I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 375

To those familiar with Japanese sensibilities, Okubo Toshimichi was an anomaly.

It wasn’t merely his lack of absolute loyalty to the Emperor, a trait shared by other powerful figures, but the extreme to which Okubo took it.

He prized reason above all else, kept his emotions at arm’s length, and firmly believed that politics should be conducted with unwavering objectivity.

Efficiency was his mantra – first, second, and third.

He envisioned an ideal political system where politicians, while attentive to the will of the people, wouldn’t be swayed by foolish sentiment. Instead, they would chart a clear course and guide the populace.

In his view, Japanese politics was the very embodiment of inefficiency.

Using the Emperor as a symbol to unite the people was acceptable.

He had no intention of challenging the Emperor worship that had become ingrained in Japanese tradition.

However, the sight of antiquated families like the Tokugawa or Daimyo [feudal lords] parading around in the upper house was unbearable.

So, while feigning deference, he systematically stripped them of their considerable power.

He believed that with another decade of dedicated effort, the rational and reasonable political system he envisioned would take firm root in Japanese society.

He could have achieved it, had events unfolded without disruption.

However…

[In accordance with the will of His Majesty the Emperor, we shall establish colonies for the Japanese Empire on the continent to elevate the spirit of the great Yamato people (Japanese people).]

A ludicrous fantasy that even Toyotomi Hideyoshi [a 16th-century warlord] might have considered excessive.

[We shall establish colonies for the Japanese Empire on the continent, advance to the heart of the continent in cooperation with Joseon (Korea), which has annexed Manchuria, and consider dividing and governing the continent with Joseon, based on the Yangtze River.]

The continental division theory that the military had been earnestly debating.

[If necessary, we may need to collaborate with the British Empire, France, and Prussia to divide Qing (China) into five parts…]

The preposterous notions that he wished would cease already were surfacing daily, causing him a persistent headache.

Unfortunately, this wave of madness had already surged beyond Okubo’s ability to control it.

The entire archipelago was currently consumed by a fervent mania.

Initially, at the war’s outset, some public skepticism existed.

But now, without coercion, people flooded the streets, chanting ‘Tenno Heika Banzai! [Long live the Emperor!]’ and shedding tears of patriotic fervor.

“Long live the Emperor! Long live! Long live!”

“Long live the Japanese Empire!”

Had Japan ever witnessed such a triumph in its long history?

Until now, most wars had been internal squabbles, conflicts among themselves.

Even Toyotomi’s invasion of Joseon ultimately ended in defeat.

But this was different.

The mighty Imperial Army was crushing the Qing Dynasty’s forces, seizing the Senkaku Islands and half of Taiwan, and poised to plant its flag on the Asian mainland.

Indeed, the Emperor was a living deity, the incarnation of Amaterasu [the sun goddess in Shinto religion] destined to lead the Yamato people to glory.

The Emperor’s divinity was increasingly emphasized among the populace, and within the government, everyone was so swept up in the euphoria of victory that dissenting voices were silenced.

It was becoming indistinguishable from the fanatical fervor of the town next door.

Still, Okubo, having meticulously built his power base, believed he could still make his voice heard.

More accurately, he felt a growing unease that compelled him to do so.

“How is this even working?”

In truth, when the war began, Okubo had secretly planned to exploit it for his own purposes.

He had prepared diligently, anticipating that the initial surprise attack would lead to a string of victories.

The emboldened military would then inevitably propose reckless strategies, running amok if left unchecked.

But the Qing Dynasty wasn’t incompetent, and they couldn’t possibly keep falling for strategies that only pushed forward recklessly.

Once or twice was understandable, but they wouldn’t be fooled three times if they were even halfway competent.

They needed to adapt their tactics, but all they knew was to attack quickly. Who would fall for that three times?

The foolish military was fixated on conquering the continent, oblivious to the obvious culmination point of the offensive.

‘Let’s be objective. The Qing Dynasty still has two more fleets. We won the first battle with a surprise attack, but if we keep fighting, the damage will only accumulate.’

‘Prime Minister, you don’t seem to understand war. Momentum is crucial. If we maintain a strong offensive, they will assume we have hidden strengths and be forced to retreat. If we lack supplies, they will lack them even more, and if it’s difficult for us to sustain the war, it will be even more difficult for them. That’s the way of the world.’

Madmen. They were utterly insane.

He had urged Saigo, the instigator of this situation, to intervene, but Saigo was caught between factions, paralyzed, and overwhelmed by the military’s fervor.

‘I’m sorry, Okubo. I didn’t foresee it escalating like this…’

‘Is saying sorry enough! War, like politics, requires knowing when to stop and withdraw, but look at what they’re doing! At this rate, they’ll be demanding we charge all the way to Beijing!’

Okubo was livid, but the military’s stance had solidified, becoming untouchable.

He had worked tirelessly to keep them in check, but all that effort had been undone by this single war.

The navy, emboldened by their successive victories, clamored for an unconditional surrender, and the army, uncharacteristically, echoed the navy’s sentiment.

Not out of respect for the navy, of course.

But because if the war ended prematurely, before a full-scale occupation, the navy would claim all the glory.

The army’s logic was that they had to seize at least one Qing Dynasty city before the war could conclude.

Okubo was dumbfounded, but since the military was determined to self-destruct, he decided to let them have their way.

In fact, upon reflection, it might be for the best.

If the Qing Dynasty regained its composure and launched a counterattack, they would suffer losses as well, providing him with the justification to rein in the resurgent military.

