Chapter 104

Chapter 104

Scientific Management Technique (2)

Windsor Castle.

London’s famous Buckingham Palace is close to Gyeongbokgung if comparing to Joseon.

- No Gyeongbokgung.

No, the metaphor is like that metaphor. Who doesn’t know Gyeongbokgung is still in ashes state at the current point.

If Buckingham Palace is a place for conducting official and strict solemn serious events, Windsor Castle is a place where the British Empire royal family can live a bit more comfortably.

However.

“Please come this way.”

“Yes, yep.”

Even though ate Joseon’s mysterious famous cheongsimhwan seems only nauseous.

Arrived at Windsor riding a carriage.

Etiquette lecture on how to do when paying respects to royalty.

Guide tour of this Windsor Castle.

Anyway even saying Windsor Castle is a comfortable place or whatever that is to the end compared to Buckingham Palace, no way a place where the British Empire’s queen family lives lacks majesty.

Majesty and grandeur soaked full all around.

Paintings and decorations, sculptures and statues full everywhere as if cannot watch the walls just empty.

If seeming a bit boring gold leaf applied everywhere and hundreds thousands of candles lit all around with the momentum to brightly burn the entire castle.

Even without kneeling meeting the king, my heart was already broken as if kneeling and performing the three prostrations nine kowtows. No, this order of events really breaks not the heart but the body.

‘Windsor? Eum. A glorious thing. Of course. Glorious and more. Must have pride as a subject for obtaining such a precious opportunity. Absolutely do not lose.’

Suddenly recall the words Palmerston said. Was a very reluctant expression. Damn old man. The meaning of ‘absolutely do not lose pride’ was to endure with evil and guts?

Even I in the prime of youth seems will die hard doing, Palmerston over seventy does this? Perhaps might be preserved long in British history as the first prime minister who died during the ceremony.

Enduring and enduring all this pain.

“Welcome. Wanted to meet you from long ago, finally the connection touched and had a seat like this.”

“Since Your Majesty found this small subject indescribably moved.”

An orphan who lost home and parents and lived as pirates’ slave on the opposite side of the Earth.

Such me finally stood in front of the Victoria and Prince Albert couple.

***

About 20 years ago from now in 1837.

18-year-old Queen Victoria wore the crown of the British Empire.

The queen in the early days of ascension too only sided with the Whig Party so the Conservative Party officially raised problems. To what extent the then prime minister was a Whig Party person called Viscount Melbourne, the nickname of the newly ascended queen was ‘Mrs. Melbourne’ so words all done.

However now in 1859.

The queen had eaten enormous experience, and experienced many prime ministers and politicians reigning for decades.

John Russell shouted reform occasionally, but in the queen’s view the substance was just an old man crazy for power stubborn.

Thought Palmerston a crazy war maniac with not even a speck of respect for the royal family, but he appointed as prime minister was a not bad person who knew how to respect the queen.

Regarded Conservative Party’s Lord Derby and Disraeli as inexperienced rookies sudden successes, but those met and experienced directly were pleasant and humane wonderful figures with deep knowledge of literature.

However she was a monarch.

Now she regarded herself as having grasped in her own way the method of controlling and handling these old politicians.

A considerable number of those sitting in the parliament were regarding ‘if poor and uneducated lowly things intervene in state affairs the ship goes to the mountain’.

However in the view of the one and only ruler of the world’s best country British Empire those politicians also ultimately were not much different from the ignorant masses.

‘Anyway you guys also guys begging votes from the ignorant masses.’

If the idiots sitting in the parliament follow the trend every time that public opinion dances trying to receive votes, ultimately aren’t they also mere puppets dancing to the ignorant masses’ rhythm?

Of course Victoria did not dream of absolute monarchy or grow a mustache. Just regarded the king and royal family as important as the state.

“Look at this a bit!”

“Will fall doing that.”

The queen could not hide giggles seeing her consort, Prince Albert lifting the bicycle’s front wheel high and moving here and there just like riding a horse.

This new invention called bicycle presented to the royal family was truly amazing. Can produce speed similar to riding a horse with just a person’s two legs!

