I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 160

Why Us?

Even though I had ignited the flames of suspicion, Tokugawa Ieyoshi was still the shogun of a nation.

Even if he wasn’t an exceptional leader, anyone in a position of power has some sense of awareness.

Instead of immediately dismissing it and believing my words, he clearly showed that he was trying to grasp the truth in his own way.

“I’ve heard that the daimyo [feudal lord] of Choshu is wise and intelligent. How could he have been so careless with his words…”

“It wasn’t such a disloyal remark. It was merely a concern that a local daimyo could reasonably express, and I was reassuring him. However, upon reflecting on the conversation, I realized that it could potentially lead to an unfavorable turn of events. The daimyo of Choshu likely voiced his concerns because he thought I was completely ignorant of this country’s affairs.”

“An unfavorable turn of events…”

“‘Sonno Joi’ [Revere the Emperor, Expel the Barbarians] was originally a term used by regional governors in the past to expand their power under the pretense of suppressing barbarians and serving the king. In this country, it’s also called ‘Sonno’ [Revere the Emperor], but who am I to object to serving the emperor, who is the foundation of the nation? However, recently, it has been combined with ‘Joi’ [Expel the Barbarians], and there are increasing numbers of people chanting ‘Sonno Joi,’ which I worry could pose a political burden for the Shogun.”

Originally, the Sonno Joi ideology in Japan began to take root in earnest after the Kurofune incident [the arrival of Commodore Perry’s Black Ships], when Japan succumbed to pressure from the United States and opened its ports.

But now, while the United States hasn’t advanced into the Pacific, the Tokugawa Shogun is trying to use me to enhance his authority, so, as a countermeasure, words of rejecting the West have emerged from the powerful clans in the provinces.

Of course, I’m heavily instilling a sense of patriotism, so things will quiet down over time, but originally, the speed of information dissemination was slow in this era.

To put it bluntly, even if a daimyo with antipathy towards the Shogun deliberately controls information, it’s nearly impossible for the people in that region to know the true facts.

“It is true that some disloyal subjects chanting such slogans have emerged recently. However, they are only a small minority, so there is no need for Your Excellency to concern yourself directly.”

“The reason why people value history is that history always repeats itself. ‘Sonno Joi’ is ultimately just a pretext and an argument; what they truly desire is something else, isn’t it? Those who advocate such things rarely intend to genuinely enthrone the king. In fact, Choshu showed considerable interest in the weapons of the British Empire, so I doubt whether they are sincerely advocating for Joi.”

“Are you saying that Choshu is coveting British weapons?”

“They showed great interest in the British Empire’s military manuals and military system. Recently, the Choshu domain has made significant achievements in internal reforms and produced many excellent military officers, so I thought it might be possible.”

I naturally continued to share information that I could never have known without hearing the internal affairs, so the Shogun had no choice but to believe my words.

“So Your Excellency also believes that their ideology could be detrimental to the shogunate.”

“Of course. As I mentioned, isn’t this a fact that history proves? For them, it would be a matter of moments to portray the Shogun as a traitor who threatens the Emperor and tries to sell the country by siding with the British Empire.”

“…Indeed, that’s probably right. In my opinion, it seemed to be nothing more than an excuse to strengthen their own power while spouting plausible words.”

Even if the daimyo run wild, if the Shogun can easily suppress them, there’s no need to worry about such things.

However, Ieyoshi, while perhaps not thinking he would be defeated, must be feeling that the momentum of the growing regional powers is unusual.

As I continued to fuel the Shogun’s anxiety, he, already slightly intoxicated, couldn’t manage his expression at all.

“Great mistakes are made of dozens of thin fibers, like a large rope. In other words, if such warning signs accumulate one by one, they can soon escalate into a major accident. It wouldn’t hurt for the Shogun to prepare in advance.”

“Thank you for the valuable information. I will never forget Your Excellency’s kindness.”

“However, if they find out that I told you this, anti-Western sentiment will only intensify, so I would appreciate it if you would keep it a secret that I said this.”

“Of course, I will.”

I’ve ignited the spark, so even if I just stay still, the Shogun will start to keep the local daimyo in check on his own.

Of course, I didn’t make up any words, so if the powerful clans in the provinces know that the Shogun is checking them, they will rise up even faster, and the conflict will accelerate.

The Shogun, who had been lost in thought for a moment, subtly poured wine into my glass and asked in an indirect tone.

