Perhaps because the Marshal's wife had set the tone for the meeting, everyone set aside their biggest disagreements and moved straight on to coordinating the practical matters and planning their next strategic steps.
For instance, the Empire had lifted its blockade of the Shanhai Corridor, abandoned New Tennessee, and begun retreating toward New Shuntian. Should they consider pursuing them?
Or should they abandon New Tennessee?
After all, this agricultural system lay along busy trade routes. One route led to the former capital on the Far Shore, another to New Shenzhou, and a third connected to the route toward the Arm region. The system had no natural defenses, and the Empire, with its superior forces, could return at any time. If that happened, the people here would no longer be able to achieve a glorious victory like the one they had just won.
Veteran generals like Mkawa and Tovi favored the first option: quit while they were ahead and return to New Shenzhou to continue building up their strength.
Younger officers like Eleanor Bonaparte and Horatio Vane, on the other hand, agreed with continuing the pursuit. They certainly didn't expect to wipe out the Empire's Soren Fleet in one fell swoop, nor did they expect to retake New Shuntian. But they needed to maintain a military presence on the Far Shore.
Now that their goal had shifted to reclaiming lost territory, they couldn't just hunker down in New Shenzhou and quietly build up their strength.
But at that moment, before Feifei had stated her position, Yang Xiyi made the decision for everyone.
He believed they should establish a forward base on New Tennessee. That way, as long as the Empire couldn't eliminate the base, it wouldn't be able to blockade the Shanhai Corridor again.
He tapped New Tennessee on the star