The "frontline argumentation" section is more like giving both sides of the battle a real-time debate show. Who has the upper hand, and whose morale will be higher.
Now Lu Xiong tightly holds on to the argument of King Zhou's tyranny, and Deng Xiu is a bit at a loss for words.
Now, the Han dynasty has accepted the Wu dynasty's crowned imperial edict. Regardless, it has cultivated a sense of gratitude and reverence, and as long as King Zhou doesn't make any grave mistakes that arouse public anger, Han won't have an excuse to confront Wu in three to two years. This can also be seen as Wen Zhong sacrificing King Zhou's face and sacrificing numerous ancestral laws of the Tang dynasty in exchange for peace on the southern front.
The Han dynasty has gained part of the political assets of the Great Shang, and throughout, it has upheld its loyalty as a subject. From Deng Jiugong down the line of civil and military officials, all have earned a good reputation. We have not betrayed; it was you who made me a king. This is fundamentally different from the nature of the Zhou and Qi dynasties. While there are benefits, we also have to bear some of the burden for what the Great Shang has done. This is a matter with both pros and cons.
Deng Xiu was a bit awkward, it's not easy to explain this. The key is not to exaggerate the Great Shang, once you do, it will look like we are contradicting ourselves when Han goes to war against the Great Shang in the future.
Deng Chanyu can only speak for him: "Old General, you are mistaken. The world belongs to all the people in the world, not just to King Zhou of the Great Shang dynasty. In the past, old Chancellor Shang Rong was virtuous and respected, devoted to public service and public morality, and set an example for all his subjects. Grand Marshal Bian Gan was upright and honest, pure and uncorrupted. My father defended the southern border of the court, fought against rebellious statesman E Chongyu, took on enemy arrows and stones himself, suffering over seventy wounds."
She first praised the civil and military officials of the Great Shang, and then asked in reverse: "If it were not for the will of heaven, how could there be so many wise ministers and capable generals? Old General, you are indeed an old minister of the Yin Shang dynasty, and also a well-known capable general and famous commander. If you can return from the wrong path, lay down your arms, surrender with honor, you will still retain your position as a marquis. What should one do? Please ponder this deeply, Old General."
The old general Lu Xiong felt bitter inside. His loyalty to King Zhou had always been there, but he had been deceived by King Zhou's son Shimen Xiu before. Now his son and grandson were in Qi, and he was no longer young. He needed to consider the future for his descendants.
He could only stubbornly cling to his path: "I am a wise minister, and I am also a famous general. But if the state has been brought to this collapse, is that not the responsibility of the ruler?"
These words directly hit the point, and Deng Chanyu had to continue the argument with him.
First, he pointed at the old general and laughed softly to the sideline of Jiuhua: "He's getting anxious, he's getting anxious."
Daji also smiled along.
Deng Chanyu continued: "I think the old general is wrong. The sight of bones in the fields, with no chicken calls in a thousand miles, is truly a chaos that plagues the entire world."
Old General Lu Xiong was stunned for a moment, how can this not be chaos?
"The grain in the Qi state markets is selling for eight hundred coins per jin, and people are selling their children and daughters. What do you think is the true sign of great chaos, Your Royal Highness?"
Deng Chanyu pointed to the Qi state with his folding fan: "In our Han country, new rice is only selling for a hundred coins per jin, and people are being sold for three thousand miles, with some even being drowned in the rivers. These problems in Qi are not necessarily the fault of the Qi King, but rather the greed and corruption of his officials, and chaotic administration."
The crux of the matter is this: Your Qi state has not been governed well, and that's your own problem. This issue does not involve King Zhou.
Old General Lu Xiong accused the Han dynasty of being an authoritarian state, not a gentlemanly nation. In response, Deng Chanyu mocked that the democracy in Qi could be more democratic. Why should only a few nobles vote? Why don't you have the ability to let the entire army vote?
Lu Xiong said that the Han army, relying on its weapons and armor, is not a benevolent army. In response, Deng Chanyu made fun of his "I am weak, so I am justified" argument as being too outdated.
Seeing that the old general Lu Xiong was no match for Deng Chanyu, Happiness Heaven came to his aid. This blood-sea Daoist monk claimed that he released fifty pigs a day, an act of benevolence and righteousness. Deng Chanyu smiled and said that he captured pigs and then let them go, which was so stupidly funny. Happiness Heaven repeatedly emphasized that the pigs were not caught by him. Deng Chanyu argued confidently: "If you didn't catch them, why did you let them go?"
Happiness Tian trembled all over, his limbs feeling cold.
