Chapter 10 - The Great Reform
As is the tradition, upon his return to Sacramento following a victorious war, Emperor Thao I distributes grain to the people of the city. Unfortunately, it turns out that he has been given a stock of moldy and rotten grain, greatly angering the people. Following the debacle, he spends nearly a month distributing fresh grain to the people of the city, costing the Empire an obscene amount of money. In the end, the emperor is able reclaim his reputation as a man of the people.
The emperor also spends some time on writing a new work of Cetic philosophy; titled The Parable of the Two Souls, it outlines his reasoning as to why he could not allow the Imamite aristocracy of Socal to continue to exist. Many agree that this new work is a worthy addition to the Cetic canon.
Emperor Thao I also begins introducing his heir, Prince Pollock, to the realm; a grand feast is planned for the end of summer, where all the lords of California can fully meet the prince.
As it turns out, Prince Pollock is a natural people-pleaser, as his manners and intelligence charm the emperor’s many vassals; Emperor Thao I basks in the reflected light on his son.
The emperor also uses the feast to announce the Great Reform, a series of council approved laws and reforms that should hopefully ease their burden and allow for better governance. In reality, they greatly favor the emperor, giving him sweeping powers to change Imperial succession and determine what actions constitute treason. Thanks to the never ending wine and the excellent food, his vassals largely miss the subtext of the Great Reform.
Emperor Thao I pays some of his more competent vassals to further educate Prince Pollock in the art of war and the intricacies of Cetic thought. They are only too happy to have a chance to work with the charming prince.
The feast is a spectacular success, as the lords of California are greatly impressed with the young prince; his reputation as a competent diplomat is sure to help him in the future, when he takes the Imperial Throne.
Prince Pollock is quickly married to his cousin Fine, the daughter of Prince Khais; the marriage ensures that the two branches of House Armour will forever be entwined.
On the day of his marriage to Fine, Emperor Thao I takes his son aside for a private conversation; he tells him he is proud of the man he has become and has great hopes for his future, as well as reminding him that he carries the weight of California on his shoulders. Prince Pollock, for his part, reaffirms his commitment to being the best ruler he can be.
Never one to rest on his laurels, Emperor Thao I continues his bureaucratic reforms; the Great Reform will take some time to be fully integrated into the laws of California, and this latest batch of reforms is geared towards speeding up that integration.
The emperor also sends out his most competent bureaucrats to find him a smith worthy of adding to the Imperial regalia. Not long after, he soon receives a visit from a goldsmith known as Isaac; Emperor Thao I provides Isaac with a modest budget.
When he hears that Isaac its taking his time with the new regalia, the emperor decides to check in on him; he finds Isaac flirting with one of his courtiers, a woman by the name of Marla. Emperor Thao I chides the man for being distracted instead of working on his task; Marla and Isaac grumble, but the goldsmith gets back to work.
Emperor Thao I’s reforms do not go over well and instead of speeding up the integration of the Great Reform, he actually manages to slow it down, much to his great disappointment.
Isaac finishes his new pieces for the Imperial regalia, a small engraved dagger and a necklace of pearls; the emperor is happy with his work and proudly displays his new jewels.
The emperor also publishes a new set of religious teachings, titled The Wilted Flower; focusing on the passage of time and the slow approach of death, it ends with the narrator revealing that he has bested Death by living on in the hearts and minds of the people. The work is immediately popular, offering people hope that they too can cheat death and live on through their loved ones and friends.
Summer brings strikeball to Sacramento; the Tuolumne Tigers are playing the Sacramento Imperials and Emperor Thao I is among the many fans that fill Imperial Field to watch the two teams play. A die-hard Tigers fan, the emperor goes against the grain and cheers his hometown boys; ultimately they lose, but the game is intense and engaging. As a reward for their excellent play, the emperor renovates Imperial Field, bringing it in line with Thao Field in Tuolumne.
In November of 2699, Princess Kyra, the emperor’s sister, requests to be made Grand Commander of the Imperial Army and be given a seat on the Imperial Council. Being of royal blood and a competent commander, her request is granted, much to the chagrin of the council.
It comes to the emperor’s attention that Sacramento, the greatest city in California, lacks the most basic of hospitals; he sets about correcting this oversight immediately. While he’s at it, he also commands a survey of all of Sacramento’s roads so that those in disrepair can be fixed and improved.
In September of 2700, Emperor Thao I begins work on his next great Cetic text; his work is partly inspired by an engaging conversation between himself and Lama Charles of Los Angeles. The resulting work, On the Lawgiver, is not one of the emperor’s best and he takes the time to revise it to make it truly shine.
The revised version of On the Lawgiver is much better received by the people of California and the emperor notices a small boost in his sway over the Imperial Court.
As 2700 becomes 2701, Emperor Thao I announces to the Imperial Court that his son, Prince Pollock, is to be made the new Count of San Benito; perhaps more importantly, he appoints the prince as the new Governatus of California. It becomes clear to all present that the time when the Governatus could operate outside the sphere of Imperial control is over; the office is now forever linked with the emperor.