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However, he did not expect to be rebutted by the other party, leaving himself and the entire court of civil and military officials, over a hundred people, speechless, unable to find any words to counter Lu Chen's argument. Moreover, Lu Chen's earlier remarks were filled with momentum, comparing himself to the Champion Marquis, with an undeniable confidence that was unprecedented. It was clear that Lu Chen was not only capable but also eloquent, adept at introducing points and refuting others.
Furthermore, Lu Chen's words were not offensive; they were not exaggerated. Indeed, during the Former Han Dynasty, there was a Champion Marquis who was granted the title at the age of seventeen. This individual possessed extraordinary strength and commanded troops like a deity, leading military campaigns westward and causing the Hundred Nations of the Western Regions to be unable to raise their heads.
The deeds of the Champion Marquis had long been recorded in history; anyone who had read the classics would certainly know of them.
"Oh? The Champion Marquis?"
Chu Mang was somewhat taken aback, not expecting Lu Chen to be so sharp-tongued, giving him such a show of strength upon their first meeting.
Indeed, he had intended to use Lu Chen's age to mock him, hoping to diminish his prestige. If he succeeded in humiliating Lu Chen, then Lu Chen's presence in the palace would be significantly less imposing, making it easier for them to manipulate him.
However, what Chu Mang did not anticipate was Lu Chen's strong reaction. He cited examples and spoke logically, not only rebutting him but also leaving him utterly speechless. Even the entire court of civil and military officials found themselves unable to counter Lu Chen.
Chu Mang felt as if he had attempted something and ended up being outmaneuvered instead. He secretly regretted that among his numerous civil and military officials, none could compare in talent to the Loyalty Duke from the Daiwa Dynasty; even a simple contest would have sufficed. At this moment, he truly felt disheartened.
What surprised him even more was that the real challenge was yet to come. From the moment Lu Chen entered the palace, he had been prepared to undermine Chu Mang's authority. Now that Chu Mang had taken the lead, there was no need for him to hold back; he could directly elaborate on his points before everyone.
"Your Majesty," Lu Chen began, "is age truly so important in your eyes? Do you believe that only those who grow old and gain respect can achieve great things? I have already provided a typical example: the Champion Marquis. It is clear that one does not need to be old to accomplish great deeds. Moreover, it has always been young people who are envied; who ever envies an old man? May I ask everyone here, who has ever envied an increasingly aged old fool?" Lu Chen spoke with conviction, questioning everyone present.
Upon hearing this, the crowd felt even more guilty. Lu Chen's words were indisputable; it had always been youth that garnered envy—who would envy aging? Aging brings various declines in physical functions, poor eyesight, diminished memory, and so on.
When comparing the advantages of old versus young individuals, it was immediately clear which side prevailed; there was no need for further announcements or deliberations.
Lu Chen's remarks were both loud and pointedly sarcastic towards all the elderly present. The implication was unmistakable: while these old men prided themselves on their wisdom and respectability, when it came down to critical moments, it was still the young who had to bear the burden. The recent sanctions imposed by the Great Zhou Court on several nations and their blockade against currency outflow served as a prime example.
At that time, several nations found themselves in dire straits—economic hardship led to widespread suffering among the populace as goods became worthless compared to silver coins. Ultimately, they resorted to imitating methods from the Daiwa Dynasty and adopted counter-sanction strategies to finally overcome their difficulties.
And behind all these maneuvers was none other than Lu Chen himself; this fact had long been well-known within the palace of Korea—everyone knew that Lu Chen was a remarkable talent.
Now standing here before them was Lu Chen himself, mocking them all. Yet even with such actions taken by Lu Chen, they found themselves unable to respond effectively; they could only acknowledge that his words were indeed sharp and his reactions unprecedentedly swift.
They had no idea that Lu Chen, the Loyalty Duke from the Daiwa Dynasty, was not only renowned but also sharp-tongued. When he spoke, his words were concise and direct, cutting to the heart of the matter, leaving others with no chance to resist; it was quite domineering.
At this moment, several old ministers wanted to explode in anger but found no reason to do so because the examples Lu Chen provided were all facts. What could they use to refute him? Chu Mang glanced at the Civil and Military Officials below and immediately shook his head.
Chu Mang's shaking of his head revealed too much. Firstly, it indicated that he had accepted defeat; he could not win a verbal battle against Lu Chen, so he had no choice but to let it go. Secondly, he felt disappointed in his ministers; at a critical moment, they had become useless.
