Chapter 72

Chapter 72

Sinophile Arthur Lee (3)

What must I do in Qing?

First.

Increasing Lee & Gladstone Company’s profits.

Second.

When Britain spoons Qing interests, striving so the Far East Colonization Joint Stock Company can receive it instead of other bastards.

- All full of your self-interest.

Of course. Then why would I have come here?

But there is a problem.

What on earth is the problem with me sticking tightly to Joseon and working hard for the national interest enhancement of the British Empire and Joseon. I am precisely an industrial soldier enhancing the world’s welfare.

But ignorant Qing bastards do not understand even basic capitalism one and are only immersed in sticking labels on me like ‘anti-Qingist’ or whatever.

- Perfect fact.

Fact?

Where?

- From the beginning you came here the vicious intention of kingmaking Empress Dowager Cixi. Then what? Not anti-Qing?

Haa. So livestock cannot do high-level thinking activities.

Listen well.

If Joseon becomes rich and strong of course Qing also becomes happy. Didn’t Adam Smith also say. If leaving to the ‘invisible hand’ the world becomes happy.

Now the Joseon gradually becoming independent might be annoying, but ultimately if Joseon becomes strong naturally cannot help but support Qing. Try a Han ethnic nation state tightly united with Han nationalism appearing. Won’t go crazy?

- So meaning when the Republic of China appears attach an oxygen respirator to Qing’s mouth and use as a puppet state? Prince Gong here! Quickly kill this bastard!

No, this is unfair.

Why am I struggling and swimming in this barbaric 19th century? All because Chinese people locked me in the detention center.

If I had not become a terminally ill life there no matter of organizing all property and wandering the British Museum, and even if went sightseeing no matter of staying dead in the museum for several days and encountering the jar ghost in the corner.

Nevertheless I am running hard like this for Qing’s happiness.

How many Chinese documents did I translate into English. Even I pioneered Chinese studies inside Britain that was a wasteland, and even compiled a proper dictionary in the process.

Those wanting to study China or diplomats, merchants learning Chinese study looking at language books I drafted, and most Chinese translations are based on the <​Lee notation> I made. Such me an anti-Qingist. Isn’t it too much?

Didn’t Jesus also say. If hit on the right cheek offer the left cheek. I am precisely an excellent Christian practicing Jesus’s teachings, and always treating people with virtue so also practicing Confucius and Mencius’s words.

Anyway due to Qing’s unilateral jealousy and slander my goals 1 and all of visiting Qing became difficult.

Fortunately British Empire citizenship has power like golden shield, mirror armor, Monopoly privilege ticket, Chinese passport so hard for them to commit direct evils on me or my business.

- Something strange mixed in the example?

What sound. Common sense that if presenting ‘that passport’ even gangsters and terrorists all bow their heads.

Nevertheless, the problem is just not suffering really direct harm.

In a country like this total combination of corruption, how much can a company disliked by state power earn.

Therefore must gratefully regard just preserving one body and doing even normal trade... now then must fulfill the next purpose.

Third goal.

Not expecting political forces friendly to me anyway, but nevertheless supporting forces hostile to Prince Gong and working so Qing’s power is dispersed.

Fourth.

Smoothing the frozen diplomatic relations between Joseon and Qing as much as possible, and even if the political diplomatic part cannot be helped opening the waterway at least for commercial relations.

Until now because hard for Joseon to export to Qing had to detour through one leg via Lee & Gladstone Company, but now rather advantageous for me to do trade through one leg called Joseon.

Now time to throw the decisive move.

***

Beijing.

City of corruption.

Land of pleasure even Sodom and Gomorrah would cry and go.

Qing’s rulers, the Manchus sucked countless products and resources of the vast Central Plains and obtained enormous wealth and power.

The original intention was of course measures to maintain the Manchus’ power as a minority conquerors, but the result ended in a tragedy of only mass-producing owners of Dong Zhuo-level bellies who forgot even how to ride horses and shoot bows.

Just breathing money is earned, if trying to do something for the country necks fly shuk shuk in the sharp absolute monarchy system, if trying to maintain the ancestors’ spirit the household shakes because of the minimum luxury others do even for face.

The result is simple.

Mass production of surplus humans.

The absolute majority of Manchus in this period were already ruined sitting on debt piles, or became something like beasts endlessly wandering seeking luxury and entertainment soaked in dopamine one of the two.

In such a place, some wise and intellectual person full of love and interest for Chinese people released new play.

“Stick. Stick. Please stick a bit...”

“Stop shaking the leg a bit. Fortune will go out.”

“If sticks fine... if sticks will stop shaking...! Stuck! Tsumo!”

The official mahjong rules designated by the 21st century Chinese Communist Party, national standard mahjong succeeded in becoming hugely popular at least in Beijing even if not all over China.

