Water Magician-Chapter 658 : Announcement

Chapter 0658 Announcement

Translator: Jay_Forestieri

Editor: Tseirp

The fleets of the Grand Duchy of Atinjo and the nation of Bosuntar made port.

“I hereby transfer command of the fleet of the Grand Duchy of Atinjo to His Majesty the Emperor.”

“I hereby transfer command of the fleet of the nation of Bosuntar to His Majesty the Emperor.”

The Darwei Emperor received the transfer of command from the commanders of both fleets.

“In the name of the Darwei Emperor, I transfer command of both fleets and the Darwei fleet to Kabui Somal, Lord Protector of the Suje Kingdom.”

“I will accept it with humility.”

Thus, command of the entire allied fleet in this operation, including Count Bashu’s Darwei fleet, was transferred to Kabui Somal.

That is protocol that must be completed before going to the battlefield.

Unify command.

Clarify the chain of command.

Without this, they would be nothing more than a mere rabble.

The land forces would be the imperial expedition led personally by Emperor Tsuin.

The naval forces would be the allied fleet led by Kabui Somal under the name of Emperor Tsuin.

“All that’s left is to march north, right?”

Ryo said, sounding pleased.

War is a sad thing, but when faced with large armies and great fleets, it is only natural for spirits to be uplifted.

Moreover, fighting is not necessarily the sole objective.

This movement is to return the great authority of Darwei that had been entrusted away back to Emperor Tsuin. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

“A grand show of force, indeed.”

Abel said with a wry smile.

“Moving a great army to avoid an actual armed clash... in words alone it really is hard to grasp the meaning, isn’t it?”

“It can’t be helped; that’s how it is.”

Ryo and Abel shrugged.

After a short while, Ryo spoke.

“Ruling is difficult.”

“What’s this all of a sudden?”

Abel tilted his head at Ryo’s words.

“Abel, you must be blaming the Emperor in your heart, right?”

“Blaming? Ah... not to that extent, but, well.”

Abel seemed to find something in Ryo’s remark. He scratched his cheek and continued.

“I think some of the current situation stems from the Emperor going daft after the Crown Prince’s death... no, I won’t go that far, but it’s an indirect cause.”

“That is indeed one aspect... but he lost a child, so it’s understandable.”

“Rulers are not permitted such an excuse.”

“Th-that’s true, but...”

Abel declared, and Ryo fell silent.

Of course, Ryo understood what Abel was getting at.

A ruler who carries responsibility for the lives of many people cannot be allowed to neglect governance, no matter what happens.

If he did, the people would be made unhappy.

“Abel is too strict.”

“I’m not wrong... Ryo should know that too.”

“I do understand. I do, but...”

Abel spoke as a king would.

Ryo spoke as an ordinary person.

“Still... I don’t think it’s a bad thing to recognize that one was daft, to be aware of the mistakes made, and to try to regain what was lost.”

“That’s right; that’s important.”

“To press on with governance while holding sorrow in one’s heart. How difficult...”

“It certainly is difficult. In ordinary work, one would be allowed time off until one could sort out one’s feelings.”

“Rulers are not afforded such time.”

“Exactly—so long as one lives and holds the position, one is always a ruler.”

Both Ryo and Abel shook their heads slightly.

And the next day.

At last, the return of Darwei Emperor Tsuin was announced.

This had to be proclaimed widely to counter the earlier announcement by the Choouchi Empire that he had died.

He was currently in Boago in southern Darwei, and would thereafter head north back to the imperial capital Hanlin.

It was also announced that the lords and neighboring states would accompany him.

For the ordinary people of Darwei, to hear that the Emperor they had been told was dead was, in fact, alive was simply a relief.

They would likely think, “That’s good — seems like there won’t be any strange confusion.”

And for now, that was enough.

This announcement was aimed at the Shitaifu class within Darwei.

“Is he—is he the real thing?”

“They say it was delivered to each city using the ‘policy transmission line’...”

“The one commonly called the ‘Six-Department Line’? It transmits imperial edicts from the Imperial Palace to the manor houses and magistrate offices across all of Darwei, right? Who can issue that? The Six-Department heads, the Prime Minister, First-Rank Marquises, Imperial Princes, and the Emperor himself. Which means...”

“It should be considered a transmission by the Emperor in person.”

Such rumors were spreading through the Imperial Palace.

“Do not be flustered!”

That was the Patrol Corps adjacent to the Imperial Palace.

The Patrol Corps is the office of the patrol troops charged with maintaining order in the capital.

At the Patrol Corps training ground, Hau Gin, First-Rank Marquis and commander of the patrol troops, shouted down his subordinates who were fretting over the rumors.

“Our role is to protect the citizens of the capital. We preserve public order for their peace. Have you forgotten? Whatever happens at the Imperial Palace, leave it be! Attend to your duty!”

“Yes!”

At their master’s exhortation, the patrol troops ran out.

Any hesitation had already vanished from their faces.

Hau Gin was over sixty, but did not look it at all.

Standing over 190 centimeters tall, his whole body could be called muscle—a stately physique, a fierce face, and piercing eyes.

All of it gave those who faced him the impression of a rock.

By showing his own unshakable stance, Hau Gin removed doubt from his subordinates... he well understood that.

“Oh ho, your voice carried all the way outside, you know.”

Saying that, Secretary Shau of the Censorate entered the Patrol Corps training ground.

