Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 209: Wang Zhaoling

The martial arts conference went on for a full day starting from when Situ Xiao broke down the gate at the entrance.

Following the match between Situ Xiao and Zhao Changhe, the rules of the competition came to be completely disregarded. Everyone who stepped into the arena would fight whoever they wanted to, and it was up to them whether they would suppress their strength and spar at the same level or not, and it was up to them if they simply wanted to test how many opponents they could go with their true power before being taken down themselves. In short, the conference had taken on an air of freedom and spontaneity

The rule of determining rankings by number of victories easily became meaningless without someone responsible for counting the wins. People would forget about it while fighting, and who knew who had won how many matches?

So even this rule was eventually discarded. Anyway, other than Zhao Changhe, there really was not anyone who was that eager for the treasure.

None of them were at the bottom of the jianghu. Anyone who could climb onto the Ranking of Hidden Dragons among those in the divine land was generally exceptionally talented. Other than a certain man probably surnamed Xia, who had some issues with his meridians, most others really did not have such a problem. If the treasure could bring about significant improvements to their meridians, then maybe more people would have desired it, but since it was just a slight expansion of the meridians, it failed to garner much interest. That was not the reason they were there.

No... what nearly everyone present truly cared about was the opportunity to battle.

This was the meaning that a proper martial arts meeting was supposed to have. There were no ulterior motives and no hidden agenda; they were embodying the true essence of martial arts for these hot-blooded youths.

Situ Xiao could not resist joining in again, creating a lively atmosphere. In the end, everyone gathered for a banquet and drank until they were heavily intoxicated.

Zhao Changhe sighed regretfully.

He really wanted to participate; perhaps he was even the one who wanted to do so the most. Not only would these fights provide great experiential value, but he could also review each fight through the page of the Heavenly Tome. Unfortunately, he could not participate, and he even had to reluctantly give up on a reward that was incredibly valuable to him.

Xia Chichi did not attend the banquet and left early.

Each person had their restrictions due to their status, and they could not just act however they wished.

Zhao Changhe sat there drinking alone, and Wang Zhaoling walked over, holding a wine flagon, and poured him a drink. “Shall we talk?”

Nearby, Cui Yuanyang perked up her ears.

Wang Zhaoling glanced at her, and continued to speak to Zhao Changhe, “Just the two of us.”

Cui Yuanyang attempted to follow along.

Wang Zhaoling said helplessly, “If you want to keep pretending to be distant in front of others, then by all means, do it. Don’t let down your father’s efforts. My Wang Clan can look past certain things, but others may perceive it differently. In a sense, this is also Uncle Cui’s way of urging Zhao Changhe, but I doubt that he really needs such urging. Regardless, you should understand his intentions...”

Cui Yuanyang didn’t respond.

“Originally, you should not have even participated in the martial arts competition...” Wang Zhaoling glanced at his left palm and shook his head with a wry smile. “Well, since you have this ability, then it’s fine. Having trained so hard for such abilities, you must display them in front of others at least once. Otherwise, what is the point of all the training you’ve gone through from a young age?”

Cui Yuanyang said, “Hey, why are you suddenly lecturing me?”

“It’s just that I feel that today has been very boring... Others might have found it rather interesting, but I feel like I’ve just been a clown,” Wang Zhaoling chuckled. “Look, even now, Situ Xiao is singing and drinking, and even Xuan Chong is laughing loudly. Meanwhile, what are we doing? It’s boring, really boring. I suddenly understand why Brother Zhao refuses to acknowledge his identity.”

Zhao Changhe finally said, “But there are still things you must do, right?”

Wang Zhaoling was silent for a moment, and then he made a gesture of invitation, “Shall we?”

“Alright.” Zhao Changhe stood up. This time, Cui Yuanyang pursed her lips and did not follow them.

Summer nights were hot, but the Wang Residence was cool.

Man-made streams surrounded them, waterfalls nearby cascaded down the rockery, and pavilions were scattered around. The cool mist in the air made Zhao Changhe feel like he had returned to the waterside pavilion of Suzhou rather than being in the vast land of Qilu.

The clamor of drinking and revelry in the banquet hall gradually faded away, as if they had completely moved to another world.

Even the contrast between the heated battles and the current coolness of the surroundings made it feel like they were a world apart.

Wang Zhaoling leaned against the railing of the pavilion, gazing at the lotus leaves in the pool below. After a while, he said, “You said that some people pour their hearts and souls into protecting this land, while we are merely seeking our own interests. But then, why don’t you help her? Are you afraid of getting involved in larger conflicts, or are you also just concerned with your own interests?”

“Both,” Zhao Changhe said calmly. “Of course, my main reasoning is that I have no desire to protect the imperial family. It’s none of my concern. Admiration for the loyal ministers and capable generals is one thing, but getting involved is another.”

Wang Zhaoling nodded and said, “We have also deduced that this is your attitude. It’s quite obvious, and you don’t really do much to hide it.”

“Indeed,” Zhao Changhe said. “So, what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?”

“Have you ever considered that many of the current problems are caused by His Majesty himself? That if there were a change in leadership, perhaps these so-called troubled times could come to an end quickly?”

Zhao Changhe said, “Perhaps. But can I ask you a question?”

“Please.”

