Deposed Crown Prince: After three years of service on the frontier, the entire court knelt and begge

They actually held Sean Aurelius (Xiao Ce) in some respect.

After all, it takes unparalleled courage to say such a thing!

They asked themselves honestly, and they realized they didn't have the courage...

Only the two patriarchs of the lackey families spoke up, while the patriarchs of the other two families remained silent.

Nie Bing smiled and then said to the two lackeys from the family, "You two patriarchs are too agitated. Actually, Mr. Sean's words do make some sense..."

"Clan leaders, while there is indeed a gap in weaponry between us and them, it is far from being a point where we are incapable of fighting..."

“I understand your thoughts, esteemed patriarchs. But does everyone really think that surrender is the solution?”

"I can tell you about Xiao Ce's principles, his principle of putting the people first. This means narrowing the gap between rich and poor, and his regime gained widespread support, which is evident in that he was willing to sacrifice the interests of a small minority to benefit the majority..."

"Simply put, it means you individuals will bleed, you won't have a monopoly, and you'll be subject to exorbitant taxes... constantly plundering your wealth. Ultimately, you'll be reduced to ordinary small merchants. As for your families that have lasted for thousands of years, forget about it; they'll definitely be scattered..."

"You won't notice anything at first; they're using a slow, gradual approach, like boiling a frog in water..."

"By the time you realize it, you'll have lost everything. Of course, Xiao Ce won't kill you, nor will he confiscate your property. He'll just bleed you dry with a gentle, gradual approach. Over time, you'll accept the status quo. You, your sons, and even your grandsons can live a comfortable life, but immense wealth will be out of your reach. And after that, your so-called family glory will vanish into oblivion..."

"So, if you don't mind, you can do this...you can surrender...one thing is for sure, Xiao Ce will definitely let you live..."

Xiao Ce's words about surviving a wretched existence directly stung them.

The clan leaders immediately said, "That won't do... If that's the case, it's better to just kill us..."

After one clan leader spoke, the other clan leaders nodded and said, "That's right, if that's really the case, then it definitely won't work."

"However, President, are you sure they will definitely do that?"

After hearing their words, Nie Bing maintained a smile on her face, seeing that the fish had taken the bait.

He went straight to the point and said, "Gentlemen, haven't you seen the situation in Lingas City clearly yet? All the assets belonging to us, our representatives and agents, here have been confiscated and distributed to ordinary citizens. Your residences and all your properties here have been confiscated... You must know this, right?"

The people at the scene were speechless; they had heard about this practice before.

"Furthermore, within the British Empire, they are using the same tactics employed in Lingas City as a pilot program, targeting nobles and the wealthy. They allow the rich but not the super-rich; their interests are aligned with the people. Therefore, although the nobles of the British Empire have risen up in rebellion this time, we still haven't found Boudica..."

"All these actions show that they haven't even started yet. Once they actually use this plan, do you think we really want to resist? Everyone has their own judgment, right? How long do you think we can hold out...?"

Nie Bing will still grasp the core of the plan that Xiao Ce made in Lingas City.

It does indeed benefit ordinary people, and Xiao Ce does target deeply entrenched families, but it's not as exaggerated as some people say...

However, at least after Nie Bing's words, she succeeded...

Just then, Nie Bing looked at Sean Aurelius (Xiao Ce) and asked, "Sean, do you think what I said makes sense?"

Sean Aurelius (Xiao Ce) smiled at Nie Bing: "President, I naturally understand this principle... After all, there are precedents to learn from... So, what I was saying earlier was, is there a possibility of winning? If there is a possibility of winning, then naturally we must resist to the end..."

"Of course, if there's absolutely no chance of winning... then surrendering is also an option. After all, if you die, you have nothing. We can pretend to surrender and figure out a way later, what do you all think?"

After Sean Aurelius (Xiao Ce) spoke, everyone present nodded in agreement.

From the beginning, these individuals thought that Sean Aurelius (Xiao Ce) was just trying to attract attention by saying what he said, and they thought he was trying to please the female president in front of him.

But as Sean Aurelius (Xiao Ce) spoke more and more, they finally understood.

This Sean Aurelius (Xiao Ce) is not trying to attract attention.

Sean Aurelius's (Xiao Ce) words were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples.

His suggestion was, "If there's no chance of winning, feign surrender and plan a strategy later."

It instantly struck at the deepest, most hidden calculations in the hearts of all the family patriarchs present. Unlike the fear of the future that Nie Bing described, which was being slowly eroded by Xiao Ce, and unlike the empty slogans of the two lackey families who shouted for war but had no real conviction, Sean's words offered a realistic path that seemed to minimize losses, controllable risks, and provided a basis for both advance and retreat.

Death? Of course they didn't want to.

But to be slowly "bleeded dry" by Xiao Ce, as Nie Bing described, and ultimately become just another face in the crowd, losing the glory and accumulation of their thousand-year-old family? That was the ultimate fear they absolutely could not accept!

Therefore, the phrase "feigned surrender," coupled with Sean's perfectly timed expression—a mix of shrewdness and sincerity characteristic of the Aurelius family—instantly resonated with everyone.

The clan leaders, who had previously hesitated about how to express their stance or remain silent, now seemed to have found their pillar of support:

"Mr. Sean's words are indeed... quite insightful!"

The patriarch of the Rust family of the Southern Sla Empire stroked his beard and was the first to nod in agreement, his tone full of deep thought, "This is the way to survive, and also a prudent move to preserve the family's foundation."

“Not bad!” the patriarch of the Gaulx family replied, his eyes darting around as he quickly weighed the pros and cons.

