Bai Empire

The Bai Empire (Babelic: 百帝国 bai diguo, Gohangukian:백 제국 baekjeguk, Nipponese: 百帝国 hyaku teikoku), known as the Babelic Empire or Empire of Hundred Lands, is a federal empire occupying much of the southern half of Orano below 45N. The empire is known to be one of the oldest empires in the world which still exists today. The current royal government of Bai has been ruling the kingdom for at least 200 years after the overthrowing of the Lin Dynasty in 1798, with the exception of the 15-year period after the Lyc War. The Bai Empire is a semi-constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy. The current monarch of Bai is Mao Jiangshi, who has reigned since 1982, and the premier is Lai Shen Kang. The capital of the Bai Empire is Baijing (百京), known to be one of the oldest cities of the empire, with other major urban areas of the empire included key financial centre Jincheng (今城) and largest city Port Dunghoi (东海港).

The empire has its origins from many separate kingdoms until they were unified in the 13th century as the First Bai Empire. The empire later underwent its golden period under the Ninwan-led Suo Dynasty (索朝), which began its mass expansionism and colonisation of the kingdom beyond Ereva and Orano. The Lin Dynasty succeeded the Suo in the 17th century but was greatly weakened when foreigners began conquering Lin's colonies and took over several of the empire's ports along the Rong Gulf. The Middle Bai Dynasty, under general Zhong Menjin, overthrew the Lin Dynasty and regained its control over the empire, greatly modernising the empire such as establishing a new semi-constitutional monarchy.

At the turn of the 20th century, after tensions between the socialists and the fascists, the monarchy was overthrown through a Fascist coup. The Fascist regime under Yu Shanliu led up to the devastating War of Fellow Brothers as the Fascist Republic sought to expand its influence against its socialist neighbours. Although the socialists eventually emerged victoriously, the Bai eventually fell into a period of anarchy as various factions fought for power and control. In the 1960s, the New Bai Dynasty was established after reunification talks between several factions. Under the new Emperor Yu Zeming, he implemented a programme of Weixin (维新), or modernisation, which greatly helped the growth of the empire's economy.

Today, besides the Bai, there are also known native Kazhals, Gohangukians and Niwanese in the country. The national language of the empire is Baiyu, which about 90% speaks. Other official languages include Monkellish (Mongolian), Bokadish (Tibetan), Gohangukian, Niwanee and Nihonish. The empire is considered to be a regional power in Orano and has one of the largest economies in the world, due to the massive steps taken by the Bai Empire to modernise. However, the empire is also infamous for prevalent gender inequality and restrictions on civil liberties and political rights. It is also known for widespread censorship of political speech and information, most notably on the Internet, routinely used to prevent collective action.

First Bai Empire (1150-1327)
In the later 12th century, the State of Dan (弹) initiated a proposal, known today as the Teng proposal (named after the Dan emperor Teng Hung Fu), to merge other kingdoms into one empire similar in size as the once-prosperous Fu Empire. The Dan emperor’s proposal of merger includes treating all participating monarchies as equals, with one of them, however, ruling over the merged kingdom for a selected period, after which another one takes over on a rotational basis. Federal law will be established to create ‘common ground’ among the kingdoms but each kingdom ‘has its own right on how the laws are enforced and keep its own laws as long as it does not interfere with the federal laws’.

Several kingdoms welcomed the proposal, as they believe it will strengthen the security of the region, ‘keep out the barbarians’, and enhance the economy. Hence, on Lunar New Year in around 1198/1199, ten other kingdoms - Huan, Gong, Sheng, Sun, Song, Te, Zhang, Mei, Pang and Wen - all agreed and signed the proposal. Later on, the new kingdom merged with some of the southern kingdoms, and a hundred districts were formed for the better administration and governance of the empire, earning the name of the Bai Empire. A new capital was built called Baijing (today’s Peidong), different from the current Baijing.

