I think all of the other options will need money; Autumn was doing her own grocery shopping...Nothing against doing your own groceries but, like, she's basically destitute
Autumn was touring with Jacob's growing band of special forces. They were visiting the villages of the realm, and they started far off, in the places that would be worst off if there was not an agreement in place soon.
In each village they addressed troubles in the day, protecting crops and rooting out South Winds soldiers, mostly individuals hiding in barns or fields. After a day or two, they would re-establish the prior agreement with the village elders, or where Autumn felt it was wrongly abusive, she gave the community a more fair representation.
The Bank of Hightown agreed to extend her credit for the purpose of bringing food into the city. They just wanted one of the Hightown Council members to run the food operation. Autumn was fine with that.
It seemed to be only a few days away before the Family funds would be available.
By night she practiced imagining the Magistrate's world striding teleports as simply large steps. Jacob was insistent that Autumn would learn how to teleport further and better by reflecting on the Magistrate's technique.
She had focused for so long on quick and responsive teleportation in battle, but her own growth and development gave some immediate returns when she began testing her limits again. She could teleport as far as 70 meters on the first night of their tour. By the end of the second week, she had only progressed to 85 meters.
The result of trying too far a teleport was simply taking a regular step instead of the blade step, but it was exhausting to practice those 80 meter jumps.
They had a rough intelligence network on the locations of holed up South Winds deserters, as well as rioters and active power groups.
These were decentralized and based in rural areas. To the South Winds forces, she offered expulsion, imprisonment or joining Jacob's expats.
To her own people, she showed both firmness and kindness. Destruction of property and especially food crops was not tolerated. Relying on rural centers of power she entrusted the treatment of most North Winds people to the villages.
Jacob was quickly becoming her special forces commander and his forces traveled along with the two of them.
On the Monday of the third week of their tour, Autumn received a message from Mrs. Ho, and they ran into their first intact South Winds force as they headed back to the capital.
She could teleport her blade as far as herself. What soldier was fully prepared to take a very close range stroke from so far off? Jacob's training plan for her was wiser than she initially realized.
The other part of his smart plan was using expendable weapons for these teleport strikes. They were designed to be hard to deflect. Daggers and hook blades were good but also hammers and axes.
She took the dagger from her new army servant and made a stabbing motion with it. Teleporting the blade to the leader's stomach she found the enemy responding by running towards her.
Jacob's new far-seeing equipment was found during her hours of mandated treasure collection as part of her deal with the Quartet. Half of the treasure had gone to them, but she kept this lens.
Perception was still her weakness in long distance teleport and it was holding her back. The dagger had struck the man's foot instead of chest.
Autumn stuck with shorter range teleports recovering from the long distance blade attack.
Jacob's team was one third new recruits from the captured South Winds soldiers, two thirds people loyal to his religious lineage.
In the midst of the fighting her own new soldiers accused the enemy of some things.
"It was over since you decided to just leave. We could have used Central division's help.".
"I thought Bhrigu had cursed us! The skies were dark, fiends slew us, all of the elements and somehow they were supporting this new leader of the North," said the Commander.
Certainly their foe was much reduced from a 10,000 soldier division. Maybe a hundred remained with their commander. Autumn arrived in front of him.
"I control both blade and dragon commander. Jacob can confirm your original fear. You should prefer to deal with me as Empress rather than warlord.
"Why would I deal with you? You're just a woman! Hysterical maybe, yes and abominable too, rep—"
The Commander stopped talking.
He had seen her eyes, her willingness to not offer sweet words against his vinegar.
The battle around her had stopped as opponents shared their glares and words.
She didn't even have her Dao blade in a proper guard, but she deflected his strike and left his hand bloodied in one motion.
"Use your words wisely, please do," she told him.
As he ordered his men to surrender, she remembered. "I once went by the name of Ladyreaper, and perhaps I will again. You will not want to face that name."
<<<----]---
Jacob's group took over the guard building at the Palace estate. Autumn left him there to continue organizing the new recruits, and followed, Mrs. Ho's message: The Quartet had made a decision about how to proceed with the diarchy.
She took the teleport formation to the High Mountain palace where the Quartet still lived.
She didn't get a response from Snow Bea, when she tried to apologize and console the woman about her daughter's death, instead, she stood by the other three members of the Quartet and dealt with Autumn only formally.
"First supper, and then we will lay out the proposed structure of our elected branch," said Mr. Park.
"Send the General my welcome when you see him," Autumn said. "His leadership was very helpful."
"The General is out on training exercises," he said.
Supper was long with overly many courses. While they were simple foods, and only the five of them sat at the table, Autumn still felt the waste while there was a country-wide need for food.
It seemed Snow, Chan, and Conner were deferring to Mr. Park as their leader, but he said nothing until after four courses.
"Mrs. Snow was the last opponent to our plan, but now she has come on board. From the beginning, Ms. Xue, we have agreed that democracy was a foolish thought, but my fair Snow family counterpart disagreed, and her daughter was keen to learn from this Kazumi about how democracy would go. With the daughter killed in a reckless battle, all opposition was removed. Snow Bea is onboard.
We will not cooperate with you, Ms. Xue. We hate the Imperial family, but we also hate the West Winds idea of democracy. Your plan fails on both points.
If you renounce your false claim on the Empire, we will return Xue Wei to you, and then you can return to being exiles as you were supposed to be. Otherwise, we will surely kill every Xue family member."
Autumn stood up, prepared to run.
"It's too late, Ms. Xue! We've already taken the teleport formation, and the General and his men were marching onto the Palace grounds as we ate supper."
Autumn was confused, "Why would you support this, Mrs. Snow, after all you helped us."
"My daughter helped you, I thought you should have died then and there. You killed her, Thu!" Snow Bea shouted. "Foolish, I should have never helped you or your sister."
Autumn was furious, not for her own sake, but that someone would claim Chau didn't die fighting for the country.
"Chau was fighting for you, for us. For the North Winds! She bravely held the flank against thousands of South Winds soldiers. She won the war for us! I didn't kill her, they did." Autumn said.
"It was stupid to fight such a reckless battle," Snow Bea said.
"We couldn't let any more looting and burning happen!"
"Shut up!" Bea was furious.
For herself, Autumn could feel the hostility of the Emperor's blood in her. These were simple-minded people who had declared themselves rulers during a civil war. Did they have the will to actually sacrifice for the people?
"I'll teach the North Winds to vote, if I have to do it myself!" she shouted. Kazumi, Kasai, Tanimoto, Shiraishi. They showed her how a proper elected government should work, even if the Gunbatsu was trying to destroy it. Wei too. Wei!
Arriving in the teleport formation room in two jumps, she found it empty.
She felt the Emperor's blood surging, and she thought little about it as she teleported the two daggers she carried straight at Mr. Park.
The daggers could as easily hit any of them or none of them from this distance. She would return for the rest of the quartet!
The combined efforts were exhausting, but she rushed out, teleporting 85 meters further south. She only rested for a few minutes before she continued.
<<<----]---
Jacob knew that the Quartet was a danger as long as they kept to themselves in a far off place.
It was lucky that he was at the front door instead of one of the boys as the Quartet army crashed in.
Without a sword he was nonetheless extremely capable.
'Wake up boys!" he yelled, as he ripped a dagger from one soldier's hands only to gut him with it in the next moment.
