The morning court was essentially a meeting, the basic process being that the ministers below would report any abnormalities within their jurisdictions, how they were handled, and if they couldn't be resolved, they would then report to the Empress for her opinion.
Alternatively, the Empress might issue a new directive, seeking the ministers' opinions before making a decision.
The location for the morning court was not the castle but the Fire Shield Divine King's Palace, located a kilometer away.
Upon entering the Fire Shield Divine King's Palace, Xiao Xun initially thought the court session would be like those depicted in television dramas, with the emperor seated in the center on a raised platform, and civil and military officials arranged on both sides according to their ranks.
However, upon entering, he discovered it was nothing of the sort.
Inside the palace, from the main entrance, there was a hall resembling an auditorium, but arranged in reverse, from back to front.
A distance of five to six hundred paces from the entrance led to a massive staircase. The higher one ascended, the higher the status. The Empress occupied a small platform at the very top with a throne made of fire crystal. The rest stood on the steps according to their respective ranks.
The Empress would descend from the second floor to the apex of the court, sitting on her throne and looking down upon her ministers. The ministers could only gaze up at Empress Celerpes from below, unable to meet her gaze.
Those on the fifth step from the bottom couldn't even see the Empress's face.
The High Priest would not make an appearance except on specific national festivals and grand events.
Standing one step below the Empress was the nation's second-in-command, the iron-blooded Prime Minister Gel Ya.
Xiao Xun, belonging to the nobility of Santi Roman, though lacking real power, stood in a relatively higher position due to his noble title.
He was unaccustomed to the atmosphere and secretly lowered his head, yawning. He was inwardly mocked by the ministers and nobles beside him.
After all, "living off a woman's earnings" was not considered glorious in any world. However, this woman was too formidable, and they couldn't stop her from finding her own partner.
Therefore, no matter how outstanding the partner was, as long as he was not as capable as the woman, it was considered living off her.
Santi Roman had two main combat forces. One was the magic corps, an elite unit forged through magical skills, led by a Grand Magus. This corps consisted of offensive mages as well as priests responsible for healing and blessings.
The other was the Holy Knight Legion, the very foundation of the nation, purely physical attackers with above-average defense and attack power, and high mobility.
The empire's territory ranked sixth on this planet, its population ranked in the top three, but its national strength could only manage to be in the top five.
This was because Santi Roman possessed a diverse range of terrain and geographical features, earning it the moniker "Heart of the World."
With a high volume of trade from various countries, the economy developed well, making it an easy target for neighboring countries' covetousness and invasions.
Especially upon hearing that Santi Roman was ruled by a woman, those barbaric tribes found it unbearable, as if their male status had been challenged.
This led to a series of wars. The most troublesome were the Winter Tribe in the far north and the Orc tribes in the neighboring territories, as they were not only fierce but also possessed formidable combat prowess.
The Orc tribes had a profession called "Shaman" among their wizards. Like priests, they could bless their own people, but they could also curse their enemies. Those cursed would suffer severe injuries, or in extreme cases, die abruptly, making them incredibly sinister.
The Winter Tribe, on the other hand, was an extremely ancient race. They lived in the harsh, frozen lands of the extreme north, yet their average lifespan was higher than that of humans in warmer regions.
It seemed that the perpetual snow and ice had not only frozen the continent but also frozen their passage of time. Their emperor was even proclaimed the foremost Law King of the current era.
The Winter Tribe and the Orc Tribe were also neighbors, often having "friction" and not yielding to each other. However, when it came to invading Santi Roman, they were known for their close alliance.
Xiao Xun stood there, only able to listen. He was unaware of the specific situation, nor did he understand the meaning of the terms they used.
When Xiao Xun heard that the front lines were critical, with the allied forces already advancing in unison and preparing to invade at any moment,
He suddenly interjected, "Perhaps, I can attempt to successfully repel them, or even counterattack."
Everyone simply saw him as the Empress's favorite consort and future 'male empress.' The nation permitted the Empress to choose her partner; it was a sacred right that no one could interfere with or deprive.
However, "harem politics" were a grave taboo in any dynasty, regardless of who the high and mighty emperor was.
A noble standing opposite Xiao Xun, who was also a second-in-command of a certain army, was the first to challenge him. "You, a 'new noble' who has never fought a war and appeared from nowhere, do you know the cruelty of war? This is not child's play; people will die."
Xiao Xun nodded. "Of course, I do."
"Knowing this, why do you speak such arrogant words? Even our most esteemed Holy Knight Legion Commander, Vincent, is helpless against them and can only defend the city. What makes you think you can lead us to direct victory?"
Xiao Xun confidently crossed his arms. "Since this gentleman has an issue with me, I wonder if you have a sand table to simulate the current war situation. We can replicate it, and then you'll know if I'm bragging."
All eyes turned to the Prime Minister and the Empress. The Prime Minister, seeing that the Empress was also looking at him, said, "The purpose of the morning court is to solve problems. Since Lord Svein has such confidence, we might as well try it. It's better than endless arguments."
Upon hearing the Prime Minister's words, and seeing that the Empress had no objections, the dukes and ministers all agreed to use Xiao Xun as their commander for a sand table simulation against three excellent corps commanders.
Empress Celerpes, representing everyone, led them to a vast round conference room. With a wave of her hand, a large sand table of the border appeared on the table, a hundred percent realistic replica, including trees, streams, and passes.
Xiao Xun looked at the sand table, imagining it as an RTS game, with the minimap displayed in the upper right corner.
Both sides chose 'blind thrusts.' A panel of judges oversaw the deployment of troops, which were configured according to their actual situations and intelligence on the enemy.
Xiao Xun used his limited forces to set up feints everywhere. The three corps commanders, looking at the map, ultimately decided to abandon all strategic locations and concentrate their superior forces on Xiao Xun's weak defensive points to launch a charge.
Unexpectedly, upon arriving there, they discovered that Xiao Xun had not stationed any troops in that area; it was an empty city, ripe for occupation.
The three of them burst into laughter. One of the corps commanders said with a mocking tone, "This layman is truly a layman. Fortunately, it's just a sand table simulation. If our commander were like him, then..."
At this moment, the judges informed the three that their supply lines were cut, and the enemy had formed a pincer movement from all sides, deploying Santi Roman's most advantageous 'air cavalry,' the Griffin troops. They dropped magical potions, the location of which was precisely the three commanders' camp.
"Damn it, how did this brat find our command post?"
Xiao Xun waved his command flag, as if possessing 'heavenly eyes,' controlling the battlefield's situation. He first allowed the enemy's vanguard to advance, then he 'cut them in half' from the middle, severing both flanks. Subsequently, he outflanked their rear, cutting off their logistical supplies, and finally, with a pincer movement, annihilated all their forces.
Furthermore, to prevent the enemy from breaking through the encirclement, he made numerous deployments, which were the so-called feints. Seemingly useless, these feints became deadly vanguard troops once the encirclement was formed.