggest portion.
When the w.a.n.g Clan fell into distress, everyone became skinny as though skeletons, but big aunt gained weight instead.
Because of this, w.a.n.g Chong shared equal hatred for her as well.
“Sister-in-law, you sure know how to joke. Today is father-in-law’s birthday, I wouldn’t dare to be late.”
Hearing her sister-in-law’s voice, Madam w.a.n.g’s face darkened. Even so, she didn’t dare to refute her. Xing Yuan Chun was the wife of the eldest son in the w.a.n.g Clan, and her standing was higher than that of hers. In this feudal era where customs and hierarchy had to be strictly followed, Zhao Shu Hua had no choice but to lower her head.
“Mother, there’s no need to be polite with her. Big aunt, today is grandfather’s seventieth birthday. It is such an important affair, and yet, you, as an elder, are late. Aren’t you being too disrespectful?”
w.a.n.g Chong pulled her mother’s hand and talked back without any consideration. While her mother wasn’t in the position to say anything, he, as a child, didn’t have that many worries.
Even if grandfather were to blame him for this matter, he would only attribute it to his immaturity and this matter would pa.s.s just like that.
“That’s right! Why are you scolding my mother?”
Little sister waved her fists indignantly by the side.
“You!”
Xing Yuan Chun didn’t expect w.a.n.g Chong to interrupt and criticize her for her tardiness. Furious, she wagged her finger at w.a.n.g Chong with a frosty face:
“You two little… little things, do you have no respect for your elders? Watch how you speak! I am conversing with your mother, there’s no place for you two in the conversation! ——Zhao Shu Hua, is this how you educate your children?”
“Enough!”
At this moment, a cold and authoritative voice echoed from the carriage. Outside, the three quarreling people immediately fell silent.
“Today is father’s birthday, I won’t allow anyone to cause a ruckus here. Xing Yuan Chun, shut your mouth. w.a.n.g Chong, you are to remain quiet as well!”
It was the voice of w.a.n.g Chong’s big uncle, w.a.n.g Gen. As an authoritative official of the royal court, his words held might.
“Yes, big uncle!”
w.a.n.g Chong bowed respectfully. Compared to before, big uncle’s tone was clearly much milder. He didn’t seem to blame w.a.n.g Chong for this matter.
Clearly, his advice for his big uncle and cousin wasn’t completely useless. But for some reason, w.a.n.g Chong could sense worry in his voice.
“Big brother, you’re right. Shu Hua has acted without propriety.”
w.a.n.g Chong’s mother also bowed politely. Even though w.a.n.g Chong’s big uncle, w.a.n.g Gen, was stern, inflexible, and hostile with the w.a.n.g Family previously, he wasn’t as nasty, difficult, and fond of mocking others as Xing Yuan Chun.
That’s why w.a.n.g Chong’s mother didn’t really have any conflicts with him.
“w.a.n.g Gen! How can you help outsiders? She talked back to me!”
A shrill and disharmonious voice echoed within the carriage. Even though Big Uncle w.a.n.g Gen has spoken up, w.a.n.g Chong’s big aunt, Xing Yuan Chun, didn’t really buy his words, and displeasure filled her words.
“Mother, can’t you speak less…”
At this moment, another voice from within the carriage complained.
“It’s cousin!”
(w.a.n.g Zhu Yan)
w.a.n.g Chong recognized the voice. Grandfather’s seventieth birthday was a huge affair, how could w.a.n.g Zhu Yan be absent?
“Fine! Even you are siding with outsiders now. You la.s.s, see how I’ll teach you a lesson.”
Big aunt bellowed furiously. As she spoke, she seemed to have used her finger to pinch the other party, and w.a.n.g Zhu Yan’s pained exclaim echoed in the air.
After which, it was a series of naggy criticisms.
“Yo, isn’t that Zhao Shu Hua? And is that Chun Yuan?”
The rumbling of another carriage echoed from the back. w.a.n.g Chong turned over and noticed three gold leaves pasted on the side of carriage driving over. A familiar face also popped out from the window.
There are two big aunts
w.a.n.g Ru Shuang (The oldest female sibling in the w.a.n.g Clan), and w.a.n.g Gen’s wife (The wife of the oldest son in the family).