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

Liu Xiu looked at the scene in front of him, at the Empress Dowager Cixi, who was not his biological mother but was giving him the most crucial support at this moment, and a complex warmth and a firmer belief surged in his heart.

He took a deep breath and stood up again, his imperial majesty fully displayed.

"it is good!"

Liu Xiu's voice resounded through the hall like the clanging of metal: "Since the Queen Mother and all of you are of the same mind, my decision is made and will not be changed!"

With a sharp gaze, he turned to the Minister of War and Huo Guang and issued the final order, one that would determine the fate of the nation: "Propagate my decree: From now on, assemble all combat-capable troops in the capital and surrounding areas to form a force of 200,000! Open the treasury and distribute food, fodder, and weapons!"

"Appoint Huo Guang as the vanguard general in the expedition against Chu. Assemble the troops immediately and march out first to support Hongdu. Make sure you hold it for me!"

"The rest of the troops will follow my central army. Three days from now, I will personally lead the last remaining main force of the Han Dynasty to Hongdu City—and fight a decisive battle with Chu Ning!"

"Your Majesty, long live the Han Dynasty!"

The ministers responded with a roar, their voices shaking the sky, with a tragic and resolute determination to burn their boats.

The wheel of war was once again cruelly pushed towards an unknown and bloody end.

The lingering sound of the bell signaling the end of court lingered, and the Golden Palace, which had been bustling with activity just a moment ago, quickly became empty and silent, leaving only the cold dragon throne and the solemnity that permeated the air.

Liu Xiu did not return to the harem immediately, but whispered an order to the eunuch beside him.

A moment later, when Empress Dowager Dugu Jia was about to board the Phoenix Paladin, a eunuch stepped forward quickly and respectfully conveyed:

"Empress Dowager, His Majesty invites you to the back hall for a chat."

Dugu Jia paused slightly, there was no surprise on his pale face, he just nodded slightly.

Then, under the guidance of the eunuch, he turned to the rear hall where the emperor handled daily government affairs.

The rear hall is not as spacious and majestic as the Golden Throne Hall, but it is more solemn and quiet.

Liu Xiu had taken off his heavy court robes and put on lighter casual clothes, but the fatigue and heaviness between his brows had not diminished in the slightest.

Seeing Dugu Jia coming in, he took the initiative to stand up and greet her, saying sincerely: "Queen Dowager, just now in the palace, thank you for your support. If it weren't for your deep understanding of justice and your determination to overcome all objections, my decision would have been difficult to implement."

Dugu Jia did not show any sign of being flattered by the emperor's thanks. She sat down slowly, her expression still cold and solemn, even more serious than when she was in the court.

She looked directly at Liu Xiu and spoke directly, her voice low but to the point: "Your Majesty, there is no need to thank me. I am not doing this for you, but for the Liu family's kingdom and the longevity of the Han Dynasty."

"Your Majesty, do you know that what you have taken away this time are the last 200,000 elite troops that the Han Dynasty can muster, and the last vitality and foundation of our dynasty?"

She leaned forward slightly, her eyes sharp as a knife, and asked word by word:

"Your Majesty, do you have a foolproof plan? If the Battle of Hongdu is ultimately defeated by the Chu army, and this 200,000-man army is annihilated, then the Chu cavalry will advance unhindered, all the way to the city of Chang'an!"

"Your Majesty, how should we respond then? Is there a way out?"

Faced with Dugu Jia's direct and even sharp questions, Liu Xiu was silent for a moment, a complex light flashed in his eyes, and then he took a deep breath, obviously having thought about it.

He lowered his voice and laid out his strategic plan: "I understand the Queen Mother's concerns. I also know that this battle concerns the fate of our nation, and I am not completely confident."

"Therefore, my strategy does not necessarily require a decisive battle with Chu Ning at the gates of Hongdu."

He walked to the huge map hanging in the hall and pointed his finger to the east: "My primary goal is to use the strategic location of Hongdu City and these 200,000 troops to drag Chu Ning's main force to the city as much as possible and firmly contain it!"

Then, he pointed his finger towards the eastern front and said in a more serious tone, "In the meantime, we must wait for changes in the situation on the eastern battlefield!"

"Feng Anguo of Chu is still struggling on the eastern front, fighting against the 300,000-strong coalition force of the Tang Dynasty and the Scorpion Tribe."

"As long as we can hold Chu Ning back and buy time for the eastern front, once the Tang Emperor Li Shiming and the Scorpion Alliance seize the opportunity and break through Feng Anguo's defenses..."

A glimmer of hope flashed in his eyes: "By then, the Tang-Scorpion coalition will be able to march westward and strike directly at the rear of the Chu army!"

"And our army will rush out from Hongdu City, cooperate with the inside and outside, and attack from three sides!"

"In this way, even if Chu Ning has the ability to reach the sky, he will be trapped in a desperate situation where he can't take care of both ends. Our army will have a great chance of winning!"

Dugu Jia listened quietly and nodded slightly. This strategic concept was indeed reasonable.

But she has experienced the ups and downs of the palace for a long time and knows that people's hearts are unpredictable, especially between countries, where interests always take precedence over morality.

She pondered, "Your Majesty's plan sounds like a good idea, but how can Your Majesty be sure that the Tang Emperor, Li Shiming, will do as you wish and launch a fierce attack on the eastern front at all costs?"

"What if... he sits on the mountain and watches the tigers fight, waiting for both the Han and Chu to be defeated, and then he can sit back and reap the benefits?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Xiu showed a resolute look on his face and explained, "I have also thought about what the Queen Mother is worried about."

"But Li Shiming was no mediocre ruler. He was an extremely intelligent emperor who must have understood the principle of 'lips and teeth are cold'."

"Although there have been occasional frictions between the Han and Tang dynasties, we are now facing the powerful Chu and are truly interdependent."

"If our Han Dynasty is destroyed by Chu Ning this time, with his thunderous momentum, the next target will definitely be the Tang Dynasty!"

"By then, the Tang Dynasty will be unable to hold on alone, and its fall is inevitable. Now that I have personally led the army, I have demonstrated to the world our great Han resolve to fight to the bitter end, even to the death."

"Seeing this, Li Shiming will definitely order the Tang army on the eastern front to intensify their offensive for the sake of the survival of the Tang Dynasty, striving for an early breakthrough and forming a joint force with me!"

Dugu Jia looked at the young emperor in front of him, and a hint of imperceptible admiration flashed in his eyes, but his worries did not completely disappear.

She slowly shook her head, her tone still solemn: "Your Majesty, placing your hopes on the 'wisdom' of others is ultimately too risky."

"The conflicts of interest between nations are far more complex than simple logic."

"I'm afraid... Li Shiming has accurately calculated that the main force of the Chu army has been held captive by Your Majesty in Hongdu, and the pressure on the eastern front has eased. He might be more inclined to conserve his strength."

"They even deliberately slowed down their offensive and watched helplessly as His Majesty and Chu Ning engaged in a bloody battle in Hongdu, depleting each other's national strength."

"When both sides are exhausted, he will come out to clean up the mess. By then, no matter whether Chu or Han wins, he will be able to reap the greatest benefits."

Liu Xiu's eyes narrowed suddenly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "What the Queen Mother is saying is... Li Shiming might have agreed on the surface, but in reality he's just sitting back and watching the fire from the other side, reaping the benefits?"

If this is true, it is undoubtedly bad news for the Han Dynasty.