Mu Jingou was never one to spout anything decent, and Zheng Quchi had grown accustomed to it. But she never expected that the Queen of Ye, a dignified queen and a role model for women across the country, would also speak such nonsensical and reckless words.
“Yuwen Zhengshi, if you are unwilling to assist His Highness the Crown Prince in participating in the Six Kingdoms Military Examination, I will not force you. However, as the wife of a general of a country, you do not have the slightest bit of his fighting spirit or courage to serve the country. If you want to steal a moment of leisure, then so be it. But you must hand over the military power of the Four Symbols Army. They belong to the Ye Kingdom. This can be considered as your contribution to the country.”
After hearing Bo Ji's words, Zheng Quchi scoffed. Wasn't this pure moral blackmail? Forcing her to choose between two options?
She rightfully inherited the "legacy" left to her by her deceased husband, but in the mouth of the new queen, she became someone who occupies a position without doing anything. This new queen certainly knows how to behave, being generous with other people's money while actually taking over their property.
A cabinet minister, Lord Li, stepped forward and said with an air of seniority, "Yuwen Zhengshi, I have been your husband's colleague for many years and have watched him grow up. Tonight, you should make a statement in front of everyone. The military trial of the six kingdoms is no small matter. If you feel that you are not up to the task, you should resign as soon as possible and hand over military power."
Someone secretly observed Wei and Wang's expressions and tried to smooth things over: "Madam Yuwen, why don't you relinquish your military power, return to your hometown, find a good match, and spend your later years in peace? How could a woman like you understand the affairs of the battlefield? If you like woodworking, why not carve birds and beasts or repair tables and chairs? Wouldn't that be a more relaxed and comfortable life?"
These were Bo Ji's cronies, and since they couldn't be dealt with by force, they resorted to instigating and fueling the fire, putting pressure on Zheng Quchi.
In general, they rely on a universal principle: if you are not in a position, do not meddle in its affairs; if you are in a position, you must perform your duties.
If she wants to successfully "inherit" the Four Symbols Army, then she needs to demonstrate some skills to win everyone's respect.
If she does not intend to serve the country, then an ordinary woman and child holding a large army is a private army, which will not only attract criticism, but also be suspected of rebellion and treason in the eyes of the Ye Kingdom.
Neutral officials, on the other hand, were unsure how to voice their opinions.
They also disagreed with Yuwen Zhengshi accepting the position of adjutant in the trial of the six kingdoms. Sending such a weak woman to the battlefield was just a joke.
What does she know?
Oh, just because she knows how to tinker with some wooden things, does she build a big cart or a house for the enemy to trample and destroy?
In fact, if Lady Yuwen Zheng had refused on the spot, the matter would have been over. It was expected that with the Wang, Wei, and Liu families around, Empress Ye would not have dared to do anything to her.
However, if she has no reason to refuse directly, then she will not be able to stand up to the argument, and she will probably be surrounded by all kinds of rumors and gossip.
Everyone was waiting for Zheng Quchi's decision, including Wang Zebang, Wei Yao and others. However, some people were maliciously stirring things up to watch her suffer, some had deep thoughts and didn't know what they were thinking, some thought she was mediocre and incompetent and hoped she would be smart enough to refuse directly, and some even hoped she would follow their wishes and die on the battlefield.
Wang Zebang and Wei Yao did not want it to become a tool in the political game, but they knew that being in this vortex, the more they tried to avoid it, the deeper they would be pulled in by its influence.
This was the first time Zheng Quchi had felt so many malicious gazes of different emotions directed at her—sticky, cold, sharp, gloomy… Before she came, Yuan Xingzhou had told her to take a good look and see what kind of faces the court officials of Ye Kingdom had.
At the time, she thought Yuan Xingzhou was saying that these people were very cunning and scheming, and that a newcomer like her, who had just entered the court, would definitely be devoured without leaving a trace.
But only now did she fully understand that Yuan Xingzhou was saying that the foundation of the Ye Kingdom began to rot from these people—they were opportunistic, sought good fortune and avoided misfortune, and even aided and abetted evil, betraying their country and its people…
In their eyes, there is no longer any sense of national righteousness, no concern for the well-being of the people, no concern for economic development, no concern for national defense and revitalization; all they care about is prolonging their lives and begging for mercy.
Looking at the King of Ye and the others, if the entire upper class of the Ye Kingdom is so corrupt and incompetent, no one would believe that this country has any hope.
Yuan Xingzhou saw that even when she faced the pressure from the crowd, her gentle and clear eyes were calm and undisturbed. However, if one were to delve deeper, one could discover that there was a stubborn and inextinguishable flame growing among the thorns.
After a moment of focused attention, Yuan Xingzhou's lips curled up almost imperceptibly.
It seems she has made up her mind.
Sure enough, after taking a deep breath, Zheng Quchi felt as if her lungs were filled with a powerful force, which she then expressed in words: "Serving the country is Zheng Quchi's duty."
Without any complicated language, without any tedious and beautiful reasons, and without any hesitation or sophistry, although many "paths" were presented before her, her eyes remained fixed only on the one she wanted to return to.
The originally noisy atmosphere of the banquet gradually settled into a different kind of solemn, stunned, and indescribable atmosphere.
This statement is remarkably similar to what the eldest prince said earlier.
One of them is undoubtedly the best.
It is an inescapable duty.
However, it is still different.
Many people were surprised that she would agree, including Bo Ji. Zheng Quchi had the support of Wang, Wei, and Liu, so even if she refused on the spot, there would be no problem.
She could even maintain her previous arrogant demeanor towards the Empress of Ye, so it was unlikely that anyone could really do anything to her.
Faced with coercion and threats from all sides, both overt and covert, she did not choose any of the easier options, but instead readily agreed to the most dangerous and troublesome one.
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