342 – Khan – 3
The emperor, who used the Imperial Bag to draw public opinion on the start of the war, declared the conquest of the north, not just subjugation of nomads. Even if the army is moved for the purpose of subjugation, agitation will spread among the nobles, but the situation has made conquest far beyond subjugation as a strategic goal. Even the aristocrats who were swept away by public opinion were inevitably taken aback.
“The loyalty of the Lords is truly something that will be left to posterity. I am also moved by this beautiful loyalty.”
But now, ‘Your Majesty, that’s a bit much.’ It is impossible to say Public opinion is already open. It was not even the emperor’s arbitrary request, but the voluntary request of the nobles. If he tried to dissuade the emperor here, he would become a traitor who uttered two words with one mouth and scorned the emperor.
“Sending the empire’s loyal soldiers to the north cannot be taken lightly. It is necessary to discuss the detailed organization of the expeditionary force. There are many loyalists who rushed to the sudden call, so let’s take a break from discussing it. I’ll do it after I’m drunk.”
With those words, the emperor turned around. After dropping the bomb and sending the nobles into a panic, he gave them time to organize an expeditionary force to conquer the north.
There is only one choice for nobles now. They earnestly hope that the expeditionary force to be organized, including their own soldiers, will win, contributing to the further strengthening of the Empire’s destiny. If the expeditionary force is defeated, it is the fall of the imperial power, it is a nabal, and the empire is just ruined. In order for nobles to enjoy the power they have now, the empire must also live.
So, the nobles began to meditate alone with serious faces, or to gather in groups and start whispering. Since it is impossible to overturn public opinion, he must be looking for a way to increase his win rate.
“Hey.”
“Yes?”
While watching the nobles like that, the minister touched my shoulder.
“Come out for a second. It’s very frustrating to be here.”
A minister leaving the conference room with the other department heads. The look on his face before he turned around was a mixture of confusion, helplessness, and subtle anger.
This is something that will steal your soul if you attach a quadruple for no reason. Let’s follow along To be honest, I have no intention of whispering in a place where hundreds of people gather.
Outside the great meeting room, there were already a bunch of nobles or bureaucrats scattered all over the place. It is rare for cultured aristocrats to openly discuss things like that, but now is the time to discuss the affairs of the entire empire, not factional fights. It doesn’t matter who hears it or not.
Thanks to this, the executives of the Ministry of Finance were able to have discussions confidently without having to visit a secret room.
“The conquest itself seems to be sincere. It’s not a name to draw something out.”
Since there were other department heads, the minister opened his mouth respectfully. And at the words of the minister, the other department heads shed their silence.
The directors must also know that the minister was summoned by the minister of the Imperial Household before this call-up order. Even until the emperor’s official declaration, ‘Is this a hidden camera?’ There was a possibility of turning the happiness circuit, but even that possibility disappeared when the minister who was supposed to have received the words of the minister of the palace gave a definite answer.
The Declaration of Northern Conquest is not a show to induce concessions and obedience from nobles. Seriously, it became the goal of the empire.
“The Empire has pioneered northern territories over the past 300 years, but the northern region is incomparably vaster than those pioneered territories. Is it really possible to conquer such a territory?”
At the words of the collection manager, who was still confused, the deliberation manager gave a short answer.
“Wouldn’t your clever majesty have taken our concerns into account?”
If you look at it from the outside, you’ll refute it, but if you look inside, you’ll say, ‘I don’t know either.’ It was a bittersweet reply. Because the collection director’s personal opinion was made into our opinion in an instant. Even the head of the deliberation department thinks that conquering the north would be a very difficult task.
Of course I think so too. Looking at the entire history of possession, it is safe to say that there was a time when a settled state repulsed the invasion of nomads, but there was no history of annexing nomads’ strongholds. Unlike sedentary countries, which have an obvious weakness called the capital, nomads do not have a clear base or strategic point. Where do you have to conquer to be called conquest?
No, it’s dog sh*t there in the first place. Even if you conquer it, it would not be an economic benefit, but only a sunk cost, would it? Would the empire have pioneered the north little by little?
“As for that conquest—”
The Minister, who looked at the disquieting reactions of the collection and review department heads and the dark complexion of the other directors, spoke in a quiet voice.
“You’re aiming for indirect influence, not direct conquest.”
“Indirect, you mean?”
At the question of the collection manager, the minister silently nodded.
‘Indirect sphere of influence?’
What are you talking about again? Isn’t it indirectly affecting the way before the Great Subjugation War?
It would be difficult for an emperor to talk about conquest in a gathering of all high-ranking officials and stop there. It could give the nobles the perception that the emperor was bluffing.
“Maybe the North fills the thirteenth spot in Asilon.”
‘Ah.’
As soon as I heard that, I understood.
***
A reception room near the conference room. It was not enough place for the emperor of the empire to stay, but the emperor sat down and drank tea casually.
What can I do if my father is fine? The emperor does not stay in a noble place, but the place where an emperor stays is a noble place.
“Prince.”
“Yes, Your Majesty the Father.”
“You seem to have a lot to say.”
I shuddered at one word from the indifferent father.
I tried to restrain myself as much as possible, but in the eyes of my father, I looked like a restless kid. Am I lacking, or is the father’s discernment beyond imagination?
“…With my lack of knowledge, it was difficult to understand the meaning of the emperor, so I questioned it for a while.”
After keeping his mouth shut for a while, he frankly brushed off his feelings.
I can understand Father’s declaration of war. If the nomads, who had been defeated in the last war and reunited, were persuaded with words, there would be room for the nomads to look down on the empire. Nomads who are aiming for the second reverse heaven must be suppressed by force.
