Chapter 86

Chapter 86

Neither Close Nor Distant (1)

Have you heard of something called <​Tea Race>?

A unique culture that arose in the British Empire a country sincere about tea leaves, attaching a bit of premium to the ship that first brought that year’s Chinese tea leaves. By current standards roughly a premium of 1 pound per ton attaches so actually hard to see as enormously big.

But how much the value of that premium is not important.

Once the procedure of selecting ‘the ship that comes first’ arose people do competition.

On top of this as one law revision changed the competition of the Tea Race intensified much more.

[Navigation Acts abolished!]

[Now foreign ships can also freely import and export!]

Until now only British registry ships could buy tea from China and sell to Britain. Can glimpse the excellent wisdom of British people saying if annoyed don’t sell.

However as the era of free trade opened and the old era Navigation Acts were abolished, New World country bumpkins began to loiter in this market in earnest.

[American ships are faster than our British ships!]

[The fastest ship in the world is American!]

“Ait, fuck!”

“Does this make sense? What on earth is our country doing?”

As mentioned before the rivalry structure between Britain and America is occurring everywhere. Right now even just the transatlantic passenger ships aren’t fierce competition occurring?

In this Tea Race competition also attached without fail, and anyway fast ships - clipper ships that throw safety to dogs were built one after another and input into the Tea Race.

To give advance notice, the ship I am riding is not a ship participating in the Tea Race. Because clippers sold their soul to speed the number of crew is also not much. No way load passengers or whatever.

However if a future person all know.

Britain ultimately loses in the gunshot-less competition with America.

That huge country that killed all Indians and ate the American continent alone even sucked immigrants madly with absorption method so the weight class is a gangster from the start. Not an opponent a mere island country with strong navy can approach.

No. Rather must see the British Empire that competed against countries with insurmountable weight class like Russia or America and seized world hegemony had that much accumulated potential great. The fall of the British Empire would have been much later if there was no World War I.

- Still generously evaluating because mother country?

No. Must calmly analyze the original history to be able to recall how to achieve the contract conditions to perish.

Greatly change history.

That is my condition for attaining Buddhahood.

These days almost confuse means and purpose, must firmly grasp the mind.

Changed a lot. This is fact.

But if saying changed that greatly... no confidence.

There is one certain thing.

The fact that just eating the prime minister position alone seems cannot change that much.

Must greatly strengthen Britain’s basic stamina itself.

- Sending Britain to the abyss?

Ah. Thought of that too. Succeeding a Maoism revolution in Britain or something.

But scary.

- Failing?

No.

Succeeding and dying then suddenly <​Park In-ho! In the original history Britain perishes anyway nothing particularly changed!> and my soul popping and getting fucked is scary, fuck bastard.

If making a future where the British Empire folds the spines of France, Germany, Russia, and America all wouldn’t this definitely be acknowledged?

- That... possible?

Don’t know.

Somehow will work damn.

Already dying of unease and the jar ghost next to constantly bursting the clothes.

***

The world’s most gloomy city, London.

The Thames River where twisted yellow spring’s poison flows. The moment just one drop touches the skin catch everything except AIDS. Hearing like this might think of the pond in every Korean university, but unlike that pond if falling into the Thames River really die.

This city of fog and dark clouds originally hard to see sunlight now as humans began producing clouds themselves through chimneys became much spicier hell taste. If smog properly sets became a lonely jar where weak guys die pick pick first.

Survived in this place where air and water try to destroy humans? Then now time to face the same humans.

Basically 6-day work week. Working about 12 to 16 hours a day. If arm gets caught in machine or leg cut off not receiving money as industrial accident but immediately fired.

Salary is tight. Now because the Corn Laws blocking free trade disappeared bread prices became cheap so can cut salary more. Women and children also come out to factories and work and these can be used much cheaper than adult men, and if not that there is also the option of employing Irish instead of British.

Nevertheless the 19th century humanity that survived is different species from weak 21st century people. Not for nothing Darwin realized natural selection theory in this period.

London citizens living in this terrifying environment if not strong were eliminated in an instant so naturally only the best blue-chip stocks survived. The secret of the British Empire’s world conquest is precisely ‘wherever going to any colony less horrible than London’.

However people who live somehow all live.

“My younger brother!!”

“Older sister? How here-”

“Older brother informed! How is it you returning to London not even properly contacting older sister that coming? Huh?”

“Ah! Ayaya! Aaa!!”

What was waiting for me who arrived in London was older sister Violet, and I immediately became in a position of being dragged around with ears pinched. No, how many things to do now!

After being tormented by older sister for a while I decided to do what to do since it became like this.

“Older sister.”

“So listen. At that time that bad girl what said to me-”

“Not marrying?”

“...”

“Why suddenly became a clam. Huh?”

“What will you do knowing that!”

“Since older brother is in a distant place I am the head. Acting head so will take care what.”

- Arthur. You 21st century person... right? Right?

Don’t say something about using patriarchy. By this era’s standards older sister is already an old maid. Now still an old maid that can somehow send but if more time passes will become an old maid that really cannot go anywhere!

And anyway if older sister marries who will bear that money? Of course I the one with the most money in this house bear. Originally the guy who pays money also obtains the right to nag like a set menu.

“That. That is.”

“Yeah.”

“Actually... there is.”

