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

Wang Yu carefully knocked on the side door of Li's mansion and was led to the inner room by his trusted housekeeper.

As soon as I entered the room, I saw Li Bi also with a pale face and fidgeting, with an identical token on the table!

The two looked at each other and instantly understood what the other had gone through.

"Brother Li, you too..." Wang Yu's voice was dry.

"Ugh!"

Li Bi sighed and sat down heavily on his chair: "Here they come, they're all here! It seems that Chu Ning is determined to win, and he wants us to cause chaos first!"

"Then what should we do?"

Wang Yu asked anxiously, "The Queen Mother is determined to defend the city to the bitter end! But... can this city really be held?"

"The army is so fierce that even His Majesty's army of 200,000 men can't... If we follow the Queen Mother's path to the end, I'm afraid..."

Li Bi's eyes flickered, and he lowered his voice: "Defend? What can we defend? The Queen Mother is just a trapped beast fighting!"

"She's dragging us to be buried with her. Are we really so foolish as to follow her to die?"

"But...if we secretly surrender to the Chu State, the risks are enormous. If the Queen Mother finds out, it could lead to the annihilation of our entire family!"

"Yes!" Wang Yu frowned. "It's a dilemma, a dilemma!"

That night, similar secret talks were taking place in many mansions in Chang'an City.

Officials and noble families gathered secretly in groups of three or four to discuss the fate of their families and their personal future.

The temptation to surrender and the fear of the Queen Mother's cruel methods were like two poisonous snakes, gnawing at their hearts.

The people's hearts, which were already in turmoil due to the disastrous defeat on the front line, became even more precarious and undercurrents surged after the Jinyiwei's precise and vicious "night visit".

A silent undercurrent of surrender is quietly growing deep within this imperial capital that is about to be shrouded in war.

The night in Chang'an City seemed particularly dark amidst panic and conspiracy.

The secret meeting between Wang Yu, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and Li Bi, the Grand Master of Imperial Households, was just the beginning.

After realizing the seriousness and universality of the problem, the two decided to take the risk of convening more key officials who might have also received "warnings" for a secret discussion in an attempt to unify their positions or at least find out what the majority of people thought.

The location was chosen to be an extremely hidden underground secret room in Li Bi's mansion.

The candlelight was dim, illuminating several faces that were either pale, anxious, or gloomy.

In addition to Wang Yu and Li Bi, those invited included Weiwei Zhang Tao, Taicang Ling Zhao Ming, and several influential officials and representatives of aristocratic families in the court.

Everyone sat down, and the atmosphere was so solemn that water could almost drip out.

Without much greeting, Wang Yu spoke first, his voice low and hoarse:

"Everyone, I have no choice but to invite you so late at night. I'm sure your homes won't be peaceful tonight, right?"

As soon as he said this, except for a few people who looked confused, the expressions of most people present became even uglier.

Some people subconsciously touched their chest, as if there was something hot hidden there.

Weiwei Zhang Tao was the most impatient. He slammed the table and growled, "Damn it! Those Chu henchmen are completely lawless! How dare they sneak into our mansion late at night and threaten us!"

"Is this Chang'an City still the Chang'an of our Han Dynasty?!"

Taicang Commander Zhao Ming had a worried look on his face and sighed, "Zhang Weiwei, what's the point of saying these angry words now?"

"The key is... what should we do? The Queen Mother is determined to hold on to the end, but the Chu army... the Chu army is too powerful!"

At this time, an old censor named Chen, with white hair and beard, who was known for his uprightness and honesty, stood up suddenly when he heard this.

He was very emotional, and although he lowered his voice, his indignation could still be felt:

"Everyone! We have been receiving salaries from the Han Dynasty for generations. As Han officials, how can we become cowardly and rashly discuss surrender just because of a few threats from the enemy?"

"Chang'an is the capital of the country, where the ancestral temples of the state are located! The Queen Mother and His Highness are still in the city. We, the subjects, must be loyal to our duties and live and die with the city!"

"Otherwise, how can I face my ancestors in the underworld?"

Censor Chen's words represented the thoughts of some officials who were deeply influenced by the idea of ​​loyalty to the emperor, and were immediately echoed by several other officials.

"What Censor Chen said is absolutely right! A true man standing between heaven and earth, how can he be so cowardly as to fear death and kneel down to serve the enemy?"

"Chu is a nation of tigers and wolves. Even if we surrender, how can we expect a good outcome? We are just trying to get the skin of a tiger!"

However, another group of people immediately raised objections.

A doctor in charge of confidential documents retorted, "Old Censor Chen, loyalty is important, but we must also judge the situation!"

"The situation is stronger than anyone! Two hundred thousand elite soldiers of the Han Dynasty have been wiped out in one day, and Your Majesty... Your Majesty has also died for his country!"

"Our national strength has declined. How can we resist the fierce and ferocious Chu army? Holding on? It will only lead to more casualties, and the people of the city will be buried with them!"

An official next to him, one with close ties to the aristocratic families, chimed in, "That's right! Furthermore, the Chu State now controls seven kingdoms, and its strength far surpasses that of the Han!"

"Looking across the land, who else can rival them? As the saying goes, he who understands the times is a hero! Didn't the Great Zhou Dynasty also surrender after being defeated by the enemy?"

"I heard that Chu Ning did not treat the Zhou family harshly, but instead gave them noble titles and preferential treatment. If we can help the King of Chu take over Chang'an peacefully, we can avoid a war."

"Perhaps...perhaps I can still serve the new dynasty and preserve my family's wealth. This might not be a bad way out!"

"absurd!"

Censor Chen was so angry that he was shaking all over. He pointed at the other party's nose and cursed, "You are selling out your master for glory! The surrender of the Great Zhou was a disgrace to the country. How can you follow their example?"

"How can the four hundred years of the Han Dynasty's foundation be destroyed by us?!"

"Censor Chen! You keep talking about loyalty and righteousness, but have you ever thought about what will happen if the Chu army massacres the city after it falls?"

"What about our families? Are we going to bury them all for this illusory loyalty?"

another official shouted excitedly.

"You cowards! All the sage books you've read have been turned into dog stomachs!"

"Pedantic! Ignorant of current events! If you want to be a loyal subject, why drag the entire city down with you?"

The two groups each held their own views and the argument escalated rapidly.

One side held high the banner of loyalty and righteousness, accusing the other side of being cowardly and selling out the country for personal gain.

The other side emphasizes the cruelty of reality, believing that there is no way to reverse the situation and that surrender is a helpless but wise choice. They even cite the example of the Great Zhou to prove that surrender is not a dead end.

The noise in the secret room grew louder and louder. Although everyone tried their best to suppress it, the fierce argument still made the atmosphere tense.

As the conveners, Wang Yu and Li Bi felt even more anxious when they saw the divisive scene before them.

They originally hoped to discuss a unified countermeasure, whether it was war or peace, at least to maintain internal stability.

But now, the differences are so great that it is impossible to reach a consensus.

Wang Yu had no choice but to step forward to smooth things over. He raised his voice and said, "Everyone! Please be quiet!"