Chapter 576

The situation was relayed back to Red Spear Dynasty, Adam and the Emperor did not find it strange, if Eternal Jade Dynasty believed them so easily, that would actually be abnormal, there was no need to do anything, they just had to wait patiently, time would prove their sincerity, the other party was at the height of their suspicions, the more they did, the more mistakes they would make.

Their most important task was to stabilize Red Spear Dynasty internally, otherwise, if they kept dragging this out and Eternal Jade Dynasty didn’t agree to reconciliation, their own side would collapse first.

Meanwhile, in Eternal Jade Dynasty’s royal court, everyone was still baffled, based on their investigations, no matter how one looked at it, Red Spear Dynasty had retreated completely cleanly, there was absolutely no sign of an ambush.

Inside the imperial palace, the atmosphere grew even tenser, sunlight filtered through carved window lattices, spilling onto the resplendent great hall, yet it failed to illuminate the gloom on the courtiers’ faces.

Emperor Vorian’s fingers gently tapped the armrest of the dragon throne, every tap seemed to deepen the suspicion and unease in his heart.

"Your Majesty, I have something to say, though I know not whether it is appropriate," a young and aggressive military general suddenly stepped forward, breaking the silence, his name was Vane, renowned for bravery and ferocity, he had always harbored intense hostility toward Red Spear Dynasty.

"Speak," Vorian’s voice was deep and powerful, with a gaze like a torch, he looked straight at Vane.

Vane took a deep breath, his voice laced with resolve, "Your Majesty, Red Spear Dynasty’s troop withdrawal may seem full of sincerity, but in reality, it could be a ruse to lure us in deep, if our army seizes this opportunity to launch an offensive, we might crush them in one fell swoop and eliminate future troubles forever."

An uproar erupted in the royal court, some were shocked by Vane’s bold proposition, others secretly nodded, believing his words were not without reason, on the stage of war, truth and deception were interwoven, who could guarantee Red Spear Dynasty wasn’t setting up a massive trap?

"General Vane’s words are misguided," Prime Minister Raven immediately retorted, he slowly stood up, his gaze profound.

"The art of war states, know the enemy and know yourself, and you need not fear a hundred battles, our army knows very little about Red Spear Dynasty’s internal situation, to attack rashly would be no different from blind men touching an elephant, the risks are massive, furthermore, since they have dispatched envoys to seek peace, if our dynasty disregards etiquette and initiates war directly, we will lose moral support and draw censure from across the world."

"The Prime Minister’s words are misguided," Vane countered tit for tat.

"War is a contest of strength, not etiquette, since Red Spear Dynasty dared to withdraw its troops, they should be prepared to bear the consequences, if our army delivers a fatal blow now, not only will it showcase Eternal Jade Dynasty’s might, but it will also bring lasting peace to the borderland citizens."

The two exchanged sharp words back and forth, their debate made the atmosphere increasingly tense, the courtiers, whether standing or seated, either had brows tightly furrowed or wore looks of worry, they were all weighing the pros and cons, finding it difficult to decide.

Emperor Vorian sat upright on the dragon throne, quietly listening while secretly pondering, he knew this was not merely a debate over whether to attack, but a monumental decision regarding the nation’s future direction.

"My beloved ministers, quiet down first," Vorian finally spoke, his voice was steady and powerful, instantly quelling the clamor.

"General Vane’s bravery is commendable, but actions must be taken with caution, the Prime Minister’s strategies are far-reaching, but we must not be overly conservative either, matters of war concern the destiny of the nation and the livelihood of the people, they cannot be decided rashly."

He paused, gaze sweeping over the courtiers, "My mind is made up, we shall not rush to attack, but we must not relax vigilance either, strengthen border defenses to ensure safety, closely monitor Red Spear Dynasty’s movements while intensifying intelligence gathering, we must ascertain their true intentions, as for whether to attack, we shall decide when the time is ripe."

All the courtiers submitted, they knew the Emperor’s decision acknowledged Vane’s courage while taking into account Raven’s caution, truly a plan that satisfied both sides.

However, just as Eternal Jade Dynasty was intensely preparing to face potential war, earth-shaking changes were occurring within Red Spear Dynasty.

Relying on extraordinary wisdom and outstanding leadership, Adam quickly stabilized the situation and implemented a series of reforms, reducing taxes, building water conservancy projects, developing commerce, every policy was like nourishing spring rain, moisturizing every inch of Red Spear Dynasty’s land, making the common people marvel that their lives were undergoing a monumental shift.

"Seeing our determination to change, Eternal Jade Dynasty should agree to negotiate with us now," the Red Spear Emperor said happily.

"Indeed," Adam nodded slowly.

Deep within the imperial palace of Eternal Jade Dynasty, the night was already deep and the lights dimming, yet they could not conceal the absolute resolve and icy coldness in Emperor Vorian’s eyes.

He stood alone before the window, gazing at blurry silhouettes in the distance, the direction of Red Spear Dynasty, the dread in his heart regarding the neighboring dynasty’s growing strength spread quietly, just like the night itself.

"Prime Minister," Vorian turned around, his voice deep and firm.

"Although Red Spear Dynasty appears to be showing weakness, they are actually secretly accumulating strength, their intentions are unclear, how can my Eternal Jade Dynasty sit idly by and watch them grow stronger? Pass down the order: immediately marshal the army and prepare for war, I shall personally lead the troops and teach Red Spear Dynasty a lesson."

Prime Minister Raven’s expression drastically changed, he knew full well that once the Emperor’s decision was issued, it would be difficult to alter, "Your Majesty, please reconsider, although Red Spear Dynasty has suffered internal turmoil, this person Zeon is no ordinary figure, since he could rapidly stabilize their situation, he must possess extraordinary qualities, furthermore, our dynasty and Red Spear Dynasty have not completely torn at each other’s faces yet, to dispatch troops rashly, I fear, would be a loss of morality and easily invite the censure of other nations."

A/N:

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