Chapter 404: Linchpin (3)


    After the coronation even the fighting spirits of the lords in the east and west dulled down and probably atst they made their mind to acknowledge Arial instead of fighting a losing battle, and prolonging the devastation.


    They became Arial men and honoured by the gifts that Arial granted them as they received again theirnds and nobility titles but Arial had said to these lords that he will redraw back the borders and the name of each region to be consolidated into the new Empire.


    Other chief men from the south also submitted and received theirnds and honours again.


    It became Arial policy in his early rule in a region so foreign to him to act as Emperor even where he had no means of carrying out his Imperial orders.


    He also granted a county in former Freya, now under the dominion of the Emperor to Pedro Giovanni one of the exiled Four Families who is known to be a close friend of Diego Botticelli to keep the peace and prevent rebellion from happening while Pedro family will act as hostage in Eden.


    Arial knew that while he held power in name truthfully it does not mean he yet have full authority and control.


    Arrandy is loyal to him, as one entity that remains his backbone but he knows Cori and Freya has their own problems.


    They are forcefully included into the new Empire.


    Freya kneels because they have no alternatives.


    Without their ve army which has been given freedom by Harald, Freya is a weak nation militarily but it still has their harbour while Cori is in now the hand of the Church.


    It might seem like Arial is the emperor but Arial knows that it is the church country.


    Arial had to solve this matterter, knowing that right now the church sentiment is on his side but to believe in such fickle alliance between him and the church is not wise.


    The church is trying to use him as he used them. Arial is not stupid in this matter. For now, Vangua take precedent rather than the distantnds on the south.


    Crowned sovereign over thend, he would first strengthen himself in that part of the kingdom which he actually held.


    Arial policy is to assert his rights in the strongest form, but to show his mildness and good will by refraining from carrying them out to the uttermost.


    By right of conquest Arial imed nothing.


    He hase to take his crown, and he had unluckily met with some opposition in taking it.


    The crownnds of King Edward passed of course to his sessor.As for thends of other men, in Arial mind all is forfeited to the crown.


    Thewful heir had been driven to seek his kingdom in arms; no Anis Raxons has helped him when he put forth his im to his rightful crown; many of them even fought against him.


    All then were directly or indirectly traitors.


    The King mightwfully deal with thends of all as his own. The Emperor. all thend, inw, aw which he made, in paper all belong to him.


    Eachnd can be taken back by him, the only exception is in thend of Arrandy where they can buy theirnds and redeemed it.


    Of course even this he would change somedayter.


    But in the conquerednds, allnds, belongs to Arial and his Empire.


    Taxes,nds.


    Arial took to himself the estates of the house of Harald save those of Amelie, the widow of his revered predecessor, whom it was his policy to treat with all honour.


    From the beginning of his reign Arial begin to make himself richer than any king or emperors that had been before him in Vangua or than any other Human Continent king of his day.


    He could both punish his enemies and reward his friends.


    Much of what he took he kept; much he granted away, mainly to his foreign followers, but sometimes also to Vanguan lords who had in any way won his favour.


    The doctrine that allnd is held by the Emperor is now put into a practical shape.All, of Vangua and strangers, not only became Arial subjects, but his men and his grantees.


    Even though Arial find some resistance in taking the crown he is not without mercy.


    Vangua is not, like some conquered nations, formally degraded or put under any legal incapacity in their ownnd.


    Arial simply distinguished between his loyal and his disloyal subjects, and used this opportunity for punishing the disloyal and rewarding the loyal.


    Such punishments and rewards naturally took the shape of confiscations.


    If punishment ismonly the lot of the Vanguan people, and reward is the lot of the Caelum lord that serve the Emperor, it is only because the Emperor treated all men as they deserved.


    Most Vanguan is disloyal; most Caelum are loyal.But disloyal Caelum and loyal Vanguan fared ording to their deserts.


    This revolution, which practically transferred the greater part of the soil of Vangua to the hands of strangers, a foreign leader is great indeed.


    Arial, ording to his character and practice, is able to do all this gradually, ording to legal forms, and without drawing any formal distinction between natives and strangers.


    Allnd is held by the Emperor of Eden, ording to thew of each of its kingdom.


    Of course Arial will change it soon when it finds stability and he even discussed this with Ss and Oliver to codified aw that will be used by the empire subjects.


    And the Vanguan people also begins to ept this new King. A man who dered himself Emperor.


    Why?


    Because Arial, at any rate since his crowning, had shed the blood of no man.Men perhaps thought that things might have been much worse, and that they were not unlikely to mend.


    Anyhow, weakened, cowed, isted, the people of the conquered kingdom submitted humbly to the Conqueror''s will.


    The Conqueror the name in which he is known now, determined before all things that his kingdom should be united and obedient; his empire should not be split up like the time of Alexander the Divider; he would have no man in his empire whose formal homage should carry with it as little of practical obedience as his own homage to the King of Aethend.


    Arial therefore forsook the old practice of the Vanguan which is dividing the whole kingdom into duchy. The Dukedom is one example of the Empire ipetence.


    Arial also did not forget to send gift to the church whose favour had wrought so much for Arial enterprise.


    Arial also could not use his military all the time. Understanding the limit of military force is an essential consideration.


    Arial pursues stability development and exploitation.


    Stability is clearly important to prevent rebellion or unrest, while the cities will be developed to foster economy, social and political development.


    Therge aim is to establish a durable empire, constructed from Arial very own mind, a vision of evesting peace.


    And the exploitation. It does not mean to imply that Arial would ruthlessly rape the empire of its riches.


    It refers to the fact that Arial often saw the advantage of winning over potential enemies to serve his new empire interest.


    One benefit of such actions is the potential for absorbing potential enemies to serve his interest.


    Arial had no intention of simply sweeping through Vangua, plundering as he went. His aim is to be their lord and thereby the people bing his subjects.


    Thinking about all this he summoned the meeting to discuss all this matter and more. And he also nned a construction program to make sure that his own vassal wont revolt someday.


    Sitting on his throne he looked into his courtiers.


    It was during this meeting that Arial dered to build a pce near the old castle of the Orleans.


    ''Located about ten miles from this very castle lies a modest hamlet. I have a vision for that ce. I hereby dere to construct a Pce never seen before, grander and majestic then the rest. The Pce of Vermont''s. I want gardens, hunting grounds, buildings that housed my courtiers and advisors, residence, stables and kennels, painting and sculptures, ornate designs from all over the world, technological innovations, entertainment hall, which could be turn into banqueting hall for my feast. The Pce will be a manifestation of my glory, and of power imposed to a great extent by art, luxury and magnificence.'' He dered


    He then put in charge Ss as the head architect and asks him to choose anyone capable to assist him in the undertaking, creating many works for the people near the hamlets and to the unemployed knights for a few years until the pce finished its construction.


    Then as the Emperor move to other matters, suddenly the throne room is barged in by one man of scrawny appearance with messy hair and a panting breath.


    He looks at Arial and then he said, his tone is desperate


    "The Empress! The Empress! She- "


    ***********************************************************************''