Honglou: This bastard is too persuasive.

Chapter 669: Goguryeo to Move its Capital
An old official in gorgeous official uniform stood up tremblingly. He was Goguryeo's right prime minister, Kim Seong-deok. Kim Seong-deok bowed slightly and said, "Your Majesty, I think that moving the capital is absolutely not an option. The royal city is the foundation of Goguryeo. It has been managed by several generations of previous kings. It is not only the political center, but also the spiritual symbol of Goguryeo. Once the capital is moved, it will definitely shake the people's hearts and make them panic and uneasy. Moreover, moving the capital will consume a lot of manpower, material resources and financial resources. Now Goguryeo is facing the dilemma of war. The national strength is already empty. It is really difficult to bear such a huge burden."

Jin Chengde's words were agreed by some ministers, who nodded and whispered in agreement.

However, a young general stood up. He was the left general Park Jeong-wu. Park Jeong-wu was a burly man with a heroic look, but at this moment his face was filled with anxiety and anger: "Right Prime Minister, what you said is true, but now the royal city is in danger, and Jia Changsheng's army may attack at any time. If we don't move the capital, we will all become Jia Changsheng's prisoners. By then, what use will our foundation and spirit be? If we move the capital to the southern coastal city, we can rely on the natural dangers of the sea for defense, and we can also use maritime trade to replenish supplies and restore national strength. This is the only expedient measure at the moment."

Park Jung-wu's views resonated with another group of ministers, and they also began to argue loudly. For a time, the court was divided into two factions, each holding their own views and refusing to give in to the other.

At this time, the chief minister, Eulji Mundeok, who had been silent, slowly spoke. Eulji Mundeok was an important official of Goguryeo. He was resourceful and had a high prestige in the court. His voice was low and steady, but like a huge bell, it instantly quieted the court: "Your Majesty, all the gentlemen, the matter of moving the capital is of great importance. We cannot just consider it from the perspective of pros and cons, but also from the perspective of long-term strategy and the future of the country."

Everyone's eyes were focused on Yi Zhiwende, expecting him to give a convincing answer.

Yi Zhiwende continued, "Jia Changsheng's attack is indeed fierce, but we cannot lose our composure because of this. Moving the capital to the southern coastal city can temporarily avoid Jia Changsheng's edge, but we will also lose a large area of ​​land and people. Moreover, although the southern coastal city has the natural barrier of the sea, it also faces other threats, such as storms at sea, pirate invasions, etc. If we cannot properly solve these problems, moving the capital will not only fail to solve our predicament, but will put us into a greater crisis."

Eulji Wende's words made the ministers fall into deep thought, and they began to re-examine the pros and cons of moving the capital.

At this time, a civil servant named Cui Hao stood up. Cui Hao was knowledgeable and quick-witted. He was known for his outspokenness: "You are right, Lord Lu. But we cannot ignore the crisis at hand. I think we can adopt a compromise approach. We can first transfer the important materials and some people in the royal city to the southern coastal city to reduce the burden on the royal city and prepare for future counterattacks. The king and most of the troops will stay in the royal city and continue to hold on. This will not only stabilize the people's hearts, but also maintain our resistance."

Cui Hao's proposal was recognized by some ministers, who felt that it was a relatively safe approach.

However, the right general Li Minghao raised an objection: "Lord Cui, your idea is good, but it is difficult to implement in practice. Jia Changsheng's army has surrounded the royal city. How can we transfer important materials and civilians under their noses? Moreover, once we start to transfer, Jia Changsheng will definitely notice our intentions and take the opportunity to launch a more fierce attack. By then, we will be in a more passive situation."

Li Minghao's words left Cui Hao speechless for a moment. He had to admit that what Li Minghao said was indeed a realistic problem.

The debate in the court became more and more intense. The ministers expressed their own opinions and no one could convince anyone else. Gao Yuan sat on the throne, listening to the ministers' arguments quietly, but his heart was like a tangled mess. He knew that whether to move the capital or not was related to the survival of Goguryeo, and he had to make this decision carefully.

