Chapter 65

Chapter 65

Invisible Threat (1)

It took a lot of time until the conclusion of the treaty.

Correction.

The treaty text was decided, but many processes remained until this becomes valid.

“The Kyoto court must permit this treaty.”

“Wasn’t that court a scarecrow with no power whatsoever?”

Joseon is not an idiot nor no way not know the emperor in the neighboring country.

Japanese people enshrine something called emperor but it is just a decoration, and practically Japan’s king is the shogun governing the shogunate was a thing known from long ago Sin Sukju’s time.

But now the sound that the emperor’s permission is needed or whatever comes out, Joseon communication envoys could not help but first harbor the thought ‘are these bastards doing this to pull the bottom card?’.

But the shogunate was serious.

“Those opposing the shogunate mention the emperor and court as soon as opening the mouth, so the shogun said from the beginning not to give justification to those ruffians. There is not a bit of heart wanting to nullify the treaty’s great cause.”

“We also have the procedure of returning to Hanyang and offering the treaty text to His Majesty the King and seeking permission remaining the same... so be it.”

The envoys readily agreed.

Because the situation in Edo became unstable enough to be visible to their eyes.

“Isn’t Joseon also barbarians! The only civilized country on this land is Japan! Profiteer bastards who arbitrarily monopolized state affairs now reached selling the country to barbarians so truly no traitors separate!”

The ones who started rampaging first were ultra nationalists.

Arthur Lee the world-renowned great master of Neo-Confucianism and scholar sortied to deal with them, but the result was not remarkable.

“Come come. Calm down and let’s calmly have academic discussion.”

“What to discuss with Westerners not even Joseon barbarians!”

“Haha. The four seas are one and all people are equal, if the Way is truly the Way how not apply to all people? If hearing your claims and I obtain enlightenment isn’t this also merit?”

“Heuum. Fine. Listen!”

That day Arthur tasted the universe.

“This divine land Japan is land protected by 8 million spirits, these gods cross to India and soon become Shakyamuni Buddha.”

“Yes...?”

“Buddha is ultimately just an incarnation of the god we enshrine in Japan. Therefore this divine land ruled by His Majesty the Emperor is the center of the world, soon the Middle Kingdom.”

“That... is that so?”

“Yes! Therefore His Majesty the Emperor ruling the Middle Kingdom must rule all the world, yet you barbarians not only not coming to court to His Majesty the Emperor but not knowing this principle and intimidating the civilized great country Japan with that guns and black ships!”

Even Arthur who proudly could accept this ‘all except me barbarians’ theory of the East very understandingly experiencing Joseon’s Neo-Confucianism Taliban with his body had difficulty maintaining poker face this time.

Arthur who was released after suffering for a long time neatly wrote them as ‘impossible to associate or cooperate hardheads’ in the death note in his heart.

Next.

“Joseon, Joseon, Joseon!! These stupid guys! Behind Joseon is Igirisu! Joseon is just a mask!”

“Cannot have a treaty with Joseon! If their true intention is truly in confronting Western barbarians together with Japan, make them declare expelling barbarians to the world! The treaty is next!”

“If we open the door will ultimately just get torn by them like Joseon!”

Those claiming Joseon only gave the cannon bankbook name and the entity approaching to conclude the treaty is precisely Western powers.

These also regarded Joseon as barbarians the same but still there is a clear grade difference between next door barbarians and first-seen barbarians.

Half those suspecting Joseon’s intentions saying Joseon also already became Terran infected by the West’s demonic hand, half those pitying while saying Joseon becoming that state was not what Joseon wanted and must take as a lesson.

Other Joseon people stepped forward dealing with them saying if blue-eyed Arthur deals with them it will be like pouring oil on fire.

“How is Joseon’s recent situation? Heard Westerners invade the capital and kill ministers and act outrageously?”

“Not so. The dead powerful subject Kim Jwageun was a petty person who tried to sell the country to Qing and maintain his meager power, but our sage proclaimed bright will so British people admired and awakened right and wrong. Although British people came as guests but helped the household’s turmoil so how treat them poorly as the duty of the host?”

“Westerners helped and preserved the country! And then saying righteousness and propriety remain in Joseon?”

“Of course. Rather our Joseon’s uniquely pure Way shone, so even beast-like barbarians could not even dare think of siding with traitors and filling their own interests and only politely discussed the benefits of commerce and the beauty of friendship.”

“Western barbarians sitting in the country’s important official posts and discussing current affairs how say Joseon does not receive Westerners’ manipulation?”

