I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 281

< Happiness Evangelist (5) >

The court was, as always, in chaos.

Although the Border Defense Council had agreed, its opinion was not necessarily that of the entire Joseon.

There were still many Confucian scholars in Joseon who were not associated with the Border Defense Council, and the forest scholars [scholars living outside the capital, often with strong local influence], who had taken root as local gentry, were maintaining their lineage, albeit in small numbers.

Those near Hanyang [modern-day Seoul] were generally aware of the current situation.

However, even just beyond Gyeonggi Province [the province surrounding Seoul], the majority of Confucian scholars had not yet escaped old customs.

They still revered the values of Confucianism above all else and believed that Eastern thought was clearly superior to Western thought.

They constantly submitted petitions arguing that embracing Western learning (Seohak), which undermined the tenets of Confucianism, would lead the nation to ruin and should therefore be rejected.

Some Confucian scholars even loudly insisted that the treaty with England should be postponed immediately.

The King directly suppressed this public opinion, and it subsided, but it was not completely extinguished.

Until Joseon underwent proper enlightenment, this ember could reignite at any time.

As expected, when the rumors about the Crown Prince’s investiture spread, petitions began to pour in like a rainstorm.

“Your Majesty! It cannot be that one of the ringleaders of the Western barbarians is present at the establishment of Joseon’s foundation!”

“Your Majesty! Do you truly intend to abandon the Way of Confucianism and walk the path of heterodoxy! It is not too late even now, so please return to the true path of Confucianism!”

Already in a position to abdicate due to poor health, these petitions made him feel breathless.

What should he do with these ignorant people?

They were making such a fuss just because Kirian was going to be present; if he had said that he would be heavily relying on Kirian’s opinion, they would have turned the world upside down.

He was glad that he hadn’t told the ministers everything.

“Your Majesty, the Confucian scholars are saying they will submit a collective petition (Maninso) [a petition signed by ten thousand people].”

“Hmph… They are so foolish. Too foolish to even describe.”

“I regret to inform you, but they call this ‘defending orthodoxy and rejecting heterodoxy’ (Wijeong Cheoksa) [a movement advocating for the rejection of Western influence and the preservation of traditional Confucian values].”

Maintaining the right path and rejecting the wicked? Truly a Confucian scholar-like name that brings a hollow laugh.

“Alright, let’s read what they have to say.”

The Confucian scholars who led this collective petition were Hwaseo Yi Gwang-ro and Yi Man-son.

[…This subject has used wondrous objects brought from the West, but they were all excessively luxurious and bizarre playthings. Western objects stimulate people’s desires for extravagance, and if they are coveted, the people of Joseon will not be able to cultivate themselves and will inevitably stray from the path of benevolence and righteousness.

Even now, distance yourselves from the Westerners and establish virtuous rule…]

Alright, let’s stop reading.

Although he skimmed it, it was clear that their ideology was based on the Igiron [a Neo-Confucian philosophical theory], which combined the Yi-Gi dualism [the distinction between principle (Yi) and material force (Gi)] and the Juja School’s principle-based theory.

The Igiron seen here still revered Chinese culture as principle (Yi) and interpreted any culture that deviated from it as heterodox (Sai).

Pursuing heterodoxy was not merely heresy but worse than beasts, so one should not associate with beasts.

Look at this. It is so easy to talk while detached from reality.

Yi Hwan keenly realized how much Joseon was turning its back on the world.

Kim Jwa-geun told him that England could send news from one end of the continent to the other in an instant.

But Joseon now writes lengthy, pointless content and carries it all the way to Hanyang, which takes an enormous amount of time.

Is this the duty of a gentleman, and are they beasts?

It doesn’t make sense logically.

Which gentleman in the world lives at a level lower than beasts?

Contentment in poverty? There is a limit to that. In this era where guns and swords are rampant and weak countries are colonized and exploited by strong countries, what is the point of shouting only about the duties of a gentleman?

“Chief Royal Secretary, you probably have an idea of what order I will give, right?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I will deliver the order to place those who led the petition under house arrest immediately.”

“Do so. However, the place of house arrest is not this Joseon land.”

“Then? Should we send them to Sakhalin, which we recently acquired?”

“No.”

These people need to see reality.

What happens to a country without power.