The queen lightly stepped on the pedal.

Lightly moving the feet swish the bicycle wheels advanced boldly forward. Repeat once more. Repeat. Repeat again.

This mysterious vehicle was too intuitive. Even a child once sitting on this bicycle’s saddle would definitely realize how to advance forward and move in the desired direction.

Just stomping the feet a few times fresh wind whipped her cheeks. Exactly that sense of liberation that could only be felt when riding a horse was being felt through just this small lump of iron.

“Said the one who invented this is Arthur Lee?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Must order bicycles for our children to ride one each too. How long will it take to make?”

“Will send a person immediately.”

“If calling him here and encouraging then subtly requesting can receive the bicycles faster?”

Her companion Prince Albert always presented considerate and wise plans. Right. After praising this excellent invention and expressing thanks, if requesting bicycles for the children as a bonus everyone happy?

Arthur Lee.

<​Arthur’s Drift>.

And... <​Lee & Gladstone>.

Experiencing Russell for a long time, the queen fell out of favor with reform parrots who shout reform whenever bored.

Reform good. The miserable reality of the poor too heartbreaking.

But how many among politicians shouting reform truly have patriotism?

Gladstone also similar?

Naturally equipped with prejudice Victoria hard to erase a somehow reluctant feeling even about that sponsored Arthur Lee.

Suppressing the internal conflict in one corner of the heart, Victoria received Arthur Lee.

“Representative Lee.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

“When you finally returned to the homeland from that distant East, I felt too pity for your situation and wanted to meet once.”

“This subject cannot even raise the head moved just by the fact that Your Majesty worried about me so.”

“But you grew into a youth who contributes so excellently for the country even without my help. Truly fortunate and proud thing.”

The current queen valued ceremony and authority. To what extent while all London citizens use gas lamps stubbornly lighting candles.

But the more conversing, this youth called Arthur Lee truly admiration came out naturally.

Because of <​Arthur’s Drift> unconsciously forgetting, he was a genius of the century who compiled a Chinese character dictionary and translated countless Chinese ancient documents at the age others attend school.

Although due to a growth process difficult to the point of miserable there were slightly regrettable parts in the natural culture of upper class like noble or bourgeois children, instead possessed enormously rich knowledge about the Eastern sphere such as China, India, Joseon, Japan and artistic cultivation also did not look lacking at all. Just contacted Chinese art in the period others savored opera or ballet.

The purpose of calling him first was definitely because of the bicycle.

Bluntly speaking pre-licking the royal name on this cool vehicle that anyone cannot endure without obtaining. What cooler gift than the royal family’s protection to a young person whose possession is only bare hands? This was clearly a thing beneficial to everyone.

But Victoria could not end the conversation at an appropriate line. Even knowing well Albert subtly rolling eyes and giving a signal to do moderately did not want to end at all.

That is, this youth even if throwing all sorts of keywords tuk tuk only spits out fun and heart-pleasing answers amazingly precisely. A 19th century person obtained bio-ChatGPT how continue not using and endure?

“Come to think of it, many articles came out about the factory you newly established in Birmingham.”

But 19th century, or people before that commonly called bio-ChatGPT that only gives answers pleasing to the monarch’s heart <​sycophant>.

Finally Prince Albert resolved to cut the flow of conversation before Victoria is more bewitched, and brought out a topic she would dislike the most.

“Many are interested in my management policy.”

“According to <​Times> you... said ‘socialist’. Also said the grain similar to Owenism.”

Sure enough, Victoria’s expression changed very finely. The husband who lived together for decades knew very well that that means wariness or suspicion.

“I have no particular will or intention to change the world. What I want is only expanding my business through fair competition, and grasping much wealth.”

“Is that so? Giving so much to workers is a thing done purely hoping own gain without any political, social intention?”

“Consort. Please stop about there.”

“Hoping can obtain the opportunity to explain?”

Albert nodded, and Arthur immediately held a smile full on the face.

“Before officially establishing and operating the factory in Birmingham, I tested in Joseon and London how to operate the factory more efficiently.”

