Chapter 88 · 9 min

Chapter 88

Neither Close Nor Distant (3)

1855.

British Empire, London.

Now that one cabinet collapsed hotly, London’s political monsters were moving busier than ever.

On average lawmakers of cabinet responsibility system countries are more diligent than lawmakers of presidential system countries. Because the executive can explode bang anytime so must diligently polish conspiracy and politics, fraud skills.

- Is that a good thing...?

There will be times good and times not.

In a case like now... subtle. Because even I don’t know which way the conclusion will go.

The Joseon problem did not start with mere Consul General Alcock’s report.

This was also a matter of having to answer the huge question of exactly how the British Empire’s Far East grand strategy is.

First Russia.

While the great British Empire tore the freedom to sell opium and various ports from Qing with the Opium War, Russia that was doing nothing scratching the belly in the room corner tore the Maritime Province from Qing as the price of doing nothing. Really ate for free these bastards.

Will just watch Russia exercising influence on Manchuria, and on Qing based on the Maritime Province? Or intervene? Or compromise?

And Qing.

Cannot fold trade with Qing. British people not being able to drink tea is a painful thing comparable to Koreans living without rice and kimchi. The reason even waged war to sell opium was conversely because there was nothing else to sell except opium.

However cannot keep waging war forever.

No matter how Qing is a restaurant and idiot, war is ultimately an act consuming enormous goods and manpower and turning deficit into surplus with war is a very hard thing unless Viking tribe plundering Rome.

How to treat Qing for the peace of the Far East and continuous trade surplus is also a very important issue.

Not the end here! Must also ponder how to do with France newly drooling over Joseon, how to establish relations with Japan that concluded a commerce treaty with Joseon etc.

- Aigo head. Diplomacy really has a lot to care about.

This not ending with diplomacy problem?

Now there is also domestic political circles problem.

Since strictly conducting war with Russia now also linked with the Crimean War problem, and because the Whig Party with Palmerston did not eat sole majority and seize the regime but ate in coalition with the Peelites with Gladstone must also consider the Peelites.

- Okay. Stop. Don’t want to hear more. Humans anyway...

The diplomatic part could follow as much as possible seeing newspapers, but the party interest strategy problem needed more careful grasp.

Opposition Conservative Party.

Anyway enemy or the same. No value or need to persuade so regard as discarded.

Peelites.

Here leave to Gladstone fine.

Hardliners and moderates within the Whig Party.

Truly various opinions from <let’s just annex Joseon> to <just give a booger country like Joseon to Qing>.

After finishing preparations like that.

The time to meet the great monster Palmerston approached.

***

Already full 3 years have passed since Jo Byeonghyeon a member of the Pungyang Jo clan was appointed as Joseon’s first minister plenipotentiary to Britain and assigned to London.

There was a time thinking that bloodless tearless king exiled him to the Western land ten thousand li away to purge the Pungyang Jo clan (not much different from fact).

But as the time spent in London lengthened, his thoughts gradually changed.

‘There is an answer in this London.’

No matter how late Joseon was the era of mess sedo politics guys who rose to official posts with 140% backing like Kim Jwageun were rare. Although the Pungyang Jo clan ate curses as sedo family or maternal relatives Jo Byeonghyeon who was the family’s hopeful was equipped with a clear brain.

At first thought these British people, further Westerners are barbarians without king without father arbitrarily governing the country and living like a mess, but as understanding of Britain gradually rose things not visible until now began to enter his eyes.

His transformation was instant.

He cut the topknot himself, wore a hat instead of gat, and began going to church.

Waiting for the day to return to Joseon someday, met many people and endlessly opened social gatherings.

Fortunately he had a lot of money. From the beginning one of the reasons Jo Byeonghyeon was dispatched was clear the intention to stay with his own money.

“Ladies and gentlemen! Really thank you for gracing this seat like this! Today too the chef who was responsible for His Majesty the King’s table in Joseon’s palace based on newly obtained inspiration in this London to everyone-”

Now if removing only the skin color Jo Byeonghyeon seemed a perfect Western gentleman.

Quite fluent English came from his mouth, and there was no awkwardness in the action and posture holding the glass. Truly the result of bone-cutting effort.

Palmerston who was late to the banquet and slyly entered, savoring a few points of soy sauce marinated crab flesh carefully peeled by subordinates left the seat at an appropriate time and entered the private space of the host Jo Byeonghyeon.

And there was a prior guest there.

A man young no young.

Height tall like a pole and face slightly tanned. Because rode ships quite a lot, or because suffered a lot from young.

But even so must not think that person is one engaged in physical labor.

This person was one of the people most knowledgeable about China in Britain, no the entire Western civilization and at the same time a treacherous favored subject who seduced one country’s king.

The conversation with this young guy will have a quite unique taste.

Like that mysterious crab cuisine just savored.

“Finally able to greet very glad, Prime Minister.”

“If came to greet before I became prime minister would have been even gladder. Representative Lee. Or what shall I call?”

“Representative is enough. I also think very regrettable not hearing the Prime Minister’s words of virtue. But if I visited then wouldn’t have thought seeing me a guy with no guts and no integrity?”

“Ignoring profits because don’t want to hear the sound of no guts no integrity guy. That is precisely the act stupid guys do. You should have come looking for me.”

