Bargaining for the Tombs
Prince Qing, Yikuang.
* * *
The year 1906 arrived, bringing with it a warm spring. Manchuria was still quite cold, but at least the season had improved things somewhat. I had no idea how long I would remain here. At the very least, once the war ended and Yi Beom-yun descended to secure the Korean Empire, I would follow him south. The reason I could stay safely in Shenyang was partly because I now held the title of Russian count, but the Qing had also sent envoys several times. And today, they finally dispatched Yikuang. Sending a prince of his rank meant they had something important to discuss.
The Prince Qing standing before me looked quite advanced in years, but to me he was nothing more than an old Manchu. “This land belongs to the Great Qing. Cease your invasion and occupation of neighboring territory at once, and return what you have taken.”
“As a count of the Russian Empire, I lawfully received Southern Manchuria. How is that an invasion? Russia seized Manchuria long ago, and the Qing never lifted a finger to stop it, did they not?”
They still thought Korea was an easy target, even after it had grown into something far larger. “Manchuria remains our land, and you are Korean! I know full well that you led troops here and slaughtered our Qing subjects without mercy!”
Listen to him. Anyone overhearing this would think I had committed some petty theft. It was absurd. I had marched under the grand cause of avenging King Injo and reclaiming the old territories of Goguryeo. It was never about plundering Manchuria’s wealth.
“How unjust. I am merely a Russian count. Southern Manchuria was granted to me as a fief by His Majesty the Tsar.”
“Then you will have to move the tombs of our Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong as well.”
Oh. So the loss of Shenyang had shaken them more than I thought. Naturally—they held the tomb of Hong Taiji, the very man who had subjugated Joseon. They wanted to negotiate before suffering further humiliation. This was clearly the main point they had come to raise. But I had no intention of agreeing. Unfortunately for them, those two tombs were precisely the ones we planned to desecrate.
If we sent Nurhaci’s and Hong Taiji’s bones to Hanseong and put them on public display, even Gojong would be pleased. After all, it would be a fitting reversal of the humiliation Joseon suffered under Injo. I had no particular desire to tie this to the disgrace at Samjeondo, but the Qing’s willingness to move the tombs meant they were effectively ready to abandon Manchuria. They were afraid of us now. In the original history, the Qing forces had been repeatedly crushed by the Sapodae and lived in constant fear of losing Manchuria to Korea.
“I am sorry, but as a Korean I cannot hand over the remains of Nurhaci, who scorned Joseon, or Hong Taiji, who inflicted the humiliation of Samjeondo. Their remains will not be returned.”
“So you are a Korean only when it suits you, and a Russian otherwise! How despicable, you wench!”
He slammed the table and shot to his feet in fury. If he was so offended, he could go ask the Russian Tsar for a noble title himself. I found the whole situation ridiculous. The fact that they were panicking over Korea gradually occupying Manchuria was laughable enough, but coming here to demand the return of those corpses was even more absurd. What did they think those old bones were worth?
Still, I had plenty of reasons to refuse. “My sovereign is both His Majesty the Tsar of Russia and His Majesty the Emperor in Hanseong.”
“How dare you! What kind of vassal chooses his own liege?”
He was laboring under a misunderstanding. It was purely a formality. I had no intention of actually serving Gojong as my lord. “Have you forgotten how the Jurchens who once served Joseon grew strong enough to proclaim themselves emperor and torment us? Or do you simply choose not to remember?”
“That was ages ago! Now that you have attached yourselves to the Japanese and even declared yourselves an empire, is that not enough? How long do you intend to cling to ancient grievances?”
I was not that petty. Such matters were for the House of Yi to worry about, not me. They accused us of declaring an empire by clinging to Japan, which struck me as rather rich. I shook my head with a smile. “We will not return them.”
“Then what do you intend to do?”
“We will send them back to our homeland for disposition. It might be fitting to bury the remains of your Emperor Taizong, who brought about the humiliation of Samjeondo, in front of King Injo’s tomb.”
Gojong would likely do far worse if it served his authority. Now that he fancied Korea a civilized nation, he might not go so far as to desecrate the corpses, but he would at least want to humiliate them somehow. Prince Qing’s face turned deathly pale. He waved both hands frantically. “No! Absolutely not!”
“Of course, depending on how seriously you take my words here, I may be willing to negotiate in my capacity as a Russian count.”
This was the advantage of selective nationality. Using the countship granted by the Tsar in this manner was rather convenient. Negotiation itself was not difficult. “Negotiate? What are your terms?”
“We must keep some insurance, so we cannot return everything. Since there are two sets of remains, there will be two conditions.”
Or he could accept just one. His fists were clenched so tightly they trembled. “What is it you want?”
“It is only natural. Although I am Korean, relying indefinitely on the Tsar’s support feels somewhat awkward. I intend to develop things independently, but funds are rather short at the moment.”
“You want development funds for Manchuria?”
“The ancestral homeland of the Manchus seems rather shabby. Consider it an investment in your own former home. Why not contribute some capital?”