“Even with His Majesty’s strength, he also had to rely on the cooperation of various families in the beginning to establish the empire. In the end, this ultimately led to the dominance of aristocratic families and powerful sects in each region. I refuse to believe that someone like him would not want to suppress everything, but simply that he is unable to do so, correct?”

“Of course. There are always things that require compromise. Individual martial prowess cannot decide everything.”

Zhao Changhe said, “While being the strongest in the world may not be able to decide everything, it can deter many things. If he were to go all out and insist on taking Maitreya’s head, I doubt Maitreya would be able to keep it on his shoulders. The barbarians and shamans dare not enter the pass, not because of those defending Yanmen but because of him. There are still many loyal ministers and capable generals who are sacrificing their lives, still holding out hope for him. The curtain of troubled times has not been completely drawn back not because of how effective First Seat Tang has been in patching things up, but because he’s still alive.”

Wang Zhaoling nodded and said, “Indeed.”

Cui Wenjing also educated Cui Yuanyang about this in the past. Did she really think that the Tang Wanzhuang had been single-handedly supporting the entire structure of the empire, with the emperor having no hand in it as well? Had she been blinded by storybooks?

“Your father only ranks tenth on the Ranking of Heaven. Even if he is hiding his strength, it is unlikely that he can defeat the Great Shaman of the northern barbarians. I don’t even think that the Wang Clan’s power necessarily surpasses that of the Cui Clan. Even when Situ Xiao was provoking you again and again, you stomached all of it, not daring to smear the face of the Divine Brilliance Sect in the slightest. You let yourself be stifled to such a degree, yet even if your plans did succeed, would it not just result in a situation where the strong dominate the weak again? I doubt it would be any different from the rumors that have already spread about him.”

Wang Zhaoling shook his head slightly and said, “You’re making assumptions, but that is not how things are done in the imperial court. As for my performance, I’m afraid you’ve also misunderstood it—in our eyes, no matter how strong a sect is, they are just commoners. Their economy and military have nothing to do with us. I’m not afraid of Situ Xiao, and my father isn’t afraid of Li Shentong. Rather than saying that I’m afraid to offend Situ Xiao, it would be more accurate to say that I was adapting to the situation, and he actually helped me achieve what I wanted.”

“Alright...” Zhao Changhe paused, then suddenly asked, “But then why are you so anxious?”

This time, Wang Zhaoling fell silent and did not answer.

Knowing when to stop, Zhao Changhe also did not push him further.

From whichever angle one looked at it, the Cui Clan’s actions were more in line with the thinking of aristocratic families, while the Wang Clan’s move was rather inexplicable. Even if they truly wanted to replace the Xia dynasty, why could they not just wait a few years? There had to be a reason behind it. If they were really allowed to succeed in their plans, it was still unclear whether they would be able to have the troubled times end sooner or cause further upheaval.

Of course, at this stage, they were just testing the waters, and whether they would proceed to the next step was still unknown. It was precisely because it was only at this stage that Wang Zhaoling talked with Zhao Changhe, attempting to sway his opinion and gain his support. When it came to the point where they revealed opposition, Zhao Changhe would probably not dare to step foot in Langya again.

In other words, it was still possible for them to stop. Zhao Changhe wanted to give it a try. He felt that Wang Zhaoling was not actually a bad person.

But then, Wang Zhaoling slowly spoke up, “Who would not want the nation to prosper? Whether we are anxious or not, there are reasons for it, but there is no need to say anything more. I know what you’re thinking, but it doesn’t need to be said. Although I was stirred by the passion for martial arts, that was just temporary. Even if you don’t want the position of crown prince, I do.”

Zhao Changhe: “...”

Indeed, if the Wang Clan succeeds, this guy would become the crown prince.

“Everyone has their own ambitions, that’s all.” Wang Zhaoling suddenly smiled and said, “Hey, do you think I’m qualified?”

Zhao Changhe nodded. “Leaving aside other things, your bearing is acceptable.”

Wang Zhaoling laughed and said, “I’ll take that as a compliment from you. Let me give you a heads-up. There were actually discussions within our clan about whether to assassinate you, of course as long as we are able to make sure that it cannot be traced back to us... The current consensus is to strive to gain your support first, but with your current stance and how things have played out, it seems that you and I might become enemies in the future, and it’s likely to be the kind that won’t end until one of us dies.”

Zhao Changhe was intrigued and asked, “Then why are you telling me this?”

“It doesn’t really matter if I tell you. You would have no evidence to say that it was done by my Wang Clan, would you? Are you going to run to Cui Yuanyang and cry to her about it? Let’s be serious,” Wang Zhaoling said with a smile. “But anyway, the reason why I’m telling you this... Well, you can consider it a habitual gesture of our aristocratic families, building some goodwill. In case things go south in the future, you can leave me a trace of legacy, how about that?”

Zhao Changhe’s eyes widened. “You think so highly of me? Why do you think I’d be able to decide something like that?”

“This is simply called an investment. Whether there will be returns or not depends not only on vision but also luck,” Wang Zhaoling patted Zhao Changhe on the shoulder. “As for that treasure that expands one’s meridians, I’ll personally give it to you. I’ll take the favor for myself. Why should I give it to Xia Chichi or Cui Yuanyang?”