Hu Hao sat alone in the briefing room, processing the Emperor's thinly veiled threat. He was deeply resentful that the Emperor would use his family as leverage, but he knew he had to endure it for now.
Not only did he have to endure it, but he actively needed to dispel the Emperor's suspicions. That was exactly why he had proposed sending his younger brother, Hu Hui, to the Royal Command Academy. The academy was the premier military institution in the Empire.
Given Hu Hui's dismal academic record, gaining admission to a regular university was impossible anyway. Sending him to the military academy, and eventually having him assigned to Hu Hao's own command, was actually a solid career path for the boy.
Furthermore, Hu Hao recognized that the Emperor still wielded immense prestige and authority. The Emperor was the only figure capable of rallying the entire civilian population to resist the Allied invasion.
If Hu Hao tried to go it alone while the aristocratic families surrendered and the rest of the Empire collapsed, his isolated pocket in Late City wouldn't last long. Once the Allied forces secured the rest of the Empire, they would simply pivot and crush him with overwhelming force.
Therefore, Hu Hao had to align himself with the Emperor, at least outwardly. He couldn't act recklessly, and he had to ensure his subordinates didn't either.
If they acted prematurely and provoked a civil war or an Allied crackdown, not only would they fail to save the civilians, but they would likely lose their own lives in the process. Hu Hao sat in the quiet room, carefully calculating his next moves.
Meanwhile, the Emperor and the Crown Prince were walking back to the study. They remained silent the entire way. The palace corridors were filled with listening ears; even though the guards were theoretically loyal Royal Guardsmen, one could never be too careful.
Upon reaching the secure study, they took their seats.
"Imperial Father... do we truly have a chance now?" the Crown Prince asked eagerly, the moment the doors were closed.
"We do! I truly never expected Hu Hao to come up with such a brilliant strategy. I was so focused on the aristocratic families that I completely overlooked the power of the common people! I never considered wielding the populace as a weapon against the aristocrats!
"As long as the common people and the ordinary soldiers refuse to surrender, the aristocratic families won't dare!
"I will spend tonight drafting a national address for tomorrow. I will publicly urge the citizens and the aristocrats to unite in resistance against the foreign invaders. I will declare that anyone caught attempting to surrender to the Allied forces is a traitor to the human race and can be executed by anyone!
"I will also make it abundantly clear that surrendering to the Allied coalition will not save their lives, but will only lead to greater slaughter! Once the people hear that, even if the aristocratic families have already finalized their deals with Vostok, they won't dare execute them! Who isn't afraid of a bullet in the back from their own troops?
"The Allied invasion is ultimately an extermination campaign. Surrender offers no salvation; it only guarantees death!
"I cannot believe Hu Hao handed me the perfect solution. As long as the commoners and the soldiers listen to me, let's see which aristocratic patriarch dares to surrender! If they dare, they die!" the Emperor declared, his previous despair replaced by fiery determination.
"Then... can we finally reorganize the military? Refusing to surrender isn't enough; we need capable generals to actually lead the troops! Will you open the promotion channels now?" the Crown Prince asked, feeling a surge of hope.
"Yes. Tomorrow, I will officially approve the backlog of general officer promotions. I will also issue a decree allowing any aristocratic scion who wishes to resign their commission to do so without penalty. I will grant them full amnesty for their past incompetence.
"Hmph. Moving forward, those aristocratic families will find their military influence slowly but surely eradicated!" the Emperor stated resolutely.
"Mm. We truly owe Hu Hao a debt of gratitude. If not for him, we would never have seen this path," the Crown Prince acknowledged.
"However, do not place absolute trust in him. Hu Hao is a natural warlord, a man born for chaos. While he hasn't shown overtly treasonous ambitions yet, who can predict the future?
"That is precisely why I used his family to issue a warning tonight. If he dares to surrender, or if he attempts any treasonous maneuvers, I will not spare him. I don't know if he fully grasped the subtext.
"The boy actually suggested sending his younger brother to the Royal Command Academy! Perhaps he truly is naive and missed the warning. If he had understood, he likely wouldn't have volunteered his brother as a hostage. But regardless of whether he understood or not, as long as his family remains within our reach, Hu Hao won't dare step out of line," the Emperor explained his cold calculation.
The Crown Prince stared at his father, slightly shocked by the ruthless pragmatism.
"My son, to be an Emperor is to trust no one entirely. If I weren't so old, I wouldn't even trust you completely. That is the heavy price of the throne.
"If you wish to control a nation, you must cultivate a suspicious mind. No one will remain loyal to you forever. Look at Tang Long's father! He was instrumental in helping me secure the throne! I have treated the Grand Marshal's family with the utmost generosity, even allowing you to marry his daughter! Yet, what did it amount to?
"When push came to shove, he still secretly negotiated with the Allied forces! Tell me, does his treason repay the absolute trust I placed in him?
"Therefore, you must remember: Hu Hao's loyalty depends entirely on your actions and your leverage. As long as you hold his family hostage, he will remain loyal. Without that leverage, why would a man commanding a massive army in this chaotic era ever submit to you?" the Emperor imparted his cynical wisdom.
