Chapter 85
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: The Aftermath of the Storm
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A place he once believed without a doubt to be the center of the world.
Beijing, the capital of the great Qing Dynasty.
“Hah…”
Witnessing a situation he could never have imagined when he first arrived, Kim Jwa-geun sighed repeatedly, lost in his worries.
How could he possibly organize everything he had seen and felt here to convey the shock effectively to the court?
At first, he had thought he must return as quickly as possible to spread the news of this monumental event throughout the eight provinces of the nation.
But upon returning to Beijing, he realized this would be no easy task.
The ones who made him realize this were, absurdly, the other members of his own delegation.
“Haha, it seems the shock was great for you. But this too is a storm that will pass with time, so there is no need to worry so much.”
“My lord, is this not too fierce a tempest to be called a storm that will simply pass? Nanjing was swept away, and Beijing itself nearly fell into the hands of the Westerners.”
“But in the end, did we not block them successfully through negotiations?”
No… is that really how one could see it?
We didn’t block them through negotiations; we were utterly fleeced, handing over enormous concessions. What in the world was he talking about?
At first, Kim Jwa-geun wondered if Jo In-yeong had gone senile, but then he recalled a crucial fact.
He was the only one who had accompanied them to the negotiations. The others in the delegation to Qing, including the Grand Scholar Jo In-yeong, had not moved a single step from here.
He was the only one who had seen what an alien presence Killian Gore was, how he had steered the negotiations with his silver tongue.
They still mistakenly believed that Britain was just a barbarian nation with brute strength.
“My lord, the damage Qing has suffered this time is not something that will simply pass with time. The British have no intention of killing or saving Qing; they plan to plant their influence in this land while sucking its interests for a very long time. And with this treaty, they have perfectly achieved that goal.”
“Even so, are they not just Westerners? It’s not as if we’ve never seen barbarians like the British before. The Liao, the Jin, the Yuan in the past—all were nations that began as barbarians, but they were eventually absorbed and civilized by the Middle Kingdom. The British may seem like an exceptionally strong barbarian tribe, but in the grand sweep of history, this is not such an unusual occurrence.”
“That’s exactly what I mean when I say they are different. If you had witnessed the negotiations yourself, my lord, you would feel as I do. They are not merely strong; they possess cunning and wisdom.”
“I have heard as much. But isn’t that because the one in charge of the negotiations was born in our Joseon? They say he was raised and educated in Joseon during his childhood, so he must know the ways of Confucianism. Naturally, he would be different from the other common Westerners.”
Was he planning to dismiss it by claiming Killian Gore was the exception, not that Britain was exceptional?
In truth, the Grand Scholar’s words were not entirely baseless.
As he said, the history of the Middle Kingdom’s dynasties kneeling to barbarians was surprisingly frequent.
The Song dynasty had been beaten by the Liao, Jin, and Yuan in turn, and had not the Ming dynasty ultimately fallen to the Later Jin, leading to the rise of the current Qing?
But as the Grand Scholar said, all of them were eventually absorbed into the order of the Middle Kingdom.
No matter how much the British ran rampant, in the long flow of history, they too could not defy the order of the world.
That was the gist of his logic, and it seemed likely that most of Joseon’s scholar-officials would think the same way.
“But until now, the barbarians did not conquer the dynasties of the Central Plains by being technologically superior, did they? They relied solely on barbaric and violent force, specializing only in horsemanship and combat. But the British are different. What barbarian in this world could manufacture such unbelievable ironclad ships and cannons?”
“Think of it simply. If the Mongol barbarians roamed the world on horseback, today's Western barbarians are burning it down by ship. The horse has merely been replaced by the ship. Can't we just think of them as Mongols on boats?”
“…Hah. I understand. Even so, shouldn’t we at least prepare thoroughly? There is no guarantee in this world that we will not be Britain’s next target.”
“You said you spoke with that man, Killian Gore? What was he like? Could he be so wicked as to be hostile to the country of his birth? Even if he holds a post in a Western country, a man who knows the ways of Confucianism could not be so.”
