Chapter 1640: The Smug First Prince! (1/2)
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Into the night, the homes of the Zhang, Li, Huang, and Lu Clans were still brightly lit. Within the conference hall of the Lu Clan, the Lu Clan Patriarch had a vexed expression as he anxiously paced back and forth. All the elders and retainers of the Lu Clan were around him.
Their brows were furrowed and their faces worried. The reason for all this was an ordinary invitation card on the table, no larger than a palm.
”How is it? Any news from the King of Foreign Lands?”
The Lu Clan Patriarch turned to the key member of the Lu Clan responsible for communications.
”Still none. Maybe I should just go to the King of Foreign Lands Residence myself!” the core member of the Lu Clan replied.
The Lu Clan Residence was actually very close to the King of Foreign Lands Residence. He had made this request before, but the Lu Clan Patriarch had required him to send a letter.
”No!”
Despite his worries, the Lu Clan Patriarch firmly denied the request.
”The King of Foreign Lands is surrounded by scouts and spies, even from foreign countries. The number of spies and assassins cleared out every day from the surroundings of the King of Foreign Lands Residence is immense, and none of these people care about their lives. If we go there now, we will cause a major problem. The Lu Clan is not a martial clan, and we have no way of dealing with such a complicated situation.”
The recently completed King of Foreign Lands Residence had already become the center of the storm engulfing the entire realm.
A battle at the city gates would also catch the fish in the moat. If they went to the King of Foreign Lands Residence at this time, they would inevitably cause misunderstandings and bring about unnecessary problems. Wang Chong had also considered this point and had requested all of them to only send carrier pigeons unless the matter was of utmost importance.
”Reporting!”
At this moment of unease, there was a flurry of footsteps, and a few moments later, a guard of the Lu Clan came in.
”Patriarch, we have just received a letter from the King of Foreign Lands. Please take a look.”
These words caused the entire conference hall to fall silent, everyone looking at the guard.
”Bring it over!”
The Lu Clan Patriarch hastily snatched the letter and opened it up, but after glancing at it, his face froze in shock.
”Patriarch, what did the King of Foreign Lands say?”
The elders and core members of the clan expectantly looked at the patriarch, but after not receiving a reply for some time, they began to grow surprised.
”Take a look for yourselves!”
The Lu Clan Patriarch simply handed the letter over.
The letter made the rounds through the hall, and once everyone had gotten a look, their expressions were just as strange as the patriarch's.
“这……”
”This…”
All of them glanced at each other, unable to speak.
After a long silence, the Lu Clan Patriarch finally said, ”I also don't know what the King of Foreign Lands is thinking, but since he has spoken, we'll just do as he says!”
Similar scenes took place across the capital.
Half a month went by in the blink of an eye, and it was soon the opening day for the Great Buddhist Temple.
The Great Buddhist Temple was seated on a mountain outside the capital. Even though the appointed time had not arrived, there was already a vast sea of people gathered at the base of the mountain. The matter of the First Prince paying for the construction of a Buddhist temple had been the talk of the capital, and countless common folk had come to view the event.
Unlike the Imperial Court, many ordinary folk in the capital were not very sensitive to political matters. They had come purely to see the First Prince and the massive ten-some-meter-tall Buddha idol in front of the temple.
”Your Highness, the Huang Clan has sent a letter. Please look it over!”
On another mountain not far from the Great Buddhist Temple, a golden-armored Eastern Palace guard kneeled on the ground.
”Good!”
On the summit, the First Prince's eyes shone in delight.
”Hand it over!”
The First Prince was even more delighted once he read the contents of the letter.
”Zhu Tong'en, how many of the great clans have agreed to attend the ceremony?”
The First Prince folded up the letter and turned in the direction of the wind, a fresh and relaxed feeling in his heart.
Zhu Tong'en stood seven feet behind the First Prince as he bowed and reported, ”Your Highness, at present, we have received more than five thousand replies, and at least eighty percent of the great clans have agreed to attend the ceremony. And this number is increasing, and we expect that even more will come.”
”Haha, okay!”
The First Prince rejoiced at this news.
”Senior Ghost King's plan was truly flawless. To think that a mere Buddhist temple would be able to draw in almost all the renowned clans of the capital. This prince wasted so much time wracking his mind and taking such great pains to try and recruit all these factions!”