Bai Empire

The Bai Empire (Baiyu: 百帝国 bǎi dì guó) is a country in Northern Archanta. A semi-constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy, the empire is one of the largest countries in the world and among the most populous nations. Bai faces the Belphenian Sea to its north and the Ardentic Ocean to its east; Bai borders Kaosha to the northeast, Kanglapo to its east, Huaxia to its south and southeast, and Grinzez to its west. The capital of the Bai Empire is Xiongjing (雄京) with other major urban areas of the empire including Port Dunghoi (东海港) and key financial centre Jincheng (今城). The current monarch of Bai is the Hexi Empress and the Chancellor is Huang Cailin. The capital of the Bai Empire is Xiongjing (雄京) with other major urban areas of the empire including key financial centre Jincheng (今城) and largest city Port Dunghoi (东海港).

The empire has its origins in many separate kingdoms until they were first unified under Fu Huang in the 3rd century AD. The short-lived Fu Dynasty was then succeeded by a series of dynasties, with brief periods of civil conflict alongside advancements in technology and culture. The various princely states were reunited under the First Bai Empire in the 13th century, but the Empire was subsequently conquered by the Kyawals in the 15th century. Under the Kyawal-led Suo Dynasty (索朝), the Bai began its mass expansionism and colonisation of the kingdom beyond Northern Archanta. After the collapse of the Suo, the weak Lin had to face off Ulethan powers and its proxies seeking control over the region. Through the Bai Strengthening Movement, the Middle Bai Dynasty was established in 1798 as a semi-constitutional monarchy, ending absolute dynastic rule in Bai.

At the turn of the 20th century, tensions between the socialists and the fascists led to a brief end to dynastic rule through a Fascist Coup in 1922. The totalitarian Fascist regime under Yu Shanliu instigated the devastating War of Fellow Brothers as the new Republic sought to expand its influence against its socialist neighbours. Although the rebels emerged victoriously and put an end to Fascist rule, Bai fell into a period of anarchy known as the Warlord Era as various factions fought for power and control. In the 1960s, the New Bai Dynasty was established through the Eastern Expedition. Under the regent Yu Zeming, he implemented the Weixin (维新) programme which contributed to the recovery and growth of the empire's economy.

Today, besides the Bai, there are also native Grinzian, Aschnarese, Nakah, Mgong and Kyawals in the country. The national language of the empire is Baiyu, which about 90% speak. Many of its citizens live in densely populated cities on the northern and eastern coasts, while the Empire has vast areas of wilderness that support the world's highest levels of biodiversity. A regional power in Northern Archanta, the Bai Empire has one of the largest economies in the world and one of the most developed nations in the region. However, the empire still faces prevalent gender inequality, economic inequality and certain restrictions on civil liberties and political rights.

Etymology
The name of the Bai Empire (百帝国) means Empire (帝国) of a Hundred (百), derived from the name of the confederation that united the Bai states in the 12th century. It has been widely accepted among many scholars that the Hundred refers to its provinces of the states that joined the confederacy of the First Bai. However, some debated whether the Hundred could also refer to the various ethnic groups of the Empire or its longevity.

Historically, the imperial domain was often known as Fuguo (福国), named after the dynasty that first united the people. Fu (福) means fortune and longevity in Baiyu. Preceding dynasties before the First Bai used the name as the synonym for the state. Emperor Zhang, the first Emperor of the First Bai, inaugurated the term in reference to its royal demesne.

Princes' Era
The end of the Meng Dynasty led to the establishment of smaller states that will exist for the next few centuries, known as the Era of Fragmentation, or the Princes' Era, with each state ruled by a "Prince" or "Lord". While there were no large-scale regional conflicts during the era, the various states continued to fight each other over resources, territory and influence through a series of brief skirmishes. About 80 states emerged during this period, though many of them were vassals of the ten larger and more influential states: Deng, Gong, Huan, Mei, Pang, Sheng, Song, Sun, Wang and Yuan.

