I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 279

< Happiness Evangelist (3) >

The capital of Joseon.

Hanseong [modern-day Seoul].

Although the specifics of the Crown Prince selection haven’t been publicly announced, the competition behind the scenes is already fierce.

Heungseon-gun [Yi Ha-eung, the father of King Gojong], a leading candidate, fled to Shanghai, but the other contenders remain in Joseon.

Kim Jwa-geun sent word, urging them not to act rashly, but the Andong Kim clan isn’t a unified entity, and not everyone would heed his advice.

In fact, with Kim Jwa-geun and Kim Heung-geun both abroad, the Andong Kim clan was more disorganized than usual.

The person who had to step up and lead the family at this point was Kim Eung-geun, Kim Heung-geun’s brother and the current Minister of Public Works.

Unlike Kim Jwa-geun or Kim Heung-geun, he had risen to his current position more through family influence than his own merit, and he secretly harbored a strong desire to prove himself this time.

Frankly, if he could secure the next king, wouldn’t he surpass Kim Heung-geun or Kim Jwa-geun and become the head of the family?

And since the Pungyang Jo clan was already making moves, they had no choice but to respond in kind.

Kim Eung-geun immediately began searching for someone who could be close to the next king.

And by sheer luck, he found a suitable candidate without much difficulty.

Kim Eung-geun immediately mobilized the family’s power and secretly dispatched people.

Ganghwa Island.

Yi Won-beom, the third son of Grand Internal Prince Jeongye, was living as an ordinary citizen, cutting trees with his younger brother, when he was surprised by the sudden arrival of visitors.

Why would he, a member of the royal family, be living on Ganghwa Island cutting down trees?

Yi Won-beom hadn’t done anything wrong himself, but his older brother Yi Myeong’s attempt to promote him as king had been discovered, and he was exiled to Ganghwa Island with his younger brother.

It didn’t seem like they were carrying a death warrant, as it wasn’t a formal procession, but that made it even harder to understand why they had come to find him.

Even after hearing their story, his question was tinged with utter disbelief.

“No… you want me to run as a candidate for Crown Prince? Me?”

“Yes. You are fully qualified.”

“No… I don’t think you understand, but I’m not a proper member of the royal family right now. You’re calling me ‘Doryeonnim’ [a respectful title for a young unmarried man from a noble family] right now. How can someone who hasn’t even been granted a title…”

“That’s true, but you are one of the closest relatives to His Majesty the current King. If our family uses its influence, we can certainly restore your status as a member of the royal family. Then, as the closest blood relative to His Majesty, you will become a strong candidate for succession.”

After hearing the details, he roughly understood the situation, but it still seemed absurd.

What kind of king was he supposed to be?

He had been cutting down trees his whole life since he was old enough to understand.

“You said I’m the closest blood relative to His Majesty, but aren’t there others besides me? Like my older brother…”

“He is the eldest grandson, so he must take over the family. And there is also Yi Ik-pyeong, but he also has to take over the family, so there is almost no one as legitimate as you.”

“But they say they look at the qualities of a king…”

“What better quality is there than bloodline in this dynastic society? Furthermore, you have been living on Ganghwa Island and know the reality of the people better than anyone else. If we highlight this point, it is entirely possible.”

*I don’t know.* I was just trying to live comfortably on Ganghwa Island, but why was I suddenly dragged into this brutal scene?

Crown Prince selection competition. What’s the difference between that and a battle for the next throne?

When I turned my head slightly, I could feel my brother’s face turning pale, unsure of what to do.

“…If we become members of the royal family, can we stop living in exile and return to Hanseong?”

“Of course. How can we continue to have a member of the royal family of this country live in such a harsh place? We will provide you with every convenience so that you can live without any deficiencies.”

“……”

I know that saying no here won’t be accepted.

Yi Won-beom, who had felt the ruthlessness and fear of power since he was a child, eventually nodded slowly, like a puppet.

