The Human Emperor

Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Zhao Fengchen had barely risen when a young and forceful hand pressed onto his shoulder.
“How long can you go on in your current condition?” Wang Chong asked. Although this plan had been worked out between him and Zhao Fengchen, Zhao Fengchen was in no state to fight.
“Relax; I can still go on! Despite how fierce and grim the Battle of Talas was, I was still able to endure at your side. Do you think that I can’t even last through this Imperial Army competition?”
Zhao Fengchen shook his head, and he looked toward the drilling ground with determination.
Lu Qiongji had already reached the center of the drilling ground, and the match was about to begin.
The same eunuch looked toward the distant Lu Qiongji and asked, “Lu Qiongji, have you decided who you will challenge?”
All was quiet as everyone watched Lu Qiongji and waited for his decision.
Lu Qiongji’s face was obscured by his armor, and one could only see his eyes slowly sweep across the drilling ground, examining Huang Tianzhao, Bai Hanzhou, Li Xuanyi… and the still-seated Zhao Fengchen.
As Lu Qiongji’s eyes moved around, everyone on the western end of the drilling ground felt their hearts tense as they nervously awaited the decision.
Finally, Lu Qiongji began to speak.
“For this last match, I wish to challenge…”
“Wait!”
Just when Lu Qiongji was about to announce the name of his last opponent, a cold and aloof voice interrupted him.
This resounding voice instantly captured everyone’s attention.
On the eastern end of the drilling ground, a white-armored man with a dignified expression slowly trotted forward on his horse.
Bai Hanzhou!
Everyone was flabbergasted by the emergence of this individual.
For this last match, it was Lu Qiongji’s right to challenge one of the three Grand Marshals, but to everyone’s surprise, Bai Hanzhou had come forward.
“This… What is Grand Marshal Bai thinking?”
The other generals around the drilling ground looked at each other in consternation.
When Wang Chong saw that youthful figure, his eyebrows shot straight up. He instinctively sensed that things were about to get out of control.
The presiding eunuch took several steps forward and said, “Grand Marshal Bai, what are you doing? Please follow the rules of the competition and return to your place. This is the last round, and as a Grand Marshal, you can only wait to see if the challenger will choose you!”
“Heh, is that so?”
Bai Hanzhou’s hair drifted about in the wind as he sat upon his snow-white stallion and glanced at the eunuch.
His eyes were as cold as the edge of a blade.
“If this one remembers correctly, there is a rule that has rarely come up in past Imperial Army competitions.
“When one of the three Grand Marshals feels that one of the challengers lacks the strength, character, and ability to challenge the Grand Marshal, or that to be challenged by one would be a disgrace to a Grand Marshal, they may make an exception and challenge that individual to eliminate them.”
Buzz!
The crowd buzzed with chatter upon hearing Bai Hanzhou’s words.
“What is Grand Marshal Bai up to?”
“I have no idea. Does the Imperial Army competition really have this rule?”
“Grand Marshal Li Xuanyi is badly injured. Does he want to help Grand Marshal Li by challenging Lu Qiongji and eliminating him?!”
Bai Hanzhou and Li Xuanyi were both Grand Marshals, but Li Xuanyi was clearly in much worse condition. If Bai Hanzhou challenged Lu Qiongji, he truly could stop the First Prince, as the chances of Lu Qiongji occupying one of the three Grand Marshal posts would become incredibly slim.
Bai Hanzhou’s appearance had instantly caused a massive shift in this competition.
“Correct! The Imperial Army competition truly does have such a rule. This is a privilege enjoyed by the Grand Marshals!”
The eunuch’s reply provoked another round of chatter in the crowd. At this moment, Bai Hanzhou became the center of attention, and everyone wanted to see what he would do.
Bai Hanzhou’s cold eyes flitted across more than half of the drilling ground before eventually settling on an unexpected figure.
“For this match, this one wishes to challenge… Xuanwu Army Marshal Zhao Fengchen!”
Bang!
Bai Hanzhou announcing that name was the equivalent of a meteor slamming down from the heavens, sending massive shockwaves through the crowd that struck all of them dumb.
“Zhao Fengchen! Xuanwu Army Marshal Zhao Fengchen? How is that even possible!!!?”
The eyes of countless people were wide open, none of them daring to believe their ears.
Zhao Fengchen was heavily injured, and someone of Bai Hanzhou’s strength fighting him could easily win. But Bai Hanzhou was one of the revered Grand Marshals!
