I Became A Genius Of The French Royal Family [EN]: Chapter 277

If You Can’t Beat Them, Join Them

Even before the news of the Boxer Rebellion’s collapse spread, the atmosphere in Beijing was unsettling.

The Crown Prince, having sided with the Christian powers instead of the Emperor, struggled to conceal his anxiety.

He needed to find officials who shared his views, but everyone seemed lost in strange delusions, making rational conversation impossible.

“Hahaha! Your Highness, have no fear. Those French devils will soon be driven out.”

“…Do you truly believe our army can expel them?”

“It will be difficult, but with England and Russia’s assistance, we should manage somehow.”

“And if we drive out France, won’t we simply become a vassal state of England and Russia?”

“That’s…”

None of these simpletons had offered a constructive answer to this question. They were all stuck on ‘it’ll work out somehow,’ which only amplified the Crown Prince’s worries.

Then, rumors of the Boxers’ and Imperial Army’s crushing defeat spread, bringing the Crown Prince secret joy.

Predictably, upon hearing the news, ministers panicked and groveled before him.

“Your Highness! Please, save me!”

“Hmm? Weren’t you just telling me to rest assured?”

“Well, the truth is, I was receiving orders from His Majesty and contacting the outside world… If this becomes known, the French Prime Minister might have me killed! Your Highness still has connections with them, so please intercede for me…”

“Hmm…”

As he suspected, several ministers in Beijing were acting on the Emperor’s orders.

Come to think of it, the man prostrating himself was a minister from the Military Affairs Department.

It wouldn’t be surprising if he was secretly working for the Emperor, perhaps even trying to extract information from the French.

Though, considering the French Prime Minister, it was unlikely he’d obtained anything useful.

“So, you’re still in contact with His Majesty?”

“I haven’t had much contact since His Majesty fled to Manchuria. But I expect a secret message soon…”

“Is that so?”

The Crown Prince put a cigarette in his mouth and extended his hand.

“I understand your predicament, so don’t worry. But if this information reaches the Prime Minister’s ears, there’s only so much I can do.”

“Y-yes, I understand. Should I flee the capital now?”

“Now that the southern campaign has failed, there’s nowhere to run. And do you think a nobleman like you could survive as a fugitive?”

“…Probably not.”

In the first place, few of these ministers are truly loyal to the Qing Dynasty. Most are either protecting their interests or resent the Westerners.

But France, England, and Russia are all Westerners. So, they’ll side with whoever offers the best deal and has the highest chance of winning.

“I’ve built enough rapport with the Prime Minister to ensure things will be fine even if France wins. If you follow my lead, you can certainly save your life. No, you can even rise to a more stable position than you have now.”

“Really? Then I’m yours to command! Please, guide me!”

“Good, good.”

In this way, the Crown Prince gradually won over ministers who could be useful to him.

The thought that it was better to be the head of a snake than the tail of a dragon was growing stronger every day.

※※※

“Have you heard how the war is progressing?”

“Yes. The French army is living up to its reputation. They completely crushed the Boxers. If things continue like this, France will win, correct?”

He hadn’t visited in a while, but the Crown Prince seemed very interested in the front lines. He must want to know if the rope he’s holding onto is a lifeline or about to snap.

“For now, the south is stable thanks to this victory. However, this isn’t the end. We’ve simply bought time to await reinforcements from home.”

Although Qing China was vast, its wealth was concentrated in a few areas, most of which were under their control.

This allowed them to expect a certain level of local supply, though not enough to completely turn the tide.

Russia and England could continuously receive support from their home countries, while they hadn’t yet established such a route.

They were planning an operation to cross the Pacific from New France [French colonies in North America], and if successful, things might change… but there’s no need to count chickens before they hatch.

“This battle has proven our army’s superior combat capabilities, highlighting the Emperor’s recklessness in fleeing to Manchuria, wouldn’t you agree?”

“I do. Thirty thousand troops annihilated three hundred thousand. Those in Beijing secretly communicating with His Majesty are in chaos. They must realize they fought a losing battle.”

“If they had any sense, they would.”

Even if a treaty was signed under favorable conditions, England would be the real winner, not Qing China.

The possibility of Qing China winning vanished the moment the Boxers and the Imperial Army were crushed.

If they didn’t understand that and continued to cling to false hope, they were useless and better removed.

“So, Prime Minister… May I make a suggestion?”

“A suggestion?”

“Some ministers in Beijing still have ties to His Majesty. If they changed their allegiance, wouldn’t they be valuable assets?”

It wasn’t a bad idea. Even with Qing China crumbling, the Emperor’s title still held influence, at least domestically.

