Chapter 168
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 168
Chapter Title: The Hidden Powerhouse (4)
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In the 19th-century British Empire, the center of power was, without a doubt, the Parliament.
And within it, the House of Commons, filled with a growing pride that it was surpassing the House of Lords to become the true representative of the nation, was not about to take such a political offensive lying down.
Naturally, a press conference was not a trump card exclusive to the House of Lords.
"This is a malicious smear by the House of Lords, intended to denigrate the House of Commons, the representatives of the people!"
The members of the House of Commons who spewed these unusually harsh words were not limited to the Whig Party.
This affair was clearly becoming a confrontation between the House of Commons and the House of Lords, not a battle between the Tories and the Whigs.
Of course, men like Wellesley and Disraeli did not step before the reporters themselves.
The reason was simple.
‘We are known as politicians who are privately close to His Highness the Prince Consort. If we take the lead, we could actually worsen public opinion.’
Some argued that the Prime Minister should be taking a more active role at a time like this, but he refused the members’ demands, claiming he would immediately be framed as a traitor the moment he stepped forward.
However, he did not simply stand by with his arms crossed.
"Backstabbing is a specialty of the House of Lords, not the House of Commons. For the Lords, of all people, to criticize the Commons over a matter concerning the Prince Consort is utterly absurd!"
Who was it that had attempted to tame Killian after his heroic performance in the war against the Qing Dynasty?
While many of them had been senior members of the Tory Party in the House of Commons, they had already lost their seats.
But the House of Lords, with its lifetime appointments, was a different story.
The aristocrats who had incited then-Prime Minister Robert Peel, only to cut ties the moment things took a strange turn, still held their seats in the House of Lords.
Wellesley discreetly passed a list of these members to the Whig Party.
Gladstone and Palmerston immediately seized upon the issue, continuing their daily barrage of criticism, questioning whether the Lords were in any position to blame the Commons.
"Do you truly believe it is right for those who tried to oust a man returning victorious from war to criticize us in this manner? The members of the Commons who sought to expel the Prince Consort at the time all took responsibility and resigned from Parliament. Yet in the House of Lords, do not the very individuals who orchestrated that situation remain in their seats? We cannot possibly condone this shameless act of slandering the House of Commons!"
Logically, this was not a move that effectively refuted the House of Lords' claims.
But in the court of public opinion, such diversionary tactics often proved surprisingly effective.
Wellesley's scheme—to drag the House of Lords into the mud with them instead of proclaiming their own innocence—worked better than expected.
The citizens who remembered why former Prime Minister Robert Peel had fallen realized the House of Lords had also been involved and began to condemn their hypocrisy.
"So they were just putting on airs of nobility. In the end, those bastards are no different, are they?"
"Aren't they all the same, whether it's shit or diarrhea?"
"Boooo! Get out! Get out! All politicians are nothing but filthy scoundrels!"
It was a method where both sides became losers rather than one emerging as a victor, but what mattered was preventing the other side from winning, wasn't it?
Neither the House of Commons nor the House of Lords.
They were not unaware that, driven by malice, they were mutually destroying their reputations by continuing a media war that dredged up each other's dirty laundry.
But if you’re a fool whether you win or lose, shouldn't you at least try to be the winning fool?
Still, their objective of ceaselessly muddying the waters to induce political fatigue among the citizens seemed to be succeeding.
Until a major scoop broke in the *Morning Post*.
[Conscientious Confession from an Influential MP! "Parliament Has Already Abandoned Its Conscience!"]
["This incident was indeed a scheme by the House of Commons. The Commons has been continually plotting to reduce the Prince Consort's political influence."]
["The reason for recommending the Prince Consort as a candidate was also a ploy to exploit the relationship between the two who love each other. Because the Prince Consort and Her Majesty the Queen were so deeply in love, it was easy to use the pretext of supporting their love. The Whig Party proposed the idea to sever the political influence of the Prince Consort, who was on a rising trajectory at the time."]
