235 – Emperor Election and Change (2)
Crown Prince’s Mansion, Drawing Room.
“I’m sorry for bringing you back in such a hurry, since you had a hard time facing the cold wind from the north not long ago. However, the work was so urgent that I had no choice but to do so.”
“If your Majesty calls, I will come running not from Stockholm but even from the end of the world. It’s natural. “You don’t have to worry about it.”
“Thank you so much for saying that. Actually, I have a lot of schedules other than talking to you. “Let’s take the time to talk about the current situation later.”
Even in modern Korea, when high-ranking people meet for a conference or something like that, it is extremely rare for them to immediately start talking about the topic they want to discuss.
You can at least gain the favor of the person you want to have a serious conversation with by first asking what the other person is up to and pretending to care about them.
As these things pile up one by one, there are often cases where the conditions one asks for are accepted on the grounds of ‘personal favor’ even if they are slightly unfavorable to the other party.
Especially in the Reich Empire, where the caste system and excessive rituals are alive, even if you meet people who clearly dislike each other, it is polite to pretend to be friendly and be very curious and ask about their current situation before discussing anything.
If His Majesty the Crown Prince wants to skip all of that, how urgent and serious is the problem?
“Huh, I don’t know if you knew this, but my father, or rather, His Majesty, was thinking that after completing this conquest, he would step down from his position as emperor because he was old. And look at this.”
Your Highness gave me a letter whose seal had already been broken, and inside it was written the following.
[The election to select the next emperor will begin, so do your best.]
Even if it is a letter from a father to his son, the fact that it does not contain any flowery language or asks for well-being means that it is a secret letter.
This indicates that preparations for the emperor election will now begin in earnest…
From noble mtl dot com
“A secret letter informing you in advance that His Majesty will begin the election of emperors… But may I ask why you need me?”
In Korea, people in public positions such as civil servants and soldiers are prohibited by law from joining or participating in political parties.
The reason it is completely blocked is because if public officials engage in political activities or support a specific political party and form a group, it can cause great confusion in national administration.
In the Empire, noble officials who are civil servants are rarely punished even if they meet someone and campaign by asking them to ‘support Prince 00’ when electing the Emperor.
Officers and generals with the authority to move the military have titles and have the authority to vote in elections, but they are subject to such strong regulations that if they engage in campaigning or similar activities, they are sentenced to death after a simple trial.
It may seem like a law that is only too advantageous to bureaucrats, but I think it is very reasonable considering that soldiers can directly move soldiers to rebel at any time for the emperor candidate they support.
“I’d like to get some advice. As a prince, I also have military knowledge equivalent to an academy course, and I have even planned wars and commanded them myself a few times.”
“Looking at it objectively, I don’t know your strategy or tactical knowledge, but your insight is better than that of a staff officer who graduated from the staff college, but not worse.”
“When you say that, it seems like it really is. Still, I don’t know much about the military. But among the people I have to persuade in this election, aren’t there people like you who have the title of ‘soldier’? “They may not be able to participate in the campaign, but they have the right to vote.”
His Royal Highness said so and looked at me with eyes full of desire for the power of the emperor.
I read in his eyes a different nature of greed and obsession than what I felt on the battlefield, and a strong desire for the throne that I would take at any cost. For a moment, I was so shocked that I was shocked.
If you are to become the crown prince, or rather the emperor, of a country, is it necessary to live with this level of darkness?
At the same time, only one corner of His Majesty’s mouth turned up with a grin.
He was smiling like a villain.
“Soldiers are honestly not that interested in politics because of the laws of the empire. Also, as Your Highness knows, unlike the imperial officials, if they have the ability, even nobles with no political inclinations can wear four stars and rise to the rank of Marshal and Minister of Military Affairs. Even a commoner orphan like me already has 4 stars.”
With those words, I slightly tilted my body so that the rank badge on my shoulder could be clearly seen, and His Majesty smiled brightly upon seeing that.
I think he made a gesture saying, ‘I have a share in that rank badge, too.’ But I pretended not to see it and continued talking.
