I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 83

You Are a Legend

1839.

One year after the beacon of war spread far and wide, envoys from various countries gathered in Beijing to grasp the rapidly changing state of the world.

Kim Jwa-geun, the rising power of the Andong Kim clan, felt considerable confusion.

“…They clearly said we were at war, didn’t they? Judging by the atmosphere here, that’s not the case at all.”

“Hmm… That’s what I’m saying. It seems we can’t trust the words of those Western devils after all.”

Although it had only been a year since he passed the civil service exam, no one within the Joseon delegation ignored him.

It wasn’t merely because he was a member of the Andong Kim clan, the current power in Joseon.

He was the third son of Kim Jo-sun, the powerful figure who had completely solidified the already prestigious Andong Kim clan, and the younger brother of Queen Sunwon, the Grand Queen Dowager who was currently ruling as regent.

His eldest brother was bedridden with a stroke, and even his cousin Kim Hong-geun wasn’t in good health, so it was almost certain that he would become the future power of the Andong Kim clan.

As soon as he returned from this mission to Qing, he was slated to be promoted to Vice Minister of Personnel, a meteoric rise that was almost unbelievable.

Therefore, even the chief envoy and deputy envoy of the Joseon delegation treated Kim Jwa-geun as a future colleague, and Kim Jwa-geun naturally accompanied them.

“According to officials I’m close to, the Qing Dynasty is winning every battle against the English army.”

“Goodness, does this mean we were completely fooled by the Dutch devils’ false letters? What a disaster.”

Of course, they didn’t expect the Westerners to tell the truth, but they thought they were at least fighting fiercely.

Kim Jwa-geun bowed respectfully to Jo In-young, the Grand Scholar who was managing this delegation as the chief envoy of Joseon.

“Sir, under these circumstances, I think it’s best to clearly distance ourselves from the English and prevent the Emperor’s wrath from turning towards us.”

“I think so too. Fortunately, the Emperor has offered to host a banquet to welcome us personally, so it seems he’s not in a bad mood. They say they’re even serving the 4th-grade Manchu Han Imperial Feast [a lavish multi-course meal], which they don’t usually offer unless it’s a special occasion, so if we speak well, we might even gain a great advantage.”

The Manchu Han Imperial Feast was usually a culinary marathon that lasted for more than three days, and the Joseon delegation was usually provided with a 5th-grade feast.

The 4th-grade was a special grade that was only offered for the Emperor’s wedding or birthday, so providing it to the envoys was quite unusual.

There was no way they would do something crazy like this if they were losing the war, so Qing must be confident of victory.

In that case, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that this was practically a victory celebration.

“They say that not only us, but also envoys from Japan and Ryukyu will be participating. There’s even talk that the Vietnamese delegation will be arriving soon.”

“So, no matter how much the Westerners struggle, they couldn’t disrupt the order of the Middle Kingdom [a historical Chinese term for China, emphasizing its central cultural and political role]. I wonder how we should explain this when we return…”

“First of all, shouldn’t we immediately arrest and interrogate any Dutch devils who bring such false letters in the future, and find out who’s behind them?”

It was fortunate that they found out the truth, otherwise the entire country would have been fooled by the Westerners’ silver tongue.

The only problem now was the fact that the English Gillian Kwai, who had been running rampant without knowing his place before being suppressed, might have ties to Joseon.

If they could resolve this issue well, Joseon could return to its previous peaceful state.

Just as the delegation was waiting outside the Forbidden City for the banquet to begin.

“Sir! Sir! Something terrible has happened!”

A senior interpreter, who had been busy running around since arriving in Beijing, rushed over, panting.

“What’s all the commotion? Why are you making such a fuss?”

“The, the banquet has been canceled!”

“What? Canceled? Why suddenly! Is the Emperor perhaps unwell…?”

“That’s not it!”

Despite committing the rudeness of interrupting the Grand Scholar, the senior interpreter continued, gasping for breath.