"Where there's life, there's hope. Fighting head-on is the courage of a fool. If things are hopeless, enduring temporary humiliation in order to make a comeback is the wise thing to do."

"Young Sean, you are so young, yet you have such a keen understanding of people and the ways of the world. I admire you." The patriarch of the Fick family of the French Empire gave Xiao Ce an approving smile, which even carried a hint of elder's warmth.

The two patriarchs of the Mergrave and Joels families, who had just accused Sean of being a "traitor" and a "sinner to the West," now looked at each other, looking extremely embarrassed.

They saw the wind direction change instantly, but Nie Bing didn't immediately reprimand them. Instead, she remained silent, leaving them unable to find a suitable foothold to refute her. They could only stiffen their necks and sit back down dejectedly, their faces turning pale.

They felt isolated.

After hearing what these people said, Xiao Ce thought to himself that he was not going to pretend to surrender.

These individuals seem to have misunderstood...

Seeing this, Sean Aurelius (Xiao Ce) quickly changed direction and said directly, "Gentlemen, there's a prerequisite before I mention 'feigned' surrender..."

"Even when it's certain there's no way to win, I believe that as long as there's some possibility of victory, we should still resist... not just resist, but resist to the very end..."

After a pause, Xiao Ce turned to Nie Bing and said, "Therefore, I think it all depends on the guild leader's decision. If the guild leader feels that we can resist, then naturally we should resist to the end..."

On the surface, Cassivus remained calm and composed, befitting a clan leader, but inwardly, he was in turmoil. His gaze towards Sean (Xiao Ce) deepened.

This Mr. Ce... not only was he incredibly audacious to impersonate Lao Jiu and venture into the heart of the enemy, but his skill in manipulating people's hearts was also unparalleled. His words, seemingly offering a "way out" in response to the danger described by Nie Bing, actually planted a seed of "surrender is feasible" in the hearts of these powerful families. More importantly, he subtly and silently shifted the responsibility of resisting East Asia to the Illuminati!

The meaning is clear: if your Illuminati is truly capable of fighting, we will fight alongside you; but if you are not, don't blame us for finding a way to "surrender" and save our lives.

This will force the chairman to reveal the Illuminati's trump card. What methods do they have...?

All eyes were focused on Nie Bing, who was in the main seat, waiting for her response.

The candlelight flickered in the banquet hall. Nie Bing's expression remained cold and stern, but her demeanor did not change...

Only those deep phoenix eyes that were exposed were now like a cold, icy pool.

He stared intently, without blinking, at the eloquent Sean Aurelius (Xiao Ce).

An invisible, bone-chilling cold began to spread through Nie Bing's heart.

This chill did not stem from panic, but from a scrutinizing awareness born of extreme vigilance.

That keen insight and courage to accurately grasp the weaknesses of people's hearts and inadvertently regain the initiative...

so similar!

The man in her memory who evoked so many complex emotions in her, the figure revered as a god in East Asia.

Gradually, his image overlapped with that of the young figure before him, bearing the crest of the Aurelius family.

Although they looked alike, Nie Bing did not confuse the two people.

After all, intelligent people are always similar.

She knew very well that Sean Aurelius (Xiao Ce)'s purpose was simply to see their cards.

Nie Bing was originally going to reveal his trump card...

The methods are different, and the routes are different, but the results are the same.

Nie Bing nodded: "That's right, as I just said, East Asia has indeed risen very quickly... However, previously, these East Asians, the people of Xiao, were able to repel us with weapons far inferior to ours. And during this window of opportunity, they experienced a massive explosive growth..."

"They had nothing back then, but we have everything... So, if we can stall them and create a stalemate, our chances of winning are still very high..."

"Of course, before that, we need to address several critical problems facing the West..."

"Firstly, although we are led by the Illuminati, the entire Western world is actually still a disorganized mess."

"Secondly, each of our countries is fighting its own battles, using its own standards, armies, and training methods. Therefore, when our armies cooperate, they actually have no advantage whatsoever..."

"Thirdly, our trade system and our language, previously under the control of the Illuminati, were only marginally so... leading to us always having ulterior motives..."

"In short, our Western system needs change!"

Nie Bing's voice was clear and steady, echoing in the empty and solemn stone hall!

"Therefore, we are not without anything. We possess a massive population base and a strong industrial foundation that they cannot currently match. What we lack is only a determination, a direction, and the organizational power to unite all our forces into one!"

She slowly stood up, her pure white robe making her figure appear even more upright. Her piercing gaze swept across the entire room, lingering for a moment on the faces of the clan leaders who had just supported the "feigned surrender" viewpoint.

"This is precisely the core mission of our new Illuminati! It is not like in the past, where you were painfully torn between wealth and power, nor is it about letting those princes and nobles lie on outdated military equipment, waiting to die, and ultimately becoming fish on the chopping block of East Asia."

She raised her hand, her voice carrying an undeniable strength, yet also a hint of coldness: "Mr. Sean is right. As long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood. Feigning surrender to wait for an opportunity to rise again is the thinking of a shrewd person. But in the face of the East Asian Alliance, this kind of thinking will not work!"

These words were like a bucket of cold water poured on the hearts of everyone who had just been restless because of Sean's (Xiao Ce's) "pragmatic" remarks.

Everyone's eyes, including Xiao Ce's, were fixed on her.

"Why?" Nie Bing's tone was filled with undisguised sarcasm!

"Because all of you here, your schemes for survival and your methods for protecting your families, are utterly fragile in the face of Xiao Ce and the iron wall he has built in East Asia!"

She strode down from the high platform where she sat, her exquisite face gleaming coldly in the candlelight...