If they directly saw the horrific scenes described in detail in Kim Jwa-geun’s report, wouldn’t their thinking change even a little?

“Realistically, we cannot send everyone, so select only those with great influence and send them to Shanghai. Ask England there to send them to colonies ruled by Western powers and have them see how much the people in those lands are suffering.”

“…Your Majesty, that is…”

In fact, Yi Hwan himself had only heard about how Western powers exploited colonies and did not know the details.

So, wouldn’t it be good if those who went and saw, heard, and felt the horrors firsthand were to submit another petition, so that everyone could know the reality more clearly?

“Fortunately, His Highness Kirian will be coming to Hanyang soon, so I can make the proposal directly.”

“Yes. Then I will separately select the Confucian scholars with great influence among those who advocate defending orthodoxy and rejecting heterodoxy.”

“Do so. Ah, and come here for a moment.”

The King beckoned the Chief Royal Secretary closer so that the historians, who were still diligently wielding their brushes, could not hear, and whispered into his ear in a very small voice.

“If Kirian comes to Hanyang this time, could his past actions in Joseon be revealed?”

“…If His Highness Kirian reveals it himself, it may be so, but… doesn’t no one know about it now?”

“That’s right. No one knows. That’s the problem.”

It was unlikely, but if Kirian had some unsavory incident when he was in Joseon, wouldn’t those bad memories be rekindled?

If it got tangled up with the family register issue and things got out of hand, the matter could become more complicated than the Crown Prince’s investiture.

“Your Majesty, if His Highness Kirian really had some problem when he was in Joseon, wouldn’t it have come out a long time ago? You don’t need to worry too much.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yes. How much preparation has been made for this welcoming event? Your Majesty will surely be satisfied.”

That’s true. The organizers of this welcoming event were none other than the Chief State Councilor, the Second State Councilor, and the Minister of Rites.

There has never been such a splendid lineup for a welcoming ceremony, so they will know how much effort we are putting in.

Besides, when you think about it logically, it is doubtful whether Kirian really stayed in Joseon for that long.

If he was really in Joseon, there should be some noticeable record or witness, but nothing has come out even after searching so thoroughly.

Even if he was in Joseon, he probably stayed for a few months or, at most, stayed in some rural corner without contacting anyone before meeting a fellow countryman and returning home.

If something was going to come out, it should have come out a long time ago, as the Chief Royal Secretary said.

My head is already bursting with complexity, so no more variables should come out here.

Please.

* * *

“My teacher has been arrested? That’s absurd!”

He never expected that the collective petition (Maninso) raised by the Confucian scholars, claiming that the will of ten thousand people was the will of heaven, would be ignored.

No, he thought it could be ignored because the current King’s will was too strong, but he never imagined that influential Confucian scholars would be exiled.

And so quickly.

“What is the reason?”

“The court sent the reason for the confinement. It’s roughly like this.”

[…The petitions submitted by the Confucian scholars did not refrain from slandering and denouncing the King, claiming that the court of this country was not strict in repelling heterodoxy. Scholars who have seen the wide world all speak with one voice, but those who engage in cunning words with their treacherous tongues in small mountain villages can only be compared to frogs in a well.

Originally, such a serious crime should be punished by execution, but their loyal hearts are worth considering, so they will be placed under house arrest in another region so that they can preserve their remaining life, and they will be deported on the same day.]

The fact that such a swift and firm edict was issued meant that the court’s position was that firm.

The young Confucian scholar, with tears welling up in his eyes, shouted at his teacher, who had his eyes closed.

“How can His Majesty not recognize my teacher’s loyalty!”

“I have no regrets, as I have fulfilled my duty as a Confucian scholar.”

“Teacher…”

The young Confucian scholar wiped away his tears and read the edict several times before blinking as if something was strange.

“But teacher, it says they will place you under house arrest, but why doesn’t it specify which region?”

“Well, usually it’s written from the beginning where they’re sending you into exile, so it is strange. The court may still be divided on where to send me into exile.”

Still, wouldn’t he be exiled to Ganghwa Island or Jeolla Province at best?

Yi Gwang-ro rose from his seat to prepare, maintaining a calm demeanor until the end.

The young Confucian scholar, watching his teacher, trembled and gnashed his teeth.

