Nine dragons fight for the throne, I don't want to sit on this throne

In the Golden Throne Hall, a roar filled with suppressed grief and indignation, like the roar of a wounded lion, suddenly erupted from the ranks of military commanders, instantly drowning out all the arguments:

"Stop arguing!!"

Everyone looked in shock and saw Huo Guang, Huo Quji's cousin, with red eyes and tears in his tiger eyes, but he was trying hard not to let them fall.

He strode into the hall, bowed deeply to Liu Xiu who was sitting on the dragon throne, then turned abruptly and glared at the officials who advocated for peace. His voice was hoarse with excitement and grief, but it was filled with a resolute determination:

"Seeking peace? Are you still dreaming?! Who is Chu Ning? He went all the way north and destroyed six dynasties!"

"Now the army is heading straight for our Han Dynasty, with great momentum, and is about to conquer the Central Plains!"

"Do you think he will sincerely negotiate with us now that he has an absolute advantage and our army has just suffered a crushing defeat?!"

His eyes swept across the entire audience, and every word he said was like a heavy hammer, hammering on everyone's hearts:

"He will only think that we are weak and can be bullied! The so-called peace talks are just a trick to swallow up our Han Dynasty without bloodshed!"

"By then, we will all be slaves of a conquered nation. How can we face our ancestors? How can we face the Duke of Protectorate and the tens of thousands of soldiers who died on the battlefield?!"

Huo Guang's words were like a cold dagger, tearing apart the illusory fantasies of the peace-seeking faction and revealing the bloody reality.

Many civil officials who advocated peace were left speechless and pale by his questioning.

Huo Guang stopped looking at them and turned abruptly, facing Liu Xiu again. He knelt on one knee, clasped his fists in salute, and shouted with all his might, "Your Majesty! Although I am a humble general, Huo Guang, and I am not even a fraction as talented as you, at this time of national crisis, I am willing to follow your example and dedicate myself to the country!"

"I, your Majesty, humble myself, beg for permission to lead all the available troops in the capital to aid Hongdu City immediately!"

"I will defend the city and fight to the death to stop the Chu army. As long as the city is safe, we will die! This will buy time for the imperial court to regroup!"

“Even if we fight to the last soldier and shed our last drop of blood, we will never let Chu Ning step into Hongdu and trample on the mountains and rivers of our Han Dynasty!”

Huo Guang's heroic and tragic volunteering was like throwing a huge rock into the dull and depressing court, instantly stirring up a thousand waves!

Huo Guang's tragic and resolute request was like throwing a huge rock into a dead pond, which aroused a huge response in the court.

Many generals felt the same way and looked indignant, as if they were infected by his courage.

Most of the civil officials looked worried, and were obviously full of doubts about sending troops hastily again.

However, after experiencing the initial shock and grief, Liu Xiu's eyes on the dragon throne became unusually calm and deep.

He was not easily moved by Huo Guang's heroism, nor did he fall into the panic of the civil officials.

He slowly raised his hand and stopped the commotion in the hall that had arisen again because of Huo Guang's volunteering.

His gaze fell on Huo Guang, who was kneeling on the ground to plead for his life. Liu Xiu's voice was low and clear, with an unquestionable determination: "General Huo's loyalty and bravery are commendable. I am very pleased that you are asking for your life for the country. However... I cannot grant your request."

When these words were spoken, everyone in the hall was shocked.

Huo Guang suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with astonishment and unwillingness: "Your Majesty! Why?"

Liu Xiu did not avoid his gaze and said in a heavy tone, "General Huo, please stand up. It is not that I do not believe in your bravery, nor is it that I am afraid of the Chu army's attack."

"It's because... after the battle of Xunyang, seven or eight out of ten of our Han Dynasty's elite warriors have been killed!"

