Summary: Amestris has now began its slow march to becoming a true democracy and the plans of Emperor Ling are starting to pick up steam back home in Xing. Meanwhile, Mrs. Bradley and Miss Frederickson visit the site that will their new residence in due course, curtesy of Hawkeye using an urban expansion project for their benefit.
PARAGRAPHBRAKE
Notes: Another late update today. Yesterday's combination of it being Christmas and having a sudden medical scare for several hours obviously could not be forseen. I will see if I can pull another double update and update Facts of Love or whatever I will have to accept a schedule slip after all.
PARAGRAPHBRAKE
James Grumman called Mr. Storch to retrieve the Seal of State again for a meeting held on 19 June, exactly ninety days after the Promised Day. Julius Douglas presented him with the text of Executive Order 3960, while Mustang, Hawkeye, Armstrong, Miles, Badeaux and Roberts sat in attendance. The process of rewriting the Constitution of Amestris therefore got underway. "I will leave to discuss the necessary parts," the Secretary of State told them, "while I go to ask Radio Central for a bit of airtime once more."
A copy of the old Constitution sat on the table for all to consult. "Before we start, do any of you have a suggestion on what should be on our mind from the start," the Führer asked the six other individuals in the room, who formed the Central Committee of the Constitutional Consultation, which most of them had started calling 'The Four Cs' after they almost bit their tongues trying to pronounce that tongue twister. "As Governor General of Ishval, I wish to point out that my position is actually outside the scope of the current constitution," Miles pointed out.
"It is," asked Mustang with some surprise, "I thought that the offices of Governor General existed by the end of the 18th century." "They did, but they were purely military appointments," Armstrong pointed out in a 'you should know that, idiot' tone. "Is the concept of autonomous provinces not included even as one of the Amendments under Head Five," Riza inquired as the only person to bother reading the whole document in detail prior to this. Miles shook his head. "Not even implicitly."
"The first time autonomies as we know were used was near the end of the First War with Aurego," Luc Badeaux pointed out. "In 1842 we took a part of their Northern Provinces and for the first two decades administered it as an autonomy, which was then integrated into our Southern District on the basis of a referendum," Cornelius Roberts explained. The other five individuals in the room could guess just how fair the results of that had actually been. "Well, it is easy enough to just add a Head," Grumman pointed out as he wrote that idea down on a sheet of paper.
"I would like to suggest changing the wording at the very start," Mustang suggested next. "What's your problem with the wording," Armstrong asked in an annoyed tone that indicated she considered that so trivial as to be below her. "I'm guessing you don't like the phrase 'Amestrian State' instead of the 'Republic of Amestris' that is present from the outset," the Minister of Justice noted and the Prime Minister nodded. "We can take care of that sort of symbolic nonsense at the end," Armstrong loudly groaned.
Riza gave an eye roll at that display. "I have a suggestion for remaking all of Head Two," she announced. "All of it," her grandfather asked with some surprise. "Yes, the entire system as it currently stands is designed to be as easy to abuse as possible. The system for elections is designed to use the division of the electorate against it." "Ah, the Local Representative clause has caught your attention as well," Badeaux guessed. "Why is having a local representative a problem," Grumman asked.
"I think I can see the issue," Mustang said. "If you have three parties that split the vote 40-30-30, then only the first one gets a representative and if the vote split is similar around the country then a majority of the country gets zero representatives for their party." "But that system does have advantages," Armstrong pointed out and raised her right index finger for visual effect. "It forces the electorate to stay relatively unified and not split up into smaller and smaller groups, because it would cost them."
"Won't that just induce stagnation," Roberts asked and got a questioning look from the Minister of the Interior. "Because electoral splitting would end up causing people to harm herself, then it would end up leading people to gather around two parties that would try to keep broad appeal and remain the same over time. That kind of political inertia could lead into massive trouble," he pointed out. "That is actually an important point," Grumman agreed. "We cannot create a completely fair system, but I would like it to not turn into a mill stone around the national neck."
