Chapter 125
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 125
Chapter Title: A Joyful Wedding
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Saint Petersburg, the capital of the Russian Empire.
Karl Nesselrode, who had taken control of Russia's foreign policy after Nicholas I, the 11th emperor of the Romanov dynasty, came to power, was deep in thought.
So far, things had been smooth for Russia, which had earned the nickname "the Gendarme of Europe" for its active intervention in European affairs.
The once-unstable power structure now showed no signs of wavering, having solidified into a perfect autocracy under Nicholas I's reign.
However, Russia's attempts to finish off the declining Ottoman Empire were repeatedly thwarted by the checks of the British Empire.
It felt as though with just one more push, they could completely drive out the Ottomans and take their place, but with the British Empire and France in the way, the opportunity never came.
If things went well, they could seize the entire Black Sea and reap enormous profits not only from land trade but also from maritime commerce.
He wondered if the time would come with just a little more patience, but looking at the current situation, he couldn't be so sure.
Those islanders, for some reason, were always frothing at the mouth, harping on about warm-water ports and interfering every time Russia made a move.
Of course, securing a warm-water port would be ideal, but for Russia, to whom it was not yet the primary objective, it was simply baffling.
However, it was only natural for the British Empire to judge that Russia would become a tremendous threat if it obtained a warm-water port and began to build up its naval power.
As Foreign Minister, Nesselrode was prepared to accept that clashing with the British Empire was an unavoidable fate as long as the Russian Empire did not abandon its expansionist policy.
But honestly, lately, he had been seething at the islanders' hypocrisy.
They threw a fit whenever Russia tried to expand even a little, yet they themselves were poking around everywhere, expanding their own territories.
Not content with devouring the vastness of India, they had snooped around the Qing Dynasty and finally succeeded in planting their flags in several strategic locations.
They say it’s romance if I do it and an affair if others do it, but was it noble expansion when they did it and a wicked war of conquest when Russia did?
The more he watched, the more he saw it as a truly petty and childish display.
Still, if it had ended with the Qing Dynasty, Russia would have probably just spat on the ground, cursed them for being unlucky, and moved on.
But now, these bastards were stuffing large numbers of Irish into their colony, Canada, and relentlessly expanding westward, enlarging their territory.
Fine. Canada was a colony, and the lands they were now occupying were ownerless, so let's say that was acceptable.
“But this is not. What? A noble with the blood of Koreya (Корея) and Yaponiya (Япония) is marrying the Queen? Aren’t these bastards complete thugs? Their objective is so painfully obvious!”
The news that Queen Victoria was marrying a man named Killian Gore had, of course, reached Saint Petersburg through the ambassador.
When Nesselrode first saw the report, he couldn't suppress a rising sneer.
He had heard the name Killian Gore before and was well aware of him.
A capable thug from the island nation who had played a major role in beating down the Qing Dynasty and seizing its key territories.
He'd heard the man was so talented he'd become the youngest minister. For such a person to become the Queen's husband was, in itself, plausible.
The problem was that they were holding a grand wedding, spouting ridiculous nonsense about him inheriting the blood of the Korean or Japanese royal families.
Killian Gore was an Irish nobleman. How on earth could an Irish noble have mixed blood with a country from the far East?
In Europe, where intermarriage was rampant, it would be strange not to have mixed blood, but Asia was a different story.
Nesselrode was certain the moment he heard the news.
“Those islanders, who know next to nothing about Asia, must be clumsily fabricating things based on their own common sense.”
They must be overlooking the fact that while mixed royal blood is common in Europe, it is unheard of in Asia.
Fabricating things was their business, but what Russia needed to pay close attention to was why they were going to such lengths to hold this wedding.
Could this not be seen as a clear intention to actively intervene in other Northeast Asian countries, following their actions in the Qing Dynasty?
If Koreya or Yaponiya fell into the hands of the British Empire, Russia might be unable to take a single step toward the sea, no matter how it expanded its territory.
