Shen Jing offered his plan with a smile on his face.
Listening to Shen Jing, the ministers who advocated for peace all glared at him.
However, Shen Jing didn't care at all.
These people, ah, they're only good at infighting.
When it comes to external matters, each one is more cowardly than the last!
No!
It's not cowardice!
They are refined egoists!
If anyone touches their cake, they are not cowardly at all.
Emperor Zhou was also stunned by Shen Jing's words, his eyes wide in disbelief as he looked at Shen Jing.
It can be like this?
"Wonderful, simply wonderful!"
When Shen Jing finished speaking, Ye Xiaogong swept away the gloom in his heart and clapped his hands, laughing, "In this King's opinion, Shen Jing's plan is the most suitable!"
"Your Highness, don't be misled by Shen Jing!"
Yao Jian's face was grim as he said in a deep voice, "Shen Jing is afraid that His Majesty will punish him for his neglect of the Yong Country Delegation, which is why he's spouting nonsense here!"
"Gao Yin isn't a fool; he wants to marry a real princess, not a substitute!"
"According to Shen Jing's suggestion, wouldn't it be more appropriate for His Majesty to simply choose a hundred or so palace maids and bestow them with the title of princess?"
Yao Jian couldn't lash out at Ye Xiaogong, so he could only direct his anger at Shen Jing.
As soon as Yao Jian finished speaking, the officials of the peace faction immediately echoed his sentiments.
"Chancellor Yao is absolutely right!"
"Shen Jing, in order to escape punishment, is making absurd suggestions here; his intentions are truly despicable!"
"Exactly, he's already angered the Yong Country Delegation, and if His Majesty uses his foolish ideas, it might provoke the Yong Country Delegation even more!"
"To disregard the court's interests for personal gain, such a scoundrel deserves to die..."
In an instant, Shen Jing became the target of everyone's criticism.
A group of peace-advocating officials unleashed their full attack on Shen Jing.
Listening to these chaotic voices, Shen Jing couldn't help but sigh again.
Indeed, they are a group of experts in infighting!
Shen Jing, on his own, picked up the wine pot and took a swig, then looked up at Emperor Zhou: "This humble subject still has some words he must speak, and if I offend, I ask for His Majesty's forgiveness!"
"Speak!"
Emperor Zhou let out a sigh of relief.
"If you strike one punch, you avoid a hundred!"
Shen Jing said in a deep voice, "Our Great Zhou doesn't dare to fight this, doesn't dare to fight that; why shouldn't we be bullied? This humble subject truly doesn't understand why our Great Zhou is always so hesitant and afraid to fight Yong Country. At a time like this, it should be Yong Country that fears us!"
"Nonsense!"
Yao Jian angrily rebuked Shen Jing, "You don't even understand the court's situation, and you're here..."
"Shut up! Let him speak!"
Emperor Zhou interrupted Yao Jian.
Yao Jian gave Emperor Zhou an unwilling look and sullenly shut his mouth.
Shen Jing took a deep breath and continued, "We may not necessarily have to go to war with Yong Country, but at the very least, we shouldn't be afraid to go to war with Yong Country!"
"Whether it's negotiations or anything else, we must first approach it with the mindset that we're prepared for a full-scale war!"
"If we don't even have that mindset, we will forever be at the mercy of others!"
"There's a saying: 'The barefoot aren't afraid of those wearing shoes!'"
"Anyway, our Great Zhou is already in tatters; at worst, we'll just break it and rebuild it!"
"As for Yong Country, they've been developing steadily these past years; if we smash them, decades of their hard work will be for nothing!"
Shen Jing spoke eloquently, expressing all his views on the matter.
Listening to Shen Jing's words, the faces of the peace-faction ministers grew increasingly grim.
"Nonsense!"
"If our Great Zhou is shattered, what good does that do you, Shen Jing? What are your true intentions?"
"Throughout history, every nation has fought when it could, and sought peace when it couldn't! Even the ancient sage rulers couldn't avoid it!"
