Chapter 71
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: Signs of a Crack (2)
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Lin Zexu, the Imperial Commissioner entrusted with full authority by the Son of Heaven and Governor-General of the vital Liangguang region, bit his lip as he felt a cold sweat trickle down his back.
‘What did I just hear?’
Surely, this couldn’t be some kind of joke.
No, none of his subordinates were foolish enough to jest in such a grave situation.
Then what in the world was this?
He had sent them to gather information, but this was beyond anything he could have imagined.
Still, a Governor-General of the great Qing Empire must maintain his composure and calm at all times.
No matter how shocking the report, he must not show any emotional turmoil.
If the Governor-General appeared anxious, it would inevitably affect all the officials serving under him.
Yet, despite knowing this ironclad rule…
Upon hearing Yang Cheng-yuan’s report, Lin Zexu couldn’t entirely suppress the tremor in his voice.
“So… you’re saying the compliant attitude the English have been showing is all an act?”
“According to the man’s words, that is what we must assume.”
“And you’re certain this man, Elliot, is a reliable source?”
“In case my memory was faulty, I have verified everything. Elliot is indeed the former English superintendent who had extensive contact with us since the time of the former Governor-General, Deng Tingzhen. Even back then, he was said to have expressed that while he understood our intention to ban opium, he could not completely disregard the interests of his country’s merchants.”
“A man one can reason with, I see. Indeed, thinking back, something felt strange. That man Elliot was surely removed for being too moderate, yet for his successor to be so excessively cooperative with us is… suspicious.”
If the English had genuinely intended to stop the opium trade, they could have simply told the former superintendent, Elliot.
Since he too was opposed to the opium trade, he would have gladly complied had his home country made such a decision.
“It seems reasonable to conclude that Killian is hiding his true purpose and putting on an act before us. And if Elliot is to be believed, that purpose is to buy time to neutralize our efforts to ban opium.”
“Yes. It seems he intends to continue selling opium behind our backs while pretending to engage in sincere negotiations, and on top of that, he plans to engage in diplomatic maneuvering.”
“The opium smuggling is something those scoundrels have always done, but diplomatic maneuvering… Can he truly be thinking of using Joseon or the Japanese?”
“I do not know. It is too uncertain to say for sure…”
A flood of unimaginable information began to give Lin Zexu a headache.
A calm assessment made it clear that the English had ulterior motives.
But to involve Joseon and Japan?
Unless there was concrete evidence, it was still hard to believe.
“Tell me, Cheng-yuan. Do you seriously think it’s possible for the English to conspire with Joseon to harm us?”
“Theoretically, it is possible, but if you ask whether Joseon has a reason to do so, I honestly do not know.”
“I thought as much. While Joseon’s relationship with us may not be the warmest, are they not still members of our world, acknowledging the Sinocentric order? What reason would they have to join hands with some unheard-of Western barbarians and turn against us?”
“However, it is said that the Japanese have been in continuous contact with the West for some time. Perhaps they might be willing? And as for Joseon, if they were promised some significant benefit, we cannot be certain.”
As he said, it was only a low probability; one could not be certain that Joseon was unconditionally on the Qing’s side.
After all, being backstabbed by one’s own countrymen was a common occurrence; placing absolute trust in another nation was simply nonsensical.
Moreover, while it might not matter with others, the fact that the English representative had close ties to Joseon was troubling.
Blood is thicker than water, as they say. Could he definitively rule out the possibility of the English and Joseon growing closer through Killian as an intermediary?
Of course, the probability was infinitesimally small. Perhaps one in ten, at best. But what if that one-in-ten chance came to pass and they were stabbed in the back?
“Is it true that Killian spoke very favorably of Joseon?”
“Yes. When I asked if it wasn’t difficult growing up in Joseon’s closed society, he replied that it was not at all.”
“That would make sense. He must be a renowned noble in England, so he would have associated with the upper class in Joseon as well. In that case, even if he is a Westerner, they couldn’t have ignored him to his face.”
The fact that he could speak not only Qing Chinese and Korean but also the language of Japan was the most definitive proof.
