Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Debut Match (1)

1851.

The Far East became a battlefield again.

I don’t know history well but is there another war that happened so roughly in the world? No matter how starved for justification is it okay to present something like this calling it justification?

- You saying that is really shameless.

Me?

Why?

- You made them do it!

Made them do it.

Is the Arrow ship my ship? No. A British person crazy for money just lent it without even checking what purpose the other party was chartering for.

Do I have any relation with Chinese pirates? No.

“Please eat.”

“Yes, yes. Thank you.”

A small mansion newly built in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong land is so narrow, and Hong Kong has not yet grown as much as that Hong Kong in history so even though preparing real estate is tough the fact that I can build my house even small is a considerable thing in its own way.

I as the homeowner was treating meals to guests who visited my house.

“So, is there anything to get caught?”

“Not at all!”

The guest is precisely the Guangdong merchant Wang Ba.

A kind of benefactor who saved me who climbed on the turtle shell, fed and slept me for about a year, occasionally did a bit of surprise worship, and later provided a smuggling ship when I escaped from Joseon.

If one does not become a business partner with such a benefactor this is a serious disqualification act as a salesman.

Wang Ba and the Seven Martial Seas friends under Wang Ba were working too excellently as core buyers and local middlemen of our <​Lee & Gladstone Company>.

“But since war has broken out now, won’t warships fill this sea area for a while.”

“Right. Your free trade seems to become difficult for a while.”

“Our kids seem to hold their stomachs and starve like this. Hehe. Perhaps if the Dragon King watches over us a bit-”

The guys who dared to arbitrarily put a spoon on my small and cute Joseon all got swept by the Dragon King’s protection. It is absolutely not that I informed Wang Ba of their expected movement routes and Wang Ba made them fish food.

I filled Wang Ba’s empty glass full with high-grade port wine again, and Wang Ba excitedly gulped the wine hard like water.

“I will use some hands on that part. Instead it would be good if you put a bit more strength into private trade with Joseon.”

“Like the last ship transaction?”

“Yes.”

Joseon people cry out closed country with their mouths, but in the mouths crying out that closed country coffee and chocolate that Western powers are extracting using Indian workers are still going in even now.

But by what means would a country in closed country buy that? Of course smuggling. They are pretending not to see the magic of red ginseng changing to coffee for their own luxury goods demand.

Moreover if war breaks out now from daily necessities like rice, beans, cotton cloth to core strategic resources like gunpowder the prices will all skyrocket is a determined principle.

Ordinary people would at best recall ideas like ‘wow, the angle for intermediary trade came out so prettily?’ here, but 21st century warrior Park In-ho is an enterprising businessman who always discovers new buyers.

It is time to raise the second act of the Joseon Supplementation Plan.

The time has come for this Arthur Lee to become the only passage for Joseon people who are infinitely dark about world affairs and receive a very little consulting fee!

- You this bastard, perhaps those missionaries too then-

Father Kim Daegun? That was really goodwill. If one goes it’s 99% true cultivation ending.

But, really one in a thousand one in ten thousand. Isn’t there a possibility that the Joseon court goes crazy and just closes eyes and uses Catholic priests or whatever as a kind of temporary diplomat who knows Western affairs.

I know because I played a lot of games when young, hit rate 99% but if 1% probability miss pops up that really drives a person crazy. And I am not playing a game now but running the second life staking my soul.

If one efforts a little one can make the probability 100% and not do that? Are you crazy?

Becoming a Western learning teacher to the teacher Joseon who taught me, isn’t this precisely blue coming from blue better than blue.

But my Joseon Supplementation Plan had to enter emergency revision due to sudden situation change.

In a good direction.

***

First of all battle broke out in the Guangzhou area.

Now Qing did not stupidly put forward a fleet. Because they know even if they put it forward they can’t even make a scratch and all die.

The sea was blockaded by British merchant ships loaded with cannons instead of cargo, and heavy cannonballs fell here and there in Guangzhou.

And at almost the same time, a person came from the home country.

“Nice to meet you. Are you that famous Far East expert Arthur Lee?”

“Yes. I am truly glad to meet the highly reputed Count.”

Earl of Clarendon George Villiers (George William Frederick Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon).

One of the heavyweights of the Whig Party and a diplomat, and a person who was making a name as Governor of Ireland. A much bigger shot than I expected was dispatched.

“The Queen and the cabinet serving Her appointed me as plenipotentiary envoy in this collision with Qing. I did not want to leave Europe but since Her Majesty personally called me and encouraged me nothing could be done. Can you help me?”

“Of course. I will tell everything I know.”

“The government decided to entrust you with an official post even temporarily. It is not such a great position, but I intend to respect your judgment in this Far East and listen very positively. How is it. This much is okay, right?”

Regardless of rank practically treating as a non-line real power, or number 2 sound.

It seemed the home country government was seeing me much bigger than I thought.

If they intended to exclude me I would have had no choice but to turn to the path of rejecting the West and rejecting heresy holding back tears. I might have gone the path of mercilessly criticizing this war without justification to gain the favor of Joseon and Qing and protect their rights.

How can I turn away from the British Empire when they say they will put rice cake in the mouth like this. Tsk. Nothing can be done.

“I will willingly devote myself for the motherland following the order.”

“Good. Receive it.”

He immediately held out the appointment letter to me.

“Arthur Lee. From the current time you are my aide who is plenipotentiary ambassador and high commissioner and at the same time superintendent of trade with China.”

“···!”

The grade is very high.

“And one more.”

“Is there more?”

“In case Joseon or Japan concludes a friendly trade treaty with us, until a formal official is dispatched you will be appointed there as temporary consul. It would be fine to see it as practically acting minister role.”

