I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 303

“Alright, quickly now, fix the batteries and build a defensive line! The British warships could come crashing in at any moment!”

When Okubo received the imperial decree to subjugate Satsuma and Choshu, he immediately persuaded his lord to defend the rear and returned to Satsuma.

With the enemy in sight, a full retreat would inevitably lead to enormous losses from the pursuing forces, so it was decided that only Okubo and a select few would return with urgency.

Though still a young man, he was a trusted vassal of the lord. Okubo immediately reinforced the coastal batteries and prepared for the British Empire’s invasion.

However, there was a critical blind spot: no one in Satsuma truly knew the extent of the British Empire’s naval power.

It wasn’t that they were completely ignorant; they knew the British Empire’s navy was the strongest in the world.

However, they had no concrete understanding of the weaponry currently in use or the range of their cannons.

Still, conventional wisdom held that coastal batteries outranged warships’ cannons, so they assumed a similar dynamic would apply.

It didn’t take long for them to realize such thoughts were nothing more than wishful thinking.

“They’re coming! The British are coming!”

“Everyone, prepare for battle! The terrain is in our favor! Don’t be afraid!”

Although they had prepared as best they could, the only feasible action in such a short time was to deploy all available cannons along the coast.

As trained, the Satsuma soldiers mobilized all 85 cannons to bombard the British Empire’s fleet.

“Those who flee with the enemy in sight will be severely punished!”

“A wound to the back is a disgrace to a warrior! If you’re going to die, die here and leave behind honor!”

Fortunately, news of the Emperor officially designating Satsuma and Choshu as rebels hadn’t yet reached the rank and file.

If it had, no amount of shouting would have prevented most soldiers, their morale shattered, from abandoning their weapons and fleeing.

Boom!

“The British are firing!”

“Return fire! Return fire!”

The earth trembled, a sensation they had experienced many times during training but still couldn’t get used to, and probably never would.

The unpleasant churning, as if dragging a living person to hell, never ceased.

콰앙! [Sound of an explosion]

“Ugh!”

“Damn it! Fire! I said fire!”

“Their range is longer; we can’t reach them!”

“Damn it! We bought Western cannons, so why is there such a difference in range! Did they sell us inferior goods?”

Logically, it was unlikely France or Britain would hand over their latest weaponry.

But what explained this disparity?

They believed they had embraced Western culture and equipped themselves with Western-style weapons.

They had often gained the upper hand in battles against the shogunate forces, and they had hoped that if they continued in this direction, Satsuma would one day stand shoulder to shoulder with the Western powers.

However, what unfolded before Okubo’s eyes was the British Empire’s warships bombarding them, utterly demolishing the meager pride they had cultivated.

He realized just how futile the policy of protecting the Japanese spirit while fusing it with Western technology had been.

“Fire! Kagoshima Castle is on fire!”

“The harbor is burning!”

“The weapons factory! The weapons factory is on fire!”

“No! Put out the fire in the factory…”

콰앙! [Sound of an explosion]

Explosions erupted everywhere, and the ships docked in the harbor were smashed and sunk to the bottom of the deep sea.

The state-of-the-art steamships, the symbol of Satsuma’s modernization, were helpless against the enemy’s concentrated fire and were destroyed.

The ten batteries that had been diligently prepared immediately after returning home were reduced to scorched earth, leaving not even debris. The burning factories and government offices were razed to the ground.

Fortunately, casualties were relatively light, but the British Empire’s warships seemed intent on destroying the city’s infrastructure, firing cannons relentlessly without attempting a landing.

After two days of devastation, the British army departed as leisurely as they had arrived.

As if mocking Satsuma’s efforts to rebuild the defensive line, and any premature celebrations of driving out the British, they reappeared off the coast two days later.

But this time, it wasn’t just the British.

After the British fleet had once again reduced the hastily rebuilt batteries to scorched earth, ships that appeared to be shogunate transport vessels poured into the harbor, and the nightmare truly began.

“Why are you trying to die for rebels who have disobeyed the Emperor’s orders!”

“Subjects of the Emperor! Abandon your weapons!”

“His Majesty is merciful! Those who surrender will not be held accountable for cooperating with the rebels, so quickly surrender and return to your families!”

The shogunate forces provided support, resolving the long-distance expedition’s weakness: supplies and manpower shortages.

What were the soldiers, who had witnessed the destruction of the city’s major facilities in just two days, feeling?

If they had a clear purpose, such as fighting the Westerners to protect their homeland, it would be different. But upon hearing that the living god, the Emperor, had designated them as rebels, the soldiers, already demoralized, began to desert.

They had been trying to prevent it, but the truth was undeniable.

“Rebels! I don’t know anything about it!”

“As a warrior, it’s too much to wield a sword against the Emperor’s will…”

“Cut me down! It’s a warrior’s disgrace to die as a rebel rather than with a wound to the back!”

With the Emperor, the Shogun, and the British Empire all aligned against them, holding out was impossible.

What had they been working so hard for until now?

Okubo felt a complex, indescribable emotion as he watched the British Empire’s warships destroy everything Satsuma had built.

* * *

A week after the Satsuma landing operation began in earnest.

The Satsuma army, its will to fight broken, voluntarily abandoned the defense of Kagoshima Castle and raised a white flag.

After Satsuma surrendered, Choshu underwent the same devastating process. The lords of Shimazu and Mori, having delayed their retreat, conceded defeat.

Since I had participated as a supporter of the Shogun, Satsuma and Choshu were destined to be defeated from the start.

Dragging it out further would only jeopardize the safety of their families.

In the end, unlike the Boshin War [Japanese civil war, 1868-1869] in the original history, the self-proclaimed new government forces, which had risen up with great fanfare, sent envoys in a submissive manner, begging for negotiations.

