Marrying a concubine and swallowing her dowry? The mistress turns around and marries a high-ranking

Chapter 470

Shen Wei said, "When the Chu family colluded with the Western Qi, a large number of Western Qi forces infiltrated the Northern Yi. Many Western Qi spies and moles were planted in the capital, but they haven't been pulled out yet. These Western Qi people have already gained a certain influence among the people and can even influence public opinion."

He said helplessly, "Go outside and see for yourself. People in the streets and alleys are happy that the two countries have made peace, and they feel that they will never have to fight again."

Shen Lingjun: "Is this propaganda created by the people of Western Qi?"

Shen Wei nodded: "The people of Western Qi had already spread the news among the people, claiming that this peace talks would end the war between the two countries and allow them to enjoy peace forever. The people were prejudiced from the start and believed this claim, overwhelmingly supporting the peace talks. They did not consider the true intentions of Western Qi, but only wanted the peace in the present."

Shen Lingjun fell silent.

People tend to believe what they want to believe.

A peaceful and prosperous world, free from war—how wonderful that sounds!

The Northern Yi had been fighting the Western Qi for decades, and even the brief truce lasted only two or three years. Generations of people had endured this turmoil and suffered greatly from the war.

The people on the northwestern border harbored resentment and anger towards the Western Qi because they were frequently harassed and persecuted by the Western Qi army. However, the people in the Central Plains had never directly faced the Western Qi people, so they had no hatred for them, only fear and aversion to war. What they longed for most was stability, so they wouldn't have to suffer from hunger and displacement.

"Better to be a dog in a prosperous era than a human in a chaotic one." It's not incomprehensible that the people are so eager for peace talks.

Shen Wei continued, "His Majesty is benevolent and wise. Not wanting to incite public anger, after careful consideration, he decided to temporarily refrain from taking any action against the Western Qi envoy delegation. I dare not say anything more."

Shen Lingjun nodded knowingly.

As the Grand Marshal of Western Qi, Shen Wei's best course of action at this time was to obey the Emperor's decree.

If he insists on advocating war, he will appear too greedy for credit, which will not only go against the will of the people and be a thankless task, but may also arouse the emperor's suspicion and distrust.

Shen Wei sighed: "If Bei Yi really wants to make peace with Xi Qi, it would be a pity to waste this great opportunity for a counterattack this year... who knows when the next one will come."

His original plan was to launch a major offensive against Western Qi this winter. Given the current disparity in strength between the two countries, he was certain that he could once again inflict a heavy blow on Western Qi, rendering it unable to invade Northern Yi for the next ten to twenty years.

If the Northern Yi dynasty is prosperous, the court is stable, and there is sufficient material support, it is not impossible for the Shen family army to conquer the Western Qi within a year!

Shen Lingjun said, "Opportunities will come in the future. Let's play it safe and make sure we're safe first. Let's wait for the Western Qi delegation to arrive before making any decisions."

Shen Wei nodded, then let out a long sigh.

In the days that followed, whenever Shen Lingjun went out, he could feel the increasingly uplifting atmosphere of joy among the people of Kyoto.

In the streets and alleys, everyone was talking about Western Qi's pleas for peace, filled with eager anticipation.

"I have four sons. Three of them joined the army and died. Only the youngest one is left. Thank God we don't have to fight anymore. Otherwise, how would this old woman like me survive!"

“Every time there’s a war, the price of grain in Kyoto skyrockets, and the price of everything goes up. Even if we poor folks don’t go to the battlefield, we’re still going to die! My elderly parents didn’t make it through last winter!”

"As long as there's no war, we'll definitely have good days! ...Speaking of which, this time Western Qi came to sue for peace, surely the higher-ups won't refuse?"