Empire Conquest
Chapter 285 - 281: Forced to Take Initiative

Chapter 285: Chapter 281: Forced to Take Initiative

After becoming the Prince Consort, the greatest benefit was the privilege he enjoyed while traveling.

It must be mentioned that even after decades of vigorous secularization movement, the retention of some Imperial privileges was the last bit of uniqueness remaining in the Imperial Family.

Initially, the ones who strongly requested the retention of some Imperial privileges were not the Imperial Family, nor the debate council representing the nobles, but the legislative council representing the commoner class.

If there were no privileges, what would distinguish the Imperial Family from commoners?

Legally, the Emperor was the Empire’s highest Commander, while the Grand Secretary was merely the head of administration.

This also indicated that the main reason to maintain Imperial privileges was to constrain the Grand Secretary and to allow the legislative council, which held legislative power, to have more influence.

At the airport, Bai Zhizhan prepared a special plane for VIP transport. Though it was modified from a transporter and looked similar to ordinary ones, the interior was entirely different—it was extremely comfortable with a sofa that could be converted into a bed and a small bar. According to the airport staff, the Prince Consort enjoyed the treatment of a Cabinet Minister.

When Bai Zhizhan boarded the plane, he saw Li Yunxiang.

Li lay on the flattened sofa, engaging in a "meeting" with the God of Dreams.

Not only was Li Yunxiang on his way, but he was also responsible for accompanying Bai Zhizhan to inspect the grassroots units on Jeju Island, now a stronghold of the Strategic Air Force.

After seeing Bai Zhizhan onto the plane, Zheng Jiangming left.

Everyone was busy, and since the plane was about to take off, there was no need for a prolonged farewell; that would be purely sentimental.

Indeed, Zheng Jiangming’s concerns were not misplaced.

Visiting the front lines wasn’t an officially assigned task; Bai Zhizhan had volunteered.

However, it had nothing to do with marital relations.

When Zheng Jiangming voiced his concerns, Bai Zhizhan guessed his thoughts.

Decades of brotherhood—how could Bai Zhizhan not know what was on Zheng Jiangming’s mind?

Although Bai Zhizhan often appeared clueless about emotional intelligence in front of unfamiliar people and when handling emotionally charged matters—often described as emotionally inept—he was sufficiently adept amongst his close friends.

Indeed, Bai Zhizhan was somewhat dull when it came to emotions.

Regarding intelligence, that was a different matter.

In the early hours, after Bai Zhizhan made that astonishing conjecture, not just the three Generals, but even Xue Yuanzheng and the current Holy Emperor were shocked.

Though it was just a conjecture, the conspiracy behind it was frightening!

If the Liangxia Empire concocted the "Triple Secret Treaty" to scheme against the Newland Federation, wouldn’t the Newland Federation resort to dark stratagems to undermine the Liangxia Empire?

Indeed, inciting the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom to initiate war through a surprise attack was part of Newland Federation’s scheme!

If Bai Zhizhan’s conjecture was correct, then Rofuss was behind these plans because Rofuss never engaged in meaningless actions.

Simply put, it was akin to placing a noose around the Empire’s neck, just not tightened yet.

Because of this, the Empire would lower its guard, and might even celebrate at times, only to accidentally kick away the stool beneath their feet.

This way, even an executioner would be unnecessary.

What was the "stool" under the Empire’s feet?

It was specifically those in the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom who advocated for initiating wars through surprise attacks—war criminals mentioned during the Marra negotiations.

As long as these individuals remained, and continued to control the power center of the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom, even if the Liangxia Empire took drastic action and turned the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom into a living hell, other nations wouldn’t intervene to criticize, since it was a punishment for war initiators.

What would happen if these individuals were gone?

When the situation reached a critical juncture and these individuals left the power center or simply perished, would the conflict continue, or would it cease?

Fundamentally, this was related to whether to land on Saiyi’s mainland, and whether to implement a military occupation of the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom.

If not necessary, then everything could be easily dealt with.

The blockade and bombings could be called off at any time, and even if they were stopped suddenly, it would not have much impact on the Empire’s overall war plan.

On the other hand, it became serious.

As Situ Jingde put it, if the war against the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom were likened to seducing a married woman, the bombings and blockades were merely flirtations, at most akin to friendly back-patting, so even if exposed, it could be explained. Attacking the Saiyi mainland was almost like going on a date, and implementing a military occupation of the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom was akin to developing to a stage of bare-chested confrontation; simply put, the two were essentially different.

Situ Jingde’s analogy made Bai Zhizhan suspect that he must have been quite a charmer when he was young.

However, this analogy was quite fitting.

After discussing it overnight and well into the next day, the final conclusion was that if they had to attack Saiyi’s mainland, they needed to make it quick.

Still using Situ Jingde’s words, they would skip the flirting part altogether; make a blunt start, and let go immediately after finishing.

This way, the war plan definitely needed modification.

It was then that Xue Yuanzheng suggested sending someone to the front line to gather intelligence.

Situ Jingde and Peng Huaisong thought it unnecessary since the troops they had trained had already proven their combat effectiveness on the Ice Storm Peninsula.

However, Xue Yuanzheng insisted, and the Holy Emperor also thought it best to send an unrelated person to gather intelligence.

The Holy Emperor and the Grand Secretary stood together, specifically mentioning an "unrelated" person, and the first to bring up this topic was the newly appointed Prince Consort.

The two Army Generals no longer opposed it.

Clearly, this was an opportunity for the Prince Consort to show his worth.

To continue holding onto it would embarrass everyone involved.

The face of the Prince Consort was one thing, but the current Holy Emperor and the Grand Secretary’s prestige was another, and that had to be respected.

Didn’t the Army and the Imperial Guard rely on these two major figures?

As for Liu Changxun, he had been observing from the sidelines all along and had never expressed an opinion.

Why should the Navy care if two Army Generals, out of foolishness, wanted to pick a quarrel with the Holy Emperor and the Grand Secretary?

As for Bai Zhizhan, caught in the middle, that was his own fault; who asked him to be so keen on showing himself off?

Indeed, Bai Zhizhan had not considered other implications when he made his guess; he was just being exploited by the Holy Emperor and the Grand Secretary.

At this stage, Bai Zhizhan had no choice but to step forward.

If he didn’t volunteer now, it would be an act of disrespect.

And so, the matter was settled.

Although it was suggested by the Grand Secretary and supported by the Holy Emperor, the Imperial Family does not govern, a rule set by Emperor Shiwu; even the term Prince Consort was just a civilian title. Even if he was the brother-in-law of the Holy Emperor through the inner palace, it was irrelevant in the outer court and certainly couldn’t be used as an official position.

Bai Zhizhan was appointed by the Navy Headquarters as the Navy’s representative to inspect the frontline troops in preparation for joint operations between the Navy and Army.

For this reason, Jeju Island was chosen as the first stop.

Although the Land Air Strategic Air Force had already been stationed in Jeju Island, the area was secured by the Marine Corps and later managed by the Navy.

Importantly, the Commander of the Land Air Strategic Air Force was Li Yunxiang, who had returned to the Navy.

In this relationship, Li Yunxiang was not only Bai Zhizhan’s former superior but also loosely related by marriage, as Li Yunxiang was the brother-in-law of the Eldest Princess of the Zhang family by marriage.

He did not come to meet Bai Zhizhan because he was indeed exhausted yesterday and had slept all day.

Looking at it, he might sleep all the way to Jeju Island.

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