At this time, a female official named Zheng Xiu stood up. Although Zheng Xiu was a woman, she was known for her intelligence and courage in the court. She bowed to Gao Yuan and said, "Your Majesty, I think that while we are considering moving the capital, we should not ignore the alliance with other forces. Now that the envoys of the island country are in our country, we can speed up the alliance negotiations with them and ask them to send troops to help. At the same time, we can also send people to other neighboring countries to seek their support and assistance. If we can get help from other forces, perhaps we don't need to move the capital and we can resist Jia Changsheng's attack."

Zheng Xiu's words enlightened the ministers. They began to realize that in addition to moving the capital and holding on, they could also resolve the current predicament through diplomatic means.

However, Jin Chengde raised doubts: "Madam Zheng, your idea is good, but how easy is it to unite with other forces? Although the envoys of the island country are here, it is still unknown whether they are really willing to ally with us. Moreover, other neighboring countries also have their own interests to consider. They may not be willing to become enemies with Jia Changsheng for us."

Zheng Xiu was not intimidated by Jin Chengde's words. She said firmly: "Right Prime Minister, although it is difficult to unite with other forces, this is our only hope at present. We can't give up trying because of difficulties. Moreover, we can promise them some benefits, such as post-war territorial division, trade exchanges, etc., to impress them."

Zheng Xiu's words made Gao Yuan fall into deep thought, and he began to seriously consider Zheng Xiu's suggestions. He knew that Goguryeo was now in a desperate situation, and any possible solution was worth trying.

At this moment, a guard hurried into the hall and reported to Gao Yuan: "Your Majesty, Jia Changsheng's army has launched another attack. Our defense line can still be held for the time being, but I'm afraid it won't last long."

This news was like a bolt from the blue, making the atmosphere in the court even more tense. Gao Yuan's face turned even paler, and he knew that they didn't have much time left.

"Your Majesty, there is no time to lose. We must make a decision as soon as possible." Yizhi Wende said anxiously.

Gao Yuan stood up slowly, his eyes swept across the faces of the ministers one by one. He knew that this decision would determine the fate of Goguryeo, and he had to take on this responsibility. "My dear ministers, thank you all for your advice to Goguryeo. After careful consideration, I decided not to move the capital for the time being. We must defend the royal city and fight to the death with Jia Changsheng's army. At the same time, we must speed up the alliance negotiations with the island countries and strive to gain their support. In addition, we will send people to other neighboring countries to seek their assistance. I believe that as long as we work together, we will be able to overcome this difficulty." Gao Yuan's voice was firm and powerful, as if he had regained his former kingly demeanor.

The ministers knelt down one after another and said in unison: "We are willing to serve our king and live and die with Goguryeo!"

Although he had made the decision, Gao Yuan was still full of worries. He knew that defending the royal city would face huge difficulties and challenges, and the alliance with other forces was also full of uncertainty. But he had no way out, and he could only lead the people and army of Goguryeo to bravely face the coming storm.

In the following days, the capital of Goguryeo was busy. Soldiers stepped up to build fortifications, and civilians took up arms, ready to fight the invaders to the end. At the same time, negotiations for an alliance with the island country were also going on intensely, and envoys were sent to other neighboring countries one after another.

Jia Changsheng's army was waiting outside the city, ready to launch a new round of attack. A life-and-death battle was about to unfold in front of the capital of Goguryeo. No one knew where the fate of Goguryeo would go. But no matter what the outcome, this period of Goguryeo's history would be forever engraved in people's hearts, becoming a tragic and legendary story.

In the majestic and solemn palace of the island country, the atmosphere was heavy and oppressive. A meeting concerning the future direction of the island country was going on intensely. The emperor sat high on the gorgeous throne, wearing complicated and exquisite clothes, wearing a crown symbolizing supreme power, with a stern face and a hint of worry in his deep eyes. Below him, a group of powerful ministers, military generals and counselors knelt neatly on the tatami with serious expressions. The whole hall was filled with a suffocating silence.