Being fluent in three languages was something only official interpreters could achieve, yet Killian had apparently reached that level in his childhood.
Even with an extraordinary talent for languages, it would be impossible without systematic education from a young age.
But this raised another question.
“Could there be a reason why Killian was educated to be fluent not only in Korean but also in our language and that of Japan?”
Frankly, it felt like a leap in logic, but the existence of a strong link between Killian, the English, and Joseon was beyond doubt.
“For now, let’s wait a little longer for the messenger sent to Joseon. Their response should provide more clarity.”
“What if Joseon completely denies any relationship with Killian or claims to not know who he is?”
“Hmph… Then our suspicions will only be further solidified. Would you find such an answer convincing?”
“It would be nonsense. Not even worth considering.”
At his confidant’s immediate reply, Lin Zexu gave a bitter smile and nodded.
If Joseon were to send a reply claiming they didn’t know Killian, it would be no different from an official declaration that they had no intention of sharing information.
How could they not know about a high-ranking British noble, equivalent to their own Minister of Rites, who was born and raised on Joseon soil?
Especially if he was educated in the languages of both Qing and Japan, it would mean he had received cooperation from the Joseon side through some channel.
“If a reply truly comes back stating they have no connection whatsoever…”
Then it would be necessary to petition the Son of Heaven and adopt an even more hardline stance.
Perhaps it was time to show them this nation's might once and for all.
Both the Westerners and the surrounding tributary states.
So they could once again clearly realize which nation was the center of the world.
***
About two weeks after I filled Yang Cheng-yuan’s head with gas.
Reports of increased activity on their side began to reach my ears, and the opium merchants seemed to be growing anxious about the Qing’s invigorated movements.
It appeared Lin Zexu was running around with his arse on fire because of the information I’d leaked, which was a very desirable development.
He had probably sent people to Joseon by now to investigate my background, but whatever answer he received would not satisfy them.
The chances of Joseon remembering me were close to zero, but even if they did, the Qing would never accept it as the truth.
“Minister, is it true that the negotiations are progressing well?”
“The atmosphere during our last meeting was very positive. But is there something that concerns you?”
“Well… there are rumors that the Governor-General plans to intensify the crackdown on opium.”
“Intensify the crackdown?”
Strictly speaking, it wasn't as if the official ban on opium sales was a recent development.
But would our ever-so-willful Englishmen listen when told not to sell?
Ignoring the prohibition, British merchants had opened up countless alternative routes to sell opium in Qing, and they were still smuggling and selling it while evading government patrols.
The funniest part was that since they were selling illegally and in secret, they pretended to be Americans instead of British.
When one thinks of ‘opium sales,’ Britain usually comes to mind, but the United States, ever the brother nation to Britain, behaved similarly.
Seeing the enormous profits Britain was making from opium, the Americans had started importing opium made in the Ottoman Empire and distributing it in Qing.
Thanks to the wonderful collaboration of Americans posing as British merchants and the British posing as American merchants to sell drugs, the perception of English-speaking Westerners in the Qing Dynasty was hitting rock bottom with each passing day.
Of course, there was the difference that the United States, still far weaker than Britain, was more mindful of Qing’s reactions.
“They say he will block not only smuggling but also opium transport using Fast Crabs and Scrambling Dragons.”
“Don’t those boats usually anchor outside the authorities' jurisdiction? Do the Chinese intend to directly police these vessels outside their own waters?”
“I don’t know. But if they go that far, I’m not sure what we should do…”
“Do not worry. We are currently engaged in peaceful negotiations, so they will not resort to unilateral coercion.”
To any observer, Killian Gore, the Foreign Secretary of the British Empire, was doing his utmost to resolve this issue peacefully.
If they were to be backstabbed, it would clearly be the fault of the Qing Dynasty.
And the unfortunate victims of this Qing tantrum would be opium merchants like William Jardine and James Matheson.
Coldly speaking, one could call them sacrifices, but I swear I never told them to do it, nor did I have any intention of pushing them.
If the merchants could curb their greed and stop smuggling opium, they would not face the worst possible outcome.
