Chapter 1508: The Luoke Imperium Prepares to Expand its Military

Luoke Imperium, main hall of the Imperial City on the Capital Star, morning assembly.

Two rows of seats for ministers were arranged on both sides of the great hall, with dark wooden chairs placed in order according to official rank.

Kesi sat on the main seat, wearing a deep purple court robe, looking down at the ministers below.

The Ministry of Government Affairs stood before the front row of seats, clutching a Data Pad in his hand, and spoke after a long moment of hesitation.

"Your Majesty, regarding the matter of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance fleet launching an attack on Luosa Star in the Southern Border, I have a point of confusion."

"Speak, my subject."

The Ministry of Government Affairs took a deep breath and stepped forward to speak.

"When the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance fleet previously arrived at the edge of the Southern Border, their public statement was to assist the Imperium in suppressing the rebellion. However, their attack on Luosa Star was not coordinated or confirmed by the Military Affairs Department beforehand, nor was the specific combat plan reported to the Imperial City."

"They initiated fire suppression on a planet with a two-minute warning limit; this rhythm... has already exceeded the scope of coordinated operations."

Another minister behind him, who was in charge of document correspondence, spoke up as well.

"Your Majesty, I have the same concerns. The six noble families of the Southern Border have already sent surrender communications, expressing their willingness to submit."

"Under such circumstances, the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance fleet still launched an attack on Luosa Star. This will make the remaining nobles in the Southern Border believe that the Imperial City does not intend to accept their surrender, but rather intends to eliminate them all."

"This will cause more nobles to choose to fight to the death, and the Imperium's losses will further expand."

A third minister stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance fleet has not been within the Imperium's borders for long, but their freedom of action has already exceeded the range of a normal allied force."

"Their actions in the Southern Border were not permitted by the Imperium's military affairs system. If this independence continues, they will form an uncontrolled armed force within the Imperium."

"At that time, the Imperium's internal policy decisions will inevitably be directly influenced by an external armed force."

Kesi sat on the main seat, listened patiently to these Alien ministers, and spoke slowly.

"I am aware of the situation you speak of; the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance fleet attacked Luosa Star without prior notification."

"But you have missed a premise: the six noble families of the Southern Border did not dismantle any of their armaments while sending their surrender communications. Their surrender communications were only words, not actions."

"If I had ordered the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance fleet to stop their operations after the surrender communications were sent, what do you think the nobles of the Southern Border would have done?"

"They would have immediately deleted this surrender communication from their records, then regrouped their forces, and waited for the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance fleet to withdraw from the Southern Border before launching a second round of counterattacks."

"And those who would die in the flames of war then would be the citizens of the Luoke Imperium."

The Ministry of Government Affairs' lips moved slightly, and he spoke.

"But the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance fleet's method of attack is too aggressive; a two-minute warning limit is almost equivalent to no negotiation..."

Kesi interrupted him, speaking in a crisp and decisive tone.

"My question is very simple: in your opinion, which is more important, the lives of the citizens of the Luoke Imperium or the dignity of those nobles in the Southern Border?"

The great hall fell silent, and the ministers did not know how to answer.

Seeing this, Kesi continued.

"If the noble armaments in the Southern Border are not dismantled, more citizens of the Luoke Imperium will be dragged into the flames of war. If I had ordered them to cease fire while the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance fleet was suppressing the defensive positions on Luosa Star, the remaining nobles in the Southern Border would only receive one signal... that Kesi's throne cannot withstand the test, and as long as they make enough trouble, the one who will eventually compromise will be the Imperial City."

The Ministry of Government Affairs finally found a gap to speak and said.

"Your Majesty, I am not against annihilating the Southern Border nobles... it is just that the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance fleet's actions within our borders are too independent; if this continues for a long time, it will gradually form a situation that is not under the control of the Imperium..."

Kesi's voice rose by half a degree.

"I have never intended to let the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance fleet act independently for a long time. Their goal in the Southern Border is to suppress the noble armaments, and once the armed forces of the Southern Border are cleared out, the fleet will naturally withdraw."

"But before that, anyone who attempts to make me withdraw the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance fleet while the rebellion has not yet been quelled, I can reasonably suspect their stance."

"The three of you raised the issue of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance fleet at the same time today; I want to ask you... are you worried about the independence of the Imperium, or are you worried about the safety of those nobles?"

Cold sweat seeped out on the forehead of the Ministry of Government Affairs.

"I... I am only worried about the sovereignty of the Imperium..."

Kesi withdrew his gaze, his tone softening.

"There is no problem with worrying about the sovereignty of the Imperium, but it is too early to discuss sovereignty issues before the noble armaments in the Southern Border have all been dismantled. Suppress the rebellion first, then talk about other things. Anyone who dares to mention letting the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance fleet withdraw from the Southern Border early will be treated as a confederate and suffer the same crime as the rebels in the Southern Border."

As these words fell in the main hall, the Ministry of Government Affairs bowed his waist completely and stopped speaking.

The two ministers behind him also bowed and retreated to their own seats.

Seeing that these Alien ministers had no objections, Kesi changed the subject.

"After the rebellion in the Southern Border is quelled, I have one more thing to prepare."

"The Star Spirit Union outside the eastern border of the Luoke Imperium has maintained a Silence since I ascended the throne, not taking me seriously at all. After the rebellion is suppressed, the Imperium needs a new external target to demonstrate its national power and military strength. The Star Spirit Union happens to be on the east side of the Imperium, and its geographical location is suitable."

"I have decided to start the expansion plan from now on. The establishment of the Central Army will be expanded by forty percent on the existing basis, the border defense fleet in the eastern star region will undergo a round of equipment updates, and the recruitment of new soldiers will be arranged uniformly by the Military Affairs Department."

The Ministry of Government Affairs raised his head and spoke again.

"Your Majesty... the Imperium has just experienced internal chaos, the war in the Southern Border has not yet ended, and the expenditure of the national treasury has been at a high level for several consecutive months."

"Expanding the army by forty percent requires a large amount of funds, requires new soldier training facilities, and requires additional procurement of weapons and equipment; these expenses are difficult to resolve within the existing budget framework in the short term."

"Moreover... the Star Spirit Union is outside the border on the east side of the Imperium, and they have not launched an attack on the Imperium. If the Imperium takes the initiative to launch a military operation against the Star Spirit Union, it may cause other forces in the Dongjing to develop the intention of uniting against us."