As it stood, it seemed unlikely that they could gain any advantage in words or diminish Lu Chen's prestige.
Chu Mang understood the stakes involved and decided to move on, directly engaging with Lu Chen in a friendly manner.
Chu Mang asked several questions about the Daiwa Dynasty, covering politics, people's livelihoods, and construction. He even mentioned the health issues of Emperor Sun Zizhao of Yamato. However, Lu Chen did not hide anything or exaggerate; he answered truthfully.
Indeed, what he said was factual, and there was no need to conceal anything. Firstly, it was true that the Daiwa Dynasty had just been established. Moreover, fundamentally speaking, the Daiwa Dynasty lacked substantial heritage compared to countries like Korea and Great Qi that rose from vassal states; after all, their depth was evident. This depth included not just wealth but many other factors.
One of these factors was royal aura. Royal aura is not something that can be casually acquired; it is gathered over time. For instance, Jianzhou currently possesses royal aura because it was once the capital of Korea and housed several generations of kings from different surnames. Once one enters this place, they can faintly sense an intangible air of nobility—something Baiyang City could never compare to Jianzhou City.
However, when discussing economic matters, Lu Chen spoke truthfully without any deceit. His words once again shocked all the civil and military officials present because in their imagination, how could Baiyang City develop to such an extent in such a short time? It was simply unbelievable that it could rival Jianzhou City.
In their view, regardless of how well governance was executed or how much manpower, resources, and finances were spent, achieving such a level seemed impossible. They even began to suspect that Lu Chen was lying and intentionally boasting about his country to slap them in the face.
But looking at Lu Chen's expression—so sincere—it was impossible to detect any signs of deception; this truly puzzled them.
After some discussion and with nothing more to address for now, Chu Mang concluded the morning court session and dismissed the civil and military officials. Later on, Chu Mang hosted a banquet in the palace for Lu Chen, the esteemed guest from the Daiwa Dynasty. The banquet took place within the palace but not in Weiyang Palace.
Just as the banquet reached its midpoint, a special person arrived uninvited. This person did not come by request but barged in.
This individual was none other than Chu Yuzhu. Without seeking any permission, she walked straight in and approached the dining table.
"Prince, I am currently hosting guests from the Daiwa Dynasty here; what are you doing? You just walked in like this; it's truly unreasonable," Chu Mang said on the surface as if scolding her, yet his expression showed no seriousness at all, indicating he was used to this behavior.
"Hmph, a guest from the Daiwa Dynasty, acting so grandly without any of the etiquette a guest should have. I want to see who it is."
Chu Yuzhu walked over casually and directly looked at Lu Chen. At that moment, Lu Chen also glanced over, and their eyes met. Suddenly, Chu Yuzhu froze, staring blankly, unable to react for a while.
"It's you, how could it be you?" After a long pause, Chu Yuzhu finally reacted, pointing at Lu Chen with an expression of shock and anger.
She had recognized Lu Chen; how could she not? However, she never expected that this so-called guest from the Daiwa Dynasty would be Lu Chen, the one who had once been beaten under her command and served as a punching bag, now turned Marquis.
"Prince, what is your attitude? Do you know Lord Lu?" Chu Mang asked in surprise, not expecting Chu Yuzhu to have such a reaction. It seemed that there was some acquaintance between Chu Yuzhu and Lu Chen, and their relationship appeared to be quite significant.
"I know him, of course I know him. How could I not?" Chu Yuzhu sneered and glanced at Chu Mang, clearly indicating that he was unaware of the situation. However, at this moment, she did not intend to reveal everything.
On the other side, Lu Chen sat in his chair, turning his head away and showing no intention of acknowledging Chu Yuzhu. For some reason, this unreasonable and willful princess made him feel extremely uncomfortable.
Chu Mang chuckled at Lu Chen and said, "Ah, it's all my poor teaching; it's entirely my fault. I hope Lord Lu won't take it to heart." With that, Chu Mang wore a smile full of apologies; he felt helpless regarding Chu Yuzhu.
Lu Chen smiled back at Chu Mang. He understood Chu Yuzhu's personality and how she had developed it. Therefore, he didn't bother to take it to heart. After all, this trip to the Western Seven States was merely for leisure and to foster friendship between the Daiwa Dynasty and Korea. After all, they would soon become part of the Alliance Army and would stand together to fight against the Great Zhou Dynasty.
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