The Emperor sat on his throne and announced his intention to establish five new Group Armies. Each Group Army would consist of five corps, totaling approximately 300,000 troops per group.
The generals in the room stared at the Emperor in shock. No one had expected an expansion of this magnitude right now, even though an expansion was arguably long overdue.
To propose it now, and to tie it directly to the opening of the promotion channels, was naked coercion. The Emperor was forcing the High Command generals to agree. If they refused, the opening of the promotion channels would be delayed, and who knew how many more of their clan scions would die in the meantime!
However, creating five new Group Armies was clearly a move to weaken High Command’s grip on the military. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that the Emperor intended to personally appoint the commanders of these five Group Armies, ensuring their absolute loyalty to the throne.
Five Group Armies were equivalent in manpower to five entire Combat Zones. This realization made the generals incredibly uneasy.
“Mm, Your Majesty. Is establishing five Group Armies perhaps too hasty? We currently have sufficient unit designations. It’s just that our frontline units have suffered heavy casualties. If we simply replenish their ranks, our Army will still number over two million men. I believe that is sufficient!” Grand Marshal Tang Long argued cautiously.
“Sufficient?” the Emperor asked, staring him down.
“Yes. It is entirely sufficient. The reason we are losing is not a lack of manpower, but because our generals do not know how to fight.
“After all, the Empire hasn’t fought a major war in over a century. Therefore, we do not need to expand the number of unit designations. However, we absolutely must replenish the manpower of the existing units. Simultaneously, we need to promote capable officers to fill the vacant general positions!” General of the Left Ma Zhenling added his support.
“Indeed. I agree with the Grand Marshal and the General of the Left. We have enough unit designations. If we consolidate our existing forces, we are more than capable of defeating the Allied invasion.
“Furthermore, if an expansion is truly necessary, I recommend expanding the forces within the existing Combat Zones. Just as we did with the Southwestern Combat Zone, we can allocate additional troops to each respective Combat Zone commander!” Vanguard General He Jingzhong chimed in.
“I disagree that our forces are sufficient. If they were, why do our armies retreat time and time again? Why do our frontline units constantly require replenishment, only to be decimated immediately after?
“I intend to form entirely new forces and appoint fresh talent to command these Group Armies!” the Emperor stated firmly.
“I still feel five Group Armies is excessive. We don’t even know if these newly formed units will be effective in combat. I suggest expanding by only two Group Armies!” the Crown Prince interjected, realizing the situation was turning against High Command.
“Two? That is far from enough. We have lost so much territory. According to the common people and the low-ranking soldiers, there is dissatisfaction with our current strategy of passive defense without any attempt to counter-attack or reclaim lost ground. I believe five Group Armies is actually too few!” the Fourth Prince countered immediately.
“You… what do you know about military affairs?! You’ve never even set foot on a battlefield!” the Crown Prince snapped, wanting to reprimand his brother more harshly but restraining himself due to the Emperor’s presence.
“I may not know military affairs, but during my tenure at the Ministry of Revenue, I learned about the common people. I know what they need. We have millions of refugees right now. Their greatest hope is to return to their homes.
“Furthermore, do you know how much it costs to support those refugees every single day? Ten billion! Ten billion a day! The Empire cannot sustain such a colossal drain on its finances for long. And then there’s the issue of public security. Theft and crime are rampant everywhere. Why? Because those refugees have no money, and they need to survive!
“I recommend immediately establishing the five Group Armies, preparing to launch a counter-offensive, and reclaiming our lost territory. Our problem isn’t a lack of funds or manpower; it’s a lack of capable generals. I recommend a man named Hu Hao.
“Hu Hao’s combat merits rank first in the Southwestern Combat Zone. During the second defensive battle, he annihilated four enemy corps. Just days ago, his forces annihilated another two Allied corps.
“He is currently engaged in a grueling battle against the Mara Empire’s elite 1st Corps, yet he holds his ground. If Hu Hao is given command of a sufficient force, I am confident he can lead our army to reclaim our territory!” the Fourth Prince rebutted the Crown Prince before recommending Hu Hao to the Emperor once again.
“I’ve already said Hu Hao is unacceptable. He is suspected of illicitly conscripting troops. Furthermore, he is far too young and acts impulsively. While he possesses impressive combat merits, his ability to cause trouble is equally substantial. He has offended several prominent military clans. Moreover, the charge of illicit conscription alone disqualifies him from commanding such a massive force!” the Crown Prince argued vehemently.
“You order a single division to fight four corps, and tell me who else possesses the capability to survive that! If Hu Hao hadn’t ‘illicitly conscripted’ troops in Bopa City, Late City would have fallen to the Allied forces long ago.
