Chapter 618: Book 34: Obligation

Chapter 618: Book 34: Obligation

Heavy lies the head which wears the crown.

There would come a day when Luo-Luo grew accustomed to Lord Husbands moments of poignant brilliance, but today was not that day. Delivered with the solemn dignity of a troubled man as he stood over the war table, there were a multitude of complexities hidden within the simple verse and Luo-Luo was of the mind to try and capture its multifaceted meaning in calligraphy. The evocative phrase played against common misconceptions, for those without power dreamed of having it, and those who wore crowns to represent said power were only ever seen with heads held high. To do any less would be undignified, yet here, Lord Husband referenced the weight represented by those same crowns, the many troubles and duties which went hand in hand with authority and obligation. By remarking on this discrepancy, Lord Husband was noting how power in and of itself was not necessarily a reward, and that he would be much happier if he were relieved of his burden and divested of his crown, free to return to his previous station as a mere Minister of Finance.

Heavy lies the head indeed, for the fate of the outer provinces now sat firmly upon his shoulders.

As Legate, Lord Husband could now move heaven and earth with but a single command, wielding power on a scale most people could only dream of. Unlike most, he saw this as more curse than blessing, for he was a good man, one teetering beneath the weight of the potential consequences to his actions, consequences many others would deem... not inconsequential, but acceptable. It wasnt fear of failure which plagued his nightmares, but rather concern for those adversely affected by his choices, and he refused to proceed without considering all angles, as he so aptly put it. Though he could simply order one of the Marshals or Lieutenant Colonels to obey his commands, he preferred to rule by committee rather than the iron fist, and admirable though his intentions might be, it was thus far proving to not be the most effective leadership option available.

Take for example the dilemma before them today, a military decision which two Colonel Generals believed could turn the tides of war against the Enemy. From what Luo-Luo had gleaned while waiting to make her daily report with Liu Xuande, Southern and Northern forces were holding firmly at the second line, but Hongjis forces were faltering along the central position, where the Enemy had concentrated over half their attacking soldiers. Colonel General Nian Zu submitted a proposal not even an hour after Lord Husbands ascension, an ambitious gambit to commit most of the Imperial Forces to an all-out counter-attack. Initially, every other Colonel General objected to their Northern counterparts plan, and Lord Husband rejected it citing the wholesale opposition as his reason, but five days later, Colonel General Shuai Jiao resubmitted Colonel General Nian Zus initial plan with a few minor adjustments, alongside a strong recommendation that they go through with the plan as soon as possible, lest this golden opportunity slipped through their fingers. Colonel General Shuai Jiao even hinted that the inexperienced Legate would be best served by heeding the advice of his most loyal servants, a statement which bordered on insolent when delivered through written missive, rather than in person.

A calculated insult, no doubt, one designed to put Lord Husband in his place and present no target to vent his frustrations on. Colonel General Shuai Jiao likely expected Lord Husband to roll over and give in or refuse out of hand, either of which would give him the upper hand in future discussions, but instead, Lord Husband paid no mind to the condescending tone of the Colonel Generals missive and was carefully envisioning how the battle plan might play out. The table held a scale map of the Western Wall and the lands beyond, with many a miniature meant to portray the positions of thousands of soldiers or Defiled each, and Lord Husband was busy shifting them around in ways Luo-Luo couldnt entirely follow. The plan seemed simple enough at its core, to pull the centre back from the second lines to draw the Defiled out, giving the Northern and Southern forces the chance to collapse on the overstretched Enemy offensive.

Except clearly, Lord Husband didnt believe the tactic would play out as planned, because when he moved the Defiled pieces, they didnt pursue the retreating Central forces, but instead turned on North and South. Shaking his head as he stood back to take in the entire table, Lord Husband sighed and said, Its a trap, plain and simple. I dont understand why Shuai Jiao and Nian Zu are so eager to step foot in it.

