Preparations for the European Tour
Preparations for the European tour. * * *
Stockpiling resources while still weak would only draw contact from the Great Powers. I needed to present myself as at least somewhat stronger first. The Musan mines were tempting, but mining and beneficiation technology remained the bottleneck. Even developing the Sinuiju mines had required Great Power assistance—what hope was there otherwise? Besides, our government had only just been properly established, and I was still personally dragging every other sector forward by the collar. So Musan could wait.
“That gold mine you handed over to Allen is proving rather troublesome.”
The one I’d given Allen. I’d at least clawed back some equity from it.
“It was originally something Gojong threw away before the Japanese army killed him. I squeezed out a share by threatening nationalization, so it’s fine. And it’s not as if that’s the only gold mine we have.”
I’d have to ask around on Daeyeok Gallery later. Gold to dig, tungsten to dig—busy times.
“You are truly remarkable. Are you truly the shaman the Russians speak of?”
“Resources are easy enough to guess from Joseon-era records alone. Think whatever you like. Though, more importantly—”
It really was time to make that trip to Europe. Above all, this was around when Fritz Haber would be developing nitrogen fertilizer. I needed to get there before it was commercialized and secure it for ourselves. With nitrogen fertilizer, productivity would rise.
“I should go to Europe.”
“At a time like this?”
Precisely because it was a critical moment.
“Even if the legations have already been notified, I ought to go in person and inform them properly, head bowed. Besides, I have preparations to make, so I won’t be leaving immediately.”
Look at our situation. We had just deposed the emperor and proclaimed Goryeo. To Westerners, what even was “Korea”? They might let it slide, but I had already told them I would visit Europe myself.
“Isn’t that too subservient?”
We had no choice but to be subservient. Japan had learned the same lesson by kowtowing.
“We are only now stepping onto the international stage. We are merely bowing our heads to the white nations who arrived ahead of us as our seniors.”
Not that I intended to go groveling for investiture or anything. Heh. Our imperial family was so incompetent that we had to drag them down! While delivering that line, I could also hand out red ginseng as gifts. Red ginseng presented by Korea’s Joan of Arc—how could they possibly refuse? Whether French or German, would they turn down something marketed as an aphrodisiac?
“So that was your deeper intention.”
“Ah, before that, I should finish the book on Yi Sun-sin.”
The title could be something like The Chronicle of Chungmugong. I had been writing it for a while but had not yet published it. Only the final polish remained, so I could release it now. Even in the 21st century, stories of Admiral Yi sold well. He had been heroized in Japan too. Since the Western powers were already familiar with Japan, releasing it there first might not be a bad idea.
“You mean General Yi Sun-sin?”
“Yes. The German crown prince seems to like him.”
Since I had already promised fan service, there was no helping it. I planned to weave in a touch of Hongikism as well—portraying Yi Sun-sin as the pure general who fought to protect the Korean people’s right to survive.
“Ah, I see.”
Before departing, I would need to test whether stories of Chungmugong had market potential abroad.
Goryeo Ministry of the Army
I decided to show the draft of The Chronicle of Chungmugong to Allen first.
“Minister of the Army. I appreciate the invitation, but surely this is enough. What are you trying to make me do this time? I already helped establish the provincial bank. If you keep summoning me privately like this, strange rumors might start.”
Anyone listening would think I was blackmailing him. What could the Minister of the Army of a country the size of a fleabite compared to American territory possibly want from a United States citizen?
“Oh come now, after everything we’ve been through together, you’re saying this is enough? What do you mean by that?”
I was going to keep using him. The fact that America hadn’t replaced him yet meant one of two things: either they disliked him and had sidelined him, or they had taken an interest in Korea and assigned their Korea specialist, Allen, to the post. Given how unexpectedly cooperative America had been, the latter seemed more likely.
“Do you know what they say back home? They mock me, asking if my mother is Korean! I’ve become known as someone who favors Korea. That’s why I can’t return home and am stuck here, isn’t it?”
Oh, that was rather nice to hear. At least by our standards, Allen being mocked was a good thing. His discomfort was none of my concern.
“The home government was pro-Japanese until recently, so isn’t it natural they would say such things to an ambassador who has turned pro-Korean?”
“No, that’s not—”
I pretended not to know much about aircraft.
“Anyway, I have something to show you this time. What do you think of this?”
“Anyway? Do you even know what humiliation I’ve suffered because of you— What is this?”
What else? A book I wrote. Be grateful. It was only the beginning, but I had written it directly in English. The Universal Language ability really was versatile.
“I wrote it. I plan to circulate it among the other ambassadors as well, but whether an Eastern work lagging behind white civilization will find acceptance in the West is another matter.”
No point getting ahead of myself. If it had no market potential, I could always polish it up and give it only to the German crown prince.
“Hahaha. So now you’re publishing books? Let me see.”
Allen accepted the manuscript with a weary expression, as if he had seen it all, and began to read. It was only the prologue anyway, so he could finish it quickly.
“Well? Waiting must be boring.”
“???”
“???”
Allen alternated glances between me and the book, then adjusted his glasses. That unpleasant face—what was that supposed to mean? This was written by you? Nonsense. That was the look. He had been impressed at first, but when he looked at me he smirked, exactly like that.
“Don’t lie. How could a woman who swings an axe around have written something like this?”
If he weren’t a diplomat, he would already be buried somewhere in Hanseong by now. I still had to maintain the dignity of the Minister of the Army. At least until this country was properly on track, I had to endure.
“So, does it have market potential?”
