Elden: Ring of Calamity

Chapter 367 Change
Time quickly came to the end of November, and Gaileyd, which had been hot for most of the year, welcomed the first snowfall in the 49th year of the Golden Calendar.

Different from the cold weather, the whole North Gallid, from Torrens Harbor in the west to the Storm Sea in the east, is bustling with vitality.

The major city-states that had been divided and in constant conflict in the past had already surrendered. The Ancient Dragon Dynasty, with the military power of the victory in the Star Shattering War, easily broke up and integrated the city-state system of Gaileyd that had lasted for hundreds of years. Referring to the development experience of the Far East in recent years, it launched a massive reform.

The first was a major reshuffle of many city lord families. Anasia led the members of the Intelligence Department to visit various places, comprehensively considering the origins, strengths, political achievements and reputations of these families, selecting those with both moral integrity and talent to disrupt and fill the newly established Eastern Administrative System of the dynasty. Some were sent back to the Far East, and after training in the Sky Temple, they served as officials at all levels in the East China Sea Islands to fill the talent vacancies brought about by the expansion in recent years.

As for the few people who had been levying heavy taxes and oppressing the people for many years, Lucia personally reviewed the files. Those who were guilty of the most serious crimes were handed over to the newly established local law department for public trial to appease the public anger. The rest had their property confiscated and were expelled from Gaileyd. After all, these families did not resist stubbornly, and sparing their lives was considered a grace from the dynasty to them.

As for whether this move will cause turmoil, allowing the New Golden Party to seize the handle and make a big fuss, or even affect the possibility of the Ancient Dragon Dynasty recruiting these small nobles in the future?
Of course there will be an impact.

Lucia could even be sure that once these frightened aristocratic families set foot on Nimgfu's territory, they would immediately straighten their backs and, without the new party's instructions, they would spontaneously begin to launch crazy attacks on the Ancient Dragon Dynasty, fearing that they would not be able to describe him as a tyrant unprecedented in history.

But that doesn't matter, or rather, that is the result he would like to see.

In recent years, he has often studied the history of the border areas over the past thousand years. Kalia and the extinct Storm Dynasty can be said to be the epitome of the traditional aristocratic feudal system, while the Golden Dynasty is a new type of regime based on the military merit system and a highly centralized system.

Facts have proved that in the face of the strong cohesion and mobilization brought by the centralized system, the traditional feudal system is vulnerable to expansionism and aggressiveness.

Compared with the development of the Golden Dynasty in the past fifty years, the Storm Dynasty and the Kalia Dynasty are like two seriously ill patients. One did not survive and died before the new era, while the other survived with the help of the rare heroes of the generation such as Reinara and Mugram, but has also shown signs of decline in the past twenty years.

However, the Golden Dynasty only lasted for a few decades, a period of prosperity that was "as short as the life of a mortal being."

When the pace of external expansion stopped and the path to promotion through military merit was cut off, the military nobles who had followed Gefre and Radagon in real battles gradually transformed into aristocratic families, and fell into the vortex of party struggles in the struggle for interests. In just twenty years, the Golden Dynasty had fallen into the same predicament as Kalia earlier. Because they had two gods and kings who regarded each other as enemies, the internal rift was even worse than that of Kalia.

Precisely because of the rapid collapse of internal stability, the Golden Dynasty had no choice but to take the path of enfeoffment of kings, relying on the powerful strength and power of each demigod to rule one side. This was the general trend.

Only in this way can the Golden Dynasty, which is already on the verge of division due to party struggles, be prevented from becoming further divided with the rise of the demigods. The central government can temporarily unite the demigods of different origins and positions through the interests of divided territories, and then use the power of the demigods to suppress the cracks that are about to emerge under the prosperous era.

However, when the demigods have grown strong, their power and ambitions will become unstoppable. If the center creates even the slightest dangerous spark, it will trigger a world-destroying fire.

In the previous life, this spark was called the Night of the Black Knife.

Lucia could not see clearly when and how the Night of the Black Knife would happen, but in the final analysis, he had to take a completely different path from any previous dynasty. A path with a stronger center, more stable internal structure, a never-ending upward channel, and always maintaining extremely strong cohesion and expansibility.

Therefore, his base was different from that of the Golden Dynasty from the very beginning. He went to great lengths to liberate the foreign races and slaves in various border areas. Was it more than just out of compassion?
Rodel has a population of eight million. The people who are blessed by the golden tree are born to be the most powerful warriors and the wisest scholars. This power can help "King of Blessing" Monggot win two Rodel defense battles, but it is not enough to help him completely end the Shattered War, let alone complete the almost impossible feat in Lucia's heart.

Then whose help can he rely on?

It is the civilians and slaves who occupy more than 95% of the population in the border areas, the exiled and sealed foreigners and criminals. They are like the giant furnace tree of ancient times. Only when they take root deep in the earth can they give birth to all things. Only the foundation built from the bottom up is enough to shake the most desperate and powerful enemy.

The Star-Moon Civilization attracted the fear of the gods due to its terrifying potential, and thus suffered destruction. He had far less time and opportunities than the Star-Moon Civilization, so he must be more open, more inclusive, more cohesive, and more powerful than the Star-Moon Civilization.

Compared to the traditional forces in Fam Azra, the Far Eastern Islands and Gaileed are better testing grounds. Even if this drastic reform of the Eastern nobles will attract much criticism, for Lucia, it is just a signal sent to the entire border area, a declaration for billions of mortals in the world to hear.

Under his rule, regardless of strength or status, the most successful ones will be given priority.

Clavell, Orvins, Anacia and others were the first to realize this, and have become important ministers under his command. The School of Origin followed closely behind and tied themselves to his chariot. Next, he also expected more talents to emerge from the Far East, from Gaileid, and from any corners of the border that were not taken seriously by the high-ranking aristocratic families, to lay the foundation for his dynasty.

After a major replacement of the rulers of various parts of Gailede, he took the opportunity to carry out large-scale layoffs of private armies in various parts of the East, and finally selected 50,000 elite troops to be reorganized into the dynasty army.

At the same time, with the help of Lance, the entire Northern Gelide region has quickly established an effective military, political, economic and people's livelihood system.

Since the local conditions are very different from those in the Far East, it is impossible to completely copy the mature institutional system within the dynasty. In addition, due to the short time, this system still has many rough and immature aspects. However, compared with the situation of the city-state division in Gaileid, it has demonstrated unprecedented superiority and will inevitably become more and more perfect with the passage of time.

In other words, he had snatched the fruit from under the nose of the Golden Dynasty at the last minute, and had only swallowed it steadily at this moment.

If the Golden Dynasty wants to take it back, it will be impossible by playing some cheap tricks at the conference table. If they muster up the courage to attack, Gaileyd will become the strongest barrier in front of the Far Eastern Islands.

"I always feel that every time we meet these years, I have to rush to help you solve a bunch of troubles, and then go back in disgrace." Walking on the oak boardwalk of Torrance Port, Lance Shanks complained half-jokingly and half-emotionally.

"After returning, I still have to work for some bosses who don't care about their work. Occasionally, I hear news from the west, which is most likely about someone's affair with princesses from other countries—" She glanced at Lucia with her beautiful phoenix eyes, and said with a smile, "I am always stupid. Your Highness, please help me solve my doubts. What do I want?"

(End of this chapter)