Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
“Your Highness is wise!”
Li Jingzhong suppressed his emotions and lowered his head.
“Haha, Uncle Jing, let’s not waste all this time talking. Come on! This prince wants to see Wang Chong’s victory with his own eyes!”
Li Heng had much less on his mind. Once he was properly dressed, he turned around and quickly stepped out of Jade Dragon Palace.
……
In the Grand Tutor Residence in the western part of the capital, one of the eminent Three Dukes of the Great Tang, Grand Tutor Pei Guangting, was also getting dressed so that he could head for the training ground. His face was stiff and inflexible.
As a civil official, Pei Guangting did not approve of the idea of resolving the militarist-Confucian conflict through martial combat, nor did he have much desire to preside over the match.
But the militarist-Confucian conflict had persisted for ages, and it wasn’t like this quarrel had started with this dynasty. Not even Pei Guangting could think of a better way. He shared the understanding of the crowd that, no matter the outcome of this battle, it would be decided solely by Wang Chong and Li Junxian.
As Pei Guangting was putting on his jade belt and fish token, a voice timidly spoke up, the speaker clearly afraid that they might anger Pei Guangting. “Grandfather, in today’s match, you’re going to support the Secretariat Advisor, right?”
Pei Guangting’s hands froze, but a doting smile quickly appeared on his lips.
“Yu’er, do you not like the Secretariat Advisor?”
The person who had sneaked in was a girl of around sixteen years. She had charming eyebrows and a picturesque face. Although she was still young, she was already developing into a beauty. Moreover, under Pei Guangting’s influence and tutelage, she had already begun to vaguely radiate the bearing of an influential figure.
Pei Xiaoyu was Grand Tutor Pei Guangting’s most beloved granddaughter. The Pei Clan was harsh when it came to discipline and upbringing, and even Pei Guangting’s sons and sons-in-law didn’t dare to breathe too loudly in front of him, let alone mention court matters.
Pei Xiaoyu raised her head and cautiously said, “No, it’s not that. It’s just that everyone in the capital is talking about how the King of Foreign Lands is a hero of our Great Tang, and Yu’er has heard that many people fiercely support him. Grandfather is Master Zhu’s disciple… so you must support the Secretariat Advisor.”
Although she knew that her grandfather greatly favored her, Pei Xiaoyu also understood that the militarist-Confucian conflict was extremely important, far more significant than any other conflict. Her grandfather had even issued an order forbidding any member of the household from discussing the matter.
“Heh, it’s true that your grandfather is Master Zhu’s disciple, but even more so a trusted official of the Sage Emperor. What your grandfather thinks is not important. What is important is that I ensure the fairness of the match.”
Pei Guangting softly smiled.
“Ah! So Grandfather doesn’t hate the King of Foreign Lands!”
Pei Xiaoyu’s eyes brightened, and her entire body seemed to become much lighter and happier.
“Grandfather, you’re still busy, so Xiaoyu won’t bother you anymore.”
She swiftly left the room.
The girl was completely unaware that as she left, Pei Guangting’s smile slowly faded, his expression turning grave.
“The King of Foreign Lands’ prestige in the capital has already reached this level…”
Pei Guangting was troubled. His concern was not that his granddaughter liked the militarist Wang Chong despite being born in a civil official household. What he was more concerned about was that Pei Xiaoyu had said that ‘everyone in the capital is talking about how the King of Foreign Lands is a hero of our Great Tang’.
His granddaughter interacted with only the children of high officials, nobles, and great clans. If even his own Xiaoyu was saying such things, it meant that Wang Chong’s reputation amongst the younger generation had reached a transcendent level, or at least a level that Li Junxian could not possibly reach.
And what the youth represented was the future of the empire!
Their adoration for Wang Chong meant that many young people were watching this match.
This was not necessarily a good thing for the empire, but not even Pei Guangting, the Grand Tutor, could criticize Wang Chong. Much information about the Rebellion of the Three Princes had already leaked out, and this certainly wasn’t the first time this youth had saved the empire from imminent collapse. Pei Guangting found it hard to say anything bad about him.
“Forget it! Let the two of them decide it amongst themselves!”
With this thought, Pei Guangting left his residence.
……
The great clans of the capital were also keeping a close eye on the match between Wang Chong and Li Junxian.
On Xuanwu Street, the four great sword-smithing clans, the Chengs, Huangs, Lus, and Zhangs, had gathered together.