His declaration elicited a rude snort from one of the three Officers present in the room, Brigadier Yari Hagane, father of Yari Tetsudo whom Li-Li defeated during Shen Zhen Wus banquet of heroes. A staunch supporter of Colonel General Mitsue Juichi, Brigadier Hagane was Lord Husbands Central military liaison, and carefully toed the line between blunt and insolent. No offence was meant by his gruff soldiers demeanour, he would often plead, saying surely the Legate would understand, given his... history.

It was always said just like that, with the pointed pause to draw attention to something no one dared mention in his presence, that Lord Husband was once a slave and therefore unworthy of his Office. A small part of Luo-Luo agreed, not out of disdain, but sheer practicality, because if Shen ZhenWu had known of Lord Husbands past, she was almost completely certain history would have played out differently. Now, a former slave had been raised to Imperial Peerage and stood higher than anyone else in the outer provinces, an affront many Imperial Scions and outer provincial nobles would see as a direct insult to their illustrious lineages.

Well too bad for them. Lord Husbands past did nothing to diminish his lofty accomplishments, and in some ways made them even more impressive, or at least thats how Luo-Luo felt. No longer was he a Bekhai princeling, but a rescued orphan who took his first step along the Martial Path less than a decade ago. Not only did he also learn to read around the same time, he had since developed into a brilliant researcher and mathematician who devised his own system of numerals. Which clan, family, sect, or faction had an individual who could match even half of Lord Husbands achievements? None of them, thats who, and Luo-Luos respect for her talented Lord Husband rose several notches higher once she overcame her shock.

A shame so many people felt otherwise. It seemed so silly to fixate on a persons past, but to some, once a slave, always a slave, and a slave was not worthy of respect, even if said former slave was brave enough to stand up to Imperial Scions and Defiled Divinities alike.

Something to say, Brigadier? Without turning his head away from the war table, Lord Husband answered Yari Haganes derision with mockery of his own. I sense your gruff mannerisms flaring up again, so you might as well share your opinion before it seeps out at an inopportune time.

With all due respect, Imperial Legate, the painted Warrior began, his powdered face and drawn eyebrows looking comically aggressive in lantern light, Every Colonel General of the Empire has served in the army for longer than you have lived. Between Nian Zu and Shuai Jiao, they have more than two centuries of experience on you, assuming you started learning tactics on the teat. It would be best if you left the tactics to those trained for it, and simply trusted the Colonel Generals assessments.

If thats the case, why are the other three Colonel Generals hesitant to support this proposal? Politics was the answer to Lord Husbands sarcastic question, but Brigadier Hagane could hardly admit as much. Neither Ryo Dae Jung nor Mitsue Juichi cared for Shuai Jiao and Nian Zus collaboration, since an alliance with a foreign Colonel General gave the much celebrated Shuai Jiao even more power than he already held, standing head and shoulders above his peers despite their equal ranks. If Lord Husband were to take issue with their silence, he could easily order Ryo Dae Jung and Mitsue Juichi drawn up on charges, but the polite thing to do was to overlook minor political maneuvering, and not voicing support for an opponents plan could hardly even be counted as such. Technically, by not voicing opposition for this plan as they had with Nian Zus initial proposal, the two Central Colonel Generals were tacitly agreeing with this battle plan, while only the Southern Colonel General actively voiced his objections, stating that the risks outweighed the reward and that their best course was to hold the line.

Without additional reinforcements from the South of course. Central would just have to miraculously get by on their own somehow, because the South was unwilling to sacrifice Southern soldiers while Central Warriors were resting on their laurels. Even in unity, there was dissent, and Luo-Luo saw no choice but to accept these terms and pray the South would remain true to the Empire. At the very least, if they intended to rebel, she hoped they would at least have the decency to wait until Lord Husband was no longer Legate. According to him, Shen ZhenWu had concerns that the South might withdraw long before Lord Husband donned this mantle, and thus far, Luo-Luo had yet to discern how Southern Marshal Quyen Huong felt about taking orders from someone of Lord Husbands... humble origins.

