Everyone fell silent at the mention of the Huaxia army. Emperor Rui was somewhat annoyed, but he also knew in his heart that the greatest crisis he faced now was Huo Qiyuan and his forces.
Seeing that no one was speaking, Emperor Rui directly asked, "My esteemed ministers, how do you think I should respond to the attack by the Huaxia army?"
The ministers exchanged glances, none willing to answer.
The Prime Minister sighed inwardly as he saw everyone avoiding the Emperor's gaze. If avoiding the problem could solve it, there would be no need for such trouble!
"Your Majesty! After years of drought, Da Yu has suffered crop failures and its people are in dire straits. This is a time for recuperation, not for engaging in a large-scale war. May I suggest sending envoys to negotiate?" the Prime Minister said in one breath, feeling a sense of relief.
To negotiate was essentially to ask Emperor Rui to sue for peace with Huaxia! Anyone could imagine Huo Qiyuan's hatred and anger towards the Emperor and the entire Da Yu. However, Da Yu was in a precarious state and could not withstand any further turmoil.
The Prime Minister was also worried about Emperor Rui's unclear emotions towards the Prince of Servitude's mansion. If he refused to sue for peace in the end, and Huaxia launched an invasion, the fall of the capital would only be a matter of time.
Emperor Rui repeated the Prime Minister's suggestion and then looked at him with an unreadable expression, asking, "Negotiate, negotiate? Does the Prime Minister know that Huo Qiyuan is the Regent of Huaxia? In your opinion, if I were to send envoys to negotiate with them, what demands do you think they would make to agree to retreat?"
Although the Prime Minister was prepared to face death, his back couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat when he actually heard the Emperor's question.
What demands would Huo Qiyuan make? Did this even need asking? The deaths of Huo Sizhun and Leng Muran, and the blood of over a hundred people from the Prince of Servitude's mansion that had stained the entire street in the northern vegetable market.
With so many lives accumulated, if they wanted Huo Qiyuan to let go of his grudge, the conditions would undoubtedly be harsh!
The Prime Minister wiped the sweat from his brow. He wished to remain composed, but the voice that came from his throat was involuntarily filled with trepidation.
Emperor Rui did not directly answer the question of peace talks but instead threw the question to others. "Regarding the Prime Minister's suggestion, what do you all think?"
"Your subjects will follow Your Majesty's lead!" What a joke! Who would dare answer such a question? If they truly answered, what if Emperor Rui sent them to negotiate?
Although envoys are not killed in times of war between nations, when hatred accumulates too much, who would care about such rules? The Prime Minister was truly brave to offer his opinion at such a time!
Emperor Rui saw the attitudes of the others very clearly and couldn't help but curse them in his heart, calling them a pack of old foxes. They were eloquent when discussing principles, but when it came to offering solutions, they all went mute, either agreeing with one person or another, showing no initiative!
"Prime Minister, please continue! What do you think Huo Qiyuan would demand to agree to peace talks?" Seeing that no one else was answering, Emperor Rui had no choice but to call on the Prime Minister again.
After all, his daughter was the Emperor's consort, so he must have some genuine affection for him. Even if not for the sake of Da Yu's empire, it was for the sake of his own noble family's future.
"I believe that Huo Sizhun served as a general his entire life, and Huo Qiyuan would not want to see the people of Da Yu continue to live in misery. If... if it's absolutely necessary, we could cede the remaining two prefectures in the southern territories, along with some gold and silver, and fine horses..."
Ceding the remaining two prefectures in the southern territories was tantamount to slapping Emperor Rui in the face. Of the many prefectures in the south, several were fertile lands, all of which had now been occupied by Huaxia, leaving only two.
However, before the Prime Minister could finish his disjointed words, Emperor Rui, sitting on the dragon throne, smiled and shook his head. "What the Prime Minister said, I don't think Huo Qiyuan would want any of it! If I were Huo Qiyuan, with the irreconcilable hatred for his parents, the revenge for the extermination of the Prince of Servitude's mansion, and the near-fatal poisoning on the battlefield, how could such grievances be satisfied with just two declining cities and some gold and silver?"
As Emperor Rui said this, his expression didn't seem angry, and his tone was even tinged with mockery. Yet, everyone seated below him was sweating profusely.
In fact, from the moment they started discussing this topic, no one had been dry. The muggy heat of the midsummer evening couldn't mask the chill in their hearts. The ministers dared not look up at Emperor Rui, let alone respond to him!
Seeing that everyone remained silent, Emperor Rui found it rather tiresome. He threw the memorial he was holding onto the table and said indifferently, "Enough! First, let the matters we have just discussed be distributed. My esteemed ministers have been busy with me all night and must be very weary. All of you may withdraw, except for Grand Tutor Chen, Prime Minister Wen, and Minister Liu."
"Your subjects bid farewell."
"Your subjects obey!"
Except for the three who were asked to stay, everyone else felt as if they had been granted a great pardon and did not dare to linger for a moment. They left the palace with their own thoughts, none speaking to each other. However, in discreet ways, their eye contact was quite telling.
Emperor Rui's sudden move today had caught everyone off guard.
Those who had not supported him originally thought they could legitimately depose him on the grounds of his incompetence and lack of achievements. However, he had suddenly made a turnaround, and judging by the reactions of others, they still seemed to be loyal to him.
As for those who had remained neutral, they were already considering whether to change their allegiance. After all, an emperor's incompetence was not a lasting state.
But Emperor Rui had suddenly become enlightened, acting diligently and with sincerity, leaving no room for fault-finding. This forced them to reconsider.
While it is wise for a good bird to choose its perch, such matters involved far-reaching consequences. A slight misstep could lead to the complete annihilation of one's clan. It was better to remain still than to act rashly.
Everyone had their own agendas, trying to find a correct way out. At the same time, they couldn't help but wonder what Emperor Rui intended to discuss with the three important ministers he had asked to stay.
In fact, they all agreed to seek peace with Huaxia. However, they also knew very well that Emperor Rui's analysis was not wrong at all. With Huo Qiyuan launching such a large-scale attack and capturing so many cities of Da Yu, could he truly be stopped from advancing with just two cities and some gold and silver?
Although they hadn't responded earlier, they all had the same answer in their hearts—impossible! Unless Emperor Rui proclaimed to the world, personally vindicated Huo Sizhun, and issued an edict of self-condemnation, acknowledging his mistakes, there was only a possibility of ceasing hostilities between the two nations.