“So, in order to politically persuade the soldiers of the empire, you only need to guarantee one thing. How will Your Majesty take care of the soldiers and how will they lead to victory? We cannot participate in politics at all. In the end, in order to succeed, we must establish military merit, and for us, His Majesty the Emperor, who provides support that guarantees victory, is the best military leader for us.”
For the serfs, the best king is the one who reduces taxes or increases their wealth, and for the nobles, the person chosen as the best prince is the emperor who increases their territory and expands their wealth.
He is never incompetent because he only likes people, or he is not a person who truly cares and loves the people.
Caring for and loving the people and nobles is a very good and desirable attitude for an emperor.
If you live under someone like that, and your fields and assets are lost because of barbarians, the end result is the same as being exploited by a tyrant, but you end up penniless, even if the process is different.
Similar logic naturally applies to soldiers like me.
“Jiwon, Jiwon. Obviously, no matter how good the command is, if there is no material support, it is of no use. So what kind of support do you need? “I think something like a salary increase for officers would be okay.”
“Even if you only have one so-called rank insignia, you can earn enough to live comfortably outside the imperial castle. So, if you want to raise it, it is right to raise the salaries of non-commissioned officers and soldiers first.”
“… Separately from the election, I will consider it when I become emperor. So, what do you need?”
“You just need to show the illusion that if you prove your ability, you will be promoted regardless of politics. In addition, when the previous emperors promoted officers, didn’t they only evaluate their achievements in battle?”
At least now, His Majesty’s Majesty’s achievements are not limited to those achieved directly on the battlefield, such as killing someone in battle or winning a war.
Although they are making an effort to generously evaluate rear support work, such as managing supplies well to prevent soldiers on the battlefield from starving or recommending outstanding personnel.
When I look at it calmly, in war, both tasks such as supply, personnel, and management in the rear and fighting on the battlefield are important.
This is because in war, if you do not fight bravely, you will be defeated by the enemy even if you have sufficient support, and even if you perform a hundred times a day, regardless of whether you are a soldier, non-commissioned officer, or officer, if your supply is cut off, you will be gone.
“Unlike in the past, now the winner of a war is determined by who receives better support from the rear. This is because the capabilities of the generals of all countries, including the Reich Empire, are mostly similar.”
“You reported that the siege of Oslo Castle was possible because of Captain Keitel’s rear support, right?”
“I don’t know how many officers will be able to grow up like him, but if there are more generals and officers of a similar type, more bold and detailed battles will be possible in the future. And it is believed that this superiority will be of great help to the Reich Empire in gaining hegemony on the Europa continent.”
His Royal Highness’s eyes sparkled when he heard the words “Continental hegemony.”
“Supremacy, yes… When I became emperor, I gave it to those damn Austrians and other island nations who eat eel jelly, mint, and sugar-boiled sauce on their steaks and bread… ‘It’s not sacred. “We can’t allow people to say things like, ‘It’s not an empire, it’s not a successor to the great Reich’…”
…… Our empire is militarily strong enough to honestly be called an ’empire’ and has accumulated enormous wealth.
Honestly, when I look at a person like Captain Patton, I wonder if he is ‘holy’, but I nodded and pretended to deeply sympathize.
“Okay, then, as you said, we will announce that from now on, those who are good at rear support or management work will be able to be promoted based on their abilities.”
“Thank you, and there is one more thing I would like to say.”
“Tell me anything.”
“I think it would be a good idea to recommend General Gernhard von Keitel for the position of Minister of Military Affairs. “It will be the best proof that His Majesty attaches importance to rear support and management.”
Hearing those words, Jeon Jeon asked with a questioning look on his face.
“I was thinking of appointing your father-in-law as Minister of Military Affairs. Would that be okay?”
“It is true that your father-in-law is a very good soldier, but considering that supply will be more important than combat in future wars. And Captain Kaitel is two years older than my father-in-law, so wouldn’t my father-in-law be able to become Minister of Military Affairs in about three years… I think you’ll understand.”
“Let’s do it in that direction.”