I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 286

< Debate on Royal Dress (4) >

A few days before the full-scale debate began.

Kim Hak-seo came to me to discuss strategy.

And I handed over all the materials he could use, adding a few pieces of advice.

“Remember, I am taking a completely neutral stance in this debate. Treat this as something the Grand Scholar [a high-ranking scholar] obtained, not something I gave him.”

“Of course. Thank you for even providing these materials.”

“It’s nothing. Between us.”

“…Yes? Be, between us…”

“Since the Grand Scholar is rolling up his sleeves for the friendship between our Great British Empire and Joseon [historical Korean kingdom], can’t we consider ourselves friends already? Ah, if you feel like this young one is being too presumptuous…”

“No! Presumptuous? Not at all! Hahaha!”

The old man quickly gathered the materials I handed over, and, fearing I might say something more, hurriedly tried to back away.

If I let this go, I wouldn’t be Killian.

“Ah, Grand Scholar Kim Hak-seo.”

“Yes, yes! Is there anything else you need to instruct me on…”

“No. Just do well. Who knows? If you do well this time, something good might happen.”

If he takes the lead in creating a foundation for me to stick a straw into Joseon this time, wouldn’t it be fair to say our old man is clearing some of his karmic debt?

From the start, he was trying to act that way himself, so he’s just setting up a stage for me to play on as much as I want.

“…I understand. No matter what, I will shatter the minds of those ignorant Confucian scholars who don’t know reality!”

“I’ll be looking forward to it.”

No matter how much they’re called Confucian Taliban or Confucian old men, there’s no way people who have risen to the positions of Chief State Councilor and Minister in a country would be without any ability.

Especially given Joseon’s characteristics, ministers often fought with words, so it should be said that they were all humans who had almost reached max level in debate skills.

Not only their logical construction and development, but also catching the other party’s words, exaggerating interpretations, generalizing, and using mob tactics to the extreme.

And Kim Hak-seo was showing off his abilities to his heart’s content.

It means that Lee Man-son and Choi Ik-hyun, who were diligently studying books and academics in the countryside, were not at a level they could handle.

“Ah, no, that’s not it. It’s just that barbarians and ordinary people are different…”

“Didn’t the Jurchen of Manchuria, who were barbarians, occupy Ming [Chinese dynasty] and become respectable civilized people by being moved by Ming’s advanced culture? How can you conclude that barbarians cannot be civilized? Or does that mean that Qing [another Chinese dynasty, founded by the Manchus] is still just an uncivilized barbarian, and we who have been serving Qing have been serving barbarians until now?”

“Th…that’s not it. Qing is not at the same level as Ming, but it certainly cannot be called a simple barbarian after being incorporated into the order of the Central Plain [traditional Chinese sphere of influence].”

“Then there is no room for further debate. The English are also being civilized by our Kirian Your Majesty himself. Moreover, strictly speaking, the English were better than the Later Jin, the predecessor of Qing, even before Your Majesty took power. So it is not strange that they become the masters of a new order beyond Qing.”

Beyond being refuted no matter what he said, Lee Man-son lost his will to fight as he was being portrayed as a strange person, and Choi Ik-hyun stepped up as the next batter.

As a person who is also the rightful successor of the Hwaseo School [a Confucian school of thought], he spoke differently from Lee Man-son based on his Sinocentrism thinking.

“To establish diplomatic relations with the English is an act of exposing ourselves to the danger of prioritizing trade over defense. If commerce develops through trade, the people will pursue their own selfish desires, so how do you intend to prevent this?”

“Of course, we need to guide the people so that they do not fall into indulgence and pleasure. However, is it an objective fact that the development of commerce will only lead the people to pursue pleasure?”

“Currency leads to lust, circulating goods and pursuing carnal desires are the core of Western civilization. This stirs up human desires, so it can certainly be said to be a verified fact.”

“If that were true, shouldn’t the Western countries have already collapsed because all the people were only enjoying pleasure? However, according to the ambassadors dispatched to England, that is not the case at all.

Scholars continue to research new technologies that can enrich life, and many people work even harder with the single-minded desire to enjoy more of the benefits of civilization. Those who only pursue pleasure eventually become obsolete in society, so they try not to be like that, but how do you intend to refute this phenomenon that is actually happening?”

“That’s… Grand Scholar Kim Hak-seo’s words are ultimately only looking at a fragment of society. Can all the facts you speak of be seen as truly objective facts? It may be so now, but we don’t know what will happen in the future. Until now, there has not been a single country that has pursued greed and lust and prospered for thousands of years.”

