Chapter 75

Chapter 75

Sinophile Arthur Lee (6)

- Are you perhaps a crucian carp? Swapped the head with a chicken? Swapped the pot while eating Beijing duck? Remember or not what said a little while ago not to show off in absolute monarchy countries?

Heo.

How can a sparrow guess the great peng’s will.

Human Park In-ho.

Salesman life already 2nd round.

My accumulated experience and intuition are telling.

Now is precisely the time to drive.

The news that I visit the Prince Gong residence everyone already knows. Unless moving quite carefully there are no secrets in Beijing.

So the fact that failed in my appointment will also spread like wildfire.

Now the only way for Prince Gong to keep his face is chattering ‘Lee Aseul is truly a gentleman so could not forcibly embrace him discussing benevolence righteousness propriety wisdom’.

Moreover a little while ago, Prince Gong after all his schemes were broken by the righteous guardian Arthur Lee following the Way immediately got hit by one heavy counter.

If solo killed in lane in mid usually buy. Prince Gong probably never went to the rift, but at least not a stupid person enough to rush saying got solo killed so must revenge.

As evidence Prince Gong did not get angry.

If sprinkling salt on the wound of course get punched or kicked, but if that person is a doctor even if screaming uwaak endures. Because doctors have authority.

The highest power holder of Qing still retaining passion and immaturity getting slapped by a guy thought much lower and becoming ‘you are the first guy who said such words to me’ mode is the industry national rule.

- The metaphor is a bit strange.

Accurate metaphor this foolish demon.

“I also... even if unable to bring out of the mouth, every time lying in bed looking at the ceiling was having similar thoughts.”

His emotion was not anger.

Regret.

Pain.

Anxiety.

Like showing the most intimate symptoms to a doctor, he instead of speaking to me endlessly whispered as if confessing his sins.

Why wouldn’t Prince Gong know the fact that Qing is perishing.

He endlessly laid out complaints as if vomiting everything inside about life, about his decision, about the matters of cornering the older brother and carrying out purges, about the lazy Manchus who do not follow reform and the blocked ministers.

“The useless story was too long.”

“I heard nothing.”

“Showed my ugly appearance so now no matter what words hear nothing to be hindered. Whether bitter words or remonstrance chatter once. Will let all stories that were here flow.”

“Thank you.”

The Meiji Restoration in the original history.

And Joseon’s great change happening in real time now.

These succeeded but the reason the reform attempts of Joseon or Qing in the original history were frustrated, what is the essence?

According to future knowledge YouTube shorts informed me keeping the Eastern-style worldview as is and only sucking technology is impossible and ultimately must achieve Western-style modernization to survive in a world capitalism and imperialism will dominate.

But cannot say this to Prince Gong.

What if Prince Gong who suddenly obtained enlightenment from my advice succeeds the Hundred Days’ Reform and Qing rises like a dog.

Even excluding such low possibility that is close to the realm of prophecy not prediction, and at the same time a matter that even touches the excellent scholar identity barely established.

So the story to tell is only one.

Now the reform of the three Eastern countries is not important how much accept Western civilization.

“All reform must see blood.”

“Blood.”

“The vested interest class is mostly negative to reform, and even if not vested interests people who have something to lose also oppose reform. So proper reform is a matter possible only by killing the old era’s power class and putting what he held in hand into everyone’s mouths.”

“Doesn’t seem words a scholar would say.”

“Also the reason old dynasties were one and all prosperous at first.”

Meiji Restoration.

Powerful local forces called Choshu and Satsuma domains combined with anti-shogunate figures and collapsed the shogunate and created a completely new Japan.

Heonjong’s Joseon.

King Heonjong backed by the British Empire combined with anti-system figures and collapsed the sedo families and created a completely new Joseon.

These could drive all existing systems and common sense as accumulated evils and old evils, and could also confiscate the existing vested interest class’s power and make it their foundation.

However what on earth is possible for Prince Gong?

“Qing cannot do like Joseon. Because Manchus and Han are divided. Therefore Your Highness cannot cause ruthless reform like Joseon.”

Must exterminate the existing forces that monopolized power and snatch that power and make it the driving force of reform.

But if Qing’s vested interest class then Manchus and the local gentry class, if snatching the Manchus’ power the survival of Qing itself becomes dangerous and cannot dare touch the local forces. Who is blocking the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom now?

“...Right.”

Yixin frowned like drinking bitter medicine, but did not get angry.

“Then finally ask. If impossible to shed enormous blood like Joseon, what is the possible method for Qing’s future? You have a way you think so said so?”

As I nodded after pondering Yixin’s face brightened sharply.

“Quickly speak.”

“Afraid if speak will punish this small person.”

“I will listen carefully without reserve. Don’t worry.”

“If Your Highness dies fine.”

Because of the words just said he did not go crazy. Instead nodded and gestured to keep chattering.

“If completing the great cause of Self-Strengthening the haves of all the Central Plains will resent and curse Your Highness and plot to pull down. And that popularity will lean toward Prince Chun Your Highness who rallied the opposition.”

“Meaning if Prince Chun pulls me down and appeases public sentiment and only takes the fruits of Self-Strengthening, Qing ruled by Manchus remains.”

