Chapter 108: The Fate of Tyranny

From this chapter, the second volume begins... does anyone still have a monthly ticket?

The massive, heavy palace doors, when closed, seemed to seal off all the air from the outside world. The ceiling, a full six meters high and arched, was embedded with uneven patterns that felt ancient and solemn. The murals and reliefs left by the most famous masters of various eras on the walls merged seamlessly with the arched ceiling, creating a singular, unified tone. Black curtains hung all around, indistinguishable from the black marble embedded in the walls, adding a sense of dark mystery to the gravity of the black palace. Twenty enormous lamp bases, their foundations crafted entirely of red gold, held red candles as thick as a child's arm. In this heavy atmosphere, the candle flames seemed frozen, flickering only slightly before stiffening again, with large wax tears slowly dripping down, congealing into vibrant, crimson lumps.

The attendants, dressed in the grey linen robes peculiar to the palace, stood cautiously in the corners, their faces hidden in the darkness like ghosts—unless that Supreme One issued a call, they were not permitted to make a sound. In the most conspicuous spot in the palace sat a circular seat, surrounded by tall white jade pillars and edged with gold, layered with cat’s-eye stones and agates, as magnificent as the altar of a god. In truth, the way others looked at this seat was as if they were facing a shrine. This was simply because the Supreme One who sat there now possessed a nobility that, at least in this world, was no different from a deity.

Beside the altar, two golden candles had burned halfway down, casting a soft light upon the face of the man on the throne, giving his skin the color of gold leaf. His robe, woven from pure gold thread and pale green silk, was soft and luxurious, embroidered with blooming irises, each petal so delicate and exquisite it seemed like a work of art. Yet, the body covered by such a beautiful robe appeared so... so... deathly!

His naturally grey face had turned a ghastly gold in the candlelight. His high cheekbones and deeply sunken cheeks made him look exceptionally gaunt, his face stained with a sickly flush, his lips cracked like earth that had not seen rain for years. His withered, curly hair seemed to have little vitality left, and the crown upon his head, though made of pure gold and inlaid with red, blue, and green gems, only made the owner’s exhaustion and frailty more apparent. At a glance, one might think that what was wrapped in these magnificent clothes was merely a corpse! Except for the occasional flashes of brilliance in his slightly closed eyes, sharp as lightning cutting through the dark of night.

His Imperial Majesty, the current Emperor of the Byzantine Empire, the Supreme One who held two-thirds of the continent’s territory and ruled over tens of millions of subjects, the most noble and sacred existence of the Empire, the supreme master of this nation—Kontos Torungarostia Vilaklunma—had ruled this great empire for forty-six years. He was considered an outstanding figure who ranked among the top three emperors in the entire history of the Klunma family. It could be said that the Emperor was worthy of such praise. His name, Kontos, meant "Knight’s Lance" in ancient Byzantine. At the same time, this Emperor bore a resounding title: The Lancer Emperor. His courage, his strength, and his resilience were as sharp and unstoppable as a knight’s lance. At least, twenty years ago, he truly was.

When the Lancer Emperor inherited the throne, he was only nine years old, and the main power of the Empire was in the hands of his mother. He was fortunate because he inherited a vast empire. He was also unfortunate because his mother had several greedy brothers. At least until Kontos came of age, the power of the Empire was held by these greedy uncles, who turned the state affairs into a mess, and some of his cousins even eyed the throne. Before he reached adulthood, he experienced six assassination attempts. The most dangerous was when someone bribed his attendant to cut his saddle in half while he was riding, nearly causing him to be trampled to death by the horse. And what pained him the most was when, at fourteen, a palace lady-in-waiting whom he had loved and favored for half a year served him a cup of poisoned wine after a night of intimacy.

Yet, Kontos survived stubbornly. He lived until the day of his coming-of-age ceremony! In the year that followed, as the legitimate heir to the royal bloodline, he won over the Senate—known for its conservative forces—and secretly gained the support of the military by promising to raise their status. Then, at a palace banquet, he feigned a drunken conflict and publicly stabbed to death the cousin with the greatest ambition for the throne. The next day, he mobilized the army into the imperial capital and began a large-scale purge. His mother’s three brothers had their entire clans uprooted, all direct members executed, and within three days, the imperial capital, Osgilia, was drowned in blood, its streets deserted. When his mother knelt and begged him to spare the life of her youngest brother, Kontos considered it for a night and finally agreed. But that youngest uncle was exiled to the distant East, only to be killed by a bandit group on the way—no one believed that incident had nothing to do with Kontos. Because of this, his mother retreated into the deep palace, never stepping out for five years, nor seeing her son again until the day she died.