From the most splendid high-rise buildings to gutters where cripples, beggars, addicts are stuck in filth pits, mahjong halls were prospering everywhere on Beijing streets.

I chose one high-class mahjong hall not the most luxurious but not losing anywhere in elegance and punched attendance like going to work every day and played mahjong for several hours.

All play is like that, but the moment money is involved that fun is fried several times and the human brain is paralyzed with pleasure. Even try rock-paper-scissors betting money. Thrill is fried dozens of times.

Fine yourself? Don’t lie. That’s all because the bet amount is small. If betting money that makes the back of the head tingle the story will be different?

This high-class mahjong hall of course the stakes are also big.

Silver coins and gold coins spin round and round and smash the human pleasure center.

When going all-in while turning the game or too hard and briefly resting the smoking seat prepared right next is waiting.

Since opium was completely legalized after the Second Opium War, most of those here smoke cigarettes at the table and if leaving the table puff opium. Prince Gong threatened not to seat those smoking opium in public office, but will humans coming to such places care about such things?

I only put a few cigarettes in the mouth unavoidably due to atmosphere and did not suck opium. The moment doing cannot return home.

- Afraid Elizabeth will chase out of the house?

No.

Afraid if seeing me dazed immediately ‘knight appears’ and puts a knife in my belly. Here is precisely the dragon’s den tiger’s cave if careless big trouble.

After the mahjong opponents in front of me changed several times.

“Can insert one game?”

“Aeo. Shoulder stiff to death. I will yield so play here.”

“Thanks.”

Another person smoothly disappeared into the opium den, and a new player sat in the seat.

Amid cigarette smoke, and opium smell piercing the nose intermittently even though quite far we turned tiles without words.

People sitting at the table were replaced one by one at intervals of several tens of minutes, and people at the next table also stand up one by two.

A few hours later, around when the sun completely set and lanterns were lit.

On the top floor of this mahjong hall no one remained except our table, and employees no longer came up here.

The time has come.

“Heard you play mahjong that well, Teacher Lee.”

The opponent across from me organizing tiles with sharp hand movements opened the mouth first.

“Skill not losing anywhere.”

“Seems so. The two people on both sides of us are friends who walk around with shoulders open saying play mahjong a bit wherever going.”

“The great person saying so also seems skill within one finger in Beijing.”

“All visible playing while giving.”

“If wanting to go out of the mahjong hall alive of course must.”

The man slowly raised his head and looked at me instead of the tiles.

Honestly speaking a face with no sharpness visible and looking blank, skin with oiliness and hands extremely delicate.

This young man, no boy is precisely the half-brother of the Xianfeng Emperor and Prince Gong, Prince Chun Yixuan.

Prince Chun himself is a person of no particular note, but in the original history his son ascended as the Guangxu Emperor and grandson is precisely the last emperor of Qing Puyi.

The last emperors of late Qing all continue with Prince Chun’s bloodline.

Whether will become so even in this world I changed is unknown.

“Older brother Your Highness is extremely wary of you. Know?”

“Unfair. Why so wary of me who among Westerners throughout this world is proficient in the Four Books and Five Classics of course and the Thirteen Classics and spreading Confucius Mencius and Zhu Xi’s words to Western countries.”

“Where in Confucius Mencius’s words written to insult the superior country by vassals acting disrespectfully.”

I briefly moved the lips then held the teacup in front.

- Endure. Watch words.

So endured. Wanted to say ‘sages said even residual thieves of commoners can be struck’.

“Sufficiently explained that part to Teacher Ganbong (Wo Ren’s pen name). So perhaps Your Highness also personally came?”

“Absolutely not bowing the head. Arrogant guy.”

Then will I bow the head to a fifteen-year-old kid? British people who love freedom just fight one war rather than bowing to Qing guys.

Anyway whether I bow the head or wipe shoes with the tongue, to a guy who lived at the peak of the status society cannot give even one impression.

Rather keeping the head stiff like this the possibility of conversation being established is higher.

- If die then?

Fuck, if die then die. If driven to a situation even British nationality cannot shield is there an answer besides dying?

“Doesn’t seem came all the way here just to say one word arrogant to me.”

“Heung.”

“If no more words to say, presumptuously will stand from the seat now. Played mahjong too long so whole body aches...”

As I bowed the head greeting and lifted the butt from the chair, Prince Chun of course and even the two lackeys next to him were startled.

“Sit.”

“Will visit again next time. Then-”

“Please sit, teacher.”

I briefly pretended to ponder, then only replaced the ashtray with a new one and sat in my seat again.

“For Qing’s future, want to hear the teacher’s high opinions. The teacher is a strategist who preserved Joseon that was like a lantern in front of the wind.”

