How do you keep together an empire spanning thousands of kilometers, multiple landmasses, and dozens if not hundreds of peoples?

The local answer seems to be, for the most part: with a common language and culture, and force if that isn’t enough. The metaphor of an iron fist in a velvet glove comes to mind. Although there’s more to it than that.

I’ve been thinking about questions like these lately, because the answers aren’t always what I would expect. This society is, in some ways, more advanced than I might have realized. Not as medievally murderous as I would think of cultivation worlds. Technologically, but also socially, in some ways, it’s developed beyond that.

Some answers might lie with the geopolitical landscape, the lack of real wars in the last centuries. But this could have developed a lot differently.

To see how current rulers approach this, it should be worthwhile to take a look at history. As I sit here, planning to go digging into the past after my ancestors, I find myself contemplating this past and my family. It’s a good case study of how the Empire’s history played out, too.

The Leri originally come from a people of coastal, ocean-faring folk. Their precise origins are pretty much lost to history. On the Eastern coast of the Sky Continent, few old cities have endured or been found, but there are signs of settlement stretching back many millennia.

The Sea People rose around the time the Empire of the Sky was well on its way to conquering most of the continent. No relation to the Sea People of Earth history, I assume. Shame. Their territory covered a stretch of land across the middle to southern part of the continent’s Eastern coast, several hundred kilometers long at its prime but never more than a few dozen kilometers from the coast. They were a loosely allied confederation of different tribes and settlements at first. That only changed once they encountered the Empire.

While the Empire may have had the technological advantage, including airships, the Sea People hadn’t been stuck in the bronze age either. Their ships were fast and had weapons whose formation complexity and power rivaled those of the Empire’s airships. At that time, the Empire still didn’t have much of a navy. The coastal cities were fell fortified, and the Empire had no way to cut them off. There was never an official war, although from what I’ve read the Empire certainly tested their defenses.

Turns out the ocean makes a good hideaway and transport lane, and ships can deal with storms better than airships.

After repelling the Empire, the two nations settled into a wary peace. While tenuous at first, it grew more stable with time, as the Empire was focusing on internal matters. Trade started up. But the real change was the Sea People’s political establishment. It became more unified, with its people starting to view themselves as one people and forming closer bonds, including a sort of council of their leaders. Every Sea People ship had to be ready to join their war fleet if needed.

At that time, the Empire often painted them as pirates and raiders, a menace of the sea and so on. There’s probably some truth to that. This was the time the time intercontinental travel started, though it wouldn’t be anything near widespread for a long while. But the Empire and other nations traded and moved goods a lot, including at sea. Piracy was probably a given. At this point, the Sea People were one of a few, and probably the largest, nation on the continent the Empire hadn’t conquered or subordinated yet. Clear is that the Sea People did a lot of trading, however.

Thing only changed with the rise of who people have called, talking to me, “the Pir - I mean, Sea Queen.” (No offense taken, folks.) Inera, the mother of the Leri clan, and who we suspect was the first person to go on a soul journey. It’s hard to be sure, though, since we have no records confirming that. Something must have changed, but if they knew, no one wrote down what happened. At least not that we know of.

In any case, she united the fractious tribes and great captains under her rule. We don’t know exactly where she’s from, though records indicate she was a talented, up-and-coming captain, probably inheriting a small ship. In two years, she rose to command a band of trade and probably raiding vessels large enough to threaten established city leaders and merchant clans, and force them to join her. She crowned herself the first queen of the Sea People, out on the sea in the midst of a storm. The woman certainly didn’t lack for courage or boldness. A few captains tried to form rebellions, but all of them were crushed.

For a few decades, things continued like that. The Empire was in a time of stagnation, corruption and disinterest in the outside world, while Inera ruled her people with a firm and just hand. The problems started when she died unexpectedly. I assume she hadn’t reached the eighth stage, though it isn’t quite clear in the records we have. Anyway, after that, her fleet fell apart and started infighting. Her rule was supposed to be carried on by her family, but they didn’t manage to assert their authority effectively. It probably didn’t help that none of her children had the strength to keep the others in line.

