I Became A Genius Of The French Royal Family [EN]: Chapter 211

< The Awakened Great Power >

In the West, the Orient was once viewed as a land of mystery and fantasy.

European nations admired the incredible wealth and enigmatic culture of the Eastern countries.

Unlike Europe, where royal families changed frequently as new countries rose and fell, dynasties in the East typically endured for centuries once established.

Europeans romanticized this stability, a trend that intensified after the rise of the Qing Dynasty.

Even as Western countries eagerly carved up a weakened India, the Qing Dynasty presented a different challenge.

Neither England, France, nor Spain dared to underestimate the Qing Dynasty.

At the time, the Qing Dynasty was a formidable power with a population exceeding 300 million.

Considering that England had just over 20 million and France had just over 30 million, the Qing Dynasty operated on an entirely different scale.

Especially during the Qing Dynasty’s golden age, under the Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong Emperors, the Qing received high praise from European missionaries.

Diplomatic, economic, and military experts alike readily acknowledged the Qing as the world’s strongest power.

However, as time passed, this perception gradually began to shift.

The reasons were twofold.

The Qing’s growth began to stagnate, while Europe made remarkable strides in both economic and ideological development.

Consequently, Europeans increasingly viewed the Qing as an uncivilized nation that disregarded the rights of its citizens.

The Qing emperors, once considered ideal philosopher-kings, were now criticized as mere tyrants.

Pitt’s decision to aggressively sell opium to the Qing stemmed partly from the belief that the Qing was no longer the power it once was.

The British Empire felt confident in its ability to manage any resulting issues.

Moreover, further investigation revealed that the current Qing Dynasty was a shadow of its former self.

The century-long period of prosperity was slowly drawing to a close.

A religious group known as the White Lotus Sect [a syncretic religious society that rebelled against the Qing dynasty] had been instigating rebellions in various regions, and reports indicated that these uprisings remained largely unsuppressed.

The fact that rebellions persisted for years, even with the deployment of regular troops, was unthinkable during the Qing’s golden age.

As a result, the Qing’s control over its territories was weakening.

This presented a golden opportunity for Britain, which sought to expand its opium trade as much as possible.

Furthermore, after assessing the situation in the Qing, Britain devised another sinister plan.

“Wouldn’t it be easier to expand our sales routes if we used the rebels to spread opium?”

“That’s an excellent idea. The rebels must be disillusioned and desperate.”

“Exactly. The peasants may not possess vast amounts of silver, but collecting it from a wide base will yield considerable profits. Moreover, as opium use spreads upwards, it will naturally reach the wealthy elite.”

“Still, if the Qing government officially objects, it could pose a problem. I’ve heard that the Qing Emperor has been issuing opium crackdowns for several years now, although they haven’t banned smoking itself yet.”

“Then there’s no problem at all. Proceed.”

The British merchants, eager to transmute opium into silver, acted without hesitation.

After all, hadn’t they been bringing silver to the Qing for years to purchase tea and porcelain?

Now, they were simply providing opium and reclaiming the silver that had been previously “sucked out.”

There was no logical inconsistency or moral dilemma in their minds.

If one considered it, even if Qing citizens consumed large quantities of opium, wasn’t it because they were desperate to escape reality?

The Qing government, which had driven its citizens to such a state, was the true source of the problem.

That’s why rebellions like the White Lotus uprising had been ongoing for nearly a decade.

The British saw themselves as crusaders, arriving to rescue the Qing citizens from their suffering.

Or, to put it more gently, perhaps they were evangelists spreading happiness?

Evangelists of happiness.

What a fitting description.

A cruel smile subtly spread across Pitt’s face as he gazed at the fleet laden with goods that would supposedly bring happiness to the Qing citizens.

※※※

Yongyan, the fifteenth son of the Qianlong Emperor and the contemporary emperor of the Qing, later known as Emperor Renzong, was by no means an incompetent ruler.

He was a moral and principled man, not easily swayed by flattery.

He also aspired to emulate his predecessors and usher in a new golden age for the Qing.

However, his tragedy lay in the fact that he was not a superhuman capable of single-handedly reversing the decline that had begun during the later years of the Qianlong Emperor’s reign.

In reality, achieving meaningful change was difficult given the Qing’s increasingly corrupt administrative system and the pervasive corruption among officials.

Frankly, even curbing the spread of opium, which had been rapidly expanding, proved nearly impossible.

“Hey, shall we indulge today?”

“Ah, that? Sounds good. Roll me one.”

“Recently, there’s been a lot of noise about the White Lotus rebels and the Miao rebellions [rebellions by ethnic minorities in Southern China]. I don’t understand why they live like that. With just one hit of this, everything becomes easy and happy. Hehehe.”

“I agree. If everyone was simply immersed in paradise on earth together, there would be nothing to worry about.”

It took less than a few years for the opium craze that originated in the provinces to reach the capital, Beijing.

Even the officials tasked with suppressing opium use indulged in it, making any effective control impossible.

Because the British distributed opium to both the White Lotus rebels and the soldiers tasked with suppressing them, a bizarre situation arose where they ceased fighting each other while intoxicated.

As a result, the British East India Company’s sales, fueled by the near-constant influx of opium, increased daily.

When Emperor Jiaqing learned of this, his anger reverberated throughout the Forbidden City.

“What kind of disgrace is this!”

