Chapter 94
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 94
Chapter Title: Joint Operation (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The anxiety I’d felt before returning to England had, as I feared, become reality.
It was all well and good that the measures for the Great Irish Famine and the regulatory act to eradicate opium had been passed, but the problem was that the process had been far too smooth.
Common sense dictated that, while the opium issue might be one thing, my absence from the Irish problem was unthinkable. Yet, the Conservative Party’s confidence was now soaring.
‘The Whig Party? Aren’t they just a vegetable of a party that’ll wither away after the next election? Nothing can stop us now.’
As this kind of optimism ate away at their brains, the Conservative Party’s worst habits began to surface.
“Killian, perhaps… would you be willing to go to Hong Kong for a while as a special envoy to Asia?”
It was the very next day after my meeting with Victoria that Prime Minister Robert Peel spouted this nonsense before me, an apologetic look on his face.
“Are you telling me to step down from my ministerial post?”
“No, no. That’s not it. There’s talk of creating a new position of Special Envoy to Asia on top of your ministerial role and sending you there. Other members and ministers are saying it, and frankly, is there anyone who understands Asia as well as you do?”
“I see. But wasn't I scheduled to lead the investigation committee for the prevention of the Great Irish Famine?”
“Well, that… we’ll have to entrust it to someone else.”
If not me, that position would go to Daniel O’Connell with the same certainty that the sun would rise in the east tomorrow. Were they even thinking?
No, that wasn't it. They weren't saying this out of ignorance.
The grandees of our Conservative Party were simply uncomfortable with a young upstart making a name for himself, so they were asking me to step aside for a bit. That’s what it was, wasn’t it?
Wellesley, being the Duke of Wellington’s son, was accepted as one of their own. But as for me, no matter if I was a minister or Baron Sudley, my roots were ultimately in Ireland.
It meant I had earned the right to enter the elegant salons they controlled, but they had no intention of opening the door for me.
“I heard no such thing in the House of Lords. I suppose this must have come from the House of Commons or the Cabinet.”
“Well… that’s true. But you wouldn’t need to be gone for too long. At most, it won’t exceed two years.”
“So, I should return around the time the famine investigation committee and the opium eradication are more or less wrapped up? How very clear.”
I had already provided all the guidelines.
Their message was clear: we can manage just fine without you now, so stop hogging the spotlight and go sit in a corner.
Their intentions were so transparent that, frankly, I was almost grateful.
This way, we both understood each other's motives perfectly, leaving no room for misunderstanding. Wasn’t that for the best?
I had given the lords a threatening warning, but I hadn’t said much to the Commons, so I had considered this a possibility.
The House of Commons was filled with members serving their fifth or sixth terms. To them, I must have been quite the eyesore.
I suspected their aim was also to put the brakes on the Wellesley faction, whose growth was becoming formidable, by ousting me.
“For now, just be patient. Above all else, we have to win the election, don't we? The election will be over the year after next, so if you return then, I imagine there will be less noise… And if there are still people making a fuss, I promise I will deal with them decisively.”
“Prime Minister, speaking frankly, we could fight this election with our feet tied and still win. Isn’t sending me to Asia just to avoid internal squabbles a clear waste?”
“That’s true, but there’s growing anticipation within the party that we might win over 500 seats in this election. If we achieve such a landslide victory, wouldn't that be a win for us all? Hahaha…”
He must have known that ‘all of us’ didn't include me or Ireland, yet he chose to spin it that way?
It seemed that no matter my achievements, an outsider like me couldn't seize control of central politics on merit alone.
The best I could hope for was to become a faithful yes-man to the power brokers already at the center, and right now, they were demanding I show them that loyalty.
They weren't fools, nor were they reckless louts incapable of judgment.
On the contrary, they were better at reading the situation than anyone, which was why they were trying to tame me with a bit of pressure before I grew any stronger.
If they had just kept their heads down, I would have targeted only those who needed to be dealt with. But since they’ve gone this far, I can now proceed without any pangs of conscience.
This was actually for the better.
“Very well. In that case, I will consider it positively. If the members' minds are made up, my resistance would only create discord within the party.”