With a sword he could do anything, but his three dragon types were all unwise inside. He was an impassable barrier at the door, taking a more favorable weapon in the longsword from the fifth soldier he slayed, and he rushed out with his people who were waking up and rushing to the battle.
The fight spilled out into the open field of the Palace grounds. The disorganized group which originally was headed to every building on the property instead got organized and went after Jacob and his men.
Smoke filled the air as his first dragon flew over the rushing Quartet army and breathed on them three times.
Those who could stumble out of it were coughing and hacking, those who couldn't dropped to the ground in moments. He couldn't cover all of the Quartet army however.
Those who lived through the smoke faced him and his boys. It was only a few minutes later that one of them pressed his own straight sword into his hands.
The fighting was tense, and some of the new guys, who weren't advanced cultivators, were cut down. It was all a trap to bring Shusui away and then stab them in the back, but they didn't expect Jacob's group to be almost an army in it's own right.
At least, his boys could compare to the greatly reduced army that had suffered blow after blow.
The Quartet army was withdrawing, but had they taken anything or anyone of importance?
He only noticed something was odd when he felt the intense feeling of Emperor's blood different from his own. He had lost his senses once before, when his brother was in danger from the rivalry with the other faction of Emperor's faithful. He had been trained in how to handle the gradual awareness that you were losing control.
He hadn't drilled her in detail on that, as of yet. There was so much more instruction to give, and lengthening her teleports had seemed more important.
The Empress was scowling. He couldn't see her face clearly as she rode atop the Wind dragon, but the emotion showed through in her Emperor's blood.
How was that even possible? But then his wife still talks about the powers he manifested the first time he lost control, most powers which he has never recovered while sane. When things go very back, who wouldn't want to just lose control and become more powerful?
"Do you bow to these four tyrants!" she bellowed from atop the dragon, and her voice could be heard from a great distance. "Or do you bow before me, who will give you the power to be heard? You can see and hear your grievances heard, or you can let the First Families control you again! Just bring me Wei!"
Jacob ran to intercept Thu, she was in no state to negotiate with anyone.
"General Park," he yelled out. "Surrender. The Empress is a carrier of the Emperor's blood, and she has lost all restraint right now. One false move and her blade will cut you down. Now tell us, where did you put Wei?"
"We never found her," he said, dumbfounded.
Jacob reached them, looking over at the Empress. Her fingers were twitchy, her blade was drawn and pointed. How aware was she of her actions? How aware had he been.
Training was crucial to recognize the moment, discipline was key, to resist the impulse.
Jacob guessed that she had already experienced it once before, amplified by the Card powers of the Heavenly arena.
There would be side effects tomorrow.
"We can't afford to lose more soldiers, and the Empress respects your command, so do I. If you die, the last influence of the Quartet will be gone. She and I will spend the following days or even weeks destroying the Quartet, that's a given, but your own position could be kept," he said.
"You have no idea how much resentment there is of the Emperor," General Park said. My father hates the whole family. It won't be easy to restore trust there."
Jacob never had a younger brother or child to carry the lineage further. No one to train in all that he had learned. Thu's Emperor blood was different, and her fighting style also different but he could still get the satisfaction of training her.
He focussed on settling her down, while his boys focussed on organizing the General's soldiers. They were forced to keep watch with six of their number at all times, as there was no place indoors to keep so many.
The Empress crashed to the ground as her Wind dragon vanished.
Even if it was in the throes of mania, to produce such a solid Wind dragon, and be able to ride it, that was impressive, he thought.
Hours later, with General Park running the captive camp, supervised by an "assistant" of his own, he prepared to strike back at the quartet.
Thu was in bed at the royal suite of the Palace. Wei had returned, claiming the Magistrate's gift brought her to safety at his throne room.
It was time to make his protege's reign official. Wei said it was the first time she or Thu had stayed in the Emperor's quarters of the palace. Wei stayed with her sister, to keep her calm when she woke.
He reasoned it out that the Quartet must have expected General Park to return to report once he subdued the Empress' faction. Therefore they would either be at the High Mountain palace still, or have fled elsewhere. Either way, he took half of his special forces army.
He teleported first with his best assistant, who organized the rallying of the rest of them.
This normally snowy cold place was now a field of melting snow and mud. Jacob almost slipped as he crossed the distance to the Palace.
There was only one guard at the door to the Palace.
He would not bother to hold back against those who had not held back against him and the Empress.
The guard dropped at the very spot and he entered.
Creeping forward, he was quiet as he approached the noise of laughter. The hallway was not lit with any lightning at the moment, so he simply crouched down in the corner as a servant passed.
"To the Trio!" laughed one of the quartet members. From around the corner, he watched the dinner table, where two older men and an older woman sat.
"The Xue family is dead, and she did us a service by killing Park. It's much easier to control just our three families. One third the wealth is indeed greater than one fourth," one of the men was saying.
So Thu's rage had started here, he concluded. But she could only cut down one of them, or she was enraged by their thoughts of capturing Wei and fled, but not before using her spell assassin technique. That's what it was, though he knew Thu never thought of it that way.
Attack with a blade from dozens of meters away like it was pressed right before her neck. If Thu could find a superior perception treasure, she could amplify the effectiveness of that sort of attack.
It was best to use fire with these three. This, so called treasure function worked from any of the palaces, and fire could be explained as an accident.
The Fire dragon appeared, and breathed, flames shooting from its mouth into the dining room.
The few guards and servants could not protect the Quartet, now-Trio from the effects of Dragonfire.
He returned to his special forces, who had finally arrived in force.
"Shut down any quartet operations. Let those in their employ know that the quartet's cooking staff had an accident and there was a fire. None of the quartet survived."
He watched as the fire burned. He assumed it was too cold for the fire to spread most months of the year.
The Quartet had a large auxiliary force, and agreements with people throughout the country, most likely.
He would take up the role of captain of special forces and spymaster for the Empress. She didn't need to know all that was done to firmly establish her reign.
<<<----]---
The only thing she remembered was anger and fear. Anger that they would use her sister for ransom, and fear that Wei would get caught up
She sat up, reaching for her bedside table but it wasn't there. Where was she?
The bed was huge, ridiculous even. The gold loops on the frame of the bed gave her a suspicion.
"You scared me sisy," Wei said. She was sitting in a chair in the corner.
"I was scared for you," Autumn said.
It was quiet for a minute. "When is it going to be safe. I want to meet some new friends and work on school stuff with them. There's a library here, looks really dusty."
"Where is here?" She asked.
"You're in the master bedroom in the palace. Ms. Ho and her people came over last night. I was exploring."
"Maybe you can work with a real library keeper and learn from them," Autumn said.
Notes:
Autumn will gain access to the Family account, next chapter.
Food Contracts have been signed with most farming communities.
Autumn's legitimacy is soaring with little internal opposition remaining. The Quartet is dead, Autumn will have to push forward the diarchy plan herself.
Vote on Elected Branch's structure
[ ] Original Two Level Plan: 7 member Upper House of Lords. 30 member commons. One vote per land-owning family for Lords, all adult males for commons.
[ ] One Level Plan: 35 member Legislature, vote extended to all adults.
Write In
Vote on Executive Branch's Structure
[ ] Original Council Plan: 4 member executive council, with Autumn in control for day to day operations subject to Council review. Two family members and one non-family council member, who breaks ties.
[ ] Accountable Authority: Autumn controls executive branch authority subject to advice from the elected Prime Minister, disregarding the PM's advice is a crisis.