By the 12th century, two rival alliances emerged - the Northern States and the Southern Communes - during the War of River Valleys. The first major regional war since the Meng, erupted over the sudden drought of the rivers that flowed in the region. The Northern States, led by the State of Pang, led the attack against the south. The Southern Communes, led by the States of Dan and Gong, managed to fend off the attacks and push back the Northern invasion. The South managed to defeat the Northern States in the Battle of 朝安 Chao An. The leading general and the Prince of Dan, Dan Huxing, proclaimed himself the Emperor of the Hundred Lands in 1149, uniting the conquered Bai states and reestablishing the Bai monarchy.

First Bai Empire (1150-1327)
The First Bai Dynasty, as it was called, was a confederation of Bai states. After Dan's sudden death in 1155, his attempts for centralisation were halted as his successor, Dan Qiuhe, preferred to retain the princely system, as lobbied by other princes at the time. A central government existed but the Imperial Court was largely powerless. Hence, the unification was all but in name, as the princes still had more autonomy to handle their own affairs, while the title of Emperor was rotated among them. Still, the Bai Kingdom was largely stable during its first decades of existence, due to open trade routes between the states and victories against the Kazhal, Neeg and Ninwan tribes with a united military force. However, in the late 13th century, differences in ideology and distribution of resources resulted in conflicts between states that stagnated the dynasty later on.

The dynasty's demise started when Emperor Han of the influential Sheng State took control. When the Emperor took over, the empire was in debt funding the empire's expansions to the south. The Emperor exacerbated the economic crisis in the empire by raising taxes among the poorer states. This resulted in the declaration of secession of the southern states, who have long felt mistreated under the Dynasty. The attempts to retake the states (later known as the Southern Campaigns) drained the remaining resources of the Empire. The empire was then unable to defend itself from the Ninwanese Invasions in the early 14th century, and the dynasty seized to exist in 1299 when Ninwanese barbarians captured the capital and assassinated the Sheng Emperor. With the removal of the Bai noble families able to resist the Ninwans, they formally took control of the Bai region in 1312.

Suo Dynasty (1327-1671)
With the conquest of Bai, the Ninwan Emperor Takasahi Haru proclaimed the establishment of the Suo (Miru) Dynasty in 1327. Upon establishing the Suo, he imposed a new unified constitution, centralising the region and effectively abolished the princely states. The Suo, though greatly unpopular since it was imposed by foreign invaders, was in fact one of Bai's most peaceful eras, and it was during this time the region greatly prospered. The Ninwans went on to construct new ports and ships for trade, and new armies to strengthen the defence of the empire.

Under his successor Yuji Haru, the empire embarked on a series of mass exploration and colonisation. Constructing 2000 ships and assigning a team of soldiers led by his eunuch Kan She, the Suo Empire made its first expedition to the Saeian Islands on 3 April 1364. Subsequent expeditions under Kan She and later his protegé Peng Li saw further explorations 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). In the 15th century, the Empire successfully crossed the Asperic to the Lycene region and established a trading route between Archanta and the region.

The empire profited from the trade, conquests and relations with the outside world, allowing the rise of the merchants and trading clans. In the later years of the Suo, the imperial court was largely influenced by such trading clans and the aristocracy. This brought resentment among the peasants, who revolted in 1574 through the White Dragon Rebellion. Although it was brutally suppressed, those involved fled to the Muinon Peninsula and continued their rebellion on the peninsula. Later, in 1605, when Emperor Yishen carried out a great purge against the merchants, many of them began to flee to the rural areas and joined the rebels. Due to the monetary support of the nobles and the corruption of the Suo government, the rebellion began to flourish.

In 1623, with the support of the native Kue, the Bai on the Muinon Peninsula proclaimed the Yuet Dynasty to rival against the declining Suo. The failure of the Suo to retake the peninsula encouraged other secessionist movements and rebellions, and the Ninwans retreated to their home islands in 1631 after various rebel groups stormed the capital and major cities. The Suo then formally collapsed in 1643 with the assassination of the last Suo Emperor and his heirs.

Lin Dynasty and foreign colonisation (1643-1798)
With the Suo's collapse, the Yuet Dynasty attempted to take formal control over the Bai region. However, several former Suo generals, led by Mai Longban, resisted the Yuet invasion and instead proclaimed the Lin Dynasty. This led to the Peninsula War between the Yuet and Lin. During the war, both sides began to experience Western imperialism as each accepted intervention by Ulethan forces in the conflict. As the war led to severe losses between both sides, the situation resulted in a stalemate – the Yuet retain control of the peninsula under the protection of the Ingerish, Castellanese and Lentians and the support of the Kue lords, while the Lin continued to rule over Bai with the support of the Franquese and Kalmish.