“I feel terrible doing this to you after you’ve returned with such great accomplishments. Still, if you go to Asia and sort out that issue of your origins, wouldn't it be beneficial for you in the long run?”
“I suppose one could see it that way. I'll try to think positively, just as you suggested, Prime Minister.”
“Haha, yes. What’s good is good, isn’t it?”
As I unexpectedly backed down so meekly, Robert Peel’s face brightened with relief.
If nothing else, I could agree with that last sentiment he’d just uttered.
As long as he kept his position as Prime Minister and the party maintained its majority, what’s good is good, right?
Since those were his own words, I hoped he’d hold onto that mindset and weather what was to come.
***
While Britain sold opium to the Qing Dynasty, its devastating effects were rarely reported.
It was only natural, as they couldn't very well advertise that they were profiting from a substance that destroyed lives.
By the early to mid-19th century, although there was no scientific proof of addiction, there was plenty of empirical evidence showing just how destructive opium was.
In this climate, as the opium trade began to collapse, British politicians swiftly wiped their hands clean and began the process of cutting ties with it.
Of course, with money already taken, there was no major movement to eradicate it completely.
It was all for show.
It was more of a warning shot, a signal to those involved that a cleanup was coming, so they should mind themselves and find an escape route if they had one.
The general public, naturally unaware of these deeper circumstances, was in the process of accepting the situation at face value.
Until the royal family made its move.
[Opium Seized within Kensington Palace. Queen Victoria Enraged!]
[The Devil's Vile Drug Reaches the Very Heart of the British Empire!]
It was a lie, of course.
No matter how money-crazed some people were, who would be insane enough to distribute drugs in the very palace where the Queen and the royal family resided?
But it was an undeniable fact that a large quantity of opium had been discovered at Kensington Palace. Because I had secretly put it there.
Traditionally, it was against custom for the monarch to make direct requests to ministers or the Prime Minister. However, this was a situation where a stash of opium had been found in none other than the Queen’s own residence.
Victoria used this as a pretext to immediately summon Robert Peel to the palace and request a thorough investigation, while the citizens watched on in dismay.
A clamor arose, demanding that the ruling party and the Prime Minister prove themselves with actions, not just words.
But for the Conservative Party, which had only intended to pay lip service and milk the issue for publicity, there was no viable way to respond.
Once I judged the fire was hot enough, I placed the finest ingredient I had prepared on top.
- William Gladstone’s Whistleblowing, the Vile Truth of Conservative Party Elders
- Punitive on the Surface, Full of Holes on the Inside. How the Conservative Party Sheltered Opium Merchants
- “I tried to raise my voice but was silenced and forced to remain quiet. But I can no longer ignore my conscience. I will resign my membership as a Conservative. For me, country comes before party!” Gladstone’s Confession of Conscience
The Conservatives, whose knee-jerk reaction was to decry it as Whig propaganda, experienced a moment of cognitive dissonance when they realized the speaker was one of their own, Gladstone.
What on earth had gotten into that man? Why was he suddenly making a scene and self-destructing?
But Gladstone, unconcerned, boldly revealed the list I had given him and declared with conviction.
“The names of the Members of the House of Commons who took money from these merchants and acted on their behalf are clearly written here. If you believe I am lying, you may sue me. Mr. Graham, Mr. Austin, am I wrong? If I am, I demand you answer publicly that I am wrong!”
“N-no… Everyone! This is all a lie. Gladstone is slandering me! I never said I would help bring opium into the country!”
“Are you saying, then, that you received no compensation from opium merchants, and that you never engaged in legislative activities for their benefit? Can you swear that you never privately used the power entrusted to you by the citizens for the benefit of drug traffickers? Even when I have proof!”
“W-well, that is…”
The list of individuals Gladstone named exceeded a dozen.
Of course, I had excluded those I could use through a bit of intimidation, like the Marquess of Anglesey in the House of Lords. But the rest, the parasites who did nothing but occupy seats, had to be swept away in this purge.
In truth, they probably felt a little wronged.
It was true they had diligently looked after the interests of opium merchants, but very few had been mad enough to suggest bringing opium into the country.
But what could they do?
Their defense would be, “Yes, I took bribes to protect opium merchants and even argued for war, but I never said to bring it into the country.”
