252 – Road to the Emperor (8)
With the official coronation ceremony to be held a month before, Lauren, the court bag, brought me a report.
“This is a report investigating how the new systems introduced by His Majesty are being implemented in the former Imperial Territories. Please confirm.”
Two months ago, I told the administrators to mobilize the military, who had nothing to do and were busy training, to understand the public sentiment and trends in the former imperial territories.
It will take at least 15 more days before it will be time to write a proper report. How did you do that?
So I asked just in case.
“The report came earlier than expected. How did the report get organized so quickly?”
Lauren replied with a sigh.
“It is because the anecdote of Prinz, who became the first secretary rather than the second secretary, spread, and the middle and low-level commanders and administrators in charge of this task worked day and night with their eyes open. Therefore, it seems that there is no time for the non-commissioned officers and bail leafs under his command to be late.”
When I promoted Prinz, I hoped that I could instill the illusion that all the administrators in the middle and lower positions could make a fortune if they did good administrative work.
It seems that the aftermath has even reached the low-ranking officials below.
There is nothing wrong with me that the pace of work has increased, but the old serfs must have had high hopes for a comfortable life as village chiefs, but they must have only regretted not being able to do so.
“From now on, when the scribes make the lower level officials work, ask them to apply for overtime pay if overtime occurs. Even if I can’t give you the same amount of promotion as I worked for, I have to take care of the salary.”
When Lauren heard that, she couldn’t say anything about whether she was shocked to see me encouraging overtime to change even the low-level officials, or if it was shocking to hear that I was considerate to pay them overtime.
But even low-level officials are the ruling class in society, and their salaries come from taxes.
Shouldn’t we have to suffer that much?
From Noble mtl dot com
With that thought in mind, she read the report and found something very interesting in it.
I could never have imagined that not only the guys who settled down in the former imperial village after receiving wives and land after retirement, but also the newly created and dispatched police officers would blend well into rural society.
**
Feynman Village in the former Elean Empire.
For the people living in this village, whether they belonged to the Elaine Empire or the Creutel Empire was not that important.
Because even if their lords and emperors changed anyway, the lives of the serfs would not change much, and they had little loyalty to the country or the lord.
Of course, it would have been a serious problem if the newly established Croytel Empire collected additional taxes from them or committed evil acts such as kidnapping women.
A fairly large town with a population of about 500, 10 retired soldiers from the Creutel Imperial Army, 7 police officers, and a bachelor of public administration who graduated from the academy came into this place.
I have lived in this village for 50 years and have been the village chief for 3 years. When I saw Peter, I thought I would live a life of noticing soldiers dispatched from the center and high-ranking people entering the village.
“Mr. Max, do you still use that old plow? I have a new plow that I bought when I came here, so don’t hesitate to borrow it when plowing the fields.”
“Thank you so much. Soldier…”
“When did you get discharged, do you still say you are a soldier? Although I am farming on my own land given to me, I am a farmer like you, so please treat me comfortably.”
Retired soldiers who married a girl from our village did not hesitate to do the village’s dirty work as farmers, instead of suppressing them with status and orders like the former soldiers of the Elaine Empire, everyone likes them.
As a joke, some guys even joke that the next village chief will be someone who has settled in.
At first, all the villagers, including me, were former soldiers from out of town and had the status of ‘citizen’ who cultivated their own land, but it was burdensome…
As I always did from the beginning, I was happy to see the retired soldiers and the villagers getting along together, and Gale, the eldest of the retired soldiers, approached and asked.
“Chief, are you sick? Enough for today, go in and rest. I’ll have the young guys plow the village chief’s field as well.”
For a moment I almost responded with respectful words like the other serfs, but then I came to my senses.
According to the new status order of the empire, I am also a citizen like them as a village chief belonging to the lowest level of officials.
“It’s okay. No big deal. By the way, when are you guys planning to get married?”
At that, Gail said with his face blushing.
“We decided to be together at once during the harvest festival this year. Anyway, Yurirang is still enjoying her newlywed life day and night whenever she has time, so can’t the wedding be delayed a bit?”
“…Young is good, but do it in moderation. If you do it too vigorously, you won’t have children.”
