His entire family perished in battle; he rose from the ashes to conquer the world.

"Without the swordsmen and spearmen you speak of, if bandits entered the country and caused widespread suffering, would you still be here spouting nonsense?"

Qin Hongxiu came from a military family and had been practicing martial arts since childhood. Even though she was a woman, she had lofty ambitions and used her abilities to protect her country.

She married into the Southwest and resolutely joined the army to fight against invading bandits, determined not to let them invade the Great Qian Dynasty in the slightest.

However, in the eyes of these scholars, he became a warrior who only knew how to wield swords and spears.

They completely ignored the need to protect the country.

This infuriated Qin Hongxiu!

When Young Master Gu saw Qin Hongxiu's stunning beauty, his eyes lit up. He had originally intended to use his image as a highly learned scholar to win her heart, but upon seeing Qin Hongxiu's angry expression, he immediately sensed something was wrong.

"And who is this young lady?" Young Master Gu asked.

"Qin Hongxiu!" Qin Hongxiu said coldly.

Young Master Gu valued Qin Hongxiu's beauty, and his speech was completely different from his impulsive manner with Mu Yuan; instead, he spoke softly and gently:

"So it's Miss Qin. I am Gu Jiang. Greetings."

Gu Jiang deliberately acted charming and elegant, but Qin Hongxiu found his affected manner to be utterly hypocritical.

"Don't pretend to be so refined in front of me!"

Qin Hongxiu, her face frosty, questioned, "You haven't accomplished anything, yet you think so highly of yourselves. Soldiers who protect our country are reduced to mere sword-wielding brutes in your mouths. What are your true intentions?"

"In terms of national policy, how can the country be stable without the advice of scholars to bring peace to the common people? In terms of military affairs, how can the country be stable without the planning of scholars to achieve unexpected victories and deter foreign enemies?" Gu Jiang said confidently, his words elevating scholars to a high position.

Gu Jiang's barrage of questions left Qin Hongxiu, who came from a military family and had a clear weakness in verbal communication, speechless.

The talented men and beautiful women present all wore smug expressions when they saw that Gu Jiang had the upper hand.

"The world belongs to us scholars and the emperor, who jointly govern it! Soldiers and warriors are merely tools driven by the scholars!"

"Indeed, of all professions, only studying is noble!"

"It is always said that there are houses of gold and beauties in books, but I have never heard of military generals having houses of gold."

A flood of mocking voices came crashing down.

Qin Hongxiu was so angry that her face turned red. She wanted to retort, but she was at a loss for words and didn't know how to respond.

Just when he was at a loss.

Mu Yuan stood up and said, "As the ancients said, 'There are indeed houses of gold in books,' but they also said, 'Military achievements cover heaven and earth, and righteousness and courage surpass the three armies!'"

The talented men and women who were just mocking him all suddenly wilted, like eggplants hit by frost.

To shut them up, Mu Yuan turned to look at Gu Jiang:

"Even with advice, the decision-maker needs to approve it before it can be implemented. And even with a well-thought-out plan, the commander-in-chief needs to adopt it before victory can be achieved."

After a pause, Mu Yuan continued:

"Without a decision-maker to make the final decision, any advice offered is just empty words, utterly useless! Without the approval of a military commander, even the best plans are castles in the air, impractical and unrealistic!"

Gu Jiang, who had been so confident just moments before, was at a loss for words after hearing Mu Yuan's reply.

Seeing Gu Jiang at a disadvantage, Young Master Yue exclaimed, "Literature and martial arts! Literature comes before martial arts, therefore, literature is superior to martial arts!"

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Mu Yuan laughed heartily and said:

"You've said so much, are you going to talk me to death? In other words, if I let Miss Qin take action, guess if you would die? A scholar's words can't kill, but a warrior's fists can. So, before words, which comes first, martial arts?"

Mu Yuan's final question left Young Master Le speechless.

"you...."

Young Master Yue's fingers trembled as he angrily pointed at Mu Yuan, repeatedly uttering the word "you" over and over again.

At this moment, Young Master Yue's face turned red with anxiety, and he began to panic.

Firstly, he couldn't find a strong reason to retaliate.

Secondly, if we really find it...

If Mu Yuan were to have Qin Hongxiu take action, how could his small frame withstand it?

If you actually fight and kill yourself, then all your literary and martial skills will be meaningless.

Seeing that Young Master Yue no longer had the confidence to respond, Mu Yuan changed the subject and said:

"Today's debate between civil and military officials is merely a casual conversation with you all, so please don't take it to heart. Since ancient times, civil and military affairs have been inseparable. Whether civil or military comes first, the world needs both civil and military officials to work together to bring peace to the world!"

Upon hearing this, the talented men and beautiful women present nodded in agreement, and those who had just been mocking Mu Yuan instantly gained much more goodwill towards him.

"We never expected that Young Master Mu possessed such knowledge; it truly broadens our horizons!"

"Young Master Mu is right. Civil and military officials must work together; neither can be lacking. Only then can peace be restored to the land!"

Upon seeing this, Gu Jiang and Young Master Le, who had just been cheering for them, instantly sided with Mu Yuan and were convinced by his words. The two men turned ashen-faced and looked extremely unpleasant.

Zheng Yexian's expression was also not very good. He had originally wanted to stir up trouble, but unexpectedly, instead of stirring up trouble, he allowed Mu Yuan to display his great power.

Of course, Zheng Yexian had no idea that they were so eloquent. Not only that, but he also suddenly changed his tone at the end and persuaded the other talented men and women present.

"What are you all talking about? It sounds so lively!"

At this moment, Zhu Qi, who had just finished his official duties and rushed back, appeared. He noticed that everyone present was gathered together, each with a different expression, which aroused his curiosity.

"Greetings, Your Highness."

Everyone bowed to the Fourth Prince, Zhu Qi.

Zhu Qi raised his hand and said, "No need for formalities! Here, there are no need for such elaborate rituals. You don't need to be so polite."

His words won the favor of the talented men and beautiful women present.

"Your Highness is of royal lineage, yet you manage to share joy with the common people; truly a blessing for the Great Qian Dynasty!"

"It is an honor to attend Your Highness's Moonlight Banquet today. I never expected Your Highness to be so approachable. If one day Your Highness were to rule the world, it would not only be a blessing for all the people, but for the entire nation!"

Zhu Qi was overjoyed at the flattery and praise from everyone; this was exactly the effect he wanted. However, on the surface, he pretended to be humble.

"You absolutely mustn't say that! That's giving me far too much credit. My father has already appointed a crown prince, and besides, the crown prince has been overseeing the country for so many years, managing the affairs of state perfectly. How could I possibly covet it? Don't speak nonsense, lest you bring trouble upon yourself!"

Zhu Qi earnestly advised him.

Instead of being angry at the scholars' disrespectful words, he offered them kind advice, which immediately made Zhu Qi's image seem more noble in their eyes.

Mu Yuan watched quietly as Zhu Qi worked hard to win people's hearts, his face expressionless.

Having successfully intimidated the talented men and beautiful women present, Zhu Qi turned to look at Mu Yuan:

"Young Master Mu."