I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 252

“I deeply regret that trust in Asia has been undermined by the reckless and tyrannical schemes of the Qing Dynasty. Therefore, we wish to inform you that we have decided to gladly board your ship to uphold the etiquette of a gentleman in both the previous war and this one.”

“What is this?”

“It’s the Joseon side’s response.”

“No, I’m not asking because I don’t know that. Captain, what kind of magic did you use to get the King of Joseon to say he would come aboard our warship?”

“Uh… I simply delivered His Majesty’s letter to them. Then they whispered among themselves and gave me this reply. Doesn’t this prove that they are eager to meet His Majesty and are willing to go to great lengths to do so?”

I knew they were making a bold move by coming down to Dongnae, but I honestly didn’t expect them to agree to come aboard the ship so readily.

Still, upon closer inspection, I sensed a hidden meaning in their reply. Why use such strong language as ‘the reckless and tyrannical schemes of the Qing Dynasty’?

When I heard they were breaking away from the Qing Dynasty’s tributary system [a system where Joseon paid tribute to China to acknowledge its supremacy], I thought they were just going to proceed with that policy, but this is like flooring the accelerator with no turning back.

Heonjong, I didn’t know he had this side to him; he’s a real man.

I had heard from Kim Jwa-geun that he was intelligent and quite interested in Western culture, so I had a general idea of his character, but this was beyond my expectations.

“Do we have a guard of honor in our unit right now?”

“Don’t we have a naval guard of honor specifically created for His Majesty’s escort?”

“Ah, that’s right. Then please prepare a ceremonial event. If we treat the king of a country lightly when he comes in person, wouldn’t that tarnish the reputation of our Great British Empire?”

“Understood. I will instruct them to make thorough preparations to ensure there is absolutely no negligence.”

Since they actually came when I told them to ‘come if you dare,’ I also have to fulfill my duty as the host who extended the invitation.

Even though it’s a simplified version, the British Empire’s army is currently among the best in the world at such parades.

Regardless of whether Joseon is a weak country, everyone here knew that treating the king of a country lightly when he visits their territory is a matter of national prestige.

Captain William finished his salute and quickly left the room.

I thought they would have a more intense battle of pride before agreeing to come, but since they are arriving today, there will be little time to prepare.

However, we can’t just gloss over it with a casual, ‘Oops, my bad?’ attitude, can we?

Perhaps the soldiers who just received the order to prepare for the parade are currently swearing up a storm.

If we complete the event without any mistakes, I’ll have to make a point of praising and encouraging them.

And now that things have progressed this far, I can’t simply relax here either.

From now on, I had to greet the King of Joseon as Killian Gore Hanover, a country’s envoy, not as the honorary admiral of the Great British Empire.

I carefully removed my admiral’s hat and took out the dress uniform that I had carefully stored in the closet.

* * *

It’s a huge warship.

It looked big when I saw it from afar, but seeing it up close, the sense of intimidation is immense.

Still, as the King of Joseon, I had to maintain my composure, so I tried my best to keep a straight face, but when I glanced back, I could clearly see that the officials following me were struggling to maintain their composure.

They’re scared, yet curious, and they want to go up and see it for themselves, but they’re also worried about potential accidents.

Such complex emotions are easily readable on their faces.

“Minister Ye, why are you so anxious?”

“A, anxious? No, I’m not, Your Majesty!”

“Is that so?”

“Yes! No matter how big a ship is, it’s just a vehicle floating on the water. I swear…”

BOOOOOOOOOOM!

“Ugh, ugh!”

“Thunder is striking from the ship!”

As one of the docked ships made a loud noise and spewed smoke, several young officials who had come down from Hanseong [the historical name for Seoul] screamed and fell backward.

Lee Hwan clicked his tongue softly as he looked at those officials and turned his gaze.

“How long has it been since Western steamships became known, and you still act like that? Not knowing is not a fault, but not trying to find out what has already been known is a crime to be reprimanded as a scholar and as an official of the court. Open your eyes wide and see how far ahead they are of us.”

“Yes, yes, Your Majesty!”

“Thank you for your grace!”

“Instead of simply rejecting Western goods, we must adopt the mindset that one day Joseon will build ships that are bigger and more powerful than those.”

Right now, Joseon is in an alliance with England, and Killian exists, so I think Joseon will be fine for the time being.

In fact, during meetings in the throne room, I often sense that other ministers are relieved because of this.

It’s as if they think, ‘Joseon is an ally of England, so who would dare to attack us?’

It’s not necessarily wrong, but what are they going to do if they just trust England and England’s stance changes?

What if Killian dies young and people within England start questioning whether there is a reason to keep Joseon as an ally?

What if public opinion arises that it would be better to just make it a colony? How should we deal with that then?

Of course, it’s fine now. They even raised an army and dispatched troops against England’s main enemy, Russia, and even captured the enemy general.

But I know how quickly human memory fades.

No one in the world can guarantee how England will perceive Joseon in 10, 20, or even 50 years from now.

So, from now on, we must find a path to self-reliance and self-sufficiency.

The problem is that this is not something that can be done overnight.

Looking at this magnificent warship right in front of me, that thought became even more solidified.

Even if Joseon desperately researches Western culture and develops technology, how much more time will it take to build such a ship?

To endure until then, we must inevitably borrow the power of England or strengthen our relationship with England even further.

Until I came here, I was a little worried about whether I could do it, but now that the task is right in front of me, I feel more at ease.

Just do as my heart tells me. I will do what I want without regrets and return.

As I was organizing my thoughts, I arrived right in front of the magnificent warship.

Following the officer who came to greet them, I boarded the ship and heard music for the first time, and saw the majestic figures of the English soldiers lined up in a row.

