Realm of Power

On October 7, the Istani people approached Focodila, the most important area in the hinterland of Congo. It is famous for its high-quality wool rolls. In the flat plains and hilly areas, flocks of sheep are as white as clouds, and the gurgling streams are like The bell swings, here The Boguto sheep are strong and have long curly hair. They are the best material for weaving fine noble clothing. They can bring huge income to the Congo Empire every year, but what really makes this place known to other countries is that it is another reason,

Because he was one person, the recently deceased Minister of Military Affairs of the Congolese Empire, Rubinthack. His hometown was Fucodila, and Rubin's family coat of arms was a pair of opposite horns of a big sheep.

This was once a proud family emblem, but at this moment, when the hearse with this family emblem engraved on it passed slowly through the streets of Gangfei, the eyes of passers-by around him were not respect for the deceased, but respect for the national thief. contempt and hatred

"Bah, such a person should have died a long time ago!" Some passers-by expressed their disdain, while others expressed their incomprehension as to why this old man from Gangfei, who was full of glory, chose such a wrong path full of reputation and reputation in the last six months. , only children with wide eyes would find the pair of opposite corners engraved on the hearse very cute. They wanted to step forward, but no adults took them away.

The Rubinthacks died, but the turmoil did not calm down. In the eyes of most non-Confucian civilians, the Istantian attack was due to Rubinthacks' move to the capital. The wealthy and powerful people who benefited from the turmoil in the Gallic capital. , in order to cover up their own incompetence in facing the national crisis, they also collectively guided public opinion to jointly point out Rubinsack was accused of being a thief who stole national interests. Some so-called aristocratic scholars also swore to produce so-called conclusive evidence that the Istani who broke through the High Court defense line in August were the first to point the spearhead of the war. It’s not just Gangfei, but closer to the Poluto City-State Alliance in the Inner Sea,

"Everyone knows the ambition of the Istan people to swallow up the entire inland sea. The Gangfei Empire was not the first order of attack. If it weren't for someone's hasty move to Beijing that shook the foundation of the Gangfei Empire. And for the members of the army Opposing voices are suppressed vigorously, and the current Congolese Empire will never face the situation of national collapse."

The Kyoto faction that promotes such remarks is headed by a series of emperor factions led by Duke Andia, who took over the post of Rubinsack's Minister of Military Affairs. The reason why it is called the emperor faction is because it includes Marquis Leo, commander of the New Fifth Army of Congo. , just now the new commander of the Eighth Army, Marquis Yeldo. Wenke, the commander of the Seventh Army of the Empire, and the Marquis of Doma, the commander of the Eleventh Army of the Empire. These four legions were directly under the direct control of the Emperor. Due to the assassination of His Majesty the former Emperor, the four legions that accompanied the Emperor suffered heavy losses from the Conflict. Criticism from the non-military circles was ridiculed as a coward who could not stop one man with 200,000 people.

October is the last month before the cold winter in Congo. Falling snowflakes can already be seen in some northern areas of the Congo Empire. The temperature in Kyoto has dropped rapidly. The cold wind in the autumn morning has been criticized all the way. Disdained, puzzled. After looking at him with curiosity and respect, the coffin of the old man Rubensack was buried alone in the marshal's cemetery. There were less than ten people watching the ceremony. It was the most miserable time that I had ever been honored to be buried in such a place. Every marshal in the past was buried like this. There was a huge crowd, at least a hundred followers and subordinates. Students, military officers, representatives of the emperor, the Ministry of Military Affairs, huge families, the total number of people is huge,

But this time. Because of their bad reputation, neither of Rubensack's two sons participated. Among the ten people was Rubinsack's old butler and a reluctant representative of the Ministry of Military Affairs. Although he was only a minor official, his face was as ugly as if someone owed him money, and he was still muttering "It's really bad luck."