With the Lin weakened, it was forced to cede the Kaosha Region (today's Sin Se) to the Kalmish, while the Yuet formalised the Castellanese and Lentian takeover of the northern region of the peninsula (today's Fayaan). The Lin Dynasty also saw a mass migration of Ulethans coming to exploit the region's resources and labour. Mired in corruption, the Lin was powerless to reestablish formal control over its territories and was eventually forced to lease its ports and territories to foreigners through a series of Unequal treaties. Internal unrest continued, as resentment against the Ulethan powers grew.

The Bai Strengthening Movement, started by a few overseas Bai scholars led by Prince Hu Fengyao, began to take shape in the early 18th century. The Movement drafted a plan for the establishment of a more democratic and open system – a united semi-constitutional monarchy consisting of an elected legislature and an independent judiciary. In addition, it called for reformations such as building a modern education system, applying principles of capitalism to strengthen the economy, modernising the military and rapid industrialisation, listed on a document later known as the 20 Reformations. These Reformations, supported by the Prince, later became the foundation for the modernisation of the Bai Empire.

Middle Bai Dynasty (中百)
The Huifu Revolution, led by Prince Hu, brought an end to the Lin Dynasty in 1798 with the abdication of the last Lin Emperor. Prince Hu, as the new Chenghong Emperor, proclaimed the new Middle Bai Dynasty and passed the Chenghong Constitution, ending centuries of absolute monarchy in Bai. The first national elections for the legislature were held in 1805, but the controversial Peace Preservation Law only allowed Hu's allies from the Bai Renmin Minzhudang to contest. Ying Ma Sun, a fellow ally of the Prince, became the first elected Imperial Chancellor.

Hu and Ying's government initiated several political, social and economic reforms including modernising the education, healthcare and justice systems, implementing land reforms, working against traffic in narcotics and establishing new industries and trading areas. However, due to opposition from the conservative factions in government, the Woman's Rights Charter failed to pass. Still, the government banned the practice of foot binding and launched programmes aimed at encouraging women into education and the workforce.

Through the 1818 Zhigu Conference, the Empire successfully renegotiated certain terms of the unequal treaties signed with Ulethan powers under the Lin Dynasty; in exchange for monetary compensation and free trade with the Empire, the Ulethan powers surrendered their extraterritorial rights and withdrew their armed forces from Bai. However, Hu's successor, Emperor Guangzhi, was anti-Ulethan and frustrated with the Ulethan powers' slow progress to withdraw control from the Empire, launched various military interventions to recapture several ports by force. The Emperor also harboured ambitions to oust the rival Yuet Dynasty and captured Port Dunghoi with the aim of securing a naval stronghold for the Empire. The sudden and mysterious death of the Emperor soon put a halt to these imperialistic ambitions.

The reigns of subsequent Emperors were marked by conflict between conservatives and reformists, which stalled attempts at further reforms. To encourage economic growth, Emperor Zhengzhong embarked on a "self-sufficiency" programme, encouraging the establishment of local enterprises to take advantage of the Empire's raw materials while developing the rural areas. While it facilitated the Empire's economic and population boom of the 1850s, these economic measures were hugely unpopular and alienated the rural population from the central government.

With industrialisation came many changes in Bai society, including the growth of the industrial working class. Near the end of the 19th century, various socialist movements emerged demanding more workers’ rights. The ageing Yongshun Emperor, unable to deal with the crisis, delegated more authority to other bureaucrats, which allowed corruption in the government to flourish. Factionalism in the ruling Minzhudang also prevented any meaningful reforms. Workers’ strikes and local rebellions plagued the Empire in the late 19th century, which led to the economic stagnation of the Empire.