"Yes, Imperial Father. I understand. However... I feel Hu Hao is fundamentally different from the aristocratic generals. He lacks their ingrained political cunning. I genuinely believe he missed your warning tonight; the thought of betraying the Royal Family has likely never even crossed his mind!" the Crown Prince argued gently.
"Mm. That may be true now. But can you guarantee he won't change? As his army grows and his power expands, his options will multiply. When a man realizes he has the power to take the throne, ambition often follows. Can you guarantee he won't have other thoughts then? He probably couldn't even guarantee it himself!" the Emperor pointed out the corrupting nature of absolute power.
"That's a fair point," the Crown Prince conceded.
"However, I am currently very satisfied with his performance. He continually exceeds my expectations. I genuinely admire the boy!" the Emperor added, softening his tone slightly.
"Yes, his battlefield performance is undeniably stellar. But... what truly surprised me tonight was your decision to grant him the authority to appoint local civil officials, and even more shockingly, the authority to establish his own armories!" the Crown Prince expressed his concern.
"I had no other choice. He has no ammunition, and we have no logistical means to supply him through the encirclement. What else could I do? I had to let him find his own solution. We are completely impotent to help him right now. If he runs out of bullets, how can he fight for the Empire? How can he continue to draw the enemy's fire?
"As for the civil officials... how many civilians does he realistically have left over there? Sigh! The vast majority were slaughtered; the number of refugees who actually managed to reach his lines is likely small. Furthermore, his territory is relatively confined. Letting him appoint a few mayors is inconsequential.
"Besides, how could I possibly appoint officials from the capital? Who would willingly travel into a besieged city? Who wants to volunteer for a suicide mission when Hu Hao's ability to hold the line is still in question?" the Emperor explained the pragmatic reality of his concessions.
"But... what if Hu Hao actually manages to break the encirclement? What if he successfully trains his seven corps? If the Empire stabilizes by then, having a massively powerful general with his own independent military-industrial complex in Late City... wouldn't that pose a severe threat to our stability?" the Crown Prince pressed his geopolitical concerns.
"What is there to fear? If the Empire stabilizes, I will command the loyalty of the entire national army! What threat could Hu Hao's localized forces pose against the full weight of the Empire? When the time comes, the Ministry of Defense will simply reabsorb his assets!" the Emperor dismissed the concern entirely.
The Crown Prince nodded, accepting the logic.
"Right now, I need Hu Hao to serve as a shining example. I need him to show the aristocratic generals that while they are incompetent, commoners are perfectly capable of winning wars! Once he proves that, I will have the political capital to promote truly meritorious soldiers. Once I have a cadre of capable, loyal generals, why would I ever fear the aristocratic families again?
"However... the position of Grand Marshal. We truly need to make a change there. That position wields too much power. I can no longer leave it in Tang Long's hands. Tang Long is not only incompetent, but his ambition has grown dangerous, and his loyalty to the Empire is compromised. He cannot remain Grand Marshal!" the Emperor declared, his eyes hardening.
The Crown Prince looked at his father with slight apprehension.
"Do not worry. What if I appoint Luo Xin as the new Grand Marshal? Luo Xin is unquestionably loyal to the Empire. Furthermore, as the current Commander of the Air Force, he lacks deep, entrenched connections within the Army. Appointing him would prevent the kind of nepotism and self-serving factionalism Tang Long has cultivated," the Emperor proposed.
"Yes, but... what do we do with Tang Long?" the Crown Prince asked cautiously.
"Ma Zhenling is old; it is time for him to retire. We will appease Tang Long by appointing him 'General of the Left'—a prestigious but largely ceremonial title. We will give Ma Zhenling's son a command as a Vanguard General to placate their clan.
"He Jingzhong, whom Tang Long elevated to his current position, is also getting on in years; it's time for him to step down. As for the Air Force, we will promote Liang Kuan to 'General of the Right'; his command of the Air Force has been commendable," the Emperor outlined his sweeping reshuffle of the military high command.
"And... what if Tang Long is dissatisfied with this arrangement?" the Crown Prince asked nervously.
"If I deliver that national address tomorrow, do you think Tang Long would dare rebel? Even if he dared, do you think the soldiers would follow him?! Granting him the title of General of the Left is already showing him immense leniency!
"Truthfully, I originally intended to offer the Grand Marshal position to Jiang Kai. Unfortunately, Jiang Kai is desperately needed to hold the central front. If not for that, I would have gladly given it to him!" the Emperor stated confidently.
"Understood!" the Crown Prince nodded.
"My son, you must compartmentalize. Tang Long is Tang Long; Tang Yanyan is Tang Yanyan. Tang Yanyan has borne two Royal Grandsons for our family, and she has fulfilled her duties as Crown Princess admirably. As for Tang Long... we will see if he is smart enough to accept his fate gracefully," the Emperor warned, ensuring the political purge didn't destroy his son's marriage.
"I understand," the Crown Prince affirmed.
"Tomorrow evening, I want you to visit Luo Xin's residence. Discuss our defensive strategies with him. Luo Xin is a righteous man, entirely unlike Tang Long," the Emperor instructed.
"Understood," the Crown Prince nodded.
"You currently lack a secondary consort. I recall Luo Xin's youngest daughter just turned twenty this year. I will inquire about the match on your behalf," the Emperor added casually.
(End of Chapter)