I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 66

The tumultuous year of 1837 receded, and a new year began.

It was a January morning, the winter’s chill still sharp in the air.

I arrived at Buckingham Palace to formally receive my peerage [noble title].

Kensington Palace, where Victoria was currently residing, was too small to host such a grand event.

For Victoria, it was her first day handling official duties at Buckingham Palace, and for me, it was the day I truly became a noble of the British Empire.

As I waited in the designated room, a herald announced that the time had come.

I took a deep breath and stood before the door, where the herald gave my uniform a final, meticulous check.

“Earl Aaron Killian Gore has arrived!”

With the herald’s booming announcement, the doors swung open, and the dazzling light from the ornate chandeliers and gilded furniture momentarily stung my eyes.

I confidently strode toward the throne, the gazes of numerous parliamentarians and acquaintances fixed upon me.

The Queen, dressed in a lavish gown of deep blue velvet, awaited my arrival with an elegant smile.

As I knelt before the throne, the locket around her neck became even more noticeable.

Victoria gazed down at me for a moment, then slowly rose from her seat, drawing a jewel-encrusted sword.

“In the name of our great kingdom, by the grace bestowed upon us by God, I, Queen Victoria, recognize the noble achievements and unwavering devotion of this loyal subject. I now appoint him Baron of Surdeully.”

With a practiced motion, she tapped the sword on both of my shoulders and met my eyes, speaking in a solemn tone.

“May your steadfast efforts and service to our kingdom be an example to many.”

Thus, Earl Aaron Killian Gore was now qualified to enter the heart of England: Parliament.

Clap, clap, clap.

As I rose, the sound of applause erupted, filling the hall.

The royal orchestra began to play, and the ceremony transitioned smoothly into a celebratory banquet.

After exchanging a few words with me, Victoria returned to converse with the dignitaries, and people flocked to me to offer their congratulations.

“Well, I knew this day would come. Congratulations.”

“Finally, Lord… no, Earl, you’re entering Parliament. In fact, it should have happened sooner. It’s a national loss that someone like you hasn’t been involved in national affairs.”

“That’s too much praise, but thank you anyway.”

“It’s not an exaggeration. Still, it’s quite moving to think about it. I remember we once said that I would enter the House of Commons [lower house of Parliament] and you the House of Lords [upper house of Parliament], and we would both rise to the top together. Now that goal has already been achieved.”

“Lord Wellesley, it’s not achieved; it’s just beginning in earnest.”

Wellesley and Disraeli, who had both been successfully re-elected, laughed and chatted beside me, quickly drawing attention from those around us.

“Is Earl Aaron friendly with Charles Wellesley?”

“Didn’t you know? The Duke of Wellington was the one who sponsored Earl Aaron to go to Eton [prestigious boarding school].”

“So, should we consider Earl Aaron a member of the Wellesley faction?”

“I think so… The Wellesley faction’s power will become even stronger.”

“There’s also talk that Earl Aaron was adopted by the Duchess of Inverness, the chief lady-in-waiting. If so, wouldn’t the Wellesley faction be connected to the royal family?”

The murmurs grew louder.

No matter how vast the British Empire was, the political circles where the upper echelons gathered could not be described as broad, to put it mildly.

Everyone knew almost everyone else with just one connection, and even when there was a reshuffle, it was mostly the same old faces.

So, when a newcomer like me made a full-fledged appearance, it was inevitable that I would attract a lot of attention and naturally be met with wariness.

What to do in such a situation?

Simply latch onto the line of a scion [descendant] from a prestigious family who already had a strong power base, like Wellesley.

The reason I approached him and pushed him so hard in the first place was because I needed a breakwater to protect me from the ungentlemanly behavior of the British gentlemen when I entered politics.

Wellesley, of course, couldn’t have missed these whispers, so he pretended to sip his drink while watching my reaction.

*This is enough.*

Judging that I had sufficiently captured people’s attention, I signaled with my eyes, and Wellesley burst into hearty laughter for everyone to hear.

“Yes, yes! Don’t worry. Even if it’s the House of Lords, my father, who cherishes you, is there. Don’t worry and trust me. I should take responsibility and look after a young politician like you.”

“Thank you. I will continue to trust and follow Lord Wellesley as I have done until now.”

“Hahaha! Just relax and follow me.”

The eyes that had been watching me turned back to Wellesley with a “just as I thought” look.

It was not at all strange for the son of Arthur Wellesley, and now a seasoned three-term Member of Parliament, to create his own independent power base.

Of course, it’s not wrong to spread the information since he does have considerable power.

*So, I hope they will continue to think that way for just about five more years.*

*After all, after that, I won’t need to be mindful of their eyes like I am now.*

* * *

The investiture ceremony concluded successfully.