Since Brigadier Hagane had no answer for Lord Husband, he turned to the other two Officers in the room. Major General Han BoHai and Major General Inthavong could not be any more different, the former a hulking bear of a man with porcelain cheeks hidden beneath a robust beard, while the latter a slight, slender, whip of a warrior whose dark-skinned features were entirely devoid of hair save for two thick, bushy eyebrows. Together, the three men made up Lord Husbands war council, a term which had been met with less-than-polite disdain, for war was not conducted by council. Though barely a Warrior herself, Luo-Luo wholeheartedly approved of his actions, because there was really no winning for Lord Husband here. As Legate, his was the hand which guided the swords of the Empire, but as Brigadier Hagane had so rudely pointed out, Lord Husbands subordinates all had more experience than he had years alive, and would hardly take kindly to his commands.

Such were the sins of pride, as they were. Though they were all on the same side, Luo-Luo admitted to taking some small measure of glee from Colonel General Nian Zus reaction when Lord Husband refused his proposal the first time. The Living Legends throat still bore a reddish line where the Confessors sword had opened his throat, yet he had already convinced himself that Lord Husband would be little more than a figurehead to control and command. This just showed that even close allies had to be guarded against, for good intentions could result in grave harm and any consequences would be born by Lord Husband, not Nian Zu or anyone else.

Grimacing as he stared at the board, Major General Han BoHai hesitated before gesturing at the jumbled mess before him. Your movements illustrate the worst case scenario, a disaster for the Imperial forces, but to achieve such a thing, the Enemy would have to work in perfect coordination with no margin for error. Silently requesting permission to rearrange the board, the bear of a Major General gingerly shuffled the pieces about until it more or less was back to where it began, as an accurate representation of their current forces in the field. See here? he asked, moving Centrals forces to depict a retreat, after which the Defiled pieces gave chase before splitting up to meet the oncoming Northern reinforcements. It is unrealistic to expect the Defiled to maneuver so perfectly as to cut off and isolate large swathes of our forces. To do so, they would have to know how our forces are arranged well in advance, which would be impossible so long as we take adequate measures.

Thankfully, Lord Husband had things well in hand and never intended to rely on War Bonds to pay for this latest endeavour, and instead introduced a scaling luxury tax on certain goods entering the Western Wall. Not only would this generate revenue, Lord Husband hinted that the Marshals would benefit even more if they were vigilant against smugglers, since this would allow them to seize entire shipments for carrying contraband. A less scrupulous person might even frame their rivals, Lord Husband had said, offering advice and threat with a sly smile of both friendship and warning, and Luo-Luo saw the Marshals each visibly sweat. Truly a devious man, one worthy of admiration, and Luo-Luo was even more certain he was destined for greatness.

All this was of course after reinstating his father as a Lieutenant General and offering blanket amnesty for anyone and everyone who took part in the act of civil disobedience, as he so eloquently put it, though how much weight his amnesty would hold without an Imperial Mandate was up for debate.

Finished with his cuddle session, Lord Husband came to his feet with Ping Ping in one arm and Mama Bun in the other, obviously struggling with the Divine Turtles weight and bulk but unwilling to compromise. Sorry to keep you both waiting so long, he said, his genuine sincerity winning him points with the all too capable but ultimately lowly Imperial Scion. These war councils are worse than pulling teeth, but necessary. Since I dont have an Imperial Sigil to wave about and give commands with the Emperors authority, I have to tread carefully and avoid upsetting too many people, lest I find myself committing suicide by way of a dagger to the back.

Faced with this bold statement, Luo-Luo and Xuande both bowed and uttered, No one would dare. Even without an Imperial Sigil, Lord Husband was an Imperial Scion of high standing and the Commander of the Outer Provinces, so it would be treason for anyone, even a lofty Colonel General, to disobey his orders. It didnt matter if the Emperor was incensed by Lord Husbands actions, He would have no choice but to act swiftly and punish anyone who even dared to voice the possibility of disobeying the Legate, lest the Imperial Clan lose face. This was something Lord Husband knew, but didnt wholly understand, and Luo-Luo feared he would never wholly grasp the concept of face even if he lived to be a thousand years of age. This was further evidenced by his adamant refusal to allow the dignity of his new station affect his general comfort, wearing the same, plain clothes he always favoured, though at least she managed to convince him to let her do his hair every morning and wear his armour for public appearances. This meant waking up each day at an ungodly hour since Lord Husband hardly seemed to sleep, but Luo-Luo rather enjoyed their quiet morning conversations, which seemed like the only time he ever had to spare these days, but she cherished what little she could get.