Four coffin bearers and one flag bearer stood beside the grave. Because the number of people was too small, even the two grooms responsible for pulling the cart were among the ten. The once-famous Rubinthack, perhaps not I would think that I would be so miserable in the end,

Unexpectedly, the last person standing on the left was Duke Andia, who had just taken over the post of Rubensak's Minister of Military Affairs. He was wearing a large black windbreaker and watched the dust raised by the shovel gradually submerge the pure white. The coffin board looked downcast and solemn,

For those who don’t know, it is simply unimaginable that after Rubenthucker’s death, the first thing he did when he took over the Ministry of Military Affairs was to abolish most of the military adjustment orders during Rubinthucker’s administration, just like twisting a military unit that had been tightened. The country with regulations became relaxed again and returned to normal, or restored to its original appearance.

This is a strong man in the empire who is sixteen years younger than Rubensack. He has a medium build, sharp eyes, and short chestnut hair. When Rubinsack was the Minister of Military Affairs, the Duke of Andia was responsible for Monitor the Feize people's movements in the south, and the emperor's southern expedition will be It was he who proposed it, and he was one of His Majesty's former Emperor's recognized confidants. Therefore, no matter in terms of qualifications or status, no one raised any objections to his taking over Rubinsack's position. His appearance here is not a heroic sentiment. , purely because of convention!

According to convention, an imperial military minister who died in the line of duty is eligible to be awarded the title of marshal posthumously. However, Rubinsack had already been awarded the title of marshal ten years ago, so as an imperial soldier, the highest status of marshal is for the funeral, the Minister of Military Affairs, Duke Andia, must Attendance, everything went smoothly, the four soldiers responsible for filling the soil began to level the raised soil, and the flag bearer covered a rigid military flag on the tomb soil according to the procedure. Andy adjusted his collar, and the gray The sky was dim, with a bit of sad cold wind, and the viewing ceremony came to an end.

At this time, a group of young officers in uniform rushed in from outside the cemetery, with anger written on their faces, "National traitors are not qualified to be buried here!" An excited young officer kicked the cover on the tomb. The military flag was on the ground, and other people were carrying various digging tools, ready to swarm up and dig out the coffin.

"That's outrageous. What do you want to do?" Duke Andia stood up with cold eyes. Under his black windbreaker was the uniform of an imperial general, which was covered with various sapphire blue medals.

"Sir..." The officer looked at Duke Andia's general uniform and two rows of sapphire blue imperial medals. His face was startled. He didn't expect to see an imperial general here. His eyes were a little flustered. Didn’t it mean that the people attending the ceremony today were all insignificant people!

"Who asked you to come? Where are the guards guarding the cemetery outside?" Duke Andia's eyes had a strong chill. He fought against the Fezer people in the south and always took no prisoners. The catchphrase on his lips is "Black two-legged animals are for killing!"

"Sir, we are all soldiers who resent the actions of national traitors. As soon as the guards heard our intentions, they generously let us in. Please don't stop us! We are seeking justice for this country!" The young officer rolled his eyes. After a while, I found that Duke Andia was the only general of the empire, and he said boldly

"Justice? To a dead old man?" Duke Andia glared. Looking at these young officers with blood on their faces, they pointed their fingers into the distance and said sternly, "The Istani people are attacking and the front line is bleeding. If you have the ability, why don't you go to the front line. That is where you are needed most. Don't think that you are not wearing any clothes." There are numbers engraved on the armor. I don’t know your identity. You are directly affiliated with the Fourth Army. I don’t care who instigated you. Leave immediately. I can pretend you didn’t see it. Otherwise, you will bear the consequences!

"Sir, I don't know what you mean!" The young officer whose identity was revealed showed a hint of cunning on his lips.

