Chapter 81

Chapter 81

Friend or Foe Identification (1)

That time when Britain-France-Ottoman were ganging up on Russia in that distant Black Sea.

The Russian settlement Petropavlovsk in Kamchatka attached to the end of the opposite side of the Eurasian continent was captured.

As this place was captured Russia lost control over the Far East, and contact with Russian Alaska that had not yet been sold to Americans was also severed.

What captured this impregnable fortress was of course the brave unmatched British and French marines and sailors, but in addition to this the company army belonging to the British East India Company was also included.

And this company army was a completely new army different from the conventional Indian three armies - Bombay Army, Bengal Army, Madras Army.

Precisely the Chosen Army composed only of officers and soldiers recruited from the small peninsula country in the East, Joseon.

Originally Britain using mercenaries or lackeys from sen-character lineage origins is a historical fact proven by Hesse, Prussia, Saxony etc., so including Eastern Chosen people here is extremely natural even inductively.

But surprisingly.

In the Joseon Kingdom’s Joseon army there were only Joseon people, but in the Chosen Army belonging to the East India Company it was not necessarily only Joseon people.

“To think this Joseon port would be missed.”

Saigo Takamori who attached the Chosen Army officer rank insignia on the shoulder slowly stepped on the ground.

“Keu. Feel like living!”

“Ah, is this place precisely the land our Asian peoples protected...!”

Those disembarking following Saigo were also Japanese, and on their shoulders rank insignia were attached one and all.

That these Joseon international students suddenly devoted themselves to the East India Company army was a truly mysterious and also inevitable thing.

The story was simple.

“Said take these half-baked guys and go to the battlefield?”

Daniel and British officers belonging to the Chosen Army who suddenly received the sortie order ran around madly as if fire was lit on the butt and had to hurriedly recruit troops, and somehow secured manpower by scraping Joseon lower class and Hamgyeong Province hunters etc. in urgent need of money.

But unlike soldiers officers do not pop out by digging the ground.

Especially unlike Europe here Joseon has no modern officers so even the Joseon regular army is in a situation of just raising officers heading on bare ground so needless to say.

Talent that is at least not empty in military affairs, better if has command experience, can do Joseon language and at the same time English.

No way many.

Just then as Saigo who was auditing Sejong University and Hyojong University classes as an international student suddenly volunteered for enlistment the East India Company officers pretended to be troubled while liking it.

“You are not even Joseon person... Japanese? Then why suddenly?”

“In the East there is a proverb <​if no lips teeth are cold>. For the future of Asians isn’t it extremely natural duty for me a samurai to step forward? Due to the status of international student cannot engage in military affairs for a long time-”

“Participate in this battle only and return home immediately. Welcome, samurai!”

Of course Saigo had various ulterior motives.

Thought of experiencing the modern war Westerners wage now that the Japanese samurai class changed positions from real warriors to civil servants hundreds of years ago, thought of raising name value a bit attaching the war hero title, thought of leaving a debt of the heart in Joseon etc.

The 21st century future person who heard the sound that Saigo declared voluntary enlistment immediately thought of a wicked conspiracy.

<​Japanese international student Seo Hyang-yung, declares participation on Joseon side!>

<​“To protect Asia Eastern peoples must become one”>

<​“Heard Joseon lacks military officers so applied for enlistment wanting to help”>

“Because our Joseon young people don’t go to the battlefield at all must seat Japanese as military officers?”

“While Japanese go out carrying long swords to establish military merit our kids are buying horse tickets at the racetrack?!”

Joseon people were properly scratched, and even from yangban houses volunteers lined up.

And as a bonus, the shogunate international students who crossed the Korea Strait with Saigo were also scratched.

“You, you! Without even receiving the country’s permission arbitrarily intervening in others’ war are you in right mind?!”

“So hard-headed shogunate guys.... Can’t you yourselves judge what is the more important matter?”

“S, shut up! Will show we are much better than Satsuma country bumpkins!”

Regardless of East and West ancient and modern if hearing the sound <​scared?> the creature called man cannot help but shout <​cannot lose>.

Although enlisted because of a pride confrontation that cannot retreat like that, for these who uniquely as Japanese samurai class commanded Joseon army and went north to Kamchatka and waged war with blue-eyed guys something worthy of being called camaraderie naturally arose.

And those who went to the battlefield all obtained the same realization.

“Is this the Western war!”

“Scary. Truly scary...!”

“If this army flocked to Japan instead of the northern land would the shogunate have been able to block them?”

Amazing transport ability that can load thousands tens of thousands of great armies on ships and send.

Enormous gunpowder consumption amount far exceeding their common sense.

Line infantry advancing step by step without caring even though bullets and shells fly without rest.

“Look at the chinks out of their minds a bit.”

“Is now the time to laugh?! Those guys must command! Hey! Come to senses!!”

To Westerners an extremely common, no, rather a modest battle close to overseas travel compared to that terrifying Napoleonic Wars era.

Realizing the class difference was the same feeling for all regardless of Joseon people and Japanese, but the subsequent reaction slightly diverged according to nationality.

“Ultimately our Joseon army defeated Russia and seized victory!”

“Right right!”

“From now on everything will be all well!”

Joseon people were full of excitement.

While trembling at the West’s power, there was confidence that can quickly learn and catch up.

But Japanese were a bit different.

“If we also do not greatly open the door and enlighten like Joseon, the Joseon army that obtained power similar to the Western army...”

“Might invade us.”

“The shogunate must also change. No, Japan must change! Whole!”

Anxiety that the gap is too big.

Impatience felt seeing Joseon changing day by day.

And even desire for fame.

