Two days later, the court hall of Champa was filled once again, though this time the atmosphere was markedly different from the earlier council.
20 vassal lords of Anga had answered Karna's summons and now stood gathered beneath the high pillars of the royal hall, each accompanied by a few attendants who remained near the entrance while their masters waited within the assembly.
Some of the lords spoke quietly among themselves, others sat with their arms folded and their expressions carefully composed, while a few watched the ministers seated to one side, attempting to read from their faces what sort of gathering this would become.
They had all heard of Karna by now.
They had heard of his victories, of his kingdom in Dakshina Kalinga, of the stories surrounding his divine weapons and his invincibility, and more recently, of his arrival in Anga and the strange events that had followed it.
Yet hearing a king's name and standing in his court were two different things, and as the doors of the hall remained closed while they waited, several of the vassal lords could not help wondering what kind of ruler they were about to face.
The ministers themselves were equally watchful, for although they had already witnessed Karna's manner of governance, this was the first time he would address the vassal lords of Anga as their sovereign.
The great doors of the court hall finally opened, and the soldier standing beside them struck the butt of his spear against the stone floor before announcing in a clear and commanding voice, "Let all present rise and receive Maharaj Karna, son of Suryanarayana, disciple of Bhagwan Parashurama, protector of justice, Maharathi among Maharathis, Kamsasamhara, Vijayadhari, conqueror of Kaalavana, King of Dakshina Kalinga and sovereign ruler of Anga."
The announcement carried through the entire hall, and every conversation ceased at once.
Karna entered.
His steps were neither hurried nor deliberately slow, and he did not look toward one particular lord as he crossed the hall. His gaze moved calmly across the assembly, taking in every face, every posture, every expression that disappeared beneath carefully controlled masks.
One by one, twenty vassal lords watched him approach, and every one of them remained standing.
Some looked at him with genuine admiration, for there was little room to deny the stature of the man who now walked toward the throne.
Others looked at him with envy, resentment or apprehension, wondering how much of their authority would survive under a king who had already demonstrated that he was willing to travel personally into Kaalavana rather than leave the suffering of his subjects to his officials.
There were also those who studied him with calculation, attempting to understand whether the stories about his severity were exaggerated or whether the new Maharaj truly intended to bring every corner of Anga beneath direct royal authority.
Karna reached the throne, turned, and sat upon it without ceremony. Only after he had settled did he raise his eyes toward the assembled lords.
"Be seated."
The twenty men sat.
For a moment, Karna simply looked at them.
Then he spoke.
"Vassal lords of Anga, welcome to this assembly. I believe all of you know why you have been summoned. The ruling authority of Anga has been transferred to me by Hastinapura, and only recently have I taken charge of the administration of this kingdom. Therefore, before I speak of what I intend to do in the future, I want you to understand something about the manner in which I will rule."
His voice remained calm, almost conversational, but the calmness itself made the hall quieter.
"It has come to my attention that a considerable amount of the taxes collected by the vassal lords does not reach the royal treasury, and I have also been informed that the funds sent from the palace do not always reach the people for whom they are intended. I will not ask you to come forward and confess your crimes, because I do not yet know how many people are involved, nor do I intend to spend months investigating everything that happened before my reign. Whatever was done before I took charge of Anga, I will overlook."
Several lords exchanged quick glances.
Karna's expression hardened.
"But that mercy ends with the beginning of my rule. From this day onward, there is no place for such sins in Anga. I do not know what you have heard about me, nor what stories have reached your territories, but you should know this much. I may forgive a mistake made by a man who carries no responsibility, but I am not kind toward an official who has been entrusted with responsibility and then uses that responsibility for his own benefit."
The silence that followed was heavier than before.
Karna allowed it to remain for a few moments before continuing.
"Now, we shall speak of the next matter. A formal edict will be issued soon, but because all of you have taken the trouble to come here, I will inform you of its contents in advance so that none of you can later claim that the royal court gave you no warning."
His gaze moved slowly from one lord to another.
"The culture of Dakshina Kalinga and the culture of Anga are not the same, and I have no intention of forcing the customs of Dakshina Kalinga upon the people of Anga. However, there are certain policies already in effect in Kanipura and Dakshina Kalinga that I believe should also be brought into Anga."
He paused.
"And before I continue, understand one thing clearly. I am not asking for your opinions about these policies. I am informing you of them. They will be implemented, and I am telling you beforehand so that you may prepare your territories accordingly."
A few of the vassal lords shifted uneasily.
Karna continued.
"First, farmers will no longer be required to pay taxes."
The words landed with such suddenness that several of the lords visibly stared at him.
Karna noticed their expressions but did not change his own.
"From the day this edict comes into effect, no farmer of Anga shall be compelled to surrender a portion of his harvest or income as tax merely because he cultivates land. If I hear that any vassal lord is collecting such a tax from a farmer, that lord will be stripped of his position and exiled from Anga."
The reaction was immediate.
Several lords swallowed hard, and one of them lowered his gaze toward the floor. Another exchanged a hurried glance with the man sitting beside him. The ministers themselves remained silent, though even they had not expected Karna to announce the policy so bluntly.
Karna continued before anyone could speak.
"That does not mean landlords are exempt from taxation simply because the land they possess is used for agriculture. A man who owns farmland as property will continue to pay the taxes applicable to his property and wealth. The exemption is for the farmer who earns his livelihood by cultivating the land, not for a wealthy landowner who possesses large estates."
The distinction was deliberate, and the lords understood it.
"Second, no citizen of Anga shall be required to pay an entrance tax merely to enter another territory within Anga, including the territories administered by you."
Some of the lords looked at one another again.
"This applies to citizens who possess valid identity papers. I have also been informed that many people living within your territories still do not possess such papers, and some have waited for years to receive them. That must end. I expect the process of issuing identity papers to those who do not possess them to be accelerated. A citizen should not have to pay simply because he wishes to travel from one part of his own kingdom to another."
Karna leaned slightly forward upon the throne.
"The third matter concerns education."
The lords listened.
"Education will be opened freely to women."
The hall seemed to freeze at once.
"Women?"