“Like the Prime Minister’s foreign policy?”

“Good because understanding is fast.”

Palmerston sat on the sofa without seeking anyone’s permission.

Arthur lightly pulled the call string, and a servant entered and set alcohol and refreshments in front of them.

“Can’t distinguish whether I came to the Joseon minister’s house, or came to your house.”

“Because our friendship is quite deep.”

“Friendship? Didn’t the minister fall because of you and get chased to this London?”

“Not because of me but because of the British Empire’s army. I saved him who went bankrupt completely so an enormous benefactor, but since settled as having friendship my loss.”

“Where who was the one inciting to send that army.”

“No guts no integrity but thanks to that obtained profits. That too all of our profits.”

“Look at this guy with no manners! Heuhahaha!”

Palmerston who laughed heartily passed one cup of tea straight into the throat then instantly distorted the face like an evil ghost.

“If seized the pivot of Joseon’s political circles with the country’s help yield moderately. If eating all alone will get sick.”

“Eating all alone. Misunderstanding. The profits I obtain are all shared with the shareholders of the City of London.”

“Cannot share the intangible profits of being connected to power holders. As prime minister will request. No longer cause groundless storms in the Far East, and recommend restraint to Joseon.”

“I came to this seat today to hear the Prime Minister’s high opinions. Please can inform me the process that led the Prime Minister to draw such a conclusion?”

The prime minister who rolled in political and diplomatic circles for decades immediately caught that Arthur did not say ‘understood’ but did not put in the mouth.

Instead he brought out a bit more intimate story.

“Over two times we defeated Qing and enforced the principle of free trade.”

“The freedom to sell opium.”

“Befitting Gladstone’s lackey ticking over mere opium. Right. Anyway obtained freedom. But know what the problem is? Don’t want to wage war on China a third time.”

Arthur nodded.

Qing led by Prince Gong is now pushing Self-Strengthening reform.

Just as the difficulty in the First Opium War and Second Opium War was different, the Third Opium War will become much harder and trickier.

“As long as I am sitting in this seat, absolutely no matter of inputting thousands tens of thousands of great armies into the Far East. Profits are only rat tail and war expenses are enormous.”

“Understood.”

“Qing chatters will invade Joseon but that is bluff. Precisely speaking we have the power to make Qing’s ambition into mere bluff. Tell the Joseon Kingdom to moderately match Qing’s mood. Then we can end at the line of giving diplomatic help not to be invaded.”

“Then what can we obtain?”

“A bridgehead to check Far East Russia.”

He pointed the core.

The most precious item obtainable from Joseon is not trivial things like ginseng or minerals but the role itself of harassing Russia.

As much as Palmerston who shouts hardline theory toward Russia more than anyone, he evaluated Joseon’s value highly as a lackey for checking Russia even more than trade profits with Qing.

“Understood? If just tightly biting Russia will guarantee Joseon people’s independence as much as wanted.”

“Then how must France-”

“Fighting that huge brown bear would have thought of not giving even one piece of meat to France? If French people do not cross the line must tolerate about moderately taking interests in Joseon. Surely not thinking of using me to chase France out?”

“Not a bit of such thought.”

“Must be.”

Separate from learning Arthur was quite young.

Palmerston who pierced all his shallow methods roughly seemed finished all words to say so poured Joseon refreshments into the mouth. Came all the way here must exchange greetings with the host about.

“Perhaps fine if I say just a few?”

“Still less understanding?”

“No. Clearly knew the Prime Minister’s will. But as a person who was in the Far East until a while ago wanting to help the Prime Minister-”

“Stop the lengthy sound. Give 5 minutes time. If not much help you will remain in my head as a human with no guts no integrity and even stupid.”

The prime minister took out a pocket watch from the bosom. Really he intended to measure 5 minutes.

“Chinese trade is precarious.”

“Don’t even know how well opium sells? Or trying to say again that morality whatever cannot sell opium?”

“From now on sales will gradually decrease and the opium trade itself will collapse. We will return to the days of seeing deficit again.”

“Explain.”

Arthur trembled the body as if truly sorry.

“Now opium became legal in China.”

“Right.”

“So guys with heads on shoulders all overturned fields and began planting poppies in that place. Whether Indian or Turkish whatever no competitiveness to beat Chinese domestic opium even if die and wake.”

“...”

The prime minister repeatedly closed and opened eyes tightly, then slowly picked up the alcohol cup instead of the teacup.

Cannot sell opium?

Deficit again?

Then why waged war?

If the Conservative Party chews what to refute?

Palmerston shoved all thoughts rising like smog from the head into the very corner of the brain.

“Representative Lee.”

“Yes, Prime Minister.”

“Was waiting for a talent young and full of spirit like you. This country’s future is truly bright, hehehe.”

“...?”

“The night is quite long. When old night sleep disappears so longer. Shall we take a walk in the garden together and share many stories?”

“To an insignificant young person like me allocating time this greatly. Honor.”

“Hehehe!!”

“Kihihihit!!”

The two people stood from the seats amicably.

“Perhaps no thought of joining the Whig Party?”

“That will be a bit hard. Because don’t want to become a stupid guy with no guts no integrity.”

“Damn guy.”