“Testing the management you are doing now was more effective?”

“Yes. The workers of my factory neither absent nor late, and resigners are also much fewer than other same industry factories. Matters of people dying are overwhelmingly few, and above all... making much more bicycles than other experts predicted.”

“Then why didn’t others do so earlier?”

“Already rolling well why deliberately challenge? I was in a position with not much possessed so had no choice but to make bold challenges.”

To make bicycles skilled workers are important.

But no way skilled workers fall from the sky so had to ‘invite’ skilled workers from other factories.

How to make skilled workers attending other factories yearn for joining, and attend long without changing jobs?

He did not put sounds like Christian duty or the duty of the haves in the mouth at all, and spoke focusing only on efficiency and effect.

“Representative Lee. A question arose while listening.”

“Please ask, Your Majesty.”

“If other factories follow your management technique, at that moment your advantage disappears?”

“Until becoming so will take a long time. I am not simply giving but setting the most appropriate level of wages through scientific observation and statistics. To catch up with this know-how will need many trials and errors.”

Arthur’s eyes sparkled.

“And above all, the workers commuting to my factory all enter smiling. Not a gap that can be caught up just by matching the salary level a bit.”

“That is a very cool thing. How good if factory owners take the lead themselves before chattering reform-like stories!”

Seems attached a lump trying to remove a lump. Albert groaned inside.

Even though the evening banquet ended the queen showed no sign of sending Arthur, and finally reached recommending to stay overnight.

That night, in the bedroom Prince Albert quietly brought out words.

“Was there need to hold Representative Lee so?”

“Jealous now?”

“What jealousy. Only saying too good to hear words rather suspicious?”

“How rare among Whig Party people one who respects the royal family so politely, and does not do that reform chatter coated in the mouth. Such a person must do politics.”

“If just a few years in the political board will become the same Whig Party member. Might say must abolish the royal family?”

“Oh my, scary.”

Definitely his opinion on the royal family was more ‘Eastern’ than others. Surely because much more familiar with absolute monarchy than other British people.

Since cabinets split occasionally and the parliament’s hands and feet are chaotic active measures are needed.

Agreed even to raising the royal family’s authority and the power concentrated in the parliament must be ‘distributed’. The king couple did not say particular words but he first subtly brought out opinions.

Actively agreed even to the new policy of abolishing the East India Company and the government directly ruling India.

Clearly a Whig Party or Peelite supporter, but if just listening more royalist than the most hardline Conservative Party member?

“So only laying out sounds good for us to hear.”

“Don’t force too much. The words were full of sincerity.”

“Huh. Meeting a young man completely unable to come to senses, Your Majesty.”

As usual, the queen couple’s opinion collision was never organized.

Albert ultimately could not break this stubborn queen’s will, and also could not block giving various privileges to that young person smelling full of socialism.

Like that right before he returned.

The queen as occasionally did, asked if there is something wanting to request or suggest directly to the king. If laying out flattery even here Albert planned to break that sycophant’s pot by any means.

“How was the bicycle, Your Majesty?”

“Satisfied beyond compare.”

“I do not want to end at bicycles. Want to make a steel carriage that runs long with the power of the engine, like combining train and bicycle.”

“Just hearing the explanation truly seems plausible.”

“But carriage owners and coachmen are desperately blocking the appearance of such steel carriages. Therefore even though research is active in France and Germany, America our Britain is experiencing great difficulties. If Your Majesty helps the progress of science can be called the glory of three lives.”

“That part will need in-depth consideration. Will hear the stories of other stakeholders and the prime minister.”

A while later.

Arthur presented a new invention named <​steam automobile>.

“Representative Lee’s skill not ordinary must push a bit?”

“Where did the person who said I was bewitched by a flatterer go?”

“That automobile thing really crazy? This is unconditionally becoming? Endure this?”

Prince Albert who started from Windsor Castle and drove dozens of kilometers, then returned to the castle riding a carriage because the car broke completely eyes turned.

No way a person who invents such excellent machines precisely is a bad person. Of course.

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Author’s note

Thank you for the sponsorship of Mr. Ishika!!