Chapter 932 — Taking the Initiative
Blade of Dawn · Page 1 of 4
The parliament hall of Aldernd had a magnificent triple-spire design. The largest spire crowned the entire structure, symbolizing the imperial authority that sheltered and guided the whole empire; the second spire stood for the nobles beneath that authority, also known as "the Pillars of the Empire"; and the lowest spire, broadest in expanse, directly roofed the parliamentary chamber itself and nominally symbolized the empire's glorious citizens—"the Foundation of the Empire."
This bold, pioneering symbolism was a kind of microcosm of Luo Yan's decades of reform. In practice, however, the "citizen representatives" beneath that triple spire numbered less than half the noble representatives, and those with any true voice were fewer still—so much so that whenever people spoke of the Aldernd Parliament, they almost invariably meant the old "Noble Council" in the upper tier, and unconsciously overlooked the other half of the body.
Luo Yan Augustus had been working tirelessly to change that, and in the past two years the situation had indeed shifted considerably.
Those roaring machines and the great companies that had sprung up overnight had swiftly multiplied the capital behind the citizen representatives' voices in Parliament—strictly speaking, the capital behind the merchant delegates' voices.
It was also the first time Matilda had realized that certain forces could prove more effective than the decrees and guidance of the royal house.
She sat in the tall gilded chair that symbolized the imperial family, gazing down with a placid expression over the great rectangular hall below. Mana-crystal lamps shone down from the ceiling, making every face beneath it look sharp and vivid. These people, who held the greatest power in Typhon's social order beneath the crown, were airing their views and fiercely debating a plan that might transform an entire era. Those entitled to speak from the front rows were doing their utmost to display their persuasiveness and charisma, hoping to win over more ordinary members—and, more importantly, to win a statement from Princess Matilda, representative of the royal will.
In Typhon's peculiar parliamentary system, the will of the crown carried great weight. Unless the members' consensus on a bill was overwhelmingly unanimous, one had to strive for the support of the crown's spokesperson.
"I remain opposed to such a radical overhaul and restructuring—though I acknowledge the advantages of the new technology, and have always been glad to embrace the bright future it brings, we must recognize just how vast the existing relay tower network is, and the matter of cost and return behind it," said a middle-aged noble in a dark blue coat, his voice booming like a bell, as he rose and turned to address the members behind him. "Rebuilding the entire communications network means the investments of the past decades vanish into thin air—before they have even recouped their costs—while whether a new network could function reliably remains an open question..."
"This is not merely a question of cost and return, my lord count; it is also a question of technology," another rose to say. "Are you unaware of the limitations of the relay towers? Their technological foundation is obsolete. With mana-net communications available, continuing to invest in and build out the relay tower network has in fact become a waste—a waste of the empire's wealth..."
"And what of the people who maintain those towers? The people who make their living from them? We cannot solve this with nothing but a merchant's logic—we also bear the responsibility of keeping our people alive!"
"That responsibility is rather better reflected in the seventeen relay towers from which you draw your revenue, is it not?"
"Kindly refrain from dragging personal matters into so solemn a setting. If private interests are to be introduced, then I fear every man here would lose his right to speak, sir!"