The lack of meaningful reforms also led to the rise of political radicals – the far-right fascists and the far-left communists – in the early 20th century. The fascists advocated for more power at the central level, while the communists proposed more decentralisation in addition to promoting their communist agenda. The rural areas began to back the communists, while the fascists gained more support from those in the urban areas. The rise of the pro right has led to further dissatisfaction among the workers, with the rise of corporations and private companies aimed to improve the national economy at the cost of workers' welfare. The Jinlong Emperor, wishing to end the factionalism in the Yihuiting, forced a collaboration between the fascists and the Renmindang. With the support of corporations, he believed supporting the far-right would prevent the communists and socialists from overthrowing his rule. The early 20th century saw a limited degree of economic recovery.

The Jinlong Emperor died under mysterious circumstances in 1916 and was succeeded by his younger brother, the Yongren Emperor. Unlike his predecessor, he favoured the socialists and wished to implement the much-needed reforms granting more rights for workers and the lower class. This, however, alienated the corporations that backed the monarchy. His forced removal of Bai Chancellor Yu Shanliu and the dissolution of the Bai Fascist Solidatory Party were also deeply unpopular, alongside his efforts of demilitarisation to diminish the military role in government. The fascists exploited the people’s fears of a communist takeover, as the Emperor continued his engagement with the left-wing Renmindang and the Gongrenhui, leading to widespread negative sentiments of the monarchy perceived to be influenced by the communists. In 1922, the Middle Bai Dynasty ended with the Xiongjing March as the troops surrounded the palace, forcing the Emperor to flee as the Fascists took power.

Fascist Era and War of Fellow Brothers
Upon seizing power, the Fascist government proceeded to purge those considered a threat to the new regime. Many former Senators, members of the royal family, royal officials and civil servants who served the former regime were detained through Operation Fengniao and executed through numerous show trials after being charged for "treason against the state". In October 1923, Yu proclaimed the Bai Democratic Republic and was unanimously voted as the new president. The Congress was reinstated as the New National Assembly through the rigged 1923 December Federal Elections in which the Fascist Party won all of the seats. A rubber-stamp parliament, real legislative power flowed to the Revolutionary Council of Generals, which continued to dominate Bai politics.

In the absence of any major opposition, the new regime thrived in its early days and was greatly welcomed by many urbanites who desired the end of civil conflict and street fighting that plagued the waning years of the Middle Bai. Many others, particularly in the rural areas, silently opposed the new regime but few dared to take action as the Fascists greatly militarised the nation and strengthened its security forces, abandoning all past peace treaties signed during the previous decade. While many (including the ousted Emperor and his two daughters) fled the country, communist guerillas remained and continued to resist the Fascists. In an attempt to uproot the guerillas and their "sympathisers", the Fascists launched a brutal bombing campaign on many villages and towns in the southern border regions. At the same time, the Fascists launched border raids against Kanglapo while reclaiming islets in the contested waters Bai claims over.

In 1928, with the help of its ally Cinasia, Bai annexed the Kaoshan region. In the same year, Yu's government successfully negotiated a pact with communist Kanglapo to defuse tensions in the region. This detente with Kanglapo did not last long, as in March 1930, Chang Meiyou reemerged and proclaimed the formation of his resistance movement — the Alliance for the Restoration of the Empire — while endorsing the communist guerillas and other resistance cells operating in Bai. His endorsement roused demonstrations among the rural populace, who had held Chang to high esteem. The Fascists responded with a harsh crackdown while imploring Kanglapo to extradite the former Emperor back to Bai. Relations further worsened when Fascist agents assassinated the former Emperor and kidnapped his two daughters on 13 February 1931 in Kanglapo.

Fascist forces began to invade Kanglapo through Operation Honghua on 22 June 1932. While initially successful in its campaign, to the point when the forces surrounded Nandacheongfu by the end of the year, the invasion stalled as Kanglapo cut off supply lines to the Fascist forces. The Fascists were forced to retreat to pre-war lines. Kanglapo proceeded to openly assist the Alliance in ousting the Fascist regime, sending its forces that captured the southern border regions. With the rise of Chen Yijing as commander in 1936, the Alliance, previously fractured with internal strife, was able to unite and coordinate the resistance movement.