He continued writing down the suggestions. His granddaughter offered an alternative electoral system. There would be a hundred representatives, with seats assigned to match the vote percentages as close as possible. Twenty-one was already the age of legal majority, so that was kept as both the minimum age for voters and party members that could qualify as representatives. "Anybody opposed to keeping the original suffrage laws," Grumman asked with a grin and got double death glares from Hawkeye and Armstrong.
Mustang and Miles both leaned away from the two women in reaction to the sheer raw emotion emanating from them. They both knew the old Parliament was elected solely by male landowners in another blatant attempt by Father to make it easier to control everything. "Fine, fine," the Führer said with a smile, "no need to be both male and a property owner," he continued as he wrote that down too. "Now I would like to ask your opinion on the subject of my own office.
Do we make the Election of new Führer subject of a popular vote, make it a decision of Parliament, and do we give that to someone else?" "I would suggest Parliament," Roberts immediately told him. "I agree," Hawkeye added, "It would be a ridiculously divisible thing to impose on millions of voters compared to an instance, where there are a hundred possible winners." Badeaux made a thinking face for a moment. "What about the double title," he asked. "The double title," Grumman repeated, "Do you mean the 'Führer' and 'President' parts of my full title?"
"I do. Darius Ackerman only instituted the office of the Führer, and it was only this constitution that added the title of 'President' in an attempt to make the office sound like a more republican position." Mustang and Armstrong were looking at this conversation with uncertain grimaces. "What do you suggest? That we should abandon the title of 'Führer' in these documents?" "No, it is after all an indication of your position as supreme head of the Military. However, a separation would make it more apparent that we are intending to eventually demilitarise the government."
"So we would interpret the position of 'Führer' as an ex officio consequence of the Presidency rather than the currently existing inverse relation," Mustang asked for clarification. "Again, this sounds like symbolic problems, that can be resolved later," Armstrong pointed out with a huff. "I'm more interested in the matters of military discussed under Head Four, and I fully expect Mr. Badeaux and Mr. Roberts are more interested in the matters under Head Three." Grumman wrote it down anyway. "We still have over an hour before anyone of us needs to leave," he reminded her.
PARAGRAPHBRAKE
Three months after his ascension, Ling made a trip to the western border of his Empire. The Imperial Carriage of Xing was made to imitate a temple back in the palace at Yuaning to remind his subjects of his blessing by the Heavens and nobody seemed to mind that it therefore demanded eight horses to pull them. The horses were white thoroughbreds, of course, because the Emperor had to show off to the clans. Never mind that they were heading into the nearly uninhabited part of the Xishan range. The coachmen suddenly yelled commands to halt the horses, which probably meant they were at their last station before the destination itself.
"Name yourself and state your reason to stop our procession," barked the Captain of the Guards outside. Inside, Lan Fan, who had since been made Ling's personal bodyguard despite the grumbles of the Imperial Guards, rolled her eyes. "If somebody wants to attack us, why would they tell them that," she asked in annoyance. Ling gave a shrug with his palms raised up. "The Imperial Guards keep acting like it's still the era of Xing the Restorer. Maybe back then they did say it, because otherwise it was a dishonourable perfidy," he suggested.
Outside, a familiar voice introduced themselves. "I am Lord Li, Clan Chief of Cheng. I come to meet Emperor Ling," the old man declared from the back of his brown stallion. He was dressed in a large black coat made of satin and had a sheath with a curved steel sword at his right side attached to grey leather pants made to improve comfort, when riding a horse. Ling got up from the small throne inside his carriage and walked over to the front. He took the two red curtains with gold coloured tassels and opened it to look outside. They were at a three-way crossroads.
May's grandfather bowed when he saw him. Behind him, May herself was riding on a small pony wearing an emerald green cloak. "Greetings, Lord Li," he called out at him, "It is nice to see you once again. Come inside and join us alongside your granddaughter. My coachmen will take care of your horses." "As you wish, Your Imperial Highness," the old man said, and after a moment the Guards let her inside the coach. Lan Fan was sitting on a large pillow filled with feathers. There were several others around. "Take your seats as you wish."