However, subjugation and conquest are on a different level. Subjugation is enough to wipe out the nomads of the anti-imperialist and step out, but conquest requires the empire to manage and control the vast and desolate north. You get a land that doesn’t exist as a base, and you have to invest a lot of troops and astronomical funds to maintain it.
“The Crown Prince’s question is legitimate. It’s rather strange not to have such a question.”
The father showed no resentment at the question of his successor. He just gave a small congratulations saying it was a reasonable question.
“The light of Livno Bay will certainly cover the north, but it is not something to be achieved with the blood of soldiers.”
But the emperor said something even more incomprehensible. It’s not something that the father who declared the war with imperial troops at the front won’t achieve it with blood, then what the hell will you do to subjugate the khan and conquer the north?
I’d rather have thought that if the emperor had mentioned peace, he would have wanted a cold peace by deploying an entire army on the border. Nomads will not be able to penetrate the mountainous terrain and fortresses of the north for the nomads to go south, and the empire only guards the borders and draws attention to the nomads. Then you can achieve a strange and strange peace.
‘Not even that.’
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However, half-peace is impossible from the moment the war is declared in front of the nobles. You must see the blood.
“The time when a human can give up even his life is when the safety of his country, his faith, and his family is at stake.”
While he remained silent, the emperor opened his mouth again.
“The forces gathered by the self-proclaimed khan weightlifters are tribes that did not lend their strength to the rebels in the past great subjugation war. They have neither the conviction to establish a nomadic state nor the will to restore the nomadic faith. “
He had no choice but to agree. How cheered the tribes who raised the banner of anti-imperial must have been when the reverse angel put the empire in crisis. Even in the midst of this, if they did not join the Reverse Heavenrs at the end, it can be seen that they have a faint antipathy towards the nomadic nation, religion, or empire.
“Then, what is left of them is their family. If that includes family safety and personal gain, then they will gladly be embraced by the Empire.”
It’s just that the empire is far away and the khan is close to them.
After adding that, the emperor put the teacup to his mouth again.
‘Empire is far away, Khan is near.’
And the last words of the father kept ringing in my ears.
***
After all the nobles outside returned to the great meeting room, the emperor appeared shortly thereafter. Sitting on the throne again, the emperor looked around at the nobles with eyes that could not read any emotions. It’s as if the figure is ‘prove your loyalty because I gave you time.’ If it seems like a pressure, is it because of my mood?
And as if I wasn’t the only one who felt that feeling, the nobles all at once said that they would dedicate private soldiers and military funds to the emperor. He prostrated himself willingly to give his own in order to show the stability of the Empire and the steadfastness of the Mandate of Heaven. If you can’t stop the war, you have to get in the eyes of the emperor as much as possible or prepare a foothold to claim your share of victory.
“Your loyalty is truly beautiful. The grace bestowed by the great emperor on your ancestors is the blessing of the imperial family and the empire.”
“I understand your feelings, but unfortunately, if your brave soldiers are away, the kingdoms of the East will have empty hearts.”
“It is not moral to make soldiers come a long way to fight bravely in the north. There are many ways to prove your loyalty, so don’t be discouraged.”
Amid the rush of voluntary tax payments, the emperor leisurely made his choices. Troops he can take with him, troops that come to the border when he is away, and cases where he needs to receive more funds than troops, etc. The emperor put together the gifts of nobles on the spot without hindrance.
The nobles had a bitter look on their faces, but what should they do? If you twist it, you should become an emperor.
“The imperial family must also repay the determination and dedication of all the servants. The Minister of War, keep in mind the participation of the Northern Army, as well as the Western Army and the Central Army.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
In the meantime, the emperor showed his will to mobilize not only the local army composed of private soldiers of the lords, but also the central army under the emperor’s control.
An order to build an expeditionary force while reviewing all central forces except for the eastern armies facing the eastern kingdoms and the southern armies, which are far from the north and are naval-oriented. It’s to the point where I’m stunned by the scale of being called really determined. Just looking at the simple numbers, it might be equal to or better than the last war.
“And as many legions go out, we’ll need a field inspector.”
At those words, my gaze turned to the minister inadvertently. Because it was the minister who was the 4th section of the inspection department at the time who participated as a military inspector in the last war.
Of course, it wasn’t because the emperor didn’t trust the military that he appointed an inspector. In order to send as many special forces as possible, even if sent to the north at the same time, other countries and civilians would not be surprised, the old system of inspectors was brought up. Coincidentally, the Minister belongs to the Inspection Department and is a titled nobleman, so it was perfect as a wartime inspector.
And it seems that the inspector system will be used in this war as well. Well, I’m determined anyway, and I need as much power as possible to attack the north—
“I order Karl Krasius, Director of the Inspection Department, to serve as the Military Inspector.
Gee…?
‘What is it?’
Why does my name appear there?
“Your Majesty. Let me know, Hwang Gong-hao, but a war inspector can only be a titled aristocrat who has received the royal family’s favor—”
“The achievements made over the past few years by the Director of the Inspection Department are very great. Karl Krasius, the head of the Inspection Department, is bestowed with the title of Wei Lydia, and at the same time appointed as the Earl of Wei Lydia. This is a title of succession that can be passed on to his descendants. Am.”
At the Minister of Justice’s tackle, the emperor conferred the title without hesitation.
‘Crazy.’
No sh*t, what the hell is this?
Of course, the desire to kill Dorgon is like a chimney. So, I thought of finding out if there would be any justification for me to participate in the war once the call-up order was over.
Still, I couldn’t have imagined a situation like this.
“Karl Krasius of Wiridia. As a warlord, observe the ideals of the expeditionary force and do your best for stability in the north. I believe you will do just as well as the Count who participated in the last subjugation war.”
The emperor’s words sounded like a confirmed kill.