Amidst the public outcry, the Pope acceded to the popular will, and the integration of the Papal States' forces officially began.
To ensure the effective implementation of the integration and prevent ill-intentioned individuals from forming factions, Augustus and Duke discussed and decided that the integration would proceed in batches.
This was to eliminate hidden dangers and allow them to truly integrate before continuing with the subsequent stages.
Although Duke was very confident in himself and initially thought this was an unnecessary step, he ultimately agreed.
After all, it was for his own good; there was no need to gamble with the stability of the Papal States, nor was there any need to rush to display his abilities at this time.
The integration began with the troops around Rome, totaling less than three thousand men.
These troops were essentially the central army; while their combat effectiveness might not match that of regional forces, their status was much higher, and their backing much stronger.
Once they were dealt with, the subsequent integration would be much easier.
Even without others saying it, Augustus was well aware that there were still many fence-sitters in the military.
By subduing those with the greatest influence, the others would largely fall in line.
Great influence also meant great difficulty, but integrating in batches would significantly reduce that difficulty.
Without enough people, influence was useless; influence in aristocratic circles was a distant solution to an immediate problem.
Ten thousand men in the army were new recruits Duke had trained for some time; with their small numbers, they would, without accident, quickly integrate.
Before the holiday ended and before people reported to the Field Army, Duke had already culled a portion of individuals based on their names and personal information, primarily those who were overage.
Those who were overage but could still linger in the army to enjoy retirement would not lack money or connections, and their survival was not an issue.
Their retirement arrangements were easy to handle and would not cause social conflict.
Retirement pensions were issued as usual; regardless of whether they valued the money, Augustus still had to perform the superficial work properly.
If they were veterans or old Generals who had experienced wars, they would be valuable assets to the army, greatly aiding its rapid growth, and Augustus would certainly not agree to Duke culling them.
However, such a situation did not exist in the Papal States; everyone had not fought in wars, and the Papal States' military training had been neglected for many years, with no regular drills.
They had spent decades in the army, accumulating experience primarily in scheming and slacking off.
The slightly better ones had only improved their theoretical knowledge, and due to their physical condition, their practical combat level was even worse than that of new recruits, potentially becoming burdens on the battlefield.
Of course, it would not be stated so harshly on the surface; everyone needed to save face.
Augustus fabricated high praise for their contributions to the nation over the years, spouting nonsense like "the glorious achievements of skilled warriors," and stated that they had already given too much to the nation and it was time for them to enjoy their golden years.
The practice of selling official positions had always existed in the Papal States, and Augustus had not yet dealt with it; in fact, it was very difficult to manage and would be a thankless task.
Keeping it provided them with a way out and could even earn some money; abolishing it would cut off their retreat and potentially cost a lot of money.
If they did not want to be idle, they could completely buy another official position, transitioning from military to civil service.
Augustus even thoughtfully created some honorary positions for a few of the higher-ranking individuals among them.
Most people at this age were more understanding and generally would not cling to one path.
In fact, some of them already held other civil positions in addition to their military ones.
Moreover, age was a strict criterion, clearly not targeting anyone, and no exceptions would be made for anyone either.
The reasons were logical, the language extremely tactful, and they were given a clear retreat, directly leaving them no reason to refuse.
They could hardly say they simply couldn't bear to leave the army.
Everyone knew the truth; anyone who said that would be a laughingstock.
The Papal States was different from others; the Pope's authority was still very high.
If they refused in such a situation, it would be insubordination and contempt for the Pope.
If anyone dared to speak out, a quick investigation would reveal enough charges to warrant ten executions.
Lorenzo quickly distanced himself, and the thoughts of his people were largely similar.
Everyone had many industries, so this small loss was nothing to them.
And those who were completely unyielding would usually be stripped bare.
They had already done what they could before; doing anything more now would mean putting themselves at stake in a nearly guaranteed losing gamble.
The gamble involved not only winning or losing but also their lives.
Such a good opportunity to show off, the elders were naturally more willing to give to the younger generation.
If it succeeded, they would be reinstated to their original positions, remaining as they were before; if it failed, they had made an early cut, so they would not be implicated, at worst becoming wealthy idlers.
After receiving such a highly praised and earnestly worded notification, they expressed their profound gratitude, and those who were to assume new roles quickly did so.
Everyone clearly understood that after the integration, the good old days were over.
This method of allowing them to leave honorably was good for internal accountability and was not a bad thing for them.
The old foxes were kicked out of the game before they even entered.
Many of these individuals held high positions in the military, directly leading to a situation where some units were leaderless, and a large number of officer positions became vacant.
"General, are you really abandoning us?" a young officer couldn't help but ask at the farewell banquet.
"How can you call it abandoning? I'm always by your side!" General replied kindly, "Right now, there's no choice; I've accepted the transfer order.
But you can rest assured, as long as I'm here, I will definitely support you in various ways."
"But after you leave, who should we listen to?"
"You should discuss that among yourselves; I won't interfere too much.
But no matter what, you must work together to help the Pope recognize his mistakes and correct them.
I will be watching you from afar at all times; the future of the Papal States is in your hands!" General said meaningfully.
"That sounds nice, but isn't that just deserting in the face of battle?" a dissatisfied voice spoke up.
"Presumptuous! As long as General hasn't left, he is still our superior.
How dare you slander him!" someone slammed the table and reprimanded sharply.
General waved his hand and earnestly stated, "It's okay if someone misunderstands me, but you must prioritize the greater cause!"
If it were before, General would already be planning how to deal with this arrogant young man.
But times were different now; he still relied on them to charge into battle for him, hoping for a chance at reinstatement.
Moreover, from the moment he accepted the transfer order, he no longer had the authority to punish him.
Of course, not everyone present was foolish.
Although they didn't say anything, they basically understood the current situation and General's attitude.
It was clear he was using them as cannon fodder to gain an opportunity for himself.
However, there were always some fools.