That could not be allowed to happen.
Absolutely not.
“France can’t be unaware of the British Empire's intentions… They’ll surely send someone to observe this wedding. It seems I need to witness the situation myself.”
Normally, congratulations for a royal wedding would be conveyed through an ambassador, but this time, the circumstances were different.
Karl Nesselrode, responsible for Russia's foreign policy, decided to personally verify the British Empire's diplomatic course under the pretext of congratulating the Queen on her wedding.
And surprisingly,
Nesselrode was not the only foreign policy chief to reach this conclusion.
France's Minister of Foreign Affairs, François Guizot, conveyed his intention to attend Queen Victoria's wedding with the exact same purpose.
And just like that, the wedding in the British Empire became a meeting ground for the ministers responsible for each nation's foreign affairs.
***
-French Minister of Foreign Affairs François Guizot scheduled to visit to congratulate Her Majesty Victoria on her wedding.
-Russian Foreign Minister Karl Nesselrode expresses his desire to attend Her Majesty the Queen's wedding.
-Austrian Empire's Foreign Minister and State Chancellor Klemens von Metternich to attend Her Majesty the Queen's wedding…
What is this? Since when did a wedding become a diplomatic summit?
Of course, it wasn't just anyone, but the Queen of a nation getting married, so it wasn't at all strange for high-ranking officials from other countries to attend.
But for all the foreign policy chiefs to flock here as if by appointment, I had to assume there was another reason.
And thinking it over, there was really only one plausible explanation.
“Is it because of my background?”
The ambassadors of other nations wouldn’t be idle, so they would have collected all my personal information and reported it to their home countries. To them, my identity must have seemed so suspicious it shot through the roof and into the stratosphere.
It was hard to avoid the suspicion that the British Empire was planning to use this marriage as a starting point for more blatant expansionist policies in Asia.
I couldn't say such intentions were entirely absent, so their reading of the situation was correct.
Even so, I hadn't expected so many ministers to flock here. I suppose it was a testament to how formidable the British Empire's presence was to the European nations.
“No, but why are these documents continuously coming to me, the groom-to-be?”
This is something the Foreign Secretary should be handling. Who is the Foreign Secretary right now?
I wanted to fume, but who else could it be but me?
If I had known this would happen, I should have said I'd step down from my ministerial post as soon as the wedding was announced.
By foolishly insisting on keeping my position until after the ceremony, I was now stuck working right up to my own wedding.
No, the work itself wasn't the problem. It was that I would have to greet those ministers who were coming here with their tempers all flared up.
If it were just one, maybe, but how many were coming? Was I supposed to meet every single one of them?
I considered just sending the under-secretary, saying the groom-to-be was too busy, but I couldn't do that when considering the national interest.
It was precisely at times like these that I needed to talk my way through it, to ease their wariness and pump them full of hot air.
And by projecting an image of working hard for the benefit of the British Empire even on the eve of my wedding, wouldn't I be able to gain some public favor?
After these pragmatic calculations, I made my way to meet the minister who had arrived from France, despite my wedding being just around the corner.
“Good day. Welcome to the British Empire. I am Killian Gore, the Foreign Secretary of the British Empire.”
“My… I never imagined that the man who will become the Prince Consort of the British Empire would come to greet me in person.”
“Though France is a neighboring country, a minister from another nation has graced us with his presence. It is only natural that I come myself. And in a way, you have come to celebrate my wedding, have you not? That makes it all the more fitting for me to be here. Hahaha.”
“Haha, now that you put it that way, it does sound quite plausible. To be honest, I was very keen on speaking with you, Minister. It may be a bit delicate to say this, but I mean no ill will. It’s just that… you have a very impressive background.”
I expected a bit more ceremony, but is he getting straight to the point?
Since I have to meet several others, his directness is actually quite welcome.
“To be honest, I was surprised as well. Frankly, I was completely unaware of my Eastern lineage.”
