105: Chapter 105 Kneeling!!!

Great Xia court.

The ministers arrived one after another, each with a grave expression, the hall filled with a tense and oppressive atmosphere.

"My dear ministers, now that our Great Xia is facing this catastrophe, do you have any good strategies?" Emperor Xia scanned the crowd, his tone heavy.

The ministers looked at each other, and for a moment, no one dared to speak first.

An old minister stepped forward, bowed, and said: "Your Majesty, I believe the most urgent task is to relocate the citizens, assemble our remaining troops, and fight a desperate battle."

"Although the enemy is powerful, our Great Xia people are united, and we may not be unable to resist this evil force."

As soon as he finished speaking.

Another minister said anxiously: "Your Majesty, absolutely not! The current situation is so dangerous, the enemy is hidden while we are exposed, and we have no idea what their true strength is."

"To preserve the royal bloodline, we should evacuate immediately. As long as the green hills remain, there's no need to worry about firewood!"

Emperor Xia frowned, lost in thought.

Just then, a scout hurried in, knelt, and shouted: "Your Majesty, it's bad! The eighteen coastal cities... are gone."

Hearing this news, the hall was suddenly in an uproar.

Emperor Xia slammed his hand on the dragon throne and said loudly: "Stop arguing! Pass my decree: first organize the evacuation of the citizens, and at the same time assemble the troops, preparing to fight! Even if I have to sacrifice this throne, I will fight that evil thief to the end!"

Just at this moment.

A Buddhist chant rang out.

"Amitabha, how benevolent." The voice was loud and compassionate.

Hearing this, everyone quickly looked in the direction of the sound.

A monk wearing a tattered kasaya walked in slowly.

He appeared solemn, his gaze compassionate, yet his mouth was greasy.

"Where did this wild monk come from, openly intruding into the court." A middle-aged general clad in silver armor shouted angrily at The Old Monk: "Someone! Drag him out!"

After he finished speaking.

Two burly soldiers walked in from outside the door, their expressions cold, holding long halberds, and walked quickly towards the monk.

The monk, however, was unhurried, smiled slightly, and said: "General, do not be anxious. This poor monk is here to resolve Great Xia's crisis."

The middle-aged general snorted coldly: "Just you, this crazy monk? Speaking nothing but nonsense!"

The monk shook his head and said.

"General, this poor monk knows you have doubts, but Great Xia is in grave danger right now. Every bit of strength adds a bit of hope, why not listen to what this poor monk has to say?"

The general's face was gloomy, and just as he was about to order the soldiers to drag the monk away again, Emperor Xia raised his hand to stop him.

"Wait, let's hear what this monk has to say."

The monk put his hands together and bowed to Emperor Xia: "Your Majesty is wise."

"Today's calamity in Great Xia is one of the three calamities of all living beings."

At this moment, the ministers in the court were in an uproar.

They were well aware of the calamities of all living beings, but those were things from hundreds or even thousands of years ago.

And there were only two calamities, where did a third one come from?

Emperor Xia stared at the monk with piercing eyes and said.

"What does the Master mean by this?"

"Amitabha."

The Old Monk put his hands together, bowed slightly, and said.

"I believe everyone knows about the tragic calamities in human history."

"The first calamity was the Dead Realm destroying the world, the second was the Firmament Shadow. Those two calamities left the world in ruins, and the tragic scenes are still fresh in our minds."

"And Great Xia is currently experiencing the third calamity — the Scarlet Descent."

"Once Great Xia fails to survive this calamity, humanity... will be doomed." The monk's last sentence hit everyone's heart like a heavy hammer.

The court fell into a deathly silence, the ministers looked at each other, their faces pale.

Emperor Xia frowned tightly: "Master, is there a way to break it?"

The Old Monk was silent for a long time, then slowly said: "Yes!"

As soon as these words were spoken.

Everyone's face filled with joy, their originally tense nerves relaxed slightly, and a glimmer of hope rekindled in their eyes.

Emperor Xia asked eagerly: "Master, please tell us!"

The Old Monk looked compassionate and gently spat out one word.

"Kneel."

Everyone's expression froze.

Kneel?

The Old Monk continued: "Lead all the soldiers and the common people to kneel to Him, and the spark of humanity can survive."