Kim Jwa-geun had complied with the Qing’s absurd demands not only because he couldn’t refuse, but also to learn more about Killian Gore.
If he truly was of Joseon origin, they needed to know his stance on Joseon to prepare accordingly.
He had expected that meeting and speaking with him directly would clarify things one way or another.
But how should he describe it?
Honestly, instead of his mind becoming clearer, it felt as if an even thicker fog had descended.
“One thing is certain: he is not entirely on our side. When I asked if he considered himself a man of Joseon, he answered in the negative.”
“Hmph… Is it because his roots are of Western blood, then? It cannot be helped. Still, for the land of his parents’ birth, one’s arm should naturally bend inward.”
“But it’s a bit more subtle than that. It seems someone persecuted him for not being from Joseon when he lived there. It was likely because he was a half-breed with Western blood. Perhaps that is why he holds negative feelings towards Joseon?”
“…He was persecuted in Joseon? Wait, then it’s not just that he doesn’t consider himself from Joseon. Is it possible he hates Joseon?”
That was precisely the problem. Indifference would be one thing, but if he had negative memories of his time in Joseon, he might resent the entire nation.
What if, instead of favoring his birth country, he decided to seek revenge and brought an army?
How could Joseon possibly fight a nation that had sent an expeditionary force on a half-year journey by sea to crush the Qing?
Even if they managed to defend themselves, the extent of the damage was beyond imagination.
“From what I saw, Killian Gore is very young. I heard he has not yet reached the age of thirty, and I suspect he is only around twenty. In other words, there is a possibility he might act on emotion.”
“Was it true that he is young? If so, to have reached a position equivalent to a minister before the age of twenty, he must wield enormous power in Britain.”
“Therefore, we must prepare. Even if Britain is eventually absorbed into the order of the Middle Kingdom like the other barbarians of the past, if they come charging at us with guns and swords now, it is we who will bleed. We need to find out exactly what Killian Gore experienced in Joseon. And if it was truly an unjust affair, we must make some gesture of appeasement.”
“Hmm… If we can avoid conflict that way, then it would be wise to do at least that much.”
His original intention had been to argue that while Joseon’s spirit and soul should be maintained, they should at least study Western military technology.
But seeing how things were going, if he brought that up, he’d be immediately branded a heretic and done for.
Even those who had gone to Beijing with him and witnessed the Qing’s humiliating treaty seemed to have not yet grasped reality. How would the high officials back in Joseon react?
He didn’t even need to see it to know.
“Then I will organize our experiences from this trip, writing down only the objective facts and excluding any personal opinions.”
“Yes, please trouble yourself with that.”
Killian Gore was not just familiar with Joseon; he was so well-versed in its affairs that he had asked if Kim Jwa-geun was from the Andong Kim clan just by hearing his name.
It was self-evident that making an enemy of such a man would not end well.
But Joseon, in its current state, would not move properly no matter what he said.
In that case, he had no choice but to become someone who could direct the nation’s path himself.
Just as his father, Kim Jo-sun, had done in the past, the nation of Joseon must ultimately be led by the Andong Kim clan—and specifically, by him.
Feeling the weight of this destiny, Kim Jwa-geun resolved to begin a thorough search for the person who had persecuted Killian Gore as soon as he returned.
***
After the Joseon delegation returned to their home country, time passed.
Tokyo, the heart of the Edo Shogunate.
“So, the Qing Dynasty no longer has the power to lead the world order.”
“That is correct.”
The current Shogun, Tokugawa Ieyoshi, carefully read the report handwritten by his aide, Toyama.
No matter how many times he read it, the contents were so shocking he could not help but be astonished.
It was no different from the letter he had previously received from the Dutch, but he never imagined the war would conclude in such a manner.
“If the British were to try and force us to open our ports, could we resist?”
“…That great nation, the Qing, was defeated so helplessly. Even if we were to resist, we would have to be prepared for tremendous damage.”
“Hah. Why must such a dilemma arise at such a time?”
