The Human Emperor

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

Young Master Qingyang had rarely seen Wang Chong so concerned. They had traveled night and day, and the fact that Old Eagle was saying that there was no news from Zhang Que left all of them worried, believing that something really had happened in the capital. But in their view, the capital of the Great Tang, the center of the world, was still lively and bustling– no, even more bustling and prosperous than before.

With the continent united, all countries under one banner, the Great Tang’s capital had many more people in it than before.

Wang Chong narrowed his eyes and surveyed the capital.

Everything truly did seem normal, but for some reason, he still felt rather uneasy, that something was wrong.

“Come on; let’s get back and then talk about it,” Wang Chong sternly said. Only by finding Zhang Que or his two missing Divine Embryos and studying their memories could he learn what had happened.

“Wow! Candy, candy!”

“Let them give birth to an early heir and grow old together!”

“It’s mine! It’s mine!”

Childish laughter came from the gate, and before Wang Chong could react, several giggling children ran out with handfuls of celebration candy.

Behind them, a resplendently dressed woman with a bamboo basket was smiling. Wang Chong’s group could see that there were many more candies in the basket.

Besides the children, some passersby also asked for a few, and there was a jubilant mood in the air.

Young Master Qingyang smiled as he stepped forward and asked, “Miss, which family is holding a wedding that the celebration candy has already been distributed up to the gate?”

“Heheh, Young Sir, what a strange question. Did you not see the lanterns and ribbons hanging from the walls, and all the celebratory streamers and red lanterns?” the woman asked back, looking at Young Master Qingyang with a strange expression. “Who in the capital does not know about the wedding in the Imperial Court? This is the wedding between the King of Foreign Lands and the lady of the Xu Clan!”

Buzz!

Wang Chong had been walking over, but when he heard this reply, he shivered and stopped as if he had been frozen in place.

Old Eagle’s and Li Siye’s expressions also turned strange.

They had noticed the red celebratory decorations on the walls of the capital, but because Wang Chong had been so worried, they had had no time to worry about such things. None of them had realized that these large red lanterns and the celebration candy being distributed would be connected to Wang Chong.

The marriage of Wang Chong and Xu Qiqin was the marriage of the generation, and everyone in the capital knew about it. But the key point was that the male lead of this wedding had not even been in the capital. Why was the capital already getting ready for the wedding?

The three of them immediately felt that something was wrong.

But Young Master Qingyang quickly got ahold of himself. “My thanks.” He bowed at the woman before returning to Wang Chong’s side, his voice hesitant.

“Young Master…”

“It’s so strange!” Old Eagle said, his sharp eyes surveying his surroundings.

The capital was still the same capital and not too different from before. But for some reason, he felt something weird.

“Don’t you think it’s too calm?”

“What? What’s wrong about it being calm?” Li Siye asked in surprise.

He thought that Old Eagle had some insight to share, but he hadn’t expected this. All was peaceful and quiet in the capital, the same as it had been since the time of Emperor Gaozu. What was so surprising about it?

“Siye, you’ve been with Young Master for many years, and you should know what the capital is like whenever Young Master returns. Would it be like this? Moreover, the woman spoke of the Wang Clan’s wedding, but… the Young Master is right here, and she didn’t recognize him,” Old Eagle sternly said, his thick brows furrowed.

“Ah!”

Li Siye finally understood what Old Eagle meant. It truly was too ‘calm’.

Anything could happen when his liege returned to the capital, except this sort of peace and quiet. Looking around, he saw that it wasn’t just that woman. All the passersby were too calm, and though there were so many people, none of them seemed to notice Wang Chong. It was like he didn’t exist.

The three of them instinctively turned to Wang Chong and saw that his face was calm. It was clear that he had already recognized this peculiarity.

“There’s no need to say any more. Once we return to the residence, we’ll know everything,” Wang Chong sternly said.

He knew what Old Eagle wanted to say, but with so many people around, it wasn’t right to cause too much of a stir. However, there was one thing he was sure of. Someone had been causing trouble in the capital while they were gone, and no matter who they were, Wang Chong would make them regret it.