“What do you want in return?”

“As expected, we understand each other. I want stability for the country I will one day rule and an unshakeable position within it.”

“I promised you that last time, didn’t I?”

“I want more. Specifically, the transfer of French technology and a mutual defense treaty.”

What a greedy man.

They could provide mutual defense, and handing over outdated technology wouldn’t be an issue.

The Northeast Three Provinces [Manchuria], destined to be the Manchu homeland, weren’t ideal for a modern nation to thrive, so they needed to maintain balance.

Of course, he spoke cautiously, hiding his true feelings.

“…This isn’t something I can decide alone, even as Prime Minister. Do you understand?”

“I know.”

“To decide on such a significant matter, you must offer something in return. What are you hoping to gain from the Emperor by using these ministers?”

The Crown Prince hesitated, then took a deep breath, as if steeling himself.

He spoke in a low voice, ensuring no one could overhear.

“I will help you secure the Emperor, my father.”

He’d caught a bigger fish than expected.

This changed everything.

※※※

Time passed, and the Asian front stabilized after an unexpected battle.

The capital of Joseon [ancient Korean kingdom], Hanseong.

“The war in the east is said to be fierce. There are growing concerns that the flames of war may spread to Joseon.”

“Your Majesty! It seems that it will become a reality, not just a concern. Recently, Japanese warships were annihilated by English warships in the Yellow Sea!”

“There is also a report that the Qing’s 300,000-strong army was defeated by the French army of 30,000.”

“Oh dear… What is happening in the world?”

The ministers bowed their heads, unable to answer the king’s lament.

“Even after hearing these reports, it doesn’t feel real. It sounds like a story from another world… But it is undeniable reality…?”

“Your Majesty…”

“The Qing’s 300,000-strong army, which dominated the Central Plains, was defeated and annihilated by a mere 30,000?”

The king’s voice was filled with disbelief.

Strictly speaking, the Boxers weren’t the Qing’s regular army, but Joseon didn’t know that.

They only knew that the Qing’s 300,000-strong army had been annihilated by a French army one-tenth its size.

The shock Joseon received was indescribable, far greater than when they heard that 100,000 had been defeated by 25,000 before.

“Minister of War, tell me your opinion. Is the military power of us and the West so far apart that we can’t do anything about it? Is it possible for us to steal and learn what we need, as you said before?”

“…I can’t say for sure yet. However, there seems to be an unimaginable difference.”

“I can’t understand. It hasn’t even been 200 years since Russia, a Western power, was defeated by the Qing. How could this happen?”

“As far as I know, Russia, although a Western power, doesn’t have as strong an army as France. Perhaps not all Western powers are the same.”

It was an inference without evidence, but they had no choice but to accept it, as there were too many unexplained factors.

“If what the Minister of War says is true, doesn’t that mean we should accept the demands in this letter?”

“Yes. They don’t want us to make any grand movements. It might have been difficult if they had asked us to supply them by sea or land…”

“Jeong Yak-yong [prominent Joseon scholar], the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, and Seo Yong-bo [high-ranking Joseon official], the Chief State Councilor, also said that this case must be accepted. However, the problem is whether we can realistically raise an army right now. That’s why I asked for your opinion.”

Jeong Yak-yong and Seo Yong-bo had been hesitant to speak out, fearing opposition.

However, they insisted that this case must be done unconditionally, ignoring the Confucian scholars’ criticisms of being traitors or heretics.

The king valued their advice.

If they could suppress the rebellion, they could silence the Confucian scholars and the opposition, at least for now.

However, dispatching troops was a different matter, especially to Qing China’s territory.

“France wants us not to occupy Manchuria completely, but just to threaten the enemy… It seems okay. It sounds like we don’t actually have to fight. I think they’re trying to use the strategy of making a feint to the east and attacking in the west.”

“Making a feint to the east and attacking in the west…”

In the end, Joseon was just meant to create a distraction.

“Even so, if we accept this, we have to send troops to Manchuria.”

“Yes. That’s what they want.”

Manchuria was virtually a sacred ground officially designated by the Qing, where Korean migration had been strictly prohibited since ancient times.

Sending troops there was an act of declaring war against the Qing.

How long had it been since the Korean Peninsula had drawn a sword against the master of China?

“When a great storm blows, it will break if you only stand firm against it. Sometimes, adapting to the surrounding storms is the duty of a monarch who runs the country. So…”

The young king of Joseon felt a strange mix of betrayal and excitement and declared.

“Prepare the troops. We will cross the Yalu River.”

If You Can’t Beat Them, Join Them End