Chapter 051: Reincarnation of the Constellations

Wang Bo observed Zhangsun Wuji from the shadows for a while and found him looking deeply distressed, drowning his sorrows in drink. There were no guards nearby—the nearest was still twenty or thirty meters away, patrolling the front courtyard—so Wang Bo leaped down from the roof and landed in the courtyard.

Hearing the noise, Zhangsun Wuji was startled and looked up, just in time to see Wang Bo landing on the ground.

“You, who are you?”

Although Zhangsun Wuji was drowning his sorrows in wine, he was not yet drunk. Upon seeing Wang Bo, he did not immediately shout or alert his guards.

For he knew full well that this would not only fail to solve the problem, but would instead provoke the other party.

Since this person could bypass the guards of his own mansion, he was clearly a master; to rashly provoke him at this moment would be especially unwise.

He was an intelligent man and would naturally not do such a foolish thing.

Moreover, the other party did not strike a killing blow at the first opportunity, so they probably did not come to murder him.

If Wang Bo knew what Zhangsun Wuji was thinking at this moment, he would surely be greatly astonished—smart people are indeed smart, their minds turn much faster than ordinary people's.

Wang Bo walked over, sat down opposite Zhangsun Wuji, and said leisurely, "Guess what kind of person I am?"

Zhangsun Wuji: ...

Wang Bo looked at Zhangsun Wuji's utterly baffled expression and smiled faintly. "Alright, I'll stop teasing you. I am someone sent by the Empress."

"You are the Empress's man—how can you prove it?" Zhangsun Wuji asked suspiciously.

Wang Bo said, "I have no proof, but what we are about to discuss will be enough to show that I am the Empress's man."

Zhangsun Wuji looked at Wang Bo with a mix of shock and uncertainty. "What do you want to discuss with me?"

"The Emperor is dead, and I want you to support the Empress Dowager in ascending the throne and proclaiming herself Emperor," Wang Bo said, coming straight to the point.

"What?"

Zhangsun Wuji was utterly stunned.

He now believed that Wang Bo was someone sent by the Empress, but he had never imagined that Wu Meiniang's ambition could reach such an extent: "She wants the hen to herald the dawn!"

“Correct.”

"This old man will never agree!" Zhangsun Wuji said with finality.

"Why?" Wang Bo asked in return.

From ancient times to the present, there has never been a precedent of a woman becoming emperor; this matter is absolutely impossible.

Since there is none, why can't we be the first in all of history?

"Haha..." Zhangsun Wuji laughed mockingly. "The Empress may be highly skilled in her methods, but what virtue or ability does she possess to set such a precedent?" To put it bluntly, in Zhangsun Wuji's eyes, Wu Meiniang was not yet qualified to become emperor.

Wang Bo said, "Whether the Heavenly Empress is qualified to be emperor, I know better than you. To be honest, in my view, even the title of emperor is unworthy of her status. Do you know what kind of person the Heavenly Empress is?"

"She is nothing more than a mere woman."

"Completely wrong. The Heavenly Empress is no ordinary mortal, but a reincarnated star spirit from the heavens, descended to undergo her tribulation in this life. For her to become the emperor of your Great Tang is a blessing for your dynasty," Wang Bo praised effusively.

Zhangsun Wuji wore a mocking smile.

"What, you don't believe it?" Wang Bo gave him a sidelong glance.

Zhangsun Wuji stretched out a hand and said, "You claim the Heavenly Empress is a star deity reborn into the mortal world—show me the proof."

Wang Bo, without standing on ceremony, casually took out the Gourmet Tablecloth and placed it on the table. "You want proof? Fine, here's the proof I'm giving you."

Zhangsun Wuji glanced at it and sneered, "It's just a piece of cloth."

Wang Bo said, “This is no ordinary cloth, but a magical artifact refined by the Heavenly Empress before her reincarnation, possessing unfathomable power. Within this cloth lies an inner space filled with all the delicacies of the world. If you do not believe me, you may try it yourself.”

Zhangsun Wuji saw that Wang Bo spoke with reason and evidence, and couldn't help but be half-convinced and half-doubtful. He said, "How do I try it?"

Wang Bo spread out the Gourmet Tablecloth, laid it flat, and said, “Speak to this tablecloth the food you wish to eat, and the food you want will naturally appear on it.”

"Well then, bring me a pot of fine wine," Zhangsun Wuji said, trying it out.

Immediately, a pot of fine wine appeared on the gourmet tablecloth.

Zhangsun Wuji was taken aback. He picked up the fine wine, examined it carefully, poured himself a cup, tasted it, set down the cup, and said, "It truly is fine wine."

A profound and inscrutable smile surfaced on Wang Bo's face as he said, "Do you believe it now?"

Zhangsun Wuji said, "Wait, let me test it once more."

Wang Bo made a gesture that said, "Please, begin your performance."

Zhangsun Wuji was silent for a moment, then said, "Bring me two jin of beef, four roast geese, a bowl of plain noodles, a steamer of buns, two sesame cakes, a bowl of roasted mutton, a dish of cheese-topped cherries, a Burning-Tail Feast, camel-hoof soup, golden minced fish with jade-like slices, roast goose and duck, raw sliced lamb, biluo pastries, translucent flower cakes, locust-leaf cold noodles, Clear Breeze rice..."

Zhangsun Wuji rattled off dozens of delicacies in one breath.

The Gourmet Tablecloth manifested each of these delicacies one by one; apart from the cold dishes, every one of them was steaming hot and emitted a refreshing, heart-soothing aroma.

Wang Bo had not expected that the Tang dynasty would have so many delicacies; some of them made his mouth water just looking at them.

So Wang Bo unceremoniously grabbed a bowl of roasted mutton and fell to with great relish.

Wang Bo asked while eating, "Now do you believe?"

Zhangsun Wuji picked up a steamed bun, took a bite, and after a moment of silence, said, “Heavenly Empress, is she truly a reincarnation of a celestial star?”

A few minutes ago, he would have absolutely not believed it.

But who could blame him, when the Gourmet's Tablecloth was so utterly fantastical, its imitation of a magical artifact so flawless, that it completely washed away Zhangsun Wuji's worldview.

When facts are laid before one's eyes, there are some things one cannot help but believe.

"That's right." Wang Bo nodded and said, "The Heavenly Empress is naturally the reincarnation of a star."

Zhangsun Wuji asked again: "The Heavenly Empress wants to become emperor."

“Correct.”

"My lord," Zhangsun Wuji said, cupping his hands in salute, "this matter is of grave importance, and this old man needs to consider..."

"Zhangsun Wuji!" Wang Bo suddenly called out the other's full name.

Zhangsun Wuji couldn't help but choke.

Wang Bo pulled an AK47 out of his four-dimensional pocket, placed it on the table, and said, "Do you know what this is?"

Zhangsun Wuji shook his head; if he had seen an AK47, that would be a ghost story.

Wang Bo said, “This is actually a magical treasure refined by the Heavenly Empress before her reincarnation. It is called Thunder Fire, the foremost great killing weapon under heaven. Even an ordinary person, as long as they hold this item, can effortlessly slay a hundred cavalrymen.”

Zhangsun Wuji widened his eyes in disbelief.

Wang Bo said, “If you don’t believe me, I can open your eyes to it. But once this thing is fired, it will be accompanied by a thunderous sound and will shatter anything in its path. To avoid alarming your family and guards, I suggest you calm them beforehand.”

Zhangsun Wuji thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "Then I must ask you, my lord, to wait a moment."

Wang Bo had no objection.