By the 1940s, the Fascists, having overspent on the military and extravagant monuments, faced a rapidly deteriorating economy. The economic situation further worsened when Alliance forces sabotaged the key industrial infrastructure of the Fascist Republic, while more workers went on strike against the Fascists. At the same time, the Fascists struggled to maintain their control over Kazhal and Sin Se as rebellions erupted in these regions. With Yu advocating more brutal force such as chemical warfare, the Federal States, a long-time ally of the Fascists, withdrew support and imposed sanctions on the regime. By 1941, the Alliance successfully captured 60% of Bai territory and were mounting campaigns to capture the capital. After seizing control of main transportation routes and supply bases, Alliance forces launched the Xiongjing Offensive, which was one of the hardest and most devastating battles during the war. Following Yu's suicide on 1 May 1942, the Fascist government surrendered and signed the Changgang Concordance which officially ended the War.

Warlord Era


The defeat of the Fascists, however, did not bring Bai back to recovery and stability. Although the Fascist government had formally surrendered, many former Fascist regiments and their commanders did not accept the surrender and went on to form their own remnants and factions. Meanwhile, the Alliance reorganised into Provisional Bai Recovery Administration as it took power in Xiongjing. Kanglapolish and foreign forces remained in certain regions of Bai to provide security and stability in the region.

As a result of power struggles among the various leaders who disagreed on the nation's political future, the Administration quickly collapsed and ceased to rule Bai proper. Various communist factions emerged, with the largest faction, the People's Governorate, ruling over the southern portion of Bai supported by Kanglapolish forces. What remained of the Administration evolved into the Central Clique (formally the Bai Central Authority) led by Zhang Li. While recognised by many nations, it exercised little power beyond the capital and its immediate regions, as other parts of Bai fell under the control of rival former Alliance commanders, Fascist remnants, Communist factions, self-proclaimed independent city-states and regions and other assorted militias and criminal organisations.

During this period, various national and provincial positions frequently changed hands, as the various commanders fought each other through a series of battles, many of which were limited in scope. Attempts were made to broker peace and properly reunify and stabilise the country; none of which were successful due to conflicting interests. In the late 50s, Yu Zeming, who was exiled over differences with his father Yu Shanliu, returned to the region and rallied the factions in the southwestern region together to form the New Alliance for National Reconstruction and Restoration. Due to his background and his ties to the former royal family, he quickly drew the support of the various armies and eventually reunified Bai under his control in 1962, through a series of military manoeuvres and battles collectively known as the Eastern Expedition.

Regency
Through the 1962 Constitutional Referendum, the monarchy was reinstated with Yu Zeming's son ascending as the de jure Emperor Fengyang. However, during much of the Regency Era up till 1989, Yu Zeming continued to control Bai in his capacity as Crown Regent. The first nationwide Yihuiting elections were held in 1963, with the Xingongrenhui securing a majority. Zhao Xilang, an ally of Yu, became the first Chancellor of the dynasty, and co-operated with Yu on the Weixin Programme, to reconstruct and re-develop Bai through restoring and modernising the national road and rail systems, and establishing new economic zones for trade with the outside world. The re-establishment of ties with foreign powers and foreign-direct investments of the 60s and 70s led to the recovery of the Empire's economy, which became industrialized and technology-oriented.

Yu, however, continued to rule in an authoritarian manner, with strict regulation of political and media activities. The warlords that once assisted Yu's rise to power were purged early on in his rule and the regional militias were disbanded and merged into the national armed forces. Suppressing separatism sentiments, certain parts of the Empire remained under martial law, especially Qiongzhu, which was reintegrated into the Empire in 1965 through its interference of the island's politics. The Xingongrenhui continued to maintain its one-party rule and Yu prohibited the establishment of new parties. Other parties that exit did not seriously compete with the Xingongrenhui.

In the 80s, Yu slowly relaxed media restrictions and began to delegate more authority to his son. New parties were allowed to compete through revised election rules in 1984. Xiongjing hosted the Pax Nova Games in 1988, widely regarded as successful and a significant boost for the Empire's global image and economy. The Regency Era ended in 1989 with the death of Yu Zeming, and power was transferred to his son.

Government
The Bai Empire is a federal semi-constitutional parliamentary monarchy. The Bai government was founded on the 1962 Fengyang Constitution of the Bai Empire and is derived from the former government system of the Middle Bai Dynasty established by its founder Hu Fengyao. Unlike most nations, the government is divided into five branches: the Executive Yuan (cabinet and monarch), the Legislative Yuan (parliament), the Judicial Yuan, the Control Yuan (audit agency), and the Examination Yuan (civil service examination agency).

