Chapter 109: Wang Chong Pays Respect to King Song! (1/2)

The Song and Wang Clan weren’t just in a simple political alliance. There were many other emotions involved in their relationship as well.

For example, the old King Song and Duke Jiu were fellow peers, and they were good brothers back then.

During the era of turmoil, they fought side-by-side to aid the current Sage Emperor to the throne.

It could be said that Duke Jiu has watched the current King Song grow up.

When the old King Song was still around, Duke Jiu often visited the King Song Residence, and he had often carried and played with him. Putting aside their political alliance, King Song actually regarded Duke Jiu as a fatherly figure, as well as a kind elder in the depths of his heart.

Thus, even though King Song was disappointed by Duke Jiu’s lack of support, he didn’t fly into a fit of rage.

King Song didn’t have much of an impression of Wang Chong, but now that he was thinking of it, he suddenly remembered a few past events vaguely.

King Song had probably carried and cajoled Wang Chong when he was younger. However, after he took over the position of King Song, with many matters on his agenda, he became busier and busier. Thus, he lost the time to be concerned about these ‘juniors’.

Now that he was done tackling the matters of the royal court, looking at Wang Chong brought up some fond memories within King Song, triggering his sentiments as an elder.

Wang Chong didn’t know what King Song was thinking about, but he could sense that he was in his most friendly, casual, and relaxed state.

As though he was talking to him in the capacity of a kind elder.

“Your Highness, I dare not reject your bestowment. If possible, may I ask for a person?”

Wang Chong lowered his head and bowed.

“A person?”

King Song and Lu Ting glanced at one another in curiosity. This was especially so for King Song. He was still frustrated over the Consort Taizhen’s incident, and upon hearing Wang Chong’s words, his interest in the matter surged abruptly, causing him to put aside the worries of the royal court for the moment.

“Hahaha, a person? A woman? Which lady do you have your eyes on? It’s normal to have a crush when one is younger, so feel free to tell me about it. Regardless of who it is, I will talk to them on your behalf.”

King Song chuckled and his mood lightened.

Who hasn’t been young before? After hearing Wang Chong’s words, King Song thought that Wang Chong was infatuated with a lady from some clan, and this raked up many of his childhood memories.

“Indeed, Chong gongzi. You should speak of it. Even if it is a princess, it isn’t entirely impossible with King Song’s help.”

Lu Ting stroked his beard as he teased by the side.

“That’s not it, Your Highness, you have misunderstood my intentions.”

Wang Chong was placed in an awkward situation. This wasn’t the case at all! What were these two thinking?

“I would like to save a person, but only Your Highness wields the ability to do so. Thus, I would like to plead with Your Highness on this matter!”

“Oh?”

King Song glanced at Wang Chong, and upon seeing Wang Chong’s serious expression, he frowned and retracted his smile. With a grave tone, he spoke:

“Who do you wish to save? I’ll have to tell you in advance that the royal court has its own laws. Even if I am a king of the royal family, I cannot violate these laws!”

“I understand. This person is called Zhang Munian, and his crime wasn’t very severe. This is the scroll of his sins. Your Highness, please take a look.”

With a lowered head, Wang Chong passed the scroll which he had copied in advance over with both of his hands.

It wasn’t just because of the Consort Taizhen incident that Wang Chong was determined to meet King Song. To Wang Chong, there was a person who was more important than Consort Taizhen.

That person was Zhang Munian!

After his reincarnation, Wang Chong had pondered for many days and nights, and he eventually came to a conclusion. To change the fate of the empire, there was a person which he truly needed:

Zhang Munian!

“Zhang Munian?”

King Song frowned. He tried to jog his memory, but he realized that he hadn’t heard this name before.

“Academic Lu, have you heard of this person?” King Song glanced over.

Lu Ting shook his head.

He hadn’t heard of this name before either.

“That’s weird.”

King Song was astonished. Grabbing the scroll over from Wang Chong’s hands, he unfurled it and started browsing through.

“So he is an agriculture official. Why would he embezzle so much money? That’s twenty thousand gold taels!”

Glancing through the information on the scroll, King Song frowned. But on the inside, King Song heaved a sigh of relief. He was worried that the person who Wang Chong wanted to save was a crook who had committed vile crimes such as murder, arson, rape, and treason.

Even though corruption wasn’t a minor crime either based on the empire’s laws, it was only a matter involving financial loss. In King Song’s perspective, it wasn’t a huge matter.

At the very least, it wasn’t unpardonable.

“Your Highness, while it’s true that he had embezzled twenty thousand gold taels, I can assure you that there’s something else to the matter. He didn’t take this money for his own use!”

Wang Chong said earnestly.

“Oh?”

King Song frowned, but he didn’t ask about the matter. In any case, a small official like that wasn’t worth his attention:

“Regarding this matter, if you can return the twenty thousand gold taels, I can step in and have the Bureau of Punishments lighten his sentence…”

“I can repay the twenty thousand gold taels!”

Wang Chong was delighted. Before King Song could finish his words, he immediately interjected. In terms of the laws of the empire, twenty thousand gold taels was a huge amount.But to the current Wang Chong, it didn’t mean anything at all!

“Hehe, wait for me to finish first. I can order the Bureau of Punishments to review this matter. As long as you repay the twenty thousand gold taels that he embezzled, this matter will be easy to solve. However, if you want me to help you on this matter, you have to answer a question of mine.”

“Ah?”

Wang Chong lifted his head, baffled by King Song’s request.

“Don’t worry, I won’t make things difficult for you. You just have to tell me why you want to save him. Is he your friend?”