Once Li and May sat down, the coachmen shouted an order and the 'procession' started to move again. "It is nice to see you again, May," Lan Fan said as the girl sat down. "How one year can change things," the younger girl smiled. "Unfortunately not always for the best," Ling pointed out, "This is one of those rare occasions, when my title actually means something for once. Our Father has settled into the comfortable life of a 'Retired Emperor' and alongside the Regency has been a thorn in my plans ever since."
"Being a kid sucks, huh," May said with a grin. "May," he grandfather immediately screamed in embarrassment at her using such language before the head of the country. "Lord Li, I told you there is no need to make your granddaughter speak formally in my presence, when we are in private. I can't be bothered to be formal, when I don't need to, either." Lord Li gave him a annoyed look, but then quickly conceded. "As you wish, Lord Ling," he replied, and May whispered a quiet apology to him.
"Besides, it's not like I disagree. One reason I threw myself into this is because it helps cover two parts of my plan at once. It turns out the Cheng clan has resources in its territory that can help you rise for the ground." Both clan members looked at him with wide eyes. "What do we have? Half of our territory is rocky terrain and a shore of a lake so salty most fish we sell are already preserved," Lord Li pointed out, and both Ling and Lan Fan snickered at that description.
"It's marble, Lord Li," Lan Fan explained. "Marble?! That thing is so common even some members of the lower classes use it for building material," the clan chief argued. "That is true," Ling conceded. "However, that is only the case here in the Xishan range. We are planning to open up trade with the Republic of Amestris, and they would like to purchase our marble as building material," he explained and leaned forward with a grin. "They got to meet with some clan first and given they came to me first, I decided that I would introduce them to you."
"Ah, so it is a trade conspiracy," May noted. "The word 'conspiracy' is so harsh," Lan Fan said in a faux hurt voice. "Ah, huh," the girl added in deadpan and gave several swift nods with pursed lips. "Sure, Lan Fan, whatever you say." The carriage continued on until it reached the previously mentioned salty body of water known as Lake Shio. An Amestrian carriage waited outside with four brown horses in a two-by-two arrangement pulling it. The Armstrong parents were having a holiday in Xing again.
"Lord Li, I would like you to meet Philip Gargantos and Mary Victoria Armstrong. Their son and daughter are my personal acquaintances and the latter is the current Minister of Interior and Defence for Amestris," Ling began in Xingese before turning to the couple. "Lord and Lady Armstrong, I would like you to meet Lord Li, the Clan Chief of Cheng and the man in charge of this era." "Welcome to the lands of the Xing clan," the chief said and gave them a handshake, while the Emperor translated his greeting. Continuing on, he would act as an interpreter.
"Are you aware of the reason we wish to meet you," Lord Armstrong asked, and the Sun caused a small shiny blink in his hair. "He does," Ling answered without bothering to translate. "Perfect, what does he think about the project?" "I am certainly interested, but I cannot see how you will be able to import marble into Amestris, when the direct route is ninety percent of the short path into your country goes through the Desert of Xerxes." Armstrong gave a smile after Ling translated.
"Lord Li, commerce has many routes to travel, and there are already plans to join our two nations via a railway line." "A railway line through the desert," May asked before Ling even started to translate. "Indeed, Lady May," Philip said. "The current plans assume the track will be built east out of Ishval and travel along the more temperate southern part near the border of Aurego. This way it can take the shortest path over all." Her grandfather thought for a moment. "Could I see more of your plans?" "Of course," Armstrong said, and went to take out documents from the carriage.
"Our market currently has a demand that no one has supplied anything for. Your marble has qualities that make it distinct and of higher quality than ours, which will make it easier to sell for more. Besides, there is a clear option for exchange with Ishvalan sandstone, which is itself a good building material," Armstrong quickly explained as Ling tried to keep up. "You have thought this through a lot," Lan Fan noted. "Of course, I did," Philip said with mock offence, "our family doesn't take risks unless we can see a way it can improve our position."
