After a quick meal at the base camp, the group rushed to the Presbyterian Church without stopping. The Presbyterian Council had been notified, and they decided to hold a joint military and political meeting immediately in the afternoon to discuss countermeasures.
In order to avoid leaking the news, this time, everyone got on a military troop carriage.
Along the way, everyone seemed preoccupied. Only Zeng Chi nodded graciously while listening to Huang Hongman's whisper, and looked at Xie Ning behind Lin Qi from time to time, his face full of frightened gratitude and surprise.
Strangely surprised.
"Brother Lei, welcome to your arrival, and thank you very much for saving Lin Yatou and my wife. I'm really sorry that due to sudden changes, we don't have time to welcome you properly and take care of you now."
When they walked into the small building where the Presbyterian Church was located, Zeng Chi walked over and stood side by side with Xie Ning and whispered to him.
…
Xie Ning smiled and waved his hand: "Your Highness Zeng, please don't say that. This is my honor."
"By the way, can I...attend your presbytery meeting? Observe?"
He hesitated for a moment, but then asked hesitantly.
Zeng Chi frowned and thought for a while.
"The Presbyterian Council has received news of your arrival. With your genius and... current status, you will definitely receive their utmost attention. They should have ordered the guards and will not stop you. Moreover, you are still Commander Lin.
Her personal bodyguard? Just follow her in."
He smiled, but gave Xie Ning a meaningful smile. Apparently, he seemed to know about the series of misunderstandings between Xie Ning and Lin Qi from Huang Hongman.
Sure enough, along the way, the guards seemed to turn a blind eye to Xie Ning, who was holding a little boy, but allowed him to follow Lin Qi into the heavily guarded area.
…
When a group of people passed through countless sentries and pushed open the door of a conference room, an old man with white hair and beard stood at the door with a dozen old people.
"Commander Lin, welcome your return."
He looked at Lin Qi and said solemnly. At the same time, his eyes also glanced at Xie Ning and the little hotpot behind Lin Qi. He was stunned, staring at the little hotpot who was obediently looking at everyone in his father's arms curiously.
As he looked, a flash of... unexplainable sadness and regret suddenly flashed in his eyes.
After everyone took their seats, the old man with white hair and beard also sat down on the main seat and coughed lightly.
"Now that Commander Lin is back... let's start the meeting. The Western Continent Mission has also received news of Commander Lin's return. They have issued an ultimatum, but they require us to give them a final answer before eight o'clock tomorrow morning. Either sign a treaty.
, or they leave."
"So. Within today, we must come up with a solution, or fight with them, or bleed to death from hunger, or... surrender."
He said in a low voice and looked at the small hot pot again.
…
The atmosphere was silent, and almost everyone focused their gazes on Lin Qi, who was sitting indifferently. Their eyes were either eager, hopeful, or... hoping for a miracle.
However, the girl lowered her head and remained silent for a long time.
"I don't know... I'm only good at military affairs."
After a long time, the girl spoke in a low voice.
Her face was pale and there seemed to be no blood at all.
A low sigh resounded in the conference room. Xie Ning looked at the girl's trembling shoulders with regret, his heart already filled with anxiety.
Why haven't they come yet? Has something changed in the past few days?
No, the last time I contacted them, they said they expected to arrive only two days after tomorrow - but will it be tomorrow or the day after tomorrow! What if it is the day after tomorrow?
Where are they now? Should I tell it now? But how can others believe such a big thing?
…………
Xie Ning was thinking in confusion.
…………
He didn't know how long it took, but he was suddenly awakened by a fierce quarrel.
He raised his eyes and saw Huang Hongman's face full of anger: "No! We can't do this! Then what have become of us? In order to survive a shameful and humble existence under the charity of the people in Xilu, did we send Girl Lin to get married?
?That’s a shame! It’s a shame!”
she shouted angrily.
"But if we don't, maybe we will perish!"
A short, thin old man said in a low voice.
"It is better to die standing than to live on your knees! Elder Lu, you have been trying your best to lobby everyone to pass your proposal. What do you mean?"
Huang Hongman was already angrily slapping the case and getting up.
…
"I don't mean anything! I only know that if we don't do this, the children will starve to death! The race will also be destroyed! A hopeless destruction! Instead of dying and losing everything, it is better to endure humiliation and survive in order to have a better future!"
The short and thin old man also stood up, but he refused to give in to Huang Hongman and said angrily.
"You are afraid of death!" Huang Hongman was so angry that he couldn't speak at all.
"Am I afraid of death?"
The short, thin old man smiled sadly.
"Seven years ago, the old man's two sons died on the cross front... The old man didn't say anything. He only sent his three grown-up grandchildren, who were determined to avenge their father with blood, to the front of the army.
"Only one of them got married, and none of them left any heirs... But three years ago, in the Battle of Deep Valley... they... also died..."
He smiled sadly, his voice gradually getting deeper, but two lines of muddy old tears slowly flowed down from his trembling face.
Everyone in the audience cast sympathetic and comforting glances at the short, thin old man, and Huang Hongman stood there in shock.