As if he had been destined to do so from the beginning.

And while the Andong Kim clan was contacting Yi Won-beom on Ganghwa Island, the Pungyang Jo clan was not idle either.

“Grand Prince Gyeongwon, you are the most suitable person to support the future of this country.”

“…I…”

A voice too young to be called young.

He was just a child, only about 10 years old, but there was a reason why the Pungyang Jo clan had set their sights on this child.

Yi Ha-jeon, Grand Prince Gyeongwon, the 13th generation descendant of Dojeong Palace.

He was the descendant of Dojeong Palace at a young age, as his father, Prince Wanchang, had passed away only a year after his birth, but his relationship with the current king was too distant.

He was virtually a stranger, as he had to skip as many as 27 generations, but he had one advantage.

“All the other members of the royal family who are currently considered strong candidates are above His Majesty in rank. His Majesty is the 12th generation descendant of Deokheung Daewongun, so he must adopt a member of the royal family who is the 13th generation, and you are the only person who fits that description.”

“But no matter how important rank is…”

“His Majesty also looks at the qualities of a king who will lead the country in the future. It is a well-known fact that you have been bright and eager to learn since you were a child. You are the most advantageous person in this competition.”

*I wondered if it was right to do this to a child who was only 10 years old,* but it’s not like the current King is stepping down from his position right away.

Rather, considering that he will be educating the Crown Prince little by little after he is appointed, it is more advantageous to be younger.

The Pungyang Jo clan decided to push Grand Prince Gyeongwon as the next king with that calculation, and they were actually confident.

Yi Won-beom? Even though he is close in kinship, he is an illiterate who has lived on Ganghwa Island all his life.

Yi Ha-eung? He is far removed from the king in terms of both rank and kinship, so he is not even worth discussing.

“If you continue to show a good image as you do now, His Majesty will take notice of you.”

“…I understand.”

Even though they were members of the royal family, they only held positions of honor rather than real power.

Currently, there was no one who could openly oppose what the powerful family that controlled Joseon wanted to do.

Andong Kim clan or Pungyang Jo clan.

Unlike the King’s intentions, this Crown Prince selection competition is unfolding like a proxy war between powerful families.

At least, that’s what most of the officials in the court thought.

* * *

The chessboard of the East is intertwined, creating a harmony of great chaos.

The most noticeable thing is the Taiping Rebellion, which is directly connected to Shanghai, where I am currently located.

The battle, which had already grown too large for Qing to handle alone, had grown to a point where the British Empire was a little hesitant to get involved on its own.

To reverse this, as always, it is necessary to use loyal allies as shields to reduce the damage on this side.

But then I have to give concessions to the allies, and I don’t want France or Prussia to put stakes in Qing.

I wonder if I can satisfy them with just a general trade agreement, but that’s only if Qing is struggling on its own.

If the European Allied Forces help the struggling Qing to crush the Taiping Rebellion, they will naturally have to make corresponding demands.

Then I have to involve the allies, but create a situation where they don’t have a chance to gain achievements.

It’s easier said than done, but when I try to come up with a plan, it’s not that easy.

So, first of all, I tried to clean up the surrounding environment one by one, like filling the moat before attacking the castle.

Just in time, news came that King Heonjong of Joseon was preparing to step down from his position due to deteriorating health.

It’s a shame for him, but wouldn’t it be fortunate that he can save his life without dying young?

Anyway, what’s important to me is that the King of Joseon is stepping down, and I can influence the selection of his successor.

To be honest, Kim Jwa-geun asked me to visit Joseon once when deciding on the next king, but I didn’t expect him to ask for intervention in this way.

And the person who came to make an official request on behalf of the Joseon court.

“It’s been a while. It’s good to see you again, Grand Internal Prince Heungseon.”

“Yes. It is an honor to see you again, Your Majesty.”

I never thought it would be Heungseon-gun.