Did they really think that an enraged public would hear that and say, “Oh, I see,” and let it go?
The most irrefutable form of propaganda is always ninety-nine parts truth mixed with one part lie.
Notably, those exposed by Gladstone were all senior members who had served at least five terms.
The fact that these men, who lorded their status as party elders, had been engaged in such disgraceful behavior elicited revulsion not only from the public but also from within their own party.
“Everyone! This was solely the independent action of those men, driven by greed! It is not the opinion of the entire Conservative Party!”
“What do you mean it’s not! Do you think the Prime Minister can get away with claiming ignorance?”
“But… I truly did not know, so I say I did not know. Had I known, I would have done whatever it took to stop this madness!”
“If you knew, you were complicit! If you didn’t know, you are incompetent!”
“Resign!”
The Whig Party, which had been unable to stand up to the Conservatives until now, seized the opportunity and pounced, causing the Tories' approval ratings to plummet.
[Graham and 12 Other Conservative MPs; Heaps of Evidence Found of Receiving Money from Opium Merchants]
[Gladstone Switches Party to Whig, ‘I Will Not Stop My Challenge Until the Politics of the British Empire are Morally Perfect’]
[The Conservative Party in Crisis. How Will Prime Minister Robert Peel’s Leadership be Tested?]
The leadership of the Conservative Party was now firmly branded as a pack of scoundrels who took money to let drugs flood the country.
What was that about winning 500 seats in the general election?
If an election were held now, they’d be lucky to hold onto a majority. Go on, I dare you.
As the saying goes, the bough that bears most hangs lowest. From the moment they decided to persecute a general returning from a great victory, this outcome was inevitable.
You were all too arrogant, you fools.
***
“…”
“Is the situation very bad?”
“…Haaah. Yes. That bastard Gladstone has completely tangled things up. After all the party did to help him rise, he stabs us in the back like this?”
“He was always a man of moral purism.”
In fact, Gladstone had such a reputation for speaking harsh truths that no one in the Conservative Party suspected a conspiracy behind the incident.
They merely cursed him out, thinking the crazy moralist had finally snapped.
“Prime Minister, what should I do, then? When am I to leave for Asia?”
“Asia? Why would you be going to Asia?”
“Just a few days ago, you told me to consider going as a special envoy to Asia. I have been diligently preparing.”
“Ha… hahaha. That was merely a possibility, of course. The situation has changed, has it not? You must take the lead in combating the famine as the head of the Irish investigation committee! Go where? If anyone dares to utter a word about sending you to Asia, I will send them there myself! Don't you worry about a thing!”
My, my. Our Prime Minister’s change of tune would put a weathercock to shame.
It was exactly as I had predicted.
With his approval ratings falling and criticism mounting that he was an incompetent Prime Minister who couldn't even manage his own party, he had no choice but to rack up achievements elsewhere to recover.
And the person who had first championed both the Irish famine relief and the eradication of opium was none other than me.
If he had sent me to Asia under these circumstances, I would have made sure he was forced to step down from the premiership. Fortunately, his ability to read the room seemed to be intact.
“Prime Minister, am I to understand that the matter of sending me to Asia is completely off the table?”
“Of course!”
“I see. That’s a relief. I must say, I would have been rather confused if things were to change again.”
“That won’t happen, so set your mind at ease and please, just deliver a major success in Ireland. If there is anything I can do to help, do not hesitate to ask.”
Robert Peel, his demeanor a 180-degree turn from a few days ago, watched me with an awkward, deferential smile.
It was a lifeline I had intentionally thrown them, but for the Conservative Party, another major event that could shift public opinion was just around the corner.
[Queen Victoria Scheduled to Visit Ireland]
If they could prove their competence here, they could at least maintain the label of being capable.
“Do not worry. Everyone will soon know for certain that I am Ireland’s only hope.”
No sooner had the opium scandal begun to settle than rumors began to spread that the Queen herself would visit the region to listen to and communicate with the citizens.
As they say, strike while the iron is hot. With the continuous, proactive, and patriotic actions of the young Queen, not just Ireland but the entire British Empire was watching her movements with keen interest.
At this very moment, I would show the entire nation exactly who Ireland’s savior would be.