"Really? Then let me remind you. I am Andy, the current Minister of Military Affairs of the Empire!" Duke Andia said in a raised voice. "The diversion proposal is on my desk now. Since you want to express it, Your bravery. Then I will grant you, tell me your name and position, and I will put you on the front line tomorrow and let you show your bravery to the people of Istan. If you can kill that Istan! The Sudanese Sultan may still have a chance to leave his name in history, how about it! "

"Your Excellency is Mr. Andia!" The young officer was dumbfounded, and so were the dozen or so people behind him. They didn't expect to meet their boss's boss. Generally speaking, they were in the same faction, and the other party was the big boss. I'm just a little guy

"I'm sorry, we're leaving right away!" The young officer who realized something was wrong led a dozen people away in dejection, leaving Andia standing alone in front of Rubinsack's tombstone. His eyes were complicated and thoughtful, and he grabbed the tombstone with his own hands. He threw a handful of dirt into the air and scattered it like raindrops. Andy raised his head, looked at the sky and said to himself, "Old friend, is this why you have to do this? Or your hunch is right, some This guy is crossing the line of being a soldier and starting to turn from a soldier into a national traitor who is obsessed with power!”

After leaving Rubinsack's funeral, Andy re-examined the diversion bill that she regarded as a crazy move. She thought of the young men who were being manipulated like puppets, and of the dozen or so pictures that could no longer be seen as belonging to the strict discipline of the military. impulse, Andy's My heart began to become serious. The army is a double-edged sword that can hurt others as well as yourself. Especially in the current situation of chaos in a small country, it is no wonder that Rubinsa, who has always been regarded as the representative of the interests of the military, Ke, this time he stood on the opposite side of all the soldiers.

Diversion bill! What is taken away is the threat, and what is left is the danger of ruining one's reputation! This is the path Rubinsack chose. In fact, even if he had not died during this negotiation, he would have been drowned in countless saliva after returning to Kyoto, whether it was colleagues who lived and died together in the past, students who admired him, and were full of respect. All his subordinates will become his enemies. Andy's hands were trembling slightly, and he gently placed them on a document on the table, as if it were a heavy weight. The signature at the bottom of the document was "Rubin Thacker"

This bill makes people hesitate and tremble;

Rubinsack is worthy of being a veteran of several generations. He has seen many more conspiracies and rebellions than the average person. After moving to the capital, he once pointed out that the emperor was young and the chance of his own conquests was very slim. The military strength of the four directly affiliated legions was at the current level. The proportion of Gangfei is overweight, accounting for almost one-half of the military strength of the Gangfei Empire.

Logically speaking, it is a good thing that the proportion of troops directly under the emperor's legions is large, which can ensure the stability of the emperor's authority. However, when the emperor is young and the control of the legions directly under the emperor is completely used by others, such a ratio of troops will have a negative impact on the entire Gang Fei. Even for the empire It was dangerous. He was well aware of the serious shortcomings of empty pay and exploitation of military expenditures within the army. Rubensack, who had served three emperors, decisively placed himself on the opposite side of the army this time. He submitted a proposal to the young emperor. The adjustment plan for the four major legions directly under the emperor,

This is the diversion bill,

According to the plan, the four major armies will be divided. Except for the actual 100,000 elite troops kept in Kyoto and under the jurisdiction of the emperor, all other excess troops will be transferred to the border defense forces to supplement the border defense forces that suffered heavy losses due to the battle with the Falcon Empire.

In this report, Rubinthack frankly stated that "there are huge loopholes in the border defense of the Congo-Africa Empire. First of all, there is a shortage of troops. In the Falcon Empire's war, 200,000 Congo-Africa border defense troops either died or died." Wounded. Two main legions were crippled, and this huge hole has never been filled, although a mobilization order was issued in August. Fifty thousand recruits, but it is far from enough for the 200,000 gap. Secondly, there is a serious shortage of military reserves. The empire's maritime trade lines are cut off, and the land is completely monopolized by the southwest region of the Falcon Empire, which is rich in iron ore. The forest area was also ceded to the Falcon Empire. The gap in the empire's armaments will become larger and larger as the number of armies recovers.

"If the maritime trade insurance cannot be cleared within five years and the Shanxi-Sui policy is adopted against the Falcon Empire, which has a strong position in material control, five years later, the new army that the Gangfei Empire will expand with the goal of 500,000 troops will They were reduced to the embarrassing situation of two people using only one spear, wearing a set of armor, and the archer's quiver holding less than ten arrows." This was the imagination put forward by Rubinsack. This imagination shocked the entire Congolese military community, although in his heart There are many people who agree, but there are very few supporters who dare to come forward.