“Tsk! Speaking of Lee Aseul was a pitiful drifter who lost all relatives at a young age not even ten and was pushed by wind and waves. Are you truly claiming our Way cannot even edify one boy who lost parents early?!”

As much as Japanese are good at swordsmanship Joseon people also spent hundreds of years with mouth battles and became skilled enough, so all sorts of Japanese lobbyists came and chattered this and that stories but Joseon’s sharp tongue had no matter of dulling.

Now Japan’s public opinion also appropriately revealed its outline.

1. All except Japan barbarians faction.

2. Joseon is pitiful so civilized country Japan must help faction.

3. Joseon is about our younger brother so cooperate and overcome this turbulent era faction.

4. Like Joseon Japan must also wide open the country door and do full-scale enlightenment faction.

The shogunate precisely corresponded to number 4.

In front of the black ships America dragged these could do nothing except stamp, so they had no place to retreat except shouting enlightenment is the way to save the country dedicating body and mind.

Pro-shogunate domains and pro-shogunate intellectuals number 3.

Those who regard exchange with the West as an unavoidable flow of the times, but think slowly enlightening as much as possible while securing one self-defense measure considering their safety is right.

In the meantime.

A new figure revealed appearance at the envoys’ lodging always bustling with spectators and debaters.

“I am a person called Saigo Takamori of Satsuma. Came wanting to meet and talk with Lord Arthur of high fame.”

***

The figure tilting a teacup in front of me now.

Saigo Takamori.

Hehe. My fame vibrates the sky so finally Japan’s named ones are popping out one after another impressed.

- Do you know who?

Of course. Always pops out if looking at alternate history novels. In most cases appears as an extreme conquest of Joseon theorist claiming must conquer Joseon.

And this is a clumsy memory... said the cool Japanese samurai appearing in the Japan-pride smell full movie <​The Last Samurai> is modeled after this person. Probably so.

- Know even that? Not like you?

There is a strategy simulation set in this era background and Satsuma domain unconditionally starts having him as general. Seemed to appear in <​Rurouni Kenshin> too but not?

- Thought knew something but ultimately game...

Tsk. Better than not Ito Hirobumi. If so pondered a lot whether to shoot or not.

The eyes are sharp and the build looks good definitely general material no matter who sees.

Although said lower warrior status a person who left a name in history and appears as a regular in all sorts of contents. Absolutely must not look down.

“This small life is a body serving Satsuma’s domain lord, the domain lord approached Western learning and always preached that learning to surrounding people. In the meantime our domain lord who read the teacher’s <​Japan Strategy> truly impressed, thought must visit and suddenly visited like this.”

There are two interpreters. Because our interpreter raised hands saying cannot do using a dialect hard to understand at all.

“Ashamed beyond compare that read my poor writing and was impressed. I think the words I want to say to Japanese everyone are already all in there, what curious and came like this?”

“The first is that the benefits of trade the West discusses do not come across, and the second is if that benefits of trade are that great why you Westerners are committing conquest wars so much.”

Simple but pointed only the core. As expected named.

I rolled the head tumbling how to answer most coolly, and took out one of the books brought.

“Your curiosity seems able to be substituted with the content of this book.”

“What book?”

“A book that transferred even a part of the knowledge British scholars of my homeland investigated and dedicated to His Majesty the King of Joseon. Named <​Theory of Governing the World and Saving the People>.”

Thank you, Britain!

No need to put the head in a compressor trying to recall the content of Mankiw’s economics heard in class in the first year. Because the basic content that becomes the core skeleton was already all published.

Immediately there was a time when Malthus famous for <​Malthusian trap> and Ricardo famous for <​comparative advantage theory> had a key battle. Truly a thankful thing for later students like me.

“First will discuss the benefits of trade that scholar Ricardo realized.”

Suppose only two countries Joseon and Japan exist in the world.

And suppose only two things clothes and rice exist.

If both countries make only clothes, both countries can make 100 sets of clothes.

If both countries grow only rice, Joseon obtains 100 seok of rice but Japan obtains 200 seok of rice.

“Japan will eat a bit more rice?”

“Named this as Japan having ‘absolute advantage’ in rice.”

“Now will change the method. Joseon makes only clothes, Japan only farms.”

“The total amount of produced items...!”

Saigo seemed to immediately realize the following words.

“Now Joseon sells 50 sets of clothes to Japan and buys 70 seok of rice.”

“Just by performing trade both countries became rich. This is precisely the benefits of trade, isolation is a foolish act that starves the people and the reason countries that opened became rich and strong.”

