Chapter 220: Rebirth

The next morning, sunlight fell on the steps of the Pharaoh's Palace.

Officials arrived one after another at the Council Hall, their faces filled with doubt and unease.

When Ptolemy IX announced the appointment of Dong Zhongshu as Chief Reform Minister and unveiled the reform plan, an uproar immediately broke out in the Imperial Court.

Some conservative officials stood up to oppose, speaking heatedly and trying to block the reform's progress.

Dong Zhongshu's eyes blazed like torches as he fearlessly refuted each point.

He clearly expounded the necessity and urgency of the reform, with sound reasoning and evidence, leaving the opponents speechless.

Seeing this, Ptolemy IX shouted, 'Reform must proceed; anyone who dares to obstruct will be severely punished!'

With Ptolemy IX's support, Dong Zhongshu smoothly took the first step of reform, while he also plotted how to use this reform to create conditions for his return to Han.

Night fell over the Pharaoh's Palace, and the Council Hall was brightly lit with candles.

Dong Zhongshu and Ptolemy IX sat around a long table piled with scrolls, discussing the plan to eliminate opposing forces.

Dong Zhongshu pointed to a finely drawn power distribution map and said firmly, 'Your Majesty, the conservative faction led by the remnants of Grand Minister of Agriculture Hollenshibu not only controls vast lands and wealth but also plants its cronies in the army, posing a grave threat to centralization; it must be eradicated first.'

Ptolemy IX nodded slightly, a flash of ruthlessness in his eyes: 'The Grand Priest is absolutely right. These people rely on their power and repeatedly defy my orders; if not swiftly removed, reform will be hard to advance.'

The two immediately settled on the plan, deciding to start with evidence against the core figures of the conservative faction, using the opportunity of the council session to eliminate them in one fell swoop.

Several days later, the morning court bell echoed over the palace.

Officials filed in one by one, their expressions varied.

When everyone stood, Dong Zhongshu stepped forward and proclaimed loudly, 'Ladies and gentlemen, in my recent inspection of affairs I have discovered many irregularities: some actually used their authority to embezzle military provisions and pocket tax revenues, severely harming state interests!'

No sooner had his words fallen than the Imperial Court erupted in an uproar.

Without waiting for a reaction, Dong Zhongshu signaled the guards to present the ledgers and witness testimonies he had already gathered.

The evidence was mountainous; the conservative officials headed by Hollenshibu's old troops instantly turned ashen, beads of sweat forming on their foreheads.

Ptolemy IX sprang to his feet and roared angrily, 'These treacherous villains, who dare to sabotage my Ptolemaic Dynasty's grand reform, are utterly unforgivable! Seize them all!'

At the Pharaoh's command, the guards who had lain in wait outside the hall surged in like a tide, encircling the assembled opposing officials.

These officials still tried to struggle, but were roughly subdued by the guards.

At that moment, a general who usually enjoyed the Pharaoh's trust suddenly drew his sword and shouted, 'His Majesty has been bewitched by Dong Zhongshu! We cannot sit and wait for death!' He then led part of the personal guards in a charge toward Ptolemy IX.

Seeing this, Dong Zhongshu quickly stepped in front of the Pharaoh and cried loudly, 'Protect His Majesty!'

At the same time, the guards loyal to the Pharaoh fought bravely, engaging the rebels in fierce combat.

After a bloody struggle, the rebels were completely wiped out, and that general was slain on the spot.

After this battle, the opposing forces in the Imperial Court were utterly eradicated.

Ptolemy IX struck while the iron was hot, taking back part of the local nobles' authority and concentrating important governmental decision‑making power in the center.

Dong Zhongshu then set about establishing a new official evaluation system to ensure absolute loyalty of all officials to the center.

Thanks to their efforts, the Ptolemaic Dynasty's centralization was greatly strengthened, laying a solid foundation for the smooth implementation of later reforms.

After resolving internal strife, Ptolemy IX, following Dong Zhongshu's advice, began a thorough overhaul of the army, everything modeled on Han practices.

To prepare for future invasions by Rome and Parthia.

At the same time, Ptolemy IX fell in love with Han culture, even adopting Han style in his everyday attire and beginning to promote Han culture among the populace.

With Ptolemy IX's strong support, Dong Zhongshu began to build the army in earnest.

At dawn on the training ground by the Nile River, with the thin mist not yet cleared, Dong Zhongshu already stood on the high platform, dressed in light linen short garments, a long sword at his waist, full of vigor.

Below, thousands of newly recruited soldiers stood in neat ranks, their eyes showing nervousness and anticipation.

"Soldiers!" Dong Zhongshu's booming voice echoed across the training ground: 'From today on, you will become the sharp blade defending the Ptolemaic Dynasty! I will lead you to hone solid skills so that any enemy daring to invade our dynasty will find no return.'

Hearing this, the soldiers gripped their weapons tightly and shouted in unison, their voices ringing through the heavens.

First, Dong Zhongshu subjected the soldiers to rigorous physical training.

He required the soldiers to run laps around the training field each morning to build endurance; after the run came weight training, with the soldiers shouldering heavy sandbags to do squats, jumps, and the like.

During the training, Dong Zhongshu personally supervised and mercilessly punished any soldiers who slacked off or tried to shirk.

"Faster! A little faster! If you can't endure this bit of hardship, how will you kill enemies on the battlefield?" Dong Zhongshu called out while making his rounds.

Under his strict demands, the soldiers gritted their teeth and persisted, gradually adapting to the high‑intensity training.

Besides physical training, Dong Zhongshu also emphasized tactical training for the soldiers.

He divided the soldiers into different groups to conduct mock combat drills; in the drills he personally demonstrated various tactical moves and explained combat techniques.

"Remember, on the battlefield teamwork is essential! You must coordinate with each other to form a tight unit in order to unleash maximum combat power."

Dong Zhongshu patiently instructed the soldiers. To help them better understand tactics, he also drew detailed tactical diagrams and explained to them the applicable scenarios for each tactic.

In weapons training, Dong Zhongshu assigned suitable weapons according to each soldier's traits and invited veteran soldiers to give one‑on‑one guidance; after a period of training, the soldiers' combat skills showed marked improvement.

When Ptolemy IX learned that the army's training was progressing smoothly, he personally came to inspect the training ground.

Seeing the soldiers' neat formations and high morale, he nodded with satisfaction: 'Grand Priest, you have not lived up to expectations! With such an army, what does my Ptolemaic Dynasty have to worry about not prospering?'

Dong Zhongshu respectfully bowed and said, 'Your Majesty praises me too highly; this is all the result of the soldiers' efforts. Once the army's training matures, it will surely safeguard our dynasty's peace.'

As time passed, a disciplined, strong‑fighting army gradually took shape.

Meanwhile, Dong Zhongshu also waited for the right moment, using this army to create favorable conditions for his return to Han.

At the same time, Dong Zhongshu also sent Amir, to whom he owed his life, to Magadha to bring Han Emperor Wu the good news of his situation in the Ptolemaic Dynasty.