Shocking! Five men are in love with the same woman!

The envoy from the Northern Li bowed slightly, adopting a respectful listening posture. After Emperor Jingzhao finished speaking, he clasped his hands and bowed again.

“Your Majesty is wise and benevolent. We fully understand Your Majesty’s concerns. I, the Emperor of Beili, am also here to negotiate this matter with Dazhao with the utmost sincerity and respect.”

Then the envoy raised his head, his eyes filled with sincerity: "Your Majesty, rest assured about the Crown Princess. My Northern Li will protect her and will arrange a suitable time to send her back as soon as possible."

He paused briefly before continuing, "As for the matter of the city, His Majesty is well aware of its importance, and is therefore willing to give Da Zhao enough time to discuss it. We will also immediately send a message back to Bei Li to inform His Majesty."

The envoy's gaze then slowly swept over the civil and military officials in the hall, before turning to Emperor Jingzhao and saying, "While awaiting Dazhao's reply, we will remain in your capital, ready to obey Your Majesty's commands at any time. We hope Your Majesty can reach a conclusion soon, so that the friendship between our two countries can be further enhanced through this negotiation."

Having said that, the envoy stood quietly in place, awaiting Emperor Jingzhao's next instructions.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Jingzhao nodded slightly, his gaze calm yet dignified, and said, "In that case, I will arrange the discussion as soon as possible. The envoy may stay in the capital for the time being, and his daily life will be properly arranged. I also hope that the Northern Li can do as the envoy said and ensure the safety of my daughter-in-law."

Having said that, he waved his hand, indicating that the envoy could leave.

The envoy from the Northern Li bowed respectfully once more, then turned and slowly withdrew from the hall with steady steps.

Then their figures gradually disappeared at the entrance of the main hall.

Inside the main hall, Emperor Jingzhao sat on the dragon throne, lost in thought.

The civil and military officials were all preoccupied with their own thoughts, creating a heavy and oppressive atmosphere.

Emperor Jingzhao sat upright on his throne, his posture straight but his face expressionless, his deep eyes calmly sweeping over the civil and military officials below him.

At this moment, an elderly minister with gray hair and a hunched back took the first step forward.

His hands trembled slightly as he bowed, his voice hoarse yet clearly audible: "Your Majesty, this old minister knows that the Crown Princess has rendered outstanding service to our Great Zhao, possessing extraordinary talent and beauty. However, the ransom demanded by the Northern Li now includes not only countless gold and silver treasures, but also several border cities. This price is far too heavy. Although our Great Zhao is still powerful, it is not worth such a great fuss over a woman. Therefore, this old minister believes that the best course of action now is to reluctantly abandon the Crown Princess and declare to the public that she has sacrificed herself for the country, thus preserving her reputation for loyalty and righteousness."

These words, once uttered, were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up countless waves.

Many officials nodded in agreement.

However, most officials strongly disagreed and were angry.

"Lord Li, how could you utter such heartless and ungrateful words?"

Yang Huan retorted angrily at this moment.

He stepped forward, bowed respectfully to Emperor Jingzhao, then turned and glared angrily at the old minister who had just spoken: "Crown Princess Lingyan, as a woman, has repeatedly offered advice and strategies, working tirelessly for our Great Zhao. In the past, when there was cheating in the imperial examinations, it was the Crown Princess who personally went to Jiangnan to investigate the case and stabilize the situation. It was also she who stepped forward when Great Zhao was fighting against Nanjiang and Beili, which prevented Great Zhao from suffering repeated defeats and stabilized the morale of the army. Afterwards, she led the army to sweep through the country, recovering the cities of Great Zhao, defeating Beili, and then destroying Nanjiang in a short period of time."

"After entering the court, he successively carried out major reforms in the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Personnel, and the Ministry of Works. This not only improved the efficiency of these three ministries, but also made the people of Great Zhao live and work in greater peace and contentment, and made Great Zhao more prosperous. Moreover, the Ministry of Revenue collected a lot more taxes as a result, which increased the national treasury's revenue. How could such a talented and virtuous person abandon his country for a little wealth and city? How would the people of the world view His Majesty and the Great Zhao court?"

