The courtiers inside the hall erupted in chaos, whispering amongst themselves, their fear palpable. Since the rebels were so powerful, they were like a sword hanging over everyone's heads, their imminent fall instilling even greater terror.
Wang Yong wiped the sweat from his fair face, already thinking about how to escape. At least for now, it seemed that once the rebel army reached Nanze, they might not be able to hold him off.
The other ministers were also flustered and anxious, like grasshoppers on a hot pan. Prince Qing's face was ugly, and he pursed his lips and remained silent.
He had not yet recovered from the defeat of the Shenji Battalion. After all, the Shenji Battalion was a new army that he had painstakingly built. Although it had been established for less than two years, the amount of silver spent on them was an extremely large figure.
Thus, this army, built at great expense, had a strength of only 30,000 men, and now one-third of them are gone. If Jin Zhou's words were not false, then they are a completely useless army.
How can anyone accept such a reality?
Prince Qing knew perfectly well that the Divine Machine Battalion was his last trump card. If even this couldn't stop the rebels, how else could he fight?
Relying on Nanze's last 300,000 troops? Difficult! Extremely difficult!
Prince Qing bit his lip, shook his head with a somber expression, and Jin Fengluan took in his appearance. Whenever she faced a difficult decision, Jin Fengluan would habitually ask her elder brother for his opinion.
Even he looked dejected, which was enough to show that things had become so serious that he had no confidence at all. Jin Fengluan's mind was in a daze, and he could only put his hand to his forehead and sigh to himself.
Jin Zhou, sitting below the stage, was quick-witted. Seeing the panicked expressions on everyone's faces and the emperor's furrowed brow, he immediately said:
"Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, we must not launch another offensive against the rebels. The enemy's firepower is fierce, and even a cavalry charge would be difficult to succeed. The only option now is to fight defensively."
"We must gather all our troops in Nanze, making it our last stronghold, heavily guarding it, and preventing the enemy from advancing!"
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the hall looked at Jin Zhou, and then a voice of agreement rang out.
“Your Majesty, Jin Zhou is absolutely right. If we send troops to fight the rebels now, we risk a very dangerous situation.”
"I'm afraid only by holding out in Nanze and relying on the city's defenses can we withstand the rebels' offensive," said Jin Pingyong.
He was already worried that Jin Fengluan would appoint him as a general to quell the rebellion after the defeat in this battle. If that were to happen, it would be the death of him.
Even Kim Jeong-hee, a skilled warrior, was defeated. He did not think he was better at commanding troops. Kim Pyong-yong was self-aware when it came to military affairs.
Listening to the two of them, Jin Fengluan's brows furrowed deeply. After pondering for a long while, she slowly said:
"But if we do that, aren't we just waiting for them to attack?"
"As the ruler of this country, how can I allow traitors to attack the capital twice? Wouldn't that make me lose all face?"
Upon hearing this, Jin Zhou's expression froze.
Face? What face?
The monarch's dignity? Wasn't that already completely lost in Jinling? What's the point of talking about dignity now? This is a matter of life and death!
Although he thought this in his heart, Jin Zhou naturally dared not say it aloud. He swallowed and continued:
"There's nothing we can do, Your Majesty."
“Sending troops out to fight would probably put us in a disadvantageous position, but if we gamble everything and send all our troops to fight the rebels to the death, what if…” He looked up at Jin Fengluan’s face.
Jin Fengluan bit her lip, her face slightly pale, unsure of what decision to make.
Meanwhile, the ministers below the stage had already spoken in succession:
"Your Majesty, this is probably the only solution we have at present."
"Although Nanze is an old capital, fortunately the city defenses are still intact. In addition, after His Majesty returned to Nanze, he repaired and reinforced the outer city walls. With such protection, it is indeed the best place to deal with the rebels."
"And apart from here, we... have nowhere else to defend ourselves against the enemy."
These last words were like a heavy hammer blow to Jin Fengluan's heart, instantly turning her face deathly pale.
Yes, what other options are there? Nanze is the last line of defense. The rebels are so powerful, what other countermeasures can we take?
This vast territory of Daqian has now almost entirely fallen into the hands of the rebels. If the only remaining Nanze is lost as well, then Daqian's fate may truly be sealed.
Upon thinking of this, Jin Fengluan's pupils dilated, and she suddenly remembered what the Imperial Preceptor had said earlier.
Jin Fengluan remembered clearly that the Imperial Advisor said that the Ziwei Emperor Star had appeared in the world, and that great prosperity was on the horizon. But now it seemed that this was completely wrong. Not only was it not prosperous, but it was even on the verge of life and death!
'The Imperial Preceptor... he couldn't possibly be...?'
Jin Fengluan suddenly clenched her fist, her sharp nails digging into her flesh. The slight pain gradually cleared her somewhat dazed mind.
'Is he lying to me? Is he spouting nonsense?'
One thing leads to another. Thinking back to the divination he had done before several battles with the rebels, he realized that it was all completely unfounded!
Jin Fengluan grew increasingly alarmed, but she still refused to believe that the Imperial Advisor was a fraud. If he really was a fraud, wouldn't that mean...?
Just then, a voice came:
"Your Majesty, when will Pingwu be able to return to Nanze to report?" Prince Qing asked in a deep voice, his face somber.
Jin Fengluan raised her head from her daze, her previously dim eyes brightening for a moment upon hearing those words.
That's right! Didn't we already send Pingwu to find those barbarians? If they can send troops to help us, then we'll have a chance to turn the tide!
As long as we hold Nanze, even if the rebels attack, they will not be able to break through in a short time. They will then be forced into a fierce battle, which will deplete their forces.
At that time, we will open the city gates again and launch an attack to suppress the rebels with all our might!
Having figured this out, Jin Fengluan's bad mood eased, and she immediately replied:
"I should be back in the next couple of days."
“Until then, let’s do as Kim Jong says.”
"Gather all troops in Nanze City and prepare to defend against the rebels with all our might!"
"Furthermore, bring all your Shenji Battalion's cannons up to the city wall. If the rebels attack, be sure to give them a thunderous blow!"
As Jin Fengluan spoke, her confidence grew stronger, and she looked at Jin Zhou again, saying:
"Your battle must have inflicted some casualties on the rebels, right? You have 210,000 troops, so don't say you didn't achieve anything."
Faced with Jin Fengluan's sharp gaze, Jin Zhou's heart skipped a beat, and he hesitated slightly before saying:
"Hmm...we still killed some of them."
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