Due to the unity of the kingdoms, the Bai Empire prospered greatly. Trading routes were restored which allow unlimited trade in the kingdom. However, its growth was hindered by the rival kingdoms of Kazhal and Kechikawan Kingdoms, which refused to join the Bai Empire and sought to undermine the Bai’s increasing influence in the region. The Bai Empire is often engaged in brief conflicts with the rival kingdoms. There were attempts to make peace with the kingdoms, but often talks fail. Later, however, in 1277, the Kazhal Empire agreed to form an alliance with the Bai Empire as well, leading to a brief war between Kirekawa and Kazhal supported by Bai. The Kirekawans were defeated and forced to join the empire.

In the 14th century, the Sheng Monarchy launched botched attempts for further conquests, resulting in war debts which the empire is unable to pay, bringing the kingdom into a recession. The kingdom began to crumble under the Sheng’s reign as some dissatisfied kingdoms sought to split from Bai, including the Huan and Mei Kingdoms, as the Sheng monarchy allocated much of the kingdom’s taxes and resources to itself, leading to a series of rebellions. The Kazhal Empire broke off its alliance with Bai in 1324 and joined forces with the rebels planning to overthrow the weakening Bai Empire. Eventually, a famine broke out in the empire, resulting in the collapse of the Bai Empire and its breakup into smaller states.

Suo Dynasty (1327-1671)
After the collapse of the First Bai Empire, the Kechikawan Empire then invaded the split kingdoms and formed the Ninwan-led Great Suo Empire in 1331. The Ninwas executed the royal families of the various former kingdoms to stabilise its control over the new Suo Empire. For better administrative purposes, instead of using their own capital __, the made Tokai, or Donghai, as the new capital.

Under the emperor Takeshi Haru, he reestablished ties with the Kazhal Empires and signed a pact respecting each other sovereignty. A programme was launched in the 1340s to impose Ninwan culture onto the Bai populace to create a common culture and enforced unity in the country. However, this unpopular programme was brief and stopped in 1347 upon the death of the emperor. His son, Yuji Haru, took over. In 1352, a Chobyon uprising by the Cho people led to Suo and Kazhal invading into Chobyon and Gohanguk, which is believed to instigate the uprising. While managing to suppress the uprising, it failed to conquer Gohanguk, reasons for which is unknown and unrecorded.

To make up for the failed invasion, Yuji Haru decided to explore further beyond the Orano Continent across the Unknown Ocean (Ardentic Ocean), wanting to find a shorter route to 'a land full of gold and silver' as often reported back by previous explorers who travelled along to Scythe of Uletha to the other side. Constructing 2000 ships and assigning a team of soldiers led by his eunuch Kan She, the Suo Empire made its first expedition across the sea on 3 April 1364. A few mistakes in calculations, however, brought Kan She to the Archantan Continent on 15 July, around where will be today's Kuehong. To the explorers' surprise, they saw some natives that resembled them, owing to the fact that they were lost fishermen or fugitives who travelled across the ocean since the 3rd century BC. While not being able to find gold and silver, the team brought back a few spices and leaves they found on Archanta.

Subsequent expeditions under Kan She and later his son Peng Li saw further explorations even as far to Khaiwoon and today's Adaria in the latter half of the 14th century. The Bai managed to establish a base in today's Mecyna, which further its explorations to Astrasia (Federal States) and to western Archanta. In the 15th century, after it managed to secure a pact with nations on Kartumia and Ereva, the Suo then proceeded to explore the east as well.

Such expeditions set the foundation for the colonisation of several ports that will happen in the 16th to 17th centuries, through trade and close ties with the natives. However, some also include violent conquests in retaliation against the natives’ hostility or establishment of ties with other established kingdoms. The Bai Culture was spread to these regions as well.

The Suo Dynasty later fell due to a rebellion by the merchants and some politicians against the Suo Empire in 1541, after the Suo Emperor Da Meng-Lin decided to impose higher taxes against the poor merchants to fund more expeditions. The rebellion headed by Mai Long Ban stormed into the Imperial Palace of Donghai and assassinated Da Meng-Lin and the royal family.

Lin Dynasty and foreign colonisation (1671-1798)
After the rebellion, Mai Long Ban became the premier of Bai, instead of being the new emperor. The merchants formed a puppet royal government which the merchants have large control over with. In the initial stages of the new Lin Dynasty, the dynasty has large control over the ports in Bai and prospered greatly due to the large fleet of ships being built in the Suo Dynasty. However, at the beginning of the 18th century, as part of the rise of piracy in the region, there were frequent attacks by pirates and the ships were destroyed in the attacks.