Why had the young genius that the Imperial Army had praised for ten-some years chosen to challenge the heavily injured Zhao Fengchen instead of Lu Qiongji?!
The minds of the crowd were blank, unable to comprehend what was happening.
Sudden!
Too sudden!
No one had expected this to be the final result!
“Grand Marshal!”
Zhao Fengchen stared at the aloof Bai Hanzhou, his face immediately turning as white as a sheet of paper, and even his hands began to shake.
The distant Li Xuanyi was also taken aback. However, Huang Tianzhao seemed to think of something, and a smug and sinister smile appeared on his lips.
“Big Brother!”
No one was more shocked at this moment than the young lady of the Bai Clan by Wang Chong’s side, Bai Siling. Her face turned ghastly pale as a sudden flash of insight came upon her, and she began to mutter softly under her breath as she stared at her big brother.
Wang Chong’s face had also twisted into a nasty scowl.
This match was not Lu Qiongji challenging Li Xuanyi, but Bai Hanzhou challenging Zhao Fengchen!
An unexpected reversal had appeared in the Imperial Army competition!
Silence!
Absolute silence!
“Let’s begin!”
Bai Hanzhou’s cold and emotionless voice resounded in everyone’s ears. Zhao Fengchen’s heart sank, and after glancing at Wang Chong, he slowly stood up and walked into the drilling ground.
With each step, his heart only grew heavier. Before Bai Hanzhou had appeared, if he had fought with all his might, he might have still had a chance of helping Grand Marshal Li Xuanyi win and stopping the First Prince’s plans.
But now, there was no hope.
No one could stop Lu Qiongji from taking Li Xuanyi’s place!
This was the First Prince’s true trump card!
Both Wang Chong and Li Xuanyi had known that Huang Tianzhao had already gone over to the First Prince, but none of them had imagined that Bai Hanzhou, who had also been ‘ambushed’ last night, would have also joined the First Prince.
“Let the match begin!”
Now that Zhao Fengchen and Bai Hanzhou were both on the drilling ground, the eunuch announced the start of the match.
There was no suspense in this match, and a few moments later, with the neigh of a horse and a scream, Bai Hanzhou’s spear struck Zhao Fengchen and sent him slamming into the ground like a meteor.
Rumble! The impact of Zhao Fengchen’s body against the drilling ground caused the earth to tremble.
Zhao Fengchen and his five hundred Xuanwu Army soldiers had failed to put up even the slightest resistance. Bai Hanzhou’s soldiers had pierced through and scattered them with a single charge!
Not even ten seconds had elapsed!
The entire drilling ground was silent, no one able to say a word about this completely expected sight.
“It can’t be, it can’t be! No…”
Bai Siling was still overcome with shock, her fists tightly clenched and her body trembling as she stared at that figure, both strange and familiar, in the center of the drilling ground.
“Young Lady, the patriarch wishes for you to come back!” a timid voice said. A maid wearing the emblem of the Bai Clan had appeared at Bai Siling’s side.
She spoke so softly that it seemed like she was afraid that she would be overheard.
“Why do I have to go back? Why? Impossible! Big Brother would never do this! Big Brother! Big Brother…”
Bai Siling’s body trembled, and she fiercely raised her head and began to call out at her big brother.
But the distant Bai Hanzhou appeared to not hear, not even glancing in her direction.
Bai Siling’s heart went cold. She was no fool, and she could already tell that something was wrong from the maid’s reaction. For the first time, she felt the despair of betrayal.
“I’m not going back! Big Brother! I have to go and ask Big Brother what’s going on!”
Bai Siling clenched her teeth, her body swaying as she prepared to lunge onto the drilling ground and ask Bai Hanzhou what was going on. She could not go back, no matter what.
“Siling!”
At this moment, a palm reached out and held Bai Siling down. The warmth of this palm caused Bai Siling to tremble, and her body froze as if every acupuncture point on her body had been sealed.
“Go back! There’s too much at stake here, and too many factions involved. It’s best if you don’t get involved. Trust me and go back with them. I have a plan!” Wang Chong calmly said.
He slowly looked over at the Bai Clan party, and wherever he looked, the members of the Bai Clan guiltily looked down, not a single one daring to meet his gaze.
Wang Chong understood that the Bai Clan had already known what was going on. Only Bai Siling had been left in the dark.