“According to rumors from inside the palace, all the reports that have been sent to the capital so far have been distorted. Shanghai and Nanjing have fallen, and reports have come in that English warships have reached the waters off Tianjin, causing complete chaos in the Forbidden City.”

“What!”

Not only Jo In-young, but even Kim Jwa-geun, who was listening to the story, gasped and opened his mouth wide.

“Is, is that even possible? Shanghai and Nanjing have fallen? And they’ve pushed all the way to Tianjin? Tianjin is right around the corner!”

Although Tianjin was separated from the sea, it was easily accessible within two days on foot if entering through the port.

If Tianjin, which had been a satellite city of Beijing for generations, fell into their hands, it wouldn’t take even a week to reach Beijing.

It was no exaggeration to say that the English guns were pointed directly at the heart of Qing.

“But, is that true? Logically, it doesn’t make sense that they were preparing for a banquet without knowing anything until this situation arose.”

“It seems everyone was afraid of being exiled like the previous governor-general if they reported the defeat, so they kept quiet and submitted false reports.”

“Crazy. Completely crazy. No, I can’t believe it.”

Unlike Jo In-young, who was completely dumbfounded, Kim Jwa-geun hurriedly checked the reactions of the Japanese and Ryukyu envoys in the distance.

It was obvious that they were just as visibly flustered and restless as they were.

‘Could it be that it’s not just a rumor, but the real deal?’

There was certainly a possibility that the senior interpreter had brought false information, but did it make sense that the envoys from other countries had all received the same false information?

The tightly closed gates of the Forbidden City exuded an ominous feeling for some reason.

“First of all… I’ll have to gather as much information as possible, whether by offering bribes or using connections.”

Something… something is happening.

* * *

“What in the world are you talking about!”

Thump!

Emperor Daoguang slammed his fist down violently, and his ministers lowered their heads, unable to meet his gaze.

“You said we were winning! You said we were continuing our winning streak! How can Shanghai and Nanjing fall into the hands of the Western devils! And what? Now they’ve pushed all the way to Tianjin? If you have mouths, say something!”

“We, we, we are sorry, Your Majesty!”

“Please kill us!”

“If you have time to say such nonsense, analyze the current situation properly and tell me the countermeasures! I need to know what’s true and what’s false! Is this news I’m hearing true?”

He had been intoxicated by the continuous reports of victory, bringing envoys to Beijing and preparing a celebratory banquet, but what a bolt from the blue this was.

Just canceling the scheduled banquet was already a blow to the Emperor’s prestige.

But it was fortunate that he could stop it right before it happened, what if the news that the English army had arrived in Tianjin had arrived in the middle of the banquet?

The mere thought of such a terrifying sight made Emperor Daoguang’s eyes bloodshot.

“Yang Fang! Where did that Yang Fang go? Why isn’t he even showing his face!”

“General Yang Fang said he would reassemble the local soldiers and recapture the cities taken by the English…”

“Is that crazy bastard going to spout nonsense again!”

After hearing the real reports from the people who had fled after the fall of Nanjing and Shanghai, Emperor Daoguang doubted his ears that day.

He tried to block the English cannons with chamber pots filled with women’s urine?

And he entrusted the army to a man who proudly spread that around the neighborhood as a secret method?

This was a nightmare.

“Tell that Yang Fang to come to the capital immediately and receive his punishment! And immediately suppress the English army stationed in Tianjin…”

The last shred of reason Emperor Daoguang had left sent a strong warning as he tried to shout with great force.

Realistically, could they win even if they sent a suppression force?

Until now, no one had inflicted even a bit of damage on the enemy, and they had only suffered repeated defeats, hadn’t they?

But the problem was that even if someone came forward now claiming they could win, he couldn’t believe them at all.

No, the severity of the situation was deeply understood in that even those people weren’t coming forward anymore.

“I won’t ask anyone to take responsibility in this place, so everyone should give their objective opinions. If they’ve occupied Tianjin, then this Beijing is right around the corner. Do you think we can repel them if we gather the Eight Banners army [Qing Dynasty military units] and fight them now?”

