Just as the ministers were left deep in thought by Li Rufeng's remarks, the esteemed Hanlin Academician Xu Jingzhi stepped forward. With his beard bristling with anger and a trembling finger pointed straight at Li Rufeng, he rebuked loudly: "Li Rufeng, cease your glib sophistry here! The trade policy you propose is clearly a case of a major power bullying a minor one. It violates all reason and damages the national dignity of our Great Xia Kingdom! Our Great Xia has always prided itself as a land of ritual and righteousness; how can we stoop to such behavior?"
Li Rufeng, however, remained unruffled, that confident smile still lingering on his face. He bowed respectfully to Xu Jingzhi and said, "Elder Xu, please calm your anger first. Do not make yourself ill over this, or the junior's guilt would be immense. You say that my trade policy is a matter of the strong bullying the weak, but that is truly a grave injustice. Just think, trade and commerce are much like neighbors exchanging what they have for what they lack. Our Great Xia is large and well-resourced, possessing fine goods, while the surrounding small nations also have things we need. When everyone sits down to talk business and trades fairly, how can that be called bullying?"
Xu Jingzhi gave a cold snort, cutting Li Rufeng off: "Hmph! Easy for you to say! With the national strength of Great Xia being so formidable, how could those small nations possibly have any room to negotiate in these transactions? They would in…
Chapter 128