ca-book Chapter 816 Imperial College of Loyalty
Chapter 816 Imperial College of Loyalty
Chapter 816 Imperial College of Loyalty
Mandalorian, Sendari City.
At this moment, in the Governor's Office.
Fu Qinghai and Melten stood side by side in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the endless stream of flying cars in the distance.
"Today you will be sworn in as governor."
Fu Qinghai looked out the window and said:
"How are you feeling? Still nervous?"
Melten shook his head slightly.
"To be honest, I still haven't gotten used to all of this. How did I end up becoming the governor of Mandalorian?"
The blond, slicked-back young man smiled wryly:
“I was attending classes in Calida as my father had arranged, when suddenly I was told that my father was dead, that my father’s whole family was dead, and that I was to return to Mandalors to become the governor of Mandalors… I’m still in a daze.”
"But you don't seem very sad."
Fu Qinghai observed Melten's expression.
"I also hope I will feel sad."
Merten spoke with a complicated expression:
"But I don't really feel that way."
Fu Qinghai did not ask why directly.
But he felt there must be a story behind this.
"I am actually an illegitimate child."
Merten dropped a bombshell right off the bat.
Upon hearing this, Fu Qinghai raised his eyebrows slightly.
“That’s right. The Saxon clan has always claimed that I am Gar Saxon’s youngest son, but the woman who died in the massacre was not my biological mother. My brother, Palander Saxon, was my half-brother.”
Merten explained calmly:
“My birth was due to an accident. My father got drunk one time and slept with a maid. The maid got pregnant and gave birth to me. It’s a very cliché plot, right? When I was about seven years old, they paid off my biological mother with a sum of money.”
Fu Qinghai already had a general idea.
Merten continued calmly:
"This kind of thing is not honorable for the Mandalorians, it can even be said to be a disgrace, so they have not revealed my true identity and have always claimed to the outside world that I am Lady Jutis's second son. Perhaps for this reason, the clan does not like me as a bastard."
No wonder this guy overestimated himself and tried to challenge her as soon as he entered Calida. Roxie was right about his single-minded desire to prove himself. However, the truth was more heartbreaking than she guessed: Merten not only had strong-willed parents, but he was also an illegitimate child.
Fu Qinghai couldn't help but think to himself...
He had consulted relevant materials.
The Mandalorians adhere to a strict monogamous system in marriage. Gender status is often determined by the social division of labor, and the Mandalorians are very equal in status because female Mandalorians also serve as warriors and participate in battles; therefore, betraying one's family is considered a very shameful act.
Some people may wonder, if women in traditional Mandalorian societies also had to serve in the military and fight, then who took care of the other production and living work outside of war?
The answer is very simple: slaves.
Early Mandalorians were a typical slave-owning, dualistic society, somewhat like Sparta in ancient Greece. The Mandalorians, regardless of gender, were all soldiers who conquered and plundered. Conquered races had only two options: the strong could join the Mandalorians as warriors, or they would become slaves to support the entire Mandalorian population.
Of course, Mandalorian society is no longer the slave-owning nation it once was, and most people in Mandalorian society are ordinary people engaged in various jobs. However, many ideas and customs have been preserved, such as the martial tradition and the relatively equal status of men and women, which together constitute the moral values and worldview of modern Mandalorians.
Merten had little emotional connection with his family of origin, which might be a good thing, perhaps? In case he ever learned the truth, maybe he wouldn't be too devastated?
Fu Qinghai thought irresponsibly.
"Logically, I should feel angry, I should hate the murderers who killed my father, but I just don't feel anything. Does that mean I'm a coward, boss?"
Merten revealed his confusion and bewilderment.
"Courage is not demonstrated through hatred and anger. Follow your heart, and no one has the right to judge. What is more important right now is the responsibility you need to shoulder."
Fu Qinghai patted him on the shoulder and said:
"Be prepared and face it."
"grown ups."
At this moment, Captain Hark walked in, first raising his hand to salute Merten, then nodding to Fu Qinghai and saying:
"Colonel, everything is ready."
"Let's begin once you're ready."
Fu Qinghai indicated that we could begin.
"Uncle Hack."
Merten sighed helplessly:
"You don't need to call me 'sir'."
Captain Hack shook his head and said:
"Come with me, Your Excellency."
Merten followed Captain Hack out of the office.