Their losses so far had been significant, but that could be compensated by extracting reparations from the Qing. They could certainly make a fresh start if they chose to.
Of course, human greed would never permit that, so the outcome was as good as decided.
“Did Governor-General Lin Zexu not notify you of anything separately, Minister?”
“I don’t believe so. We have agreed to another round of negotiations next week. Officially, opium smuggling is illegal, but even if they just loosen the enforcement a little, wouldn’t that give you all a lot of breathing room?”
“That alone would be more than satisfactory. In your opinion, Minister, what are the chances of that happening?”
“When I met him in person, both Governor-General Lin Zexu and the officials assisting him seemed very amicable. If we respect Qing’s rights on one hand while diligently creating loopholes on the other, couldn’t we achieve a good result? For now, the ultimate goal is to go to Beijing and meet the Qing Emperor.”
Until now, British ambassadors had never had a direct audience with the Son of Heaven due to clashes arising from cultural differences.
And the other side had no real intention of meeting them, either.
However, if I declared my intent to meet their emperor directly to negotiate, others would perceive our side’s will to resolve the problem as immense.
“In that case… would it be alright to purchase a little more opium from the East India Company? I hear they’re also having trouble with their inventory.”
“Well, it’s difficult for me to comment on such matters. I am a politician, not a merchant.”
“Ah, my apologies. I shouldn’t have asked. In any case, since you said the atmosphere of the meeting with the Governor-General was not bad… I will increase our opium stock for now and watch how things unfold.”
“Yes. I will inform you all of the details as soon as the meeting concludes.”
Just a few words of hope had visibly brightened the merchants’ faces.
To avoid any potential trouble later, I made no definitive statements, but with their eyes already glazed over, they would run their happy little thought-simulations at maximum capacity and interpret things as they pleased.
What was it they called this? Being crushed by a disaster of one's own making?
The opium merchants would accumulate an unmanageable amount of opium stock, and the East India Company would reveal to the world its inability to control this frenzy.
On top of that, if the silver they received as payment for the opium was also confiscated, public opinion would begin to question the very existence of the East India Company.
To put new wine into new wineskins, shouldn’t one first discard the rotten leather one?
There is no need for a cancer cell that not only fails to perform its function but also drags down the entire nation.
Before it metastasizes and spreads to other organs, it must be cleanly excised.
***
1838, Hanseong, the capital of Joseon.
The nation was already in a state of turmoil, troubled by a treason case from a few years prior and conflicts surrounding Catholicism, when another storm broke on a calm day.
Jeong Won-yong, the Minister of Rites and a senior second-rank official in charge of Joseon’s diplomacy, was struggling to keep a string of curses from erupting from his mouth.
“This isn't a joke… Do they really think we’ll just say, ‘Yes, sir,’ and hand someone over if they suddenly show up and demand we find them? How many people live in the eight provinces of Joseon? What kind of bullshit is this, demanding we find someone and give them the information? Sons of bitches.”
Finally unable to hold back, he let out a stream of vulgarities, sighing repeatedly as he looked at the piece of paper transcribing the document brought by the Qing envoy.
“Do any of you have anything more to say on this matter?”
“…”
“…”
“Right. Of course, you don’t. I was a fool to ask.”
He wanted to slam his fists on the desk, but this was by no means the Ministry of Rites’ fault.
Thus, Minister Jeong Won-yong did not utter a single word of complaint to his subordinates.
All they could do was gather in one place—not just the Vice Minister of Rites but also the senior and junior secretaries—and lament their miserable situation.
They had already spent several sleepless nights dealing with the Qing envoy who had barged in without any prior notice, and now they were being told to find a person.
The Vice Minister of Rites, his bloodshot eyes a clear sign of sleep deprivation, finally couldn't bear it and spoke to Jeong Won-yong.
“My Lord, frankly, isn’t this absurd? In vulgar terms, this can only be interpreted as them trying to mock us by making a scene. Does this make any sense at all?”
“Yes. I agree. But what can we do? It is a sacred decree issued by the Son of Heaven of Qing himself.”