Toyama had said they would suffer massive damage, but there was no guarantee they could successfully resist even with that damage, which only made his head ache more.
Had they not rampaged from Guangzhou through the Zhoushan Archipelago to Tianjin, laying waste to the coast as if it were their own backyard?
In other words, if they so chose, they could freely roam the entire archipelago and paralyze all the coastal cities.
“I heard the British commander is of Joseon origin. If he is friendly towards Joseon, could we perhaps mediate through them?”
“That seems unlikely. I observed the atmosphere of the Joseon delegation before they left, and they seemed just as confused. If the representative of Britain, who brought the Qing to its knees, were friendly to Joseon, would they have reacted that way?”
“True. It is unlikely that someone of mixed blood would have been treated well in Joseon. Then we must assume Killian Gore holds a grudge against Joseon.”
As he tilted his head in thought, a brilliant stratagem flashed through his mind.
Killian Gore was born in Joseon.
But he was ostracized there and thus holds ill feelings toward the country.
Could they not use this to their advantage?
“Toyama, is there any way to find out what Killian Gore’s status was in Joseon?”
“I do not know. Shall I have our merchants who trade with Joseon investigate?”
“Yes. And if possible, try to find out his stance towards us. I hear he is fluent in our language, so it might not be impossible to form a good relationship.”
“Are you planning to establish diplomatic relations with Britain?”
Although the Shogunate received various information and goods from the Dutch, its fundamental policy was one of seclusion.
But if—if they could secure the backing of the West’s strongest nation, one that was clearly more powerful than the Qing, perhaps it was worth considering official diplomatic ties.
“Only if we are certain that we can establish a favorable relationship with them.”
Frankly, the Shogunate’s own situation was not very good.
The reforms attempted by his predecessors had not been very effective, and the success of the major reforms currently being prepared was uncertain.
The Shogun’s authority was steadily declining, while the power of regional domains like Satsuma and Choshu was growing stronger.
If he could not re-establish his foundation during his reign, the Edo Shogunate might never regain its former glory.
That could not be allowed to happen.
If the Emperor represented the Yamato people, it was the Tokugawa bloodline that must always lead them.
Therefore, here…
“Wait. The Tokugawa bloodline?”
The Shogun, who had been wracking his brain, slapped his knee at the sudden stroke of genius that had occurred to him.
That’s right. Why hadn’t he thought of this before?
Was there not a masterstroke that could kill two birds with one stone—improving relations with Britain through Killian Gore and even strengthening the Shogun’s authority?
In Killian Gore’s body…
If they were to say the blood of Tokugawa flows… all their worries would be resolved.
It was such an astonishing concept that even the Shogun himself felt a shiver of excitement.
***
Though the war was over, as the commander-in-chief, I could not return home immediately.
There were complex issues to sort out, such as the implementation of the treaty, the appointment of officials, and the procedures for preparing the reparations.
This meant I might have to stay here for another three to six months.
And that was on a very tight schedule.
“There are ten ports to be opened, and the ceded territories are quite distant from each other, so we need to establish administrative structures and basic infrastructure. I’ve informed the home office that Charles Elliot will be the chief superintendent for Hong Kong, and Admiral George will be appointed governor for Shanghai and Tainan. They’ll have no reason to object, so it should be approved.”
“Thank you, Minister!”
“Once you return home, Minister, you have nothing but success ahead of you. I truly look forward to your future endeavors.”
“We’ll see. I wish things could be smooth from here on out, but unfortunately, I wasn't born for such a life. The number of people who dislike me will only have grown from this, not shrunk.”
At first, I’d be hailed as a genius who cleared Britain’s blocked arteries in Asia, but that praise would have an expiration date of one, maybe two years at most.
People’s attitudes change as quickly as when they enter and exit a restroom.
After a while, the very members of the British Parliament would be at my throat as if they’d forgotten everything.
Besides, unlike others, I had far too many vulnerabilities they could attack.
Irish. A half-breed with Eastern blood, no less. And young to boot?
