Industrial Revolution of the Mage Lords

Chapter 795 Morale Boost

The final victory in the Battle of Steel Rock City was reported back to the capital, Starfire City, in less than half a day.

After attending the high-level military meeting of the Ministry of Defense, Harvey returned to the palace just in time to continue his daily political work, only managing to squeeze out time for dinner late at night.

Ash, the propaganda minister who usually had a leisurely work schedule, seized this moment of free time to meet the emperor, who was overwhelmed with work.

“If I saw you looking so relaxed during the day when I was busy, I would probably feel even more resentful.” Harvey cut into the pan-fried lamb chops and complained without holding back. “The propaganda department should be busy during wartime, but I heard that you still have time to personally lead the troupe and put on several plays in a month.”

Ash had already had dinner, but he couldn't resist Harvey's enthusiastic invitation, so he sat down and raised his glass. "Your Majesty, the work of the propaganda department... sometimes doesn't require me to do everything myself. The writers and the listeners are all very dedicated, and they haven't neglected their duties at all."

Harvey nodded, not really intending to pursue the matter further. "So, are you here again, bypassing your superiors to ask me for funding? Or has Reiner rejected your application for the new theater project again?"

Although Ash was in charge of the Publicity Department on behalf of Harvey, he also served as the Minister of Culture. In addition to cooperating with the Ministry of Education on many tasks, he also made great achievements in the cultural and entertainment industry. He had more than ten theater companies and publishing houses under his management, all of which were incorporated into the government's official system.

"It has absolutely nothing to do with the newly established theater troupe... As for funding, well... that's secondary. The main issue is another pressing matter that requires your approval."

As he spoke, he pulled out a thin approval document from his pocket, unusually abandoning his nonchalant attitude, and presented it to Harvey with both hands.

Harvey took the document and opened it, finding on the cover that it read: "Application for Permit for Theatrical Performances to Entertain Troops at the Front."

He wanted to take the theater troupe to the eastern front to perform plays for the soldiers who were still fighting against foreign enemies on the front lines.
Harvey looked up at the other man with some surprise and muttered under his breath, "Your political awareness... is surprisingly high!"

Ash paused for a moment, then asked, "What kind of resolve?"

"It's alright... Hmm, that's a good suggestion. Boosting morale at the front lines can indeed effectively inspire soldiers fighting far from home, and it can also greatly unite people's hearts and minds, demonstrating the Kingdom's government's emphasis on this war."

Harvey hesitated for a moment, then pressed on, "The safety of the theater company on this trip can be guaranteed... but the question is, what play do you plan to perform?"

His subtext was that if it were still the same old love stories like "prince and Cinderella" and "orc and noble lady" that Ash was best at choreographing, it probably wouldn't be suitable for performing on the front lines of war.

Although the vast majority of soldiers are energetic young men, with a formidable enemy at hand, the propaganda department still needs to focus their attention entirely on the battle; romantic stories about love and romance would be somewhat out of place.

Ash shook his head, a smug look playing on his lips. “Since His Majesty has already agreed, there will be no obstacles to carrying out this matter… Of all the plays performed by the Royal Capital Theater in the past, those personally written by you are the most popular. Therefore, I would like to once again ask His Majesty to personally write the plays for this performance to comfort the soldiers on the front lines…”

puff--

Harvey sensed something was amiss after only hearing half of the conversation. When Ash finally revealed his true intentions, Harvey spat out his drink, rolled his eyes, and angrily exclaimed, "Good heavens! So you even expect me to write the script? You came here today just to freeload, didn't you?" Seeing the emperor's furious expression, Ash quickly tried to appease him, "Didn't Your Majesty throw several script outlines at me in just one day? If the soldiers at the front knew that the performance they were watching was written by the emperor himself... their morale would be greatly boosted, and they would continue to fight bravely on the front lines, wouldn't they?"

Having said that…

Harvey pondered for a while, still fuming, but finally surrendered under the other party's shameless behavior, covering his forehead and saying, "I can only give you a story outline... three days, give me three days. After the script is finished, you must put it on before the end of the month."

Since they've shamelessly become the emperor's "client," they can only hurt each other by rushing to meet deadlines.

Having received Harvey's personal promise, Ash immediately got up and took his leave with a gleeful expression, leaving the emperor, who was halfway through his meal, bewildered in the wind.

……

"Your Majesty, I believe that Minister Ash's proposal is a very necessary logistical support for our current stalemate on the eastern front..."

Asdaren, who had been pretending to be a statue the whole time, only slowly spoke up to express his affirmation after Ash left.

Harvey rubbed his temples and agreed, "That's true. It's not that I haven't thought about these things... but I'm too busy with official duties right now, so I just put them out of my mind."

For the eastern defenses, which are bogged down in a protracted war, rewarding the soldiers who have been fighting on the front lines for a long time is indeed an imperative measure.

In the past, when battles broke out among the nobles of the southern kingdoms, they would often quickly assemble an army composed mainly of knights, supplemented by mercenaries and laborers. Before the expedition, they would boost morale with a lavish meal of wine and meat. Finally, just before the two armies clashed, the lord leading the army would personally promise a bounty for any kills made in battle as a "heart-strengthening injection," and use various favors and rewards to quickly unite the originally loosely organized troops.

The Northern Army under Harvey's command had a more rigorous and compliant salary and reward system. Soldiers' regular military pay for daily service was always paid on time and in full, regardless of whether they had experienced combat. Once war broke out and they went to the front lines, they would receive additional wartime rewards based on their merits. The generous bonuses, promotions, and material benefits were combined into a highly attractive and motivating "gift package" that drove the rank-and-file soldiers to obey orders and fight bravely.

This has also made military service one of the most enviable and highest-paying professions in the emerging United Kingdom. No matter how many times the country issues conscription notices, young men flock to it.

Material rewards are already sufficient to show care, so what needs to be supplemented... naturally, is the "spiritual food" or "emotional stimulant" for the soldiers on the front lines.

The war between the two races and the Lizardmen is bound to be protracted. No matter how high the morale of the humans is at the beginning, or how fierce the resistance is... as the war becomes stalemate, the occasional failure of local military operations, and the ever-increasing number of casualties, those who are truly on the battlefield will become tired and weary, or lose confidence. Their tenacious will will also slowly crumble. If this does not attract the attention of the kingdom's high command, it will inevitably lead to the war situation rapidly sliding into the abyss of defeat.

This was, of course, an outcome that Harvey, as emperor, absolutely did not want to see.

(End of this chapter)