“Even so, isn’t there a line that shouldn’t be crossed? To investigate if any Joseon noble or merchant had a child through an affair with a high-ranking English noble, and if so, to find out their exact identity and report back. Why in the world would a noble family of our Joseon have an affair with Western barbarians?”
Since it was a direct order from the Son of Heaven, they couldn't say it to the envoy’s face, but this was a sentiment shared by all of Joseon’s officials.
If the king hadn't been a young boy barely over ten, it wouldn't have been surprising if he had flown into a rage.
From Joseon’s perspective, this was enough to feel that the Qing was treating them as being on the same level as the Western barbarians.
Of course, the Son of Heaven had not sent the envoy with that intention, and Joseon knew this, but it was purely a matter of pride and feeling.
It was so bad that not only the Ministry of Rites but all the other six ministries, and even the three High State Councillors, had gathered to curse the Qing.
“I don’t know what kind of stray dog this ‘Killian Gore’ bastard is, but are they certain he’s from Joseon?”
“I do not know. But speaking frankly, if such a person truly existed, wouldn’t rumors have been rampant throughout the court?”
“Of course, they would have. If a daughter of a noble family had a Westerner’s child, it would have naturally reached our ears without us having to seek it out.”
Above all, this Killian Gore was said to be a high-ranking official, equivalent to Joseon’s Minister of Rites, and a noble of distinguished lineage.
Since Joseon did not trade with the West, if such a person had come, it would likely have been due to a shipwreck, drifting ashore.
In that case, even if he was a Westerner, Joseon, the nation of gentlemen, would not have turned him away at the door.
He would have been treated with the appropriate level of care afforded to other barbarian chieftains and sent back.
And given Joseon’s obsession with record-keeping, it was safe to say that the possibility of such records being lost was nil.
“My Lord, we have reconfirmed that the Ministry of Rites has had no official contact with the English, and we have also confirmed that there are no records of a so-called English noble having stayed in Joseon. This person, Killian Gore, cannot possibly exist in Joseon.”
“This is a real headache. Then for what reason did the Qing demand we produce information on a non-existent person?”
“Perhaps they mean to use this as a pretext to find fault and extort something from us?”
“Extort?”
“It’s just a rumor, but I hear Qing’s relations with the Western barbarians have not been good recently. Should a conflict arise, they might use this as leverage to demand that we send troops.”
It was still in the realm of speculation, but given the precedent of the expeditions against Russia, it might not be an entirely outlandish story.
Of course, it wasn't as if Joseon would say, ‘Yes, take them,’ just because they were asked for troops.
In any case, no matter how one reasoned, the fact remained that this was an absurd demand.
Just as Jeong Won-yong was about to let out another curse.
A junior secretary from the Ministry of Rites, who had been examining the documents, spoke up urgently as if he had just remembered something.
“My Lord, come to think of it, a long time ago… I did hear a story about a slave in some lord’s household who had Western blood. Could it be that this Killian Gore is that slave?”
“What? A slave?”
As Jeong Won-yong shot him a look of disbelief, the secretary hastily bowed his head.
“My apologies! I suppose that’s impossible.”
“Did you not read the document? It says he is a high-ranking English noble, fluent not only in Korean but also in the languages of Qing and Japan. Would you teach your household slave the language of the Qing and the Japanese?”
“My apologies! My thoughts were shallow!”
“If you understand, then let’s just pretend to have conducted a proper investigation and draft a reply to send back to them. That we searched the eight provinces of Joseon as if with a fine-tooth comb, but this person Killian Gore does not exist, and we could not find even a trace of him.”
Those Qing bastards. No matter that they were the suzerain state, their arrogance had recently gone too far.
He didn't know if they were trying to tame Joseon with such a shallow trick or if they were planning to make some outlandish demand, but it wouldn't go as they wished.
For once, even the rival political factions had reached a consensus with surprising speed.
And so, exactly three days later.
Joseon officially drafted and handed over a reply to be delivered by the Qing envoy.
That they had done their utmost to investigate, but it seemed the person named Killian Gore had no connection whatsoever to Joseon.