"You think I want this? Liyang has Northern Liang under its watchful eye, just waiting for me to make a mistake. If they catch even the slightest pretext, they'll send their army across our borders. When war breaks out, do you know how many people will die? How many families in Northern Liang will be driven from their homes?"
Xu Xiao couldn't bear being berated to his face any longer. He roared in anger.
"People die in every war! When you went on campaigns against the other kingdoms, did you stop to think about how many would die? Now that Liyang has bullied us this far, you suddenly care about compassion?"
"What about their families being driven from their homes? What about mine? My family was driven from our home long ago, and now you want to send Huang Man'er away too!"
Xu Fengnian grew more and more certain that Ying Zheng's idea was right, and his gaze grew ever more resolute.
"I know why you're sending Huang Man'er away. First, you want all the military commanders to support me. Second, you want Liyang to lower its guard so I can become King of Northern Liang without trouble!"
"But what happens after I become King of Northern Liang? Will the Liyang Imperial Family leave Northern Liang alone?"
"No. They'll only go further and further, using any means they can to deal with us. Human ambition has no limits. Only fighting can put an end to it!"
Xu Fengnian's impassioned words echoed through the hall. Xu Xiao stared at him in disbelief, as though he couldn't believe those words had come from Xu Fengnian's mouth.
"Cough, cough!"
Celestial Master Zhao Xituan of Longhu Mountain coughed awkwardly a few times, wishing he could cover his ears.
Would he really be all right