His eyes swept across the entire audience, and each word he spoke was extremely slow and clear, like a heavy hammer hitting everyone's heart:

"The national treasury is empty, the military is in short supply, and the combat effectiveness of the troops from various counties is uneven, making it difficult to rely on them."

"The Han Dynasty...can no longer afford any rash defeat! We can no longer afford the loss of any major army!"

He took a deep breath, as if he had made an extremely difficult yet firm decision. His voice suddenly rose, with a determination to burn his boats and cross the river: "The next showdown with the Chu army will no longer be an ordinary battle. It will be a battle for the destiny of our Han Dynasty!"

"If we win, the country will be restored to safety; if we lose, the mountains and rivers will be shattered and the ancestral temples will be overturned!"

"How can we leave this battle, which concerns the fate of our nation, to others? How can we allow any mistakes to happen?"

He suddenly stood up from the dragon throne again, his eyes like lightning, scanning all the stunned ministers below, and announced word by word in a shocking manner: "Therefore, my mind is made up!"

"I will personally lead the army!"

"The Emperor leads the army in person"

These four words were like four thunders from the sky, exploding one after another in the silent Golden Palace!

The shock it brought even exceeded the previous news of Huo Quji's death in battle!

In an instant, the entire court was in an uproar!

The civil officials and military officers who had just been arguing fiercely over the war and peace, all knelt on the ground in unison, uttering terrified cries of advice!

"Your Majesty! No! Absolutely not!"

Prime Minister Tang Yimin was the first to step out, his voice changing tone and tears streaming down his face:

"Your Majesty is worth a fortune, and the safety of the world depends on you! How could you personally enter a dangerous place and place yourself under the sword?"

"The battlefield is extremely dangerous. If there is even the slightest mistake, we, the officials, will never be able to atone for our sins even if we die! The country cannot be without a ruler for a single day, Your Majesty!"

"Think twice, Your Majesty!"

The fiery general who had advocated for war just now was now pale with fear. "The Chu army is fierce. Your Majesty is the ruler of a country. You should be at the center of the country, planning and directing the strategy. How can you personally go to the front lines?"

"I, your Majesty, will fight to the death. Why should Your Majesty take the risk yourself?"

The civil officials were like a hornet's nest, all bowing their heads, their words earnest and even fierce:

"Your Majesty! A son of a wealthy family should not sit in the hall! A gentleman should not stand under a dangerous wall! This is a wise teaching from ancient times!"

"Your Majesty has just ascended the throne, and the foundation of the country is not yet solid. If you lead the army in person now, if something unexpected happens, the world will be in chaos in an instant!"

"Your Majesty, please revoke your order! This is absolutely unacceptable!"

Even Huo Guang, whose request was just rejected, didn't care about his loss at this moment. He knelt on the ground again and tried to dissuade him:

"Your Majesty! I know I was wrong! I am willing to lead the army in a desperate fight. Even if it means death, I will definitely protect Hongdu! But please, Your Majesty, please do not lead the army in person!"

"The Duke of Protector has already died for his country. If Your Majesty makes another mistake, the Han Dynasty will truly... truly be finished!"

His voice was tearful and filled with genuine worry.

Throughout the Golden Palace, voices of persuasion were heard one after another, and almost all the ministers unanimously opposed Liu Xiu's seemingly crazy decision.

The risk of leading the army in person is too great!

If he failed, or if anything unexpected happened to Liu Xiu himself, it would be a devastating blow to the Han Dynasty, which had just suffered a heavy blow.

Liu Xiu looked at his ministers who were kneeling down below and were very excited. Their worries and fears were real.

But he stood in front of the dragon throne, his body straight and the determination in his eyes did not waver in the slightest.

He knew very well that it was precisely because the country was in a precarious situation and could no longer afford to lose that he had to go there in person.

Use your status as emperor to gather the last remaining morale and national destiny and make this final effort!

The fierce dispute in the court has just begun.

The young emperor and his loyal but frightened ministers faced the most difficult strategic choices at this time of national crisis.