The queen is sober in the world, and she is winning every step of the palace fight.

"To plant spies in our Daliang Palace and cause trouble at will is truly audacious!"

The old prince stood up angrily and bowed to the emperor.

"Your Majesty, these scoundrels are going too far! Please give me a squadron of cavalry. I am willing to march north to the Ye Han tribe and wipe out their entire clan, letting them know that the might of the Celestial Empire cannot be violated!"

Upon hearing this, Princess Jingshu immediately stood up and said, "Leave your uncle to march north to show off his power. As a woman, I can't help you. However, I am willing to spend all my wealth to provide your uncle with more food and supplies!"

Several clan members followed the two men and expressed their opinions one after another - this was intolerable and they would never allow the country left by their ancestors and the dignity of the upper class fought for to be trampled upon by foreign countries.

"Hit them!"

"What kind of people are the Ye Han tribe? They rebelled in Qu State and now they come to our Daliang to cause trouble. Let's destroy them!"

"Wherever your majesty's divine army passes, all the bandits will be defeated, and your majesty will spread far and wide!"

The emperor watched his relatives speak quietly, without any sign of annoyance on his face. It seemed that he did not feel that they were overstepping their authority at all.

Ma Xiaofeng is a martial artist with excellent eyesight.

Although he was at the end of the table, far away from the front, he could see the expressions of the emperor and everyone else.

Seeing this, he immediately stood up, took a few steps forward and knelt on the ground.

"If Your Majesty sends troops north to suppress the bandits, I will gladly serve you! I have a group of loyal friends around me who will donate money and labor. Those who can join the army will do so. As citizens of Daliang, we swear to defend the dignity of Daliang until our death!"

"good very good."

The emperor applauded.

Let Ma Xiaofeng get up.

Glancing at the clan members.

He patted his chest.

Speak slowly.

"I was stabbed by a foreign assassin and it has not healed yet. Foreign nations have been eyeing Daliang covetously for a long time. I want to restore Daliang's prestige and restore Taizu's glory, but it will also take a long time."

"Last year, the foreigners entered the capital and wreaked havoc. It was a great shame and humiliation. How dare I forget it?"

"I know that many people, both within the government and the people, want to march north to avenge the national humiliation and blame me for delaying the order. There are also many who are greedy for wealth and fame, or who, though willing to conquer the enemy, are hesitant, fearing that failure will lead to a disastrous situation. Once these people hear about the expedition, they will blame me for being greedy and reckless."

"At this point, if you were me, how would you choose?"

When the emperor asked this question, the clan members naturally said that they wanted to avenge the humiliation and raise an army to fight.

The emperor smiled faintly. "You are all my blood relatives, members of the Xiao royal family. I do not wish to see our ancestors' prestige tarnished. This is very good. But you must understand that if we resort to war, the treasury will quickly run out of money. Domestic efforts such as disaster relief, quelling rebellions, and building dikes and rivers will all be affected. If the war continues, where will the military and food supplies be expended? Will taxes be increased? What will become of the people?"

Prince Lao Liu said in a hoarse voice: "As citizens of Daliang, we should share the hardships with Daliang! The common people should be willing to pay taxes and support the expedition!"

Another clan member, who had been silent until then, whispered, "...That's not the way it should be said. The previous dynasty's Emperor Wu Ai was overly aggressive, ultimately weakening the nation and sowing the seeds of chaos. Our great-grandfather warned us a hundred years ago not to start a war without adequate preparation."

"So, according to you, should we just allow foreigners to do whatever they want in Daliang?" King Liu glared.

"No, no, we need to come up with a foolproof plan."

"Hmph! There's no such thing as a perfect battle. Just go all out and fight! Hesitating will only lead to defeat. You'll lose the battle first, and you'll lose in momentum!"

Seeing the two people arguing, the emperor gently placed the wine glass on the table.

Princess Jingshu quickly signaled the two to shut up.

The hall was silent for a moment, and everyone looked at the emperor.

The emperor stood up.

His eyes swept over everyone in the hall, and a cold and majestic look gathered between his brows.

