Empire Ascension: The Rise of the Fated One-Chapter 197: Second official reforms part-1 (Merger)
Purana Qila, Council chamber, afternoon of 11th April 1557.
The grand hall of the Council chamber buzzed with renewed energy as the Samrat convened his court to address a long-anticipated issue: the registration of companies and the rights to form private armies for mercenary services.
For a month, the empire had delayed this sensitive discussion, citing the absence of the imperial prince. But with his return to the capital, the matter had regained momentum, and the date for the critical session had finally arrived.
The grand hall was packed. Following the tradition of the previous Islamic rulers, who preferred standing over sitting to accommodate more attendees, the same custom was upheld. Ministers clad in royal silks, nobles adorned with gems, ambassadors from embassy, and wealthy merchants, many of whom were trying to increase their own influence, all had gathered here.
These merchants and nobles, were keenly aware of how this discussion could tip the balance of power. They had spent weeks strategizing, forging alliances, and lobbying behind the scenes. Now, the culmination of their efforts would unfold before the royal court. All eyes were on the grand entrance.
The grand doors creaked open, and Prince Aditya strode into the hall, flanked by his loyal bodyguard, Bheem, and his trusted butler, Hari Singh. The moment he entered, a ripple of whispers swept through the room like wildfire, igniting a mix of awe and envy among the gathered courtiers.
"That’s Bheem, the one who helped broker the merger," a court official whispered to his neighbor, leaning in conspiratorially. "They say he’s been promoted to sub-commander and vice-general of Aditya’s mercenary forces."
"Really? He did that?" his neighbor replied, his eyes wide with amazement. "Damn, the kid has balls of steel!"
"Luckiest bastard alive—two posts for one person," a royal guard muttered from the corner, his tone dripping with jealousy as he exchanged glances with another guard nearby.
"Oh, I see some are having fun, thanks to their ties," a noble from Punjab remarked with a smirk, nudging his friend.
Another noble chimed in, mockingly, "A meteoric rise for someone from such a low background."
Rumors of praise and jealousy swirled in the air, but for Aditya, they were nothing more than a backdrop as he guided his small entourage through the sea of courtiers, smiling and nodding to those who dared to meet his gaze.
Bheem, however, felt the weight of every gaze upon him. It was his first experience in such a grand hall, and he was acutely aware of the whispers that surrounded him, uncertain whether they were mocking or possible outcome of future. His heart raced with confusion. Did he deserve this attention?
As he scanned the room, his eyes caught Sayantika Sen, the council minister, looking at him with a piercing gaze. She held his stare for a moment longer than was comfortable before turning back to converse with the other ministers. Bheem’s pulse quickened; he couldn’t tell if her expression held disapproval or intrigue, but it irked him nonetheless.
"What are they saying?" Bheem muttered under his breath, turning slightly toward Aditya.
"Just the usual," Aditya replied, his voice steady and confident. "You’re making waves, my friend. Let them talk."
Bheem whispered , "Your Highness, I am feeling uneasy. I am not used to this much attention. Have I done something wrong?"
Aditya resisted the urge to facepalm himself, at his friend’s naivity. He replied in a low voice, still pretending to be focused elsewhere, "Don’t overthink it, Bheem. Just keep your composure and don’t let it show."
Bheem nodded, straightening his posture. Internally, he thought, ’That’s right. I’m overthinking this... ’But then he recalled Sayantika’s piercing gaze from when she caught her daughter Raamya with Aditya in a compromising situation while he, as the royal guard, had been blocking her way. ’There is no way I am gonna get punished for what my freind did wrong... or I am overpositive. Damn this horny idiot!’
Aditya turned to his butler, oblivious to his friend’s internal turmoil, "Are we ready?"
Hari Singh with parchment in his hands, bowed slightly, "Yes, Your Highness, everything is prepared."
Soon, the herald announced the arrival of the emperor. The room fell into reverent silence as the grand doors swung open again. Samrat Hem Chandra Bhargav entered with his majestic presence commanding the attention of all.
The courtiers, ministers, and guests bowed deeply as the Samrat ascended to his golden throne. He scanned his eyes over the crowd of courtiers, spotting Aditya, then gestured to his father and Prime Minister Chandrashekhar, "Begin today’s court session. Commence the meeting."
Chandrashekhar, stepped forward with a parchment. "Today," he began with clear and authoritative tone, "we shall discuss the pending topic of the draft proposed by the council and Prince Aditya, concerning company rights and the regulation of mercenary armies. This session will determine the second set of reforms to be applied across the empire. "
"Another draft? And this time from the prince?" a representative from the Bengali merchant group gasped in low voice, exchanging worried glances.
