"Two princes rebelling?" The Minister of Rites stepped forward with a look of utter astonishment. He pointed a trembling finger at Yuan Yong and rebuked loudly, "These are merely events that have yet to occur! Our most urgent priority at present is to continue the war against Chen State, for only thus can we effectively drain the strength of those two princes!"
Hearing this, Yuan Yong curved the corners of his mouth upward in a disdainful smile and retorted sharply, "Drain them? How can you, Lord Minister, dare assert that this constitutes a drain? In my view, if we persist in fighting, it will likely only afford them greater opportunities to collude with one another and engage in illicit dealings! Once such a situation arises, the crisis will inevitably become all the harder to control. Only when Chen State withdraws its troops can the border temporarily regain its peace, and not until then will we possess sufficient energy and time to deal with the domestic turmoil. The saying goes that to pacify the exterior, one must first secure the interior—surely Your Lordship is not entirely ignorant of such a plain and simple truth? Seeking a peace settlement with Chen State at the present moment is the wisest course of action, for by doing so, we can swiftly alleviate the pressing predicament facing the imperial court!"
The Minister of Rites was not swayed by Yuan Yong's rhetoric. His expression dark, he let out a cold snort and said, "A remedy for an immediate crisis? Hmph! If we…
Chapter 431