Capítulo 1381: Chapter 785: The Broken Clay Pot
Galaraldo hung his head low, shadows cloaking his features.
He could feel the Pri Minister’s gaze darting between the key ministers, as if intent on pinning each of their souls to the judgnt scaffold. Xu Fuzhen hesitated to et Qi Bodu’s eyes when proposing a tax increase—this Minister of Taxation, known for his ironfist, now seed as if his spine had been removed.
He sneered internally: “The Empire needs deterrence, not the bluff of docuntation.”
The so-called appointnt of a new chair and condemnation by Luo Fei were re dust in front of Gu Hang’s Spiritual Power Fleet. The rchant ships that shuttled between the Alliance and Wuji Star had long welded the economic arteries of the Eastern Cosmos Domain to the Alliance. Officials sent by the Empire would only beco rubber stamps, just like what Yinbasim was facing.
It’s not corruption, but the fact that the entire Star Domain had already been made a sieve by the Alliance’s credit system, cultural infiltration, and economic allure.
“But you don’t even have the courage to flip the table!”
Galaraldo caressed the golden eagle insignia on his cuff.
A holographic projection spun in the center of the long table, still replaying images of the Battle of Li Guang Star: Yellow Springs Seagull’s terminator trampling the Light of Dawn Sword’s emblem, Blood Shark’s chainsaw axe cleaving through the bronze gates of the Battle Group’s sanctuary. Every fra was a slap to the Empire’s face, and Xu Fuzhen still muttered about punitive taxation—as if Gu Hang would relent for a re five trillion, disregarding the fat he just tore from the Eastern Cosmos Domain.
“Pri Minister Yerol, your opinion?”
The Pri Minister’s sudden call froze the air.
The Minister of Justice rose slowly, the Tribunal insignia on his deep purple robe glistening coldly under the light: “According to Article 31 of the ‘Empire Ergency Law’…”
His voice was like a court pronouncing a sentence,
“The Alliance’s blatant intervention in the Empire’s administrative system and assassination of the Empire-appointed chair must be classified as a rebellious entity.”
Fools!
Galaraldo nearly snorted in laughter.
Yerol was still waving that rusty legal cudgel, but what could the Legal Departnt’s executioners do to the Alliance?
But was Yerol truly a fool?
Apparently not.
He just understood Qi Bodu’s aning, echoing the Pri Minister’s sentints.
Luo Fei and Xu Fuzhen were unwilling to shoulder the responsibility.
They all realized that if the Empire didn’t commit to entering a war, their ans of suppressing the Alliance were very limited.
So the question arose, did Qi Bodu have this determination?
At least it wasn’t visible now.
If he did, he wouldn’t be in this exasperated state, seeking others’ advice.
This was why the recomndations from the Executive Yuan and the Departnt of Taxation were nothing more than superficial compliance. They were executable, but their ultimate effect on the Alliance was negligible, an utter dereliction.
This was the root of Qi Bodu’s discontent.
And then, Yerol erged, directly labeling the Alliance as a ‘rebellious entity’, displaying such a tough stance—was he a fool or a gambler?
Would soone in the position of Minister of Justice be a fool?
Likely not.
So he was gambling.
This Yerol was indeed quite ambitious, perhaps aiming for a High Lord chair? To take down Gu Hang, and incidentally Galaraldo as well, vacating two seats, and as a loyal supporter of the Pri Minister, it seed fitting for him to secure a High Lord chair.
Wasn’t it a coincidence, this was a field I knew well.
Did I not rise to power by taking down two High Lords?
He smirked in his heart, but his face grew solemn.
Though the Pri Minister didn’t permit him to speak, he still said, “I support Minister Yerol’s idea: deliver an ultimatum to Gu Hang requiring unconditional acceptance of all Central Empire demands, or he is committing treason! anwhile, I propose initiating a comprehensive war mobilization.”
“Mobilize the fleets of the nine major Cosmos Domains of the Central Territory, requiring each to dispatch no fewer than 500 warships, including at least 10 battleships; simultaneously, the Solar Fleet must contribute half its forces, organizing an expeditionary fleet of no less than 6000 warships, including at least 150 battleships. Additionally, every Domain and Star Domain across the Empire must be prepared to provide fleets at any ti.”
“We need to conscript 50 A-class Star Realm Army legions, the total mobilized forces in the first phase should exceed 10 billion; the Cadian Assault Corps must imdiately cease all tasks within the Imperial Territory, and assemble; the Death Corps must assemble the entire force; other S-Class corps need to dispatch troops for combat.”
“We must issue clear conscription orders to a hundred Battle Groups, gathering at least 20,000 interstellar warriors, along with complete Battle Group fleets and armors.”
“From the Heretic Tribunal and the National Church, the joint addition of the Loyal Heir Stormtrooper Corps and the Battle Nun Association necessitates providing over half a million troops, and we need Mars to dispatch a Protection Army alongside at least five Titan Legions, and open the forbidden weapons cache…”
Everyone, including Qi Bodu, stared at Galaraldo with unsettling gazes.
Galaraldo remained composed, finishing his mobilization order.
Then he added, “The hypothetical combat plan against the Alliance has always been the work of our Military Affairs Departnt. As long as we push the resolution in the Supre Council, this docunt will beco reality, and we can destroy the Alliance.”
Simultaneously, he scanned the surroundings, taking in the expressions of the leaders around him.
He maliciously thought to himself:
“Co, let see your ttle.”
Galaraldo didn’t ntion the cost of mobilizing such a large-scale force.
But everyone here, being the Empire’s key leaders, who wasn’t aware of the current situation?
Draw 500 10 warships from nine domains? Shall the Cosmos Domain Chairn even care? What massive political cost would that take? Especially when similar to the Zhe Xi Cosmos Domain, the Waaagh energy of Beastman Warlord was accumulating, the Tribunal’s warning reports were still pressed in drawers; in the northern Dujiang Domain, watchposts gnawed by the Insect Swarm were casting a huge shadow, multiple reports of parasite infestation from Nest Capitals…
Things like these were endless, and you expect those Star Domains to dispatch their main fleet?
They were still seeking assistance from the Central Empire!
Go on, nod and agree, set off a grand fireworks display.
Xu Fuzhen also spoke up: “Pri Minister Galaraldo’s plan is massive, I cannot provide a precise execution budget right now, I can only give a temporary estimate based on my experience for reference.”
“The initial funding must reach at least 100 trillion, currently the Central Empire does not have such fiscal reserves, and next year’s fiscal budget is already completed, we must issue war bonds.”
“To maintain this scale in the following years, it may require an additional 30 trillion annually, not ruling out the possibility of needing to expand the budget if the war doesn’t go smoothly.”
Luo Fei followed with: “We can arrange for the major families on Holy Terra to share about 30 trillion out of the 100 trillion in war bonds. Families like Yinbasim’s would need to contribute about 5 trillion; I can represent the Luo Family to take on 2 trillion…”
The tone of the Executive Pri Minister was akin to haggling at a marketplace.
“We could also bundle the agricultural planets of the Canaan Cosmic Region as collateral, and auction off the maintenance contracts for military equipnt and personnel. The National Church and the Sect of chanics might be interested, allowing us to raise so funds…”
This group was piecing together broken pottery.
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