Mei Changsu understood all this, too. He looked at Xiao Jingrui with deep remorse, yet spoke with unwavering resolve. "Your Majesty, the time has come to make a decision. I'll go and make sure those treacherous rebels have no excuse to march."
Xiao Jingrui shook his head and said bluntly, "Brother Xiaoshu, why say something so foolish? If we hand you over now, do you think those warlords, whose ambitions have run wild, will agree to withdraw their troops?"
Mei Changsu knew that, of course. Somewhat unwillingly, he said, "At least we could buy some time, until the generals who truly intend to come to the emperor's aid arrive."
Xiao Jingrui shook his head, his resolve firm. "Brother Xiaoshu, there's no need to say more. I won't hand you over. Help me think of another way."
Mei Changsu hesitated, then gritted his teeth and said, "There's one other option: retreat to Shuzhong and Hanzhong, and leave the Central Plains for those wolves and tigers to fight over."
Xiao Jingrui hadn't expected that to be Mei Changsu's suggestion. He had only just become emperor, and now he was about to become a ruler who lost his country.
Unwilling to accept it, he asked, "Is there really no other way?"
Mei Changsu knew Xiao Jingrui was reluctant, so he spoke frankly. "There is another option. You could issue an imperial decree summoning forces from every region to come to the emperor's aid, and we could defend this place to the death. But you should know what the consequences would be."
Xiao Jingrui knew, of course. After this battle, Great Liang would be left in ruins. The neighboring kingdoms were eyeing them hungrily, and the war would leave the people destitute while costing them most of their territory.
But he couldn't bear to