I Became A Genius Of The French Royal Family [EN]: Chapter 349

It’s said that South Korea had been publishing newspapers since the days of the old Korean Empire.

Of course, private newspaper companies were small, and government-led newspapers were the main ones, but it was better than nothing.

During the Korean Empire, the content was all about promoting how awesome the government was.

In addition, they would cover topics that stimulated national pride or write articles criticizing countries that were in conflict with the Korean Empire.

As the war with France became increasingly chaotic, the number of newspapers issued decreased, but after the Korean Empire collapsed, Jeong Yak-yong, who seized power, immediately began printing newspapers like crazy.

The newspapers were filled with content advertising how terrible the Empire was and how righteous the new government was in punishing them.

After Napoleon landed, articles were published stating that the war with France was entirely the Empire’s fault, and that France was treating them as generously as possible despite being the victor.

And now that I’m here, of course.

[His Majesty the King of France is Fascinated by the Power of Tradition! His Majesty Christian Gives a Thumbs Up After Eating Kimchi]

[Successful Even in France! K-Food!]

[His Majesty Christian, Who Has Always Been Interested in Korean Tradition, Praises the Excellence of Ondol (Korean floor heating system)]

Articles that made my head spin just by looking at them were packed in like a heaping bowl of rice.

“Your Majesty, if you are uncomfortable with the articles, should I have them taken down immediately?”

“Unless they’re slandering me, they’re creating a friendly image of me on their own, so why would I say anything?”

Jeong Yak-yong gave me an awkward smile as I lay in a warm room eating fruit.

“Haha… I’m really grateful that you understand. In fact, it’s not just flattery, but Your Majesty seems to be adapting really quickly. How can you be so natural as if you’ve known about this from the beginning?”

“I know, right?”

“I’m glad that Grand Marshal Napoleon seems to be enjoying it as well.”

That guy also had a history of saying that he wanted to visit Joseon [historical Korean kingdom] on the day he reconquered the world in the original history.

In a way, he has virtually conquered Asia and found this place, so hasn’t he fulfilled his regret from the original history?

In fact, looking at the picture of Napoleon wearing a traditional gat [Korean traditional hat] and holding a long pipe like an accessory, I just laughed instead of feeling proud.

“By the way, how are things going right now?”

“Not bad. The public opinion that the old imperial family is responsible for everything and that we were wrong is being created faster than expected. It seems that Your Majesty’s impression of being familiar with our culture is definitely helping.”

“I guess so.”

“When would be a good time to hold the trial?”

“Not right now. Even if the citizens are cursing the imperial family now, they will feel sympathy when they see their former emperor dragged into court.”

That’s how people’s opinions usually are.

There will always be people who say, ‘Even if he did bad things, he was still the Emperor…’

In addition, there are those who believe that Jeong Yak-yong is a traitor who sold the country to France and that the imperial family was sacrificed.

A bomb of a scale that can quell all this public opinion must be dropped to smoothly carry out the trial.

Of course, the imperial family caused that much trouble, so we can create the stage sufficiently without doing anything like manipulation.

“You’re collecting the evidence I told you about, right?”

“Yes. The rumors that soldiers shot at protesters are also spreading widely, so I think it will be effective.”

“Good. Then I don’t have to worry about this anymore. Let’s leave the rest to Napoleon.”

Until now, the citizens knew that the soldiers who shot at them were following the orders of the military.

Of course, since they couldn’t separate the military and the government, there was a lot of criticism towards the old government and the imperial family.

However, the emperor himself ultimately issued the order to fire bullets at those who were crying out for food.

It’s obvious how public opinion will turn when this shocking fact is announced in court.

That’s why I told Jeong Yak-yong to deliberately control the speed at which information is released.

If I’ve set the stage this much, it’s impossible for Napoleon to ruin everything even if he wants to.

I’ll have to put up with the fact that he’ll be strutting around later when he returns to his home country, thinking that he handled things perfectly, but I can tolerate that much.

When you think about it, the reason I can enjoy such a sweet rest right now is thanks to Napoleon for setting the stage.

I checked it a few more times, but there was nothing more I could do here.

Then, now that I’ve enjoyed the Hanyang [old name for Seoul] tour, shall we move on?

“Then I’ll come back when the trial is held, so take care until then. Your health is essential for the relationship between France and the new South Korea to run smoothly.”

“Yes. Thank you so much for your concern.”

“And until I return, find some bright friends to send to France for study abroad. Students who seem to be good talents to lead this country in the future should receive that kind of education.”

“Yes! I’ll look into it carefully. But where are you going?”

Where else would I go?

If I’ve looked around Hanyang, the capital of this country, then it’s time for the capital of the neighboring country.

“I’m thinking of checking to see if the preparations for the trial in Kyoto are going well. And I’m also going to take a look at the face of that living god in person.”

Jeong Yak-yong bowed at a right angle, telling me to have a good trip.

I pretended not to see his face, which was as refreshed as if a toothache had been pulled out.

At least pretend to be sad. This guy has lost all his senses.

※※※

The atmosphere in Kyoto was completely drooping as expected.

If you were to visualize the words lethargy, gloom, and futility, this is what it would look like.

The aides and soldiers from Guangdong, France, who came with me, showed a curious reaction to this scenery of Kyoto.

“I thought it was an exaggeration when I heard the story, but it was real.”

“The guys who fought like demons during the war have now become the most docile sheep?”

France didn’t fight as fiercely with Japan as the United States did in the original history, but many people still remembered the madness of the suicide attacks by the Japanese army in Fujian.