When that moment arrived, he could send Saigo back to his hometown to live in seclusion, cooling his head for the remainder of his days.

Okubo simply nudged the military, intent on their own ruin, to proceed as they wished.

The navy, brimming with confidence, consolidated their forces and harassed various regions of the Qing Dynasty, ultimately engaging in a decisive battle with the Qing fleet, which had reorganized its forces.

The Westernized forces that the Qing Dynasty had assembled under the banner of “Chinese learning as the base, Western learning for application” [a slogan promoting selective adoption of Western technology while maintaining Chinese cultural values].

In terms of warship size, armament, and overall capabilities, Qing held an advantage over Japan.

Okubo, having received intelligence about the enemy in advance, predicted a 6 to 4 victory in his side’s favor.

Qing’s forces were formidable, but his side possessed superior skill, and if they pressed that advantage, they would secure a narrow victory.

The enemy would suffer significant losses, and his side would find it difficult to sustain the war, paving the way for a peace treaty on favorable terms.

However, the actual outcome far exceeded expectations.

Where had all the boasts of building the strongest fleet in Asia, fueled by a massive budget, gone? The Qing Dynasty seemed incapable of properly operating their ships.

Moreover, their offensive noticeably weakened as the battle progressed, as if they had hoarded their shells and ammunition.

As a result, the Guangdong Fleet was annihilated, and the Beiyang Fleet reportedly retreated after losing more than half its ships.

He couldn’t fathom why this was happening, but they had won again.

They had even achieved a resounding victory, destined to be etched in Japanese history, through a direct confrontation, not a surprise attack.

“We won again? Why? Why do we keep winning?”

It was a miscalculation. He had assumed that even if the Qing Dynasty was in disarray, they couldn’t be complete fools, but it seemed they were fools after all.

The army’s frenzy intensified in response to the navy’s heroic victory.

“Now is the time to use Taiwan as a forward base and embark on a full-scale conquest of the continent! Our army will occupy Zhejiang Province or Fujian Province!”

“…Shouldn’t we negotiate a settlement with Qing now? If they acknowledge all the territories we have occupied and pay reparations, we can end the war with a historic victory…”

“Prime Minister! What are you saying! The Yamato people’s thousand-year-old dream! A golden opportunity to seize the continent is within our grasp, and you speak of weakness!”

“Where is the spirit of the Meiji Restoration! I can’t believe the Prime Minister, who laid the foundation for our Japanese Empire, would utter such feeble words!”

To see the men who once avoided eye contact now confronting him with bloodshot eyes.

He wanted to issue a stern rebuke, but that was impossible in the current climate.

They were now national heroes, having spread the fame of the Japanese Empire far and wide.

If he continued to oppose them, he might be stabbed in broad daylight and meet a miserable end.

In fact, a recent incident involved the assassination of a minister who had made the sensible suggestion that they should halt the war and focus on domestic affairs.

The perpetrators were young cadets from the military academy.

Despite being caught red-handed, they argued in court that ‘anyone who tries to prevent the Emperor’s majesty from spreading throughout the world is a traitor colluding with Qing,’ leading to the absurd spectacle of people applauding them.

They were found guilty, but the criminals were applauded by the public.

Who would dare to advocate for ending the war after witnessing such madness?

Decisively, Joseon notified them of their ambitious plan to raise additional troops and seize all of Manchuria.

“Joseon says they will take over Manchuria and declare an empire.”

“…If Joseon takes over all of Manchuria, their territory will become larger than we can imagine.”

“We cannot stand idly by while Joseon does this.”

The whole world was spiraling into madness.

Annex all of Manchuria? What were those Joseon guys thinking?

In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king [a proverb meaning that someone with limited abilities can excel where others lack those abilities entirely].

Okubo felt like he had somehow become an unconventional being, devoid of common sense.

“Prime Minister! Go to His Majesty the Emperor immediately and obtain permission for the continental landing operation!”

“Don’t be afraid, Prime Minister! We will always be by your side!”

He was afraid precisely because they were by his side, these lunatics.

Okubo reluctantly obtained the Emperor’s approval to further escalate the war.

If there was any consolation, it was that Joseon was equally irrational, not just them.

Okubo, having composed himself, returned to his office and lingered there for a while.

“Which way is London… Damn it, I don’t know, but I guess this is good enough.”

Okubo, facing the direction where Killian [likely a British contact] was presumed to be, knelt and prostrated himself.

It was a rehearsal for a potential future necessity.

Then, he picked up a pen and painstakingly wrote a letter in English on a large sheet of paper.

[To His Excellency Killian, I, Okubo Toshimichi, have done my best to restrain the military and suppress the madness of this war, as ordered by His Majesty, but I am truly sorry that I have failed to fulfill the task entrusted to me by Your Excellency due to my incompetence. It is my fault that I did not foresee that even Joseon would join this frenzy. Anyone who says to stop the war is branded as a traitor and assassinated in broad daylight, so no one can call for an end to the war.

Since it is impossible to stop this internally, external intervention is necessary. If the British Empire or France were to intervene, this situation could be stopped, but I, as a servant, do not understand why they have not yet shown any reaction. If you have any plans, please grant me a way to stop this wave of madness…]

Even if the worst-case scenario unfolded, wouldn’t it be prudent to have insurance in place to prevent the country’s collapse?

Okubo poured all his energy into writing the letter and dispatched it to London, leaving clear evidence that he had attempted to halt the war.

Of course, he might be branded as an incompetent failure, but wouldn’t that be preferable to the country’s ruin?

Now was not the time to be fastidious about the quality of the solution.