Chapter 54
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 054
Chapter Title: Modernity is Cold (4)
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Surprisingly enough, the introduction of the metric system didn't meet with much resistance from the Joseon court.
"If I may explain the metric system in terms of measurements, it was created by probing the principles of the universe, and all the Western nations use it."
"Principles of the universe?"
"Yes. The unit for measuring time is based on the Earth's rotation, and the unit for length is based on the Earth's meridian—"
Among Joseon's bureaucratic class, technocrats—people risen through science or technology—could practically be said not to exist. There might have been some in the old days, but after 60 years gorging on the spicy flavors of factional politics, it was safe to say there were none left.
So... from the king on down, everyone in the court was essentially a liberal arts major. Not just any liberal arts—they were people who'd spent their whole lives honing Neo-Confucianism. In 21st-century terms, that made them theology or philosophy majors.
—Not even undergrads.
Right. Or maybe only those with the title get to join the court! Ah, too scary!
Exceptions like Kim Ja-geun aside, of course. Kim Ja-geun was a vibranium spoon that transcended the gold spoon.
In any case, no matter how much you preached to them about the wonders of the metric system, its scientific principles, and its utility, they'd just nod and say, "I see."
"Your Highness. Introducing this metric system will be a truly momentous event, symbolizing Joseon's reform."
It wasn't Yi Ha-eung.
Nor was it Park Gyu-su.
Surprisingly, the one pushing hardest for the metric system was... Joseon's giant scholar, the newly appointed Minister of Agriculture and Commerce, Scholar Hwaseo Yi Hang-ro.
"Originally, the sovereign must offer sacrifices to heaven, maintain the calendar and standards of measurement, and bring peace to the realm. Your Highness has decisively punished the rebellious ministers who dared tamper with the heavens, bringing order to the world. You have enacted unprecedented great reforms beyond the ancestors, rescuing the myriad people from suffering.
But what of the Qing? Their entire land is being trampled by the furious populace, Beijing burns, and the Jurchens have been driven out. Your Highness must rectify the standards of measurement to prepare for ruling the world in the future!"
That's right.
To them, the metric system's practicality was a trivial matter.
For Joseon's scholars, the ecstasy came purely from the fact that the great king who had upended Joseon was now changing the units.
Let's build an altar to the Round Mound and hold a grand sacrifice worthy of the Son of Heaven.
"Your Highness" feels too light for such a virtuous king like His Majesty. Let's go with "Your Majesty."
The Qing reign era name? Can't stand the sight or the vibe—toss it.
And so, the metric system became an accessory to this grand plan of imperial restoration.
King Heonjong was quite pleased.
The Frenchmen plunged headfirst into dopamine addiction, flailing about. It was quite the sight.
And naturally, to eyes intoxicated with dopamine, the world looks beautiful.
"The changing streets are truly impressive!"
"You can feel their fervor for learning from us Europeans in every construction site bustling everywhere."
"It must be thanks to the excellent tutors! Arthur Leigh! You are the true bearer of civilization!"
In an instant, they upgraded me from "Englishman" to "honorary human."
—Aren't Englishmen human?
Those guys aren't human; they're Frenchmen.
The fact that they're acknowledging me as human without even showing off their frog-eating mukbang shows just how ecstatic they are.
And as the real backchannel talks began, I decided to slightly upgrade my valuation of this small Far Eastern nation.
"His Majesty values friendship with Britain above all else."
"Is that so? The newspapers I read—"
"That yellow press is utterly vile. His Majesty himself expressed concern in private over how wicked it is. France dreaming of war with Britain? What an outrageous slander!"
This was that Napoleon III's nephew.
Naturally, everyone assumed, "Napoleon's nephew? Of course he'd want to tear Britain apart!" And the money-hungry press gleefully churned out articles claiming a French invasion of Britain was imminent.
But as far as I knew—
"Indeed. His Majesty the Emperor has truly exceptional foresight. Friendly relations between the British Empire and the French Second Empire are essential for world peace and prosperity."
"Hahaha! Just hearing it is delightful! Might I hear more of your views?"
They say praise makes even a Frenchman dance.
—Aren't they whales?
They've got a whale's brain capacity. They even mimic whales by not speaking language but emitting ultrasounds. And spouting water from blowholes...
Anyway, the dopamine-addicted Frenchmen seemed eager for more praise, and your top Englishman here wasn't one to refuse a laid-out welcome mat.
"Right now, we're fighting together against that barbarous Qing to protect the Christian civilized world. If relations between Britain and France sour, all trade routes across Asia would paralyze in an instant, allowing the wicked Tatar Khan to slaughter every Westerner in China."
"Indeed!"
"Well said!"
"I know how sincerely France spreads civilization and enlightens the world. The one who taught me my mission and devotion as a Christian was a French priest. Oh, and speaking of which, the Catholic Church has now recognized the Eastern 'ritual' customs, hasn't it?"
The resolution of the ritual issue came through a rather absurd process.
In 1848, revolutions erupted across Europe. France's kingdom fell, the Second Republic rose, and Louis Napoleon was elected president.
With all of Europe save Britain ablaze in revolutionary fervor, the Italian peninsula—already fragmented—saw fierce anti-foreign and unification movements erupt. Their main target: Austria, which dominated Italy.
The tale of continental barbarians shooting at each other is dull, so I'll summarize simply.
Napoleon III initially pursued a policy of...
