Chapter 341: Khan (2)
The next person the Emperor turned to once Barnio left after taking full responsibility was the Minister of Intelligence. And with his first words, he dropped the bombshell: the emergence of a Khan.
The Minister of Intelligence continued calmly even though he was suddenly addressed by his title and was receiving countless gazes. Although he was usually sensitive to others’ gazes, probably from being holed up alone in the Information Department office, he didn’t seem to feel the stares now due to the gravity of the situation.
“As Your Majesty is well aware, the last unification and uprising of the nomads were centered around the Ga’ar Tribe. Following the Rebel’s defeat, the Empire ensured the Ga’ar Tribe’s stronghold was thoroughly eradicated.”
Throughout history, the nomads have never been unified. Thus, the empire needed to thoroughly eradicate the Ga’ar tribe because they were the first to unify the nomads. I remembered how thorough that process was—I was part of it, burning their camps to ashes.
“However, the Ga’ar Tribe has resurged under the leadership of Udesur Dorgon, the Rebel’s blood kin, and the missing War Machine. They quickly subdued the surrounding tribes and consolidated their power. This is information secured by the Blue Claw Knights during their retreat, and the Information Department considers it credible.”
To declare it with such certainty in front of the Emperor and an audience of high-ranking officials meant the claim wasn’t just a mere rumor. If the Minister of Intelligence said that Dorgon had declared himself Khan and begun unification, then it was as good as confirmed.
Even if Dorgon hadn’t officially claimed the title of Khan, the signs of a single, unified force were unmistakable, just like five years ago.
So it’s them.
I held back a sigh. It wasn’t hard to guess which tribes Dorgon had rallied.
Although Kagan had wiped out all the pro-empire tribes in the North, he didn’t destroy every tribe that didn’t join him. Neutral tribes, ones indifferent to conflict and unworthy of recruitment, had been left alone—treated as a kind of third faction. They were nominally under Kagan’s command, but actually in a reserve army position playing in the rear.
And understandably so. There were already plenty of tribes with bad blood between them within the forces he rallied, so recruiting disinterested tribes would have been a waste of effort, even for him.
We should have dealt with them then.
After the war, the Empire failed to bring those third-faction tribes under control. We neither eradicated them under the pretext of having been Kagan’s forces nor actively recruited them for influence in the North. The empire’s capacity at the time wouldn’t have produced successful results whichever path we chose.
And this was the consequence. While the Empire stumbled along in its recovery, Dorgon had regrouped those tribes and established a force capable of threatening the Empire’s stability.
“Moreover, the forces Udesur Dorgon has unified are estimated to be between 50,000 and 70,000—“
“Minister of Intelligence.”
At the Emperor’s displeased call, the Minister of Intelligence hurriedly lowered his head.
“To face 20,000 nomads on the plains, we need at least five army corps. Speak precisely.”
At those words, the Minister of Intelligence hesitated before finally opening his mouth.
“I beg your pardon, Your Majesty, but the Empire lost the majority of its intelligence networks in the north after the last Great Northern War. As a result, we can’t grasp the scale of each tribe unlike before. Also, we can’t be certain about the scale of remnants hiding in the dungeons.”
Admitting to one’s limitations in front of the Emperor was a rare and bold act. The Emperor’s eyebrow twitched, but he quickly composed himself.
The Empire’s intelligence networks in the north had indeed been decimated during the war. The Emperor might be strict, but he wasn’t unreasonable—he wouldn’t punish someone for the impossible. If anything, the Ministry of Intelligence deserved credit for gathering even this much.
“...In this humble subject’s judgment, the probability of it being below 60,000 is extremely low.”
“I see.”
The Emperor’s voice was unnervingly calm as he listened to the Minister of Intelligence’s desperate addition.
The margin of error of 20,000 was reduced to 10,000. A margin of error of 10,000 wasn’t small, either, but to reduce it further would require guessing rather than dealing with information.
“Minister of War.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
After hearing the Minister of Intelligence’s report, the Emperor turned to the Minister of War.
“How far has the cavalry restoration progressed?”
“The force’s discipline and valor are on par with their pre-war state, and their numbers have recovered to 70 percent of full strength. However, their training remains inferior to that of the nomads.”
The Emperor showed no particular reaction to the Minister of War’s answer, who bowed his head. This too must be within the Emperor’s expectations, so he was letting it pass.
After all, a cavalry wasn’t something you could create by simply handing someone a lance and a horse. True cavalry was forged through grueling training and symbiosis between the rider and mount. And if the enemy were nomads, then several times more effort was needed.
“However, other forces excluding cavalry have recovered to their previous numbers.”
“The Minister of War has done a great job.”
Though the update was encouraging, the Emperor’s expression remained unreadable. Restored numbers were one thing; rebuilding training and discipline to previous levels was another entirely. The Minister of War probably said this just to soothe the Emperor’s mood a little.
The Emperor fell into silence after the report, allowing the gathered officials to process the gravity of what was unfolding. They were left to contemplate questions that weighed on everyone’s minds: how many troops would be needed, how much logistical support could be mobilized, and whether the Empire’s reserves were sufficient. When it was clear to all that preparations for war were underway, the nobles began to eye each other.
How many private soldiers should be mobilized if war breaks out? How much military supplies should be secured? Is the food supply sufficient?
Their minds were probably busy with such thoughts.
“Iron-Blooded Duke.”
“A large amount of materials have been sent to the North to restore areas damaged by the Great Northern War. As there was relatively little material available for producing military supplies— I humbly report that there will be difficulties in a prolonged war.”
“Wise Duchess.”
“Thanks to His Majesty’s protection, last year was a good harvest. However, due to continuous relief efforts, our reserves are low. So like the Iron-Blooded Duke, I cannot guarantee that we are prepared for an extended conflict.”
The Emperor broke his silence to summon two dukes, who instantly offered responses that aligned with what he had anticipated.
Meanwhile, whispers rippled through the assembly at the Wise Duchess’s sober voice. The fact that even she wasn’t drunk was enough to cause unease. After all, her state of soberness was, for many, an unofficial barometer of the Empire’s crisis level.
This is driving me crazy.
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