Lord Li looked through the papers and his face slowly went through several grimaces. At first, he appeared somewhat confused, but over time he started making nods of understanding and slowly great interest flourished on his face. This actually seemed like a venture that could work, and it would clearly bring benefit to his clan. "So, what do you think, grandfather," May asked after a while. He hummed. "I believe this can work after all," he told both her and the Armstrong. "I like hearing that," Lord Armstrong said. They continued discussing stuff for hours.
Several days later, the couple returned home with a signed agreement that the House of Armstrong and the Cheng Clan would enter into an economic alliance as far as the market for building material was concerned. Ling returned to the capital very happy, as he had finally managed to establish a trade link with Amestris. The court did not really comment on his excursion, but that way okay for him. They could continue living in their gilded cages, and he would prepare to care about those cages in the meantime.
His Father had still not used the stone. "Do you think he refuses to do it, because we told him it is a finite resource," Lan Fan had once asked. "Almost certainly," he had agreed, "He is after all a greedy man and paranoid to top it off. If he is afraid of health problems reoccurring, then it makes sense he doesn't want to use the stone." "Well, at least that gives us time to plan ourselves," his bodyguard pointed out, and he gave a smug smile. "And the sooner we can put him in checkmate, the better for all our plans."
PARAGRAPHBRAKE
Most government agencies very quickly learned that Riza Hawkeye was a fan of austerity in the current economic climate and stopped constantly begging for more funding and grants on various projects they wished to pursue, but Central City's Housing Office brought their request with a message that this could not be ignored. The message was fairly simple – the capital of Amestris was starting to run out of room. The city had been rebuilt within octagonal walls in the days of Ackerman, but had since expanded far beyond them. Initially, the suburbs were built close by.
The Ohem River that originally flowed around the city from the east had meandered away in the east and towards the city from the north over time and created a fertile flood plain, which also ended up being sacrificed for housing after Industrialisation kicked in. The request was clear: we need money to stabilise the Omeh River using embankments, and we will then build new housing on the other side of it. Requests to build over the land to the south a west were refused by Benedict Draxler with prejudice.
Those areas were extremely fertile due to past flooding by the Omeh and as far as he was concerned the areas made of strong rock that had halted the meandering east and caused the ends of the river on either side to start bowing out were much more reasonable sacrifices. The land was mostly rendzina anyway, so there was limited use for national agriculture, on account of it quickly draining the few nutrients that were actually present. Hawkeye realised this could also solve the problem of Mrs. Bradley and company looking for a new home.
In early July, the Presidential limousine brought five people across an old bridge, whose replacement was already being built next to it. The car turned left and then immediately stopped just outside another building site on the bank of the river. "This is the place," Riza informed the two women in the back. Selim and Josephine had come with them, because they were going for a medical check-up later anyway. Rosemary Frederickson pulled a baby pram from the boot, and they put the babies in it.
Hawkeye had given the Housing Office a condition for approving their request – they were to build a small villa that this quartet could move into. Currently, only the foundations had been laid, but the surroundings were covered with machinery and various materials in preparation for both its construction and that of other buildings around. The project of creating the embankment would allow the future Bradley residence to feature a large garden that Selim and Josephine could play in.
"I can somewhat see what they have in mind," Joan Bradley admitted as Rosemary pushed the baby carriage behind her. Selim and Josephine were mostly ignoring what was happening around them. The boy was lying on his left cheek and seemed to be bored. Meanwhile, the girl was playing with a small rattle built into the pram. "Obviously this is currently just muddy ground with stony outcroppings," the Minister of Finance admitted. "However, I have seen the final plans and think you will like them.
The designs were drawn up by architects from the Faculty of Arts, and they are surprisingly rich for what, I assume, is a relatively small space. The house will have two stories, with the attic space large enough to allow its use as an extra floor, if the need arises. If you want to see them, the foreman will gladly show them to you." "I would indeed," Mrs. Bradley said as a slight gust of wind blew past. Riza walked over to the man and came back with some of the documents. "This is the front," she informed them.