That was expected.

However, unexpectedly, the vassal assisting Lord Shimazu Nariakira, the representative of Satsuma, was even younger than me.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Okubo Toshimichi, and I have accompanied you to assist the lord.”

The young man who looked at me and revealed his name sounded familiar.

Where had I heard it? I vaguely remembered seeing it in a manga filled with samurai-worship when I was young.

One of the Three Great Men of the Restoration [referring to the Meiji Restoration]? Prime Minister? I think there was a similar title, but he was assassinated soon after rising to prominence, making it anticlimactic.

But to think he would appear in a place like this.

Of course, the youthfulness of the vassals assisting the lord was a novelty, and the Shogun’s side openly clicked their tongues and shook their heads.

“It seems we now know the caliber of vassals assisting the lord of Satsuma. Are they entrusting everything to such a young man and hiding in Kagoshima themselves?”

“······.”

“Let’s discuss the details at the negotiating table. Your Highness Gillian, I brought them here because you expressed interest in seeing them… I believe the lords and representatives will negotiate from now on. It may take a while, so should we take you elsewhere?”

“Let’s do that. Ah, and while you’re at it, how about speaking with those young men over there?”

When I specifically pointed to Okubo, the aides assigned by the Shogun reacted with confusion.

“They are vassals of the rebel Lord Satsuma. There’s no reason for Your Highness to meet them…”

“The superiors are hiding without showing their faces, but these men have come to serve their lord until the end. I want to hear what these young men think of this country today.”

“I understand. Your Highness’s perspective is unique. However, since they are vassals of rebels, there is a risk. It would be best to meet them after instructing the guards to shoot them immediately if they act foolishly.”

“That’s obvious. Thank you for your concern.”

“It would be an honor to assist Your Highness in any way. Hehehe.”

Everyone assisting the Shogun tried to read my mind while flattering me.

Having been near the center of power for so long, they must have developed an uncanny ability to sense trends.

I instructed Gordon to bring the guards and called Okubo out separately while the negotiations proceeded.

“Nice to meet you. Okubo Toshimichi, was it?”

Okubo, suddenly summoned, looked at me in a daze before quickly composing himself and bowing.

“I… I am meeting Your Highness. It is an unparalleled honor that you remember my name!”

“I called you because I was bored waiting for the negotiations to end and wanted to pass the time talking. If you’re uncomfortable, you can leave. I can call someone else.”

“Ah, no! I also desired to meet Your Highness Gillian, the unparalleled hero born of the Japanese archipelago, and hear your wise words.”

I’m not exactly from the Japanese archipelago, but I suppose that’s how people here see me?

In fact, when I went to Joseon [historical Korean kingdom], many Joseon people treated me similarly.

But even so, I’m the one who scorched their base, so why the sincerity?

I wondered if it was an act, but it wasn’t.

There’s no way I, with my knack for reading people’s emotions, couldn’t see through the sincerity of a young man in his early twenties.

In Okubo’s eyes, there was fear, but also a faint admiration and longing he couldn’t hide.

“First, I don’t know how the negotiations will turn out, but it’s unlikely even you young people will have to commit seppuku [ritual suicide]. If you’re anxious, don’t worry too much.”

“No. Since His Majesty the Emperor has designated us as rebels, we must accept whatever the outcome. I’m more worried we won’t even be allowed to maintain our honor by committing seppuku.”

“That won’t happen. If such a decision is made, I’ll make a special request to the Shogun, so rest assured. Frankly, what fault do you young people have? You haven’t been in a position to make decisions, but if you’re branded as rebels and disappear because of the decisions of those above you, that would be unfair.”

A moment of silence.

Okubo looked at me with tearful eyes, but I knew how these negotiations would turn out.

Satsuma and Choshu wouldn’t reject our demands, and I had already informed the Shogun’s side of the price to extract.

Full compensation for the war’s costs.

The lord and the karo [chief retainer] who served him most closely will take responsibility and commit seppuku.

A ban on possessing an army exceeding the size necessary for minimum security, and compliance with strict central government control.

In addition to these, numerous shackles were to be put in place, but there were still elements of instability.

Even if Satsuma and Choshu’s military power weakened, their early contact with Western culture meant their talent pool was the widest.

If people from Satsuma and Choshu took over key government positions later, the same thing as in the original history could happen again.

So I wondered if I should treat the people from those two regions as rebels and exclude them from politics, but too harsh a method would have the opposite effect.

The best thing to do is use a relatively normal person to keep the hardliners in check. It would be even better if they could be more than just kept in check, but half-killed.

At first, I was going to find a suitable person while carrying out the purge, but since a useful candidate had appeared, I had to test him.

I tentatively probed Okubo’s inner thoughts in a solemn tone.

“Isn’t it sad? This situation where a civil war has broken out to seize power when we should be building our national power and developing the country.”

“That is…”

“I participated not only to keep my promise to the previous Shogun but also because I judged it necessary to intervene quickly for this country’s sake. It may be harsh for the losing side, but if we had left it alone, the shogunate and the new government would have fought until they exhausted everything. The power of both sides was that evenly matched.”

“…That may be true.”

“In that sense, I would like to hear the thoughts of a young intellectual like you. What kind of direction do you think this country should take?”

If he says hackneyed words or clumsy lies, he’s out immediately.

If he understands the situation and acts appropriately, I’m willing to use him as a piece on the chessboard.

Okubo looked back and forth between me and the floor, bit his lip, and suddenly prostrated himself on the floor.

“Your Highness! I, a foolish man who served a lord designated as a rebel, dare to make a shameless request. Please give me one chance!”

Whether he passed or failed, I thought he would at least open his mouth, but he just prostrated himself?

I didn’t expect this.

I smell it. The smell of someone with the qualities to become a first-class chess piece.