The head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces is the Empress, who wields significant executive and legislative power. Currently, the Hexi Empress is the Emperor of the country. The Empress has the power to appoint the Chancellor (Zongli Dachen), members of the Censure Yuan, members of the Gaojiyuan, provincial governors and Dao viceroys. She also has the power to nominate judges for the Supreme Court, which requires the approval of the Censure Yuan. The Empress is able to veto laws, issue edicts and royal pardons, dissolve the Yihuiting, change certain aspects of the constitution, declare war or impose martial law. However, edicts issued, amendments to the constitution or the implementation martial law are only effective for up to three months, and generally require the approval of the Yihuiting or the Gaojiyuan to be extended or made permanent. The Empress cannot amend the fundamental principles of the constitution, as expressed in the articles guaranteeing human dignity, the separation of powers, the federal structure, and the rule of law.

The Empire's legislative organ is the Imperial Congress. It is a bicaramel parliament consisting of the Renmin Yihuiting (People's Senate) and the Gaojiyuan (High Council). Members of the Yihuiting are elected by popular vote through elections, usually held every five years. Yihuiting members could also be recalled and a by-election would be held to replace the removed member. Members of the Gaoyuanhui are elected by the provincial legislatures and/or appointed by the Emperor, with the recommendation of the Chancellor. Voting is mandatory for eligible adults over 18 years of age, with a secret ballot for all elected offices.

The head of government is the Chancellor, who is also the leader of the Yihuiting. Appointed by the Emperor, he must have the support of a majority of the Yihuiting. Working directly with the monarch, he commands the legislative process and has powers that include dictating the agenda of the Gaojiyuan and selecting a cabinet. The cabinet members convene with the Chancellor to discuss policy, craft agenda and set a course for the government. Like other members of the Yihuiting, he could be dismissed by the Empress or impeached by the Censure Yuan.

The Judicial Yuan is the highest judicial organ. It interprets the constitution and other laws and decrees, judges administrative suits, and disciplines public functionaries. The president and vice-president of the Judicial Yuan and additional thirteen justices form the Council of Grand Justices. They are nominated by the Emperor, with the consent of the Censure Yuan. The judges can be removed by the Censure Yuan. The highest court, the Supreme Court, consists of a number of civil and criminal divisions, each of which is formed by a presiding judge and four associate judges, all appointed for life. In 1993, a separate constitutional court was established to resolve constitutional disputes. There is no trial by jury but the right to a fair public trial is protected by law and respected in practice; many cases are presided over by multiple judges.

The Censure Yuan is the auditing agency (censorate) for the Bai Empire that monitors, regulates and disciplines government officials and their activities. The current Censure Yuan is based on the censorate, a separate supervisory branch in previous dynasties. Like the previous censorates, it has the powers to impeach government officials, including the Chancellor, following which the cases would be forwarded to the Judicial Yuan for adjudication. Members of the Censure Yuan are nominated by the Gaojiyuan and appointed by the Emperor. In addition, the Censure also audits the national budget.

The Examination Yuan is in charge of validating the qualification of civil servants. A revised model of the old imperial examination system used in previous dynasties, its activities have recently been expanded to cover the national education system. The members of the Examination are nominated by the Censure Yuan and appointed by the Emperor.

Foreign relations
The Bai Empire has diplomatic relations with multiple nations around the world. Embassies are hosted in the capital of Xiongjing, specifically in the government quarter, with consulates hosted in its other major cities. The Bai Empire is a member of the Assembly of Nations and other international organisations.

In the region of Northern Archanta, the Empire continues to have fraught relations with neighbouring Kaosha and Cinasia, which Bai considers as wayward regions part of the greater Empire. However, the Empire continues to engage with the governments of Kaosha and Cinasia via non-governmental organisations, managed by the Northern Archantan Bai Affairs Council.

Bai has close economic and military relations with the military state of Kuehong, as part of Bai's policy of "harmony without uniformity", which encourages diplomatic relations between states despite ideological differences. It also has close relations with other regional neighbours such as Huaxia, Kanglapo, Grinzez and Nakah, working closely on military and security issues in the region.