“Do you think I’m omnipotent? The Hanmi Bank was only possible with help from my home country. I gave some advice, yes, but a book? I’m not so idle that I can come running whenever Your Excellency calls.”
Fair enough. He seemed to be working hard to sell red ginseng to America. Probably to avoid being hit by my axe.
“Well, if even Ambassador Allen, who has experience selling Koreans here and there, finds it appealing, then it should work in the West as well.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake. It wasn’t selling people, and that was ages ago. Ahem.”
“So will it sell in the West? He’s a figure who was heroized even in Japan, our enemy.”
In the future it would probably sell well regardless. Admiral Yi Sun-sin wasn’t mere mindless nationalism—he was a legend recognized worldwide. And I wasn’t bad at writing either. Even if I was ignorant about everything else, I could write. The old man had probably given me the Universal Language because my foreign languages were otherwise hopeless.
“Hmm. At this level, it’s not bad. You would likely receive the same answer from the other legations.”
“Really? Not because of the axe, I hope.”
I hadn’t even brought out the axe this time.
“No. And please handle most matters over there yourself. I’m already out of favor back home and in an awkward position.”
Not my problem. Well then, time to summon the other ambassadors too. Then something occurred to me. What if I showed it in Japan as well? If I spread it in Japan, where they were already heroizing Yi Sun-sin while steeped in Hongikism, what would happen? I decided to visit the Japanese legation, the most sensitive one, and show it to Ambassador Terauchi Masatake as well. After all, Yi Sun-sin’s enemy at the time had undeniably been the Japanese army. Of course, that was long before the Meiji Restoration, back in a feudal era dominated by clan loyalties.
“Please come in.”
So I invited Terauchi to show him the manuscript.
“For what matter have you summoned me?”
“I wrote a book this time. Would you take a look?”
“Do you think I have that much free time?”
The Japanese had been extremely wary of me lately. If we want to devour Joseon again, we have to kill that bastard. It wasn’t the usual fostering of pro-Japanese collaborators—this lunatic had called him over for some new insanity.
“I’ll give you some of the red ginseng we made for export.”
“Ahem. A novel set during the Bunroku campaign, you say. Well, we also have records of the Joseon campaign… Hmm?”
As Terauchi Masatake read on, he stroked his beard, eyes gleaming. The man who had been ignoring me moments ago now frowned as if he couldn’t accept what he was reading. So it worked?
“Well, Japan is a civilized nation, so let’s view it objectively, from a third-party perspective. What do you think? Aren’t you a rational country that can even highly evaluate a general from an enemy nation like Yi Sun-sin?”
Even if they were unpleasant, they were the ones who had acknowledged Admiral Yi Sun-sin. Their direct evaluation was trustworthy.
“Mmm. Is this all?”
Encouraged by the positive reaction, I couldn’t help feeling smug.
“Of course it’s just a sample. I have to show it to other ambassadors besides you, so I can’t reveal the finished work yet.”
My hands weren’t made of steel. If I wrote a full volume for everyone, my fingers wouldn’t survive. And time was passing while I wrote.
“Hmm. Then if this succeeds as a book, how many volumes do you plan to write?”
Oho. From his reaction, he seemed interested. It was amusing to see a man who would later become Governor-General of Korea acting this way. Wanting to see their own sworn enemy heroized still deserved some credit. Judging a book on its merits and respecting an enemy commander—that was one of their strengths. A suitable market for selling.
“I plan to divide it into Part 1 and Part 2 around the Battle of Chilcheollyang. I intend to describe Won Gyun’s crushing defeat in detail as well.”
“Ho. I thought you only carried an axe around, but I didn’t know you had literary talent.”
Want to die, you bastard? I wanted to retort but held back. Besides, if I spoke in Korean he probably wouldn’t understand anyway. I was still debating whether to say something when—
“This is quite a masterpiece. Especially since you’re even releasing it in Japanese, are you aiming for publication?”
“Of course, if your country doesn’t want it, I’ll try elsewhere. Though at the time we weren’t exactly allies. We only established friendly relations recently after a war.”
That aside for this guy. I knew Yi Sun-sin films had been released in Japan too, but the current Japanese government probably wouldn’t like it? Except for the young officers influenced by me. The government itself would reject it just because they hated me.
“Well, that’s true. But at this level… it’s quite a masterpiece, so it might be acceptable. Though it’s a shame the author is the Gando Administrator.”
The bastard suddenly looked at me and frowned. Should I provoke him a little?
“Well, your country’s situation is still quite difficult, isn’t it?”
“Even so, we’re not so poor we can’t buy books. Thanks to certain people it’s very difficult, but that’s not something I should hear from your country.”
“Then you’re saying it’s all right to publish in your country?”
“That’s something I’ll have to discuss with my home government. Regardless of anything else, the fact that the author of this book is—”
The problem was that I had written it. After all, I was essentially second-in-command after Yi Beom-yun right now.
“Very well. If you wish, do so.”
I liked this about them. Even while heroizing their own enemy and fawning over him, they still made for an easy market. I hadn’t expected simply sending it to the German crown prince would lead to this. The other ambassadors also reacted positively.
“Oh my, so this is the introduction to the book you mentioned showing us when you visit the German Empire? I think I would enjoy reading it.”
“If you make the title a bit more accessible for us, that would be good. At the very least, including this hero’s name would be best, wouldn’t it?”
“If it’s something written by Korea’s Joan of Arc, it wouldn’t be bad at all.”
As thanks, I also gave red ginseng to those who read and gave positive feedback. When I called it an aphrodisiac, they loved it to death.