Leashing the Lion with Hong Kong and Sudan

Britain, which had been waiting patiently, was baffled as to why Korea wouldn't hand over Hong Kong to them. Korea knew it, China knew it, so Britain knew it too—Hong Kong wasn't all that useful to Korea. So, who would Hong Kong be most valuable to? Obviously, Britain itself, right?

Britain had assumed Korea would naturally gift them that prime piece of real estate as an alliance anniversary present. Hadn't they even wrapped it up nicely? Sure, it wasn't the old Hong Kong with unlimited access to the China market via treaty port status, but they could live with that. Korea itself called it a free trade zone, didn't it? At least in concept, both China and Britain could access each other's markets unrestricted from this special zone. Sure, they'd have to go through Chinese brokers, but it was absurd to think Britain couldn't find a broker or two in China.

"After discussions with Chinese authorities, we will return Hong Kong to China."

That statement from Korea had deeply offended them. No matter how you looked at it, they'd returned it to the wrong place. If they were returning it, it should have gone to Britain, not China.

It was a slight miscalculation.

"You wanna join in on this, Britain?"

"…"

"Hong Kong's a province of China, but with guaranteed autonomy as a trade special zone and free port. You saying you're not in on that?"

There was no way they could pass it up, annoying as it was. Swallowing their pride, Britain crawled back into Hong Kong. But they unleashed all their pent-up frustration on Korea, who had handed their Hong Kong over to China.

They'd thought it was an alliance gift, only for Korea to toss it back to China. If Britain had kept it, they might have complained about the terms and negotiated better ones. But Korea hadn't even given them that—they'd cleanly returned it to China. Britain's blood boiled at the sheer audacity.

Above all: "Why guarantee autonomy for Hong Kong—er, independence—in a way that only involves China and Britain?"

"'Cause I'm not interested in Hong Kong?"

Britain and China alike stared at Korea in disbelief. What the hell? You're handing back Hong Kong, forcing Britain into an awkward cohabitation with us, and then bailing yourself?

The glare from Britain right now was anything but friendly. It was the look of someone ready to seize any opportunity and rip it away by force. Clearly, they weren't treating me as a proper conversation partner. A chill ran down my spine.

China clung to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Korea's pant leg.

"This isn't right!"

"What's not right?"

"At least guarantee independence—no, autonomy!"

"Why should I guarantee autonomy on your land? Isn't it your sovereignty? Britain's the weird one here, not me."

"Then you should've stopped Britain from guaranteeing independence or autonomy for my Hong Kong."

"How am I supposed to stop Britain? Work it out with them yourselves."

That was true enough. But it couldn't be allowed to stand. Britain was tightening its grip—they might actually snatch it away.

"Fine. I won't guarantee it outright, but if they try to take it, I'll lodge a protest."

"Tch."

And so Hong Kong persisted as a province of China, an autonomous city, and a trade special zone.

"They can't take it?"

"Nope."

"Really can't?"

"No hidden meaning—I'm saying it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠really can't happen."

"What do you really want?"

"Squeeze out just the right amount of milk, even if it's a bit of a hassle."

"Tch, seriously just that?"

"Don't wanna get involved in China issues anymore. Aren't we allies?"

"…Fine. But help out with India a bit, since we're allies."

"Deal."

I'd tied one of Korea's hands to India. In return, I tied one of Britain's hands to China. Hong Kong, no longer British territory, would slip from Britain's influence the moment they let go. Sorry to China for shoving Britain back into the same room, but with Chinese middlemen involved, the exploitation would be a tad less brutal. Good enough.

Honestly, I was in the thick of it against a rule-master with meta-level dominance. I had no bandwidth to worry about one or two players getting caught in the crossfire. If not now, while Britain's eyes were glued to India, there'd be no chance to settle scores.

"Hey, Korea, Korea."

"?"

"Don't you need a colony or something?"

"????"

"Not that little island—a real colony."

If Germany, starved of proper colonies due to British checks, heard this, they'd spit blood. But Britain wanted to mold this half-baked imperialist into a true one. Squeeze a little milk and whine to your ally? Hand back Hong Kong? Clearly, they weren't fully imperialist yet.

