Chapter 1981: Triumph in the Northeast! Announcement to the Realm! (2/2)
”Yes, Your Majesty!”
Delighted, Zhao Changfu left the hall.
Whoosh!
A few moments later, a messenger bird flew off toward Youzhou.
Just as usual, Zhao Changfu emerged from the Imperial Palace and made for his carriage so he could head home. But at this moment, in a flash of light, a figure barred his path.
”Lord Zhao, His Highness wishes to see you!”
The man had a cold expression, a muscular right arm placed on the hilt of a saber at his waist.
Whoosh!
Zhao Changfu instantly paled and immediately turned to run back to the Imperial Palace.
But another figure appeared and blocked his path. Several more figures appeared and began to converge on him from all sides.
”Guards! Guards! Hurry…”
Zhao Changfu panicked and immediately began to call out to the Imperial Army soldiers standing guard behind the gate. But the golden-armored soldiers all looked away, ignoring him.
Zhao Changfu immediately understood, and his face went ghastly pale.
”Lord Zhao, please, do not keep His Highness waiting!”
At this moment, Xu Keyi, dressed in casual attire, walked out.
Zhao Changfu was too simple-minded. How could they just let him leave after waiting for him for so long?
And while his liege might not have been so influential as to mobilize the Imperial Army, he had more than enough prestige to take control of the soldiers guarding the gates. Moreover, all of the Imperial Army knew that his liege did not possess selfish motives, so they would not move to stop him.
Zhao Changfu's body trembled as he mentally struggled over what to do. Finally, his face ashen, he reluctantly boarded the waiting carriage.
……
An hour later, Zhao Changfu emerged from the King of Foreign Lands Residence with a mournful expression, seeming to have experienced a great scare.
Back in the estate, Xu Keyi and Su Shixuan stood behind Wang Chong and watched the Auxiliary Assistant Minister of the Bureau of Personnel leave.
”Your Highness, are we really letting this opportunistic scoundrel go?” Xu Keyi said.
Zhao Changfu was an opportunist who had used his offering of beauties to lead the 'Sage Emperor' astray, and he was a sower of discord who had caused no end of trouble. Just because of him, there were many people in the capital trying to imitate him and offer beauties to the 'Sage Emperor', but in the end, they only ended up wiping his butt for him.
For such a man, not even death was good enough!
”Let him go!” Wang Chong indifferently said as he watched him board the carriage.
”Lowly people have their uses, and giving him a warning is enough. Moreover, even without him, someone else like him will appear in the Imperial Palace. Besides… for An Yaluoshan to come to the capital is not necessarily a bad thing.”
Wang Chong's eyes brightly gleamed.
Zhao Changfu was not some stubbornly unyielding man. The moment he saw Wang Chong, he confessed everything he knew without the slightest prompting, even the feast of all countries and An Yaluoshan's summons to the capital.
Xu Keyi and the others were so indignant that they had wanted to kill him on the spot, but Wang Chong had been unperturbed.
With the victory in the northeast and the seizure of the critical forts of Baiyan and Anshi, An Yaluoshan was fully mature. Once he became the real Andong Protector-General, Youzhou would be his territory, and Wang Chong would no longer be able to interfere.
But if An Yaluoshan had been called to the capital, everything was different. At the very least, Wang Chong would not be so helpless.
An Yaluoshan, it's already been two years since our last meeting. I… am looking forward to it! Wang Chong thought.
He looked up at the sky and saw dark clouds converging.
A storm was coming.
……
Several days later, in Youzhou, Gao Shang turned to An Yaluoshan after reading the letter.
”Your Excellency, we succeeded. I've just received word from Zhao Changfu that the Sage Emperor is using the victory in the northeast to hold a feast of all countries, and Your Excellency is invited.”
”Finally succeeded?”