It goes without saying, but every country with an army has this kind of ceremony.

However, it was a completely different kind of ceremony from Joseon, and the weapons the soldiers had were also different, so I couldn’t help but be drawn to them.

Among them, the person who caught Lee Hwan and his servants’ attention the most was the young man who was welcoming them at the very front of the line.

He was wearing strange clothes that Western gentlemen typically wear, and he had a tall height and striking features.

He was a little different from what I had imagined, but based on the description I had heard from Kim Jwa-geun, I could tell who he was without being introduced.

“Welcome aboard our ship. I am Killian Gore Hanover, the agent of Her Majesty the Queen of the Great British Empire and the chief of Asian affairs. It is an honor to be able to serve His Majesty the King of Joseon.”

It’s a slightly unusual melody, but since it’s a song being played here, it must have some significance.

Lee Hwan followed Killian’s lead, as he had been told in advance, and toured the ship, standing here and there, and moving around.

In the middle, there were sounds that I couldn’t understand, indicating that they were taking pictures, and something flashed. Everything was new to me, so I was somewhat overwhelmed, but it was still a valuable experience.

And after a unique welcoming ceremony that he had never experienced before, he was finally able to sit face to face with the person he had wanted to meet so much.

Taking a light breath, he greeted the man, who looked younger than he had expected.

“I am glad to meet the protagonist of the fame that has resounded throughout the eight provinces of Joseon.”

Okay, let’s start now.

Whatever the conclusion, let’s say everything I want to say without regret and go back.

* * *

How many dramas dealing with modern history were there in 21st century Korea?

When I was in my prime, there were several dramas that I watched while squeezing them into my busy schedule.

And the kings of Joseon in those dramas from the modern era had a commonality.

Because Joseon has such a strong image as a Confucian *kkondae* [꼰대, a Korean slang term for an older person who is condescending and stuck in their ways], even the king couldn’t completely shake off a *kkondae*-like side.

And frankly, that’s how the Joseon officials I actually met were too.

Whether it was Kim Jwa-geun or Heungseon Daewongun, when I first met them, they were all inevitably steeped in Joseon-style Neo-Confucianism.

I heard from Kim Jwa-geun that Heonjong would have such a side, but surprisingly, I couldn’t find such a side in the young king sitting in front of me.

It’s not exactly freedom, but it’s closer to a feeling of detachment.

Looking at the dark circles under his eyes, it’s clear that his health is not good, and that may have had an effect.

“If I had known that your health was not good, I would not have suggested meeting in Dongnae. I apologize for having you come down here. I wish you had scheduled it for another day.”

“Ah, it’s okay. Rather, I feel better leaving the stuffy palace. And thanks to you, I was able to ride such a big and magnificent warship. I heard that this is not only big, but also faster than our Panokseon [a type of Korean warship], but seeing it in person makes it even harder to believe. It’s truly amazing.”

“It uses the power of steam. The Navy is a collection of cutting-edge technologies and a symbol of the Great British Empire’s pride.”

“I understand it well enough. I honestly didn’t understand when I heard that Qing was no match for your country in the last war. But if someone had shown me directly that they were fighting while operating these warships at that time, I would have immediately understood.”

The look in his eyes as he looks around the warship is unusual.

It reminds me of teenagers in their prime, their eyes shining while watching incredibly cool mecha [giant robots].

No, the romance of huge ships and huge guns intoxicates not only teenagers, but also adults, so it would be more accurate to say that the instincts of the man sleeping inside Heonjong have awakened.

As a result, I suddenly became curious about what the historian who was furiously wielding his brush in the back was recording about this situation.

Perhaps misunderstanding my gaze, Heonjong smiled bitterly as if he was embarrassed.

“Ah, I’m sorry to have brought a historian with me even though it’s supposed to be a private meeting. But if we forcibly kick out the historian in our Joseon, we’ll be called a tyrant, so I couldn’t help it. I’ll take action if you’re uncomfortable.”

“No. If it’s a conversation that will be left as an important historical record for future generations, that’s also a charming thing. Ah, will what I just said be recorded in the Veritable Records [the official historical records of the Joseon Dynasty]?”

As if in response to my words, the speed at which the historian’s brush moved increased.

If I have a chance later, I should secretly obtain and read how today’s conversation was recorded.

I remember hearing somewhere that the records in the Veritable Records were not that accurate, especially during the late Joseon Dynasty and the Sedo Politics [a period of political corruption in Joseon] period, so I should check it out.

Of course, unless I’m crazy, there’s no possibility that I’ll deliberately distort the content or write it maliciously here, but in fact, I’m just curious.

“Thank you for understanding. It’s understandable that you might be unhappy with the fact that the words are being recorded, but Your Majesty is accepting it very flexibly.”

“I know about that culture in Joseon to some extent. And you came all the way from inside those four great gates [referring to Seoul’s city walls] to this far place, so if I can’t even provide that much convenience, wouldn’t I be too narrow-minded?”

“Then, for me, who came all that way, may I ask you for one favor?”

“Yes? What is it?”

“I’ve been thinking about it ever since I first saw this ship…”

Could it be that he’s asking me to transfer the manufacturing technology?

Or is he asking me to sell him some of the weapons used in this warship?

Whatever it is, he’s already trying to get to the point, so he’s so impatient.

As I straightened my posture, wondering what kind of proposal he would make, Heonjong took a sip of tea and nonchalantly pointed to the opposite side of the harbor.

“Please do a test run once before getting off here. I would like to see the ship moving from the deck.”

Um, yeah. I understand perfectly now.

After all, a man can’t help but be fascinated by battleships.

I feel a strong sense of kinship as a fellow man. This is going to be fun, isn’t it?