Emperor Xia widened his eyes, his face full of disbelief: "Master, you want my Great Xia subjects to kneel? How can this be!"

The Old Monk put his hands together and said slowly: "Your Majesty, this is a last resort."

"If we do not do this, the Scarlet disaster cannot be stopped. When the time comes, the world will be devastated, and everything will turn to nothing."

A minister stood up and shouted angrily: "Absolutely not! Great Xia's children have iron bones, how can we kneel to evil!"

Another minister echoed: "Yes, Your Majesty, if kneeling can resolve this calamity, then where is the dignity of our Great Xia?"

The court was immediately plunged into fierce debate. Some advocated compromising and kneeling to survive, while others firmly opposed it, believing they should fight to the death.

Emperor Xia's expression was gloomy and uncertain, and his heart was in extreme turmoil.

Just then, a young man wearing a red robe and a crown stood out and said loudly.

"Your Majesty, I am willing to lead the soldiers to fight to the end, and will never live by groveling and kneeling to survive!"

His words were resonant, making the blood in many people's hearts boil again.

Emperor Xia's gaze sharpened: "Foolish! Do you know what kind of strength the other side has? That is an existence that can destroy a city with a wave of a hand, and you want to go? You are going to die!?"

"A real man has things he must do, and things he must not!"

"I know Your Majesty is thinking of the people of the world, but this one kneel means that the spine of our Great Xia is broken." The young man's voice was passionate and powerful, echoing in the court.

Hearing this, Emperor Xia fell silent.

How could he, Murong Chongxiao, want to kneel?

He hadn't even seen the enemy, yet he was already scared out of his wits by them.

He was the Emperor of the Xia Kingdom! Only others kneel to him, he never kneels to others!

Back in the day, he dared to claim there were no real men in the world relying only on the three-foot sword in his hand.

One man, one sword, how carefree and happy he was.

But...

Murong Chongxiao looked at the people in the court and sighed secretly.

At this time, an old minister said slowly: "Your Majesty, what the General said is not unreasonable. But war will inevitably bring more casualties, and the people will suffer immensely."

A general retorted: "If we lose our dignity just to survive, how can the people be at peace?"

"Enough!" Murong Chongxiao said sharply: "Is this a vegetable market? Arguing and shouting, how unseemly!"

His voice exploded in the court like thunder, shaking everyone's hearts.

Everyone lowered their heads quickly, not daring to look into Emperor Xia's eyes. The entire court was instantly silent, the atmosphere tense to the extreme.

Following that, Murong Chongxiao slowly closed his eyes: "I am tired today. Leave today's matters to the Crown Prince."

As soon as these words were spoken.

Everyone knelt and shouted in unison to Murong Chongxiao: "Your Majesty is wise, may our Emperor live for ten thousand years."

Murong Chongxiao said wearily to The Old Monk, who was standing to the side, looking at his nose and heart.

"Master, please move to my study to discuss further, would that be alright?"

"Amitabha, that is exactly what this poor monk intended."

After speaking.

The two left together, their figures appearing somewhat lonely in the eyes of the crowd.

The Crown Prince watched his father's back, his heart filled with mixed feelings.

In his eyes, his father had always been dignified and powerful, but now, that slightly hunched back actually made him feel a pang of sadness.

Subsequently, the Crown Prince stood out, looked at everyone with a grave expression, and said.

"Everyone, since His Majesty has entrusted this matter to me, then I have only one request, and that is to fight!"

"Our Great Xia's children never bow, nor do we beg for pity." The Crown Prince's eyes were red, full of passion, "Great Xia's spine was forged by us, inch by inch, with blood and tears." His hands were clenched into fists, trembling slightly.

"It must not be broken!"

In the court, the Crown Prince's impassioned words echoed.

Those words were like a surging torrent, impacting everyone's soul.

Everyone's heart seemed to be ignited, and they shouted in unison.

"It must not be broken!"

That momentum was like ten thousand horses galloping, surging and magnificent, carrying an indomitable determination and fearlessness.

That sound was just like rolling thunder, deafening, breaking through the clouds, seemingly wanting to shake the very firmament.

This is the reason why humanity is eternal.

Even if humans are as small as ants, and their power is weak.

They will still dye the firmament with blood, like mayflies trying to topple a giant tree.

Truly, it is worthy of respect, even if it is overestimating one's capabilities.