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Chapter 733 The Great Luo King Bows Down and Submits to Li Chen! (Please Subscribe and Vote)

Matvey's words, while frustrating to some old-school nobles, also garnered a strong response from many "peace-seeking" officials in the court.

After all, for most officials and their families, avoiding war and preserving their existing status and wealth is the most important thing.

In truth, Mavit, as emperor, longed to be a pillar of society, but the tide had turned against him, and this was an opportunity his master had fought so hard to secure.

Just as he said before, even if he wanted to submit, Emperor Tian Ce might not agree.

For a time, in the imperial court, the voices of "Your Majesty is wise" and "For the sake of the country and the people" prevailed.

It will likely not be long before the sincere letter of submission is officially delivered to Li Chen's desk through official channels.

While the situation in the north and west of the mainland was changing rapidly, another force was quietly growing stronger in the vast lands of the northwest.

Tuoba Zhen, a former traitor of the Great Luo Dynasty and the former Khan of the Snow Eagle Royal Court, stirred up a bloody storm among the northwestern kingdoms with his formidable strength at the Saint Realm and the military experience he had accumulated from dealing with the Tian Ce Army in the past.

Those small countries and tribes, facing a ruthless hero like him who had fought his way out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, were like children facing a strong man; it was a complete dimensional reduction attack.

Tuoba Zhen used war to sustain his war effort, and his iron hooves swept across the land, successively annexing several small kingdoms and dozens of nomadic tribes, plundering a large number of people, wealth, and land.

His power has grown like a snowball, though it is far from being able to contend with behemoths like Tian Ce and Yong Zhou.

However, its rapid rise and Tuoba Zhen's sensitive identity have already aroused the vigilance and attention of major surrounding forces.

In this game of chess, the pieces have already been placed in the east, west, and north, and undercurrents are surging, awaiting the next move from the player who holds the pieces.

And the player holding the chess pieces was none other than Li Chen.

The long-awaited morning court session was solemn and dignified.

Li Chen sat high on the dragon throne, his expression indifferent, seemingly unconcerned about the piles of official business.

On the contrary, the civil and military officials below were all quick-witted and had their own plans.

Sure enough, as soon as the meeting began, the Minister of Rites, holding a jade tablet, quickly stepped forward and reported with a somewhat excited voice:
"Your Majesty! I have just received a letter of state delivered through official channels! The new emperor of the Great Luo Dynasty, Ma Weite, on behalf of his country, formally submits to my Tian Ce Empire! He wishes to serve Tian Ce as his suzerain state for generations to come, paying tribute every year and visiting the court every year, only asking that Your Majesty order the Tian Ce army to cease its offensive and give Great Luo a chance to regroup!"

These words immediately caused an uproar in the imperial court, which quickly split into two distinct factions.

The civil officials, led by Chancellor Zhao Wenyuan, mostly looked pleased and stepped forward to echo his sentiments.

"Your Majesty, this is excellent!" an elderly minister with white hair and beard exclaimed excitedly. "Weapons are instruments of destruction, and sages use them only as a last resort. Now that the Great Luo is willing to bow down and submit, our Tian Ce can bring it under our control without bloodshed. This will not only demonstrate Your Majesty's divine might but also prevent our soldiers from continuing to shed blood and sacrifice their lives. It is truly the best strategy!"

“Yes, Your Majesty,” another civil official added, “as long as they are willing to submit, we can sign detailed treaties to control their army size, tariffs, mining and other vital aspects, and gradually influence them. How will their country be different from a province? Why waste countless resources on a war of annihilation with unpredictable casualties?”

However, the military group led by General Guo Poyun mostly frowned, their faces showing resentment. Guo Poyun retorted loudly, "That's wrong! If you don't kill the snake, you'll only suffer the consequences! Now, our Tian Ce army is riding high, winning battle after battle. It's time to press on and completely pacify the north, bringing all of Da Luo's territory under our control! How can we stop because of a single document from them? Accepting their submission now is tantamount to raising a tiger to cause trouble!"

"General Guo is absolutely right!" another valiant general echoed. "The military expenditure problem can be solved by tightening our belts! This is a once-and-for-all solution, laying an unparalleled foundation for the eternal glory of our Tian Ce! How can we give up because of some current difficulties?"

The civil officials immediately retorted: "Easy for you to say! Tighten your belt? We're tightening the belts of the people! With the war continuing, taxes and corvée labor are increasing, where is the people's will?"

The military officers insisted: "A temporary predicament will bring lasting blessings! This is the only way to achieve imperial dominance!"

Both sides quoted classical texts and argued heatedly until their faces turned red.

Li Chen sat high on the dragon throne, not interrupting, but listening quietly, as if enjoying an interesting debate.

Only when the focus of the argument began to overlap, the noise gradually subsided, and all eyes were on him, did he slowly speak, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable authority:
“What you, my dear ministers, have said is all reasonable.”

He first affirmed both sides.

"Civil officials are compassionate towards the people's strength and seek to obtain the greatest benefits at the lowest cost; military generals are ambitious and eager to expand the empire's territory and lay the foundation for its eternal prosperity. All of them are loyal to the country."

He changed the subject, his gaze sweeping across the entire room: "Since the new emperor of Da Luo has submitted a letter of state, expressing his willingness to submit, our Tian Ce, as the superior nation of the Celestial Empire, should also have the capacity to tolerate such a person. Whether it is true or false, whether it is a sincere submission or a delaying tactic, cannot be judged solely based on a single document."

He finally concluded: "Therefore, I have decided to first accept their letter of state and allow their new emperor, Ma Vit, to come to court in person. At that time, we will observe their words and deeds to discern their sincerity. If they are truly sincere and willing to become vassals and obey the orders of my Tian Ce, then granting them a way out is not unreasonable, which would save my Tian Ce countless amounts of money, provisions, and troops. However, if they are hypocritical and harbor ulterior motives..."

A cold glint flashed in Li Chen's eyes, and his tone turned icy: "Then it will not be too late for my Heavenly Strategy Iron Cavalry to raze their capital to the ground! At that time, no one in the world will dare to say that my Heavenly Strategy has killed without warning!"

This summary not only gave face to the civil officials and affirmed the value of "subduing the enemy without fighting," but also gave the military generals a way out and expectations, firmly grasping the final decision-making power in their hands, and perfectly balancing the debate in the court.

Upon hearing this, both the civil and military officials, though harboring different thoughts, all felt that His Majesty's considerations were thorough and impeccable, and they all bowed in salute, saying, "Your Majesty is wise!"

Seven days later, Emperor Ma Weite of the Great Luo Dynasty, leading a large delegation, finally arrived at the border of the Tian Ce Empire after a long journey, and headed towards the capital under the guidance of officials from the Tian Ce Ministry of Rites.

As he traveled, Mavit's shock and fear grew day by day.

Although he was the emperor, the prosperity of the Daluo Dynasty was like the difference between a rural market town and a celestial palace compared to the Tian Ce Dynasty.

He saw steel "trains" on the smooth official road, which could run like the wind without the need for animal power, emitting a huge roar, transporting massive amounts of supplies and personnel.

He saw some of the powerful and wealthy young men of Tian Ce holding a small cube called a "cell phone" in their hands, which could transmit sound over long distances and even display a clear image!
As the emperor, he acted like a country bumpkin visiting the city for the first time, and couldn't help but whisper to the accompanying officials from the Ministry of Rites what those things were.

Although the Tian Ce official explained with a respectful attitude, the sense of superiority that naturally emanated from his words still made Mavit feel embarrassed.

(End of this chapter)