Nine dragons fight for the throne, I don't want to sit on this throne

Chapter 1816 Why not negotiate peace?

Everyone's eyes glanced at the empty dragon throne from time to time, their hearts filled with anxiety and speculation.

Finally, the eunuch's shrill voice rang out: "Your Majesty has arrived—!"

All the officials immediately collected their minds and bowed their heads.

Liu Xiu, wearing a bright yellow dragon robe, walked out from behind the screen, surrounded by eunuchs.

His face was still pale, and his eyes were even a little red, although he tried his best to maintain the majesty of an emperor.

But the haggardness between his brows and the trace of panic that was difficult to conceal could not escape the eyes of some old ministers.

He walked up the imperial steps step by step, sat on the dragon throne, and swept his eyes over the crowd of ministers below.

There was silence for a moment, but this brief silence made the atmosphere in the hall even more suffocating.

"My dear ministers... please stand up."

Liu Xiu's voice was obviously hoarse and tired, and he didn't even have the energy to say more polite words.

After all the officials stood up, Liu Xiu, without beating around the bush, directly picked up the blood-stained silk on the dragon table. His voice was heavy as if filled with lead, "I have urgently summoned you all today because... I have received an urgent military report from the front line via carrier pigeon."

He paused, as if gathering his strength before speaking his next words. Each word was like a hammer, hammering down on the hearts of the officials: "Two days ago, our troops rushing to support Xunyang were ambushed by the main force of the Chu army... We fought hard but were ultimately... annihilated."

Deathly silence enveloped the hall, and everyone was stunned by the tragic news.

However, Liu Xiu's next words were like a bolt from the blue, shocking everyone to death:

"And the great general who commanded the army, Duke Protector Huo Quji, he... sacrificed his life for his country, died on the battlefield!"

"boom--!"

This sentence was like pouring ice water into boiling oil, instantly causing the entire Golden Palace to explode!

"what?!"

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

"The Duke of Protector of the Country died in battle? How is that possible? The Duke of Protector of the Country is a master of military strategy, the military god of the Han Dynasty. How could he die so easily?"

"Your Majesty! Can this news be confirmed? Is it a rumor spread by the Chu army to disrupt our morale?"

"Yes, Your Majesty! The Protector of the Country is the bravest of the three armies. Even if he cannot win, he should be able to break through the siege without any problems. How could it be..."

"The entire army was wiped out? Duke Huo died in battle? Is this... is this the day that will destroy the Han Dynasty?!"

For a moment, the hall was filled with exclamations, questions, and cries of disbelief.

Many old ministers beat their chests and stamped their feet, their faces pale.

Some military generals had bloodshot eyes and refused to believe it; the civil officials looked at each other, their eyes filled with endless panic.

The entire court was in chaos in an instant, plunged into unprecedented shock and confusion.

Liu Xiu looked at the ministers below who were losing their composure, and did not say a word to stop them. He just leaned weakly on the dragon throne, closed his eyes, and his face was full of pain and confusion.

He knew that the real storm had just begun.

The noise and chaos in the Golden Throne Hall continued to ferment, with voices of questioning, exclamations, and cries of grief and anger intertwined together, almost overturning the magnificent roof of the hall.

Everyone was stunned by the sudden and devastating news, and great panic spread among the ministers like a plague.

"enough!!!"

A roar filled with endless anger, grief, and imperial majesty, like thunder from the sky, suddenly exploded from the dragon throne, instantly drowning out all the noise!

Liu Xiu suddenly stood up from the dragon throne. Because he was extremely excited, he leaned forward slightly and pressed his hands tightly on the dragon table. His knuckles turned white due to the force.

His face was still pale, but his red eyes were burning with terrifying flames as he glanced at the ministers who had lost their composure below.

"It's such a shame to have such a commotion in such an important place like the imperial court!"

Liu Xiu's voice trembled slightly with anger, yet it carried an undeniable pressure: "The Protector of the Country died for his country, and our army was recently defeated. My heartache is far greater than yours!"

"But is this the time to panic and blame each other? Is this the time for you to be noisy and boisterous like ordinary people?!"

The emperor's anger was like a pour of cold water on their heads, instantly waking up the officials who were in chaos.

Everyone then realized their own gaffe and quickly lowered their heads, remaining silent. The hall suddenly fell silent, with only heavy and uneasy breathing being the only sound.

Liu Xiu looked at the ministers who had instantly quieted down, his chest heaving violently. He suppressed his turbulent emotions, slowly sat back on the dragon throne, and said in a tired but clear voice:

"I summoned all the ministers here, not to listen to your exclamations and doubts, but to discuss countermeasures!"

"The nation is in dire straits, in this time of peril. What I need is good advice, a way to deal with it! My dear ministers, please feel free to share your insights!"

After a brief silence, voices were heard again in the court, but this time, it was no longer a chaotic noise, but two clearly opposing opinions quickly formed.

Several senior officials, all white-haired and extremely experienced, stepped forward first. Their faces were filled with deep worry and fear as they bowed and said, "Your Majesty, please calm down. We have lost our manners and deserve death."

"But...but the Protector of the Country has just passed away, and all the elite troops have been killed. The country is in a precarious situation. What can we do?"

"I believe that the most urgent task is not to start a war again, but to send an envoy to the Chu camp to find out the truth. Perhaps we can try to negotiate peace with Chuning."

As soon as the word "peace talks" was uttered, it was as if a floodgate had been opened, and it immediately received the support of many civil officials.

"Yes, Your Majesty! The Chu army is at its peak, and our army has just been defeated, so morale is low. If we continue fighting now, we may be in danger of our nation's demise!"

"If we can use the annual tribute of gold and silver to temporarily slow down their offensive, buying them a breathing space to regroup and prepare their forces, and then plan for the future, that would be the best strategy!"

"Your Majesty, please put the country first and endure this humiliation for a while!"

These voices advocating for peace immediately aroused strong backlash from the military group on the other side!

"Ridiculous! It's absolutely ridiculous!"

A hot-tempered general suddenly took a step forward, his voice like a bell, and glared at the old ministers who advocated peace:

"Peace talks? Chu Ning's wolfish ambitions are obvious! He destroyed the six kingdoms and slaughtered the royal families. How could a mere sum of gold and silver satisfy him? This is tantamount to seeking the skin of a tiger and bringing humiliation upon himself!"

"That's right! The Han Dynasty has been established for hundreds of years. How can we surrender without a fight and serve the enemy? As warriors, we would rather die than endure such a great humiliation!"

"To negotiate peace now would be surrender! It would be the beginning of our nation's destruction! I would rather die on the battlefield than accept such humiliation!"

The civil officials advocated temporarily avoiding the sharp edge and valuing peace; the military generals insisted on preferring to die with honor rather than live in disgrace.

Both sides held their own views, quoted classics, and refuted each other. The emotions became more and more agitated. The court, which had just calmed down, was on the verge of falling into quarrel again.

Liu Xiu looked at the ministers arguing below, his brows furrowed and his heart filled with confusion.

He knew that both sides had their reasons, but both war and peace faced huge risks and almost unbearable consequences.

Just as the situation was at a stalemate and the atmosphere was becoming increasingly tense—