The one who broke the silence was the Right Minister Fujiwara Mitsunari. He raised his head slightly and said in an old but steady voice: "Your Majesty, the situation in Goguryeo has become increasingly critical recently. Jia Changsheng's army has been advancing like a hot knife through butter and is now approaching the Goguryeo royal city. If Goguryeo is destroyed, Jia Changsheng's power will surely increase greatly. By then, our island country may become his next target."

The Emperor nodded slightly, his eyes slowly swept over the crowd, and asked softly: "According to your opinions, how should our island nation deal with this crisis?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the left guard general Minamoto no Yoshiyasu stood up impatiently, his posture was straight, his eyes flashing with eagerness: "Your Majesty, I think this is the perfect time for our island nation to show its strength. We should immediately form an alliance with Goguryeo and fight against Jia Changsheng together. If Jia Changsheng really intends to invade our island nation, instead of passively taking a beating, we should take the initiative to attack and unite with Goguryeo to give him a head-on blow before he has completely consolidated his victory."

Minamoto no Yoshiyasu's words were like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up a thousand waves. Some young and energetic generals nodded in agreement, eager to show their skills in this continental dispute and win glory and benefits for the island nation.

However, the cabinet counselor Taira no Kiyomori frowned, slowly stood up, and said respectfully: "Your Majesty, although what General Minamoto no Yoshiyasu said makes some sense, this matter cannot be decided rashly. Alliance with Goguryeo is not just a simple military alliance, it involves many complex conflicts of interest and potential risks. First of all, Goguryeo is now in danger, and its domestic situation is chaotic. We are not sure whether they still have enough strength to fight alongside us. Secondly, Jia Changsheng was able to gain such a huge advantage over Goguryeo in a short period of time. His military talent and strategic layout should not be underestimated. If we rashly get involved in this war and fail to deal with it properly, it is very likely that the island country will fall into an irreparable situation."

Taira no Kiyomori's words calmed down the excited generals and they all fell into deep thought. Although Minamoto no Yoshiyasu was a little dissatisfied, he had to admit that what Taira no Kiyomori said made sense.

At this time, the Minister of Finance Fujiwara no Tadahira spoke with concern: "Your Majesty, from a financial perspective, war means huge expenses. The manufacture of weapons, the preparation of food and fodder, and the salaries of soldiers all require a lot of money. Although the financial situation of our island nation is relatively stable now, if we are involved in a large-scale war, it is really unknown whether we can support it with our current reserves. Moreover, if the war is lost, not only will we suffer heavy losses, but it may also cause domestic unrest."

Fujiwara Tadahira's words were like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the enthusiasm of everyone. Everyone knew that war was not only a contest of military strength, but also a contest of economic strength. Without a solid financial foundation as support, even the most powerful army would find it difficult to fight for a long time.

For a moment, the hall fell into a deathly silence. Everyone looked at each other, and no one dared to speak. The emperor sat quietly on the throne, his face calm, but he was struggling fiercely in his heart. He knew very well that this decision was related to the survival of the island country. If he made the wrong choice, the consequences would be disastrous.

After a long while, the Emperor coughed softly and broke the silence: "My dear ministers, this matter is of great importance. Please allow me to think carefully about it. In the meantime, I hope you can express your opinions and work together for the future of the island nation."

After the court was dismissed, the ministers returned to their respective residences, but they were all thinking about it. Minamoto no Yoshiyasu returned home, sat in his study, looked at the samurai sword in his hand, and felt unwilling. He longed to make achievements on the battlefield and expand the territory for the island nation. Now that such an opportunity was in front of him, he was unable to do it because of various concerns.

Taira no Kiyomori summoned his trusted advisers to continue discussing countermeasures in his residence. They sat around a low table with all kinds of intelligence and maps in front of them, analyzing the pros and cons of the current situation.

Just when everyone was hesitant, a piece of news from the mainland was like a heavy bomb, breaking the peace of the island country again. After conquering many cities of Goguryeo, Jia Changsheng began to build warships and train naval forces on a large scale in coastal areas. This news caused an uproar in the island country, and people realized that Jia Changsheng's ambition might not be limited to Goguryeo, and the island country might really be facing a huge crisis.

(End of this chapter)