It must have been quite surprising that those guys surrendered and then spread out like boiled bean sprouts.

I knew the characteristics of Japan well, so I just shrugged it off, but there were still those who were uneasy.

“Could they be acting on purpose?”

“We brought troops here, so there shouldn’t be any problems, but since Your Majesty is here, shouldn’t we pay more attention?”

“No. Originally, these guys have a strong tendency to follow orders to the letter. They were told to fight with their lives during the war, so they did, and now they’re told to surrender, so they’re bowing like this. First, let’s distribute food and restore all the waterways that were blocked.”

“Yes. Grand Marshal has already instructed that, so it’s being carried out step by step.”

The contrast between those who foolishly made war and starved their own people and the enemy who is giving out food.

Napoleon knew well how to win the hearts of the people in the occupied territories, as he was a man hardened by a long war.

“But Your Majesty. How should we handle the private meeting with the Japanese Emperor? They said they wouldn’t come out of the palace until the Grand Marshal came, but now that Your Majesty has come…”

If they said they would meet with the Grand Marshal, then it’s normal for them to run out barefoot when a king of higher rank comes.

However, the aides didn’t seem to be sure because they were people who had done so many things outside of common sense.

“Even so, they’re all smart people in their own way. Do you think they’ll lock the door, saying, ‘Why is the king coming when I said I’d meet with the Grand Marshal?’ It would be good for us if they did, but that’s unlikely.”

If they don’t come to their senses and only maintain their pride, we can just use that to exploit them.

I didn’t say anything in particular and called the Prime Minister of Japan.

He is a person who is similar to Jeong Yak-yong but will inevitably walk a different path.

Ienari, who still believes that there is hope, desperately wagged his tail and ran to avoid the destruction that would befall him.

“Welcome! If you had contacted me in advance, I would have gone to the port to meet you, but I’m so sorry that I came so late.”

“The commander of the interim military government is still Grand Marshal Napoleon, so don’t worry too much. I just came to look around because I was worried that the public sentiment here might not be good if things get too long on the top side.”

“How could public sentiment be bad when Your Majesty is so concerned about us? You have also provided us with generous amounts of food, so the people of Kyoto are grateful to France. Hahaha.”

I already know all about the secret agreement that Ienari made with Napoleon.

And I’ve already heard that he put tricks in the contract.

Even if I just subtly leak this data during the trial, the Japanese people will take care of it without us having to step in.

Let’s just use him as we please for now.

I don’t feel even a grain of rice’s worth of guilt towards a man who started a war, no matter who he is.

“Since the Prime Minister is working so hard, the Japanese archipelago will regain its former prosperity within 10 years.”

“Thank you. I swear that Japan will never displease France in the future. By the way, how does Your Majesty intend to lead Japan in the future?”

I was honestly impressed by his tenacity in trying to find a corner to squeeze into.

I just nodded at his question and vaguely blurred the words.

“Well… I’ve entrusted the decision-making power to the Grand Marshal, so he’ll have to submit a plan to me first.”

“But the final decision will ultimately follow Your Majesty’s decision, right? If you give me just a little hint, I will risk my life to create the country that Your Majesty wants to see.”

“It’s very nice to see you so enthusiastic. I’ll let you know when the time comes, so please do your best to help the citizens accept France in a friendly manner. And have you received any special words from the Emperor?”

“I was just about to tell you. The Emperor wants to have a private meeting with Your Majesty.”

“Really? Then of course I have to meet him. But before that, I wanted to ask you, what is the public opinion of the Emperor among the citizens, the imperial family, and the ministers right now?”

Napoleon said he would abolish the Emperor system, and I also see that positively, but in order to do that, the Japanese people must abandon the Emperor system.

And of course, the difficulty of removing the empire from the Korean Empire and the Japanese Empire was overwhelmingly higher for the latter.

The Korean Empire, which turned from an absolute monarchy to an empire, could hold the emperor responsible for all the wars, but Japan was only an empire in name and was originally closer to a constitutional monarchy.

The Emperor was just a figurehead, so there is a high possibility that public opinion will form that it is too much to hold him responsible.

As expected, Ienari began to say exactly what I expected.

“Most of the citizens are cursing me and the other ministers for not properly serving His Majesty. France doesn’t seem to think much of His Majesty the Emperor, but wouldn’t it be easier to rule if you used His Majesty?”

Ienari… Still, isn’t it too much to tell me to use your country’s emperor so openly?

There is no country that likes such blatant traitors, regardless of East or West.

But that’s exactly why this guy is still useful.

Most Japanese people have a physiological aversion to being told to point a knife at the Emperor.

It’s okay to make him a figurehead, but excluding him altogether is another matter.

There are few people like Ienari who are willing to abandon anything, even the Emperor, in order to survive.

As expected, it’s better to keep him around and use him as a symbol of the anti-Emperor faction rather than cutting him off right away.

As expected, I can only understand the situation and come up with a clear strategy for the future by coming here myself.

I’ll have to send a telegram to the ministers who said that it would be enough to send Talleyrand and tell them to bow their heads and have time for reflection.

“Then I’ll meet the Emperor in person to get an estimate and let you know. But you must know this too. If you leave the Emperor in that position, there will inevitably be a scapegoat who will take responsibility and have his head cut off. Then I’ll see you later.”

I got up from my seat without hearing an answer.

Ienari hurriedly got up from his seat and bowed his head.

He probably understood what I was trying to say, right?

Now, kill each other.