Chapter 2034: The Dagger Drawn!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
This b.a.s.t.a.r.d, and the entire w.a.n.g Clan, had the fortune of kings, and everything they enjoyed had been granted to them by the House of Li. But they dared to help that evil spirit and oppose the orthodox successor of the House of Li. This was outright treason!
Since you dare to oppose Us, We will ensure that you and the entire w.a.n.g Clan die without a grave!
As this thought pa.s.sed through Third Son Xuan’s mind, his killing intent exploded and his smile grew even more beaming.
“Beloved subject, you have campaigned for the Great Tang and rendered great services. Without you, beloved subject, the Great Tang would have never reached its current splendor. But We have been so busy with court affairs that We have yet to have a good conversation with our beloved subject. Today, We have a rare moment of leisure, so the sovereign and subject must share some wine and have a long conversation.”
With this, Third Son Xuan brushed away the two Hu beauties, dismissing them.
Standing below, w.a.n.g Chong couldn’t help but slightly frown.
Third Son Xuan was talking about some ‘beloved subject’ and how he was ‘busy with court affairs’ with such sincerity that if w.a.n.g Chong hadn’t been witness to everything, he would have truly believed that this was a diligent and loving sovereign. The Eastern Palace incident, the Peace Pavilion, the selection of women… they all seemed like illusions.
When things were abnormal, evil was afoot!
The more affectionate Third Son Xuan seemed, the more danger w.a.n.g Chong felt.
“Come; grant the wine!”
w.a.n.g Chong had no time to think, as Third Son Xuan, with a wave of his hand, ordered a eunuch to come in from the side hall. He carried a golden tray, upon which was a wine cup that was already full to the brim with golden wine. He walked past the Dragon Guards and up to w.a.n.g Chong.
Buzz!
The mood in the hall suddenly changed, everyone focusing on w.a.n.g Chong. Even Third Son Xuan looked down from his throne at him.
The hall was eerily still, and everyone waited with bated breath for w.a.n.g Chong’s reaction.
The air was tense, as if a battle was taking place in the shadows.
w.a.n.g Chong looked down at the golden liquid proffered by the eunuch. His Psychic Energy radiated outward, reflecting in his mind every single change in the hall like a bright mirror.
As the eunuch came over with the wine, w.a.n.g Chong could clearly sense the Dragon Guards tensing. Their expressions seemed unperturbed as they stared at him, but their hands unconsciously reached for their weapons. They were like leopards ready to leap on their prey.
w.a.n.g Chong could sense the hairs on their bodies standing up.
Not only that, with his Psychic Energy, he could even sense extremely faint breathing.
These people were not in the hall itself, but in secret areas of Taiji Palace, doing their best to control their breathing and seal their pores so that no energy leaked out.
Even though these people were being extremely cautious, they still leaked their presence through their soft breathing.
This wine was poisoned!
Even at his slowest, w.a.n.g Chong could still understand that there was something wrong with this cup of imperial wine.
The information was leaked! He’s really going to make his move!
w.a.n.g Chong raised his head slightly, glancing at Third Son Xuan, who had already stood up from his throne.
Even though Third Son Xuan was doing his best to hide it, w.a.n.g Chong could still sense that streak of killing intent in the depths of his eyes.
At this moment, w.a.n.g Chong understood that his speculations had been right.
The moment Young Master Qingyang and Sword Dragon returned to the capital, w.a.n.g Chong knew that the matter of the Rainbow Gla.s.s Divine Gra.s.s had been exposed and that Third Son Xuan would act.
But he was still an important official of the Great Tang, so w.a.n.g Chong had believed that Third Son Xuan would still be somewhat apprehensive about dealing with him, never expecting him to be so impatient!
w.a.n.g Chong was the King of Foreign Lands, the first King of a different surname in nearly one hundred years. At the same time, he was also the Nine Provinces Protector-General, the Empire Guardian Great General, and venerated in Lingyan Pavilion… He had also accomplished the mighty feat of destroying the Arabian Empire. Carelessly killing him would inevitably cause an immense upheaval in society!
But it seemed that Third Son Xuan did not care!
And this cup of poisoned wine…
Subtle realm experts were powerful and almost immune to poison. In these circ.u.mstances, he could drink one hundred cups of poisoned wine and still be unaffected.
But since Third Son Xuan had dared to do this, there had to be something special about this poison.
Silence!
Abnormal silence!
In the hall, everyone was waiting for w.a.n.g Chong to react, and the tension and killing intent in the air only thickened.
But Third Son Xuan had no patience for w.a.n.g Chong’s inaction.