Officials who are supposed to crack down on opium are instead intoxicated and incapacitated?

“The Chief Eunuch is to immediately ascertain the severity of the situation and report back!”

“Yes, Your Majesty! According to my investigation, nearly 10% of the palace officials are addicted to opium. In areas where opium has spread severely, more than 80% of local officials are indulging in opium…”

The end of the world.

Not an exaggeration, but the literal truth.

The fact that even local officials were addicted to opium signified more than just a lack of enforcement.

It indicated a paralysis of the entire administrative system.

Furthermore, a significant amount of silver had already been drained from the country, and the control of farmers who were obligated to pay taxes was clearly compromised.

“Could it be that the rebellion’s suppression is more sluggish than expected because of this damn drug?”

“That is… According to reports from various places, even the rebels themselves are intoxicated with opium and unable to fight effectively.”

“Then why can’t those staggering, drug-addled fools be suppressed!”

“The Eight Banners army [the main military force of the Qing Dynasty], who are supposed to suppress the rebels, are also addicted to opium…”

Bang!

“How can I be subjected to such reports!”

“I, I apologize, Your Majesty!”

“Don’t apologize, tell me the countermeasures! Someone, offer your opinion!”

“Then I will speak.”

The Governor-General of Liangguang, overseeing Guangdong and Guangxi, where opium was most prevalent, stepped forward.

“Your Majesty, the harm of opium is beyond description. A decision must be made now, before it is too late.”

“Decision, you say?”

“All opium must be burned, and those involved in its distribution must be severely punished, regardless of their status. We must identify those who sell opium, confiscate all remaining supplies, and prevent further spread.”

“You propose harsh punishments.”

It had already been proven that the lenient crackdowns implemented thus far were ineffective.

As the Governor-General was intimately familiar with the situation in Guangdong and Guangxi, his argument was particularly persuasive.

“Then, let us significantly increase the severity of the punishments, as the Governor-General of Liangguang suggests. Does anyone object?”

“Your Majesty! I apologize, but strict prohibition is not a panacea!”

The Chief Eunuch, trembling under the Emperor’s wrath, cautiously spoke.

“The current Governor-General has only been in office for a short time and only recognizes the immediate situation, failing to consider the deeper implications. Strict prohibition is not a panacea. Many acts are currently prohibited by law, yet no matter how much we crack down, it is impossible to completely eliminate human desires.”

“But if we simply allow it to continue, even greater chaos will ensue.”

“On the contrary, imposing such strict suppression will only drive the trade further underground, making it more difficult to control. It would be better to ease the crackdown, bring opium into the open, and develop a plan for efficient management.”

The Chief Eunuch’s argument seemed plausible in theory.

In fact, many of the former governors-general who had served in the opium-ridden areas for extended periods sided with the Chief Eunuch.

“It would be appropriate to manage the smoking habits of ordinary people at a reasonable level while strictly prohibiting soldiers and officials from smoking.”

“Hmm…”

It made sense, but Emperor Jiaqing hesitated to accept the Chief Eunuch’s opinion.

Fortunately, officials such as the Grand Secretary and the Vice Minister of the Ministry of War addressed the Emperor’s concerns.

“Your Majesty! The prohibition policy sounds appealing, but in reality, it is akin to gambling with the fate of the nation. If it succeeds, all will be well, but what will become of this country if it fails? All citizens will become opium addicts.”

“Moreover, witnessing such a situation will only make it more difficult for officials and soldiers to resist the allure of opium. Ultimately, this country will be unable to escape the swamp of that drug!”

“Huh…”

Since the arguments from both sides were so extreme, the decision now rested entirely on the Emperor’s will.

However, Emperor Jiaqing struggled to make a decision.

No matter how much he considered the possibilities, he could not definitively determine which course of action was superior.

In such situations, it is human nature to choose the option that minimizes potential losses.

“I understand the arguments of those who advocate for prohibition. However, as the Grand Secretary and the Vice Minister of the Ministry of War have pointed out, the potential losses we would incur if we fail are too great.”

“That is a wise decision!”

“Indeed. Therefore, from this moment forward, I order a comprehensive strengthening of opium crackdowns. Opium smoking will be completely prohibited, and those who sell it will be punished with penalties equivalent to those for murder.”

“Your Majesty, many of those who secretly sell opium are merchants from England. If we execute them, their retaliation may be severe.”

“Then let us confiscate all the opium and deport them. This is the greatest mercy we can grant them.”

Although England is a relatively powerful Western nation, the Emperor, who governs all people and things, need not be concerned with their opinions.

After all, are they not small countries that would tremble at the slightest sign of the giant’s displeasure?

Even setting aside matters of pride, the Qing’s national power was still sufficient to handle one of the Western powers.

“Your Majesty, if they ignore the imperial decree, how should we respond?”

“You may take any action short of taking their lives. After all, are they not the ones who have sown chaos in this land by distributing drugs? If they possess any conscience, they will not object.”

Of course, since they are fundamentally barbarians, they may lack a conscience.

Perhaps it is precisely because they lack a conscience that they distribute such drugs indiscriminately?

Even if that is the case, it matters not.

If they desire war, I will gladly accept it.

The Qing is the center of the world, and the Emperor is the ruler of all.

That is the truth that has guided this land since civilization first emerged in the Central Plains.

< The Awakened Great Power > End