Kontos had always been known for his tenacity, decisiveness, perseverance, and... cruelty. After coming of age and taking control of the Empire, he personally led the Imperial Central Standing Army into battle against the Odin people no fewer than twenty times. As the supreme ruler of the Empire, he wore armor and wielded weapons, experiencing the front lines, charging with the cavalry, fighting and campaigning in the northern Odin lands, and enduring the snow and wind of the north. The small finger missing from his left foot was lost due to frostbite during his final expedition, forced to be amputated in the harsh cold of the north! He was truly like a lance, a knight's lance—unbreakable, tenacious, courageous, and... bloodthirsty and cruel!

But, in the end, he was old. Like all powerful beings in this world, he was gradually ravaged by time, his edges worn down, his energy drained. His once tall frame had been tormented by illness over the past two years, becoming increasingly gaunt, leaving only a wide skeleton. At this moment, the supreme ruler sat in that altar-like seat, head bowed in contemplation, his brows knitted in pain, the wrinkles on his forehead as deep as if carved by a knife or axe.

Finally, a deep, distant sigh shattered the silence.

"Wise Kavir, clever Kavir, intelligent Kavir, I need your wise and objective advice now." The aged Emperor sighed, his hoarse voice mixed with anger and restlessness. At this moment, in the vast palace, there was only one person sitting before the aged Emperor. This was also an old man, his skin a sickly, aged yellow, yet his forehead and cheeks remained full and lustrous, his nose bridge straight, the lines of his lips soft; one could tell he must have been a handsome man in his youth. Even now, in his old age, his eyes were still filled with the calm and peaceful wisdom left behind by the passage of time.

Kavir, the most trusted companion of the Lancer Emperor’s life, known in the Empire’s power circles as the "Shield of the Lancer." Such emotions from the Emperor were hard to understand. Yet, it was this Kavir who earned the Lancer Emperor’s sole trust, and this trust had not faded over decades, but rather grew more intense. In the entire palace, he alone could enter and leave the Emperor’s study and palace without announcement. Kontos would grant any request Kavir made—though for so many years, Kavir had wisely never abused these privileges. And every piece of advice Kavir gave, no matter how absurd it might sound, Emperor Kontos would seriously consider its possibilities. Yet, it was hard to believe that such a trusted man held no official title! His only title was an unofficial "Royal Advisor." However, every word he spoke had an influence on the Lancer Emperor that far exceeded that of any of the Empire’s successive Grand Chancellors!

Kavir, now fifty-six, was one year older than the Lancer Emperor. In his youth, he was hailed as the most outstanding genius at the Imperial Academy. Almost all the tutors and scholars at the Academy, whether they liked him or not, had to admit that he possessed rare insight and wisdom in analyzing affairs. Whether in government, history, art, or religion, he had deep attainments. Every prophecy he made about the Empire's national policy eventually became reality, and every suggestion he gave to His Highness achieved its expected result. Yet, such a person could not obtain any official position!

It was not because Kavir’s background was humble; he was born into a middle-class noble family, and while far from being a tycoon, he was not barred from officialdom. His deep personal friendship with the Emperor had even lasted for nearly thirty years. It is said that when the Lancer Emperor was young, he often disguised himself and snuck into the Imperial Academy to attend lectures. It was then that he met Kavir, the most brilliant new star of the Imperial Academy, and was conquered by Kavir's outstanding wisdom and unique viewpoints. At one point, the excited Lancer Emperor privately told his friends: "Kavir is the only candidate for my future Grand Chancellor!"

But unfortunately, this genius, who could have ranked among the highest ministers, had to bid farewell to his political career. It was only because some of his public remarks and viewpoints angered certain people. While at the Academy, the already famous Kavir had publicly expressed his political stance many times: The "Theme" military district system, which the Byzantine Empire had maintained for over a hundred years, was the greatest source of the Empire’s weakness and decline!