[X] One Level Plan: 35 member Legislature, vote extended to all adults.
[X] Original Council Plan: 4 member executive council, with Autumn in control for day to day operations subject to Council review. Two family members and one non-family council member, who breaks ties.
Still not sure about this, if someone has a better plan I may change my vote.
rather quick turnaround on an improved capability just introduced to be plot relevant lol
At some point Autumn will have to reckon with Jacob over his mother-henning
[X] Modified One Level Plan: 35 member Legislature, vote extended to all adults who pass an oral examination of sound mind and understanding of the civic process. Classes offered free of charge during farming offseasons.
[X] Original Council Plan: 4 member executive council, with Autumn in control for day to day operations subject to Council review. Two family members and one non-family council member, who breaks ties.
North Winds nobility has proven again and again to be unreliable and irritating. My first impulse is to strip them of power in either the Legislature or Executive. Possibly both, but at least one.
Too sudden an introduction of broad democracy is likely to run into a great deal of...growing pains. Selling votes, corruption, all sorts of things. For this reason I want to modify the one level plan, and make enfranchisement somehow contingent. I don't want to make it depend on literacy: most of the nation is still farmers. I don't want to make it land-ownership. I don't think this examination is going to be as effective as I'd like it to be...but I can't really think of much better?
[X] Modified One Level Plan: 35 member Legislature, vote extended to all adults who pass an oral examination of sound mind and understanding of the civic process. Classes offered free of charge during farming offseasons.
[X] Original Council Plan: 4 member executive council, with Autumn in control for day to day operations subject to Council review. Two family members and one non-family council member, who breaks ties.
[X] Modified One Level Plan: 35 member Legislature, vote extended to all adults who pass an oral examination of sound mind and understanding of the civic process. Classes offered free of charge during farming offseasons.
[X] Original Council Plan: 4 member executive council, with Autumn in control for day to day operations subject to Council review. Two family members and one non-family council member, who breaks ties.
Adhoc vote count started by azatol on Nov 14, 2020 at 1:48 PM, finished with 4 posts and 3 votes.
[X] Original Council Plan: 4 member executive council, with Autumn in control for day to day operations subject to Council review. Two family members and one non-family council member, who breaks ties.
[X] Modified One Level Plan: 35 member Legislature, vote extended to all adults who pass an oral examination of sound mind and understanding of the civic process. Classes offered free of charge during farming offseasons.
Original Council Plan: 4 member executive council, with Autumn in control for day to day operations subject to Council review. Two family members and one non-family council member, who breaks ties.
Modified One Level Plan: 35 member Legislature, vote extended to all adults who pass an oral examination of sound mind and understanding of the civic process. Classes offered free of charge during farming offseasons.
Council Meeting
-- Hsu Xia - Election coordinator.
-- Jacob - Imperial Eyes
-- Wu Aiguo - Regular Army General
-- Chun Meili - Dept Interior
-- Wynn De - Non-Family executive council candidate
-- Vong He - Non-Family executive council candidate
After the flurry of insanity that had gone on from snowmelt till the beginning of summer, the next 4 weeks were busy but less tumultuous. Autumn could only find an hour a day to train in the sword and her other techniques.
They had to bootstrap an organization that could administer candidate nominations and an election, in a heavily rural country, in addition to setting up the executive council and covering departments and duties that had not been done since Son and Lee did.
Mrs. Ho was a veritable fountain of names, and once the waterfall of candidates of various household, council and other positions was started, Mrs. Ho became the contact that people recognized.
Autumn was put in contact with many more people through friends of friends, family connections of those who had already been considered, as well as relatives of people she had some connection with before.
Autumn still preferred slight informality in her meeting places, so they didn't gather in the official court which the past Emperors had used before. They were sitting at the formal dinner table where the Family would sit during the Emperor's speech at the beginning of each year.
It was convenient as the ten of them could sit around one place, and talk in a more cordial manner.
They cleared away the wine glasses, table cloth and other oddments that had been accumulating dust for months, so they had the table as a working space for maps, writing and whatever else.
"Our two new friends are candidates for the Non-Family Executive Council member, but we'll cover that last," Autumn said. "After finding our Interior department leader, Treasurer is next most important. Xue Lee delegated control over tax to Xue Son, Xue Son had prodigious notes written in his own system, determining who was taxed, and who did the collections. Xue Son's notes were either burned or stolen, we only found a few papers in his palace.
I am very reliant on all of you because of my own weakness in this area of administration. I am trying to work things out with Mrs. Ho and Mrs. Chun's assistance.
At our current rate of spending we have enough money for five years, but we will need to at least quadruple spending to establish the elective government branch, army, and the treasury leader and staff to ensure we can resume taxation by harvest time."
<<<----]---
"To be honest," said the bank manager, "I was thinking of a claim by your brother Xue Tuan as more probative. If I had only feared another coup, I would have released everything to you from the beginning.
It's been five weeks since your first return here, and no one has seen your brother. Your older sisters have relinquished the Xue name and taken up a new one. So this is yours."
He handed Autumn a small silver key, and a stack of gold tokens which fancily read: Xue on the first side: Hightown Bank on the back side.
These were simply promises given by the Imperial family in the past to go to the bank and seek payment for services given to the family, without the uncouth step of revealing how much payment was given.
"The key opens everything in columns 7 and 8."
Beyond simply talking to a bank employee at the front of the bank, she had never gone back into the secure storage.
There were iron chests of all sizes and wooden chests of all sizes. They were organized neatly into columns which were numbered, and mounted against the wall, so they could be stacked two or even three chests tall.
She started with column 7.
The first iron chest in that column was filled with jewelry which was of a lower quality by imperial standards. Not being much of a jewels girl, she took only a ring and a necklace.
The second chest contained coins. Some were of the old North Winds standard, but the majority was gold and silver coins of the West Winds and South Winds. She would return her West Winds earnings here at a later date.
The third, and highest chest in column 7 contained neat sub-compartments. These seemed to be heavenly artifacts or off-world treasures, smaller and less awe-inspiring than the stuff which Xue Lee kept, these were all about the size of a fist, and wrapped in paper. She had no idea what they did, but she would check it out later.
Column 8 was an oversized column taken up by a locked wardrobe instead of a stack of chests.
She figured out that the men's cloak was an artifact after she was halfway home. She was riding back to the Palace with Mrs. Ho
Mrs. Ho addressed her in the strangest way, "May I speak, Revered Emperor?"
"Uh, speak freely."
""There's something, uh unusual with your Reveredness, Emperor. Is that a new cloak?"
Autumn looked with concern at the new cloak, taking it off.
"That was weird," Mrs. Ho said. "I suddenly had the thought that you were a very intimidating, charismatic manly Emperor."
<<<----]---
The cloak was hanging over a chair at the nearby First Family's table.
"Mrs. Hsu, can you get us up to date on the Election plans?"
Hsu Xia was an avid student of election systems, although with her experience in the West Winds, Autumn seemed to know as much as Xia did, but Xia had the incredible drive and motivation, while it all reminded her too much of Administration and her brothers, which was a struggle for her.
"We have to assess every potential voter, at least this time. I'm still working on how to make it fair for both farmers and cityfolk. We've got map issues too,"
Xia spread out a map on the table.
Looking at it, Autumn saw far more detail in the neighborhoods of the capital city, but there's was a lot of white on the map between the City and the edges.
