War Doesn't Change #2
I'd left behind a mountain of military supplies produced in the Korean Empire for the Philippines. Well, I needed some plausible deniability too. In this era, it was common knowledge that military shipments went missing. Those vanished supplies got repackaged into canned goods at local forts, then sold off to revolutionaries across Southeast Asia under Andres's guidance. Wrapped in newspapers touting Philippine liberation and editorials on the growing rift between Britain and the Netherlands, no less.
Ammo disguised as canned beef for export. Gold dust smuggled back into the Korean Empire as canned fruit. I'd orchestrated this flow with a single gesture from the moment of Philippine liberation. Following directives from Pyongyang, Chinese peddlers shuttled bundles from the Korean Empire to Taiwan, then to the Philippines, unpacking and repacking them endlessly. Revolutionary Andres slapped expiration dates and labels on those mystery cans, hawking them to his comrades, then took his cut from the returned tins before bundling them up again. They needed gold right now if their cause wasn't going to collapse tomorrow.
Those two who'd joined hands had nothing left to fear. They were like fish in water. The overseas Chinese brokers bridging them? It was a feast. "Double if you buy, tenfold if you sell!" Sure, the margins weren't as fat as drugs, but in this slump, beggars couldn't be choosers. Pirates from the South China Sea crossed the waves eagerly. Years passed like that. And now, in 1900, Japan's brass—having seen the Korean Empire's investments pay off—opted to watch and see if this wild scheme would pan out.
The Korean Empire had been quietly buying up Japanese goods these past few years, bundling them with their own and flipping them like this. It left a weird taste. Sold or not, should they be happy about it? They'd spotted them in the Philippines and figured we must've sold them directly—then felt a bit sheepish learning the Korean Empire had bought them up. "Let's just watch for now?" "No room for us to butt in, so let 'em use our ships. They're selling anyway." So they decided to sit tight. Knowing Japanese goods were moving too made it bearable. It kept the ghost of bankruptcy at bay. Deep down, they agreed with flattening British noses—and if the Korean Empire got its wrists slapped by Britain, big brother Japan could step in, arms crossed, and extract a "thank-you fee" while at it.
This might've been Japan's first taste of a "free ride." Markets expanding just by breathing—best to stay put and let it ride. And as I said before, those canned sales weren't just cans. That'd get tails stepped on too quick. Someone's backing turned those tins into Trojan horses stuffed with domestic and Japanese manufactured goods. Southeast Asian revolutionaries tilted their heads at the pricey imports but snapped up the "brand-new bullets" thrown in as bonuses.
Japan just breathed, and their goods flew off shelves. "Buy Japanese, folks!" "Japanese goods come with free ammo!" For revolutionaries, it was simple: swap pricey British stuff for even pricier Japanese. Yeah, like those editorials fretted with worried concern—no better time for revolution. That's why they outsold demand. As the pieces noted, with Dutch-British tensions boiling, it was prime time. Southeast revolutionaries, chatting with Andres and eyeing recent Philippine events, started thinking, Hey, why not us? Then South Africa's bombs went off, Dutch and British glaring daggers?
"Ever seen those two masters at each other's throats like this?" The Dutch claimed strict neutrality, but Britain's concentration camps in South Africa were so brutal—even Dutch folk who'd never warmed to Boers felt pity. No wonder Hitler later misread Britain as a potential ally. "Time for revolution?" "You too?" "Me too." In that vibe, Japanese goods—no, bullets—sold like hotcakes. Who wouldn't want one more shot before the end? Revolutionaries sensing opportunity scraped gold from family, kin, even in-laws. That gold got sealed in fruit tins labeled "payment" and shipped out.
Thus amassed spears—no, rifles—flared up like embers as the Boer War wound down. They saw this as their last shot: "Toss those sea pirates back into the depths!" Southeast Asia was historically gold-rich, wealthy by any measure. Just squatted on by British and Dutch pirates, turning it poor. Britain grabbed Singapore and the whole Malay Peninsula because plunder covered costs. Even after pirate raids, the underlying wealth endured—like India. They had protocols for native unrest. When uncontrolled riots hit per plan, Britain and the Netherlands whipped out naval guns first. Only difference? Not one foe, but two. Right next door.
Britain and the Netherlands, facing rising resistance in Southeast Asia, eyed each other on the Boer War's tail. Each suspected the other of stirring it—backing the unrest. Britain always fretted the Dutch swapping Southeast Asia for Africa like New York. The Dutch figured Britain was finally swallowing it whole. Britain's ambitions there weren't new. Where'd those guns and ammo come from? Britain, obviously. No surprise. Just look at fellow Anglo-Saxon America and its Mexican shakedown. With South African resistance fading, Britain dumped excess supplies on half-Dutch natives for sure. To sneak into the fray. All "damages" were agitprop fabrications. Savvy Dutch pirates sniffed it out. "Time to cull the herd anyway." Philippines freed by natives? Time to remind them who's boss. Spot British meddling? Protest while at it.
Thus sailed the original hater-of-the-Koreans, the Netherlands. Right then, the Korean Empire's Supreme Leader hosted a luncheon for the newly arrived Dutch envoy to Korea.
"…Why so many oranges?"
"Heard they helped the Netherlands win freedom and nationhood. If they displease you?"
"No, not at all… I'll enjoy them gratefully."