“Hahaha. Congratulations, Earl Aaron. I suppose we’ll be seeing each other often in Westminster [location of Parliament] from this year on.”

“But I still can’t formally give a speech or vote.”

“That’s true. So, I’ve created a position for you to gain more experience, haven’t I? I heard that His Majesty has already spoken to you about it.”

The only flaw was that Robert Peel came to me as soon as the event ended, grinning and, frankly, provoking me.

*Surely he doesn’t really think he’s done me some great favor, does he?*

“I did hear, but frankly, I was a bit taken aback. I became the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs without even knowing it. Wouldn’t that be a rare experience that no one has ever had?”

“I’m sorry if you were taken aback. I just forgot to tell you because I was too rushed.”

*There are things to forget, but forgetting to ask the person involved… He’s lying so brazenly that I don’t even feel like pointing it out.*

I know very well why he’s doing this.

It’s not like it’s a few years ago, but in the current situation of 1838, who can confidently step up to solve the tangled diplomatic issues between Britain and Qing [dynasty of China]?

If there is such a person, it’s obvious that they have no understanding of Asia at all.

Robert Peel probably thought that if he asked me, there was a high probability that I would refuse, so he just went ahead and did it.

“Prime Minister, if I say I’m not confident, can you reverse this decision?”

“Of course. Although the opposition party and the House of Lords have approved it, and His Majesty has given his consent, I can’t force an unwanted position on you. Ah, but it seems that His Majesty has great faith in you as well…”

*Look at the way he’s talking. Why doesn’t he just threaten me with a knife?*

“No, you don’t have to go that far. I know very well that I have no choice but to accept. What can I do? His Majesty has already given his consent. But I’d like to hear in detail why you recommended me.”

“The Duke of Wellington said before that you are not only fluent in the Qing language but also know their culture well. I heard that you personally said that you would like to be active in diplomacy in the future?”

Well, I did say that. But that was about normal diplomacy and negotiations, not about going out to clean up the mess even in a situation that has already fallen apart.

“So, Prime Minister, do you believe that the Foreign Office can improve the current situation if it tries? You have to be honest about this.”

“Well, um… It’s definitely difficult. But the reason things have gotten so bad is that the representatives we’ve sent so far have been too ignorant of Qing culture and etiquette. So, many people have high hopes that someone like you, who is well-versed in local culture, can bring about different results.”

“Many people?”

“Of course. If the opposition party as well as the ruling party actively supported it, you can see that what I’m saying is not a lie.”

As a result of my own investigation, I could roughly guess why both the ruling and opposition parties were doing this nonsense.

A patriotic heart that worries about the trade balance with Qing?

Sympathy for the locals and merchants suffering in Qing?

*Of course, they’re all wrong.*

The main reason is that the merchants who are making huge profits from drugs in Qing are providing huge amounts of money to the current parliament and cabinet.

It’s absurd, but this was the current state of the British Empire’s parliament and politics just before the Opium War broke out.

No matter how much I’ve become accustomed to the modern era, I still find it hard to understand how they can be so upset about being banned from selling drugs to another country.

The British politicians’ inner thoughts are probably, “What does it matter as long as those drugs don’t come into the country and get distributed?” But I know very well how this incident will be recorded in the future.

No matter how critical people are of China in modern times, they will all unite in cursing Britain for this Opium War.

No matter how much I want to gain some profit, I refuse to be recorded in history books as a symbol of wickedness and be cursed for hundreds of years.

“Prime Minister, to do anything, I need to know for sure what the government and parliament are thinking. Is the British Empire willing to go to war with Qing?”

“War is the last resort. But if that’s the only way, we should put it to a vote in Parliament.”

“So, it’s true that you want to try to resolve it diplomatically. But what they want is for us to immediately stop selling opium. Are you willing to do that?”

“Of course, it’s not unreasonable for Qing to pursue such a policy. But if we obediently follow it, our merchants will suffer astronomical losses. How can we allow that? If Qing withdraws the opium ban, we can return to the same relationship as before, so how about trying to exert influence in that direction?”

In fact, Britain didn’t initially try to profit by selling opium to Qing.

The original plan was to export cotton products, which were becoming cheaper due to mechanization, to Qing and make a decent profit in silver.

However, there was one fact that Britain overlooked.

The machine tools, which had not yet been advanced to the 20th-century level, were no match for Qing’s cottage industry, which simply ground down the overflowing labor force.

In addition, the demand for tea imported from Qing in Britain exploded, so the trade deficit with Qing only increased year by year.

The opium export policy of the East India Company, which monopolized British trade with Asia at the time, was created to overcome this situation.

But what crazy country would tolerate a country that exports drugs to its own country?