Giving too much rather makes the spine chilly.

It feels like hearing the voice of someone whose face I don’t know in London.

‘You went around chattering that you can open Joseon and Japan? I’ll do everything so try once somewhere.’

The heart pounds.

How fast it thumps and beats that the head blood vessels hurt tingling.

As expected the British Empire.

If one fails just bury them so instead push without sparing and let’s see whether the sprout is blue or yellow this amazing personnel ability. Doing state affairs will be fun.

“Originally since it is the first official post one should hold an inauguration ceremony even modestly, but now that physical collision with Qing has already broken out-”

“It’s okay. Someone is fighting risking their life so I don’t want such party things.”

“Thank you for the consideration, young friend. Then I will inform the cabinet’s instructions right away.”

The Count took out a new document and handed it to me while continuing the explanation.

“You know that if one eats that vast Far East market alone one will immediately get sick, right?”

“Of course.”

“Moreover because too much blood tax was used for Ireland relief the atmosphere of the subjects is not very good. Therefore the troops and war expenses we can mobilize will also not be as many as thought. Then what should one do?”

“One would have to pull in other countries.”

He nodded.

“France and America have already moved fleets.”

“!”

“Americans are aiming for Japan, and French are aiming for Joseon. The home country government sees that if they do the dirty work instead of us this is also a good thing.”

That famous most favored nation treatment.

Whether America or France if they beat other countries and open the doors, enter as 2nd or 3rd and just suck the sweet honey sound.

“Therefore, we must cooperate with France, America, and depending on the case even Russia and reorganize the order of this Far East and promote free trade which is the core agenda of our government.”

Put appropriate tip in their mouths and use as mercenaries.

Instead we must eat everything we can eat.

“Come. Will you give me the first advice? How would it be good for us to move from now on?”

Earl of Clarendon was looking at me with eyes full of expectation.

This was a test.

Submit an answer that can satisfy all of my selfish desire and national interest, and reality. Descriptive type point allocation problem.

It felt like the head would burst right away.

Not because of fear.

Because I had been waiting.

Only for such a day to come.

Only for the day when I can intervene in the movement of the British Empire the pepper expert who controls the current world flow, the balance designer of Europe!

“First, one must properly establish the war justification.”

“Speak in more detail.”

“With the words that the Union Jack was insulted it will be difficult to persuade even our parliament. One must present a clear justification that all countries of the Far East can accept, and make it so they have no hesitation in standing on the side of our powers.”

The justification is prepared.

“In China there is something called Sinocentrism. It means only China is the civilized country of the world and the rest are barbarians.”

“The more I hear the funnier the sound. If one does war saying acknowledge that only you are not civilized people it is fine?”

“Yes.”

If one does like this Qing might explode in an instant.

But so what.

One just has to attach an oxygen respirator to that Qing that lost the ruling justification and is staggering.

Receiving money.

“If one does like this Qing will no longer have room to intervene in their vassals like Joseon, Japan, Vietnam. It is the end of preparation to cook as we please.”

“Next?”

“One must excellently lead the old vassals that became independent countries and join them into international society. If they see the appearance of Qing getting beaten to death they will also easily sign the treaty.”

The Count stroked his chin for a moment.

Then nodded.

Is it pass for now.

“What should one do with France and America?”

“They don’t particularly need colonies either, right?”

“Probably so. Colonies are harder to produce surplus than thought. Even the East India Company couldn’t handle Bengal and suffered deficit and ultimately collapsed, right. France is already pouring vast capacity into Indochina, and America... if those guys have capacity wouldn’t they rather invest in Central and South America.”

“I see obtaining core interests in Joseon and throwing Japan to America as the best. How about guaranteeing freedom of faith and proselytizing to France and giving trade rights to both Joseon and Japan sides?”

“I know you have great favor toward Joseon but-”

“It’s not because of favor.”

I cut his words risking rudeness.

From now is the most important.

“Is the biggest vigilance target of the home country Russia?”

“Yes. That bear that is only big in size is dreaming of advancing to the sea watching for an opportunity.”

“Russia that has that huge Siberia whole will definitely advance to the Far East someday. One must put one of Joseon and Japan under our influence to block Russia’s Far East management and expansion.”

“The reason one must take Joseon not Japan?”

I equipped a full smile on my face.

“According to what I investigated, no matter where Russia constructs a base in the Far East it is impossible to self-sufficiency food and materials.”

At this point the city called <​Vladivostok> does not even exist yet.

But at this point now when everyone would be inferring that Russia is looking for a port in the Far East.

“If in the not distant future Russia constructs a port city in the Pacific.”

“The food import source connected by land route is only Joseon.”

Food being tied as a leash is an enormously unpleasant thing.

Why was that damned Corn Law in full commotion?

Isn’t it because of the fear that food sovereignty might be taken by France.

In other words.

If Joseon becomes Britain’s underling, Vladivostok cannot even dig the first shovel without Britain’s permission.

The Count took out a pipe and lit it and took a big puff.

“Member Gladstone sent me a letter.”

“Did that person say.”

“Some child said about potato blight and the Irish great famine. Hearing those words I couldn’t endure the curiosity so I accepted the proposal to go to the Far East.”

It connected like this?

“There will be no need to worry about the future after I grow old and die. Since such a capable young man will hold the rudder of the British Empire.”

“You praise too much, Count.”

“Go to Joseon and Japan and convey our will. It is the first mission.”

Done.

Now Joseon is practically mine.

That pitiful and poor people will be protected in the warm bosom of the British Empire.

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Author's note

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