The Byzantine Empire had ten times the population of Odin and three times the land, yet it had been at a disadvantage in its struggle with the Odin people for a hundred years; the Theme system was the root cause! It was this backward and corrupt military district system that split the integrated Empire into countless individual pieces, making it impossible for the Empire to concentrate its full national strength to resist foreign enemies when encountering difficulties. At the same time, the fragmented districts caused huge, repeated consumption and waste of national strength...

Such a claim infuriated the powerful military establishment at the time. The Theme system was a special military-administrative system formed a hundred years ago in the Byzantine Empire. At that time, the Empire was unfortunately plunged into an internal rebellion and civil war. Taking advantage of the Byzantine Empire's weakness, the surrounding strong enemies, the Odin, and the nomadic tribes of the East invaded, and the Empire once faced the brink of collapse. To cope with this crisis, the then-Emperor established a brand-new, semi-militarized administrative system. Under this system, apart from the territory centered on Osgilia, which remained under the direct rule of the Emperor, dozens of "military districts" were established in other regions. The term "Theme" originally meant "garrison of an army." In each military district, the highest administrative position was the Governor, held by a military general.

In principle, each military district implemented a farmer-soldier system, where the government provided a portion of land to recruit peasants for cultivation. These recruited peasants could obtain a part of the harvest while also being required to perform military service—farming during peacetime and undergoing some militarized training during leisure, and joining the army once war broke out. The view at the time was: as long as the livelihood of the farmer-soldiers was guaranteed, mobilization and command during wartime would be very easy; moreover, soldiers fighting to defend their homes against foreign invaders generally had high morale, and the state’s burden for their pay could be reduced to the minimum.

Facts proved that this view itself was not wrong; the problem was that this system also possessed many unavoidable, innate defects! It was destined that such a farmer-soldier system could only be used temporarily during crises and could never serve as a long-term national policy.

When Kavir was young, he published views that criticized this system to pieces. This wise man of the Empire believed that, first of all, such a system could only be an excellent emergency strategy when facing crises. Although farmer-soldiers with land would have high morale when facing foreign invaders and protecting their homes, the nature of being half-farmer and half-soldier made these soldiers unable to detach from the essential characteristics of a farmer: attachment to the land! They could not leave their home territory to fight! While they were motivated to defend their homes, once such an army was needed for an expedition, morale would often be low. In short, such farmer-soldiers could simply not shoulder the duties of a national defense force!

The second weakness was waste! Such a farmer-soldier system could only play a role in resisting foreign invasion—that is, it would only exert its maximum combat effectiveness during defensive battles when the enemy reached their doorstep. But war could not consist only of defensive battles! Because of this, the Empire still had to build a real professional army as its standing mobile combat force. And the construction of such an army caused a massive, repeated waste of resources.

The third irreconcilable contradiction was land! The Byzantine Empire had a feudal system of enfeoffment. Essentially, the royal family was the greatest noble, and below it was a noble class centered on the royal family. Every time a new noble was created, new land had to be enfeoffed. And only when a family lineage was completely cut off did the Empire have the right to reclaim its land for state ownership... But the speed at which new nobles were created was always faster and more frequent than the extinction of old nobles! Although the Empire had vast lands, the total amount of land was ultimately limited. With only so much land, it had to be constantly divided among the new noble class, while large tracts of land were also designated by the military districts as exclusive farmland for farmer-soldiers. The increasing demand for land formed an irreconcilable contradiction.

The fourth irreconcilable contradiction was... power! After the birth of the Theme system, the direct consequence was that the military's power was unprecedentedly strong, but for the standard of a sound national system, this "strength" was deformed. The highest administrative position in a military district was the Governor, a semi-military position. Governors were traditionally held by military generals—because they were responsible for leading the farmer-soldiers, they were considered semi-military leaders. And what made the central government uneasy was that these small military groups, which had split the Empire into dozens of parts, were almost impossible to control! Because they had free land designated for farmer-soldiers, these small semi-militarized groups could almost completely achieve self-sufficiency! They achieved independence in fiscal revenue and expenditure!

This directly caused the aristocratization of military generals! Imagine, every Governor in their jurisdiction controlled independent fiscal revenue and expenditure, had land and troops, and could be completely self-sufficient without the pay provided by the central government. Some particularly powerful military districts even saw Governors who, through management, could further distinguish among the farmer-soldiers in their jurisdiction, selecting the elite parts to form a standing army! Over time, they almost formed one independent small military group after another! And these small military groups became one small "tumor" after another growing on the vast body of the Empire!

