I've announced that I'm destined to have many children, and my father has bestowed upon me

Su Zongze's words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, creating towering waves in the main hall.

All the officials and military officers were horrified.

Recruit guards from prominent families?

This is no longer cutting off flesh; this is clearly digging up the roots of all powerful and wealthy families!

It should be understood that these guards, personal soldiers, and even suicide squads are the foundation upon which major aristocratic families rely for their livelihood and the last line of defense for maintaining their status and wealth.

If they were all incorporated into the new army and sent to the battlefield, and suffered heavy losses, these aristocratic families would be like tigers with their teeth pulled, losing all their deterrent power.

At that time, even before the Great Xia Dynasty attacks, a bloodbath will likely erupt within the Great Zhou Dynasty!

"No! Absolutely not!"

Zhang Cheng, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, jumped out almost instinctively. His face flushed red, and he hurriedly bowed to Zhao Chen'an.

"Your Highness, Prime Minister Su's plan is far too cruel! It may shake the very foundation of the nation!"

"Yes, Your Highness. The powerful families in the capital are deeply entrenched and wield immense influence. If we were to force them into rebellion, the consequences would be unimaginable!"

"Your Highness, please reconsider!"

Immediately, voices of agreement filled the hall.

These officials, whether they had intricate connections with powerful families or were simply concerned about the stability of the Great Zhou Dynasty, all disapproved of Su Zongze's treacherous plan to undermine the dynasty's stability.

Although the retired generals did not speak, their tense faces revealed their inner turmoil.

They are not afraid of fighting, but they are afraid that their own backyard will catch fire first.

In the entire main hall, only three people remained calm.

One was Su Zongze, who proposed the plan and then remained silent, seemingly uninvolved.

One is Mo Yuqing, who remained indifferent from the beginning and end, as if everything had nothing to do with her.

The last one is Zhao Chen'an, who sits in the main seat.

He ignored the fierce objections from the officials below the hall, simply twirling the Wei King's token between his fingers before tossing it lightly and catching it steadily.

A crisp clinking sound rang out in the noisy main hall. It wasn't loud, but it made everyone's heart skip a beat.

The argument abruptly ended.

All eyes were once again focused on the young King of Wei.

Zhao Chen'an finally stood up, looked around at everyone, and finally fixed his gaze on Su Zongze.

He smiled.

"Prime Minister Su's plan is excellent."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Cheng and the others turned ashen-faced.

Zhao Chen'an didn't give them a chance to speak again and continued.

"I understand your concerns, my lords."

He paused, then changed the subject, exuding a powerful sense of determination.

"But when the nation is in peril, if the skin is gone, where will the fur attach?"

"Those powerful families, enjoying the protection of the Great Zhou Dynasty, monopolize all walks of life, and suck the blood of the people, are already richer than a country."

"Now, the Great Zhou is at a critical juncture of life and death. Shouldn't we ask them to contribute manpower and money?"

"As for offending them..."

A hint of amusement crept into Zhao Chen'an's smile.

"I'm perfect for being the villain!"

I'm perfect for the job!

These words resonated deeply, each one striking a chord in everyone's hearts.

He was a Prince of Wei who was unable to cultivate, always lived a life of seclusion, and was pampered by his father, the Emperor.

In everyone's eyes, he was the prince with the least power and the easiest to manipulate.

Having him issue this order would indeed minimize direct conflict between the royal family and the aristocratic families.

After all, who would take a "nonsensical" and useless prince seriously?

But looking at Zhao Chen'an at this moment, with his composure and decisive demeanor, who would dare to really regard him as a good-for-nothing?

This is clearly the sharpest knife!

A sword personally wielded by His Majesty, used to sever the deep-seated and intractable diseases of the Great Zhou!

Zhao Chen'an stopped looking at the surprised and uncertain faces of the crowd and made his own plans.

Offend powerful families?

He doesn't care at all.

Let whoever wants to be the emperor of this Great Zhou Dynasty be it.

My father, Emperor Zhao Daoting, is now a Dragon Transformation Realm expert with a lifespan of several hundred years, and is in the prime of his life.

Who knows how many years it will be before he grows old?

Moreover, his goal has never been the throne of this mere dynasty.

The Hunyuan Sect, that vast world, is where he will venture in the future.