After military god Napoleon Bonaparte was ganged up on and fell, France had always been diplomatically isolated. His grand plan was to undermine Austrian leadership and gain support from liberal Britain to escape that isolation.
But the plan hit a sudden snag.
The Pope opposed Italian unification.
—Why's the Pope suddenly involved?
The Papal States were vast back then, covering much of central Italy—about 40,000 square kilometers. That's roughly 40% of 21st-century South Korea's 100,000 square kilometers.
Not only would he lose Papal lands, but the Pope couldn't stand by watching Catholic revolutionaries fight fellow Catholics like the Austrians. He declared opposition to the unification war, and soon revolution hit the Papal States, forcing the Pope to flee in a ridiculous turn.
And Napoleon III ate that stray bullet.
"The Holy Father threatened by mobs? I can't just sit?"
With devout conservative Catholics as his core base, the Emperor was cornered. He flipped fully to the other side, attacked Rome, and crushed the revolutionaries. It's practically a French tradition to drag the Pope home as a trophy.
France, having clothed the Pope in protection, made various proposals, one being to permit rituals. The Eastern policy was always tripped up by that ritual issue—not a pleasant feeling.
Anyway, back to the point.
At the mention of ritual permission, the Frenchmen praised the Pope's "wise judgment" and the Emperor who "sponsored" it. Monarchies worldwide default to constant king-praising with every breath.
"Now that rituals are permitted, what do you think? Could Koreans accept Catholicism?"
"It won't be... easy."
"Why not! What's the issue?"
"Because Catholics are traitors. Those vile traitors who tried to sell out the country—they won't grant religious freedom so lightly."
Bullshit.
I've already hammered in the "religious freedom" line years ago, so the Joseon court is bracing for the day Catholicism is accepted.
But the French don't know that.
So, of course, squeeze them to the bone!
—I believe you. You really are English.
I'll take that as praise.
Kim Daegun and the other Joseon priests.
After enduring long years of hardship, they finally boarded French warships bound for Joseon.
Even as French diplomats disembarked for Hanyang, they couldn't. Local officials threatened they would never allow it.
"If you renounce being Joseon men and claim to be Frenchmen, then you may step on Joseon soil."
They couldn't do that.
They had to return as Joseon men.
They hadn't abandoned their faith, nor their Joseon identity.
Had they chosen to proselytize in China or Japan, they would have stretched their necks before those fearsome brutes and walked the path of martyrdom.
They must spread the Gospel.
This is the way for Joseon and its people.
That's why they stayed aboard.
How long had they waited?
"You traitors there!"
"We are no traitors."
"Ah, right. You non-traitors!"
Kim Daegun and Choi Yang-eop exchanged glances. Why were these guys suddenly calling them "non-traitors"?
"Rejoice. His Highness summons you."
"H-His Highness?"
"Yes. His Highness's mercy is vast as the sea, granting even you vile wretches one last chance. We must take you to Hanyang—come along."
The king summons them!
They resolved to prove their unwavering loyalty to Joseon and that Catholics were no disloyal scum.
Only then would there be a future for Joseon's Catholics.
Racing to Hanyang, they were immediately led to new lodgings.
It was the mansion of Joseon's greatest epicurean, Heungseon Prince Yi Ha-eung.
A place swarming with merchants, thugs, clowns, monks, shamans, singers, and shrine troupes pretending to be guests.
In Joseon's view, where Catholic priests were lumped with monk-like riffraff, it was perfectly fitting.
Of course, there was another reason.
Among those motley guests were scattered agents from the Royal Literary Council.
Kim Daegun and Choi Yang-eop had no idea, but they'd checked into a hotel run by the central intelligence bureau.
"Hm. So you're the Western Learning criminals who disregard king and father?"
"We do follow Catholicism, but we are never disloyal!"
"Please hear us out, my lord. We have never forgotten loyalty and filial piety!"
"Very well. Let's hear your babble."
Yi Ha-eung was extremely busy, so he didn't give them much time, but over ten days, he engaged these Catholics in marathon debates, discussions, and arguments.
"Burning ancestral tablets because some 'Pope' ordered it—that's undeniably heinous."
"We've explained that, my lord. The deceased convert earnestly requested before death—"
"Even if the man himself asked, it's the same. If your parents asked to have their corpses tossed like trash, would you call obeying that filial piety? How do you know it's not senility?"
From the incendiary tablet burnings and Hwang Sa-young's white paper scandal, to Western tales, their past lives, future faith and missions—everything.
The most venomous viper in Joseon slowly, very slowly pretended to be swayed by their fervent pleas over ten days, carefully weighing the missionaries' plans, character, and utility.
And then.
"Good. Yours is a misguided path, but you seem not to have abandoned loyalty to the ancestral shrine and filial piety."
"Thank you!"
"I'll petition His Highness to treat you akin to monks. But unlike those monks, it seems your Pope need only whisper and you'd gladly stir rebellion."
"His Holiness would never."
"So, what if the Pope orders the king's assassination?"
Having silenced them, Yi Ha-eung delivered his verdict.
"As interpreters, teach the Western knowledge you've learned to others. If your merits outweigh your crimes, we'll gradually widen your leeway. Catholics will pay separate taxes and prove their unrusting loyalty when the state commands."
What they had so longed for.
Freedom of faith and proselytism was within reach.
While Yi Ha-eung was reeling them in, Arthur Leigh secured massive loans from the French in exchange for recognizing religious freedom and permitting a grand cathedral in Hanyang.
A true master and his disciple.