In the Emerald Palace, even after the Noble Council passed the resolution, Caesar IV still felt uneasy.
Launching the reforms so suddenly had certainly caught every faction off guard, but the hidden dangers that followed were no small matter.
If they could not achieve tangible results before the expeditionary army returned home, these local powerholders would very likely side with the conservatives.
"Military operations in the Papal State will end next year. We do not have much time left!
"The reform measures have already been introduced. What remains is their implementation.
"Pushing them forward one by one would be too slow. We do not have enough time, so we can only divide the work and proceed simultaneously.
"I called everyone here today to discuss the specific division of responsibilities."
This was the plan Caesar IV had devised after much deliberation. Handing all the responsibility for reform to one person was simply too risky.
If the reforms succeeded, the senior minister leading them would become another Hudson.
One powerful minister whose achievements overshadowed the throne was enough. If another appeared in the political arena, then he, the king, would truly become nothing more than a rubber stamp.
Splitting the work apart was different.
If the reforms succeeded, it would be because he, the king, had led them. If they failed, it would be the responsibility of those in charge.
With so many reform initiatives, there would surely be some results. As long as he kept the balance right, he would remain invincible.
It was a classic imperial tactic, and everyone present felt both pleased and worried.
Their king's political skills had improved, undoubtedly greatly increasing the reforms' chances of success. Yet personally, following such a leader was hardly a good thing.
When one had value, one was a "beloved minister" and