Mai Long Ban later died in 1733, after which the merchants decided to make a deal with the pirates, such that they pay the pirates a sum of money and in exchange not to attack its ports. The agreement was generally accepted. The Lin Dynasty became active in sponsoring piracy in the region. By 1750, a large revenue of Lin was generated from piracy activities. However, as piracy in the region prospered, the Lin Dynasty found itself having to pay more to the pirates and had little income for itself to support the kingdom.

In 1772, with Lin’s weakening control over its territories due to little funding to the military, it decided to lease its ports and territories to foreigners such as the Ingerish, Castellanese and the Florescentians. Low demand for foreign goods coupled with a sudden surge in external demand resulted in a high trading surplus, allowing for a largely one-way influx of foreign bullion–mainly silver–which remonetized and underpinned the economy. While the government encourage private enterprises and sought to deregulate the economy, it still had substantial influence over financial policy and nationalized several key industries such as the production of iron, the production of armaments, and the shipbuilding and salt industries. With encouragement from the foreign traders and to secure its influence in the region, Lin joined a regional alliance in 1778 and became one of its founding members.

In 1781, the new premier Dong Sandou launched a campaign to purge pirates in the Lyc which secured the Lyc’s prominence in the Confederate. Meanwhile, however, the people in the uncontrolled regions, feeling neglected, formed their own governments to contest the Lin government, later forming the foundations of the revival of a new united and stronger government over Bai. It was in 1786 that the then Lin Emperor Hu Ren Tong, being aware of the current situation over Bai, decided to side with the growing rebellion against the Lin government. Meanwhile, in the occupied foreign ports, the people, dissatisfied with foreign oppression, and remembering the days of the former Bai Empire, also sided with the proposed Bai Council against the corrupted Lin Dynasty.

Middle Bai Dynasty (中百)
In 1798, a revolution, known as the Bai Restoration and led by General Zhong Menjin, overthrew the already weakened Lin government. The Alliance initially did not support the new Bai government headed by appointed emperor Hu Feng Yao, but later acknowledged the government as it needs to resume trade and control over the region for its own prosperity after the Bai government threatened that they will put naval blockages at the key Bai Strait.

Pledged to establish a more democratic and open system (such ideals have been introduced during the foreign occupation), while at the same time ensuring the monarchy has sufficient powers, the new constitution was introduced that made Bai rule under a semi-monarchy system, when the prime minister and the royal cabinet are accountable to the King and the parliament. In 1802, a citizenship law was passed which grant almost all those living in the empire citizenship, including minority groups such as Gohangukians and Nihongoeans. With their rights as citizens, they were allowed to vote among a specific pool of preliminary candidates (determined by the royal cabinet) to serve the parliament. However, the royal legislature approved and enacted the controversial Peace Preservation Law specifically to target political groups that were counted as radical or detrimental to national security; it not only prescribed overtly harsh penalties on dissidents but also justified the usage of brutality on them.

The 1805 elections saw the rightist conservative party the Bai People’s Democratic Party (BPDP) taking a simple majority in the federal parliament with Ying Ma Sun as the first elected prime minister. However, the BPDP failed to secure victory in the local governments which are won by the socialist Gongren Party (GRP). The king of Bai Hu Feng Yao called for the two parties to work together, otherwise, he may consider dissolving the parliament. Despite the efforts by the two majority parties to work together, there were often clashes over issues such as the regulation of prices and tax reforms. However, they still work together on rebuilding ports and harbours and successfully launched a housing project to house the people then living in slums.

In the 1830s to 1840s, the new Bai government also sought to engage with the Castellan and the Ingerish for the return of its ports and former territories, especially Castellan’s Vista del Sonido (Yinjing) and Ingerish-occupied Meilan and Kuehong. In 1839, it was agreed by the Ingerish to handover its ports back to Bai after Bai offered compensation to be paid in instalments, but talks with Castellan and Floresticans colonial governments stalled. It has been agreed that Kuehong and Meilan will be granted special autonomy to keep and enforce its own laws. Officially on 3 February 1842, Meilan and Ping returned to Bai rule.