Because once this proposal is passed, it will be a major reshuffle of the existing Congolese military circles, especially for the four direct legions. As the emperor's direct legion, the weapons and promotion opportunities are the first-class in the Congolese Empire. The general border guards bear the brunt of the war and face the enemy directly. Moreover, both combat readiness and promotion opportunities are third-rate. Disbanding the direct-affiliated legions and integrating them into the border defense forces will affect the countless and inextricable forces behind the directly-affiliated legions.

Rubinsack has undoubtedly aroused public anger. This old man who is already in his sixties obviously feels that his time is running out and no longer cares about the "rules" that hinder his hands and feet every morning. This old man who had decided to abandon everything would always stand in front of the window for ten minutes, his eyes staring unfocused at the distant northern sky. He once complained to his old housekeeper. Why didn't the other party give him more time? No one knew who he was. But Andy who took over can now basically guess that he should be the talented and ambitious young emperor from the north, because this diversion bill mainly strengthens the border guards, and the biggest enemy of the empire's border defense is undoubtedly the northern emperor.

At this time, Andy had begun to discover that the old man, who was scolded as a "national thief" by countless people, worked hard to hold up the country and put it under the light with both hands. The old man had wound up the country, but he was walking under his feet. On a road full of thorns, every step is dripping with blood for the old man. The heavier the country is, the weaker the old man is. Until the blood is drained, the sacrifices made for this country now begin to take effect.

"Sir, the imperial meeting will be held in advance until tomorrow!" An adjutant from the Ministry of Military Affairs pushed open the door of Andia's office.

"Oh. What's the reason?" Andy stood up unexpectedly and closed the folder with his hand. The imperial meeting ended yesterday, why would it be held again tomorrow?

"The Istar people are approaching Focodila. Someone suggested that the four direct legions can stop the advance of the Istar people in Focodila!" the adjutant replied with a strange expression.

"Is there anyone?" Andy said in a serious tone.

"It's His Majesty the Emperor!" the adjutant smiled bitterly.

"You mean that the seven-year-old Emperor proposed to stop the Istani advance in Focodira?" The expression on Andia's face was doubtful. Even if His Majesty the Emperor is a genius, there should be no monster to this extent. That is the life and death of hundreds of thousands of people. It is not a child's play. Although His Majesty the Emperor is only seven years old, it does not seem to be so absurd.

"I heard that His Majesty the Emperor came up with a battle plan, and the drafter was Rubinthack!" The adjutant grinned slightly. To be honest, even he himself didn't believe this rumor. Rubinthack was already dead. How could it be possible to draft a battle plan for His Majesty the Emperor after a few days? If Andy hadn't pressed too hard, he wouldn't have said it.

"Well, you go down!" Andy's body trembled slightly, and he waved his hands in surprise, as if he believed in the possibility that Rubinsack could not come back from the dead. His Majesty the Emperor has a copy of it in his hands. There is only one possibility for the battle plan drafted by Rubinsack. Rubinsack made it before going to negotiate. There is only one reason. Rubinsack seems to have had a premonition of something. There are too many people who want to kill him. The negotiation in Falcon Empire 1 is a matter of death for Rubinsack

Dandong, which did not have much strategic value, was exchanged for the Falcon Empire's rare neutral attitude before this disaster, and it avoided the situation where the Gangfei Empire was attacked from both sides.

When land trade lines became fragmented due to the invasion of Istanbul, the importance of maritime trade lines was highlighted to the first place.

A large number of weapons and war preparation supplies entered the Neihu area from the newly restored sea route and entered the hinterland. To put it bluntly, it was this dead old man who used his own life to gain a glimmer of hope for the Gangfei Empire.

Compared with these, the so-called "borrowing" proposed by the commanders of the four direct armies who did not dare to face the front of the Istantians not only gave up the southern areas of the Congolese Empire, but also led the Istani to the Putao area to alleviate the frontal conflict. The stress of combat. How despicable compared to the nobility of the old man, one sacrifices himself and the other sacrifices the country!