From 1837, when Victoria ascended the throne, the Daoguang Emperor of Qing actively strengthened the crackdown on opium, and British merchants’ trade balance plummeted again.

In this situation, they want me to try to improve diplomacy by lifting the opium ban. I still can’t tell if they really think it’s possible or if they’re trying to screw me over.

*It’s not like I can use brainwashing beams or hypnosis.*

*Or is that it? A scenario naturally came to my mind.*

Since Earl Aaron, who was born with Asian blood and is well-versed in Qing culture, has been appointed as the head of diplomacy, there will be a dramatic change in the current situation.

If they spread this rumor, wouldn’t the stock price of the drug company, which is currently heading straight for the bottom, stop falling?

If it rebounds to some extent, they can cut their losses and minimize the damage, and it will also be an appeal to the cartel that is paying them money that they are doing their best.

And even if things go wrong in the worst way, they will say that they have used all the methods they could, so they can’t help it and move on?

Or maybe this is even a prelude to war.

Whatever it is, the fact remains that they are trying to use my bloodline to their advantage.

*Wouldn’t that mean that I am also innocent if I only look at my own interests and move?*

“Prime Minister, as you know, I was born in Joseon [ancient Korea], not Qing. If they know that, they will ignore me, not respect me. Even if they look at it favorably, they’ll just react like, ‘Oh, how interesting?’”

“But wouldn’t they feel more friendly towards you than us, at least?”

“And in order to make the Emperor, the Qing Emperor, reverse an order he has already given, it is absolutely necessary to meet and negotiate with him directly. But our representatives have refused to do this so far because they have to perform the *Samgu Gugo Dorye* [kowtow] to meet the Emperor, because it would damage the dignity of the British royal family.”

“I remember hearing about that. What was it? A barbaric greeting that involves kneeling three times and bowing the head nine times?”

It was a natural etiquette for the Emperor, who was the center of the Sinocentric [China-centric] order in Asia, but Britain saw it as an absurd act of tyranny to force such greetings on other countries.

But if even these etiquettes are not agreed upon, what kind of diplomatic solution are we talking about?

“I said I would take on this task, but that’s only when these basic policies have been decided. Whether following the etiquette required by Qing is an act that damages the dignity of the British royal family, and what is the maximum concession that we can make. If even these basic issues are divided, I will not take the position of Under-Secretary, even if His Majesty has already given his consent.”

It’s not just that I don’t want to do it, but that the parliament and cabinet are so hopeless that failure is obvious, so I can’t do it even if I want to. If I say that, I won’t be harmed in any way.

Rather, the members of the ruling and opposition parties and the Prime Minister, except for me, will be covered in it.

“Hahaha, surely you don’t think I would entrust you with such a heavy burden without even providing such basic cooperation? That’s a good thing. Tell me what you want. I’ll grant you anything.”

“Thank you. Then I will trust the Prime Minister’s sincerity in solving this problem and tell you clearly. First, as I said just now, give me full authority to thoroughly review the diplomatic and etiquette disputes that can be reviewed before departing for Qing.”

“That’s not difficult. I’ll make arrangements for a meeting this week.”

“And being the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs at my age is clearly a groundbreaking position, but that alone is not enough. At least when I go to Qing, elevate my position to the highest authority in the Foreign Office. That way, I can instill in them the perception that I am representing this country in negotiations.”

If a young man is going to show off and talk big, he needs to have a position to back it up.

Under-Secretary is clearly a high position, but it is still the second-in-command position in the department, not the first.

There is a good chance that the Qing side will see me as a powerless kid.

“So, should I give you the position of Minister instead of Under-Secretary… But even Under-Secretary is the youngest ever, so Minister is a bit much.”

“Then just leave the position of Minister vacant and give me an appropriate title, such as Acting Minister or Deputy Minister.”

“If we’re going to do that, it would be better to just give you the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs temporarily. But you know that if the results are insignificant despite such full support, it could also damage you, right? Not only you but also me, who pushed you, could be criticized.”

“Don’t worry. I guarantee that there is no one in the current British Empire who knows Qing better than I do.”

The Prime Minister’s face brightened at my confident words.

“Then I’ll revise the cabinet appointments as soon as I get back. The youngest Minister of Foreign Affairs ever; the parliament and government will be shaken up once again.”

*Good, good.*

*I’m going to clean up the mess you guys made, so I should take that kind of title with me.*

*And I said I would solve the problem, but I didn’t say a word that I would solve it in the direction that our cartel members want, Prime Minister.*

*I will act to maximize the benefits for the British Empire, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it will benefit the current vested interests.*

*You guys are the ones who are making the mess in the first place, so there’s no need for me to give you strength instead, right?*

*You guys keep giving the strength. I’ll flush the toilet and just take the money.*