"At least half of the villages are unmapped. They had written records for tax purposes but most farmers were referred to according to the Family that had been given authority of the area. Your tour so far is helping us put some more dots on here, but we need to fill in this map so we can be present and inform people of what is happening."
Autumn looked to the others, "Let's put together a list of villages and farming communities. Talk to the people you know, ask them to talk to those they know. Tell them there's a reward if they identify the location of a village or farming community that we don't have on our map yet."
<<<----]---
The younger gentleman was excitedly telling Autumn about his plans for the election. He was carrying his hat in his hand and wore a bow tie, following the newer generation's styling. The well-to-do bachelors and misses had truly come out of hiding in the days since her position seemed unassailable.
"It would be the social event of the year, Devoted Empress! New Year Celebration will have a counterpart at the end of the harvest. I've got ideas for making a massive bowl for all the votes to go into, and each guest can come in and put their vote in the bowl"
She didn't remember how many voters and how the election went in the West Winds, since she had arrived after Kasai and the Minshuto party already had gained the majority of votes. There were more than a hundred elected representatives there.
"It's difficult for many people to travel that far to reach the capital, and as big as the Palace may be, it's not big enough. How do you plan to address that?" Autumn asked.
"It's simple, the people who can't get to the palace should put their trust in family relationships with those who can make it. The registered families will represent the farming communities, honestly and fairly."
"Thank you, Mr. Su. I will call on you in the coming days to inform you of my decision."
After the young man left, Mrs. Ho came into the greeting room.
"He seemed to think voting was something that happens at a gala," Autumn told her.
"People lived by their connections before, I expect most think that this will merely be a nice gesture and not a real thing. They expect to rely on connections, and since most of the Family is gone, they look for connections with you," Mrs Ho said. "Why do you think I came to you so early? Yes I regretted my daughter's actions, but also I saw where things were going. If the Ho family name remained in such a cellar, my husband and I would be shunned. Now, at least, we have a mixed reputation."
"Who else do you have for the election position?"
Mrs. Ho hesitated, "I've told you only the younger people have interest in this, those my age or older have lived in the old system too long to even think about it. Mrs. Hsu is an exception. The Hsu family had interests in farming areas near the West Winds border, in Rice actually. She's visited several farmers across the border to learn more about the crop. Elections have been something of a hobby that she picked up after talking with those farmers."
Mrs. Hsu's dress was neither fancy nor plain. She wore boots that were more for the field, and a white blouse that was quite pure white and ruffled, but a hat that even a man would feel was a bit out of step with the City's fashions.
For Autumn, she liked the lady's approach, but she recognized it's unconventionality.
"Devoted P--- Oops, actually, I'm not sure how to address you. Beloved Empress?"
She fumbled with her words, Autumn thought she was about to say Princess.
"I don't stand on such things overly much. If we have to work together in an informal setting, feel free to call me Shusui. I am much fond of the West Winds' version of my old name. I took it up when I was enlisted in the Girls' Army. In a large or formal gathering, you may address me as Devoted Empress. It's been seven generations since the last and only other empress, so we don't know what her form of address was."
Mrs. Hsu seemed flustered, but her face was beaming, "You've had your own experience of the West Winds then."
"I served as the new Prime Minister's security detail as well. I wasn't there to see the election itself, only the results. What are your thoughts, as to bringing an election to the North Winds?"
Hsu said, "We are going to make a lot of mistakes, and miss people. I will try hard to organize and support the effort to allow everyone to vote, but some people will not hear of the election and some will be told by their masters that they are not allowed to leave the field to vote. Finding candidates won't be hard, in the second election, but people don't know what to expect in this first one."
Autumn nodded. "This patronage system is going to sputter along, even though I'm not supporting it or bringing it forward from the Family point of view. How do we prevent patrons from telling all of those under their control to vote a certain way?"
"We should check every potential voter to make sure they have the ability to make a considered choice and not just a blind one. Whether it is a lack in learning, or in involuntariness, we should establish a fair test to permit only those who are awareness of their voting action to cast such a vote," Mrs. Hsu said.
<<<----]---
Autumn couldn't imagine a better choice for Election Coordinator than Mrs. Hsu.
Chun Meili spoke up, "We should plot not just village or not village, but also the weather and commonly grown crops in the area. We've never really systematized our understanding of what is produced in the nation.
It would be ideal if you found an Agricultural advisor as well but I will try to cover the position for now. Other types of maps that would be useful are maps of the hills and mountains of the North Winds. How steep is the ascent towards North Mountain Palace, and how does the rest of the land flow up and down. If we divide the land into multi-member districts that would be something to map."
Her personal staff was filling up now, and she felt lucky to have her own chef back. He was the one who recommended Meili for the Interior department position.
"Thank you. We've got enough ideas to search for some map makers and 'surveyors'. I will let you and Mrs. Hsu discuss that, Until I find someone trustworthy to be treasurer, I'll handle the payments needed," she told them.
"General Wu, how is the army coming?" she asked.
Wu Aiguo had never served above the rank of Lieutenant before retiring, but he was the best option she had in the disastrous aftermath of the Quartet's betrayal. Much of the army's leadership admitted to being more loyal to the first families than her.
"Most families have already seen recruiters three times. First during the beginning of the strife, and then preparing for the invasion and now. With the status of the South Winds armies uncertain, few are eager to signup. We may be able to draw in some more soldiers now that we can pay. I want to institute a reservist system, with a token payment and the expectation of being called up when war does come back to us. We can't afford to hire a large enough full time army, but relying on plenty of reserves is painful. I'll report my plans as we finish drafting them.
We are in no shape for even a small invasion force, Beloved Empress. Perhaps your imperial Eyes can report on South Winds movements and intention."
Her staff and the people in general had given Jacob and his team the dubious name of Imperial Eyes. They seemed to be muttering: This is the replacement for the Sang enforcers. Autumn wanted to do whatever she could to stay away from that kind of thing, as it was the Sang actions and her brother's agreement and encouragement of shady dealings that brought so much distrust of the Empire.
"How are Special Forces disposed at the moment?" she asked him.
Jacob broke the mold of this new Council. While most of the staff deferred to her and used respectful titles, Jacob had seen her at her most real, and treated her more normally.
They were, after all, both Emperor blooded, and he was the superior in that matter. He continued to train her, in the scant few hours she had free.
Jacob seemed to like the title, "The Imperial Eyes see that Ms. Miyata's crusade has done a lot of damage. The Anattanists are in control in the West Winds, the Samsarran army fragments continue to march back towards their homeland through the West. Those that stay can only obey the shrewd Anattanist's leaders.
The South Winds men are only holding onto lands from the West Winds capital and further South. Ms. Miyata has organized a significant force of everyday soldiers. Much of this intel is from the Magistrate through the Devoted Princess Xue Wei. She should receive an honorary position for her help in keeping track of South Winds forces.
As long as the South Winds Anattanists stay mired in fighting with Ms. Miyata, there will be no invasion. In addition to her rebellion, the Gunbatsu are fighting and organizing their own way. I doubt Miyata's forces would invade if they win, but the Gunbatsu are a war-fighting organization."
Autumn nodded at him, "You will have more information on what is happening in the South when the expedition arrives, I understand?"