“What?”

Older sister unable to keep hands still, continuously fidgeting here and there then now unnecessarily twisting her hair this way and that and shaking the whole body like a twisted doughnut. Will scatter sugar powder like this.

“I made a resolution before.”

“Won’t marry unless a person better looking than me? Ayayaya.”

“Firmly resolved to marry a person who highly evaluates my intellect not my appearance.”

“Bullshit.”

Ah. Reflexively curse came out. But this is like instinct engraved in DNA cannot help it.

“That older sister is pretty is that... illusion, illusion. Even catching a woman passing on the street as pretty as older sister. Huh?”

“Anyway our house people where attach the most trash-like eyes and go around.”

“Anyway. Continue.”

I took out the long pipe the king’s bestowed item brought from Joseon and lit the fire. When insides are blocked this ‘gas treatment’ is the special medicine. If flowing nicotine smoke into esophagus and trachea insides open pop, this treatment is a perfect treatment method certified by King Jeongjo and guaranteed by Donguibogam-

- Bullshit up to there. Not insides opening but lungs opening.

“Know how hard I was working as a tutor? Students and parents eyes were blood red saying will knock down once.”

“This fuck. Leave that alone? Shall I go and cut?”

“Don’t say nonsense now. Anyway a matter that passed without incident.”

A story extremely common in this country. In romance novels a poor but intelligent female tutor connects with a handsome and rich male protagonist, but in reality nine out of ten just touched once and discarded.

Anyway until I achieved success and earned money enough to support siblings older sister lived tenaciously, and that experience became PTSD and wariness toward bastards pestering just looking at the face settled full.

“Good. Heard the prologue well. So the person said going well now?”

“That... two people...”

“What?”

Fortunately not that older sister Violet suddenly awakened as a femme fatale and feels pleasure sucking men’s souls.

“One is that, a very gentlemanly gentleman, an attractive person. Also gives me a lot of academic help.”

“But?”

“Age difference a bit... a lot... that, bereaved with former wife? So I, that.”

“Will enter as second wife? Evan. If money worry don’t and meet a normal person?”

“Is normal!”

“Next. Said not one person?”

The face ripened very well like a tomato. Continuously cooling heat with hand fan then took some time until opening the mouth again.

“The other person is younger than me... chases saying likes me?”

“Those! Let’s marry that! What to ponder? Shall I write a letter right now?”

“That one also seems will go overseas to the military side... Honestly I think better a person remaining in Britain continuously... And kids change minds from time to time...”

Breathed deeply. Then smoke giving peace of mind comes in. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale.

“I will look into both people’s reputations once. Because male bastards don’t know what will do through back holes.”

“Okay...”

Somehow came to handle family matters first.

Since came to London of course must visit our shareholders and sponsors, will ask then fine.

I confirmed the names of the two brother-in-law candidates and left the seat.

***

In the British Empire political circles there are largely 3 factions.

First. Conservative Party.

Second. Whig Party.

Third. Peelites that split and branched from the Conservative Party. Almost the same as the Conservative Party but these support free trade.

Until a while ago Peelites and Whig Party formed a coalition government and a person called Aberdeen leading the Peelites was prime minister, but because shit a lot in the Crimean War the coalition collapsed.

So who is the prime minister now?

“Prime Minister Palmerston is taking care of us in his own way.”

Palmerston.

God in the world. Might invade China again.

Tried to meet Gladstone but he is in a state of briefly absent. Instead of pheasant chicken I came to meet Joseon’s international students - in other words Ganghwa Island brothers.

“Said the Prime Minister is taking care.”

“Yes! He despite old age seemed thirsty for learning. Very interested in Joseon and the East.”

No. Seems better for your country if not interested. A person who invaded China for the freedom to sell opium?

“But if not him seems would have been hard for us to attend such prestigious universities.”

Among the Ganghwa brothers the older Lee Uk went to Oxford. Actually this can be seen as privilege, but conversely speaking if strictly independent country Joseon sent a royal in the upper ranks of succession sequence must do about that much.

Actually what surprised me was separate.

“I am also learning a lot. Want to return to the homeland as soon as possible and inform again what I learned!”

Ganghwa Island guy Lee Wonbeom... changed.

Height seemed to exceed 180 becoming a giant, the body thickened and seemed could fell trees even without an axe.

“So, said entered where?”

“Sandhurst! Someday to lead His Majesty the King’s army and advance to the Manchurian plains and destroy the Jurchen barbarians and stick guns and swords in Beijing-”

Seemed chattering something strange but my Joseon language skill is poor so couldn’t understand well. Since okayed in Joseon advanced, but a royal going to military academy. Heum.

“Seeing the two princes diligently studying is truly good to see. This time international students will come again, hope you as seniors give a lot of help.”

“Heu. Heuheu. Heuheuheu.”

“What matter?”

“Then those friends also start from Eton?”

“Must! Of course! Without Eton spirit cannot grow as a manly man in this London!”

“...Come, everyone. Calm a bit briefly.”

“Guys who didn’t even attend Eton what juniors! Must cultivate correct spirit in that dog shit... that excellent place of learning!”

My goodness. Such talents full of school spirit!

I could be released only after swearing to pour all strength so the newly coming international students also enter Eton.

As expected knew everyone would like Eton!

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