“Is that all?”
“Additionally, formal recognition of Korea’s sovereignty over Manchuria. A written declaration that the Qing relinquishes all claims to the region.”
I deliberately made the demands large. Either one would suffice. I never expected the Qing to accept both anyway. If they refused one, I would simply push for the other, just as I had done with Russia. “You insolent wench! If the Great Qing dispatches a great army—”
The Qing sending a great army? Did they think the Northern Army of the Korean Empire was a joke? Unlike the weak image Korea had shown when Japan overran it, the Northern Army had proven itself elite through constant fighting against Boxer remnants, rebels, and Qing forces. Even if hundreds of thousands of queue-wearing troops swarmed in, we could handle them.
“I would be perfectly fine with that myself. But you should remember this: our homeland is allied with both Britain and Japan.”
I had not expected to use that card here. It had originally been for dealing with Russia, but the logic still held. If Korean troops in Manchuria were attacked, Japan and Britain would have no choice but to intervene. They would likely jump at the chance for major gains. Japan might even use the opportunity to push northward from Fujian, which would only hasten the outbreak of a Sino-Japanese war. And if that happened, as long as Japan respected the interests of the other powers in China, the Qing would be powerless to stop them from carving up the country.
The Qing might find the Korean army in Manchuria troublesome, but if they committed their full strength they could probably defeat us. Yet even then, they would not emerge unscathed. And if that Korean army was allied with Britain and Japan—the very powers that regularly humiliated the Qing—then the Qing would find it far harder to act. Especially since I was also a Russian count. If pressed, I could even request troops from the Tsar.
“How long do you think those two countries will protect you?”
Was he mad? It would be fortunate if they did not swallow us whole. They certainly would not protect us. Of course, the Qing had plenty they could take from us, so as long as I held the moral high ground for now, it would be enough.
“Even without those two nations, the Qing is no longer our match. One hundred of our soldiers can defeat a thousand of yours, one thousand can defeat ten thousand, and ten thousand can defeat a hundred thousand. Do you truly believe your once-glorious Eight Banners or those disorganized Han Chinese rabble can stand against us? Look at the situation realistically.”
At least Prince Qing was not as foolish as Empress Dowager Cixi. He could hold a conversation and understood their current predicament. If they tried to retake Manchuria with a massive army while fighting Russia, Britain, and Japan simultaneously, who would win? Gojong would not send reinforcements for fear of escalation, but he would at least supply materiel to prevent losing Manchuria. Even if the Qing somehow reclaimed the region, they would not do so intact. Prince Qing knew this, which was why he was only bluffing now.
“Manchuria is non-negotiable!”
Of course. The Qing had already lost most of its army and territory; only its pride remained. Losing Manchuria to Korea would reduce the imperial court in Beijing to rootless Manchu remnants. Internal chaos would surely follow.
“Then you will have to give up at least one set of remains. Will you provide the development funds instead?”
I would keep Nurhaci’s remains for now. I had only expected to receive one anyway, and Hong Taiji’s would be more useful for settling the score of Samjeondo.
“Very well. What happens then?”
“We can return Emperor Taizu’s remains to the Great Khan of the Manchus.”
Hong Taiji’s, however, would go to Hanseong. Sending it there might ease Gojong’s suspicions toward me, if only a little.
“Understood. But do not think this ends here.”
“Pardon?”
What nonsense was he spouting now?
“The Qing will surely return to repay the humiliation we have suffered.”
Repay the humiliation. He dared say that to me? How tedious. These people lived comfortably in the palace, freeloading off a semi-colonial empire while the rest of us clawed our way through a dog-eat-dog world just to survive. And they had the gall to talk about humiliation?
“You call this humiliation? You grovel before the great powers, begging for your lives and offering everything you own. Yet when a former tributary like Joseon pushes back a little, you rage as if the world has ended. Do we still look like a weak nation you can push around?”
I was struggling to keep my temper in check. This insect was becoming far too bothersome. An old man like him should have known better. I could understand their pride was all they had left, but why should I care?
“What did you say?!”
Even if we were destined to clash with Japan someday, I had no intention of tolerating the Qing any longer. Watching him whine without grasping reality was repulsive. He reminded me of a spoiled child relying on his parents’ protection. I could end this right now by cutting his throat and starting a war between Korea and Qing. Japan’s attention would shift to China, and even if they targeted us later, they would have to deal with China first.
“Even if we perish, we will drag the Qing down with us. If we survive, we will trample the Qing beneath our feet. But one thing is certain—we will never allow the Qing to reclaim Manchuria and reduce us to vassals again.”
Did Prince Qing and Ito Hirobumi both see me as some kind of joke? He muttered something under his breath, then stormed out in a huff. I laughed freely until his retreating figure disappeared from sight. I had grown quite accustomed to this world. Even a pathetic Manchu whelp like him now seemed merely amusing. If only Japan would go mad and start fighting China instead of us, perhaps everything would collapse nicely.