"I will have to make an appearance. When they left, they had no idea that this country would reform into a whole again. I need to go out and exchange information both ways. They are carrying a considerable amount of South Winds gold and the intention to acquire sufficient land to settle. If your Imperial coins are minted by then, we would like to make the exchange with our own gold."
She nodded severely, "Be careful. I want to make a huge shift away from corruption and this old system. If you need time off to attend to the expedition so be it. Keep your identity as a family man and as our information man separate."
"I will," he said.
Autumn turned back to the rest of the table, "The last business I've got," she said, "Concerns these two candidates for the 4th Executive Council position, the Non-Family appointment. At this time, Xue Wei has delegated this decision to me, and Xue Tuan is not present. So as tie-breaker, I will make this decision, but in the future we will make appointments with the full executive council present.
Vong He, your family have been smiths off all types for many years. Your father was the top swordsmith in the city when he began his practice, and you took over your uncle's blacksmithy. If you become an executive council member, how will you carry out that responsibility?"
For a man who had been in smoke, heat and dust for many years, Vong He cleaned up nicely. His hands and face showed the signs of a hard worker. His dress was traditional for subservient men of the Empire, those seeking favor of the Emperor. The gray suit was hand-made and adjusted to his size, he being 5'10, taller than most men.
"I see myself as an advisor and counselor to the Esteemed Lady and Empress. I will give advice, and even stern advice. If I vote against your plan it will only be in the form of stern advice, and I am willing to be moved from my positions. If you are firm in yours, I will be malleable in my own posture.
I can also serve as a man's face on the council. Beloved Prince Tuan is a young Prince, but there are many eyes looking for an Elder statesman to stand tall before the battlements of the Empire."
Autumn gave a slight nod and turned to the next candidate, "Wynn De, your family has been purveyors of women's fashion for generations. As a man of such a house, you have never run away from the business, in fact, you have done a lot to support your wife's aspirations for the family. You've developed and discovered new thread and techniques that allowed her to establish and create the most fashionable things, but how does your mind approach the deeper matters as a potential Executive Council member?"
Wynn De, in contrast to Vong He, might have been the most fashionable man in the City. With his wife being the carrier of Women's High Fashion, he had to be, in order to walk in her circle. Green as a color for men was becoming more popular, and the green dress shoes, and shirt certainly were attention getting.
"I'm going to be honest, and not try to misrepresent myself, I am a huge advocate of Hightown's businesses, and so is my wife. I came from a good background, and I will fight to keep the culture of this city and the vibrancy of Hightown alive. There's been a setback because of the unrest, but now there's a chance to recover.
I am for fairness, but I can't pretend to understand or represent a different point of view than what I have. Of course, I will not make short-sighted decisions but vote based on long-term thinking."
Vote:
[ ] Appoint Vong He as Non-Family Executive Council Member.
[ ] Appoint Wynn De as Non-Family Executive Council Member.
I like Vong He, and think he personally made a better case, but Wynn De's base of support is a real concern; although cultural and politically influential nobles have been unreliable for us, they are still powerful and can't be snubbed entirely. There's also a 'favoring women's things' tilt to picking the Wynn. Vong He's father is...I think he was the smith who gave the good sword to Ho Junko and dunked on Autumn so...it's not like he's reliable either...
I like Vong He, and think he personally made a better case, but Wynn De's base of support is a real concern; although cultural and politically influential nobles have been unreliable for us, they are still powerful and can't be snubbed entirely. There's also a 'favoring women's things' tilt to picking the Wynn. Vong He's father is...I think he was the smith who gave the good sword to Ho Junko and dunked on Autumn so...it's not like he's reliable either...
The Traitor smith was a different man. Vong He is a blacksmith, his father had been a swordsmith and his uncle a blacksmith, and he took over his uncle's operation.
Also, Wynn De is the man Autumn talked to, while Ho Junko was talking to the traiterous SMith and Wei was getting outfitted back in one of the last chapters before the crazy parts.
There was a seed of something wrong with herself in recent days, Shusui realized, and it was time to correct her course.
Her advisors, especially Mrs. Ho, were pushing her along the path to being a person concerned mostly with decorum and appearance, administration and selection. She had fought within herself to do what needed to be done when there was no one else to do it, but as her team gradually formed, she couldn't continue this.
Her public appearances should be rare, as far as she was concerned. The Diarchy should gain its power soon as the Elected body became the source of discussion and much of administration.
Generals should run armies, and Administrators run Government departments. Autumn was a Swordswoman Empress, not an Administrator. In an emergency, she would rise and do the dire things which needed to be done. To cut the critical point trapping her people.
She was Shusui, Autumn Waters, Empress of the North Winds, not a protege of Jacob.
She realized his influence was problematic, while helpful, she had let herself be influenced by his Way. His flashy style had brought benefits to her own, but he approached things from a different perspective. The Emperor's blood was first for him, and whatever signs he could produce of it were key.
From the beginning, she had followed the philosophy of finding the inward truth. Because of the dire need to be powerful in the moment, she had wandered and explored Jacob's philosophy, but it was not her own.
It may have seemed strange to say publicly, but as she practiced the blade, she found a meaning that did not depend on training partners or opponents, except as the beautiful interplay between her inner ideals and their own inner ideals.
Originally she had understood cultivation as this ordered series of steps to be taken, and then she thought of it as a wild and free leaping from pinnacle to higher pinnacle, but now she had returned to a new synthesis.
After each height, you needed to confirm your own beginnings, discard what was inconsistent with your foundation stones. There were steps as guideposts in the swamp of cultivation, rushing forward without them could lead to ruin.
Her people had repaired the dojo in the middle of the Palace parade grounds, and now she was practicing katas and training maneuvers that she hadn't worked on in a few months.
If she sparred with Jacob, and followed his understanding of cultivation, she could never surpass him, and it would be a dull affair. When she fought under the inner light she had discovered, there would be a true exchange of differences, and much would be revealed.
It was late when she returned to the Palace.
Jacob had established a new branch of his auxiliary forces, with her approval of course. The Guard Rangers were guards of the Palace ground, but also trained in investigation and tracking. They would address the problem of the old guards being unaware of everything passing beneath their noses.
Wearing uniforms of black leather and cloth armor, they milled and roamed about the Palace grounds, but they would pursue suspects and suspicions where they led.
Shusui considered there to be two councils, the Executive Council which met with just the four members, and a record-keeper. Tuan being still absent, it was practically three. She didn't plan to have the Executive Council meeting more than once a month, unless there was something of major importance.
On the other hand, the Large Council contained all of the department heads of her administration. Once the Elected branch took over these Government departments, she would retain only Ambassadors and Military departments. She had encouraged the Large Council to only bother her once a week. Tomorrow was her first meeting after the Election process had started.
Shusui knew that there had been barely more candidates than positions, but there was still a lot of uncertainty about what and how representatives would live. They were still deciding how much to pay the representatives, balancing the ability of poorer candidates to live while having to stay in the capital, with the perverse incentives caused by being able to vote yourself raises.
Shusui already had informally spread the word that she would use her Executive Council veto if the Elected branch voted themselves pay raises without a strong case for them.
She would listen to Vong He, of course. The man had already proven to be a good and wise choice. Maybe the decades spent in the forge had removed the entitled attitude of so many Capital city families. He seemed willing to consider their goal to actually consider the North Winds as a nation of people from all corners, not just the well-connected.
Her own impact on Government should be rare, but powerful. She didn't have the patience to wade in to practical matters often, but in her mind, her place was to disrupt major problems.