As Britain saw it, Korea and China had bad blood. Showing such a soft stance? Britain felt like it was losing a good friend.

"No thanks, we're good. Why do you ask?"

"Why the sudden formal speech? Talk like usual."

Britain, trying to dunk Korea deep into imperialism. And Korea, realizing Britain was finally about to put them on the dinner table.

"To be honest, I've got Taiwan and Japan, so I'm set."

"Oh? Admitting Japan as your colony?"

"We're allies, right?"

"That's right, we are."

"Then as an ally, can you stop meddling in my colonies?"

"…"

"Keep paying so generously in silver, and my colonies start sniffing around the silver standard."

"Noted."

"Oh, and this is the Korean Pound. Thanks to someone, I've got some silver left. Pay a bit in silver too. I'm planning to back the gold Korean Pound with it. That's fine, right?"

"Of course."

Britain, having been thoroughly shaken down by Korea, returned to the main topic.

"I've been thinking—Egypt's gotten too powerful. Threatening the canal."

"?"

"Time to carve it up again."

";;;;;"

"Know Sudan?"

"Yeah. An Egyptian protectorate, right?"

"Joint British-Egyptian administration. We're selling it. Peel it off Egypt and make it a joint British-Korean administration zone."

"If I may, Korea doesn't need more colonies."

"Really? It's huge."

"Yes."

"Can I at least ask?"

Not Korea's head, but its body. Naturally, there were imperialists in Korea too.

";;; Not something to say to an ally."

"Okay."

Do this, and if caught cozying up to Irish or Scottish independence folks, they'd get pummeled. As someone said, not ally behavior. Time to cut losses.

"By the way, France is trying to snag Palestine from the Ottomans. No idea why. You know anything?"

"Palestine? Jerusalem, probably."

"France wants to buy iron from Korea and build ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a port in Gaza or something."

"Not China?"

"Said Korea."

"Must be a misunderstanding."

"Me?"

"France."

"…"

"To reiterate, Korea doesn't need more colonies. First time hearing France is grabbing anything from the Ottomans."

"What about Japan then?"

";;;;"

Keep refusing, and Britain sells to Japan. Colony-starved Japan would jump. No matter the price, it'd circle back to Korea footing the bill. But if I, the top Korean, nixed a British offer? Rebellion fodder.

"Fine, I'll buy it."

"Good."

"Saw how you handled the blacks in Taiwan. Handle it quietly for me."

Of course not. Probably to check French meddling while checking Korea too. Can't stomach Korea and France teaming up. And Korea gaining sway over the Red Sea and canal? That'd make canal sabotage harder—internal whistleblowers everywhere. Baseless suspicion, but Britain struck me as capable of that motive.

"What's the price?"

"Cotton first. Payment via local sponsorship in Sudan."

Meaning, fatten them up with Korean ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠money. Cull the trash, raise the keepers, turn it into a prime black ranch—no, human ranch.

"Got it."

"Prepare the takeover."

Late 1908, in Egypt's upper Nile north, blacks launched an armed revolt. Under pressure from who-knows-where, Egypt unconditionally accepted their terms. The nation called Sudan—a British-Korean condominium—emerged into the world.

Sudan: Serving two masters, Britain and Korea.

A land mixed with Arabs and blacks, two races intertwined.

Muslims and Christians, two faiths intertwined.

Naturally, with all that diversity and friction, it wouldn't run smoothly. Korea had been handed a ball from Britain: Make this absurdly large, dysfunctional mess run perfectly—in front of Britain.

The new ally's leader, with that flawless steering—no noise. Let's watch.

What a clusterfuck.

The Supreme Leader had no intention of playing along. Japan next door needed it, but Sudan? Not worth it. And who were they telling to perform and burn cash? This hopeless puzzle offered zero satisfaction.

The frame was wrong from the start. The Supreme Leader knew the puzzle was broken before even trying. Britain needed to realize they had zero artistic talent—then this planet-scale aesthetic disaster might end.

But this was Britain's intro: Dragging Korea in like, This is my friend. If they played it like that, I'd show off my badass friend too.

Thinking of 21st-century budget airlines, shipping them that way might work, but the destination's a bit far. Sudan.