Iron Dynasty Chapter 1003

Xiao Ming affixed his signature to the directive launching strikes against the British and French outposts. Edicts from the throne weren't issued lightly, reserved solely for weighty concerns.

He remained in the habit of personally endorsing lesser commands through paperwork.

With a quick look toward Cui Shang’an, he remarked, “What’s it like serving as Chief of the General Staff?”

“It’s all due to Your Majesty’s favor; every bit comes from you. I’m deeply thankful,” Cui Shang’an replied, choosing his phrasing with care.

Xiao Ming grinned, “We’re kin, after all. You’re my brother-in-law still, so drop the formalities.”

A rush of warmth flooded Cui Shang’an’s chest, like honey’s sweetness. No phrase mattered more to him than that. Faltering, he murmured, “Your Majesty…”

“Hahaha, relax. I summoned you today to shape the strategy for the Southeast Asia campaign and align the military operations.” He passed the preliminary outline to Cui Shang’an.

Containing his thrill, Cui Shang’an accepted the Southeast Asia strategy and scanned its contents. The document sketched the broad strokes of the offensive, leaving finer points for their refinement. Ruling a vast realm demanded the emperor juggle countless state duties, leaving no room for overseeing every minor element.

“I’ll return and rally the General Staff to craft the battle blueprint, plus distribute resources and gear,” Cui Shang’an declared firmly. He valued his role immensely and refused to slack off in the slightest.

In approval, Xiao Ming nodded. For quite some time, he’d pondered appointing Cui Shang’an and watched him closely. Truth be told, the earlier curbs on Cui Shang’an were intentional; Xiao Ming sought to gauge his character.

The outcome pleased him. Though it had dimmed Cui Shang’an’s spirits somewhat, he stayed loyal without stirring trouble through his standing as Prince of Huainan.

Even with the feudal lords’ authority curbed successfully, a word from Cui Shang’an could still rally many supporters.

Regarding his duties, Cui Shang’an proved diligent, so after careful thought, Xiao Ming elevated him. The General Staff might seem formidable, yet it functioned much like a military aide in practice.

As a trusted advisor, Cui Shang’an drew near, yet lacked command of troops, posing no threat. Moreover, court rivalries grew fiercer, and Xiao Ming avoided advancing those backed by Pang Yukun or Fei Ji. Cui Shang’an stood out as the ideal pick.

Cui Shang’an, being royal kin, had fought in the clashes against King Yan and King Zhao, earning notable victories, leaving no room for critics to complain.

“Oh, and this as well!” Xiao Ming lifted another endorsed command. “Direct this to Qi Guangyi, head of the Northwest Military Region. With the rifle cavalry now assembled, urge him to advance westward and crush the barbarian Golden Tent.”

“Understood, Your Majesty!” Cui Shang’an saluted sharply.

Xiao Ming nodded once more, then inquired, “How fares the Prince of Huainan these days? It’s been ages since I last saw him.”

At that, Cui Shang’an shifted uncomfortably. “Father’s health holds steady, though lately he’s grown fixated on operas. He heads to the playhouse daily in his spare time. But two days back, an incident arose—he struck an official.”

“The Prince of Huainan retains his vigor in later years, his prowess unchanged. I’ve caught wind of it, and he was justified in the blow.” Xiao Ming chuckled. Just the day before, a report had reached him, detailing the Prince of Huainan’s assault on someone.

Since ascending the throne, Xiao Ming had grown wary of official reports. As Concubine Zhen noted, nothing proved less trustworthy than a memorial.

From his palace perch, the emperor relied on bureaucrats’ submissions for worldly matters. Thus, he dispatched investigators, confirming the Prince of Huainan’s strike indeed occurred.

Yet cause lay behind it. The trouble started when the official’s son harassed a common woman right in the theater, spurring the Prince of Huainan to intervene.

Cui Shang’an let out a quiet breath of relief. He’d anticipated some report would surface.

With that topic covered, Xiao Ming dismissed Cui Shang’an. Lately, his attentions had fixed on northern and southern conflicts, yet his inner circle grappled with mounting issues.

He conceded this stemmed from breakneck progress. Over a decade, the Great Yu Empire had leaped from a blade-and-spear realm to an industrial power.

Such swift expansion bred oversights; quicker rises often meant deeper flaws. In essence, the era’s mindsets trailed the nation’s surge, or citizens’ caliber failed to match the boom.

Consequently, folks relished modern goods amid lingering archaic views.

The push for New Confucianism worked best on the uninitiated, offering scant sway over those steeped in old doctrines.

It mirrored how today’s elders in their seventies or eighties couldn’t grasp youth glued to smartphones; a chasm of generations.

Thus, official dominance thrived in the Empire, with bureaucrats morphing into a new nobility.

The Prince of Huainan episode unveiled not just that one haughty official’s offspring.

If such boldness appeared in Qingzhou, the nationwide tally of similar spoiled heirs defied imagination.

Still, his current purges scratched the surface, ignoring roots, since eighty percent of imperial officers hailed from the old Great Yu guard, particularly southward. Absorbing such expanse left political academy graduates as mere specks.

For now, he awaited the fresh crop to mature and supplant them. Until then, ruthless restraint was his tool to curb graver harms.

On that note, he ordered the Security Bureau to seize the defiant official’s son. Absurd as it seemed for an emperor to meddle in trifles, personal oversight served as a stark admonition to the court.

As he prepared to relay commands to the attendants, Qian Dafu entered abruptly and announced, “Your Majesty, Wang Xuan seeks entry.”

“Admit him.”

Xiao Ming instructed. Lately, Wang Xuan had been building spy networks in Goryeo and Japan to tighten oversight there.

Qian Dafu assented and departed. Soon after, Wang Xuan arrived.

He bowed low and stated, “Your Majesty, Japan shows faint shifts that trouble me. I’ve come to brief you directly.”

“Speak up.”

Pausing briefly, Wang Xuan continued, “Unrest among Japan’s commoners appears to be escalating, with insurgents from peasant, trader, and warrior ranks now chanting calls for overhaul, urging Yamada Nobunaga to emulate the Empire.”

“Overhaul,” Xiao Ming scowled.

Post-surrender treaty, Japan’s internal chaos persisted. Yamada Nobunaga quashed the uprisings, and Xiao Ming had paid it scant heed, given the land’s myriad lords and frequent clashes.

Yet these days, the insurgents voiced reform cries akin to a national shift, raising alarms and echoing the Meiji Restoration.