The aristocratization and warlordization of military generals became the main reason why the Byzantine Empire was vast but not strong. In one hundred years, there had been more than a dozen rebellions by military district Governors, six of which occurred in the last thirty years! Yet, it was precisely in this political system that the military was the most direct beneficiary, so naturally, they were extremely supportive of it. There had been clear-headed emperors among the past ones who tried to abolish this system, but the military had become a huge monster after a hundred years of nourishment, and even the Emperor of the Empire could not completely suppress this monster. In order to protect their vested interests, the military naturally fought hard against any move that threatened the Theme system.

Dozens of years ago, the previous Emperor tried to change this status quo. The then-Grand Chancellor issued a document to amend the Theme system. As a result, in order to protect their interests, the military did not hesitate to launch a small-scale coup. That Grand Chancellor was killed by "rebellious soldiers" who broke into his home, and afterward, under pressure from the military, the Emperor had to retract his order. The compromises of successive emperors caused the Theme system to become deeply entrenched, and the military’s strength expanded significantly within a hundred years.

When the Theme system was first established, there were a total of thirty Theme military districts nationwide. By the time Kontos, the Lancer Emperor, was crowned, the number of Theme military districts in the entire Byzantine Empire had reached forty-six!! Forty-six Theme military districts occupied almost half of the Empire’s territory!! And of the remaining half, a considerable portion belonged to the noble class. The territory truly under the central administrative jurisdiction of the Empire was already less than one-fifth of the national area!!

And the new powerful figures emerging in the military, once they became Governors of a Theme military district, often held the position for life, capable of working until they died, and some with particularly strong influence could even pass the position down to their children, making it hereditary. The Theme system was like a monster, firmly uniting the military around a huge interest. The army, which should have been the barrier of the country, became a burden that sucked the blood of the Empire. And the Empire’s military department almost became another central core independent of the royal family.

Of the forty-six Theme military districts nationwide, all political orders, military orders, and even fiscal revenue and expenditure were directly allocated by the Empire’s Central Military Department. To counter the increasingly large and loud military, the royal family could only firmly grasp the forces loyal to the royal family within the Empire’s standing army—only these people were considered real soldiers, not those aristocratized warlords!!

Within the military, there were also two different factions. One faction was headed by those warlord groups. This faction occupied the vast majority of the military and had evolved from real soldiers into parasitic warlord groups that protected their own interests regardless of national interests. Regrettably, the power of the warlord faction was far stronger; nine out of ten Governors of the forty-six Theme military districts were members of this faction. The real military faction, on the other hand, consisted mostly of the backbone of the Empire’s dozen or so central standing corps (Adlerick of the 13th Corps was undoubtedly one of them.)

Kavir had once offered advice to the young Lancer Emperor, expressing his political stance, but his hostility toward the Theme system made the military very uneasy. If someone else held such hostile political views, perhaps some scholar at the Imperial Academy, those military bigwigs would at most sneer and laugh it off. But this Kavir, he was famous in his youth, a rare genius of the Imperial Military Academy for decades, coupled with the young Emperor’s undisguised appreciation for him... How could the military people feel at ease with a guy who could influence His Highness the Emperor at close range while holding such great hostility toward the Theme system?

It just so happened that at that time, the young Lancer Emperor needed the military’s support to seize power, and he had to make a certain degree of compromise. One of these compromises was the promise that Kavir would never hold an official position!

And Kavir’s tragedy did not lie only in the military’s hostility toward him; even the Empire’s other major political group, the Senate, was dissatisfied with many of his views. The Senate was the oldest political institution of the Byzantine Empire. The political proposition at the time of the Byzantine Empire’s founding a thousand years ago was "Imperial power is taken from the people," which could perhaps be considered a degree of democracy. The members of the Senate were generally composed of some excellent military generals, elite representatives of the noble class, and some ordinary people who, however, held high prestige or status in certain industries or fields (such as wealthy merchants or some respected scholars and artists, etc.).

At the beginning of the founding of the country, the Senate was quite powerful, and even in the early stages of the Byzantine Empire, the Senate even had the power to elect and remove the Emperor. But as the imperial power gradually grew stronger, this system of the Senate discussing state affairs gradually declined. The Senate, which once embodied the founding spirit of the Byzantine Empire, became an awkward existence like a chicken rib—tasteless to eat but a pity to throw away. Important national policies had no place for the Senate, and they disdained to manage trivial matters. By now, the existence of the Senate was more of a title and aura for some powerful figures.