…
"The two daughters-in-law died in depression one after another, and the old man sent his only grandson-in-law to remarry... Now, I am the only one left in the Lu family... The old man has nothing to worry about... I just wish he could get married soon...
Go underground and reunite with my children..."
"But I am not willing to give in! I have not seen the destruction of the barbarians and the shedding of their blood. How could I be willing to do so!"
The short and thin old man said with a stern look, but then looked at Huang Hongman.
"Huang Nuwa...you said I'm afraid of death...but what else do I have to be afraid of...Since my last grandson died in battle, every day the old man lives is a kind of torture..."
"But we can't let the children starve to death! All my children are gone... I have no regrets and nothing to say... But we can't let everyone's children die! We can't let the future of the race die.
!”
…
"Yes, I am indeed afraid. I am just afraid that after I close my eyes, no one will seek revenge from the barbarians. No one will cry out for blood and revenge! Cut off every piece of flesh and blood of the barbarians! Shed out the last drop of their blood! That way,
What is the significance of the sacrifice of my children? What is the significance of the sacrifice of the soldiers who have shed their blood on this land for hundreds of years? Then, I will not die with my eyes in peace! I will not die with my eyes in peace!"
He screamed at the top of his lungs.
"I will always remember the great elder's words of comfort to me at that time. All for the sake of the race, sacrifice is inevitable..."
"And now, all I want to say is this..."
He spoke in a low voice and sat back on the chair. His face was trembling violently, but he suppressed his tears. He closed his eyes and sat on the chair. He remained motionless and silent, like an old fossil.
…
Huang Hongman stood with her head held high, although her expression no longer blamed the old man at all, but was full of guilt.
"I said the wrong thing, and I sincerely apologize to Elder Lu here. I'm sorry, I was so angry that I said the wrong thing. Please forgive me for my ignorant words!"
"But what I want to reiterate is that I firmly oppose Elder Lu's proposal!"
"It is a great misfortune for the nation to let the immature shoulders of an 18-year-old girl carry the future of the nation!"
"For more than three years, she has not lived a day like the life a girl should have. All she saw was war and killing. Every order she gave brought sacrifices and blood. Do you know this?
"
"For more than three years, for the future of the race and the pressure on her shoulders, how many sleepless nights has she spent? How many times have she woke up crying from nightmares. Do you also know these?"
…
"The blood of the Lin family is almost gone. She is the last one left...but she has become the only commander-in-chief of the army, a wise commander. For more than three years, under her countless sleepless nights, countless nightmares
After countless trembling and heavy-duty strategizing... we finally survived, and we completely reversed the disadvantage! We are happy, we are encouraged..."
"But do you know?! She is just a girl! A girl who is not yet twenty-two! She has sacrificed enough! We can't let her sacrifice anymore! She will die!"
"But now, we are sacrificing her lifelong happiness at the cost of surviving. How can we bear it? Where is our conscience?"
Huang Hongman burst into tears as she told her story.
"Don't forget, everyone, it was Mr. Lin Zhiyuan who led us to successfully resist the barbarian rule! But now, in order to surrender to others, we want to push his only remaining descendants of his blood into the pit of fire!"
"I just want to ask! Everyone sitting here, if we do this, will we still be Chinese?! Are we still noble Chinese?! Or will we be willing to bend rather than bend, be generous and heroic, have a clear sense of grudges, and repay a drop of kindness with a spring of spring?
Chinese?!"
"I would rather die standing than live on my knees! That's all I have to say!"
She wiped her tears silently, but sat down as coldly as frost.
…
There was another long silence.
After a long time, the great elder in the main seat spoke in a low voice.
"If everyone has nothing to say, then let's vote." He said dryly.
"I agree with Elder Lu's proposal. We can only endure the humiliation and wait for the future."
After another brief silence, an elder took the lead to speak in a low voice. He glanced at Lin Qi apologetically, sighed deeply, and closed his eyes tightly.
"I object." Another angry voice followed.
"I...agree." The great elder closed his eyes in pain.
"I agree." Another weak voice followed closely.
"My family still has two grandsons who are still alive, and a great-grandson who has just been born, but I... firmly oppose it!" Another loud voice sounded.
…
"I..." When it was Lin Qi's great-uncle Elder Lin's turn, he was extremely hesitant.
His face trembled violently, and he looked at Lin Qi deeply and lovingly.
"I object too."
He said these words in a low voice, as if he had lost all his strength and slumped in his chair. However, the elders present, regardless of whether they were in favor or against, looked at him with kindness and understanding, and gently comforted him.
…………
When the vote ultimately came down to six to six...
Everyone's eyes were turned to Lin Qi.
No matter how fierce the argument between Huang Hongman and Elder Lu was, she did not move. Lin Qi, who kept her head lowered and sat silently, was the only one among all those who were eligible to vote who had not yet voted...
Lin Qi.(To be continued...)
ps: I am very grateful to the brothers of "Cute Emperor" for their support of two monthly tickets. I am in tears.