Chaoge Arc: Looking Coldly Upon All Things

On the road as Di Xin led his great army back to Chaoge City, inside the main tent after they had made camp.

Li Ping'an saw everything that happened here with perfect clarity.

They were discussing how to deal with these captives brought back from the Eastern Yi tribe.

Listening to the reports from this group of ministers, Di Xin felt more than a little troubled.

Shang Rong said, "Your Majesty, if these captives are to be brought back to Chaoge City, the provisions alone would amount to an incalculable expense. It would truly be better to deal with them on the spot."

Several ministers accompanying the army offered their counsel in turn:

"Your Majesty, if you do not wish for rivers of blood and seek to display your benevolent heart, you could distribute these captives as rewards to the various vassals along the way. Reward the weaker vassals and help them grow stronger. In time, they may be used to restrain the regional lords."

"The various vassals are already a danger close to Chaoge's heart. And now we are to grant them slaves?"

"Your Majesty! In this minister's view, our great victory in this Eastern Expedition will surely intimidate all the vassals. We might as well requisition grain and provisions from them throughout the lands! If they dare refuse, they will be defying Your Majesty, and we may strike them down where they stand to warn the rest!"

"Indeed, Your Majesty! That Eastern Count is truly hateful. For years, he refused to send troops. Now that Your Majesty has personally campaigned against the Eastern Yi, he has come crawling back, and he even deliberately left an opening in the battle lines to give the Eastern Yi's main force a chance to escape!"

Di Xin pondered for a moment. "The