“Shau-dono. I do not like shouting either... but if the patrol troops waver, it will inconvenience the citizens of the capital. It cannot be helped.”

Hau Gin grimaced but shook his head.

The two entered Hau Gin’s office.

“Still, is it all right to parade about so openly?”

“Hmm?”

Hau Gin began.

“You’re the one who aided the Emperor’s return, aren’t you, Shau-dono? And Zhuon-dono of the Inspectorate as well... I’ve received reports that Li Wu, the regional inspector, has been active. If I have hold of such information, Prince Kouri certainly does as well.”

“That may well be.”

Secretary Shau sipped his tea in his usual hale manner.

“If such people visit the Patrol Corps, it might be cause for trouble?”

“The Censorate and the patrol troops are both pillars of capital security. If you think cooperation is natural, there should be no issue.”

Hau Gin declared firmly.

Both the Censorate and the patrol troops are guardians of the capital’s order.

If one were to compare to modern Japan, the Censorate would be close to the prosecutors and the patrol troops close to the police.

However, the division is not that strict, so top officials frequently exchange information, as in this case.

In that sense, it was natural for Secretary Shau, who effectively oversees the Censorate, to visit Hau Gin, commander of the Patrol Corps.

Moreover...

“I am grateful you have been training my foolish sons.”

“Gaji, Guza, Gobo, yes. The work of the Censorate is suiting them well.”

The three whom Abel had named the Three Colors had, through various circumstances, come to be under the Censorate’s custody.

“Those were the third, fourth, and fifth sons, were they not? If I recall, Hau Gin-dono’s eldest son is with this Patrol Corps. Your second son is with the Forbidden Army, is he not?”

“Indeed. The second son was trained by Commander Tin.”

Hau Gin nodded to Secretary Shau’s inquiry.

“Commander Tin of the Forbidden Army is still missing, though.”

“He’s no longer in the capital.”

Hau Gin said that plainly.

“Ohh?”

“Shau-dono, that’s theatrical. You were the one who sheltered him in Duke Rondo’s mansion, were you not?”

“Well, I wonder what you mean.”

Secretary Shau exaggeratedly feigned ignorance.

The patrol troops oversee the capital’s security.

Much information about incidents within the capital naturally reaches Hau Gin.

Among that information was the fact that Commander Tin had been sheltered at the Rondo Manor.

“If that was the case, why did you not search the house?”

“Commander Tin had not been accused of a crime. He had not broken the law nor harmed the citizens. There was no cause to apprehend him.”

“But I thought the Imperial Palace had issued an order for him to present himself.”

“Why would I care for the Imperial Palace?”

Hau Gin said, frowning, and stated it flatly.

“Except when it is the Emperor’s personal edict... a mere appearance order from the Ministry of War is not among the orders the patrol troops must obey.”

“Well, that’s true.”

The patrol troops are tasked directly by the Emperor with preserving order in the capital.

Therefore, their commander is granted the rank of First-Rank Marquis.

Considering that the heads of the Six Departments—the highest officials of those ministries—are only Second-Rank Marquises, the prestige and rank of the commander is significant.

By the way, Zhuon, head of the Inspectorate, is a Second-Rank Marquis.

Secretary Shau, who effectively runs the Censorate, is also a Second-Rank Marquis.

“The one in Boago is the real Emperor.”

Suddenly, Secretary Shau declared.

Hau Gin did not flinch.

“I know.”

He merely said that.

“You also have intelligence from outside the capital?”

“No. It was because the ‘Six-Department Line’ was used.”

“Ho ho—”

The Six-Department Line is an administrative communication network connecting all of Darwei.

But it is basically receive-only; those who can originate a transmission are the Emperor, Imperial Princes, the Prime Minister, the Six-Department heads, and First-Rank Marquises.

It is said that those who hold this authority can transmit even when not in the capital.

And this time, that was proven.

“I am a First-Rank Marquis. If I inspect the alchemy tool for the Six-Department Line, I can tell who issued the transmission.”

“I see. So you confirmed it was a transmission from His Majesty himself.”

Secretary Shau nodded at Hau Gin’s explanation.

“As expected, the minds of those who topped the central examinations have not decayed. You must have gone to the Imperial Palace straight away to confirm that information received just now, I suppose?”

“My predecessors, the top scorers from ten years before me, were Shau-dono and Zhuon-dono, was it not? It was only you two who argued in the palace exam.”

For the first time, Hau Gin showed an exasperated look.

Secretary Shau responded with a wry smile.

“To be told that even after fifty years...”

“It means no one has done such a thing in fifty years.”

Every time, more than a hundred thousand sit the Darwei central examinations.

Around two hundred pass, and among them, the top three undergo the Emperor’s oral examination, the palace exam.

Those three naturally rise as administrative officials...

Hau Gin, obviously the archetypal military man, had been one of those top scorers forty years ago.

Though born to a long-established family, he had taken the central examinations to test himself and by merit risen to the central administration.

“Well, if Hau Gin-dono understands that the Emperor lives, then I have no role left.”

“What?”

“You are one of the Shitaifu-class with a high position yet belong to no faction.”

“If you say that, isn’t that true of Shau-dono and Zhuon-dono as well?”

“Well, we are... you know.”

Secretary Shau only laughed at Hau Gin’s remark and said nothing specific.

“Now then... how will the other Shitaifu class members act with this announcement?”

“They will simply attend to their duties.”

At Secretary Shau’s mutter, Hau Gin said that decisively.