"Damn it! I didn’t think he would play this way," a noble from Agra muttered in frustration.
"This is going to be interesting," mused a merchant from the Gujarati Bania Sabha. A knowing smile spread across his lips, since they already had a deal with the prince. There was nothing to lose. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖
In a corner, a group of nobles from Jaunpur and Malwa huddled together, whispered amongst themselves.
"Do you think our plans will fail?" one noble asked, his voice laced with anxiety.
"Not a chance. We have Sukhwindar Singh, the Public Welfare Minister, backing us," another replied, confidence creeping into his tone. "The whole council is not in favor of the prince."
"Yes, right. Our sources have revealed he is dead serious about this. He has always been a firm opponent of the imperial prince," the third noble agreed, nodding.
Despite their ominous feelings, a sense of security settled over them, bolstered by the support of Sukhwindar Singh.
Meanwhile, Sukhwindar stood in the shadows, biding his time. Loyal to the throne but wary of the prince’s ambitions, he regarded the scene with skepticism. The sudden shift in the empire unsettled him, and he resented Aditya, whom he viewed as a bastard and unworthy to throne. "Just you wait, prince," he thought as bitterness bubbled within him. "You fooled me with your muskets; this time, I will ensure you are chained." He eagerly awaited his chance to speak, but unexpectedly, the conversation shifted to another topic.
Chandrashekhar paused, allowing the weight of his words to sink in before continuing. "But before we proceed, there is an urgent need to address the merger of a new kingdom.. the Gorkha Kingdom of the Himalayas. They are revered as the brave warriors of the region. However, after discussions with the council, it has been decided that merging with a remote kingdom that shares no borders would be against the interests of our Samrajya.
Therefore, with heavy heart.. we must decline their request. Instead, in this memorable day where we all have gathered we have decided to bring in a proposal of our noble alliance of trade and peace, where we are eager to exchange ambassadors. I would like to ask our royal guest, King Dravya Shah, if this is acceptable to him?"
Aditya frowned, taken aback by the decision. In his past timeline, a prime minister whom he deemed idiot, had also refused the merger with Nepal, and now, witnessing his grandfather taking the similar route irked him. His teeth clenched in frustration as he lost the opportunity to easily integrate the Gorkhas into the empire. His eyes followed King Dravya as he stepped forward to address the assembly.
The crowd murmured, intrigued yet annoyed. It was the first time they had heard about the Gorkhas, and the abrupt rejection of the merger left them unsettled. They were eager to hear how this seemingly insignificant king would respond.
Dravya Shah, clad in a finely woven jama, a long tunic, and dhoti, strode forward with a regal yet humble demeanor. He performed a respectful namaste as he approached the Prime Minister.
"It would be an honor for my kingdom, even if it is merely a peace alliance. However, I am saddened to see that we are considered too insignificant to be part of your empire. I do not wish for the people of Uttar Bharat(Northern India) to regard us in the same light. It humbles my heart that His Grace has described us as skilled warriors, and I await the opportunity to prove our worth."
Chandrashekhar nodded, appreciating Dravya’s sentiment. "We appreciate your words, majesty. Please accept this royal agreement we have prepared. Let’s hope for a prosperous alliance" He extended the deed toward Dravya Shah, who accepted it with gratitude. Internally he was thankful as he got to keep his sister in asylum as ambassador but the insult of being looked upon gnawed his skin.
"For the Samrajya," Chandrashekhar concluded, performing a namaste.
Dravya Shah replied with pride, "For the glory of Nepal."
A murmur rose through the crowd. Clarity dawned upon them as now they understood where this kingdom belonged. Nepal is the northeastern valley region separating India from the Tibetan kingdoms. Thanks to its location it sparked a intrigue among the nobles.
Many, especially those from Jaunpur and the Bengal representatives, began to see new opportunities in the region. Even princess Meenakshi standing alone as ambassador took a mental note of his presence.
Their attention shifted as Chandrashekhar announced, "I now invite Sayantika Sen, the council representative, to present the matters at hand. "
It was a shock for everyone as everybody expected Sukhwindar Singh to get the chance to represent the draft, but still, it has little difference since everyone will get their chance to put forth their opinions.
Little did they know that it was all a deliberate plan of Prime Minister Chandrashekhar. Thanks to the latest intel provided by Jayadev Patil, he knew about the lobby, and there was no way he was going to allow more private armies, as they were the real threat to the empire.
Bound by influence and chains of power to satisfy all nobles and maintain order, he had to do this stupid discussion, or he might have single-handedly blocked such bills. However, what he wanted to gain more was to use Sayantika to show Aditya how important an asset she is if he were to miss her allegiance. But that was all for the future, as nobody knows what will happen at the end of the discussion.