But within the Senate, there was no lack of people who still stubbornly guarded their faith. This group of people was called the "Senate Party." They had not given up the traditional proposition of the Senate: Imperial power needs to be restricted! And the existence of the Senate was to take on the responsibility of limiting the damage to the people’s interests caused by the infinite expansion of imperial power! Even among that group of real military factions, many soldiers were influenced by this thinking and joined the Senate Party, becoming members of the Senate. Sometimes, to counter the increasingly large military department, the royal family would also occasionally win over and support the Senate, allowing this ancient political group to continue to exist.

But the Senate hated Kavir! Because hidden beneath Kavir’s wise brain was a fanatical heart of autocracy! This rational and intelligent wise man was actually a thorough supporter of imperial autocracy!! In his eyes, not only were the military’s Theme districts a tumor, but the Senate, which liked to point fingers at imperial power at every turn throughout history, was also a thorn in his side. In Kavir’s view, if these two tumors could be eradicated, and then a powerful, intelligent, and wise monarch could be allowed to rule autocratically to rebuild a strong and centralized core, only then could this ancient empire truly regain its youth. Therefore... in the eyes of the Senate, Kavir also became an unwelcome person.

Blacklisted by the two major political systems of the Empire, Kavir was destined never to step into the officialdom in his life. Although he became the Emperor’s close friend and personal advisor, and the Lancer Emperor followed his words, he could not personally exert his ambitions in the officialdom. This had to be said to be Kavir’s sorrow.

At this moment, the aged Lancer Emperor looked at this wise man he trusted deeply and sighed powerlessly: "Kavir, I need your wisdom. I need a candidate! Those damn warlords finally gave up a position of Deputy Minister of Military Affairs. This is a good opportunity for me to drive in a nail."

Kavir hid his hands in his sleeves, gently gathered them, and bowed slightly. His voice was a bit shrill and soft: "Your Majesty, I have thought for a long time, perhaps... the time has come to make some changes."

Changes? Kontos, the Lancer Emperor, knitted his brows tightly. "The results we obtained this time are not very much. Although it made the arrogance of those warlords converge slightly... but a position of Deputy Minister of Military Affairs cannot really cause them any harm."

Kavir’s voice was very calm, and even beneath this calmness, a bit of indifference was hidden: "I need to understand your will first, Your Majesty... What is the result you really want?"

"Result"? The Lancer Emperor suddenly raised his eyebrows. In that instant, a majestic sharpness flashed across his face, and the spirit in his eyes erupted, making him seem twenty years younger, turning back into the true Lancer Emperor who rode and galloped in the north back then!

But this glimmer of radiance lasted only for a moment on his face. The aged Emperor then sneered in a low voice: "Result, you say 'result'! Kavir, at such a stage, what kind of result can we talk about!" The Emperor’s palms clenched, his nails digging deep into his palms, his knuckles turning white, enduring the anxiety and anger in his heart: "Thirty years, Kavir! I have been enduring, and you have been comforting me to endure, but what is the result of my endurance? These warlord parasites have drilled my Empire into a thousand holes! And these greedy guys are getting greedier! Kavir, I have always trusted your wisdom, even today, I have never doubted it. I really can't wait any longer."

He stared at this friend he trusted most and said in a low voice: "I am old. Although I refuse to admit it, my heart knows very clearly—I am old! The assassinations I experienced when I was young, and the later military career, destined that I could not be a long-lived emperor. Kavir, do you understand? Now, I am more anxious year by year... no, it should be said, day by day!"

The Emperor’s eyes were like a restless lion: "My father left me an empire full of holes, and I have been sewing and mending these years, but I am not willing to leave an equally hole-filled empire to my descendants! But I suspect that I am very... no, not very, but certainly unable to do it! I cannot eradicate these tumors one by one before I die!"

Speaking of this, the aged Emperor looked at Kavir: "Your body has always been much better than mine. I believe that even if I die, you can live at least twenty years longer than me. Unfortunately... if I had a smart son, I would be very relieved to hand over all the unfinished things to him and then ask you to assist him in completing our cause! But Kavir..."