Right now though, they had business to discuss, and Luo-Luo let the dignified Scion take the lead. As proud as she was of her own skills, she knew she was outmatched by Xuandes gifted talents. A former chief administrator for the Prime Ministers office, he was overqualified to assist a mere Minister of Finance and wholly in his element as the Legates assistant. In the span of a few minutes, the soft-spoken man had outlined some fifteen critical matters which required Lord Husbands attention while also suggesting the best course of action, and Lord Husband merely nodded along and agreed with everything Xuande said. Not because he wasnt paying attention, but because the Imperial Scion was so thoroughly prepared, there was no need to deviate from his suggestions, especially since hed given them no reason to mistrust him in their months working together. Whats more, Xuande behaved in a virtuous and genuine manner, treating everyone he met with from commoner to Colonel General with the utmost respect. The man had impeccable personal skills as well, having picked up on Lord Husbands willingness to listen and appreciation for forthright honesty. In contrast, Luo-Luo had been with him for over a year and still treated him like a prideful noble who needed to be led to the right answers so he could feel in control. Lord Husband didnt care about satisfying his ego by appearing self-important, and was more than happy to accept aid wherever he could find it, but even knowing this, Luo-Luos habits were ingrained into her and difficult to overcome.

Not so with Xuande, who in a few short days, managed to grasp everything required to ensure gold continued to fund the war effort without interruption. Now, they were discussing the possibility of introducing a minimum wage, but while Xuande and Luo-Luo both agreed with the idea on basic principle, it would be difficult to convince the Marshals of the necessity or enforce such a measure. Lord Husband also wanted to put an end to slavery, but he might as well ask for birds to stop flying or fish to stop swimming. He meant well, but his aspirations were unrealistic to the extreme and would only further alienate him from the true power base of the Empire, the nobles, Warriors, and merchants. At the end of the day, commoners simply lacked the military and financial power to enact change, even with crossbows and catapults to wield and someone like Lord Husband to champion them.

As their meeting came to an end, Luo-Luo inwardly lamented her passive part in todays events and looked forward to playing the zither for him after dinner while he bathed in his borrowed manor. That was one of their new nightly rituals now, suggested by Lin-Lin of all people, and Lord Husband was happy to hear her play now that he believed her music might help unravel the mysteries of the Dao. There was some overlap between Luo-Luos evocative musical talents and Lord Husbands ability to inspire and intimidate with words alone, and while he had yet to master the skill, he was inadvertently using it and studying her music to see if he could better understand it, but so far, thered been no progress. Every now and then, he would simply utter a statement and it would send chills down Luo-Luos spine, like earlier when he spoke up to keep his council from tearing itself apart, or conversely, hed tell Lin-Lin he loved her and her eyes would disappear into her smile as she was given conclusive proof of his feelings for her in the form of Loving Aura.

Just as Luo-Luo was about to bid Lord Husband farewell, he turned to Xuande, who was studying the war table, and asked, Copper for your thoughts? Smiling at their shared confusion, Lord Husband explained, Its an expression, meaning I value your thoughts and would care to hear them. Youve glanced at the board more than once and look like you have something to say.

Bowing at the waist, despite Lord Husbands repeated efforts to get him to stop without issuing a direct order, Xuande hesitantly began, Imperial Legate is too kind. This lowly one knows nothing of tactics and warfare but... earlier, Imperial Legate declared that the Enemys movements were a trap.

