Chapter 193: Assessment
"My Lord, many villagers are now purging corrupt local officials. Should we intervene?"
After the military funeral, the Battle of Dunmere was finally concluded.
With the momentum of the great victory, the remnants of the noble families in the six cities were in despair.
Encouraged by their success, the civilian militias, high in morale, launched a sweeping campaign to eradicate the remaining noble factions. Many who had hidden in remote mountains and forests were hunted down and eliminated by the militias and local garrisons.
At the same time, the militias arrested village chiefs who had once served the noble families, parading them through the streets in a clear effort to completely dismantle the nobles’ influence.
Currently, Simon was in the Governor’s Residence, where all six city governors, their deputies, Baldwin, Aiden, Benjamin, and other Brambleford Army officers had gathered.
With the war over, Simon believed it was necessary to hold a debriefing to summarise the lessons of the battle and turn them into case studies and training materials. Only through practical experience could they continue to improve.
The question had been raised by Baldwin, based on reports from local officials in recent days. "Crushing the remnants of the noble families isn’t a polite dinner party. It doesn’t require gentleness. On the contrary, this is another kind of war. The people have been oppressed by these nobles for years. Now that they’ve finally risen, they need to vent their grievances, to completely shatter the mental shackles the nobles imposed and ensure they can never regain a foothold."
After a pause, he added. "So not only should we not stop this, we should encourage the people to dig up old grievances. Drag the imprisoned nobles out and let the masses denounce them. The government must support this movement; only then can we ensure the noble families never return."
Baldwin nodded, jotting down Simon’s words.
On this matter, he agreed with Simon. They couldn’t allow the noble families to revive. The six cities must become infertile soil for them, turning the nobles into outlaws, despised by all.
After addressing Baldwin’s question, Simon turned to Bjorn.
"The Machinery Department’s timely delivery of ammunition during the crisis was also a great achievement, worthy of reward. You and your son will each receive a thousand caps of silver."
Bjorn and Fjord bowed in delight. "Thank you, Your Highness!"
Simon nodded. "Fjord, you’ve made significant contributions, yet I didn’t promote you. You must be confused, right?"
Fjord, always unkempt and more devoted to machinery than social niceties, answered bluntly:
"Yes, Your Highness. I wanted to ask, but my father wouldn’t let me."
Bjorn nearly facepalmed. This blockhead has no sense of humility!
The others chuckled. Fjord’s straightforwardness was refreshing.
Simon, however, appreciated his personality. As a former researcher himself, he understood that such minds were pure, obsessed only with their work.
That was also why he kept Bjorn as Fjord’s superior; the older man was far more experienced.
"You won’t get a promotion this time, but something bigger is coming for the Machinery Department."
Fjord and Bjorn perked up with interest.
Simon continued. "I plan to establish a dedicated Military Arsenal, responsible for the production and development of weapons. Fjord, I want you to oversee it. What do you think?"
"My Lord, really?!" Fjord’s eyes lit up. Ever since the cannons were developed, he had been fascinated by their production; now that was a real technical challenge.
"Would I lie to you? But taking charge means heavier responsibilities. You’ll be solely in charge of weapons production and R&D for the military."
"No problem, my Lord! But I’ll need to take skilled craftsmen from the Machinery Department with me."
Given the unstable environment, Simon couldn’t afford to prioritise the economy over the military. He had decided to develop both simultaneously.
"Take whoever you need, craftsmen, slaves, your choice."
Fjord grinned excitedly.
Bjorn, however, looked worried. "My Lord, if Fjord leaves, what happens to the Machinery Department?"
"Don’t worry. The Military Arsenal will remain under the Machinery Department’s oversight; it’s just a new branch. At the same time, the department’s functions will expand. Alongside the Arsenal, we’ll establish a Research Institute, selecting top students from the Oxford Academy to specialise in chemistry, physics, machinery, and other technical fields."
Bjorn sighed in relief. This was effectively a promotion for both of them.
Though terms like chemistry and physics made his head spin, these were Oxford Academy subjects.
"The Research Institute will be located within the Oxford Academy. Fjord, you’ll also be part of it." Simon added before Fjord could ask.
Fjord relaxed. The Military Arsenal and the Research Institute wouldn’t conflict. For example, James’s work on gunpowder complemented cannon development.
Simon was restructuring based on lessons from Dunmere’s ammunition shortages.
Previously, the Machinery Department had been a jumble of responsibilities. Now, Simon was refining industrial specialisation, particularly in military production, while the Research Institute would pool talent for broader technological advancements.
The military officers, including Benjamin, approved. This showed Simon’s commitment to the army; further reforms were likely coming.
Sure enough, after addressing the Machinery Department, Simon turned to Benjamin.
"You’ve all witnessed the cannons’ power in battle."
Benjamin and the others nodded.
"Therefore, the Brambleford Army will establish a new branch, the Artillery Corps. And to prepare for future firearms deployment, I’ve decided to reform the military structure. Units will now be organised into squads, platoons, companies, battalions, regiments, brigades, divisions, and corps."
Blank stares met his words. These terms were unheard of.
Simon’s reforms aimed to adapt the army for firearms in advance.
The current Eldorian Empire military hierarchy, with its commanders, colonels, captains, centurions, and decurions, was ill-suited for firearms. The Brambleford Army was still divided into cavalry, crossbowmen, swordsmen, and spearmen. In the future, it would be entirely firearms-based.
Squads, platoons, and companies were far better suited for modern warfare.
In the Governor’s Residence, the military officers listened quietly as Simon explained the new army structure.
Compared to the Eldorian Empire’s current military hierarchy, this new system was simpler and easier to understand.
With the help of the system’s memory transfer, Benjamin and the others quickly grasped the new structure, though the terminology still felt strange to them.
But Brambleford was full of new things these days. To progress, the old had to be discarded.
Comments