“Sorry but the words I can give are not particularly.”

“Hate Qing that much? Want to destroy this country?”

“No. The reason I do not give words is to the end not words to give to Prince Chun Your Highness. Stories about the situation or military state affairs should be given to Prince Gong Your Highness.”

Even if prince or whatever ultimately a kid.

His face became red and blue about to explode, and unable to watch I decided to give a hint.

“What to ask me seems not advice for Qing’s future but something else.”

“...”

The face hardened stiffly, but the hand continuously touching the tiles clattering did not stop.

After caressing the tiles for a long time he raised his head only after quite a long time passed.

“Want to hear high opinions.”

“What high opinions-”

“Want to live. What I can give is only the fact that sold grace to me one, but still I want to live.”

A big one bit the bait.

How much effort did I put in to design up to here.

How much hard work did I do trying to circulate the image of this era’s worst conspirator... freely kneading Joseon, Japan, Britain and plotting all sorts of conspiracies and schemes in Beijing?

All that was to make this young Prince Chun come on his own feet.

“As I know both His Majesty and Prince Gong Your Highness have thick brotherly love and outstanding filial piety, never persons who will treat blood relatives poorly.”

“Only us so stop nonsense. I am afraid. Older brother Yixin even imprisoned His Majesty why leave me alive? Of course will fabricate one treason incident and catch and kill political enemies and kill me together?”

Well... seems like even I would kill. Can make one treason incident per one younger brother. A bit wasteful not to use. Prince Gong’s situation is also urgent.

I benchmarked strategists or schemers appearing in various dramas or movies and maintained a posture as confident as possible.

“The position Your Highness is standing is truly precarious nine out of ten, no ninety-nine out of a hundred will die. At a glance Prince Gong Your Highness’s momentum seems to pierce the sky but those who think His measures are not proper are full in Qing’s world, so those wanting to collapse Prince Gong Your Highness will one and all elevate Prince Chun Your Highness.”

“I also know. And know that the moment lamenting once about this situation to anyone that day is the day I die! So need the teacher’s wisdom, the help of the teacher who is a foreigner and already disliked by older brother Yixin!”

How attach such words there kid. Might snitch this conversation for improving relations with Prince Gong.

- So a kid.

Well. If the head turned sharply wouldn’t have come looking for me either. Tried with a head that doesn’t turn, tried.

“Your Highness has no way to live with ordinary methods.”

“...Haa.”

“So must use an extraordinary method.”

“Will listen carefully.”

I did not answer immediately, and slightly scanned the lackeys on both sides.

“Withdraw.”

“Your Highness, if even we go down Your Highness might be in danger-”

“Quickly!”

They reluctantly stood from the seats at the master’s call and went down below.

Now no one.

“Really can do anything? To live?”

“Yes. Will do anything.”

“Then will tell the answer.”

Prince Chun trembled like a person who fell off a cliff then entered a cave and picked up an unidentified secret manual.

I willingly decided to teach the peerless divine skill to him who was perfectly ready to learn.

“For Your Highness to live, His Majesty must produce a son.”

“...Will that be a thing that works?”

Prince Chun’s eyes full of expectation instantly changed to rotten pollock eyes.

If soaked in opium sexual desire disappears.

Might use as an aphrodisiac role boosting sexual desire at first, but humans completely soaked in opium become bodies that do not react except to opium’s stimulation several times stronger than sexual acts. Already the Xianfeng Emperor would have lost the ability to make offspring.

“I said extraordinary method.”

“What?”

“Anyway make a son. Anyway.”

“Wait. Wait wait.”

“Find one among His Majesty’s concubines with ambition and guts and heavy mouth, just make.”

“Even if luckily becomes, if not resembling His Majesty no matter who sees?”

I stared blankly at Prince Chun enough that the sound of rude would come out.

He instead of having a seizure pondered the meaning of my gaze.

And opened the mouth wide.

“Me?”

“Much better than bringing some random guy and impregnating.”

“Crazy. Crazy. What kind of crazy guy-”

“If the born child is a boy demolish property without question and answer, and spread the rumor that that kid is actually Prince Gong’s child.”

Currently in the generation after the Xianfeng Emperor there is not one boy. Therefore if the Xianfeng Emperor dies the younger brother Prince Gong cannot help but ascend.

But if the Xianfeng Emperor’s son appears the power structure completely changes.

That son becomes the next emperor.

And the mother who gave birth to the emperor becomes not a concubine but empress dowager, moreover an empress dowager with authority to regent. Prince Gong’s power who seized power by coup will instantly receive enormous damage in front of real power with legitimacy.

But no son?

Then must fabricate even.

The boy’s gaze now became a shape like looking at some monster.

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