Fu Qinghai remained alone in the quiet room.
He no longer participates in these public ceremonies.
Once Melten officially becomes the Governor of Mandalorian, Fu Qinghai can then officially disappear into the background. Melten, the nominal Governor of Mandalorian, will take the lead in attracting the firepower of players and other clans, while Fu Qinghai will secretly operate behind the scenes.
Wouldn't that be wonderful?
Fu Qinghai stood behind the floor-to-ceiling window, half his face obscured by the shadows of the curtains. Outside the window, in the royal palace square, a dense crowd had gathered, and on the high platform at the very front, Melten raised a fist and was reciting an oath.
The crowd in the square was unusually quiet, including both ordinary citizens and soldiers in full armor, all focused on the high platform ahead. The new governor's loud recitation of his oath echoed throughout the city via broadcast, and could be faintly heard even through the thick glass in front of him.
"The plan works..." Fu Qinghai thought to himself.
The clans of Mandalorian resemble families but are not families. Therefore, strictly speaking, the position of "Governor of Mandalorian" does not follow the rule of succession from father to son or from brother to brother. According to ancient beliefs, whoever can defeat Merten Saxon in a duel will inherit the position of ruling Mandalorian.
In other words, not only could members of other clans choose to challenge Merten Saxon, but members of the Saxon clan, including Captain Hark, could also come out to challenge Merten Saxon, but they were all very wise not to do so.
Since the Empire has made it clear that it will support Merten Saxon's rise to power, if you were to jump out at this point and say that the governor of Mandalorian should be decided by a duel based on the ancient Mandalorian creed, wouldn't that be a slap in the face to the Empire? Even if you win the duel, would the Empire let you take the position?
This is also the awkward situation that the Mandalorians are currently facing collectively: the conflict between ancient traditional beliefs and complex realities. If they insist on living according to traditional beliefs and refuse to bow to reality, the best outcome is to find a corner where no one cares and live their lives like the Watchmen.
Speaking of "corners that no one cares about"...
Fu Qinghai withdrew his gaze and turned away from the floor-to-ceiling window.
He's going to inspect potential sites for the secret base on Harmony Star.
.........
Like a new broom sweeping clean, Merten Saxon issued two new executive orders on the very day he took office as governor.
Of course, these two administrative orders were actually authorized by Fu Qinghai, but were announced through Merten Saxe.
First, the Imperial Military Academy on Mandalor will be expanded and officially renamed "Kalida Military Academy Mandalor Campus". Many officers that Fu Qinghai brought from Calida will take up teaching positions at this new military academy. Many members of the Sky Eagle Society are already faculty members, so it's a good fit for their profession.
Currently, small-scale conflicts throughout the Mandalorian space are escalating, showing a strong tendency to evolve into war. The new governor's first move is to target the education sector, which is something many people did not expect.
Secondly, the Calida Military Academy Mandalorian Campus publicly announced that it would fully accept war orphans, and that the scope of adoption would not be limited to the Mandalorian region, but to the entire galaxy. Eligible orphans who lost their families in the Clone Wars and various conflicts could enter this Imperial military academy to study for free.
The imperial government will cover all expenses up to adulthood.
Of course, adoption is limited to human orphans.
Imperial military academies will not accept foreigners under any circumstances.
Adopting war orphans is a very Mandalorian practice. The Mandalorians have a long tradition of adopting war orphans, possibly because the region has been plagued by wars throughout history, creating too many orphans, which has led them to adopt war orphans to maintain population balance.
The protagonist of "The Mandalorian," Din Jarin, is a war orphan whose parents died in the Clone Wars. He was rescued and adopted by a group of Mandalorians who fell from the sky. Based on the details of the shoulder armor emblems in the series, this group of Mandalorians should belong to the Deathguard. The Deathguard later disbanded, and some members joined the Watchmen faction, so Din Jarin became a member of the Watchmen.
However, the traditional adoption practices of the Mandalorians were based on the family unit, while the adoption practices of the Calida Military Academy Mandalor Campus were based on the school unit. This is a very important difference. To use a more fashionable term: the former is considered family-based upbringing, while the latter is considered socialized upbringing.
A Mandalorian family can only care for a limited number of orphans. However, by having the Imperial Military Academy, funded by the government, provide unified care, the adoption capacity is greatly increased. Providing a home for orphans who have lost their families in war is, from any perspective, a benevolent policy.