Her first Ambassadorship was not one she expected. If she was a Swordswoman, Wei was a friend-maker. Shusui appointed her as Ambassador to the Cloud Kingdom after the Magistrate kept inviting her to visit.
She didn't have any West Winds contacts still in the country, and it would be best to wait until the Civil War there reached some kind of resolution. Jacob was hated in his homeland, so he wouldn't be a good South Winds ambassador.
Yesterday, he had left to go receive the 2nd expedition of Divine Monotheists loyal to the Emperor's Friend faction which he led. He had asked leave to spend a few weeks scouting out some property which he wished to purchase for this burgeoning group of ex-pats. He also wanted to spend time with his wife. While they still occupied the Sang residence, it was a Capital city estate, not a vast out of town manor.
He had been more interesting than the men she had socialized with before, perhaps because he didn't defer to her, and he was more than a match for her fighting prowess.
She had hand-picked a couple of guards for the Palace building itself, and one of them, Jiayi, greeted her as she entered.
She had asked her staff to just prepare a light dinner, and told them she would arrive home late.
The Emperor's dining hall was never used except for the most formal occasions. Maybe she would have a big dinner after the election there, and definitely the New Year's tradition should continue.
There was a small dining room with a few tables that she used whenever she had visitors, but otherwise, she would just eat her meals in the small sitting room, with Wei, if she was there.
She saw Mrs. Ho was helping her kitchen staff to set the tables in the small dining room. Someone must have arrived while she was out.
She went immediately to her sitting room to see who had arrived.
From the doorway, it took a few seconds to recognize the bearded man sitting in her favorite chair.
There was a woman who seemed to be deferring to the man, standing next to the chair. "Have a seat, Aoliwei," he said. "I don't know when she'll be home."
While the face didn't match the voice, the voice was unmistakable.
"Tuan?" she said, rushing into the room.
Instead of responding how she expected, Tuan said, "See Aoli, I told you she'd be carrying her sword everywhere! Without Son keeping you in check, that is."
"It's been dangerous for me, Tuan. I was in the West Winds army for a while. I've fought South Winds soldiers several times. The Sang and Thunderbolt armies too," Autumn said defensively.
"I know, it's just I'm glad you haven't changed," he said. "I didn't come sooner, because I know a lot of people, including Aoli here, would want me to fight for the throne. There was no way I could come until you were established.
Shusui frowned, "I would have happily supported you becoming Emperor, Tuan. It was because I didn't know your own plan, that I had to step up. I have changed. Today is the first day I've had a chance to go back to our dojo in months. I'm excited to see what you've learned while you were gone."
The lady Aoli spoke up, "Master Tuan is amazing. He's been teaching me too."
Tuan said. "I'll participate in your council, but other than that I just want to be left alone. We've faced a lot of horrible things too. Assassins and haters of the Imperial family, and other insanities in a country that was falling apart until just a few weeks ago. I suppose I'm thankful they went after me rather than you."
"Master Tuan's got other friends too. We are all just part of a small village until he showed up."
She shared stories and listened to what Tuan shared of his days hiding out in the village where Aoli was from.
"I think all of my siblings are better at making friends than me. Wei is friends with the Hero of the West Winds and with the Magistrate of the Cloud Kingdom!" she said.
"My older brothers knew how to use people, but I wouldn't say they made a lot of friends. I suppose Snow Chau is the only exception."
He must have read something in her face, as the next thing he said was, "Did something happen?"
"She was leading the Northern flank of our battle lines in the fight against the Samsarran army. We were able to prevail against their larger numbers, but Chau's unit took the heaviest hit. She didn't make it."
Tuan shook his head, "I didn't know her well, but still."
"Wei should be back next week, can you make it to our first full 4-member Executive Council?"
He agreed. "I'd like to stay in touch with the village that kept me safe. But if you give me a week's notice, I should be able to make them."
<<<----]---
"Is everyone safely away?" asked Tuan as they stood at the best, loneliest spot on the Parade grounds, away from flowers and plants, and away from the main walking routes that were well worn with boots.
"Yes, I made sure," Shusui said. "But why did you want to spar outside."
"This is my element. The outdoors, earth. I've always wanted to surpass you, from the moment I discovered you had all this hidden skill. I picked up a few things while training in that village."
"I don't want to hurt you or be hurt. I've been trying to make sure my foundations are stable before I try to learn more. I know we've both been in real life and death fights, so our instincts are more deadly-focused than a spar indicates."
"I won't hold back my sword skill, however," he said.
"You shouldn't."
After she had reached a sufficient level of skill in swords, she found that she gained an almost tactile sense of another fighter's personality. Tuan's "texture" or "signature" had changed since last she fought him.
The most basic truth was that he had advanced to Third Step and also made a connection with the Earth element. Her strikes were blocked not just by his shotel, but also often by small rocks that suddenly appeared to stop her swing.
She could cut through the rock, or bat it away, but it was a great disruption of her attacks.
He could whip dust into her face on almost every strike of his own, she had to rely on expectation, and not as much sight.
With the rocks, he protected his sides and back, but it wasn't an endless resource, he used them when he had to, but not greedily.
The battle was fought in flurries with pauses in between, and they returned to facing each other at some distance several times. She couldn't handle the dust, but this would be good practice. Not only was her sight disrupted, but she felt like sneezing.
Tuan could deflect a few attacks, but he couldn't deal with the constant teleports and attacks from different positions.
"You really are annoying to fight," she told him.
"Hah, I've thought that about you for a long time."
Suddenly the ground began to shake under her feet, and she started to fall, but as she did, she slashed her training sword downward and teleported the blade at Tuan.
The surprise strike was deflected by his weapon, but he stumbled backwards.
She was on the ground, and Tuan tried to pick up her Dao blade, but she retrieved it, and it came flying back to her hand.
"Impressive," he said.
"You too!" she agreed.
She was forced to teleport away as the ground beneath her began to split apart.
"Are you trying to destroy the palace grounds?" she asked, shocked as a gaping hole was formed in the ground where she had been a moment before.
"Easy fix," he said, and in a moment, the upturned land began to fill the chasm, and after a minute, the only sign of disruption was the lack of vegetation over the spot.
She aimed her sword at the ground and then slashed it upwards towards the sky, and a barely visible dragon appeared high above. It swooped downward, breathing mighty winds, but Tuan resisted the blow, seeming to become rooted and planted into the ground.
She was out of touch with the Emperor's blood, still pondering how to connect her prior approach to swordfighting with this new discovery. The dragon vanished after it's first and only pass.
"Are you exhausted, because I am?" Tuan said. "Resisting that kind of Wind power is not easy."
With that, they returned to the dojo to clean and drop off their training weapons, and then headed back to the palace.
"I think the wind did more damage than your Earth tricks," she said. She would have to talk to the groundskeeping staff.
Plenty of dirt had been tossed around by the breath of the Wind dragon.
"Next time, how about a straight sword fight, no teleports, no rocks suddenly blocking the strike. Just sword on sword," she said.
It took an adjustment to regain the poise and become Empress as they entered the palace and she got changed.
She still had administrative stuff to do later that day, but she continued to ponder the relationship between the Emperor's blood, Dragon summons, and the original, authentic sword fighting she had naturally established over years.