“By the way, I heard that the mutual defense obligation will also be included when concluding the trade treaty between the two countries this time?”

“Yes. That’s so France or Russia can’t do anything to this land by force.”

“Does that mutual defense only apply to disputes between countries?”

The Shogun’s words contained a real intention.

To the question of what would happen if a battle with rebel forces, not a war with another country, were to occur, I gave him the answer he most wanted to hear.

“Our British Empire will interpret the subject of the treaty as the government of Japan. In other words, if someone attacks the Japanese government, there is a sufficient possibility that the mutual defense obligation will be triggered.”

“Then I don’t have to worry about anything, even in the unlikely event.”

“Still, it’s not a good look for foreign powers to intervene. You should try to prevent such a thing from happening as much as possible.”

“Hahaha, of course. I was just asking in case of an emergency.”

He’s so confident now, but will that smile still be there after actually fighting against the much stronger coalition of powerful clans?

In fact, for me, it would be a perfect scenario for intervention if the Shogun were to be pushed back miserably.

To do that, I’ll have to subtly support not only the Shogun but also Satsuma and Choshu. What would be good?

While I was organizing my thoughts, the Shogun tapped his glass with his finger and changed the subject.

“By the way, now you’ll have to go to the place where His Majesty the Emperor resides… Are you alright? His Majesty wants to see Your Excellency in person… Above all, the treaty with a foreign country must be approved by His Majesty, even if only formally, so we need to seek permission.”

“There’s no reason why not. Rather, if I came all the way here and didn’t see His Majesty, wouldn’t that be ridiculous?”

“But you don’t have to worry! There are procedures and etiquette required to meet His Majesty, but His Majesty, who is generous, said that adhering to excessive etiquette in a place where the two countries are forging friendship would be impolite. Besides, since Your Excellency is the consort of Her Majesty the Queen, it has already been agreed that the procedure of bowing will be replaced with the form of showing respect to the king in the West. Don’t worry. Hahaha!”

This is a bit unexpected.

As expected, the experience of trading with the Netherlands doesn’t go anywhere.

It would have been a waste if they had forced me to kneel and bow in front of the Emperor, which could have created an awkward atmosphere.

“His Majesty is truly virtuous and generous. I can feel how sincerely he is thinking about the friendship between the two countries just by hearing your words. Of course, the Shogun must have reported to His Majesty with sincerity, so His Majesty made such a decision.”

“Your Excellency gave me valuable information, so I have to do this much for you. Then, I look forward to working with you in the future.”

We firmly shook hands with smiles on our faces and ended the meeting.

As expected, the presence or absence of information is absolutely crucial in negotiations.

If I hadn’t known the situation in 19th-century Japan in advance, would the Shogun have been so easily deceived by my words?

No matter who you put in the Shogun’s position, they would have no choice but to believe my words.

Still, I hope you’re not too heartbroken.

Either way, the Shogun was destined to disappear into the annals of history, but thanks to meeting me, he can maintain his lineage, right?

As a member of the Tokugawa clan, I will ensure that the Tokugawa family’s lineage itself is maintained, so rest assured and rely only on me.

* * *

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

King Yi Hwan, who had recently ended his regency and begun his direct rule, was still listening carefully to his ministers and developing his abilities in all aspects of state affairs.

No matter how strong the king’s authority is, it is easy to incur resentment if a young king, not yet twenty years old, tries to strengthen his royal authority too openly.

Knowing this well, Yi Hwan was pretending to listen to his ministers and waiting for his time to come.

In particular, the recent international situation was too complex, and many events were happening quickly, making it difficult to keep up with all the details.

Therefore, the first priority was to gather the opinions of his subjects and have the most accurate judgment possible.

“…So, the Minister of War is saying that Qing [dynasty of China] will never be able to defeat Russia?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I went to Beijing before and saw the reality of Qing in every detail. The great Qing that once ruled the world is no more.”

“Then, can we consider that the order of Zhonghua [Chinese civilization] has already been broken, and we, as Sojunghwa [Little China, referring to Joseon], have inherited its spirit?”

“…Your Majesty. In order to maintain the order of Zhonghua, there must not be a situation where the country is shaken by foreign invasion like Qing.”

