Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Buster Call

[To all who invested in Lee & Gladstone Company.

Our Far East trade ended in great success. The profits earned in this voyage are as follows.

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Next I will speak about the current general situation of the Far East.

The Joseon Kingdom is an agricultural country with a population of 20 million, and is filling all domestic demand with self-sufficiency. The countries they trade with are only two places, China and Japan.

To China they sell Joseon’s ginseng and earn vast profits. China’s botanists and doctors regard Joseon ginseng as specially effective for various diseases and tonic, and opium addiction and see American ginseng as inferior in effect compared to Joseon ginseng. The Joseon Kingdom sells ginseng to China and buys Chinese luxury goods with that profit. With Japan...

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Currently China and its surrounding countries are filled with great tension due to our European countries.

The current ruling class of China the Tatar tribe is less than a million in population, but they are controlling 200 million Chinese Han and neighboring countries by leading with force. Especially the Joseon Kingdom controlled Tatar as their vassal in the past but fell to a vassal after losing the war (like Ireland capturing London, Paris, Rome and declaring an empire) so after the defeat war advocates have been boiling for hundreds of years.

However in the war with our British Empire a few years ago Qing showed a serious ugly appearance and failed to prove their force.

As a result in the Chinese mainland Han militia rebellions are already frequent, and among them there are also Christian militias. In the Joseon Kingdom public opinion is rising centered on new young factions that one must do war with China and regain independence, but the reactionary nobles currently seizing the government do not want this...]

“Everyone have you seen this!!”

One Whig Party member fluttered a copy of Lee & Gladstone Company’s voyage report and shouted a lion’s roar.

Already this <​Far East Report> has been printed and scattered in all sorts of places, and summarized the content and all newspapers have covered it long ago. Not knowing the content would not be an exaggeration to say one is a French spy. No, since it was translated early and spread to other countries even French spies would know.

“The destruction of the oppressive and absolute Chinese Tatar government is before the eyes! Christian militias must be eagerly hoping for support from our European countries!”

“Isn’t it not even properly confirmed information?”

“Joseon! Japan! Mongolia! All countries of the Far East want the destruction of that Chinese government! If not the British Empire that loves freedom and follows justice more than anyone in the world who will step forward and help them?!”

It is absolutely not because Chinese trade opened the doors even while doing war but is in deficit so doing this.

It is absolutely not because Joseon trade is a goose that lays golden eggs so doing this.

In the mysterious Far East story Arthur Lee conveyed there was something that stimulated the instinct of these Anglo-Saxons.

[Receiving France’s war threat]

[But since they haven’t done war for 200 years there is no army in the country]

[The country’s core logistics rely on water transport so the demand for ships is high]

What? There is a country without an army in the world? Are they tempting now?

“Grr... I can’t endure!”

“To think there is a people who love peace so much, we must help quickly!”

“Is there anyone who doesn’t know how terrible evil France is committing in Indochina? Now that small and pitiful country is about to be torn to pieces by the hands of France and Tatar!”

As soon as the part ‘France might invade’ came out some already cried out for intervention with the sole intention of scattering ashes on others’ rice.

Gladstone who was watching this mess felt like a scream would burst from inside.

Have these guys called members of the British Empire deleted the word ‘justification’ from the dictionary in their heads after not hesitating even war to sell opium?

But he had a letter separately received from Arthur.

[Joseon people are diligent but lazy. Scholarly but pessimistic. They dream of the future but do not do any savings.

The reason is only one, the noble coalition regime here has deprived all suffrage and is equally exploiting all people not belonging to the cabinet. Because they see that even if they effort there is no possibility of life improving they have let go of everything from their hands.

What these pitiful Joseon people need is only one, an external shock that will loosen the snare of the absolute tyranny constricting them.]

The person called Gladstone is not a preacher who just shouts human rights and peace. Such a person can’t do politics from the beginning.

He was a person who sincerely believed the words ‘saving pitiful weak peoples is the duty of advanced Anglo-Saxons’, and believed through this the motherland could prosper more, and believed that opium selling or something was too noble to put that justification in the mouth.

He cannot believe that those crazy for money now crying out for war are trying to perform that duty.

But.

If those distant place, those who don’t even know the Lord’s will really need <​external shock>.

If one can help those who want to join the progress of history like Europeans but are blocked by reactionary and conservative ones.

The profits Lee & Gladstone Company earned and future prospects etc. did not give even a bit of influence to his judgment.

The hesitation that even if the intention is vicious this expedition might become one mustard seed that leads Joseon people to heaven blocked his mouth.

Gladstone who could not reach a conclusion himself was silent.

Instead he slowly turned his head and stared fixedly at one person.

Foreign Minister, Viscount Palmerston Henry John Temple (Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston).

That moment.

Eyes met with Palmerston who was already staring at Gladstone.

‘Scary guy.’

One who boldly shouts that in international society there is no god or whatever and only national interest exists.

One who does not hesitate even war to sell opium.

A ruffian who even throws the country of course and the royal family into the mud saying for national interest.

A bomb guy who while shouting that damned national interest priority actually messed up diplomatic relations with various European countries.

As expected if one graduates from Harrow does one become a violent human who loves destruction and enjoys war.

Nevertheless Gladstone did not open his mouth until the end.

As the one who wrote and sent the letter from the distant Far East predicted, when the conscience of the British Empire closed his mouth the remaining were only those who truly believe Asians need a rod and evil ghosts who want to earn a lot of money.

Palmerston who got hit once by Gladstone’s spicy punch during the last First Opium War and attached the title ‘immoral one’ watched the opponent’s movements and finally opened his mouth.

“What is more important than anything for us is precisely the national interest of the British Empire. Isn’t that so?”

