The Duke of Qi soon discovered that the presence of these lower-ranking ministers and Prime Scholars meant that what had happened with Tian Chang could no longer happen.
Their chief demands were to expand Qi State's territory, restore its hegemony from the days of Duke Huan of Qi, and lead the Ji-Jiang Alliance.
As long as he cooperated with their actions and gave them a righteous cause to invoke, he would remain the master of Qi State. Indeed, many among them were loyal to Qi State.
As long as he did nothing excessive, he could keep the music playing and the dancing going, so the Duke of Qi gladly agreed to their request.
In a short time, Qi State mustered more than a hundred thousand soldiers. Given its size, raising four hundred thousand able-bodied men would be no problem; the conscription orders simply needed time.
After Luo State received this news, the ruling house, Ducal Clan, and High Minister Clans gathered together in the palace.
Luo Zhi blankly recalled what his great-grandaunt had told him. "Whether a state is an ally or an enemy, you must pay attention not only to what it is doing now, but also to what it will do.
"There are many chance events in this world, but there must be many inevitable forces driving them.
"From its Lord of the State to its high ministers and ministers, Qi State lives in a drunken dream, but Qi is a great state. Power will not disappear. It will only fall into the hands of those willing to act.
"If these new political forces cannot be controlled, the Ji-Jiang Alliance will be destroyed in a single day."
Luo Zhi came back to himself, rubbed his head, and said, "Everyone, speak your minds about the situation in Qi State."