"My fellow clansmen, it wasn't easy for our ancestors to build this kingdom. You must join me in protecting this century-old foundation. Today, the foreigners' wolfish ambitions are evident. This war is not a matter of whether Daliang wants to fight or not, but they are forcing us to do it."

The emperor paced around the hall as he spoke.

Although his face was a little pale from having just recovered from his injuries, it did not diminish his imposing aura at all.

Wherever the sight passes, it is like frost covering the ground, making people dare not look directly at it.

He raised his hand and pointed at the dragon throne.

The voice is clear and loud.

"As I sit upon this throne, I consider neither personal grudges nor the present predicament, but the well-being of the people and the continuation of our nation! Foreign nations are restless and have long been preparing to invade Daliang. These spies and spies are proof of this. With tigers and wolves at our side, if we remain silent, we can only allow them to devour us. A cowardly and peaceful existence will only allow them to accumulate strength and become even more ferocious."

He looked at the clan member who had just said he wanted a foolproof plan.

"During this time of recuperation, I've thought a lot and heard a lot. In the court, there are few who are willing to fight, and many who are unwilling to fight. Even among our own Xiao family, there are some who don't want to fight."

The clan member lowered his head, his face terrified.

"I don't blame these people." The emperor put his hands behind his back, his face solemn. "They don't sit on the throne, so they see things too closely and too superficially. It's unavoidable. But today, I want all of you clan members to know that I am determined to conquer. I hope you will work together with me and not bring shame to the Xiao family!"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the hall was filled with anxiety.

The concubines didn't know why the emperor brought up this at the palace banquet.

The clan members who were willing to fight were very excited.

Empress Yan was the first to speak out. She approached the emperor, bowed, and said, "I, a concubine, am in the harem and should not be involved in state affairs. But after hearing what Your Majesty said today, I, too, have been inspired to fight. Your Majesty, rest assured. You can focus on the campaigns ahead. I will take care of the harem for you and lead all the concubines in your support! As someone from a Duke's family, I will definitely write a letter home to urge my clan members to serve Your Majesty!"

Concubine De was also from a military family, and she said the same thing as Empress Yan.

Immediately afterwards, those concubines in the family who were officials in the court or had titles began to speak.

Although they were all women, they made the atmosphere in the hall lively and full of fighting spirit.

The emperor praised it repeatedly.

He returned to the dragon throne and accepted everyone's kneeling worship.

"I had a great time at this birthday party today!"

He raised his glass and drank the wine in it in one gulp.

Everyone returned to their seats, and Concubine Hui led her soldiers into the hall to perform the Breaking Formation Dance.

Magnificent and murderous.

It is the best interpretation of the emperor's desire to conquer.

Surprisingly, when the dance was over and the soldiers took off their helmets that covered their faces, revealing their true faces, everyone discovered that these people were all women!

"It's inconvenient to bring male soldiers into the inner palace, so I'm leading the female soldiers in a performance. These are the women I've newly formed, the Women's Battalion, all of whom are willing to go through fire and water for Daliang. Under your majesty's rule, the country is peaceful and the people are safe, and the military is strong. Even women are capable of fighting, let alone men! Long live your majesty!"

Concubine Hui stepped forward and spoke loudly.

The female soldiers behind him shouted "Long live!"

The sound shook the carved beams.

The emperor clapped his hands and laughed: "Excellent! I will give the Women's Camp 500 gold coins and wish you all good training!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

The female soldiers withdrew and Concubine Hui took off her armor and sat down.

The war drums in the hall started beating again.

dong dong dong.

Captivating.

Everyone couldn't help but feel strange.

The female soldiers who performed their skills have all retreated. Could there be another team of soldiers who want to perform the war dance?

Someone looked at Concubine Hui.

Concubine Hui shook her head, indicating that she was completely unaware of the situation.

But then a rapid sound of a jade flute was heard, which pierced through the drumbeats like tearing silk.

Amid the sound of the flute, two fiery red figures leaped lightly into the palace from the gate.