The appearance of those dreaming of the so-called Restoration.

***

Just as fleas naturally occur from dust and communists naturally occur in colonies, Japanese who saw Western civilization transforming into anti-system impure elements is also the law of nature.

But a matter unrelated to Joseon.

Because Japanese clearly belong to Homo barbaricus, while Joseon people are precisely <​civilized people> enlightened with Confucianism.

However.

[Admirable! Joseon’s healthy sons!]

[Exterminated the Russian bandits and protected the ancestral temples and altars!!]

[You are precisely Joseon’s future!]

“Kaaaa!!”

“Barmaid!! Give one more cup here!!”

Everyone was not in right mind.

Not one person holding even faint reason.

So, this Arthur Lee the ultimate complete body Great Moss fused with Britain’s rational reason and Joseon’s Neo-Confucianism is the only person in right mind in this crazy Hanyang.

- Ultimate complete... ah tongue twisted. Fine. Don’t speak.

I listened to the jar ghost’s grumbling with one ear and let it flow with one ear and tried to head to the place where the king is but not going well. Because the roads were all covered with crowds comparable to the 2002 World Cup semifinal advancement.

After enormous hard work barely arrived at the palace, sure enough even the palace was infected with this huge smiling virus.

“Congratulations, Your Majesty!”

“Congratulations!!”

“If saying the strongest country under heaven by far Britain that received the Mandate of Heaven, but Russia was said to be a great empire that can sufficiently confront that Britain.”

“Our Joseon officers and soldiers defeated one of the two countries competing for the owner of the world, this is because our country’s national fortune opened.”

“Russia its immorality and ferocity is like the past Qin so truly can be called today’s tiger and wolf country, but even such Russian army seeing our Joseon army’s appearance decided to retreat terrified but even this not going well and surrendered!”

“Now the remaining matter is only exterminating the Manchu bandits who cannot even follow Russia’s toe!!”

“Everyone come to senses a bit, come to senses a bit!!”

Russia looks like dick? Want to get group brown bear punched and become stars in that sky? Our king, Heonjong master also not losing mind together and doing ‘hihi we are fucking awesome’?

“Although the officers and soldiers who advanced north this time are Joseon people did we give them rice or give money? Not one used Joseon’s national expenses from weapons and armor, food and clothing, to gunpowder and ships so that army is not one we lead.”

Damn! Was believing! As expected knew Heonjong would be in right mind!

“The fact that Joseon people also will never lose to Westerners if only sufficient military preparations are equipped was proven to all under heaven, so now must accelerate reform as soon as possible and possess power to protect the ancestral temples and altars from foreign powers even more.”

Seemed like an illusion of the northern aunt shouting <​protect the Baekdu bloodline with independent nuclear force!>, but unlike the 21st century northern animal farm here is not Kim Joseon but Lee Joseon.

Heonjong who opened his mouth then paused briefly continued speaking as if resolved.

“A tree with deep roots does not shake in the wind, so for reform must solidify the foundation more than anything.”

Ah.

This is that.

“Since the eldest son has grown, how about formally enfeoffing as crown prince now?”

Yes? Grown? The kid is now three or four years old grown. No matter how urgent that.

Since I am an ambiguous foreigner to openly say put the persimmon or put the pear so was shutting the mouth, but the subjects whether nerve cells are all connected whispered with eyes.

And one more.

Not <​crown prince> but <​taizi>. Probably because of that Heonjong opened his mouth directly instead of bringing out the enfeoffment story using lackeys.

Now really running the end of external king internal emperor. Leaving about 0.1 millimeters until proclaiming emperor. If Joseon becomes strong northern expedition and proclaiming emperor was a natural thing like chicken radish coming with chicken?

As the long meeting ended and I also tried to stand from the seat Lee Ha-eung was giving some eye signal. Seems because of that human Daniel’s enfeoffment matter.

“You no particular matter these days?”

“Particular matters are many. All my money went into rolling the East India Company army so to receive that seems will shed quite a sweat.”

“Other than that?”

“Not particularly... did Daniel cause some accident again?”

“Not that.”

Lee Ha-eung walked ahead, and I quietly followed behind.

Only when arrived near a pavilion with no one like that, he turned his head.

“Seems the British consul general started being wary of you.”

“That is, a natural thing?”

There is a human inserting a straw into one country and sucking, if the diplomat assigned to that country is doing hihi good isn’t that more strange?

“Seemed not that degree.”

“Whether heard something.”

The Joseon version Beria who holds the postal bureau and Ikmunsa in hand nodded.

“Seems intending to get rid of you.”

“No no. That’s not.”

“Seems thinking you work for Joseon’s interest rather than Britain. Must behave well for a while.”

Only saying that much he immediately left the seat, and I was nailed to the seat upright like a scarecrow.

- Until a while ago the atmosphere was good?

Thought someday might become like this, the head becomes a bit warm.

Inserted a straw into Joseon, drew estimates to exercise influence on the army in this neighborhood through Daniel, and even went to China and did some show with Prince Gong.

No way the diplomat of the country crazy for checks the British Empire does not check such a guy.

Must return to Britain after finishing only the urgent things.

My wealth and honor started in this countryside Far East, but whether can maintain this or not will be decided not here but in Westminster.

But cannot just return.

Guys trying to touch my small and precious money box Joseon must offer at least one wrist.

© 명원 #1jwz2

Author's note

Hello, this is Myeongwon.

Thank you for waiting long! I recovered a bit and thought became a bit livable and immediately body ache came...

However no rest. Because if resting more than this really the fingers will degenerate and become anteater or sloth fingers

All beloved readers please receive much New Year’s luck! Thank you!