“That’s a hundred times right, but the Westerners are said to be fierce in nature and crave blood. Still, I heard that an agreement will be made with Russia through the mediation of England, so I think we can rest assured to that extent.”
The reality that Qing, which I had heard and grown up with as the center of the world, had become so helplessly a pushover still doesn’t feel real.

However, seeing that they are actually being beaten by England and then by Russia, it seems that I have no choice but to admit that times have changed.

The King did not like Kim Jwa-geun, thinking that he was a seed of a powerful subject who could check the royal authority, but he readily acknowledged that he was intelligent and quick-witted.

That is why he agreed without complaint to make a non-aggression pact with Russia by borrowing the power of England.

“Your Majesty. If we make an agreement, we can say that we have put out the immediate fire, but strictly speaking, it is only a temporary measure. If Joseon does not have the power to repel foreign invasions, Russia or England will eventually covet our territory.”

“The Minister of War is right. But realistically, is it possible to increase military spending and reinforce troops in this country now?”

“To put it coldly, I don’t think it will be easy.”

“But just because it’s not easy doesn’t mean we can’t try. First of all, let’s think about whether we can use England as much as possible when making an agreement with Russia this time. By the way, when is that non-aggression pact scheduled to be signed?”

“Since Russia is currently at war with Qing, we plan to request mediation from England as soon as the results are out. According to news from Shanghai, Gillian Gwa has been invited by the shogunate and visited Japan, so I think it would be a good idea to send another envoy as soon as he returns to Shanghai.”

The King’s eyes twitched at the unexpected story.

“Gillian Gwa is in contact with the Japanese? Why?”

“Perhaps they are trying to make an agreement with Russia, so they have become uneasy. So, I wonder if they are plotting something by directly inviting Gillian Gwa…”

“Hmm. Gillian Gwa is said to have Western blood, but isn’t he a Joseon person born in Joseon? But he can’t come to Joseon first, but visits the land of the Japanese first.”

“Your Majesty. In the case of the Japanese, their Emperor, whom they serve, politely invited Gillian. Moreover, this is my expectation, but as long as he visits in person, Japan may lose enormous interests.”

Listening to the story, Kim Jwa-geun seemed to have a generous evaluation of Gillian Gwa.

The other ministers of the Bibyeonsa [Joseon’s highest government council] did not pay so much attention, but only Kim Jwa-geun was different.

The ministers said that Kim Jwa-geun was making too much fuss, but logically, wouldn’t a person who met and talked directly be able to make a more objective evaluation than a person who didn’t?

Considering that Kim Jwa-geun is the only person in Joseon who has met and talked with Gillian Gwa in person, there was no choice but to give weight to his words.

“Then, inviting him to Joseon would be more harmful than good. But even so, Joseon cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that the Japanese are treating our Joseon people so kindly. Therefore, at the time when Gillian returns to Shanghai from Japan, the Minister of War should visit Shanghai once. Go there and talk about the agreement and find a way to prevent us from being swept away by the rapids of this turbulent era.”

“I will follow Your Majesty’s orders. By the way, can I bring one more person with me when I go to Shanghai?”

“Since we are sending an official delegation, we must pay attention to the scale. If there are people who want to accompany you, the Minister of War can organize them as you wish. But if you specifically mention one person, it means you have someone in mind. Who is it?”

“He is someone who may have seen Gillian Gwa in person besides me. As a result of the investigation, they say it’s not, but personally, I can’t shake my doubts no matter what…”

“Someone who met Gillian Gwa? I heard that when he was in Joseon, his whereabouts were never found no matter how much he investigated.”

Even so, the Bibyeonsa would not have made a false report, but what is this gap in information?

“It’s not certain. So, I’m going to verify it for sure this time.”

“You make me really curious when you say that. Who is it? That person who may have met Gillian.”

“He is a member of the royal family of this country that Your Majesty knows well, Heungseon-gun [a royal title].”

“…Heungseon-gun?”

Why is that name coming out here?

I was momentarily stunned by the unexpected name, but wouldn’t it be okay to check it out, whatever the reason?

The King allowed Kim Jwa-geun to act as he pleased for the time being.

It would be good if it works out, and if it doesn’t, wouldn’t it be possible to get rid of the Andong Kim clan and strengthen the royal authority under this pretext?

No matter what the situation, the King has nothing to lose.

The young king decided not to be impatient and wait for what answers Kim Jwa-geun and Heungseon-gun would bring from Shanghai.