Chapter 13: Chapter 13
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Guilliman didn't say anything further, simply sitting in his place, observing them.
Having spoken his mind, he was ready to accept their decision, whether they chose to join or oppose his plan.
For the current Imperium, this reform is undoubtedly a colossal storm. It's crucial to select obedient and loyal individuals for this task to ensure that my will is not distorted, and it's not used opportunistically by Chaos.
Reform will inevitably encounter substantial resistance. It's indisputable; no one enjoys the sensation of losing power.
Back when Terra was still referred to as Earth, countless wars were waged over small dynasties spanning millions of square kilometers. Ambitious individuals did this to attain the supreme power, the privilege of looking down upon all living beings.
Among the stars, there are even more of such ambitious individuals. They crave power, the kind of authority that can effortlessly determine the fate of a planet or a star sector.
Ziller pondered for a moment before being the first to step forward, bowing slightly, "The Ziller family is willing to serve you, Honorable Regent. Please accept my humble loyalty. The Ziller family makes a vow here, our loyalty to you will be as ever-burning as the sun of Terra."
Once one had taken the lead, other planetary governors also stepped forward, bowing one after another.
"The Valens family is also willing to serve you."
"The Hatten family is also willing to serve you."
One by one, they knelt before Guilliman, their mechanical prosthetics or flesh-and-blood limbs resting on the cold ground, indicating their loyalty.
A few Rogue Traders observed this scene, exchanged glances, hesitated for a moment, and then also knelt.
"The William Trading Group will resolutely implement your will."
"The Nancy Trading Group will resolutely implement your will."
Slowly but surely, half of them chose to submit and kneel.
The remaining half, however, appeared uncertain, their expressions shifting and their gaze becoming heavy. Some even clutched the holsters at their waists, anxiously surveying the hall.
They feared a squad of blue-armored Astartes might charge out wielding power axes to attack them. It was no joking matter.
Guilliman's words had crossed a line; clearly, he was attempting to wrest control of the Imperium from Terra and the Sol System.
From Terra's perspective, this was undoubtedly a betrayal.
Guilliman smiled, looking at those who were nervous and had not submitted to him.
"Do not worry. I harbor none of the intentions you are imagining. For me, the most critical task is to save this dying Imperium, not to indulge in power struggles. Over the course of ten thousand years, the Imperium has veered too far off the course set by my father. I must get it back on track as soon as possible."
"Those who did not kneel may leave. Please give me and my followers some time and space to discuss the future reforms. You need not worry about any retaliation from me. I am not a man who does terrible things for power."
Guilliman amiably escorted these individuals out, leaving only himself and those who had knelt before him.
"All of you, rise. I am delighted you decided to stay."
Guilliman directed those present to stand and find a seat.
The Human Imperium is vast, spanning tens of thousands of light years, far beyond any Imperium humans have ever imagined.
With inefficient navigation and communication, reform is undoubtedly an extremely complex and cautious endeavor.
Guilliman planned that the reforms would slowly spread with the new technologies from Cawl's hands, subtly changing the entire Imperium over one or two hundred years.
Every policy change would be handled as delicately as possible to minimize negative impacts.
The positions and roles of the officials and trading companies who didn't follow him would not be replaced immediately. Instead, they would be gradually phased out like the frog in boiling water, little by little diminishing their value.
Once everyone had taken their seats, Guilliman managed a smile, making sure to engage in the conversation better.
"I'm glad you stayed to assist in executing this seemingly treacherous plan. But everything we do is for the survival of our kind in this dark universe and to maintain the Imperium my father built, so it won't crumble into dust, collapse under the waves of chaos."
"We harbor no disrespectful thoughts."
"Regent, you need not worry. We have no such thoughts."
"No matter what you think, your staying is a good thing. During the ten thousand years of my slumber, the abandonment of many planets by the Imperium has broken my heart. They've been left to struggle in ignorance, offering up the only thing they can while dressed in rags. Disregarding that every life is equally important to my father, I'm not saying it's a betrayal, but war and selfish desires can distort one's nature. Some people have everything: fresh food, water, even a beautiful private garden with a host of servants, while others must scavenge for their daily sustenance in toxic waste. It's unreasonable."
"People only fight for what they deem worth protecting. If they have nothing and live in hell, why would they refuse the hell shaped for them by chaos?"
Guilliman didn't hide his anger towards the current state of the Imperium. If anyone else had spoken such words, they'd likely have been assassinated or declared traitors in no time.
Humans are born to obey the Imperium and have faith in the Emperor; this has always been a central tenet of the state religion.
If anyone else had spoken the way Guilliman did, their body would likely have gone missing the next day.
Those who stayed, like Ziller and the others, sat in their seats, shifting uncomfortably.
They wondered if, after the meeting, they would be greeted by the Inquisition.
For their own sake, they offered no opinions, only lending an ear.
"I will issue orders for you all. The new wealth distribution system will be implemented first in Ultramar, then gradually expanded to the entire Imperium. Concurrently, I will allocate funds to establish educational institutions and promote compulsory education in every backward and ignorant world, with the ambition to enlighten every child and educate them on new Imperial ideas, thus destroying any Chaos-related organizations from the roots."
"Imperial laws will also be applied with a uniform standard, abolishing those damned feudal nobles and tyrants. We don't need their existence. We must reduce the chances of people rebelling and joining chaos."
Guilliman expressed his reform ideas one by one, letting those present record every single one, which will form the foundation for future reform plans.
During the Great Crusade ten thousand years ago, the Emperor, in order to speed things up, allowed planets to maintain their systems as long as their administrators were willing to spread the truth of the Imperium and pay taxes.
The Imperium is deformed; some planets are socialist, others dictatorial, and some even slave-driven.
The Emperor, severely wounded and placed upon the Golden Throne, with the Primarchs gone after the subsequent wars, left the High Lords of Terra with little courage to enact such reforms. They allowed these twisted systems to persist as long as the taxes were paid on time.
The High Lords of Terra were once useful, but now they are totally useless.
Every meeting is a slow showdown of interests between various forces, often verging on madness.
Great houses spare no effort to put their people into positions in Terra, the Department of Interior Affairs, the Department of Administration, to maintain their interests.
Guilliman didn't want to engage in power plays with these people while combating the Chaos Gods, fearing a backstab. He desired absolute control.
After several hours of discussion and the establishment of a relatively comprehensive reform plan, Guilliman finally dismissed the meeting. He authorized these individuals to form a new organization, similar to a parliament, to serve him and perfect this reform plan.
After many merchants, wanderers, and planetary governors left, Guilliman rubbed his eyes, showing a hint of fatigue.
Since his awakening, he had hardly rested.
First, he repelled the Chaos forces, then listened to various reports about the current state of the Imperium. Now, he was holding back-to-back meetings with various representatives, calming them down and making arrangements.
He stretched his fingers and took a long, calming breath.
A soft electronic sound rang out, and the voice of Sicarius, the Captain of the Second Company of the Ultramarines, came from a communicator nearby.
"My lord, other chapters who have heard of your resurrection are hoping to have an audience with you."
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