“It’s about time. Get ready to go, everyone. Today, we’re all going to support His Highness!”
“His Highness is a superb individual who has been restraining himself all this time. But now, it’s about time to end it all!”
“Hahaha, come on, let’s all go and see how His Highness exhibits his divine might to defeat the Secretariat Advisor!”
With this said, everyone got onto their carriages and set off for the training ground. As close allies and collaborators of Wang Chong’s, the four sword-smithing clans stood at his side without question.
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And it was truly time for this matter to be brought to a close.
As the four sword-smithing clans set off in their grand procession, numerous other great clans also began to converge on the training ground.
The Confucian path had persisted for one thousand years, deeply rooting itself in the Central Plains. While Wang Chong had many supporters, Li Junxian had just as many.
“Are they ready?”
“The Secretariat Advisor’s Harmonious World is an undertaking for the ages. We have to support him no matter what!”
“That’s right! The Secretariat Advisor is not an impulsive person. I’m confident that he came to this battle with a way to deal with the King of Foreign Lands!”
“Let’s go!”
Many clan patriarchs had gathered in front of an estate in the southern part of the city.
There were all types in this crowd, some of them supporting Wang Chong and some of them supporting Li Junxian. They boarded their carriages and set off for the training ground.
As they set out, a vast flood of Confucians and great clans that supported the ideals of the Confucian Sect was also converging on the training ground.
More and more people were gathering, leaving the taverns and tea houses, putting down their cups of tea, ending their cock fights and cricket matches, stopping their training matches… The noble scions and daughters of the capital began to move out.
“Come on! Let’s go and show some support for the King of Foreign Lands!”
“His Highness is the great hero of our Great Tang! He’ll definitely win!”
Unlike the other groups, these noble young men and women almost all supported Wang Chong. Wang Chong had always possessed a peerless reputation amongst the children of nobility. After all, Wang Chong had also been a hedonistic scion like them, a ‘good-for-nothing’ in the eyes of adults.
But he had succeeded in forging his own path, and all the noble children of the capital wished to emulate his path.
To go from a good-for-nothing rascal to a hero of the realm, a revered King… Was there any greater source of encouragement?
……
The hour of battle drew ever closer, and the capital grew increasingly frantic with excitement, and also a little nervous. No one knew how this battle would eventually turn out or in which direction the empire would travel.
But everyone did know that this battle would be different from any other battle in history.
Yet while everyone had their own ideas about what might come, no one knew what the actual participants were thinking.
To the southeast of the Imperial Palace, in the King of Foreign Lands Residence…
Amidst drifting maple leaves, Old Eagle, Zhang Que, Li Siye, Young Master Qingyang, and Guo Ziyi had gathered within the main hall. All of them looked in one direction.
“Get ready to move out!”
Wang Chong was not wearing his usual court robes today, having exchanged them for robes of silver cloth. He had resolved eyes and a transcendent bearing. It was a unique aura he exuded, not at all like the scholarly bearing of Li Junxian.
Wang Chong walked out of the hall, his robes fluttering around him.
Waiting at the main gate was a white-clothed fairy who seemed to have stepped out of a painting. As she gazed at the bright-eyed and handsome Wang Chong, Xu Qiqin blushed, a dazzled look in her eyes.
Meanwhile, at the Secretariat Advisor Residence…
Incense smoke curled in the air, exuding a soft and elegant scent.
“Young Master, it’s almost time for the battle!”
Outside the main hall, Elder Song, Bamboo Mirror, Sword Ghost, and the girl in white all bowed, their expressions somber as they waited.
Buzz!
In a flash of light, Li Junxian appeared in a white Confucian robe, his long hair draped down his back and only a single hairpin thrust into his hair. He slowly walked out, his expression cold and brimming with resolve.
“Move out!”
Li Junxian strode forward, passing through the group and swiftly boarding the white carriage waiting outside the Secretariat Advisor Residence. Escorted by numerous members of the Confucian Sect, the carriage set off for the training ground.
……
“It seems that everyone is here. For such a major event as the militarist-Confucian conflict, our Yan Clan must not be absent!”
In the Yan Residence in the western part of the city, the seventy-some-year-old Yan Wenzhang slightly nodded.
“Help me up!”
“Yes, Ancestor!”
A junior of his clan handed over his walking stick while several youths of the Yan Clan came over to help him stand.