Buzz!

There was a harsh gleam in Wang Chong’s eyes, and a moment later, a dark golden Halo of Spacetime emerged from beneath his feet as Wang Chong took the three of them and vanished.

……

The King of Foreign Lands Residence was splendid and grandiose.

“Stop!”

As Wang Chong led the three into the estate, crossing halberds barred his path. Two stalwart guards came forward and called him to halt.

“Impudent! You dare to disrespect His Highness!” Before Wang Chong could say anything, Old Eagle exploded with rage.

Wang Chong was the hero of the Great Tang, and everyone from the highest official to the lowest commoner respected him. These people were Wang Chong’s guards, but they dared to disrespect him? Was there anyone in the Great Tang with such audacity?!

“Impudent!”

But to Old Eagle’s surprise, these guards were seemingly enraged by this rebuke.

“His Highness is out on campaign and will arrive in the capital in a few days. You have some guts to disguise yourself as His Highness. His Highness has always been humble and unpretentious, so we’ll let you off this time! Get out of here!” the guards rebuked, as if they really were talking to a bunch of strangers.

A dark cloud of worry appeared over Wang Chong’s brow.

These two guards really didn’t recognize him. There was nothing more absurd in the world. Moreover, he had only gone out to Sindhu, so how was it that his guards no longer recognized him?

“Leave at on–!”

Just as the two guards were about to drive them away, bzzz! There was a mental ripple, and the two guards froze in place.

Wang Chong’s Psychic Energy had already penetrated into their minds.

A few moments later, Wang Chong trembled, his face paling. “Impossible!”

At the start, he had believed that these guards were under the control of someone or that this was some poor joke, but upon searching their memories, he found that there were no memories related to him.

His existence had seemingly been wiped out from their minds without leaving a trace.

Upon seeing his reaction, Young Master Qingyang and Old Eagle immediately asked, “Your Highness, did you find anything?”

“No.”

Wang Chong shook his head.

As Wang Chong was preparing to search deeper, something surprising happened.

Thump! Thump!

The two guards toppled over like wooden pillars, unconscious.

All of them were struck dumb, and even Wang Chong appeared surprised.

Wang Chong was well aware of his mastery over Psychic Energy. That probe just now was not enough to knock out these two powerful guards.

These two had not just simply fainted.

Wang Chong’s face turned extremely grave.

But before Wang Chong had any time to find the reason, a sharp bark came from the estate.

“Who goes there? Messing around in the royal residence!”

Kaclack!

The clunking of gears came from various parts of the estate.

A few moments later, countless people emerged from various areas around the King of Foreign Lands Residence.

Experts even emerged from the walls, the gate, and even the residences outside the estate. Numerous arrows were aimed at Wang Chong’s group, and there were even ballistae.

The collapse of the two guards had triggered the estate’s defensive system, immediately causing Wang Chong’s group to be targeted.

Amidst the tension, Old Eagle spotted a familiar figure amongst the guards.

“Zhang Que, you came at just the right time!” Old Eagle called out to the youth. “Have these people withdraw. Do you not even recognize His Highness?”

Zhang Que was his apprentice and had always followed his orders. This was why Old Eagle was so agitated.

“You are… Master?!”

The youth hadn’t noticed at the start, but he quickly grew excited.

“Didn’t you go out to the frontier? Why did you come back so soon?” Zhang Que excitedly said as he walked up to welcome him.

“What are you looking at? Put away your arrows!”

Following Zhang Que’s order, the numerous experts around the estate dispersed.

Zhang Que had the look of an admiring child, and his excitement and joy were impossible to hide.

“Right, Master, who is this?”

Zhang Que pointed at Wang Chong.

Buzz!

Zhang Que’s appearance had relaxed the atmosphere, but with these words, the mood instantly turned tense and strange once more.

The eyes of Young Master Qingyang and Li Siye flew open, their eyelids madly twitching.