“Do you know what counts as a greater matter to a country, Joyless?” Feng Qingyou turned to look at Ye Qing.0

“‘The great matters of the state lie in sacrifice and military affairs’,” Ye Qing quoted from Zuo Tradition.0

“That’s right.”0

Feng Qingyou said indifferently, “Only a war can show off Chu’s strength, and only a sacrifice can rescue Chu’s reputation.”0

“From Chu’s perspective, Yan to the north, Wei to the west, and Qi to the east are all vicious tigers. None of them are good targets to start a war against. On the other hand, Nanjiang to the south is a pushover in their current state. Assuming Chu wants to start something, if Nanjiang is their best—maybe their only—option.”0

“Besides that, the Nanjiang Royal Court is like the maggot in one’s bones even in their declined state. Time and again, they have proven to be a great source of disturbance to Chu. Chu had long since wanted...0