Possessing all three of these sacred treasures, it was wishful thinking to hope I wouldn’t be checked.
So far, I had been fine under the shade of Wellesley, who was steadily becoming a powerhouse in the Tory Party.
But now, my achievements were too great to allow me to hide in that shade any longer.
Inevitably, there would be areas Wellesley couldn’t cover.
One might ask what I had to worry about as a minister in the current cabinet of the majority Tory Party, but my enemies weren’t only in the Whig Party.
The biggest threat to a rising young politician was often not the opposing party, but the elder statesmen of their own.
—That young punk is too arrogant.
That reason alone was more than enough justification to crush a young politician, regardless of party affiliation.
Of course, I had no intention of letting them walk all over me, but it was a bit sad to think that what little humanity I had left was about to take another hit.
“But Minister, surely the citizens won’t stand by and watch them make the foolish choice of antagonizing the man who has spread the prestige of the British Empire across the world?”
“Checking or crushing me doesn’t mean they’ll actually try to oust me. Of course, they might try if they think it’s possible, but they’ll attempt other methods first.”
As long as it was proven that no one could match my expertise in Asian affairs, they couldn’t carelessly get rid of me.
However, that very fact also gave them an excellent means to keep me in check.
—No one can match Killian Gore in Asia, so he must remain there as the commander-in-chief. He is the only one who can stop France or Russia from making moves in Asia.
A few well-placed words like that would allow them to secure both justification and practical gain, and the public would surely support it.
If I were in their shoes, I would definitely use that method to drive me out of the central government.
Admiral George, who had spent most of his time fighting enemies on the battlefield with guns and swords, looked utterly dumbfounded by my words, finding them hard to believe.
Surely they wouldn’t go that far?
Amazingly, they would. That was the nature of politics in this era.
“Does that mean you will be returning to Asia soon, Minister? If so, we should start preparing…”
“No. That won’t be happening for a while. I might return someday, but not now.”
Just because they came at me that way didn’t mean I had to play along.
Why else did I shake down the opium merchants for information and send James all the way to America to find what I needed?
Asia isn’t the only place that needs Killian Gore.
Once I made that fact clear, no one would dare suggest sending me to the periphery.
The preparations for my next act were already complete.
All that remained was to make a triumphant return and enjoy the fruits of this war’s victory to my heart’s content.
Just as I was striking a pose, radiating an air of having everything under my control, a messenger entered with several thick letters.
“Minister. An urgent personal letter has arrived for you from the Edo Shogunate.”
“What? The war just ended. Already?”
You had to give it to them; they were quick on the uptake.
Seeing the British Empire effortlessly crush the Qing Dynasty must have made them want to get in on the action.
“Let’s see. ‘Congratulations on your great victory. For a general with Asian blood to achieve such a triumph is tantamount to a victory for all of Asia…’”
It was what I expected, but I couldn’t help but let out a dry laugh at their subtle attempt to brand me as a symbol of Asia.
The Qing were also Asian. If I was Asia’s representative, then it was a fight between Asia and Asia, so of course Asia would win.
But as I continued reading the letter with a smirk, I came across a phrase at the end that I had never imagined, and for a moment, I was dumbfounded.
—Our research has raised the possibility that the great General Killian Gore may be a descendant of the first Tokugawa Shogun, Lord Ieyasu, who ushered in the era of the Edo Shogunate. Should this be true, it would be a great blessing for both our nations. We shall conduct a more detailed investigation and write to you again…
What was this now? Who was a descendant of whom?
They were talking about me, right? Not someone else?
I never imagined that upon learning I was of Joseon mixed blood, they would try to muddy the waters like this.
Were these people insane, in both a good and a bad way?
After a moment of stunned silence, I burst out laughing.
At the same time, a brilliant idea struck me like lightning.
If I were to subtly leak this to Joseon, wouldn’t it spark an unprecedented soap opera of a war? It was a shame I didn’t have any popcorn.
I never thought such an unexpected form of entertainment would fall into my lap before I even left Asia.
Humans really are amusing.