In 1851, King Feng Yao died and was replaced by his son Hu Chenghua, who decided to revolutionise the army and its forces. He made a controversial move to station more troops and launch military exercises in the Lyc and in the autonomous territories.

In the 1860s, after the expiration of Castellanese and Floresticans’ leases on the ports, Bai decided to reopen talks for the transfer of the territories. However, even then, the talks failed over the foreigners’ rights in the kingdom. In 1863, the king made the controversial move to invade the ports. Though the Castellanese and the Floresticans surrendered, the damages from the invasions made the ports unusable. Hence, the remainder of the 1860s has been devoted to building national infrastructure.

Fascist Era and War of Fellow Brothers
At the turn of the 20th century, Bai was engaged in a series of conflicts over the Bai Strait and the Gulf against its socialist neighbours. The then emperor Chang Xiuyong took power in 1914 after the death of his father Chang Meiyou. Contrary to his father's stance, Xiuyong took a softer approach to the conflict and has made a series of agreements and agreed for the cessation of hostilities in the contested waters. However, the Bai parliament, under the Bai's Fascist Solidatory Party (BFSP), which has taken a tougher stance, heavily disagreed with the emperor. Arguments often arose between the then Prime Minister Yu Shanliu and the emperor.

After the BFSP lost the 1918 elections to the Gongren Party, Yu has managed to rally the military to launch a coup against the emperor. When the emperor was on a state visit to Belphenia in April 1922, Mao and General Shang Suntong launcher a coup in his absence. Mao became the president of the self-proclaimed First Bai Democratic Republic while Shang took power as prime minister. Yu transformed the Republic into a military dictatorship, appointing military governors to rule over the provinces and replacing the Imperial Senate with his Revolutionary Council of Generals.

The country greatly militarized under the Fascist regime and saw great economic growth in the first decade of his rule. The rapid militarization has stirred much controversy in the region and was seen as breaking the agreements signed by the previous regime. Bai military ships were caught interfering with the trading ships passing through the Strait, and the Republic resumed military drills in the neighbouring waters which stoked tensions with the socialist neighbours. Meanwhile, the Bai socialists went underground and after forming an alliance with the communists, a rival communist government was set up in the west and the Alliance to Restore the Empire was established as an armed rebellion against the Fascist rule. A low-scale civil war was fought in the 1920s, with the Fascist forces attempts to remove the socialist bases and strongholds. Although denying involvement, Kanglapo and Ninwa had intervened to support the Bai communists.

In 1929, the Bai Republic Navy started the invasion of Kanglapo through the bombing of an airbase built on an island claimed by Kanglapo. Soon, the Republic managed to conquer Kanglapo and later went on to invade Ninwa. By 1933, the Fascists managed to occupy much of Orano, and Yu authorised plans to create a new superweapon, the atomic bomb, to assert the fascists' control over its conquered lands.

Although the fascists made great strides in its conquests, the strong opposition of fascist occupation, economic crises and the drop in support by its allies caused Yu to declare surrender on 15 August 1942. Yu shortly afterwards committed suicide and the fascists eventually signed the Changgang Concordance, which officially ended the War.

Current Bai Dynasty and modern era
After the defeat of the Fascists, the Socialist Alliance installed a provisional military government, the Bai Recovery Military Administration (BRMA), over the former republic. Although elections were promised to be held, the communists refused to hold them after the split between the socialists and the communists. The socialist-backed BRMA later collapsed 19 months later, plunging the empire under a decade of political turmoil known as the Warlord Era. Military conflicts continued throughout the Bai territory as various factions, some led by former generals serving the fascist republic, tried to jockey for power. The socialists, on the other hand, tried to establish their control over Bai and pushed for the withdrawal of communist troops of Kanglapo at the border regions. No faction was successful in claiming its legitimacy to control the empire, until the rise of self-proclaimed emperor Yu Zeming, the son of the former fascist leader and wife of the late princess Chang Meisheng.