The house was outwardly divided into three parts, symmetrical around the centre. The wings had two floors, with little interest outside the small line of tiling just above the level of the floors inside. Each wing and floor had three windows, but the ones on the ground floor went much lower. "Why did they do that," Rosemary pointed at that. "They said it would make the lighting better, because they intend the bottom floor to be the living space," Riza recalled. In between was the entrance.
The approach to it had a balcony above it, and it was not hanging, but rather had two pillars supporting it with an arch between them. Smaller insets showed that similar arches would be used on the sides, but attach directly to the house wall. Three high windows with semicircular tops were drawn there, with a note that the wider one in the middle would the once with the doors built in. This one part was exceeding the floor level of the attic from the outside, and so a triangular inset was made above it.
"Those four attic windows seem oddly narrow," Mrs. Bradley pointed out. "Well, at least if we are to actually use that space if necessary," she amended. "I did mention that," Hawkeye assured her. "But they told me that it was necessary to prevent unwanted heat loss. The building is planned with space for future insulation work, but large windows on the top would cause leakage even if closed due to conduction." "And what about the surroundings," Frederickson asked.
"Once the embankment project is finished, they plan to build an alley of trees rights behind your house. That part of the house faces the north and will only have windows on the first floor. The other side is currently planned to be a low concrete walls with columns every two metres and iron bars between that. They told me they will leave everything between the house and the four edges of your garden empty, so you can make decide what you want your garden to look like."
She pulled out more of the plans, which showed an aerial view of the house in relation to the roads that would be built to the south and east and the river running along the northwest. The two mothers were looking at it for almost three minutes and occasionally whispering to each other. "So, what do you think of it," Riza finally asked. They looked at her with slight frowns. "We think the plans look nice," Mrs. Bradley admitted, and Miss Frederickson gave a series of quick nods. "But I can't help, but fell like I should wait for the project to be finished before I render my judgement."
"I am afraid that is not possible," Hawkeye reminded her. "I am aware of that," her predecessor noted. "However, since this to be home to two children, I feel like the consequences of a wrong choice would be detrimental to not just us, but them as well. I want Selim to grow up properly, after all." "I think having a good mother will be good enough to counter any subpar location," Rosemary argued, and the former First Lady gave her an uncertain look. "That is frequently claimed, but surroundings influence children too. I doubt Selim was that introverted by nature."
He definitely wasn't, Hawkeye remembered and felt a small phantom sting on her left cheek, where Pride's shadow cut her. At that moment, the current version of Selim decided to make one of those infantile coos that are predecessors to full language. "Do you need something, Selim," his nanny asked, and he spread his limbs to indicate he wanted to be taken out of the pram. "You'll get out of there soon enough. We won't be staying her for too much longer," his mother assured him, but he still made the movements.
PARAGRAPHBRAKE
Zheng Qin was enjoying his life. Ever since his son had given him the Stone of the Western Sage and cured him of his chronic pneumonia, things had only been going up for him. By renouncing the throne and becoming a Retired Emperor, he had given up mostly the annoying parts of being the ruler of Xing. Giving the throne to an idealistic sixteen-year-old was perfect. Ling was a fool like all teenagers and the Regency would gladly defer to the actually competent Zheng. They frequently met to discuss the important matters of state and left the trivialities to the boy.
"Your Highness," a man greeted with a bow as he came into the room. "Good afternoon, Lord Huan, come and join me. It is much more enjoyable to drink with a friend." The dark haired man with his hair shaped in a way reminiscent of the pompadour style sat down on the large pillow seat on the opposite side of a low table with a round bottle of Xingese sweet wine sat on top. The retired Emperor poured some into his glass. "Thank you," the other man said and took a small sip before making a pleased sigh.
"An excellent vintage, wouldn't you agree?" "Indeed, your highness. It has just the right balance of sweetness and sting. However, I also bring more than just the enjoyment of my presence, for you see I have received news about what our Emperor was doing on his trip." Zheng turned his head to the side and gave him an interested look. "I would be very surprised if he is actually doing any work to speak off. My dear Son left the court with the look of such dejection that I expect him to be indulging if anything."