“Right!!”

“China’s absolute regime despised us as barbarians, rejected all our delegations, forced protectionism instead of free trade, and in that trade process all sorts of shameless guys intervened and forced bribes.

We taught Chinese people what justice is, but sadly Chinese people were not much corrected with just getting hit once.”

Seas and rivers where pirates swarm.

Greedy officials interested only in their own pockets.

Bandits and rebels overflowing everywhere.

A primitive central government that even after getting hit can’t grasp the topic and still talks barbarian.

Every time one enumerated one by one the parliament shook.

Palmerston.

The great politician of the Whig Party.

He was excellent at handling the parliament, and excellent at handling the citizens too.

“Judging from their customs and actions, someday the day will definitely come when they insult the Union Jack and infringe our sacred rights. If that time comes, our British Empire must not hesitate even a moment and bestow true teaching on those barbarians!”

“Sorry but Minister. I find it difficult to agree with those words.”

Just as he was about to seize the atmosphere a voice burst from the opposite side.

One of the few combat power overflowing members of the Conservative Party that became tattered from internal division, Disraeli (Benjamin Disraeli).

“The Foreign Minister is claiming we should hit China and collapse it. However, the Minister who loves free trade more than anyone is not speaking about whether we can properly do ‘trade’ let alone free trade when that oppressive and absolute Chinese government collapses.”

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“Please answer! While bandits and pirates are swarming all over that vast Chinese land right now, if one completely collapses Qing and makes it lose control to whom can we import tea? If the Chinese continent all burns which Chinese person will cultivate the tea leaves that wake our morning sleep?”

“We do not aim for Qing’s destruction. To the end the purpose will be to enlighten China to trade more freely and liberate other Far East countries suffering from their pressure.”

Since there was no particular handle to catch fault in other parts, the Conservative Party including Disraeli took out the logic of ‘if tea import volume decreases after doing war can one handle the aftermath?’. This was the only counterargument that could be called an effective hit.

The debate continued, but the direction of the parliament was already tilted to one side.

“So right now the pitiful ones of the Far East are about to hand over their inner room to France and leave it?”

“Study a bit, study a bit. Joseon is an amazing country! There were no missionaries and not even a proper Bible but they first requested God’s teaching right? But if one leaves the whisper of the Antichrist Pope to echo in such a country one cannot even be called a Christian!”

All baits are attractively intertwined.

Hit China once more and improve the trade balance.

Joseon and Japan can open the doors even without needing to go to war just by threatening.

Joseon wants the gospel but dirty Catholicism advanced first so one must quickly spread real Christian Protestantism.

And the long-awaited ‘France is drooling over Joseon’.

The scheme prepared by one who pierces both 19th century and 21st century, West and East perfectly satisfied the needs of the British parliament without even an inch of error.

The Prime Minister immediately responded that he would dispatch a special envoy requesting opening to Joseon and Japan and demanding Qing improve the current situation, and Foreign Minister Palmerston began personnel selection.

And before beginning personnel selection.

“This friend called Arthur Lee.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

“This friend is not a person who can be entangled with a stiff and stubborn human like Gladstone at all, why on earth are the two stuck together?”

“He was a sponsor from young and is also an Eton alumnus.”

“If everyone laughed ha ha ho ho with that damned alumnus one would have done elections with alumni associations instead of parties. That can’t be a reason.”

Palmerston was certain he knew too well the soft brains of those green rookies not even twenty yet.

Desire for wealth and success.

Clumsy effort to package it as an honorable thing.

“Make one plausible business card for that young man called Lee. Anyway isn’t that friend the best expert in the Far East?”

“There are other people too. Above all he is too young.”

The Minister frowned at the subordinates’ words.

“If you were a twenty-year-old rookie, what would you do if only old guys you’ve never seen in your life sit in a row at the table you barely prepared and you hear the sound to get out?”

“Eyes would turn and overturn the table.”

“Then should one seat that friend at the table, or exclude?”

“I will prepare a title for Arthur Lee in the special envoy group.”

“That’s it.”

Palmerston is a person with thick face skin enough to respond ‘opium is less harmful to the body than alcohol’ when Gladstone criticized ‘are you doing war to sell opium’ from the beginning.

Because of that he paid more attention to the point that Arthur Lee is in a special position enough to overturn the board rather than seniority or rank order.

Moreover, there are also countries in the world that automatically move together if Britain moves.

“Britain again!”

“They say British people are trying to stretch that dirty hand again!”

“Those guys who started war to sell opium again?!”

All British people are seized by the desire to cut in if France tries to do something.

Conversely speaking.

All French people go crazy saying those bastards are starting again even if Britain just slightly lifts a spoon.

“Your Excellency the President. We must move the fleet immediately too!”

“No, shouldn’t we first tie the knot on the Vietnam problem a bit?”

“Joseon is a country that mercilessly massacred our country’s missionaries. If they enter under Britain’s shade we cannot receive proper compensation for our people’s sacrifice!”

The French Republic parliament refreshingly ignored President Louis Napoleon Bonaparte’s opposition and adopted a resolution with the content of ‘not hesitating even force as the last means’.

Up to here was what Palmerston and the British parliament also expected.

However even they of the world overlooked one fact.

“Like this really only Britain and France flags will be full in the whole world.”

“For the future of the United States one must secure a low-carbon in the Far East. We might really be imprisoned in those European guys’ cage.”

The President and parliament of the United States also decided stimulated by the movements of Britain and France.

“Even if one has to shoot cannons at the Japanese open their doors.”

The symbol of the power of Western powers.

The fleets of the powers began to move their bows toward the Far East.

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Author's note

Thank you to Time Flight for your sponsorship!!