Typically, newspaper articles citing anonymous whistleblowers are nothing more than delusions, featuring fictional characters who don't even exist.
This scoop, however, presented a concrete timeline and solid evidence.
The claim that the Whigs knew about Killian and Victoria's relationship beforehand was, of course, a lie, but everything else was true, leaving them with no room for rebuttal.
After all, it was a fact that they had proposed the marriage to keep Killian in check.
‘Mr. Disraeli, are you really just giving us such valuable materials?’
‘Of course. But as you know, it cannot be revealed that I provided this. Remember, it must be attributed to an anonymous MP.’
‘Of course. This will surely make our sales jump once again. Mr. James will be very pleased.’
In a situation that was turning into a grand competition to see who in the British Empire was the best backstabber, the *Morning Post's* massive exposé sent shockwaves.
"Good heavens, to think they would involve the Royal Family's marriage in such a political scheme! What on earth is the House of Commons thinking!"
"This matter has nothing to do with our Tory Party! It was a proposal initiated by the Whig Party..."
"But the Tory Party agreed to it nonetheless!"
"No matter how rife with intrigue politics may be, there are lines that must not be crossed! How far are they planning to go?"
The revelation that they had used not just any ordinary dirty trick, but the marriage of this nation's Royal Family—the Queen's marriage, no less—as a tool of political strategy caused the scales of public opinion, which had been precariously balanced, to tip completely once more.
While the Queen and Prince Consort were said to have been in love from the start, meaning no harm was ultimately done, that did not grant Parliament a pardon for its methods.
The means used to achieve their goal were simply too insidious and distasteful.
"The Whig Party must explain itself! Gladstone and Palmerston must immediately apologize to the citizens!"
"The Prime Minister, who failed to control the opposition, also bears responsibility! The Prime Minister must apologize as well!"
"We elected you to govern, not to give you our votes so you could take down someone who dedicates himself to the nation!"
"If you have any conscience, you'll all resign! Hold another election and let's clean house!"
The grueling war of attrition, which only served to tear themselves down, had finally come to an end.
The House of Commons, the supposed representatives of the people, had been completely abandoned by the citizens of the British Empire.
***
[Citizens' Denunciations Continue Daily. What Will the House of Commons Decide?]
[Can Her Majesty the Queen truly exercise her power to dissolve Parliament? "Entirely possible," experts unanimously agree.]
[The Royal Family Finally Steps Forward! Buckingham Palace Press Conference Scheduled!]
Hmm, the fire is blazing, showing no signs of dying down.
Indeed, nothing is as effective as controlling public opinion through the press.
The battle between the House of Commons and the House of Lords ended in a victory for the Lords, a result of both sides dragging out nearly all of their dirty secrets.
But if the Lords were to unilaterally beat down the Commons, wouldn't their egos become too inflated?
That's why I deliberately had Wellesley attack the Lords.
If Wellesley had remained passive, the Commons might have grown suspicious, so it also served as a smokescreen to obscure my relationship with him.
The goal was to instill in the public the perception that while the Commons was the most malicious, the Lords were also disliked. Looking at how things are unfolding, the plan appears to be a grand success.
The *Morning Post*, having been the first to obtain information from both the Lords and the Commons, has now firmly established itself as the premier newspaper in the British Empire, and with it, I have secured a firm grip on this nation's media.
The former owner who sold the *Morning Post* to James must be kicking himself right about now.
But it was time for this delightful media war to draw to a close.
People were beginning to feel weary of this tiresome battle among politicians.
I could feel a sense of political cynicism taking root throughout London—the idea that all politicians were the same, all of them trash.
What was needed now was someone special who could melt the hearts of these citizens.
And that very person everyone was waiting for.
When the Royal Family finally broke its silence with a press conference, the attention of not only the newspapers but the entire British Empire was focused on it.
What would Queen Victoria say?
What criticisms would Killian level against the outrageous behavior of Parliament?