"Actually, he appears to have been conducting some sort of diplomacy away from court," Lord Huan told him. "Diplomacy," the Retired Emperor asked as if the very idea seemed utterly insane. "What sort of diplomacy could he conduct travelling around the Xishan range? The only clans that reside around there are weak anyway. Is he trying to shore up relations with the Cheng clan again?" "My sources within the Imperial Guards report that it is part of his current project," Huan said before taking another sip.
"It also appears that he has begun using the relations he formed with people in Amestris to try creating some sort of economic cooperation with the country," he continued. Zheng blew a raspberry. "What could he possibly hope to achieve by getting into contact with those people? Do they even have an export besides military supplies?" "Building materials, apparently." The Retired Emperor gave him another look like he thought this was a joke.
"The Armstrong family, one of whom is the Minister of Interior and Defence for the new government, is seeking to establish a trade route selling us sandstone in return for marble from Xishan," he was informed, but still looked he expected the man to admit trying out how long it would take to call him on his bullshit. "And how, pray tell, would that trade route even operate. The shortest path to Amestris is over week-long travel on camels, which does not exactly sound like a very optimal route."
"There has apparently been discussion about building a railway connection through the more moderate areas of the Great Desert near the south, which would connect the countries together." Zheng laughed. "Right, now I know you are trying to pull my leg. As impressive as the railways are, there is no way somebody is dumb enough to build hundreds of miles of track across the shifting dunes of sand. That sort of project would probably bankrupt even us, let alone that pitiful country."
"The Armstrongs seemed to convince it would work. Lord Li appears to have come to an agreement with them on preparing that route as a basis of future trade agreements with Amestris." "Then they are all idiots," the Retired Emperor asserted, "the cost to maintain such a connection would far outstrip any economical benefit it would bring to them. And if Ling wants to use our resources to subsides it, then he is not only an absolute moron, but will find nobody will allow that. I will not have him throw our resources away on idiotic ventures."
He slammed his fist on the table to make a point, and both glasses and the bottle jumped a bit. "How long will we be able to ensure that we have that power," Lord Huan asked after taking another drinking and swirling his wine around for a bit. "Long enough," Zheng asserted. "And if somehow the worst comes to be, I have ways to get around it. Ling was an idiot to so willingly give me the power of the Sage's Stone, and I will make sure he learns that lesson if he challenges me," he whispered quietly.
"Is it wise to discuss this, and did he not say that the power of that entity is finite?" The former Emperor gave another haughty huff and folded his hands. "I am careful with whom I entrust my secrets to," he asserted and Huan gave him a small bow with a pleased smile, "Besides I keep the stone on my body at all times of the day and at night hide it, where nobody could hope to find it. I know the importance of subterfuge and intrigue. Unlike my foolish son, who so willingly speak of his plans in public."
"But why should one point out a mistake his enemy is making, when he can use it for his benefit," Huan quoted. "Indeed, that wisdom of Xing the Restorer is as timeless today as it was back in his day. We all know which one between me and my Son is the truer heir of that great man's legacy," Zheng declared. "Three cheers to the true Emperor of Xing," the other man proclaimed and raised his glass to click their ones together. "May the House of Xing endure for a thousand and thousand years," the Retired Emperor replied as they did and both took deep drinks.
Later that day, Huan just happened to drop a crumpled piece of parchment into a wastebasket, which Lan Fan happened to walk by about a minute later. When a servant came to clear it, that particular bit was no longer there. "The moment we take the reins of power, we have to get rid of that man," Ling pointed out as he read the message. "Somebody that is so easy to bribe is too dangerous for us." "On the other hand, we have to send a letter of thanks to the Armstrong for their generous donations to our personal bribe pile," May pointed out.
"If we send a letter to Amestris, we might as well send them to everyone," Lan Fan pointed out. "Good idea," Ling agreed. I know that the brothers and Armstrong were especially concerned about letting that stone out of their sight for too long, and it has been almost four months by now." "The Armstrongs are planning to return through the north in a few days," Lan Fan reminded him, "so they can carry our letters back home with assurance of privacy." "Can I write one of them," May asked. "To the Elrics," Lan Fan asked with a grin and got an eye roll in response.