I thought it would be hard to see him come all the way to Shanghai and bow his head like this again, but it feels strange.

But why does he seem more polite and humble than before? Is it just my imagination?

“The King of Joseon has decided to abdicate.”

“Yes. The royal physician said that his body is very damaged and he needs to rest.”

“That’s a shame. He had the qualities of a wise ruler who should have ruled Joseon for a long time.”

“However, he will still indirectly help manage state affairs even after stepping down as King Emeritus.”

Originally, the position of King Emeritus becomes a bit ambiguous in many cases, but Heonjong is appointing someone unqualified as Crown Prince and passing on the throne.

The power base is incomparably different, so of course he won’t just remain a powerless King Emeritus in the corner after stepping down.

But I never thought he would actually film Superstar Joseon [a reference to a popular TV show].

He will adopt the most qualified person and pass on the throne? Oh, this is completely Roma [likely a reference to a historical figure or event, but without more context, it’s difficult to adapt further]…

“Your Majesty. His Majesty the King wants you to be directly involved in the selection of this candidate.”

“Are you saying that instead of acknowledging the candidate chosen by His Majesty, he wants me to influence the selection of the candidate itself?”

“Yes. If you recommend who you think is the most suitable person to lead the future of Joseon, he will review it and actively reflect it.”

In other words, he wants me to be a judge on an audition program to select the king.

“Is that okay? It seems likely that there will be a backlash.”

“He said he would suppress them all. The Border Defense Council has already agreed to it, so minor noises won’t be a problem.”

“I see. But have the candidates been decided yet?”

“Yes. First of all, the Andong Kim clan is pushing Yi Won-beom, the third son of Grand Internal Prince Jeongye, and the Pungyang Jo clan is pushing Grand Prince Gyeongwon.”

“Are there only two candidates? That can’t be.”

“That… of course there are. Ah, that’s right. I heard that there is a force trying to promote Yi Ik-pyeong in addition to them.”

Does that mean there are at least three strong candidates?

But when I hear it like that, I can’t tell who is who.

I don’t know if Cheoljong, whom I know, is included or not.

Seeing that Cheoljong was living as an ordinary person in the mountains of Gangwon-do, is Yi Won-beom, who doesn’t have any title, Cheoljong?

Anyway, looking at the current situation, the two people supported by the Andong Kim clan and the Pungyang Jo clan are considered the most likely candidates.

“But that’s surprising. Weren’t you close to Ambassador Kim Jwa-geun? I thought Ambassador Kim Jwa-geun would promote you.”

“It seems that the ambassador is too far away to react sensitively to the current situation in the court.”

“That could be.”

The next king of Joseon.

Considering the geopolitical value of the Korean Peninsula, it is beneficial, not harmful, to have a loyal government that listens to me established here.

As long as I don’t know what will happen to the Qing Dynasty in the distant future, I need to bring as many forces as possible to check them into the arms of the British Empire.

In addition, if I put a stake in here, wouldn’t it be easy to create a base for working on Japan and Ryukyu [Okinawa]?

I looked at Yi Ha-eung, who was watching me with a strange expression in front of me.

Come to think of it, this human was also a member of the royal family, so there must have been some talk going on, but why is it so quiet?

He’s not someone without a desire for power or ambition, so is he calculating in his head?

In fact, it is clear that there are not many people who are weak in microscopic aspects, but have a good head and have the ability to push things like a bulldozer once they decide to do something.

Above all, I liked the fact that the two major powerful families of Joseon were pushing different people.

Shall I poke him once?

I put a teacup in front of Heungseon-gun and asked as if it were nothing, as if asking about the weather today.

“Grand Internal Prince Heungseon. Do you have any ambition to become the King of Joseon?”

“…Yes?”

As expected, I knew it from the beginning when he pretended not to be interested and didn’t mention his name.

Look at that surprised expression.

I hit the nail on the head.