To be honest, when the debate was held, I was a little curious about what kind of well-organized arguments they had come up with, but in the end, it’s all just fundamental stories.

In fact, there’s no way Kim Hak-seo or other ministers of the court wouldn’t know those fundamental ideas.

So I thought they might come up with some great new ideas, but it seems I overestimated them too much.

In fact, I also gave a hint to some ministers who had connections through Kim Jwa-geun, but it doesn’t seem like their turn will come.

“The future? Are we talking about the future now? Then I have a lot to say. Among the Confucian scholars sitting on the opposite side, is there even one person who knows how Europa [Europe] is colonizing Asia and Africa, and how they are exploited when they are colonized?”

“……”

They don’t even know what’s happening in Hanseong [old name for Seoul] properly, so how would they know what’s happening overseas?

Of course, there was silence, and no answer came out, so Kim Hak-seo sighed with an exaggerated gesture and took out the materials he had received from me.

“Of course not. This must be known not only by the Confucian scholars here, but also by the officials and people of the court. What danger we are in! We must face reality and overcome this crisis with one heart and one mind!”

This was material that I had only given to Kim Hak-seo, so even the ministers of the same camp who were listening from behind tilted their heads with puzzled eyes.

But as Kim Hak-seo read the written material.

Horror settled in the eyes of everyone who heard it.

“First, France. France had previously sent warships to the West Sea, but we drove them out by luck because they failed to investigate the tidal differences. However, in the country of Algeria, which was occupied by them, all those who resisted were mercilessly massacred, and most of the crops from the farmland are being confiscated.

You might say it’s okay if we resist, but even Annam [historical name for Vietnam], which you have all heard of at least once, is slowly falling into the hands of France. Even Annam, which repelled the Mongol invasion and serves Qing like us, is in such a situation.”

“Wa, wait a minute. Where did you get such data…”

“Of course, I received it from the embassy in England. While you are turning a blind eye to reality, such cases have been continuously coming into the court!”

In addition to this, Kim Hak-seo vividly told all kinds of cases, from Spain’s exploitation of the Philippines, Russia’s policy of invading Central Asia, the Netherlands’ exploitation of Indonesia, and Portugal’s African policy.

How the great powers of Europe exploit their colonies.

And why they cannot be stopped by simply resisting with swords and spears like in the old days.

As he explained with all his might what a miserable life awaits them if they fall into a colony, everyone’s faces hardened.

Of course, the atrocities of the Great British Empire, which are indispensable when it comes to colonial exploitation, were self-filtered.

At least in this place, I had to appeal that the Great British Empire was different from the general Western powers.

It’s somewhat true since I stepped in.

“…This is the reality that is happening while you are turning a blind eye to reality and shouting that you must protect the Way of Joseon. Who wouldn’t want to protect the Way of Joseon? The problem is that if we don’t choose a strong ally and join them even now, our Joseon will have no choice but to end up like Annam.”

“If they commit such atrocities, we will fight to the death to stop them!”

“I will too. We must fight to the death. But do you think that the many countries I have listed above all perished because there were no loyal subjects who would fight to the death? Resisting to the death is good. Scholars and loyal subjects should do that. But can you say that you have fulfilled your responsibility with that? Does the responsibility of making this country a colony of Western powers and making not only the present but also future generations suffer disappear simply because we sacrificed our lives?”

Again, no one answered.

The stories of loyal subjects who take their own lives to take responsibility for the fall of the country seem heartbreaking at first glance, but when viewed coldly, they are just belated lamentations.

Especially if the country didn’t just fall, but fell into a colony of those Western countries, the politicians who take care of the country cannot be forgiven with suicide.

“People who don’t realize that Joseon is currently on the verge of collapse, and don’t know what end those countries that failed to properly cope with this crisis have met, and who are talking about idealistic stories in those mountain valleys are absolutely incomprehensible. The area where His Majesty placed the representatives of the Confucian scholars who submitted the Maninso [a memorial to the king] in house arrest is the very place that has been turned into a colony by those Western powers. When those people come back, please ask them. If they didn’t feel a sense of crisis.”

Umm. I can feel the sound of the people buzzing getting louder and louder.

The court officials are rational people who worry about the lives of the common people and engage in realistic politics.

The Confucian scholars who oppose this are vain scholars who turn a blind eye to the current reality and keep talking about idealism.

As soon as today passes, this frame will take root throughout Hanseong, and before long, rumors of what happened today will spread throughout Joseon.

Moreover, it is obvious that the rumors that are spread by word of mouth will be more exaggerated than the actual facts.