“…”

“That is…”

“I won’t ask you to take responsibility, so say whatever you think.”

Only after assuring them several times that it was okay to say even that they should surrender did the lips of the ministers, who were frozen like stone statues, move.

“Judging from the testimonies that are coming in one after another, the enemy forces are too strong. Moreover, according to rumors, the number of English soldiers killed in the battles so far is zero…”

“What? Is it even possible that we haven’t killed a single one of them even though there have been several battles so far?”

“I, I believe it’s just a rumor, but such words are circulating.”

They poured in tens of thousands of soldiers, but they didn’t kill a single enemy? What kind of new joke was this?

He couldn’t understand this absurd situation, and he felt like he was going crazy.

They probably didn’t really kill none of them, but wasn’t the fact that such rumors were circulating proof that the kill ratio between them and the enemy was terrible?

“Is there anyone here who will step forward to put a definitive end to those false rumors? Or you can recommend someone.”

“…”

Silence flowed this time as if they had made a promise.

Emperor Daoguang wasn’t so foolish that he didn’t know why this reaction was coming out.

Envoys from Joseon, Ryukyu, Japan, and even Vietnam would be arriving in the capital soon.

If they raised an army and were defeated in front of all of them, showing them the sight of Beijing being taken, it would be the most humiliating thing in the history of Qing.

Moreover, what would happen to the envoys who were here if Beijing was really taken?

They would either have to flee to Manchuria with the Emperor, or they would have to rush back to their own countries, and if such a situation really arose, the dignity of the Celestial Empire [another name for Qing Dynasty] would be over.

Who in the world would want to be recorded in history as the one who caused this worst-case scenario?

It wasn’t just that the capital could be captured, but it could also be the starting point for the collapse of the Sinocentric order [the historical East Asian international relations system where China was viewed as the center of civilization].

Of course, if they won, they might be treated as national heroes, but judging by the looks of it, it didn’t seem like anyone would come forward saying they could win.

“Then, are you saying that we should accept that ridiculous negotiation proposal that Lin Zexu sent last time? Are you asking if I should be recorded as the first Emperor in history to cede land to the Western devils?”

“Your Majesty. I am deeply saddened to even say these words… but the English forces are too powerful. Moreover, there are reports that the soldiers additionally sent by the English are arriving one after another. If we drag this out any longer, this capital may really be captured.”

Whether he would become the first Emperor in history to cede land, or the first Emperor in history to show the sight of a crushing defeat and even the capture of the capital in front of tributary states.

Either way, it was a shitty situation, but fortunately, the reason to avoid the worst and choose the lesser of two evils hadn’t flown away.

“Who would be a good person to entrust the negotia… tions to…”

“Hup…”

“That, that is…”

“Your, Your Majesty! The plenipotentiary ambassador for the negotiations must be someone who has the blood of the Imperial family!”

Unlike before, when they had been consistent with their silence, this time the ministers spewed out words like a machine gun.

However, it wasn’t that they would go themselves, but they were calling out the names of suitable people, trying to escape responsibility in any way possible.

The English weren’t fools, and the moment they entered negotiations, they would definitely receive worse conditions than before, but the current Qing Dynasty couldn’t refuse this.

Then, even if Emperor Daoguang forgave them, they could be buried in the political world later for taking responsibility at this time, so who in the world would want to take that position?

Every minister was holding the world’s greatest incompetence contest, saying that they were unsuitable for negotiations, when someone suddenly brought up a different story.

“But isn’t there a Joseon delegation here right now?”

“…That’s right. But does that have anything to do with this matter?”

“Your Majesty! Hasn’t it been confirmed that the one leading the English army is a Joseon native named Gillian Kwai? Strictly speaking, Joseon is also responsible for not properly controlling its own people. So, I think it would be a good idea to have the Joseon delegation accompany the negotiations and try to appease Gillian Kwai.”

“Ooh! That’s a great idea!”

They were losing the war and negotiating, and they were going to include someone who came as an envoy from a tributary state?