Zeng Han could not contain himself any longer and clasped his hands, saying loudly, "Your Majesty, we generals have been fighting on the battlefield thanks to the Crown Princess's brilliant strategies. If we lose the Crown Princess, the morale of the army will be in chaos. Moreover, the Northern Li has always been eyeing our Great Zhao with covetous eyes. If we show weakness this time, they will definitely take advantage of us. If they attack again in the future, our Great Zhao will be in danger."

Upon hearing this, an official frowned and immediately retorted with concern, "Hmph! It's easy for you to say. You only know about military affairs, not about the difficulty of obtaining funds and supplies. The gold and silver needed to redeem the Crown Princess will be enough to strain the national treasury. Where will the money come from for all the other expenses afterward? Do you want the soldiers to fight on an empty stomach and the people to starve to death in the streets?"

Another minister chimed in with great enthusiasm: "That's right. Our Great Zhao is full of talented people. Although the Crown Princess is exceptionally talented, if she were to cede cities and lose territory, she would be a sinner for all time. Your Majesty should consider this carefully and prioritize the overall situation."

"You're just being cowardly and afraid of death!"

Upon hearing this, Minister Yu's eyes widened in anger. He pointed at the other party's nose and rebuked, "The Crown Princess has made great contributions to the Great Zhao Dynasty many times. Now that she is in trouble, instead of thinking about rescuing her, we weigh the pros and cons and discard her like worn-out shoes. How is such behavior any different from that of beasts?"

Minister Lu also stepped forward, his face flushed, and glared angrily at the officials who advocated giving up.

His voice trembled slightly with excitement: "Gentlemen, do not forget that the Crown Princess came up with the idea of ​​heated kang beds, which relieved countless people of the Great Zhao from the bitter cold of winter and saved countless people from starvation. She also improved many weapons of war, making our Great Zhao soldiers more valiant and skilled in battle. Later, she proposed the curved plow, waterwheel, threshing machine, and other good things for the people's livelihood, which made countless people of the Great Zhao grateful. But now we want to abandon our meritorious officials. Wouldn't this chill the hearts of the people? If we act in this way, how can we gain the people's trust in the future?"

He was filled with righteous indignation, then turned around and bowed respectfully to Emperor Jingzhao, and continued, "Your Majesty, I agree with rescuing the Crown Princess. This matter is urgent and cannot be delayed. It is a righteous act and also an act to unite the people's hearts."

Minister Wang coughed lightly, straightened his official robes, and said with his head held high, "The Crown Princess's achievements in improving people's livelihoods are evident to all. The series of policies she proposed at the Ministry of Revenue have not only enriched the national treasury but also made people's lives prosperous. If we abandon her now, it would be like cutting off our own arm. How can we, as subjects, do such an unrighteous and immoral thing? Your Majesty, this old minister is willing to do everything in his power to support the rescue of the Crown Princess."

Having said that, he looked at Emperor Jingzhao with a determined gaze, awaiting his response.

Minister Zhou was not to be outdone; his sharp gaze swept over those who echoed his decision to give up.

He snorted coldly and said, "That's right, Minister Wang is absolutely right. I also firmly stand on the side of rescuing the Crown Princess. I have never seen such a peerless genius as the Crown Princess. Everything she has proposed to the Ministry of Personnel has made the Ministry more orderly and proper, and it has been of great benefit in every aspect. Wouldn't it be a loss for the Great Zhao to give up such a person who is so dedicated to the country and the people and so talented?"

After saying this, he clasped his hands together and raised them above his head to show Emperor Jingzhao his determination.

Upon hearing this, Qin Qi also spoke loudly and clearly: "Your Majesty, the Crown Princess's strategies on the battlefield have enabled our army to win many victories with fewer troops. We are able to hold court peacefully today thanks to the Crown Princess's contributions. If we back down now that she is in trouble, what kind of men are we? What kind of subjects of the Great Zhao?"

Meng Huai'an then added sharply, "Indeed, sirs, do not be blinded by short-term gains. The Crown Princess's wisdom and influence far surpass those of a few cities and a little gold and silver. She can create countless riches and glory for the Great Zhao. If we abandon her, we will lose the Great Zhao's fortune and future. Your Majesty is wise and will surely see the implications. I am willing to offer my advice and do my utmost to rescue the Crown Princess."

After speaking, he bowed slightly to Emperor Jingzhao, expressing his firm support for the rescue of the Crown Princess.

Many other officials also stepped forward to echo this sentiment.

But soon after, some officials began to refute this.