“Is that so? If so, please tell me at least some good food when making a baby.”
When these guys first came, I felt like a fool to worry that they would use their status as soldiers to abuse or treat married wives badly.
So I was curious one day and asked Sergeant Linson, the head of the police here, and he said yes.
‘If you are caught abusing a wife of low status, His Majesty the Emperor will not let you go. He’s the one who’s seen Ella-sama abused like that before…’
“Looks like you guys have enough energy, kill a wild boar with the villagers. The wild boar meat was so good.”
Hearing that, Gail went to the other veterans and encouraged them.
“The village chief says that wild boar meat is so good when he has children. Let’s plow the fields with the villagers within this week and go hunt wild boars. I have to take care of my father-in-law and elders.”
**
On the way home from farming, I see Sergeant Milton and his policemen repairing Schmitz’s house, which was destroyed yesterday.
Of course, Schmitz felt burdened about the sergeant repairing his house, so he really stopped it.
“Oh, sergeant, please come down from there. I will fix my house, whether it becomes porridge or rice. What would you do if a high-ranking person like the sergeant got hurt while repairing a place like this?”
When the sergeant heard that, he laughed hahahaha and continued hammering with the other cops.
“Even if I look like this, I am a person who served as a sergeant in an engineering unit. I have the confidence to make something like a catapult if I give it time. So don’t worry about getting hurt while helping with the house repairs. Also, Your Majesty commanded, ‘The police are the staff of the people, and help any serf in need.’ I’m just following those orders.”
That sergeant has a big-hearted personality and sometimes feels burdensome, but if it’s His Majesty’s order, he says he’ll follow anything, and when difficulties or dangers arise in the village, he’ll take care of everything himself.
Unlike the previous soldiers who handed out weapons to the villagers when bandits attacked, took the lead and fought, and gave away all credit for victory, thanks to accurately recording and reporting the villagers’ activities. He is the one who made it possible for everyone who participated in the battle to receive several pieces of silver coins and meat from Mr. Bayleep.
Every time that happened, when the villagers tried to express their sincerity with money or expensive items, he said something like this and refused.
‘I am a paid police officer. So I’ll just take your heart.’
And now.
“Jeong then, after fixing the house, please treat us to a bowl of hot porridge, one at a time.”
It is said that a high-ranking person works for the villagers and only receives a bowl of porridge in return.
I wonder if the villagers who watched the scene felt the same way as me, and all looked at the sergeant with moved eyes.
The sergeant continued to repair Schmitz’s house with the other cops.
If you tell the people who died during this war about everything that is happening now, they will laugh, thinking that it is just a joke, saying, ‘Why do soldiers help with village work?’
Thinking again, heh heh.
I am very fortunate to live as a citizen of the Creutel Empire in this town where things I could never have imagined happen before.
**
After reading the report like that, I spoke to the courtier of Lauren in front of me.
“So, how did you deal with the guy who used his prestige to bully the people?”
“When I retired, I returned the property I received to her wife and children, and if her wife and children also participated in it, I took it back altogether. He was kicked out of the village and sentenced to correctional labor for making gunpowder in a gunpowder field. But it’s only about 1%, so it’s nothing to worry about.”
If the punishment was properly done, it wouldn’t be a big problem, and people’s perceptions would change when they saw the police or veterans in other towns.
“Then what about the cops who were particularly exemplary?”
“Twenty-five people, including Sergeant Milton, who received the most conspicuous recommendation, have already been promoted to the first rank and transferred to the police department, and are preparing to compile a police education textbook based on their experiences.”
It is difficult to give instructions as I do not know the modern investigative technique, but the police dispatched to the countryside serve as a minimum security maintenance, defense against bandits, and support in case of inconvenience to the serfs.
In modern Korea, the role of police + fire + disaster support is combined.
If these people act as sticks for the people, wouldn’t it increase trust towards the country among the people and even create patriotism?
So, I hope that the people who were not interested in who became the emperor before will come to have a crush on the Emperor of Croytel, thank him for being his people, and hope to live as a citizen of the Croytel Empire for a long time to come.
Aside from that, food support and civil engineering works are continuing successfully, so next month, as planned… I will finally be able to wear the emperor’s crown on my head.