The old Emperor snorted: "Look at what kind of result I have?! My son is a cowardly and muddled guy. He would even join forces with those tumors in the military department for a man!! Don't think I don't know, that pretty boy rabbit, Bonfret, do you think my dear son doesn't know what kind of goods his male pet is? Injuring Hastings on the battlefield? What a joke!! But he actually collaborated with those warlord parasites in the military department just to let his male pet gain military merit! This makes me disappointed to the extreme! Kavir, this son of mine who makes me despair, he has been your student for ten years, but he hasn't learned even a tenth of your wisdom from you!! This disappointing thing, he has been married for almost a year. He married the most beautiful noble girl in Osgilia, but I received news that he hasn't slept in the same bed with his new wife even once!! I even suspect whether his dirty hobby of liking men will lead to the extinction of our Klunma family!!"

Kavir listened quietly to the Emperor’s anger, and then this wise old man just smiled faintly, saying softly and slowly in his unique, peaceful, and slightly indifferent voice: "Your Majesty, you have lost control of the anger in your heart again... Please don't forget that sentence: When facing things you are powerless to change, blind sadness or anger or mania are all the actions of a coward."

The Lancer Emperor, Kontos, immediately shut his mouth.

"Anger is of no avail. I need to know, what kind of result do you want?" Kavir’s eyelids blinked slowly, as if stating something casually: "I said, we need an opportunity, but it seems fate has not favored you. The opportunity you have been waiting for has not arrived. But this does not mean it will never arrive. If you still hope to avoid turmoil and risks, then we can continue to wait. If you need other results..."

"My son's brain, which only knows how to admire men, has already made me despair." The Lancer Emperor roared angrily: "I cannot wait any longer! My days are numbered, Kavir! I have no doubt that once I die, my stupid son will double the number of Theme military districts in the Empire within a year!! And then, in less than a year, the military headquarters will move to this palace—I have no doubt about that! This matter made me completely despair of this fool! Therefore, I must take risks! I don't plan to continue waiting! I must finish everything I want to do before I die!"

Facing the Emperor’s excitement and restlessness, Kavir’s eyes remained clear and calm, and he said slowly: "You should understand that such hope has no possibility."

"I understand!" A grim smile appeared on the corner of the Lancer Emperor’s mouth: "Then let's have a fish-die-net-broken situation!! If this empire really needs a thorough turmoil to regain its youth, then I hope this turmoil happens in my hands! At least, compared to my stupid son, I have more grasp of it—although such a grasp is also extremely limited. But..."

The old Emperor suddenly supported the seat with both hands and stood up with difficulty. Beneath his wide, magnificent robe was a gaunt, skin-and-bones frame that looked empty in the wind.

The old Emperor was determined: "If I really can't pass this hurdle, then let the glory of the Klunma family end in my hands! This is my empire, and even if it really has to end, the funeral bell should be rung by me personally!!!"

His electric eyes swept across Kavir’s face, and he said word by word: "Fish die! Or, the net breaks! This is the result I want, Kavir!"

Kavir finally sighed. He still gathered his sleeves, then bowed slightly to the old Emperor, lowered his head, and said in a light voice: "Then, I understand your will."

Immediately, the wise man continued in a clear and brisk tone: "For the position of Deputy Minister of Military Affairs, the most suitable candidate was originally Duke Minas. Duke Minas has always had profound influence in the army, and even those parasites have to give him some face. It’s just that Duke Minas’s health has had some problems in recent years, and I am worried... the current Duke Minas is no longer the Duke Minas of the past. He seems to have lost some of his sharpness, and I am afraid it will be difficult to take on the heavy responsibility of confronting the parasites head-on."

"Then, what is your meaning?"

"You need a ruthless person." Kavir’s tone finally revealed a hint of decisiveness: "Since you don't fear starting a turmoil, this candidate must have a strong heart and absolute loyalty, and... the decisive drive to move forward. And such a candidate happens to be available right now."

"Hmm... what do you mean..."

"General Adlerick, the leader of the 13th Corps. As a member of the real military faction, General Adlerick’s loyalty to the Empire is beyond doubt. We have kept him in the position of the 13th Corps for nine years, during which the guys in the military department tried countless times to win over and corrupt him, even tempting him with the position of Governor of a military district, but General Adlerick never defected. So he is worthy of Your Majesty’s trust. And when it comes to courage, this arrogant general should not disappoint you either."