Yep. Taking this as an invitation to explain, Lord Husband pointed at various pieces on the table and rattled off a complex series of interactions which were somehow disastrous for the Imperial forces. Long story short, he concluded, once he noticed Luo-Luos eyes glazing over, Is that Shuai Jiao and Nian Zus plan only works if the Defiled over-commit to chasing Centrals forces east and pay no mind to the encircling reinforcements. The Defiled have numbers enough to delay two of the three forces and concentrate on killing the third, isolated group, allowing them to divide and conquer against a numerically inferior force. Which is bad.

This lowly one understands, Xuande said, in the patient tone of someone whod heard Lord Husband argue this several times already, to which his advisors countered with what seemed like reasonable arguments. However, tactics aside, this lowly one would note that a trap is only effective if it is not spotted beforehand. When spotted beforehand, it becomes an opportunity, for now you know what your foe expects. Could you not take advantage of this knowledge to bait the Enemy into a trap of our own devising? Seeing Lord Husbands bewildered expression, the soft-spoken Scion bowed again and said, This lowly one is only speaking nonsense, and begs leave for his ignorance.

Kuang Biao! Shouting at the top of his lungs, Lord Husband said, Call for my war council to reconvene immediately. Patting Xuande on the shoulders, Lord Husband directed the Scion to a chair and all but commanded him to sit, which he did while stroking his long, luxurious beard to hide his anxiety. Lord Husband wasnt angry, but he was also too distracted to notice poor Xuandes plight, utterly engrossed in moving his models around once more. When the council arrived a few minutes later, Lord Husband greeted them all by pointing at Xuande and saying, Meet Liu Xuande, Imperial Scion and Expert of the Empire. He is now the fourth member of the council and is hereby to be included in all future discussions. Ill give him a military rank after I have time to think of something appropriate.

A chorus of dissent broke out, but none were louder than Xuande. Imperial Legate, this one knows nothing of tactics and is unworthy of even the title of Expert. Ive never drawn a weapon in anger, nor have I ever faced anyone in combat outside of gentle training.

You have a Natal Palace dont you? Xuande nodded, to which Lord Husband followed up with, Then youre an Expert. You have a Spiritual Weapon? Seeing Xuande shake his head, Lord Husband asked, Would you like one? Again, Xuande shook his head and claimed he was unworthy, to which Lord Husband responded by waving the mans protests aside. Well, you dont understand tactics but you can learn. Pointing at his advisors, Lord Husband grimaced and said, What I cant do is teach these three soldiers to be less rigid in their thinking, because theyre too damned stubborn to listen. Tell them what you told me.

Visibly shaken, Xuande stammered through his repetition while Luo-Luo watched with interest, unsure what was so significant about his contribution. It was common enough to find traps in contracts and devise methods to use said traps against their rivals, but Lord Husband treated it like sage advice, as did the members of his council. Visibly excited, Major General BoHai rushed to the table to begin planning, while Hagane and Inthavong offered arguments and suggestions of their own. Every now and then, Lord Husband would ask Xuande for his thoughts, only to berate the Imperial Scion for claiming ignorance and bully him into offering an opinion. Most were dismissed out of hand, but even Luo-Luo could tell the Scion had a good grasp of timing and troop movements, able to discern which pieces on the board were able to reinforce the others and the speeds at which they travelled. No doubt gleaned from his time plotting caravan routes and estimating where smugglers might travel to, now put to use against the Enemy.

Though feeling a little left out, Luo-Luo stood to the side and watched Lord Husband at work, her heart filled with pride for this dragon among men who excelled at everything he put his mind to. A shame he had even less time for her than usual these days, and what he could spare was always reserved for business or the animals, but there would come a time soon when he would lay his head down to rest, and his mind would be full of thoughts of her. Of this, she had no doubt, mostly because Lin-Lins protectors guarded her chastity fiercely, while Yan and Mila were both fighting on the front lines. Though lusty, Lord Husband was also fiercely devoted to his wives, which meant that when his bodily urges grew too strong for him to control, his only recourse would be to seek out Luo-Luo.

And when he did, she would welcome him with open arms and thank the Mother for Her bounty...

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