“Now know! The teacher claiming in <​Japan Strategy> that Joseon concentrate on the continent and Japan advance to the sea also connects to this?”

“Reaching enlightenment there in one breath. You are also never an ordinary figure. Yes.”

Don’t know well but first agreed.

- A guy born as a salesman...

“Now seems understood. Even if forcing if making open and see that gain won’t want to escape from here...”

“Then next will speak about <​population theory> that teacher Malthus researched.”

In this barbaric era 19th century once give birth and see, so the world’s population increases steeply.

Suppose a man and woman roughly give birth to six and even if two die when young four remain. So every time one generation of 25 years passes the population doubles.

From 2 to 4, 4 to 8, 8 to 16, 16 to 32, 64, 128, 256.

“But no matter how much devote heart and soul to farming and pioneer wasteland can harvest twice as many crops every 20 years?”

“Impossible... not.”

Grain increases in arithmetic sequence not geometric sequence. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

“After 200 years the ratio of grain to population becomes 256:9, and after 300 years becomes 4096:13.”

“Then already all people in the world would have starved to death.”

“Because that many countless lives die from epidemics, famines, wars. Recall history. After a peaceful era comes always those three follow.

Just looking at China always cannot endure 200 to 250 years and a new dynasty opens, no matter how sage kings and wise ministers appear and do benevolent politics if the ratio of 256:9 opens the world cannot help but fall into misery.”

“Crazy sound!”

As Saigo stood up abruptly the teacup fell and the clothes strings got wet.

But now he showed no sign of caring about such things at all.

“According to that logic a peaceful era should not exist, and we just give birth to descendants who will die meaninglessly later?”

“A bit different. Please sit.”

“Will listen once. Once.”

He growled like a tiger and quietly sat in place.

“Population is soon national power. Agree?”

“...Will agree.”

“The more citizens the stronger, and if all the people of that country die this is soon the destruction of that people and country.”

“Natural story.”

“Since the grain of this world is limited, if reducing the enemy country’s descendants as much as possible and leaving many of our descendants... this means the most important way our country can develop more than other countries ultimately.”

Saigo briefly stuttered whether unable to interpret the meaning and chattered something with the interpreters.

And only after chattering for a long time.

Bang!!

“This is not the way of governing the country but the way of demons!”

Not for nothing that the young king read and ordered ‘only circulate among ministers and absolutely do not let miscellaneous people read’. Although he himself got dyed pitch black.

“Even if snatching others’ grain feed my people. If must die from famine anyway, rather conquer foreign lands and send out to the rough sea and somehow prepare a means of livelihood. Why? Because must save our country rather than the enemy country.”

This is the fucked point of the Malthusian trap.

No matter what do cannot escape this nightmare hamster wheel. Unless a magic wand that endlessly pops out grain appears.

But it appears.

We decided to call this the Haber-Bosch process, chemical fertilizer. The moment humanity escapes the hell’s hamster wheel arrives.

“Japan’s population is said to be 30 million, Qing is 300 million. If just detaching 100 million out of 300 million and sending to conquer Japan what to do?”

“...”

“Westerners are not demons. Just, realized a bit early that to prosper my descendants there is no choice but to snatch others’ grain.”

“So Joseon also decided to join the path of the snatcher? You persuaded?”

“Would have said. Someday this theory of governing the world and saving the people will flow even to Beijing, so after 300 years from now Joseon people and Japanese people will disappear from the world and this land will be full of only Chinese people.”

Bang!! again.

Anyway no remaining tea water in the teacup so no matter of spilling.

Saigo opened the door wide without saying yes or no and walked out with big strides.

Looking at that back I took out the long pipe.

The 19th century was a world truly hard to live without nicotine.

But that does not mean I am a smoker.

***

Two days later.

Saigo appeared again with dark circles pitch black under the eyes.

“Want to go to Joseon.”

“Suddenly what words?”

“Ultimately meaning Japan to live must snatch from Qing.”

Despite being soaked in fatigue, somehow something eerie seemed to flow in his eyes.

“Want to see if Joseon has the qualification to do so.”

“If not what happens?”

“Must snatch from an opponent easier than Qing.”

Um. Really no hesitation.

“Will ask the chief envoy but, probably won’t refuse.”

And I like such people a lot.

At least don’t stab in the back.

(Author's note)

Today 3 image files (tables) are inserted, but occasionally heard cases where these images are not displayed. If not visible please turn off the Munpia app and check again!

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