Chapter 2: New Century (Epilogue)
The Cain Continent’s divine authority and royal power were intertwined, with the king’s accession ceremony involving their respective national religions, and the Pope crowning the king. This signified that royal power was bestowed by the gods. Kings and Popes could disagree, even fight, but they had to obey the deities they believed in.
The Wintery Empire, however, was different. When Xi Wei left Dragonflame City, he coincidentally destroyed the largest religious institution in the country—the Balda Holy See. Priests, both high and low, were arrested and thrown into the dungeons of Winter Fort, and any who dared to resist were killed along the way.
Now, the Wintery Empire had no national religion, and Xi Wei had no intention of introducing any other deities. If any followers of other gods dared to spread their beliefs, he would simply slap them into silence. The Wintery Empire did not need a Holy See, nor did it need to believe in a god to obtain so-called divine protection. His rule was absolute monarchical centralization; everything in the Winter Kingdom was decided by Xi Wei, and anyone who disagreed would be dealt with.
After the accession ceremony, Xi Wei returned to the Winter Fort Conference Hall, where he still had matters to attend to. He removed the crown shortly after putting it on. Crowns were only for important occasions; kings did not wear them usually, as a metal block on one’s head was inconvenient.
The grandiose accession ceremony was partly for the players to witness, and partly for the high nobles rescued from Dragonflame City and the aspiring new lords. Territories could not go without managers. These nobles would now be sent back to their respective territories, or if they lacked one, they would receive a new territory from Xi Wei, provided they swore allegiance to his rule. Naturally, refusal meant facing the gallows.
Inside the Winter Fort Conference Hall.
Xi Wei did not adopt the typical royal approach of building a grand palace solely for meetings. He found it unnecessary and, as usual, summoned the nobles in the modest conference hall. Compared to a king sitting high on a throne, Xi Wei believed that being closer to the nobles would project an image of approachable amiability. He sat mightily at the head of the conference table, with Ruo Yi holding his removed shawl and Loli standing behind him.
The discussions in the conference hall gradually died down. Xi Wei’s gaze, filled with inquiry and scrutiny, swept over the assembled nobles. His sword-like eyes seemed to pierce their souls, making them tremble and fall silent. The nobles, from high to low, focused their gazes on the conference table as if it were a masterpiece of art.
Freyon was among them. He was originally a landless baron from the Northern Territory. However, the marquis of the Northern Territory had been beheaded by the current King of Winter, and he, as one of the minor nobles of the Northern Territory, had been summoned to Winter City. Freyon likely understood why he was summoned. Honestly, he was initially excited, as he might soon possess his own territory, albeit one on the dangerous frontier. But as the accession ceremony began, his excitement was gradually extinguished, like a flame doused by cold water.
He had witnessed too many unbelievable, fantastical things today. In his previous understanding, a new empire rebuilt from ruins should be in a state of recovery and turmoil. A king with insufficient troops would surely seek to win them over, reassigning lands to maintain the empire’s stability. However, the reality was that while redistribution might occur, there was no appeasement. The newly crowned King of Winter’s first act was to display his military might. The assault on Dragonflame City seemed to have cost him little, and his aggressive posture practically screamed, “We’ll beat you if you don’t obey.”
Thinking of the disciplined army under the King of Winter, their terrifying efficiency, and the formidable dragon mounts, Freyon shivered. When he passed by the castle gardens earlier, he had actually seen hundreds of dragon-like creatures climbing and circling within the castle. If he hadn’t known this was Winter Fort, Freyon would have thought he had stumbled into a dragon’s den.
“I believe everyone is aware of the reason for this summons. Therefore, I will keep this brief.” After a brief silence in the conference hall, the King of Winter, seated at the head, spoke. As Freyon had anticipated, the King of Winter’s tone was forceful, making the meeting feel more like an issuance of commands.
“Currently, all territories within the Wintery Empire are lacking administrators, and rebellions have even broken out. To assist you in better managing your territories, I have drafted a document for your perusal.” With a wave of his hand, Xi Wei had identical sheepskin scrolls distributed to each noble. Freyon received one and focused his eyes on it. At the top, written in bolded Continental Common, was the title: “Draft of the Wintery Code.”
A cold sweat trickled down Freyon’s forehead as he began to carefully read each clause of the Wintery Code. The conference hall fell silent as every noble diligently read the draft. Their expressions grew increasingly grim as they read. This Wintery Code was clearly prepared by the King of Winter long in advance, with its detailed provisions suggesting it was no hastily assembled, flawed document. It was evident that he had long set his sights on the throne.
The code was divided into three parts, totaling precisely 1800 articles, with 600 laws meticulously and logically laid out in each part. The first part primarily dealt with civil law, covering personal and family laws, including marriage, family relations, and parent-child relationships, outlining various civil relationships and rights, and providing detailed directions for adjudication.
The second part began to make the nobles uneasy. It covered property law, including provisions on property ownership and property rights. The very first article stipulated the abolition of all taxes not designated by the King. This meant that the lords’ income was cut in half, and they could no longer levy taxes as they pleased.
The third part concerned rights law, detailing various methods of acquiring property. This included inheritance, gifts, wills, contractual debts, non-contractual debts, and mortgage rights, thereby promoting freedom of exploitation and freedom of contract. This section further diminished the status of the nobles, as they could no longer forcibly exploit their townsfolk, and the townsfolk were no longer required to work for the lords without compensation; everything would be based on their own will.
What the nobles found most unacceptable was that the King of Winter unilaterally altered the hereditary system. All noble offspring would no longer automatically inherit their family’s territory. They would first have to pass an assessment by the King of Winter. Failure to pass would result in the forfeiture of inheritance rights, with the King then selecting a new lord to replace them.