Kim Hak-seo also realized that the atmosphere had completely shifted, and looked around with a determined look before driving in the final wedge.

“Then some may ask. Is it right to reconcile with the English to prevent that catastrophe! Then I will say this! Yes! Of course! The results are already proving it. While other countries are groaning under the oppression of those Western powers, our Joseon is rather expanding its territory by acquiring Salhalim [Sakhalin Island]. This is because none other than Kirian Your Majesty himself! He pressured Arasa [Russia] to cede half of Salhalim to Joseon!”

“Where is Salhalim?”

“I don’t know either. I heard it’s a big island in the north?”

“If it’s an island, isn’t it small?”

“No. I heard that it’s about the size of Jeolla [province in Korea] and Gyeongsang provinces combined?”

“Oh my gosh, then it’s gotten huge?”

History proves that there is no one among our people who hates land.

Kim Hak-seo deliberately gave the people enough time to react before continuing.

“While Qing is failing to even control the riots that are happening internally, England is becoming more and more powerful day by day, so this is ultimately because providence is with England. Then what is the reason for that? It is because Kirian Your Majesty, who inherited the blood of our Joseon, the innate quality born of Joseon, the pride of Joseon! He became the consort of England! Now that the order of the Central Plain has disappeared, it is a correct principle in terms of Neo-Confucianism that England of Kirian Your Majesty, who inherited the blood of our Joseon, a small China, ascends to the new Celestial Dynasty and leads the order of the world!”

Good. A very natural nationalistic move.

As people’s eyes turned to me at Kim Hak-seo’s words, I smiled lightly and waved my hand once.

“Now that providence has turned to England, the Emperor of England, who rules all the oceans of the world, is worthy of being the Son of Heaven, and our Kirian Your Majesty, his consort, also stands at the center of the Celestial Order. This means that the royal family of our Joseon is also being reborn as a true small China, so Joseon needs to further strengthen its cooperation with England to solidify its position as a small China!”

A subtle injection of nationalism that simultaneously seeks to elevate the status of Joseon with a Neo-Confucian perspective and practicality.

Choi Ik-hyun and Lee Man-son still had expressions full of disbelief, but among the Confucian scholars sitting behind them, some were slowly starting to be tempted.

“I am not just shouting small China with plausible words. If Qing declines and Joseon stands tall as small China, changes will inevitably occur in the landscape surrounding this land. I cannot help but speak here about the possibility of recovering the old territory of Manchuria!”

“…Yes?”

“Chief, Chief State Councilor! Recovering Manchuria, that’s…”

No, a Northern Expedition here?

I had guessed it, but not only the ministers who had not been given a chance to speak, but also Heonjong looked at Kim Hak-seo with a dumbfounded expression.

“This is the future promised to Joseon! In the first place, Manchuria is the traditional land that we have occupied since the days of ancient Gojoseon [ancient Korean kingdom]. And this is why Joseon must move forward with England. As long as Kirian Your Majesty is there, we have nothing to fear as long as we move forward with Your Majesty! Long live the King! Long live Kirian Your Majesty! Long live the Jo-Young Alliance!”

“Long live! Long live! Long live!”

“Long live the King, long live Kirian Your Majesty!”

Suddenly raising his hand and shouting ten thousand years instead of a thousand years startled the ministers, but as the people lined up around him cheered together, some people hesitantly raised their hands together.

“A chorus of long live, what an impious…”

“We, well, now that I listen to it, it doesn’t seem that wrong.”

“We have acquired Salhalim, which we have never occupied, so wouldn’t it be possible to acquire Manchuria, the old territory of Goguryeo [ancient Korean kingdom]?”

“No, what are we going to do by occupying Manchuria? How are we going to protect that land!”

“If England guarantees it anyway, neither Arasa nor Qing will be able to invade Manchuria, so wouldn’t it be enough to just plant a flag?”

Among the Confucian scholars who were fed up, those who were opening their eyes to reality and desire began to appear.

Of course, gazes poured out wanting to get confirmation of Kim Hak-seo’s instigation, but I just waved my hand and didn’t open my mouth at all.

I will not say anything that could affect this discussion.

That was the rule.

So, even though I didn’t open my mouth even once, the number of people who were already singing the Gwanggaeto the Great [king of Goguryeo] song running through the Manchurian field and shouting cheers in their imagination increased more and more.

Kim Hak-seo continued to shout cheers and induce responses from the surroundings.

His gaze, which he looked at from time to time, seemed to say, ‘I did well, didn’t I? Just give me a look,’ so I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Yes, you worked hard. So let’s work harder until the day you retire.