Staring glumly at top-shelf LA oranges? Belly full of fire, eh.
"So your—not my—royal rubber plantations all burned?"
"Yes."
"We Dutch plan total effort to end this unrest fast. Rest easy."
"Good to hear. Though you should tell the owners directly?"
"Fair. We'll send someone to assess damages precisely."
"Appreciated."
Pieter Simon Hamel Jr., new Dutch envoy to Korea. Sadly, no memory from my past life. My history knowledge was always shallow. But I read faces well. Classic diplomat. Figured they'd send a fresh pirate for the post, but no quiet madness like the last one. Or maybe not yet. Nice mustache, though. I toasted the fresh envoy with fresh-squeezed orange juice. He looked mighty uncomfortable. Can't have that. This world lacked 21st-century diplomats everywhere. Weak nations had no sovereignty, no envoys. Gojong sent special envoys to Dutch Hague, not diplomats. Past life taught me of Eulsa Treaty horrors like Korea alone suffered—but living here? Meh. Like Koreans shrugging off North Korea nukes. Whatever—as long as it wasn't me. Britain and France just carved Hong Kong and Guangzhou suburbs from Zhonghua Republic. Starting to think they could nibble us too. My line: anywhere but Ganghwa Island. Geoje? Jindo? Fine. Home of Jindo dogs, anyway. If they want 'em, I'd seriously rename them English dogs. French? Offer dog soup. Problem: they'd 100% take Ganghwa. Capital in Hanyang? That's New York with Statue of Liberty raped. Nation falls. Trembling and moving capital to Pyongyang doesn't mean I abandon Seoul. More bargaining power if I could, but symbolic as hell. Cultural hub for old nobles. Emperor bunked in Sejong—no, Gyeryong City—but most royals still in Seoul. Ganghwa occupied? Seoul threatened? Mandate questioned. Qing Palace fell post-Opium War. Quiet Chinese now think revolution time? Won't hand them that content. Enjoy Shinhae Revolution on Earth-1.
"Excellency? Something on my face?"
"Fine mustache."
"Yours too, Excellency."
"Enough pleasantries."
I covered my mouth like for a whisper.
"Fancy more investment in Dutch Indonesia? Possible?"
"State or personal funds?"
"Personal. Too many nations wary of Korean Empire's southern push."
"Agreed. But I hear you're rejecting British battleships? Misunderstanding?"
"True. They'd just toss obsolete hulks. Our southern policy's coastal trade anyway."
"Better nimble, fast, cheap hulls than big, heavy maintenance sinks."
Dutch-style ships, obviously.
"Agreed. How much personal investment, and where?"
"Rubber plantations tough?"
"Tough. Locals are busy, but saplings don't sprout overnight."
"Transplanting, but existing farms torched—too many ahead."
"Should've done sapling business, not rubber."
"Haha, true. But new contracted lands have saplings shooting up."
"Relief."
"How about palms? Hot lately. Oil galore—lube jackpot. Mild toxins, harmless."
"Noted."
Business chit-chat over juice turning to booze, ripe moment—I dropped the hook.
"Union Jacks and Rising Suns you saw en route."
"Seems those two are alliance-bound."
"That Britain? Nah."
"Japan's vibes aren't bad."
Dutch saw recent British press sour on Japan as rival. But Japan figuring "bend fully, ally up"? Envoy saw plausibility. As he pondered, I continued.
"Big prey, even hyenas pack up."
Anglo-Japanese Alliance. Unthinkable to Dutch who knew Britain—but under it, Netherlands' fate?
"Frankly, worried. Together, what's off-limits?"
"No."
"Recent events nag. Secret Anglo-Japanese pact?"
"Southeast to Britain, Korean Empire to Japan?"
"Can't shake the thought."
"Won't happen."
"Good. Just saying—we won't go quietly."
I showed detailed manifests of Japanese ships' massive cargoes scattered across Southeast Asia, especially Indonesia.
"Unverifiable, duplicates galore. No Korean port stops—we can't track."
"Just know mystery cargoes keep moving. Philippine stockpiles leaking too."
"If not, might not link us."
"…"
"No clue on the picture."
"For impossible Anglo-Japanese to gel, Japan owes Britain first. Not equals."
"That's the worry."
Envoy's face went whiter than paper.
"Thanks for the gift. But unverifiable—no reciprocation. Understood?"
Rushing to end the tête-à-tête, the envoy pondered. Homeland thought opportunity struck—but induced? Gaining Southeast edge, only to lose bigger? Britain hadn't demobilized fresh troops from South Africa. Could drop hundreds of thousands. If they storm Indonesia, fabricate "evidence" flipping the script—we're the plotters? Homeland already deployed. Rushing over "native hoo-ha" drew skeptical eyes. Game over. Homeland safe, but distant Southeast? Europeans care? Japan sells Dutch for British alliance. Japan takes Korean Empire with British aid. Unthinkable. Indonesia is Netherlands' future. Won't yield even if homeland razed. Time ticking—envoy fired off the missive.
That Dutch envoy's urgent wire? Nabbed by a British ship, Suez-routed, flipping UK parties. Result: once internally floated then scrapped Anglo-Japanese Alliance—denied into oblivion via declaration of the Punitive War on Japan. Passed.
In this era, wars sparked from the slightest flutter.