Three days after Manuel had finished drawing up the designs for the uniforms and emblems, he convened a meeting of high-ranking military officers in the palace that morning. This included Army Commanders Tukharovsky and Dungar, as well as the Philaka Legion generals led by Adian and Vladimir, to discuss whether and how to implement his uniform and emblem designs.
The meeting went very smoothly. Before noon, after much brainstorming and enthusiastic discussion, they unanimously supported Caesar's reform to unify the uniforms and emblems. Tukharovsky even asked with some interest if his monarch intended to create a unique set of uniforms and emblems for those special military units.
Regarding his trusted general's question, Manuel put on a playful expression and said teasingly, "Probably." Although Caesar did intend to design a set for these special legions, he did not plan to reveal it directly for now.
Thus, from that day on, the two standing army units of Bosporus had unified uniform styles. However, not everyone was satisfied with this matter.
After a short while, Falero, the Navy Admiral who learned that the Army had already adopted a unified uniform style, specially sought out Caesar Manuel, requesting him to also design a unified style of uniform for the Navy under his command. Caesar gladly accepted, stating that after resolving a special matter, he would personally design a set of uniforms befitting the Navy's status.
"Although it's a bit presumptuous to ask, may I inquire what special matter it is, Your Majesty?" Falero asked, feeling a bit confused after receiving such a vague answer.
"Don't worry about these details, you'll know soon enough," Manuel replied with a playful smile.
Soon, this month also quickly passed. At the beginning of the next month, in June, midsummer, the Autocratic State held a brief imperial court meeting as usual in Bangkok Pu. However, on the morning of the meeting, the cabinet members present were somewhat stunned because they saw their Caesar, for some unknown reason, wearing a coarse linen pilgrim's short robe.
"Your Majesty, this is...?" Serenus asked, looking utterly bewildered.
"I have an announcement," Manuel merely cleared his throat and said very seriously, addressing his subordinates' confusion, "By the grace of the Lord, I have decided to temporarily leave the country starting from the middle of this month to go on a pilgrimage to Alexandria."
"Ah!!!??"
All the ministers were stunned. It was then that Falero understood what the special matter Caesar had mentioned to him last time actually was.
"Hmm, Your Majesty, although the territory is stable and peaceful now, I humbly believe that going on a pilgrimage abroad now might be a bit too soon? And even if it's a pilgrimage, wouldn't going to Jerusalem be more devout?" Serenus immediately raised his doubts and admonitions regarding Caesar's seemingly abrupt decision.
"But Jerusalem is too far."
"Your Majesty, isn't Alexandria far enough!?"
"But there are no large-scale wars or divisions on the way to Alexandria. ①"
"Hasn't the independence of the Mamluk Levant already been suppressed? Even the Sharif of Mecca, who has always been dissatisfied with Cairo, is now obediently submitting to Sultan Barsbay's authority..."
After a long, nonsensical back-and-forth between the monarch and his ministers, Manuel finally dropped his pretense of seriousness and explained earnestly and solemnly: "Alright, let's be serious. My decision to go on a pilgrimage to Alexandria is earnest. Because I have a necessary journey to make, whether it's Alexandria or other regions along the way. This concerns my future and that of Bosporus, and even the Black Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean. But as for what exactly it's for, I'm sorry, I cannot reveal anything here for now."
"Your Majesty..." The cabinet members looked at their monarch, with both incomprehension and emotion. But in the end, they all quietly said no more, silently supporting Caesar's journey to Alexandria.
Thus, the matter of Caesar Manuel going on a pilgrimage to Alexandria in a little over a week was settled. After successively deciding the economic development direction of the Autocratic State for the next few months and confirming that civil officials of the Autocratic State would also be granted noble titles and fiefdoms, the imperial court meeting was nearing its end. However, before that, Manuel somewhat suddenly issued an instruction to his Chief Minister, "Serenus, after the meeting, stay behind alone for a while."
After all other irrelevant people had left the room, Manuel, still seated on the main throne, motioned for Serenus to sit opposite him, then personally poured a cup of clear tea for himself and the other party, "By the Holy Mother, you've done quite well since your return, Serenus. I originally thought you might be a bit unaccustomed after deepening the 'Chief Secretary' authority to 'Chief Minister'."
"Your Majesty overpraises me, this is what I should do as your subordinate," Serenus replied, flattered, as he took the porcelain cup. He then took a sip after speaking. The tea's temperature was just right, neither too cold nor too hot. Sometimes, as a subject, he was a little amazed at his monarch's exquisite tea artistry, almost as if he were from an Eastern Dynasty.
"Then let's discuss some more formal topics."
"Your Majesty, please speak."
"Serenus, you are still in contact with Morea, especially Constantine, aren't you?" Manuel's bluntness momentarily made Serenus a little stunned.
"Your Majesty, didn't you already know about this and allow it?"
"But from a certain perspective, isn't the contact between you two old friends a bit too close?" Caesar said seriously.
Just as his Chief Minister was feeling uneasy about this, Caesar's next words let him know that today was just a false alarm, "Never mind, I didn't keep you here to accuse you. And to be honest, I really need you to act as a liaison between Bosporus and Constantinople."
"So, Your Majesty, the reason you kept me is..."
"Help me tell my Brother-in-law, Constantine Dragases, the Moria Despotate, in advance," Manuel smiled, "I am very interested in the church unification he mentioned, and I also hope to cooperate further with my Brother-in-law and them. I hope to have the opportunity to discuss it with him in person."
"Also, regarding my pilgrimage to Alexandria in a few days, you can also reveal a little to him, hinting that he should prepare in advance."
"I understand, Your Majesty."
The next day, Manuel announced at the morning court that he would go on a pilgrimage to Alexandria and ordered the Autocratic State to make relevant preparations. At this court session, the results of the recent conflict between the Ottoman and Hungary also reached his ears.
"The Hungarian army led by Hunyadi János was defeated by the Ottoman's Rumelia Garrison and temporarily retreated back to their country." Upon learning this, he shook his head in his heart with some helplessness,
"What did I say? Things really turned out this way."