It was a crazy thing that made your head spin just by listening to it, but that wasn’t important to the Qing ministers.

If they could reduce their responsibility even a little in the negotiations where they had no choice but to give everything away, why wouldn’t they include a neighborhood dog, let alone Joseon?

“Hmm… I doubt Joseon has any special measures.”

“Your Majesty! The ruler of a country is originally the parent of all the people. If a native of our country went to another country and committed heinous acts, wouldn’t we naturally take some measures?”

“That’s right. Joseon also has some responsibility in this matter!”

Emperor Daoguang wondered if this was right, but as the ministers shouted in unison, he began to lean towards thinking that it was right.

Well, what could he do? The fact was that they were in a desperate situation, so they had no choice but to use all the cards they could, even if they had to force it.

“Alright. If everyone agrees, I will send an imperial edict to the Joseon delegation.”

“That is a wise decision!”

This decision of the Qing Dynasty, which flowed according to the flow of consciousness rather than logic, was soon known to the envoys of Joseon and Japan.

“What did you say? You’re telling me to accompany the negotiations between Qing and England?”

“Ahem… The Emperor has personally issued an imperial edict, so there’s nothing we can do. You’ll have to go and take some flak.”

Kim Jwa-geun couldn’t even smile bitterly at the most absurd nonsense he had ever heard in his life.

These bastards… they’re just crazy.

This is what they call the Celestial Empire?

No. More than that, how in the world was he supposed to meet Gillian Kwai and appease him?

He shouldn’t have come. Had there ever been a time in his life when he regretted a past decision this much?

Kim Jwa-geun’s vision went dark.

* * *

“Amazing. Really amazing.”

The English army that had occupied Tianjin was in the midst of preparing to push all the way to Tongzhou.

The home country was also increasing its troops, thinking that they should just go all the way to Beijing and plant their flag since things had turned out this way.

Since they could just extract all the costs involved in this as reparations, what was there to hold back?

If they waited a little longer, 5,000 more soldiers would be added, so if they added up all the numbers that had been increased so far, it would be almost 20,000.

A ground force equivalent to one division was being formed.

The insane military power of the British Empire in the mid-19th century, which sent this many troops to the other side of the world, was once again remarkable.

Of course, this was all because they had occupied India. But still, it was amazing.

“Minister, I will advance the army as soon as the additional troops join us.”

“That would be nice, but it seems they’re starting to face reality little by little now. They’re starting to beg us to please let them off the hook.”

“Are they just sending another governor-general to negotiate appropriately like before?”

“If that were the case, I would have told them to push all the way to Beijing right away. It seems they’re quite serious this time.”

In the end, they decided to surrender with a white flag rather than showing the sight of being stripped naked in front of the tributary states and running away to Manchuria.

Well, they might overturn the negotiations again, saying something about the lofty pride of the Middle Kingdom, but if they did, they would just plant their flag in Beijing.

Everything was going as expected so far.

But there was just one thing.

“The plenipotentiary ambassadors of Qing say that two high-ranking officials with the blood of the Imperial family will come. It also says that the Emperor will never reject any decisions made here.”

“Then we can have real negotiations. As expected, it seems your prediction has come true again. Haha!”

“That’s true. But…”

It was good that high-ranking Qing officials were coming, but why was the Joseon envoy mixed in here?

They couldn’t possibly think that because I was of Joseon descent, having a Joseon official come with me would make the negotiations more favorable.

This was definitely it.

It was a drowning person’s strategy to share the responsibility in any way possible if they didn’t like the negotiation proposal.

Even so, did it make sense to include an envoy from a neighboring country in this kind of situation?

Qing was truly a legend.

“Anyway, it’s not bad for us, so let’s meet them once. After all, they have no choice but to accept all the proposals we make.”

I knew I would meet them someday, but I honestly didn’t even expect to see a Joseon nobleman again so quickly.

I wonder how they’re going to talk. I’m honestly curious.

I guess they can only play the role of a clown, but I hope they don’t show a side that’s too uninteresting.