I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 364

< Outbreak (2) >

The Sino-Japanese War began with a surprise attack by Japan.

Japan’s direct attack on the Qing Dynasty [also known as the Central Plains dynasty] was, upon closer inspection, a highly unusual and significant event.

Even if the Qing Dynasty had become a tree that generously gave away its resources, that was only limited to the European powers.

In fact, it wasn’t just the Qing Dynasty that was collapsing, but all of Asia was being encroached upon by Europe.

In that sense, Japan, as an Asian country, attacking Qing was highly significant.

Of course, there were precursors.

The territorial dispute continued, centered on the islands called Diaoyu Dao by Qing and Senkaku by Japan, and the conflict escalated.

However, even so, few expected Japan to go to war with Qing.

It’s not unreasonable.

A country in Northeast Asia attacking the Qing Dynasty?

Who could have imagined such a scenario?

But it actually happened.

In the form of a surprise attack.

Embassies from various countries sent telegrams frantically, meetings were convened to find out what was happening in Asia, and everyone’s attention turned to Northeast Asia.

Joseon [ancient Korean kingdom], which had strengthened its alliance with Japan, was also taken aback.

They were wondering how to react since their ally had launched a surprise attack without a declaration of war, as if they had lost their minds.

The British Empire even expressed displeasure at Japan’s actions in violating the Treaty of Paris, so it was no exaggeration to say that Japan was now at the center of the world’s attention.

So, which country was the most bewildered?

The signatory countries to the Treaty of Paris?

Joseon, watching its ally suddenly go on a rampage like a runaway train and launch a surprise attack?

The British Empire, which had been backstabbed after believing in the promise that there would be no harm?

Of course, none of the above.

“Where the hell did these bastards get their crazy ideas from!”

The Qing Dynasty, caught off guard by a sudden surprise attack at an unexpected time, was in great confusion and didn’t know what to do.

The supreme ruler, Empress Dowager Cixi, knew nothing about military matters, and Prince Gong was unable to voice his opinions properly in the royal court due to Cixi’s checks and balances.

So, naturally, the response couldn’t be proper. In fact, even in the dispute over territorial waters, the imperial court simply ignored Japan’s claims.

It was because they thought that a lowly country like the Wae [derogatory term for Japanese] could only bark and couldn’t do anything more.

They continued to ignore them, but as Japan’s provocations intensified, Qing could no longer ignore them.

Eventually, they gathered warships with the intention of warning them not to come near their territory, but that was only a warning.

It was a kind of demonstration to show that even though they appeared weak, they were still strong, so don’t even think about coveting them—not a real intention to fight.

However, Japan was already planning a surprise attack, and when they saw Qing’s warships gathered together, they thought it was a windfall and immediately attacked, putting Qing in a state of emergency.

Li Cheon, the Governor-General of Min-Zhe, who oversaw Fujian and Zhejiang provinces, hurriedly informed the central government that the Japanese had finally gone crazy.

“Japan? Is it such a big deal that the eastern Wae [Japanese] have invaded?”

The Empress Dowager Cixi, the de facto ruler of the current court, was enjoying a boat ride on the lake in the Summer Palace, showing only an indifferent reaction.

“No, didn’t you all boast that no matter how much the Wae [Japanese] clamor, they would only bark and could not do anything to us in reality?”

“Japan launched a surprise attack in a sneaky manner…”

“Then just send out the fleet and repel them. I doubt whether it is right for such reports to come to my ears one by one.”

Cixi took her usual swallow’s nest and shark fin soup to her mouth, clicking her tongue in annoyance.

It was a reaction that showed she was annoyed that she had to talk about such trivial matters while eating and enjoying a boat ride.

“However, most of the Fujian Fleet’s forces have been severely damaged by the Japanese surprise attack. We need to mobilize the Beiyang or Guangdong Fleets, but that requires central approval.”

“No, are you saying that the Fujian Fleet suffered near-total damage from the Wae [Japanese]? Hmm… how pathetic.”

“That’s because it wasn’t a fully completed fleet yet…”

Under the pretext of repelling Western threats, Qing established three naval forces: Beiyang, Fujian, and Guangdong, and newly fostered the navy.