Everyone expected the Royal Family to deliver the final blow to the House of Commons, which was now gasping for air, barely clinging to life.
The citizens, with anticipation for justice to be served.
The House of Commons, with terror of dissolution.
Amid the focused gaze of all, Victoria, who spoke first at the press conference, had a voice that was surprisingly calm and composed.
"While it is unprecedented to have reporters inside the palace like this, I have judged that society has become so chaotic recently that I could not simply remain silent. This matter, in particular, is related to the Royal Family, and I felt it was my duty as the head of the Royal Family and the Queen of this nation to express my opinion directly. I wish to state beforehand that this is my only intention in gathering you here."
The hands of the reporters taking down the Queen's words moved at a terrifying speed.
In the silence, filled only with the sound of pens scratching across paper, Victoria slowly continued.
"For the Parliament responsible for this nation's politics to do nothing but blame one another, continuing unproductive discussions, is a loss for the entire nation. At a time when we lack the hours to further develop the British Empire and improve the lives of our citizens, I feel a deep sorrow that time is being wasted on such matters. Therefore, my husband, Killian, who is also the cause of this recent turmoil, will now state his opinion on this affair. And I hope for a swift end to this deplorable situation."
A true queen who, unlike the Parliament that engages in disgraceful political strife, prioritizes the lives of her citizens even at a time like this.
Following Victoria's poignant critique, I stepped forward, and a barrage of questions rained down from the reporters.
"Your Highness! What are your thoughts on the House of Commons' recent bill?"
"It is said that both the House of Commons and the House of Lords have plotted to keep Your Highness in check. Were you aware of this?"
"When you were recommended as a candidate for Prince Consort, did you know it was part of a plan to keep you in check?"
"Please, everyone, calm down. I will answer your questions one by one. First, regarding the statement that both the House of Lords and the House of Commons tried to keep me in check, that is true. But is not politics a place where competition and checks are considered natural? It is not just I; all members of Parliament are checked by others and, in turn, check someone else."
As a statement that seemed to surprisingly defend Parliament came from my lips, the reporters who had been excitedly preparing to write their articles showed visible signs of confusion.
They must have expected me to completely crush Parliament on this occasion.
"But the means were so vile and vulgar that the citizens' anger is piercing the heavens. In particular, many have opined that the attitude of using even the Royal Family's marriage as a tool for political strife is unacceptable."
"It would be a lie to say I was not displeased. However, I love Her Majesty the Queen and wished to make her the happiest woman in the world. That is why I accepted Parliament's proposal. If I had not had feelings for Her Majesty, I would certainly not have resigned my ministerial post. But I, too, agree with the opinion that such political maneuvering should be avoided in the future. While they say all is fair in politics, an individual's private life must be thoroughly respected."
"Those are truly generous words. Perhaps you can say such things because the love between you two is so deep."
The reporters, who had been frantically transcribing my words, threw out their final question.
"You have not yet answered the first question. What are your thoughts on the bill that became the root of this affair, the one specifying the authority of the Prince Consort?"
If I were to criticize Parliament's pathetic political scheme here and declare it unacceptable, the lifespan of the current administration would be over.
Of course, if all the blame was shifted to the Whig Party, Wellesley would be able to narrowly escape, and he himself likely believed I would crush the opposition party in just that way.
No, not just Wellesley, but everyone here. Perhaps even the members of the House of Commons, anxiously awaiting my decision from outside, thought the same.
Denouncing the atrocities of the Commons and leveraging the support of the citizens would open a path to intervene in domestic politics at will. What politician in the world would refuse such an opportunity?
To refuse would mean that person truly had no interest in the politics of the British Empire.
The answer that Killian Gore—who had soared as the youngest minister before becoming Prince Consort and had since wielded immense influence in Canada and Asia—would give was decided from the start.
Everyone was certain of it, and for that very reason.
"Regardless of Parliament's intentions, I believe the traditions of this country must be properly respected."
The answer that came from my lips was a conclusion 180 degrees different from what everyone had expected.