The Shifting Sands of Power
"This... there are less than a hundred people left," Kay whispered to Lott, his voice tinged with concern.
After reporting the grim statistics, Kay hesitated before asking, "Your Majesty Lott, did Queen Morgan... kill too many?"
"Too many? No, there are still about a hundred left. Continue with the identification, and unless someone is truly innocent, the killing should not stop," Lott ordered decisively.
Without a second thought, Lott's command was clear. He reasoned that the number of nobles had dwindled to a point where it was crucial to eliminate them. The conflict with the nobles was inevitable and unchangeable, so it was better to let them be fully removed from the equation.
Kay's eyes widened in surprise. "What! Is this the best course of action?"
"However, if those nobles are gone, how will we collect taxes from their territories? Moreover, the regions will likely descend into chaos," Kay continued, expressing his concern.
Kay, still grappling with the concept of grassroots governance, felt instinctively that Lott's strategy would complicate tax collection and exacerbate the plight of the common people.
Lott remained unfazed. "We must find a way to replace those nobles with effective governance."
"And how do you propose we do that?" Kay asked, puzzled by the complexity of the situation.
Lott considered the timing and decided to unveil his plans. "There are two main actions we need to undertake."
Kay looked at Lott expectantly. "What are they?"
"First," Lott began, "we need to reform the local governance system. From now on, the lands of those nobles will be taken over by the central government, and a central administration will be established to manage them."
Lott elaborated that this was akin to the administrative reforms from his previous life, focusing power within the central government. By centralizing authority, local governments would be unable to challenge the central power, making it easier to control the territories. This was particularly important as the realm was still relatively small and manageable. Now was the ideal moment to enact these changes.
"The most crucial element is that we have full control of the military. Just like Zhu Yuanzhang in my previous life, having military power ensures confidence in implementing reforms," Lott explained.
Kay seemed overwhelmed. Many of the Knights of the Round Table came from King Leodegrance, and Lott's army had ties to Orkney. The connection to Camelot nobles was minimal, which Lott hoped would prevent interference.
"This... I'm having trouble understanding," Kay admitted.
"It's not necessary for you to fully grasp it right now. Just carry out the orders. There's another matter we need to address," Lott said, cutting through Kay's confusion.
Kay focused intently. "What else?"
Lott continued, "The second action is to organize a nationwide examination in Britain. This exam will test knowledge and martial skills, and those who pass will be given appropriate positions."
Lott planned to implement a system similar to the imperial examinations in his previous life, a method to select officials based on merit rather than noble birthright. It was essential to start educating the populace to prepare for future challenges. It didn't matter if the candidates were foreign nobles, as long as they were appointed and paid by the central government, and did not own land.
Kay's concern resurfaced. "Your Majesty, are you sure this is the right approach? Won't these officials just become new lords?"
"Not," Lott reassured him. "You haven't grasped the distinction between this system and the previous feudal system. Under this new system, officials derive their authority directly from the king, and thus their loyalty is to the central government. Unlike the feudal lords who were bound by bloodlines and had little loyalty to the king, our system ensures control remains centralized."
Lott acknowledged that the initial exams would face issues like cheating, but he was confident that over time, and with improved literacy efforts, the system would evolve positively.
"Understood," Kay said, nodding in agreement and preparing to execute the orders.
As Kay was about to leave, Lott called him back. "By the way, Kay, make sure that the exam is open to everyone, regardless of their background. Nobles or commoners, as long as they have the necessary skills, should be allowed to participate."
Kay nodded, though he was aware that many capable officials would still come from noble or clerical backgrounds. Lott's directive, however, was to set a precedent for merit-based selection.
After dismissing Kay, Lott planned to take some leisure time. "Time to visit Morgan," he thought, intending to let her handle the official documents while he spent time with his daughter.
Returning to the palace, Lott headed to the garden where he heard the sound of laughter. He approached quietly and found Morgan holding little Gawain aloft on the grass.
Seeing this, Lott carefully made his way to them from behind. Morgan was speaking to Gawain with affectionate intent. "Little Gawain, why aren't you growing faster? Your father and I need you to be strong and help us. Your father Lott has so many things to do. You need to grow up quickly to assist him."
Lott, observing this, couldn't help but think, [Wow, this Gawain is only a month old, and Morgan already wants to put her to work. It'll be over ten years before she can do anything useful! Can we just make her grow up faster somehow?]
Morgan's expression suddenly shifted. "Lottie, are you eavesdropping behind me?"
Lott froze, realizing that Morgan had heard his thoughts. He stood up straight and smiled innocently. "Eavesdropping? I was just coming over to see you."
Morgan arched an eyebrow but chose not to confront him directly. "What are you up to now?"
"Everything's under control," Lott said confidently, patting his chest.
Morgan's curiosity was piqued. "And how did you manage that?"
Lott grinned, "It wasn't easy, but we got it done."
Morgan's interest was piqued, though she didn't doubt Lott's ability. "Really? Do tell."
"It's a bit complicated," Lott replied with a hint of mystery.
As the conversation continued, Lott felt content to leave the intricacies of governance to Morgan and enjoy his time with his family.