However, naval development was still in its infancy, and above all, the budget was allocated to Cixi’s extravagant lifestyle rather than naval development, so they couldn’t properly develop the fleet.

They invested one-third of the imperial budget in expanding the Summer Palace and the Old Summer Palace this time, so what more could be said?

Thanks to this, the three naval forces were only fleets in name, and they had not yet introduced proper modern warships, and they were not even properly supplied with ammunition.

In fact, this was also the reason why they couldn’t respond properly when the Japanese army launched a surprise attack.

They were conducting demonstration operations with their weapons empty because they had no ammunition, so they couldn’t respond to the enemy’s attack.

It was truly like an empty glutinous rice cake, tanghulu [candied hawthorn fruit] without the fruit.

To be honest, the official wanted to lash out and say that you are the cause of all this.

If you just reduced the food you eat every meal by 1/10, you could feed thousands of farmers, so how much would the national defense have improved?

He had heard many stories when he was in Fujian Province, but he couldn’t believe them.

Cixi eats 128 dishes per meal, and the cost of the food on the table is said to exceed 100 taels [unit of Chinese currency].

So, she is consuming the annual living expenses of 1,000 farmers in one meal, which he honestly believed was an absurd exaggeration.

The country’s finances have been ruined by successive foreign invasions and rebellions, but would the highest person in the imperial family really be so extravagant?

She even ordered that the same food should not be served on the table more than three times, but he dismissed this as a false rumor to slander the Empress Dowager.

But it seems that all those rumors were true.

Just here at the Summer Palace, there were as many as 30 chefs waiting near the lake.

However, Cixi, who is at the center of all this luxury and pleasure, did not seem to care about the officials’ reactions, and was dipping shark fins in sauce and bringing them to her mouth.

“Let’s get the word out. If we send out the Guangdong Fleet, can we repel the Wae [Japanese]?”

“That…”

If everything goes as planned, one of the three fleets should be able to easily wipe out the Wae [Japanese].

However, it has only been a few years since the fleet was formed, and above all, there were suspicions that Cixi had diverted the money needed to strengthen the fleet to expand the Summer Palace and the Old Summer Palace.

I don’t know if this is true or not, but the fact that the Fujian Fleet couldn’t even get ammunition and ended up in that state…

Looking at the magnificent facilities of the Summer Palace that have been expanded before my eyes, the suspicion that the suspicion is true is becoming more and more solidified.

Even if the Guangdong Fleet or the Beiyang Fleet, which have just taken their first steps, come here, can they even put up a fight?

No, before that, can they properly operate the few warships that have been ordered?

The reason why the Fujian Fleet couldn’t even run away, let alone counterattack, during the Japanese army’s surprise attack was due to the sailors’ poor skills.

When an unexpected situation occurred, their heads went blank and they stammered, losing all their ships.

According to a survivor’s testimony, even the Japanese, who launched the surprise attack, hesitated for a moment, thinking it was a trap because the other side did not even respond at least.

If the Japanese army had not hesitated even for a moment, even these survivors would not have been able to return to Fujian Province.

“Your Majesty, the Governor-General said that the Wae [Japanese]’s momentum is unusual, so we must send out all available fleets.”

“…No, the ones who invaded now are not the English or the French, but are you saying that we should mobilize all available navies? Can’t you guess how much other countries will look down on our country if they know this fact?”

“Still…”

“Okay. I’ll discuss it with the others first, so go in and rest. I’ll finish the boat ride and convene a meeting.”

There’s a war going on, but you’re going to finish the boat ride and then go into the meeting?

What are you talking about right now?

If the Japanese army lands in Fujian Province or Zhejiang Province, how are you going to handle the humiliation?

Still, the ministers of the Military Affairs Department will be able to make at least a minimum judgment, so at least a response plan will come out by tomorrow.

However, the officials on the front lines once again overestimated the reality of central politics.

The answer that came out after not just a day, but a whole three days, was to as before.

Of course, there was a reason.

