Duke Yan Sheng had no idea how to refute.
The main problem was that Xu Qing had cited classics and pointed out those archaic phrases of surrender in their family records, which any somewhat historically grounded aristocratic family could verify, and the Imperial Family surely had corresponding records.
These stale and trivial matters would have gone unmentioned and forgotten by everyone.
Which aristocratic family hadn't surrendered?
But the issue was that the article was bluntly accusing the North Kong, in their faces, with rationale and evidence.
"Duke Yan Sheng, this won't do. Xu Gongming, on his own, infiltrated the East Sea Gang's ship and emerged unscathed, showing the bravery of a Middle Ages' tiger from Jiangdong, and with Jiangning Prefecture thousands of miles away, how can we possibly execute him?" An elder soberly stated, clarifying the stakes.
Other elders also began to come to their senses.