The Lancer Emperor seriously thought about Kavir’s suggestion: "I believe your suggestion... But, the 13th Corps is one of the most important combat forces we hold. If we lose Adlerick, then who will serve as the new leader of the Rodria Cavalry Corps?"

A playful smile appeared on Kavir’s face: "Duke Minas has recommended a person many times in private. This person is praised by the Duke as his most outstanding disciple, and he is also the one who has followed the Duke for the longest time, although half of that time was spent as the Duke’s private chef..."

The Lancer Emperor’s face immediately looked a bit ugly: "Kavir, don't tell me... are you talking about that 'Rabbit General' Ruhl who is famous for his ability to escape? That guy?"

Kavir smiled, and when he smiled, his eyes radiated a warmth that made people feel very close: "Your Majesty, please believe that Ruhl’s ability is by no means limited to escaping."

============

When the palace doors were pushed open, several attendants in grey linen robes stood respectfully on both sides. As they watched Kavir slowly walk out of the door, Kavir stood on the steps that were more than thirty stories high for a full quarter of an hour.

This wise man, who was no longer young, looked up at the sky. Faint dark clouds gathered in the sky, and light rain fell sparsely. The dim sky seemed to carry a hint of deathly stillness...

"Finally waited until today, only then did I make up my mind..." Kavir’s face no longer had the indifferent calmness he showed before the old Emperor, his eyes seeming to contain a hint of deep meaning: "Just... wouldn't it be too late? Hmph!"

In the sparse rain, Kavir slowly walked down the steps. Below the steps, a tall and thin figure immediately walked up and held a wide black cloth umbrella over Kavir’s head.

"Is everything over?"

"Over. What I owed... I have paid off."

Kavir nodded: "How is that guy?"

Viya opened her mouth, her face still cold: "Still very weak."

Kavir seemed very satisfied with this answer: "Go to Odin tomorrow. Everything I told you must be completed."

After saying this, Kavir seemed to have lost interest in talking. He closed the carriage door, and the wheels rolled. The carriage slowly left in front of Viya.

In the carriage, Kavir finally sighed, and his face finally showed a bit of the fatigue and aging that an old man of his age should have.

He pulled a soft, dry blanket from under the seat to cover his knees, then leaned tiredly against the seat...

The wise man seemed to be sighing.

"Hmm... a good autocrat, why is it so hard to find. Kontos..." "I originally thought he was the best candidate, but unfortunately... unfortunately..." Kavir shook his head and whispered silently:

"Unfortunately, he is not!"

**************

"Hey, Fatty, so you mean that the military of your Byzantine Empire is actually divided into two factions?" Xia Ya rode on his horse, shouting with exaggerated surprise.

On the wild road, a group of cavalry was slowly moving into the heart of the Empire.

Ruhl was a bit helpless and looked at this bumpkin. Fortunately, he was surrounded by his own loyal direct guards, so he wasn't afraid of these words leaking out. He snapped angrily: "Don't always say 'you all', 'you all'! You kid, don't forget that you are also an officer of the Byzantine Empire now!"

Xia Ya grinned: "I won't argue with you about this. Tell me first, which faction does our General Adlerick belong to?"

Then Xia Ya touched his chin and thought for a while: "Hmm, those aristocratized generals you mentioned are all warlord factions. They sound like national parasites. A person like General Adlerick would naturally not associate with such people! He is naturally in that upright military faction." Speaking of which, the bumpkin glanced at Ruhl: "As for you... I think you look more like someone sent by those parasites."

Ruhl was so angry that he wanted to go up and kick this bumpkin to death.

Then he patiently said: "Don't talk nonsense! I am a genuine soldier! Hmph, those parasites can no longer be considered soldiers. Many positions in the army are even held by aristocratized military families. For example, some positions of Governors of military districts, father passes to son, son passes to grandson. What kind of soldier is this! As for our faction, His Majesty the Emperor founded the Imperial Military Academy in the imperial capital thirty years ago. The purpose was to bypass those completely polluted power-grabbing groups in the military, start a new stove, and cultivate a batch of real fresh blood for the Empire’s army. Officers from the Imperial Military Academy are generally called the 'Eagle Faction' because the school flag of the Military Academy is very similar to the eagle flag of the Empire’s army. Students who enter the Imperial Military Academy are selected only from the families of small and medium-sized nobles with simple backgrounds, and occasionally, they will make exceptions to admit some guys with outstanding talent but from civilian backgrounds."

