"Damn it, this is absolutely outrageous!"
"These barbarians who appeared out of nowhere, I swear to kill them all!!"
Upon learning that the three tribes had unreasonably demanded eight or nine tenths of Zhao's annual grain supplies, Zhao Yan angrily threw the memorial to the ground.
He was so angry that he looked like a plucked rooster pacing back and forth in his palace.
You lowly bastards! I was trying to do a good deal with you, and you dare to turn around and ask for an exorbitant price from us!
I haven't even questioned you about bringing the plague into our country yet!
Besides, haven't we provided you with so many doctors and herbs?
"Give me the order: all soldiers are to take up the city walls and stand guard day and night!"
"If any of these three tribes dare to appear near our city walls with weapons, we can kill them with an arrow without asking any questions!"
"No, send troops to punish these beasts severely!"
Enraged, Zhao Yan no longer cared about the good relations they had made in the past; his mind was filled with boundless fury.
Meanwhile, the ministers below were also whispering amongst themselves.
The plague was already rampant in the city of Zhao, and now the Qin state was eyeing the city covetously. The three tribes had made such an excessive demand at this time!
It is truly outrageous and infuriating!
However, if we rashly send troops, wouldn't that mean starting a war?
This will only make the whole situation more complicated!
What if the Qin army suddenly reached the border of Zhao at that time?
Although everyone knew that Zhao Yan's plan was unfeasible, no one dared to be the first to speak up, given his furious expression.
"Your Majesty, this is absolutely unacceptable!"
Among the many ministers, one person finally stepped forward and spoke the crux of the matter.
Zhao Yan's anger had subsided somewhat, and he sat down to ask.
"What's wrong with this matter? Tell me!"
The man was handsome, with a heroic air about him, and spoke solemnly.
"Your Majesty, in my opinion, there are several reasons why it would be inappropriate to start a war at this time."
"Firstly, it has not been easy for us to establish diplomatic relations with these three races. If war breaks out, I fear the world will laugh at us and tarnish the reputation of our great nation."
"Secondly, if war breaks out, then many of the herbal doctors we previously supported will have become complete allies to the enemy!"
"Thirdly, now that the wicked Qin has suddenly launched an attack on the states of Han and Wei, we should unite against Qin and not be distracted!"
"Fourth, the ferocity of those three clans is even greater than that of the wicked men of Qin. Leaving aside whether they can win, the rampant plague will surely cause hardship and financial loss to the people!"
This made sense, and the other ministers nodded in agreement.
The young man bowed again and concluded.
"Our king has always been a discerning ruler; I hope he will not make a hasty decision."
Zhao Yan was delighted upon hearing this.
He was surprised to find such talent under his command, but he was still resentful and unwilling to accept it, so he pretended to be stern and continued to ask.
"Then, in the opinion of the ministers, how should we respond?"
Another person spoke up,
"Your Majesty, we are beset by internal and external troubles, which is truly difficult to handle. It would be better for us to first quell the plague within the city, and then use a small amount of grain to appease the three tribes. This would be the best course of action!"
"What you just said is absolutely right. We have spent so much resources and time establishing trade relations with the three races. If we start a war now, all our previous efforts will be in vain!"
Hmm, not bad.
This is a fairly fair suggestion.
Zhao Yan's mindset has stabilized a little.
However, another person suggested...
"Your Majesty, the Qin state is currently attacking Han and Wei, and they will soon be asking us for troops and aid. This is a matter we must not fail to consider!"
"Everything we do is for the sake of our country and its people. We cannot make this decision now and allow our national strength to be damaged again!"
Upon hearing this, people started discussing it again.
"Yes, our Zhao state and these two countries are as close as lips and teeth. If we don't send troops in time, it's a small matter of ruining our reputation, but a big one of attracting Qin troops!"
“What you all say makes a lot of sense. However, the city is currently plagued by disease. I doubt they will necessarily come to ask for military assistance.”
"Even if they come, it wouldn't be unreasonable for us not to send troops to their aid. There are reasons for this, and I'm sure they won't hold it against us."
But Zhao Yan was still making plans in his mind.
I never imagined that I, who have always been invincible, would be held hostage by such treacherous villains as the three clans.
He simply couldn't bear to part with the grain supplies.
I haven't gained any benefits from the three clans yet, so how could I possibly throw my entire fortune into them?
"But now these three tribes are acting arrogantly and unreasonably. If we do not provide them with provisions, they will bring their troops to attack us. What should I do?"
Zhao Yan bluntly expressed his concerns.
This also caused headaches for those below.
Everyone knows that these three tribes are not easy to deal with.
Since ancient times, they have been at odds with the people of the Central Plains, and it's never certain when a fight will break out.
If these barbarians really attack without any reason, it will be difficult to control them!
"Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, we can write to them explaining that our Zhao state is currently preparing for war against the Qin army and is experiencing a shortage of food supplies!"
"Then, let's settle this by giving them a small amount of money and food, and discuss the rest later!"
Upon hearing that he would still have to make a losing deal, Zhao Yan immediately became restless again.
He slammed his fist on the table and stood up.
"If we keep giving in to such greedy and insatiable people, wouldn't that only embolden them and make them even more audacious in the future?"
In my opinion, war is the only option!
"Firstly, it will deter them from looking down on us, and secondly, it will prevent us from wasting our efforts!"
After he finished speaking, the ministers below cursed inwardly.
Damn it, I just managed to appease him a little, why is he suddenly getting angry again?
They're so hard to please!
At this time, Zhao Yan was unaware that the plague was rampant among the three tribes and had reached a certain level.
Even many sons of princes and nobles are on the verge of death.
If they are allowed to continue their rampage, the strength of the three races will be greatly reduced, and they will have even less strength and resources to challenge the seven kingdoms of the Central Plains.
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger!"
"Yes, such are the despicable people of the three races. Your Majesty should treat them with more reason and not let anger cloud your judgment!"
After another round of persuasion, Zhao Yan finally sat down with great impatience.
"Your Majesty can write a personal letter, firstly to show that we are not afraid of war at all, and secondly to dissuade them from acting recklessly. Otherwise, we would rather die a glorious death than live a shameful life. That would be enough!"
After a discussion, Zhao Yan had come up with a plan.
"Then let it be so for now. I will personally write a letter to the three clans, explaining the advantages and disadvantages."
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