How should she integrate the Emperor's Blood with her prior Swordfighting cultivation
[ ] Prioritize Swordfighting Cultivation first. It will take more time and effort, but eventually she can learn to use her Emperor's blood as an innate part of her Way, instead of something tacked on. (More Intuitive / More Long-Term focused)
In the Judgment Arena, the first Dragon she ever summoned appeared as a natural development of her Way. It will take time and focus, but the style developed will be fast and agile like Autumn's current sword style. More like the Dragon Head attack she used against the South Winds special forces, to strike with frost at the moment the sword makes contact.
[ ] Prioritize Emperor's Blood first. By focussing the strength and might of the Emperor's blood, she can take a half-step to a more explicit and forceful style of Cultivation. Her power will develop more quickly, but there may be obstacles in the future from the incomplete fusion of Sword and Blood. (More Explicit / More Short-Term focused)
Jacob's style is more like this. His sword is just a tool to use until he needs to bring out his true power. If you ever want Autumn to become more of a Card user / called attack hammy style cultivator, this would be the start of that path.
[X] Prioritize Swordfighting Cultivation first. It will take more time and effort, but eventually she can learn to use her Emperor's blood as an innate part of her Way, instead of something tacked on. (More Intuitive / More Long-Term focused)
[X] Prioritize Swordfighting Cultivation first. It will take more time and effort, but eventually she can learn to use her Emperor's blood as an innate part of her Way, instead of something tacked on. (More Intuitive / More Long-Term focused)
[X] Prioritize Swordfighting Cultivation first. It will take more time and effort, but eventually she can learn to use her Emperor's blood as an innate part of her Way, instead of something tacked on. (More Intuitive / More Long-Term focused)
She's a sword and a responder. She isn't artillery
[X] Prioritize Swordfighting Cultivation first. It will take more time and effort, but eventually she can learn to use her Emperor's blood as an innate part of her Way, instead of something tacked on. (More Intuitive / More Long-Term focused)
[X] Prioritize Swordfighting Cultivation first. It will take more time and effort, but eventually she can learn to use her Emperor's blood as an innate part of her Way, instead of something tacked on. (More Intuitive / More Long-Term focused)
I prefer this situation where she isn't calling attacks, she's a swordfighter not a ham sandwich.
[X] Prioritize Swordfighting Cultivation first. It will take more time and effort, but eventually she can learn to use her Emperor's blood as an innate part of her Way, instead of something tacked on. (More Intuitive / More Long-Term focused)
Prioritize Swordfighting Cultivation first. It will take more time and effort, but eventually she can learn to use her Emperor's blood as an innate part of her Way, instead of something tacked on. (More Intuitive / More Long-Term focused)
Instead of trying to staff and coordinate a simultaneous vote across all of the North Winds, Hsu Xia proposed a traveling election tour.
To make it possible for rural voters to familiarize themselves with the candidates, Xia asked the candidates if they would travel with the tour and introduce themselves at each stop.
Xia assembled the votes, and secured them safely after each voting day. Half of the candidates were able to come on the tour. Of the 20 who came, Yang Peng was the most popular, drawing crowds of villagers before him as he spoke about why he was running.
With the First Families disgraced, these stronger Registered families were at the top in terms of influence. Of the 45 candidates, 38 were members of the old Registered families, 4were other capital city residents and only 3 were rural.
At each stop, they asked the locals about any villages or farming neighborhoods nearby, and so they managed to add ten more stops to their maps.
The candidates and positions were not regional, so anyone could vote for any candidate, and the top 35 vote getters would take office.
Xia told her, "We can let the Legislature decided on it's own how to handle the next elections. Maybe they do want regional positions."
After twenty days on the road, they were able to return home, exhausted and start counting votes the next day.
Shusui asked the candidates to appoint amongst themselves five observers. These five, which included Yang Peng, watched as she and Xia opened and read out the votes.
Unfortunately, they had to throw out a few of them, as between Xia, herself and the 5 observers, they couldn't determine what name was intended.
While they tested potential voters for their ability to evaluate, respond and vote in a reasonable fashion, still those who could write sometimes had hand-writing that was difficult to understand.
The batch of capital votes was for many different candidates, while the rural votes were very tilted to the top three candidates.
Of the three rural candidates, Sun Zemin was the only one who came out to campaign, and in total Zemin received 31% of the vote, while Yang Peng had 27%. Since so few voters outside the capital voted for Candidates 6 through 35, those positions were largely decided by how the Capital city voters voted.
With the 35 picked, and only 10 disappointed, the new Legislature had to the decide on it's prime minister. Although Sun Zemin had the most votes, he was a rural representative, and didn't have much influence with the others, so it was Yang Peng voted by the reps as their first Prime Minister.
The feel of the election was totally different than her experience of West Winds politics. There were no parties, and it seemed more like a popularity contest between people. Those who didn't receive a position still congratulated those elected. If she saw Kazumi again, she would have to ask if the West Winds was like this when it first started having elections.
It was time to give her first Emperor's address (Empress's address). The formal Emperor's hall was decorated with traditional harvest time decorations, but they had also placed voting sheets and other election oddities around the room.
She reorganized the tables to reflect a new North Winds. The Emperor's table remained the same. She chose Yang Peng and Sun Zemin to sit at the Emperor's table, as well as Hsu Xia. Tuan and Wei would of course sit there too.
She would celebrate the tradition of the Divine Emperor's table at New Years, but today, she had left the table empty. During New Years, the Divine Emperor's table had no one sitting there, but he was given the best portions of every course of the meal.
The old First Families table was now occupied by the other 33 representatives.
In past years, Registered families had to contend with each other to get one chair at the Registered families table, but now she had asked her staff as well as the Prime Minister and other representatives for their recommendations. She worked hard to allow a diverse group of people to be present.
Xue Lee had always given the fanciest dinners when he bothered to show up at what was supposed to be his house. After that, Son and Chi had good ones, and she had a good chef, but a budget that didn't allow for the fanciest and finest things. The summer was progressing, and fruit and vegetables were at market, whereas bread and grains were still in short supply and highly demanded.
Her travels throughout the countryside connected her with a well-regarded sheep herder, and she had taken out her chef and the best butcher in Hightown to see him during the week between the Election and the celebration.
Many herbs and spices hadn't yet been dried, or were not yet picked, and the war and resistance in the West Winds meant there was no trade in West Winds or South Winds spices, which were more prevalent. She practically cleared Hightown out of what they had. Vegetables were plenty and there was a course of fruit as well.
The Wine and Liquor cellars of the Palace had been largely preserved dispute the rampant looter, some of the rarest and oldest were gone, but there was plenty for the celebration.
After most of her guests were enjoying their meal contentedly, and sipping on their second cocktail or glass of wine, she indicated for Prime Minister Yang Peng to give his speech.
The first part of Yang's speech was largely a sop to the Capital city crowd and his fellow representatives. He addressed the fear and yet desire for something different than was common during the days of strife.
Lastly, he addressed Shusui herself.
"In the history of the world, the desire for something other than an all-powerful Emperor has overtaken the West and South before us. Unfortunately, in those places, the answer only came through violently overthrowing the Emperor.
Most Emperor's would never willingly cede any power, they fall through who they authorize and give power to. Even our Empress' own father would never have thought of such a plan. This plan, this Diarchy, is the rest of our Devoted Empress' experience with our old system, and the West Wind's system.
