Iron Dynasty Chapter 997

Previously on Iron Dynasty...

Luo Hong vented his frustration to his father, Luo Quan, over being passed for military region commander in favor of Zhu Sansi, despite his years of service in battles against rival kings. Seeking to bolster the Luo family's position amid rising court tensions, Luo Hong proposed marrying his daughter to the son of Fei Tong, nephew of Fei Ge, to form an alliance against rivals like Pang Yukun. Luo Quan, wary of challenging imperial power, relented and entrusted family decisions to his son, reflecting on the empire's shifting dynamics after the barbarian threat faded. In the Imperial Study, Emperor Xiao Ming reviewed telegrams on the expanding wired telegraph network and learned that all six military region commanders had gathered at Lu Fei's residence, including a verbal clash between Zhu Sansi and Luo Xin, which he viewed as a sign of their effective collaboration.

“This old slave is puzzled.”

Qian Dafu rubbed his head, genuinely failing to grasp the implication.

Xiao Ming explained with composure, “Assembling and toasting in the middle of the day reveals their straightforward nature, free from worries or clashing agendas. Acting like mere acquaintances would make it tough to discern their motives.”

“Your Majesty’s insight rings true. Thus, Elder Fei harbors some guilt. General Luo Quan came back this time, yet he skipped a visit to him.” Qian Dafu set down yet another telegram on the desk.

“Guilt weighs on him, no doubt. His nephew’s clan seeks a union with Luo Hong, and who’d buy that he stayed out of it?” Xiao Ming sneered slightly. Back in the old Great Yu Empire, ties between mighty clans through marriage were practically tradition.

The Fei clan held its ground partly because they avoided faction brawls, and partly due to smart choices in wedlock bonds. Fei Ji’s resolve to wed his daughter to him highlighted that well.

Yet, holding a neutral stance demanded power. Evidently, Fei Ji kept bolstering the Fei clan’s web of connections. One could say this trait ran deep in the Fei family line.

As emperor, he couldn’t meddle in his underlings’ family unions, since those were private affairs. Pushing in would just stir resentment, and no past ruler had dared such a move.

“No way around it. Chief Grand Secretary Pang can’t dodge it either. Marriages do favor equal standing in rank,” Qian Dafu remarked with a light laugh.

Xiao Ming gave a subtle nod. Truth be told, he’d already come to terms with it. From his lofty perch, the shifts in eras stood out sharper.

The fall of one era’s lords, dukes, commanders, and officials merely paved the way for the next batch. History’s close always circled back to the familiar end.

From the dawn of personal property, wealth gaps have crushed any shot at true fairness. Those famed dynastic upheavals? Just a reshuffle of gains after extreme riches divide.

Today, the realm’s folk backed him fiercely because he’d delivered what most craved.

Still, as progress marched on, he knew riches would tilt uneven once more. No soul could halt that tide.

This realization deepened his sense of the toil in steering a nation. Companions who once battled beside him to forge the realm might flip in an instant to foes bent on its ruin, leaving him ever more isolated at the helm.

Having scanned the telegrams’ complete details, Xiao Ming now fully gauged the fallout from the army overhaul.

Among the lot, Luo Hong topped the list of those irked by his choice, just as he’d foreseen. Yet, ruling a land meant weighing what bolstered its peace most, not fretting over whose gains suffered.

Luo Hong fumed, so his underling officers echoed the grudge, seeing as most had trailed him from Chang’an days.

On this front, he chose a tactic of splitting ranks—lifting some, curbing others—to soften the overhaul’s blow.

With that in mind, he sketched out a roster, spelling promotions and demotions clear.

After readying through the day, Xiao Ming reached the Zhengda Guangming Hall at dawn the following morning. This session skipped civil aides, featuring only the empire’s far-flung generals.

Besides the army reshape, he needed to declare the revamp’s duties for the forces.

By eight, three hundred twenty officers in verdant army garb streamed in. These formed the empire’s core military leaders now.

Front left stood the six region commanders, while front right lined the six lead clerks of those regions.

“Long live His Majesty, long live, long long live!”

With Qian Dafu proclaiming the assembly’s kickoff, every general roared the “long live” thrice.

“Skip the rituals!”

Xiao Ming’s gaze roamed the officers. He continued, “Today brings together the empire’s vital military pillars. You must know why. As new arms hit the fray, rigid line troops fade into history. To match coming strategies, I’ve set this army reform to boost the imperial forces’ might, covering the six key regions…”

To the assembled officers, Xiao Ming proclaimed the region splits and postings right there, then watched for their responses.

Scarce had his words ended when one general advanced, saluted, and declared, “Your Majesty, the picks for the other five region heads sit fine with me, but the Eastern Region commander choice leaves me unconvinced. Most here today rode with Your Majesty through southern and northern wars these twelve years, many as captains or governors back then. Zhu Sansi? Just a rank soldier in those days. His battle feats? Slim at best. Even by years served, it shouldn’t fall to him. I just don’t get it.”

Xiao Ming eyed the forward general. No stranger, this Ma Xudong ranked among the Qingzhou force’s first officers, a captain when Zhu Sansi joined up.

“I back that!”

“…”

Ma Xudong’s words barely cooled when over thirty officers surged ahead in support, hailing from diverse units.

Xiao Ming had braced for this backlash. Lu Fei and kin boasted deep roots none challenged. But Zhu Sansi’s clout ran shallow, making the Eastern Commander slot ripe for grabs. Who’d pass on snagging a perk from the reform?

In the throng, a sly grin tugged Luo Hong’s mouth. He eyed Zhu Sansi, curious how he’d navigate this snag.

Zhu Sansi, in the front line, wore a strained look. The decree’s arrival had rattled him. Such swift royal nod left him reeling.

But with the edict out, refusal wasn’t an option. In his bind, he’d headed to Lu’s estate for Lu Fei’s counsel—after all, he’d served under him once. Fate twisted, though; en route, he crossed Luo Xin and crew, forcing him to tough it out and tag along.

“Your Majesty’s vast grace has named this lowly officer as Eastern Commander. Yet, my experience runs thin, unfit for the role. I beg Your Majesty to rescind the decree,” Zhu Sansi stated openly.

Xiao Ming kept his face serene as a still pond. He held no grudge against these officers’ outbursts. Venting gripes often beat bottling them up.

After a brief pause, he replied, “Then hear first what this Eastern Region entails before you decide. The five regions under Lu Fei, Luo Xin, Lei Ming, Qi Guangyi, and Ye Qingyun already claim the Great Yu Empire’s full arsenal now. The new Eastern one starts with scant forces. Naming Zhu Sansi commander? More like a mere division head. Plus, Qingzhou’s six districts and shores fall to the Central Army’s watch. So why add an Eastern Region? Its core duty, post-setup, centers on the Alaska push, carving out imperial outposts in North America via Alaska.”

“Ah, North America…”

“That remote—ain’t it basically banishment?”

“Makes sense for Zhu Sansi. No one else’d jump at it.”

“…”

The officers murmured, and those who’d advanced now yearned to retreat. Leading ghosts to some far-off wilds held no allure.