Seeing Emperor Cheng'an's anger, Wang Yuanguang quickly said, "Your Majesty, please calm down. When I went to negotiate peace, the Northern Rong people said that if we do not agree to these conditions, they will attack the city tonight."
A hot-tempered courtier stepped forward, pointed at him, and cursed: "A mere 80,000 barbarians, even if each of the city's common people were to fight them with a sword, they could slaughter them without leaving a single one alive! It's only because you people are greedy for life and afraid of death that you're eager to be humiliated by the Northern Rong people."
Wang Yuanguang flicked his sleeve and sneered, "You think there are only 80,000 men? But when I went there today, I didn't even see the face of the Northern Rong King. The Northern Rong general said that what has arrived now is only the vanguard. In three days, another 100,000 troops from the central route will arrive."
"If 180,000 Northern Rong troops really besiege the city, how will we hold them off?"
Upon hearing that there were still 100,000 troops, the previously indignant crowd indeed quieted down. After a long while, someone said, "What if this is a trick by the Northern Rong people to deceive us?"
"Whether it's true or not, we'll know in three days, won't we?"
"You make it sound so easy. What if the Northern Rong really send reinforcements in three days? What should we do then?"
Arguments erupted in the main hall. Emperor Cheng'an said, "Such conditions are really harsh. Go and tell the King of Beirong that ceding the three towns is impossible, but one million taels of gold, thirty million taels of silver, ten thousand cattle and horses, five hundred thousand bolts of silk, and three thousand young girls are all acceptable. If the King of Beirong is worried about the sincerity of the peace talks, the Great Wei can arrange a princess marriage and a prince as a hostage."
These words caused an uproar in the room.
Led by Xie Lianhong and other resolute ministers, they knelt and pleaded, "Your Majesty, please rescind your decree! How can we possibly accept such humiliating conditions?!"
Emperor Cheng'an waved his hand: "It's just a temporary measure. We'll agree for now, coax the Northern Rong people to retreat, and then wait for the main army to return to reinforce us. If the Northern Rong people can break the alliance, so can we."
His words startled many court officials, who then began to waver.
Only a few senior officials, led by Xie Lianhong, remained kneeling, pleading, "Your Majesty, please rescind your decree."
Emperor Cheng'an was too exhausted to argue with them. He looked at Wang Yuanguang and said, "Minister Wang, please make the trip again."
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