That’s when they first started calling themselves the Leri, actually. It was originally a byname for Inera, meaning something like ‘Subjugator’, but they adapted it as a family name. As a last name, since the Sea People didn’t put the family name first.

This newly-christened clan was born in blood, though. The family was ousted from the Sea People’s throne by a mutiny or coup, depending on how you look at it. A number of them died, and even more of their supporters. So they fled into the Empire. The Sea People themselves never really recovered. They didn’t quite split apart, but were less unified than before, and would have no hope of defeating the Empire once it came to that.

There, the Leri were welcomed and quickly made low-ranking nobles. Perhaps the Imperial government had plans of arranging a counter-coup. If so, it never came to pass. Not long after these events, the famous civil war broke out. By all accounts, the Leri survived that one by virtue of being unimportant and nonthreatening, and managing not to get involved. They were quick to consolidate their power, though, mostly a few small holdings spread over the continent.

In the following centuries, by and large, the Leri clan lived quietly. They seemed to have been good managers, rarely having to contend with crises or empty coffers. They were also known for being reclusive, and, according to a few rumors, not quite right in the head. I guess that’s not wrong. The Leri clan slowly increased in power and influence, almost despite themselves. Many of them had soul journeys, and they must have brought back knowledge and know-how, though they didn’t make much of a spectacle out of it.

Except for that one guy. Leri Akilei (yes, Lei’s namesake). He introduced a pretty good version of germ theory. That brought him, and the clan, a lot of fame and attention. And wealth. He also introduced a version of atomic theory that was pretty much so wrong it would do more harm than good. Though it never really caught on, which might be just as well. He died young, and remains almost the only time the Leri came out of obscurity to shake things up. Perhaps the effects of how their last great endeavor ended.

Speaking of, the Empire finally conquered the Sea People after it stabilized following the civil war. It was the last remaining piece of the Sky Continent to come under Imperial rule. I don’t know if the Leri helped or hindered it, but the conquest certainly went smoothly. With that, the age of exploration, cross-continental trade, and imperialism began here.

The Leri took part in that expansion, though to their credit weren’t very imperialist. In fact, they were more focused on exploration and opened a few new trading routes. They had a reputation for being good at diplomacy and such. Perhaps that makes sense if you consider how much experience they would have with dealing with different cultures and associated issues. It’s a wonder the family held together so well. They did have strong leaders, I guess.

It’s a little weird to read about events spanning centuries and realize that the same person lived through them. It actually hasn’t been that many generations since Inera. In fact, my grandmother would have been her great-granddaughter. Of course, she was old, but still.

In any case, the following centuries brought the clan increased prosperity and power. Gradually, but steadily, its influence rose. It gained new territories and sources of revenue, arranged marriages with other nobles, made new alliances and a few enmities. The usual story for a rising noble clan, if perhaps a soft and light version compared to others.

On the surface, at least.

Despite what some might think now, the clan was never matriarchal. Of course, it was never patriarchal either, someone’s gender just never mattered much. That was probably noteworthy compared to other clans, which did tend to be traditionally patriarchal, and sometimes still are. Less so than commoners, actually. Perhaps because cultivation lessens the strength differences between men and women and longer lifespans means women need to spend less time being pregnant or caring for young children compared to other pursuits.

Of course, from what I’ve read, many of the cultures where people came from after their soul journeys were also patriarchal. Perhaps that actually has something to do with the number of strong women rising here, freed from those kinds of shackles and given a chance at real strength and power? Most don’t seem to cling too tightly to cultural values from their soul journey, at least. Probably because the transition is so momentous, and they have some memories, and perhaps subconscious attitudes, from here.