“The only reason Hu Hao’s forces are currently able to defend Late City is because of that ‘illicit conscription.’ If he had waited for High Command to issue the official expansion orders, the Empire would have already fallen!” the Fourth Prince shot back, not only rebuking the Crown Prince but also thoroughly offending every High Command general in the room.
The Fourth Prince wasn’t afraid of the military clans. His mother was a commoner with no power base in the capital. The military clans had never paid him any respect anyway, so offending them meant nothing to him. He had no faction to protect.
“Mm. Hu Hao can be considered as one,” the Emperor nodded in agreement.
“Imperial Father, you cannot! Promoting a 23-year-old to the rank of full General is unacceptable! It will cause massive resentment among the veteran generals!” the Crown Prince pleaded, bowing to his father.
“If they resent it, let them prove their worth with combat merits. This is wartime. A general’s capability is measured solely by his victories on the battlefield. Nothing else matters. Seniority, in particular, is utterly useless right now.
“Should we abandon those who can fight simply because the veteran generals who cannot fight object to their promotion? If the Empire falls because of that, who will take responsibility?” the Fourth Prince challenged.
The Crown Prince stared at the Fourth Prince in shock. His younger brother had always been quiet, submissive, and deeply respectful of the Crown Prince’s authority. During the monthly Grand Assemblies, the Fourth Prince rarely spoke. What had gotten into him today?
“Mm. Old Four makes an excellent point. The Empire cannot halt its expansion or abandon its counter-offensive simply because of the objections of veteran generals. If the Empire falls as a result, who takes responsibility?” the Emperor nodded appreciatively at the Fourth Prince.
“Thank you, Imperial Father. I have another recommendation. I propose promoting Hu Hao’s Corps Commander, Li Tianyuan, to command one of the Group Armies!” the Fourth Prince continued.
“What?!” Tang Long and the other generals stared at the Fourth Prince in absolute horror. They couldn’t fathom what had possessed him today. Not only was he openly defying the Crown Prince, but he was specifically recommending Jiang Kai’s subordinates for promotion.
If the Fourth Prince’s recommendations were accepted, Jiang Kai’s faction would effectively control one Combat Zone and two Group Armies—a total force of over 1.2 million men. That would amount to nearly a third of the entire Imperial Army.
“Li Tianyuan. Mm, he is currently a Lieutenant General. Promoting him to full General is feasible. But, Old Four, are you certain he knows how to fight?” the Emperor asked.
“I do not know his personal combat capabilities. But I do know that Li Tianyuan’s son, Li Jingsong—the former commander of the 87th Division—is currently learning how to command from Hu Hao.
“If Li Tianyuan is given command of a Group Army, he will undoubtedly recall his son to assist him and groom him as his successor to build his prestige within the ranks. Since Li Jingsong has a strong relationship with Hu Hao, if Li Tianyuan’s forces ever encounter a crisis, Hu Hao might step in to resolve it!
“This is the primary reason for my recommendation. As I admitted, I am unfamiliar with military affairs and do not know the true capabilities of our frontline generals. I can only piece together the situation from the rumors circulating in the capital!” the Fourth Prince explained calmly.
“Preposterous! Are we to base our military appointments on capital rumors?!” the Crown Prince berated his brother.
“Sometimes, rumors are the only truth available. The official reports continually suppress news of our defeats on the front lines. The only information reaching the public about the war is overwhelmingly negative—with the sole exception of Hu Hao. The rumors about him are exclusively about his victories!” the Fourth Prince retorted without backing down.
“Then Li Tianyuan’s appointment will be put on hold for now. I must assess his command capabilities first. Based on his past performance, his abilities are merely average. However, Old Four, you make a fair point: his son’s relationship with Hu Hao is indeed a significant bonus!” the Emperor smiled warmly at the Fourth Prince.
“Thank you, Imperial Father!” the Fourth Prince bowed.
“Are there any other recommendations?” the Emperor asked the generals.
“Your Majesty, I must ask: do you truly dare to use a man like Hu Hao? He committed the grave crime of illicit conscription!” Grand Marshal Tang Long protested.
“He is a 23-year-old youth. What grand ambitions could he possibly harbor? His ‘illicit conscription’ was merely a desperate measure for self-preservation. It is completely understandable. I believe that as long as I treat him fairly, he will not act recklessly! I still maintain faith in the common people of our Empire!” the Emperor declared.
“But promoting a 23-year-old to full General… isn’t that far too rapid?” General of the Left Ma Zhenling objected.
“I intend to make him an exemplar. I want every common citizen and every low-ranking soldier in the Empire to know: as long as you possess true capability, I will entrust you with heavy responsibilities!” the Emperor stated firmly, staring down Ma Zhenling.
(End of Chapter)