When the children of himself and his wives are born in the future, they will all be prodigies with divine bodies and Dao embryos. He can just pick one with a strong sense of responsibility and hand him over to his father to be raised into the next emperor.

He took on the infamy of offending all the powerful and influential, in exchange for a glimmer of hope for the Great Zhou Dynasty.

It would also be a great way to help the Emperor get rid of these parasites that were sucking the lifeblood of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Thinking of this, Zhao Chen'an glanced at the composed Su Zongze.

That old fox, he probably already discussed it with the Emperor, didn't he?

The emperor and his minister, singing in unison, were just waiting for their respective "knife handles" to slip into their trap.

So be it.

I'll pawn this knife!

"Prime Minister Su".

Zhao Chen'an spoke, breaking the silence in the hall.

Su Zongze bowed deeply, adopting an extremely humble posture.

"Your old minister is here."

"The conscription order is issued in the name of my Prince Wei's Mansion. The subsequent reception, reorganization, and logistical support of the troops will be entrusted to Prime Minister Su and the other officials."

Zhao Chen'an tossed the Wei King's Decree in his hand directly to Su Zongze.

Su Zongze tremblingly reached out his hands and solemnly accepted the token, a look of heartfelt excitement and relief appearing on his aged face.

He bowed deeply, his voice strong and clear.

"Your Highness is truly virtuous! This old minister... obeys!"

"We obey Your Highness's orders!"

Upon seeing this, the Ministry of War officials and veteran generals dared not raise any further objections and bowed in unison.

The tide has turned!

……

The next fifteen days.

The entire Great Zhou Dynasty was in an uproar.

Under Liu Ruoshuang's personal command, thousands of students from the Jixia Academy set off for every corner of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

With the most impassioned words and the most eloquent pronouncements, they spread the news of the perilous situation on the border, the wolfish ambitions of the Great Xia Dynasty, and the tragic grandeur of Emperor Zhou's personal expedition throughout the land.

"Wind! Wind! Strong wind!"

"Heroic Old Zhou, let's face this national crisis together!"

Ancient war songs are being sung once again by countless people in the fields, in the streets, and in the schools and study rooms.

The long-dormant fighting spirit was awakened.

Countless passionate young people bid farewell to their parents, packed their bags, and walked towards the hopeful land called "Beijing".

Countless white-haired veterans, long since retired from the military, polished their dusty weapons, donned their outdated armor, and resolutely embarked on their journey home amidst the tears of their families.

In an instant, the official roads leading to the capital were filled with a continuous stream of people.

Meanwhile, within the capital city, undercurrents were surging.

One after another, conscription orders bearing the seal of the King of Wei were sent to hundreds of aristocratic residences of all sizes in the capital.

Cries, curses, and the sounds of objects being smashed filled the luxurious mansions day and night.

"Zhao Chen'an! This is outrageous!"

"What right does this useless prince have! What right does he have to threaten the foundation of my royal family!"

"My Li family is irreconcilably opposed to him!"

However, cursing is one thing.

With Prime Minister Su Zongze personally overseeing the operation and mobilizing the full cooperation of the capital's government offices, no aristocratic family dared to openly disobey orders.

They could only watch helplessly as their carefully trained guards and personal soldiers were taken away from the mansion in squads and brought into the camp on the outskirts of the capital.

The camp, which had been somewhat empty due to the departure of 100,000 imperial guards, became bustling with activity again in just over ten days.

The shouts of new recruits and the commands of veterans, mixed with the clanging of clashing weapons, rose day and night, soaring into the sky.

Throughout the Great Zhou Dynasty, this ancient and massive war machine, driven by Zhao Chen'an, began to operate at an unprecedented speed.

at the same time.

Heishui Pass, located on the border thousands of miles away.

The majestic pass stands tall between heaven and earth, and on its walls, the Great Zhou's Black Bird Battle Banner flutters in the biting cold wind.

Wearing a black dragon robe, Zhao Daoting stood alone on the city wall, his hands behind his back, gazing at the boundless plains beyond the pass.

He has been here for three days.

Just then, a messenger rushed up the city wall with a nervous expression and knelt on one knee.

"His Majesty!"

The messenger's voice trembled slightly.

"The Great Xia dragon flag has been spotted thirty li outside the pass!"