Pure democracy is in danger of being controlled by Generals and the military, while Pure Imperial government is in danger of nepotism, bad leadership and a narrow world focussed only one one person and one family. Our system will be better. Our military, small though it is, will be reined in by both Empress and Legislature.
We can keep each other in check, and the Executive Council can provide wisdom and advice for the Empress. She has built an administration, one that she promises to release to us as we organize our own business. There are many matters to attend to, and we should look to advisors from the West for advice, but it is our own Cold steel that will establish us. With hard work and patience, we could take over all Government Departments that belong to us by New Years."
After the PM's speech, she gave her own speech, but she was never much of a public speaker nor a good writer. After a lot of back and forth, she agreed on a speech with her staff. She had spent a few days practicing it whenever she had time.
"I can forgive, but I can not approve the way my father, and my eldest and second brother exploited this great people and nation. The old System is dead. There are still many who are harmed by that old system which made the North Winds into less than the greatness our people deserve.
With leadership, time and cooperation, we can establish a newly advanced society that brings all of our people to the table. Effective immediately, I am abolishing the old family system. There are no First Families or Registered or Unregistered families, there are only families of the North Winds.
In the West and North, there are societies of treasure hunters that look for the treasures of heaven that fall on the land. My brother and father collected and kept all of those treasures to themselves. Other than during emergencies, I will not be operating the dedicated treasure catchers that my forefathers used. Respect the land owners, but in the wilderness, I encourage you to search and find what you can.
In addition, I am encouraging your representatives to adopt the Model Bill of Off-World trading.. This bill would establish a government department responsible for interfacing with the Cloud Kingdom, and trading local goods for off-world goods, and making off-world goods available at auction. All local goods used for trade would be purchased from the producers, opening both new markets for our producers and new goods for our people..
I will remain your Empress, but I will step back to allow your elected representatives to direct the future of the nation. I will always be here, ready as your guardian, ready to stand against the disorder that threats our world."
<<<----]---
Even thought she had been serving as Empress for six weeks, there was need of a formal ceremony. Since they had already feasted for the Election, they made the coronation a quiet affair, but the Prime Minister and her staff was present so the news could be shared in the coming days.
The older people of the Capital city were familiar with the veneration that happened when crowning a new Emperor, or Empress. She had never seen it.
A call went out for those taught by their elders in the tradition of the Divine Emperor's blessing and coronation on the Ascension of a new Emperor to the Throne.
A thirty-year old reported that his father had performed the ceremony for Shusui's father, and so he was picked. In particular, the man had to dress up as the Divine Emperor, and effectively "act" the part.
The Haberdashers got into a competition to create the next Divine Emperor's clothes There had been a different weapon used with the ceremony during the second and third coronations, but Tuan's shotel was the closed approximation of what once had been used.
He was loathe to part with it, but he handed it over after much polishing and cleaning made the blade gleam.
Jacob had returned, and he was eagerly telling her about how they celebrated a new descendent of their Emperor, but the North Winds had never had Priests or any other kind of religious authority. There was veneration of the Emperor, and not much else.
In the absence of religious authorities, the Coronation had a Wise elderly man and an Wise elderly woman standing on Shusui left and right. They faced the throne, where the fake Divine Emperor was playing his part.
They had to adlib the Divine Emperor's lines since the circumstances of her crowning were unusual.
"So Emperor Lee, the third, has passed beyond this world. But I do not see his sons before me, neither the first son Xue Lee, the fourth, nor the second son, Xue Son, nor the third son, Xue Chi. Yet I do see the fourth son Xue Tuan, who defers to his sister, Xue Shusui. What has been wrought upon my lineage?"
Shusui kowtowed, bowing low to the ground along with the wise man and wise woman, who pressed their faces into the floor. She had lifted her own slightly higher.
"Forgive us, Lord Divine. My first and second brothers are dead, and they were implicated in matters unworthy of your name. My third brother is dead, and we grieve and regret that he is not here. My fourth brother has chosen to stand aside, and we do not know where my fifth brother is, or if he still lives. He is a young child far from home, yet we hope he is safe, as do we hope for my younger sisters."
"Never before has a Fourth been coronated, and never before has a Princess been coronated, yet here we see a Fourth Princess. Did you tarry from marriage in hopes of such an appointment? Yet you could not have seen such an end."
"I am still young, Lord Divine," she said, following the script they had put together quickly.
"You must not marry into any other Family name!" he shouted, "but as I told those who were unmarried before you, I look to you to be married in a year's time. Our family is graced by each spouse who brings new life. If you have two spouses or even more, it is no concern of mine, so long as each of them has the grace to bring honor to the Xue name."
The Xue tradition of multiple wives was rotten as far as she was concerned. It put the Emperor himself as a singular figure, without even his wife keeping him in check.
She knew that the pressure to marry now would be many times more intense than what she faced as a princess.
"I will follow your precepts, Lord Divine. I will marry in a year's time," she said.
"Respect those who are in the house. Provide a place for your father's wives, and the Princes and Princesses of his reign. Then your own successor will respect the spouses and princes and princesses of your own reign."
"I will respect my father's spouses, and the princes and princesses of his reign. Unfortunately, we don't know where many of them went, but when we find them, they will find a home here," she said.
The Divine Emperor's demands, based on past coronations, were so long they took up 10 pages of neatly handwritten notes. Protect the people, treat your spouse and children right, separately fairly with other countries, these were just a few of the many more things asked of her.
Finally the long ceremony was complete, and Shusui placed the brand new crown on her head. The coronation had been delayed by war, but also by how long it took to fashion a new crown.
She preferred not to think about marriage too much yet. She still had a year to find someone she could tolerate. Instead, she looked forward to the next sword game with Tuan.
<<<----]---
In the West Winds they called this parkour, but Shusui was working with boxes and straw and hay bales which were only a foot or two off the ground.
After some practice and a few other sparring games with Tuan, she had come to the realization that the next step in her Sword way was building up her natural movement to a whole new level that included leaping.
And so she bounded from box to hay bale to the ground and even managed to make it up onto the toolshed where some gardening tools and equipment were stored. The only time she teleported was when it would save a painful fall.
While she traveled around the makeshift parkour layout, Tuan walked slowly, adapting to her direction, and in general practiced solidness and defense.
Even a training sword could produce a big stinger with enough force, and Tuan took plenty of them, but also get her back as she lept from various objects towards him.
Leaping did present a big surface of attack and her movement in mid-air was quite predictable, at least without teleports, but it was another way to get away, and another way to force an opponent's guard to be overworked. Up was another direction Tuan had to guard from.
It was extremely exhausting for her. A normal human couldn't have trained for fifteen minutes at such intensity, but she managed two hours, by which time both of them were wore out, laying in the dirt, recovering.
"This screams Empress," Tuan joked.
"And Prince?" she responded.
She had set up the course with Tuan and she planned to put it away herself as well. It was good for her Way to do some things without help from others.
"Do it again with abilities?" He asked after a few more minutes.
The trembling earth made her teleport from bale to box to ground quickly. Blade teleport led to a hit but Tuan took the strike without moving.
<<<----]---
At the next council meeting, Jacob reported significant news, "Kazumi's resistance has taken control of their side of the border. I'm planning on going out to meet them with a team. Do you want to accompany us, Devoted Empress?"
Vote:
[ ] Leave Tuan in charge of the Executive Council while you travel to the border.
[ ] Leave Vong He in charge of the Executive Council while you travel to the border.