A ridiculous official document that suddenly flew in from Joseon, saying that even a small fry is acting up because the mud loach is jumping, turned the Qing Dynasty’s imperial family upside down.

[Joseon and Qing have been in conflict over the Tumen River for a long time, so it seems right to put an end to this controversy before the feelings of both countries worsen. According to the records, the Tumen River and the Songhua River are the border between Qing and Joseon. It can be seen that Qing is currently occupying Joseon’s territory without permission, so it is considered right for the Qing court to quickly withdraw them…]

If the Tumen River and the Songhua River are the border, it is the same as saying that they should give up land almost the size of the Korean Peninsula and retreat.

Of course, no one listened to such crazy nonsense.

Exactly one week after Qing replaced the answer by expelling Joseon’s diplomats.

Joseon’s declaration of war arrived in Beijing.

* * *

Japan was one thing, but now Joseon is shouting for the recovery of Manchuria and pushing up to Qing.

“The butterfly effect is really scary. I never thought I would see Joseon attacking Manchuria in my life.”

Still, unlike Japan, Joseon diligently sent a warning and a declaration of war before raising troops.

They showed meticulousness by digging up the Gando dispute, which had been in conflict with Qing for a long time, and intensifying it.

They exaggerated the size of Gando to an absurd extent, but still, when I looked back at Joseon after looking at Japan, I felt like I was looking at an angel.

Of course, that’s only compared to Japan, and even if I were a member of the Joseon royal family, it would be difficult to take their side when they cling to Gando or say that Manchuria was their land a thousand years ago.

With that logic, even if Italy starts a war to recover the territory of Rome, there’s nothing to say, right?

It’s absurd, but the war has already broken out, and I heard that battles have actually started near the border, so it’s time for me to decide on my position.

The war was so sudden that not a single country has issued a proper statement yet, and everyone is waiting for the British Empire to announce its position first.

Since Joseon and Japan are our allies, it would be natural for us to say something.

In fact, I wanted to use Joseon and Japan to drive Qing into a corner a little more, but I was a little worried about the reactions of France and Prussia.

I wouldn’t have known if I had enough time to lay the groundwork in advance, but because Japan launched a surprise attack too quickly, I haven’t had a proper conversation with Guizot or Bismarck yet.

If I had a little more time, I could have taken away the concessions generously.

“For that reason, I plan to mediate between Japan and Joseon and Qing. Is that an acceptable answer?”

“…Yes.”

Rothschild, who visited after a long time, nodded obediently after hearing my answer.

“By the way, I didn’t expect you to be interested in the war happening in the far east of the frontier, but did you smell a good money-making opportunity?”

“That’s not it. Thanks to Your Majesty, I’m making good profits in other places, so there’s no problem with making money. I was just a little interested and was looking into it.”

“Interested? Why would the Rothschild family be interested?”

“Your Majesty. If France is the first to express its opinion to remain neutral, will Your Majesty still mediate?”

“Well. If France comes out like that first, I don’t think I need to mediate.”

If France declares neutrality, the British Empire also declares neutrality and watches the course of the war a little more before choosing when to intervene.

However, France would never do that, so I was wondering why he was asking about an impossible assumption.

Rothschild opened his mouth a little faster.

“If so, there are ongoing talks with the French side, so could you wait a little longer?”

Look at this, I smell something.

“If you tell me the reason, I’ll listen to it and give you an answer.”

“I saw that the country of Joseon is claiming that the legitimacy of Manchuria belongs to them. They were claiming that they would recover the place because the country founded by their ancestors was there, and I wanted to see if that would actually work. If it goes well, it seems like it could be a huge money-making opportunity. In that sense, Your Majesty’s words that I smelled money may be correct.”

Manchuria, recovery, the land where ancestors lived.

As soon as I thought about that, something like lightning flashed through my head.

These Jews, could it be that they are seeing that angle here? Are they going to play with money there again?

Wow, the talented ones are talented.

Of course. The East is going crazy, but the West can’t lose either.

With the conviction that I could use their plan effectively, I nodded indifferently as if I didn’t know anything.

As expected, it was an excellent choice to bring Rothschild and the Jews into the game.

This is getting more and more interesting.