“You were completely unaware of your background?”
“Of course. I came to the British Empire almost as soon as I was old enough to remember. Since no one told me, how could I have known which family’s blood I carried?”
“Indeed, it is impossible for one to know of events that occurred before one’s own birth. But then, how did you come to know you were of royal blood? Did the British Empire conduct its own investigation?”
The question was laced with the suspicion that we had fabricated it, but on this matter, at least, I was perfectly confident.
Because I hadn't interfered in the slightest with Joseon and Japan's grand fabrication contest.
This was all their own doing, something I hadn't even asked for.
“No. I was truly astonished myself, but it seems Japan and Joseon conducted their own investigations. In truth, our country did absolutely nothing. In fact, I heard this news while I was in Canada. I was incredibly bewildered at first. Just thinking about it now still makes me chuckle.”
“Those two nations conducted their own investigations and announced it themselves?”
“Yes.”
If we were the ones fabricating it, there would be no shortage of people trying their utmost to expose it. Would we be mad enough to meddle in a matter of lineage like this?
If Joseon or Japan were to immediately say, "They made it up! We never did such a thing!"
Imagine how gleefully France or Russia would issue statements denouncing us.
I'm sure François Guizot here, and Karl Nesselrode who is on his way, have that as part of their objective.
They would want to mercilessly pounce on any suspicious detail to bring shame upon us.
But, as absurd as it is even to me, neither I nor the British Empire had any involvement in this, so they could investigate for a hundred days and still come up empty-handed.
If they still want to try, I won't stop them.
“Then… it seems the British Empire and those two Asian nations may establish friendly relations in the future. Are such talks already underway?”
A sensible person wouldn't answer that question directly, but I deliberately shook my head.
“No. Joseon and Japan are likely unaware that I am even marrying Her Majesty the Queen. And we currently have no intention of actively intervening in Asia. If we were to approach them brandishing my lineage, wouldn't our intentions seem too blatant? Her Majesty does not wish for this wedding to be perceived in such a way.”
“Ah, I see. It seems I have misinterpreted the fruit of your true love in an overly political manner. I offer my apologies.”
“Not at all. The reason I say this is because I am well aware that this marriage cannot help but be seen in that light. That is why I wish to reveal my and Her Majesty's true feelings and dispel any misunderstandings.”
“I see. I understand. I, too, shall offer my sincere congratulations on your and Her Majesty the Queen’s wedding. I wish you both a long and happy life together.”
“Thank you. Then I shall see you again at the banquet later.”
After a warm handshake, I left the French embassy and immediately summoned an official.
“You called for me, Minister?”
“Yes. I need you to send a message to the Governor of Shanghai immediately. Is that possible?”
“Of course. What message should I convey?”
Seeing how François Guizot was probing, I could guess what they wanted to do.
It's a widely known fact that in the original history, Japan opened its ports under pressure from the United States, so many people are unaware that Joseon almost suffered the same fate at the hands of France decades earlier.
I recall hearing that France, having intervened in Vietnam, planned to extend its influence to Joseon as well, but in a display true to their nature, they only made a spectacle of themselves before being rescued by the British army.
That was supposed to happen in a few years, but now that we have the ability to influence Joseon and Japan at any time, France must be eager to stake its claim as quickly as possible.
“Send word to Joseon and Japan, and to Vietnam as well. Tell them the… French… might dispatch a fleet, so they should be prepared. And tell them to let us know anytime if they need help.”
How dare they try to have all the fun themselves, showing up to someone else's wedding without even a gift?
Still, being the generous person I am, I don't concern myself with such trivial matters.
I can just collect the wedding gift myself.
I never said we would intervene first, but if they ask for help, that's a different story, isn't it?
I didn't lie, not a single word.
Now then, let's wait with joyful hearts and see what amusing antics our Frenchmen will perform in Asia, and what answers Joseon and Japan will give.