Over time, the Leri clan also amassed a number of vassals, sometimes entire clans. My great-grandfather Rikilo was especially known for his ability to bring people to his side. Perhaps that’s why the clan let my grandmother succeed him, even though she was pretty young at the time. He was the one who really established the Leri in the Empire, and one of two eighth-stagers the clan had before the latest civil war. That might sound like a few but is actually pretty impressive for a clan of their size and power. My grandmother, by all accounts, continued his policy. She could be pretty ruthless towards their enemies, but offered servants and vassals a lot of benefits for loyal and exemplary service. And trust. Seems like it payed off.

At the time the latest civil war started, the Leri clan was one of the most influential in the Empire. I won’t go into detail here, since I’ll probably take an in-depth look at it some time. But it’s pretty clear grandmother was hesitant in the beginning. If the Wei clan hadn’t been one of our old enemies (though it wasn’t a particularly heartfelt enmity), she may never have involved the clan. But after allies were calling for her, and when it looked like the Wei were winning, she did. The power of the Leri clan was enough to turn the momentum of the war. She crushed smaller contenders and picked up their leftovers. Even before that really started to bear fruit, the clan’s allies decided to unite behind her and push a claim to the throne.

Well, the clan’s claim to the throne is pretty much, ‘We’re the strongest, and aren’t we doing a good job?’. Which is fair. Especially according to their culture and religion. I have no idea if my grandmother planned for this or ever intended to seize the throne, or if she just went with it once that became a possibility. It doesn’t really matter now.

After the war, the bloodshed didn’t stop. Although to be fair to grandmother, others might have done, and historically did, a lot worse. It’s pretty common to redistribute territory after a civil war like this. A few clans were purged, most only partially, and everyone had to swear allegiance. The standard stuff.

The rest is pretty clear and I won’t go into detail on family history here. I can just look up the family tree. (Seriously, how could I not have noticed before that Lei isn’t actually Lei’s full name? A good thing I looked at it now.)

From the beginning of my grandmother’s rule, she’s been pretty consistent about getting the common people on her side. Makes sense after a war like this, but perhaps also because of her experiences on her soul journey, where she was an ordinary person. She actually strengthened sects a bit, perhaps as a counterweight against noble clans, and kept more and more territory to imperial administration rather than any secondary power. She also restructured the provinces and regions. It’s still a mess, but at least not as much of a mess as it was before. And she reformed the justice code, pretty much laying the foundation for Mother’s civil rights laws later on. Needless to say, our clan has been popular ever since.

She also started Kariva’s semi-official agent team, and gave them wide authority. I don’t know how many people they have killed, especially after the war, but I do know that Kariva has spilled quite a bit of blood to keep the throne looking clean. Little sociopath that she is. Or at least, fanatic.

By the way, yikes. Dying at ten from a wasting disease in a futuristic mega-city’s slums is not your ideal soul journey. It shows that this isn’t just a blessing. Especially if you consider the memory thing. I have a sneaking suspicion that some of the other people in the clan who work with Kariva, or used to do similar stuff, have similarly checkered pasts.

Anyway, most nobles are perfectly aware that the Leri’s ‘niceness’ only extends so far. I’m not sure how I feel about the whole thing, but I have to appreciate grandmother’s work. And Mother’s, too. They’ve not only firmly established the Empire as a leading technological and cultivation-strength powerhouse country, they’ve also improved its internal cohesion a lot.

Right now, Mother has a firm grasp on the military, the people love her, and the administration of the provinces runs smoothly and according to the central government’s will. And all of that happened without the nobility able to do much against it, if they even realize what’s been happening. Firmly establishing her power. The only real risk lies in the dynasty itself. The clan is still relatively small, compared to some, and she’s the only one in the eighth stage. She lacks a strong heir, or the horde of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren other clan patriarchs or matriarchs typically have.

No pressure for me, right?

Well, perhaps there are a few more possible avenues of attack. The future will depend in large part on how we handle change and reform going forward. But looking at this, realizing what’s shaped Mother’s rule and will shape mine, if that time ever comes, reminds me that the situation is affected by a lot of factors, obvious or not. I just hope I can manage to live up to all this.