Chapter 406 The Robust Imperial Consort 17 "General Ling! A small act of impatience can ruin a great plan!"

"If we can exchange a little money for peace on the border and spare the people from the ravages of war, what's wrong with that? If we fight to the death and are defeated, wouldn't the losses be even greater?"

Another civil servant retorted.

"To be cowardly before the battle is to commit suicide!"

"Our Feng Dynasty has stood for hundreds of years, when have we ever bowed our heads to barbarians?!"

General Ling's eyes widened in anger.

"Times change, General. Don't you know that national strength varies and opportunities can be favorable or unfavorable?"

The pro-war and pro-peace factions were locked in a bitter dispute and argued endlessly.

The voices of the peace faction seem to be gradually gaining the upper hand amid a series of defeats and rumors of internal traitors.

Many centrist officials also began to show hesitation, feeling that perhaps it would be wiser to temporarily avoid the limelight and bide their time.

The Empress looked down at her ministers who were fighting amongst themselves, her brows furrowing deeper and deeper.

She knew that negotiating peace was like drinking poison to quench thirst, but General Ling's words were absolutely right, yet they could not immediately reverse the reality of defeat on the battlefield.

Although the national treasury was replenished by the assets given to her by her eldest son, it was quite full.

However, the shortcomings of the military, especially the navy, cannot be made up for overnight.

A heavy sense of powerlessness enveloped the entire hall.

Xiao Fengye stood with his head bowed among the officials, a cold smile flashing across his lips from an angle unseen by anyone.

It's better to be in chaos.

Only when the water is murky enough can this lurking lion unleash its power and seize the highest position in one fell swoop.

At this moment, Zi Xi, standing at the very back, looked at the intelligence in her hand, which was delivered through the secret channels of Zui Chunfeng and was more detailed than the military reports from the imperial court. Her phoenix eyes flashed with a cold light.

"Liuyan... Sanji... Border defense deployment map..."

Zi Xi silently recited these keywords in her mind.

The second brother, that mole, is indeed already impatient.

And these voices in the court... are probably not all just out of consideration for stability.

The storm had arrived, and she could no longer remain uninvolved.

Inside the Golden Palace, the conflict between the pro-peace and pro-war factions had reached a fever pitch, and the air was thick with anxiety and a sense of powerlessness.

On the high dragon throne, the Empress's brows were furrowed into a deep frown, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the rough edges of the military report.

His gaze swept over the faces below, some indignant, some fearful, before finally settling on the group of civil officials who advocated temporarily avoiding confrontation. He sighed deeply.

At this stalemate, when the atmosphere was almost frozen, things were at a standstill.

A clear and steady voice resounded throughout the hall: "Empress Mother."

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Zi Xi, who had been standing a little behind the ranks of the generals, steadily stepping out of the ranks and walking to the front of the imperial steps.

"Your subject has something to report."

She wore no makeup today, her dark hair was tied up high, and she had lost some of her usual laziness, revealing an unprecedented solemnity between her brows.

In an instant, everyone's eyes were focused on her, with a mixture of curiosity and disdain.

What insightful opinions could a spoiled princess who only knows how to linger among women possibly offer if she were to step forward now?

A hint of surprise flashed in the Queen's eyes: "Speak."

"The barbarians of Liuyan have invaded our territory and slaughtered our people. This is both a national enemy and a personal vendetta!"

"Our Feng Kingdom has stood for hundreds of years, relying on its illustrious military achievements and its unyielding backbone!"

"Our ancestors once traversed the desert on horseback and pacified the South China Sea with their halberds, what a heroic sight they were! Today, they are nothing but a few clowns who, relying on a few pieces of information from an internal traitor, have managed to succeed by chance, and have forced us to negotiate peace in fear, ceding territory and paying reparations?"

Zi Xi straightened her back, calmly meeting the questioning gazes, her voice low but clear.

"Such behavior is no different from begging for mercy!"

"This will not only chill the hearts of the soldiers on the border, but will also make our country a laughingstock throughout the world!!"

"If we cede three cities and pay gold and silver today, won't we have to offer up ten cities and pay annual tribute to other countries tomorrow?!"