The inspiration for Fu Qinghai's policy.
Naturally, this refers to the Institute of Loyal Succession of the National Church.
Loyalist Academy is a valuable asset. In the Warhammer 40K universe, war is as commonplace as eating and drinking. Loyalist Academy not only shelters a large number of orphans caused by war, but also trains a large number of political commissars, inquisitors, battle nuns, and storm loyalists for the Imperium of Man. In these key positions, the Imperium of Man trusts the orphans in Loyalist Academy even more.
Furthermore, Fu Qinghai had privately instructed the military academy's leadership to prioritize boys and minimize girls when recruiting these war orphans.
This is not because Qingshan Khan favored sons over daughters.
However, the dropout rate for boys might be a bit higher.
…………
Mandalorian, the Star of Harmony.
A Lambda-class shuttle spun and descended, landing precisely on a protruding gray-white boulder platform. The cabin door opened, and Fu Qinghai and Yevander stepped out.
"Granite landforms formed by fault tectonic movements."
Fu Qinghai surveyed the surrounding towering peaks and steep ridges.
"Boss, you know quite a lot."
Yevander walked down carrying the robot and said.
The natural scenery of Harmony Star is quite unique. The fault uplift rock mass structure formed by geological movements, combined with the erosion by rainwater and rivers, eventually formed this mountain range with sheer cliffs on all sides, much like the Huangshan and Huashan Mountains of the past.
Yevander activated the robots' anti-gravity engines. The three robots, whose bodies resembled two flying saucer discs stacked together, had two signal antennas embedded with various scanning probes, and several slender, multi-functional mechanical arms hanging below them. They slowly floated up like three black mechanical jellyfish.
Classic Imperial Exploration Robot.
The evil henchman of the Imperial Stormtroopers.
Yevander picked up a data tablet and issued a mapping command. Three Imperial exploration robots floated down into the seemingly bottomless abyss and began their scanning mission.
“Construction is very difficult in this kind of place.”
Yevander casually offered a reminder.
"That's why the base is more well hidden."
Fu Qinghai didn't care much about this.
The two were chatting idly when suddenly, Fu Qinghai felt a sense of being spied on.
Are there people in this desolate wilderness?
Fu Qinghai remained outwardly calm, but turned his head slightly and glanced out of the corner of his eye in the direction where he had sensed being spied on.
He saw a blinding red light.
"call out!"
Fu Qinghai jerked his head forward, the energy beam grazing the back of his head and striking the greyish-white rock, leaving a black dent. Fu Qinghai looked up, his sharp gaze instantly locking onto the direction from which the energy beam had come.
Without needing binoculars, his extraordinary vision had already caught sight of a figure hurrying away. It was a Mandalorian in armor, who had rolled up from a prone firing position and was carrying a DC-15A blast rifle in his arms.
"Holy crap, who's attacking?!"
Yevander was startled by the gunshot and instinctively crouched down, clutching the data tablet in his arms and looking around.
"Go back to the shuttle and wait for me."
Fu Qinghai calmly left a sentence, then started walking and chased after the direction the attacker had left in.
This was a landscape of towering peaks and deep valleys. The shuttle was parked on a rocky platform jutting out from the side of one of the mountains, while the Mandalorian was located on another mountain several hundred meters away. Since this trip was only for surveying and mapping, Fu Qinghai and Yevander were only wearing ordinary military uniforms with plastic steel bulletproof vests, not the jetpack-equipped armor of the Flying Soldier.
After sprinting a few steps, Fu Qing leaped into the air, covering a distance of seventy or eighty meters, landing atop a sharp mountain peak. The moment his feet touched the ground, he bent his knees and leaped high into the air again. He continued to leap and bound among the towering peaks, each jump covering a distance of over a hundred meters. A slight misstep would send him plunging into a bottomless abyss.
Yevander sat in the shuttle's cockpit, holding his breath and watching with wide eyes as Qingshan leaped and bounded between the steep peaks, amazed by his agile movements and extraordinary physical abilities... until a cold gun barrel was pressed against his temple, Yevander suddenly realized that someone was behind him.
"do not move!"
His mouth was covered by a gloved hand, and the sound coming from inside the helmet was muffled and distorted, but he could vaguely make out that it was a woman's voice. He didn't dare to turn around and look, and just sat stiffly in the driver's seat.
…………