Yu Zeming managed to unite some of the factions together through a series of secret talks, forming the Front for the Restoration of the Empire, seemingly a successor of the previous Alliance with similar aims. In 1962, the coalition officially formed the New Bai Empire through the Lianggang pact, uniting the various coalitions who had agreed to join the front. Meanwhile, another rival government claiming legitimacy over Bai formed the rival Bai Federal Republic, while some other factions splintered to form smaller independent states. The various states and factions under the new federation are allowed to keep their systems of governance 'as long as necessary'. The first post-war national election was held in March 1967, just before the formation of the New Federated Bai Empire. The election saw the victory of socialist-backed People's Progress Alliance, with a new prime minister Du Shengcai, who managed to successfully form the coalition.

However, the 70s to 80s saw persistent problems such as inter-factional disputes over territories, efforts by some factions to exert their influence over the central government and attempted coup attempts against the new Progress Administration. The Alliance nevertheless decided to reorganise the empire's economy and infrastructure, though hindered by the other factions unwillingness to cooperate for these national projects. Another coup attempt in 1978 (which nearly succeeded), reports of the factions' abuse of power and unfulfilled promises of reforms led to the central government decision to launch military interventions into the rogue states, known as the Bai Revolution, which overthrew the various already-weakening factions. The intervention sent a stern message to the other factions which prompted them to cooperate with the central government from then on.

The controversial interventions led to the diminished support of the Progress Administration and saw their defeat in the next 1982 elections, which saw the victory of the former opposing coalition the Bai Liberal Democratic Coalition (BLDC) led by new Prime Minister Jiang Zhuli. Under the BLDC administration, they put those involved in the interventions on trial and held state elections in the former coalitions. Bai's economic performance drastically reduced poverty rates in the empire and sustained an average annual gross domestic product growth rate of 10.2%. The BLDC saw more democratic and political reforms, though not all of which were successfully approved by the Bai emperor, who feared that such reforms will bring about instability in the empire and strip the powers of the monarch.

On 4 June 1989, the Bai emperor passed away, and his son Mao Jiangshi took over the throne. The 90s were marked by political and corruption scandals against the BLDC, prompting the Bai emperor to call for emergency elections and dissolve the BLDC, sparking outcry that the new monarch has compromised the democratic system. The 1990 elections saw the Alliance return to power under a new leader Tao Hujing. The Alliance controversial launched Operation Qingjie, approved 'with the emperor's blessings', meant to purge members involved in any corruption or criminal scandals; many saw this as a purge against the opposition and many nations imposed sanctions on the empire.

While the Alliance saw further stability over the empire, many saw that it has reversed a number of political reforms introduced under the BLDC's rule. Political repression remains common in the empire. Nevertheless, the Alliance has cut back on economic growth, as it was seen as damaging and draining the resources of the empire. Reforms to national healthcare and education were introduced as well, with a controversial standardised national education system implemented for all states and factions. In 2001, large-scale protests erupted over the revelation by independent groups that the 1998 election was rigged. On 28 August, the Bai military, backed by the Bai monarch, launched a coup against the Bai government and formed the United Bai Military Council. The council proceeded to hold elections in 2003 and barred both the Alliance and the BLDC from participating, leaving only the military-backed New Reformation Congress to contest against other smaller opposition parties. Unsurprisingly, it led to the Congress' victory in the elections, though with only 55% of the vote.

Under the Xindao Programme led by the new prime minister Lai Shen Kang, the empire started an outreach programme and established ties with nations abroad, exerting its influence beyond its borders. The Programme went on to see further economic and technological progress and increased political reforms, as the economy has suffered from structural instabilities and slowing growth due to the various shifts in the government.

Governance
The Bai Empire is a federal semi-constitutional monarchy. The emperor of Bai is acknowledged as the absolute ruler of the empire. A form of parliament exists but the Prime Minister and the Royal Cabinet of Bai are still answerable to the king. Nevertheless, the cabinet and parliament are able to propose laws.

The Bai parliament follows a multi-party system and the government is elected through a first-past-the-post system. Parliamentary elections are held at least once every five years. Registered voters of age 21 and above may vote for the members of the House of Representatives and, in most of the states, for the state legislative chamber. Voting is mandatory.