This doesn’t make sense. What did his teacher do wrong?

Was his loyal advice not to deviate from the ways of China and fall into the heterodox path of Western learning a serious crime worthy of exile?

Now that things have come to this, he will go to Hanyang with an ax in hand and argue for his teacher’s innocence.

The young Confucian scholar, Choi Ik-hyeon, watching his teacher being escorted away by soldiers from the court, had his eyes burning with unconcealable anger.

* * *

The eventful year of 1852 finally came to an end, and the new year of 1853 dawned.

In some ways, it was just another new year, but it was a special moment for me.

As soon as the trip to Joseon was decided, I immediately reported the current situation in Asia to the home country and said that it was necessary to respond quickly, so I would move with my own judgment.

At the same time, I sent proposals to both France and Prussia, suggesting that they get involved in suppressing the Taiping Rebellion [a large-scale revolt against the Qing dynasty in China].

It would be a burden for everyone to dispatch large-scale troops, so it was a perfect logic that everyone would be happy if they all joined forces to form an army to support Qing [the ruling dynasty of China at the time].

I injected gas into France, saying that if they created a debt to Qing here, it would be much easier to sever the relationship between Vietnam and Qing.

Prussia was no different.

If France took Vietnam and stuck a straw into Qing, wouldn’t it be more difficult for Prussia to reverse France?

If you put a spoon on it here, you can stick a straw into Qing with minimal investment.

When France and Prussia immediately expressed their willingness to accept this irresistible proposal, Austria, who had heard about it from somewhere, even sent a request to include them as well.

It was confirmed that the support army formed by the four countries of England, France, Prussia, and Austria would join Qing as early as this year or as late as next year.

And to use that empty time effectively, I left Shanghai with the troops I had prepared in advance.

Finally, I set foot on the land of my hometown, which I didn’t miss that much.

“Your Highness! I sincerely congratulate you on your return!”

“Congratulations!”

What a grand welcome.

As soon as I got off the ship, the resounding shouts of the officials and soldiers and the continuous music were so loud that they rang in my ears.

“Once again, I sincerely congratulate His Highness Kirian Quai on his return to Joseon!”

Looking from the ship, I can see that the huge procession, which looks like a king’s procession, is stretching far back.

No, they said they would treat me as equal to a Qing prince, so when you consider the hierarchy, it is right that I receive the same treatment as the King of Joseon.

But I didn’t expect them to put so much effort into it. It seems that Heonjong [the King of Joseon] is grinding his teeth and preparing to ride on my influence.

As evidence of this, the Minister of Rites who came with Heonjong… his name was Park Won-yeong, I think.

The person with the familiar face I saw in Dongnae [a district in Busan] is standing behind the two people, not at the front of the procession.

If he is in front of the Minister of Rites, there is a high probability that he is a State Councilor, which means that two of the three State Councilors have come out to welcome me.

As expected, as soon as I got off the ship completely, the old man standing at the very front came forward and bowed politely.

“Welcome to Joseon. I am Chief State Councilor Kwon Don-in. I will escort Your Highness to the palace on behalf of His Majesty.”

“The Chief State Councilor himself has come out, so I feel how sincerely His Majesty is welcoming me.”

“His Majesty has been eagerly awaiting Your Highness’s arrival. Ah, this is the Second State Councilor and the Minister of Rites. Come to think of it, the Minister of Rites said he had met Your Highness before, but do you remember?”

“Of course. I remember meeting him in Dongnae as if it were yesterday.”

The Minister of Rites smiled brightly and bowed his head when our eyes met.

I nodded lightly, but unfortunately, my gaze was no longer on the Chief State Councilor and the Minister of Rites.

An unexpected face.

It was a face that I thought I would look for once I went to Joseon, but I found it in a completely unexpected place.

And he, too, was glancing at my face with a strange expression, wondering if it was me, and fidgeting like a puppy about to poop.

Kwon Don-in, who discovered his appearance, asked with a puzzled expression.

“Second State Councilor, are you perhaps unwell?”

“Ah, no. Just a little…”

Hmm, hearing the voice that was buried in the corner of my memory again after 20 years brings back memories.

I reached out to the old man, who was still rolling his eyes with a confused look.

“Nice to meet you. You are the Second State Councilor of Joseon?”