“w.a.n.g Chong! You dare defy a decree?!”
A moment ago, Third Son Xuan had been all smiles, but now, his eyes were as sharp as blades and his smile had faded.
Boom!
As Third Son Xuan spoke, boom! Powerful energies coming from both inside and outside the hall locked onto w.a.n.g Chong.
These boundless energies from outside came from the Dragon Guards stationed outside.
A battle was imminent!
Sensing the dangerous energies around him, w.a.n.g Chong instantly turned grave.
He was a valued subject of the empire possessing high status and a long list of achievements, and he had even formed a good relations.h.i.+p with the Dragon Guards during the Rebellion of the Three Princes.
But w.a.n.g Chong knew that the highest duty of the Dragon Guards was to serve the Sage Emperor!
Whether it was Third Son Xuan or the true Sage Emperor, he only needed to give the order and the Dragon Guards would give up their lives to fearlessly attack.
The tension in Taiji Palace had reached its maximum.
w.a.n.g Chong stood motionless, his mind rapidly whirring as he tried to think of a countermeasure.
He was well aware that if he did not respond properly, he would be fighting a major battle.
The relations.h.i.+p between him and Third Son Xuan would be completely shattered!
w.a.n.g Chong glanced up and saw Third Son Xuan standing in the midst of incense smoke, a smug smile on his lips like he was already looking at a dead man.
w.a.n.g Chong’s brow creased, his heart both heavy and tense!
To drink was to die!
But if he didn’t drink, Third Son Xuan would use this chance to accuse him of disrespect and arrest him and the entire w.a.n.g Clan, and the ultimate result would still be death!
Third Son Xuan was far more prepared than he had antic.i.p.ated!
“w.a.n.g Chong, you’re still not drinking?!”
Third Son Xuan placed his hands behind his back, his expression smug and his voice cold.
Since w.a.n.g Chong had entered, he could not even dream of leaving so easily!
w.a.n.g Chong silently considered the cup of golden wine, his eyes flas.h.i.+ng in thought.
Just when Third Son Xuan was preparing to order the army to attack in his growing impatience, w.a.n.g Chong suddenly moved.
“This subject will carry out the decree!”
w.a.n.g Chong’s voice rang out through the hall.
After a brief pause, w.a.n.g Chong finally took the cup from the tray and drained it.
“!!!”
Let alone the others, even Third Son Xuan was surprised by this development.
w.a.n.g Chong was no weakling!
As the War G.o.d of the Great Tang, w.a.n.g Chong had reached a level of strength that countless martial artists would never be able to reach. Otherwise, he would not have wanted w.a.n.g Chong to consume a cup of poisoned wine before dealing with him.
But it was no easy task to have w.a.n.g Chong willingly imbibe poisoned wine, particularly since w.a.n.g Chong had already noticed that there was something wrong with the wine.
Third Son Xuan had never expected it to be so easy.
“Hahaha, good, good! Truly wonderful!”
Third Son Xuan’s eyes flashed with bright light, and he rubbed his hands together and began to arrogantly laugh.
“You d.a.m.n slave… have you heard the saying ‘if a sovereign wishes a subject to die, the subject has no choice but to die’? You clearly knew that I was the real Sage Emperor, but you dared to oppose Us? Did you really think We didn’t know that you were helping that evil spirit?”
Third Son Xuan’s laughter rumbled like thunder through the hall.
“Bring him out!”
One of the cold-faced servitors of the imperial household came out with a gray-robed elder.
The moment w.a.n.g Chong saw this gray-robed elder, he paled.
The blind elder!
This man brought into the hall was none other than the blind elder who had preserved the records of the Sage Emperor from thirty years ago and that w.a.n.g Chong had conversed with.
After that conversation, w.a.n.g Chong had arranged to have him moved out of the capital so he could live out the rest of his retirement in peace. He had never imagined that Third Son Xuan would find him and bring him to Taiji Palace.
“Your Highness!”
As if he had sensed w.a.n.g Chong’s energy, the blind elder, his beard stained with blood, cried out, but the servitor thrust a finger at his chin, sealing his vocal cords.
“Release him!”
w.a.n.g Chong grimaced and took two steps forward, but sudden trembling from his body forced him to stop.
“Haha, of course! Of course We will release him! What use do We have for some old, blind man?
“In truth, We also plan to reward him. If he had not preserved some evidence, who in the world would know that We are the true master of the realm while that man was merely a despicable evil spirit?”
Third Son Xuan laughed.
The moment w.a.n.g Chong drank the poison, he finally let out a sigh of relief.
And born from this was an intense ruthlessness!
Or one could call it killing intent!