"You speak with such righteous indignation, but if war breaks out, who will consider the tens of millions of people of our Great Zhou?"
"To presumptuously discuss important court matters with just two mouths, what are you?"
"This fellow is clearly trying to escape punishment from His Majesty, which is why he is desperately trying to incite His Majesty to go to war with Yong Country; this fellow is simply a national traitor!"
Finally, these ministers also launched their counterattack against Shen Jing.
Facing the criticism of the crowd, Shen Jing couldn't help but shake his head, "Throughout history, there are countless examples of the weak overcoming the strong, and the few defeating the many!"
"I don't understand why all you esteemed sirs are so certain that if we go to war, we will surely lose?"
"If Emperor Taizu had held this mindset back then, how could there be the Great Zhou of today?"
"Although I don't understand military command, I have always believed in one phrase: when facing an enemy, dare to draw your sword; in a narrow path, the brave one wins!"
"If you don't even dare to draw your sword, just offer your neck and let the opponent give you a quick end!"
Shen Jing spoke eloquently once again.
Listening to Shen Jing's words, many people showed signs of contemplation.
Emperor Zhou lowered his gaze, not knowing what he was thinking.
"Well said!"
Ye Xiaogong loudly agreed, "Emperor Taizu started his rebellion with three hundred men, and there are countless examples of him winning with fewer numbers! Our Great Zhou was forged through battle! How is it that by our generation, everyone has become a coward and a weakling?"
As Ye Xiaogong spoke, everyone immediately fell silent.
They dared to criticize Shen Jing, but they did not dare to criticize Ye Xiaogong.
Pei Ji pondered for a moment with lowered brows, then slowly walked to Shen Jing.
Under the astonished gazes of everyone, Pei Ji bowed to Shen Jing.
"Duke Qi, you mustn't!"
Shen Jing quickly helped Pei Ji, "You're going to shorten this junior's life!"
"It's fine, it's fine!"
Pei Ji straightened up, patting Shen Jing's hand, and said with burning eyes, "What a great saying: 'When facing an enemy, dare to draw your sword; in a narrow path, the brave one wins!'"
"Listening to your words for a moment is better than ten years of study!"
"This old man has considered too much these past years, and has lost his former sharpness..."
Pei Ji spoke with emotion.
Seeing Shen Jing now, he vaguely felt as if he was looking at his past self.
At that time, he was also full of passion like Shen Jing, daring to draw his sword regardless of the opponent's strength.
But as his status grew, he began to consider more and more things.
Weapons, provisions, grand strategy, and so on!
It seemed his vision had broadened, but he had lost his former sharpness.
As he spoke, Pei Ji turned his head to look at the peace-advocating ministers, "Regarding this matter, this old man now has only one thing to say: if we can negotiate, we negotiate; if we can't negotiate, we fight! Although this old man is old, he can still lead troops to battle! Even if I die on the battlefield, this old man will have died in his rightful place!"
"Count this King in too!"
Ye Xiaogong stepped forward.
"Although I am a civil official, I am also willing to fight for the country!"
Yu Zhaoxing also stepped forward.
"Count me in too!"
"And me!"
"They're all just two shoulders carrying a head, who's afraid of whom!"
"Imperial Father, your son is also willing to wield a three-foot blade and fight for the country!"
As the Fourth Prince, Ye Zhen, stepped forward, more and more ministers followed suit.
Seeing that the situation was somewhat amiss, Ye Qing could only reluctantly step forward.
As more and more people sided with Shen Jing, the power of the peace faction grew smaller and smaller.
Yao Jian was furious, cursing these foolish pigs in his heart who had been swayed by Shen Jing's flowery words.
But at present, the war faction had gained an absolute upper hand, and he couldn't afford to antagonize so many people.
He could only try to persuade His Majesty to reconsider later!
"Good! Excellent!"
Emperor Zhou looked at the scene before him with a face full of relief, "My Great Zhou still has hot-blooded men after all! Seeing you all, I know that my Great Zhou will not perish..."