“This is the only path Qing survives. Not the path Your Highness survives.”

“The way for me to live?”

No courage to retort saying will ask only one question? Already I am half out of mind from tension.

But this Arthur Lee, if using the power of swaying once more-

- Stop a bit this bastard.

“Quit Self-Strengthening and approach those who learned the sages’ words. Catch all those shouting change and reform, and sell more interests to Western powers and borrow troops from them. If doing so Your Highness will enjoy fortune and salary until the day of eternal sleep.”

“Instead after I die the country will collapse miserably.”

He muttered bringing the teacup with not a drop of water remaining close to the mouth.

“Because foresaw up to here gave such advice to Prince Chun?”

“I just as one scholar did not ignore those seeking help.”

“You are truly worthy of being called a gentleman. My situation is no different from a gradually sinking ship, so will not propose dying together with me and leaving a name shining long in history.

Withdraw and return now. Now want to drink alcohol not tea.”

Prince Gong Yixin grinned.

Surprising.

“Your Highness, have you set your will.”

“Nothing will change. I will personally prove that your cunning words are just a merchant’s useless nonsense.”

He resolved.

To burn Qing’s last flame and gloriously oxidize.

Instead of a future of eating and living well until the moment of death as wealth and honor and the world’s number one powerful person, to walk the path of being criticized as a traitor by everyone and collapsing miserably.

I bowed my head deeply containing sincerity for this great loser, and slowly withdrew from the seat.

Since born in this terrible 19th century, there was no one across the chessboard I sat. Kim Jwageun? He just didn’t even know the existence of this board and had his head broken.

But now.

For the first time Yixin sat across from me and began placing moves.

Saying will break all my moves and trample all my pieces for Qing’s survival and revival.

Perhaps.

There might have been a path of boarding the same boat with Prince Gong and reorganizing Qing in a strange way like a dual empire and changing history.

But no need to look back at the path not taken.

Blood boils.

The chest pounds.

Since an opponent worth fighting staking everything appeared, just strive with all might for his destruction.

Yixin will die cut by the knife called Joseon I forged.

***

The flames of the Crimean War were slowly but gradually transferring even to the Pacific.

Russia that received the news that Americans send a delegation and open Japan with gunboat diplomacy immediately sent a fleet under Admiral Putyatin (Yevfimiy Vasilyevich Putyatin) to Japan. Their goal was also Japan’s opening.

‘If Japan falls into the Americans’ hands the Pacific is also blocked!’

But the tsar’s expedition immediately faced a crisis of advance and retreat dilemma.

Japan twisted the body trying not to conclude a treaty somehow. Especially because the evil magic book called <​Japan Strategy> confused Japanese people’s brains and harbored much more wariness toward Russia their negotiations were truly long and arduous.

Moreover to make matters worse the Crimean War broke out.

“There! Ivan smell comes from there!”

“Kiyahou!”

“If catching Russians alcohol and meat, bounty and discharge await!”

That the Russian fleet is having diplomatic contact in Japan was not a secret, and the Anglo-French allied forces were very interested in their necks.

These delegations that came to blackmail Japan now became in a position protected by the shogunate.

Meanwhile British and French most familiar with imperialism showed much faster steps.

“Sign!”

“Japan... opens... the door...”

Those who knocked on the shogunate’s door not only blackmailed not to hold hands with Russia, but also intimidated to cooperate in war conduct. The powerless shogunate of course obediently stamped the treaty.

Another group of ships ran around the Pacific high seas searching all directions like lice whether there are unlucky Russian ships, and separately the allied main force advanced to Sakhalin and Kamchatka Peninsula where Russian pioneer villages are sparsely built.

And one more.

“War?”

“Yes. Because Russia oppresses weak countries we unavoidably appealed to force to protect world peace.”

Those who headed to Joseon instead of Japan requested cooperation in war conduct from Joseon too, and the Joseon court in debtor status answered ‘will do about supply of materials but direct war conduct is impossible’.

Instead.

“If you employ Joseon people as laborers and use this corresponds to supply so will not stop.”

“Thank you for the help, Your Majesty. The British Empire and French Empire will not forget this.”

Actually Joseon laborers are not particularly needed.

Because there are plenty of cheap labor called Chinese coolies, unless people to engage in unloading or loading related labor at Joseon’s docks no reason to specifically pick and employ Joseon people.

So this answer of the Joseon court was actually not about simple wage laborers.

“From this time you are belonging to the glorious British Empire East India Company!”

“You were dragged?! Came to earn money!”

“You graduate from bugs from today! You are the proud army of Her Majesty the Queen!”

The news that British people release enormous silver coins and employ mercenaries spread through Joseon’s pride the postal bureau to every corner of the country, even the most remote mountain villages.

The moment the Joseon Infantry 1st Regiment belonging to the East India Company army was organized.

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Author's note

Thank you to everyone who worried, and everyone who waited.

However as the old saying 死易連中難, dying is easy but (paid) serialization is hard... don’t say going to isekai and give love to cute me (≧∇≦)/

Thank you to Surplus King for your sponsorships!!