"Thirty years of operation, batch after batch of graduated students were filled into some of the Empire’s standing corps, and finally, the 'Eagle Faction' was formed in the military, which could barely compete with those warlord representatives! Hmph! It’s just that some students, because they have noble backgrounds, find it easier to stand out. And some students from civilian backgrounds have very slow promotions. Coupled with the fear those parasites have for officers from the Academy, they are always suppressed. Some guys have been low-level officers for more than twenty years. It is very rare to be able to mix into a position like me or Adlerick, who leads a corps alone."

After a pause, Ruhl said proudly: "The first dean of the Military Academy was Duke Minas. Duke Minas has profound prestige in the Empire’s army. He has spent his whole life on the battlefield. Even in those parasite factions, many people have served as his subordinates and have to give the old man some face. And the Duke’s loyalty to the royal family also made him the only candidate for the leader of this new faction. Hmph, we officers from the Military Academy can all be considered disciples brought out by the old Duke. I am a special case. I was the Duke’s chef for six years, and then because the Duke thought I had good talent, he sent me to the Military Academy to study. I studied for another six years, totaling twelve years by the old Duke’s side! Hmph, other guys don't have my luck."

Xia Ya was not interested in Ruhl’s self-boasting, but was quite concerned about Adlerick: "So according to you, our general is also a high-level person in this faction?"

Ruhl’s face was a bit strange. He shook his head: "Things are not calculated like that... It’s a bit discouraging to say, but most of the guys trained by this Military Academy have rigid brains. Talents like me who are both smart and know how to be flexible are really too few. Some guys are loyal to the royal family, some guys only are loyal to their own faith, believing that soldiers only need to defend the country and should not be limited to a certain faction or a personal force... For example, your Adlerick, clearly a member of our Eagle faction, but probably because he read too many books, he actually got close to the people in the Senate. I heard that the Senate is interested in letting him become a senator of the lower house."

"What kind of thing is the Senate?" Xia Ya was a bit curious.

"Uh... the Senate..." Ruhl explained roughly. The bumpkin listened, eyes wide, not knowing what he was thinking in a daze. After a while, the bumpkin suddenly burst into laughter, laughing so happily and joyfully that the fatty was quite confused.

"What are you laughing at, kid?!"

Xia Ya said disdainfully: "I’m laughing that you Byzantines do things in such a mess. A perfectly good country, yet you insist on doing so many things. It’s simply taking off your pants to fart—a waste of time and energy."

"............" The fatty’s eyes widened.

"Isn't it?" Xia Ya sneered: "Your Emperor, he seems to be the biggest, and he can decide everything, but once he encounters the military, he has to back down. And the military, under normal circumstances, gives the Emperor face so they don't speak, but once they speak, they can certainly decide. As for that Senate, gathering such a large group of people, shouting about this and that all day long, saying so much, but they can't decide anything."

The fatty sneered: "I don't understand what’s funny about this?"

Xia Ya shook his head: "Of course it’s funny! In fact, the simplest method is one: unity from top to bottom, with only one voice! One mouth makes one sound, and what this sound says is the absolute authoritative order. Once the order is issued, no matter what it is, everyone from top to bottom must obey unanimously! What you say, what I say, making so many mouths and so many sounds, one moment you decide, one moment I decide... Are you tired!"

The fatty heard this, and pondered in his heart (One mouth makes one sound, and whose words are the absolute authoritative command, once the command is issued, no matter what, everyone from top to bottom must obey unanimously...)

His face moved, and he said: "What you are talking about is absolute autocracy. Although our Byzantine Empire is an imperial system, the spirit of our founding does not recognize this autocratic system."

Xia Ya snorted, but seemed to be lost in thought: "I actually think that autocracy... sounds like a pretty good thing..."

[Originally planned to write fifteen thousand words, but really couldn't write anymore...... The haggard Dancing is loudly asking for monthly tickets~~~ Originally wanted to keep three thousand words to post at twelve o'clock at night to rush the recommendation list for next week, but suddenly thought, don't keep it, send it all at once, everyone doesn't need to wait at night, can rest earlier.

Hmm, as long as everyone logs into Qidian tomorrow, if you remember the kindness of little Five, just remember to throw the recommendation tickets here.

Bowing to thank everyone~~~]