I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 90

Became a Hidden Power in the British Empire 90

Crushing the Cartel

It’s easy to assume that a member of parliament’s term is guaranteed for exactly 4 or 5 years.

In modern times, that was a given, but surprisingly, that’s not the case right now.

Members of the House of Lords serve for life unless there’s a special reason for removal.

Members of the House of Commons usually have a term of 7 years, but it’s rare for them to serve the full 7 years.

Dissolving parliament and holding elections again is so common that it’s rarer to see someone complete their full 7-year term.

Still, with the political situation as stable as it is now, there’s little chance of a vote of no confidence or parliament being dissolved.

The ruling Conservative Party was stronger than ever, and Robert Peel’s cabinet was considered highly competent.

Above all, I had brought Qing [Dynasty China] to its knees and secured enormous benefits for Britain.

The ruling party and the cabinet were promoting these achievements daily, working hard to maintain their approval ratings.

-France is watching cautiously, Russia is trembling with anxiety.

-The golden age of the British Empire. Robert Peel’s government has achieved both economic success and expansion.

-The key to the future is Asia. Dominating Asia is the way to win the competition.

The Whig Party couldn’t respond to these developments and could only watch helplessly as the gap in approval ratings continued to widen.

What would happen if an election were held again in this situation?

The Conservative Party’s overwhelming victory was already a foregone conclusion, and the Whig Party would be fighting to win even 200 seats.

If that really happened, it would be a bit of a problem for me, so I should consider it fortunate that an election isn’t imminent.

Since there’s still some time before the next election, I should use that time to strengthen my position.

To do that, I need to generously praise Wellesley and Disraeli, who worked hard in my absence.

Politically, those two are practically one with me, so it’s necessary to continue sharing glory and benefits with them in the future.

So, keep delivering results like you’re doing now.

“I heard you went to Buckingham Palace the day before yesterday and yesterday?”

“I went the day before yesterday for the ball, and yesterday I went because there were things to discuss.”

“Hmm. Is that so? I was kind of hoping you were finally becoming a member of the British royal family.”

Wellesley smiled, saying something that was hard to tell if it was a joke or serious.

Either way, it’s good to know what people around me are thinking. This is a good opportunity.

“Are there any rumors going around about that?”

“Rumors? About your relationship with Her Majesty?”

“Yes. I’d feel bad if false rumors spread too much about me and Her Majesty.”

There weren’t any particular rumors circulating among the public yet, but it could be different among the nobles, so it was necessary to check and address it.

Wellesley seemed to be recalling something for a moment, then shook his head.

“I don’t think anyone is seriously talking about that. But frankly, is there anyone in London who doesn’t know that Her Majesty is particularly fond of you?”

Disraeli, who was listening to the conversation, also nodded.

“Her Majesty needs to have an heir to the throne. Minister, you’re like the Queen’s confidant, right?”

“When you think about it, it’s a little funny. If I were in Killian’s place, the rumors would have already spread all over London, saying something like ‘The Queen and the second son of the Duke of Wellington are in a pink mood.'” [A “pink mood” is a euphemism for a romantic relationship.]

“But Minister, you’re now in a position no less than Wellesley’s, aren’t you?”

“If that story about the Eastern royal blood is true, that might be the case… Killian, is that rumor true? Ah, all the noble ladies I meet these days keep asking me about it; it’s driving me crazy. They all cling to me because they know I’m the closest person to you.”

So, the upper class of this country still doesn’t think I’m worthy of being involved with Victoria.

No matter how much I’ve achieved as a minister, there’s still a perception that I’m not even qualified to be on the same stage.

As Wellesley said, if I were the son of the Duke of Wellington, there would already be rumors… No, I might have been caught by Victoria and dragged in.

Emotionally, I might feel bad, but coldly, it’s actually good.

The perception that ‘he’s not good enough yet’ also means that they underestimate me that much.

“I don’t know if I have royal blood or not. That’s something Joseon [Korea] and Japan need to fight over and come to a conclusion and bring me the family register to know.”

Frankly speaking, if Joseon or Japan decides from now on that I’m from the royal family and includes me in the family register, then I’m a royal, and if not, I’ll stay as I am now.

However, Wellesley, who understood my words in a different sense, sighed and nodded.

“So, you’re saying we have to wait a little longer because it’s still under investigation. I heard we have to go back 300 years, so we can’t know the results right away. If other people ask, I’ll have to say that they’re still investigating over there.”

“Yes. Then, let’s roughly wrap up the issue about me like this and discuss future plans. As I said earlier, the reason I went to see Her Majesty at Buckingham yesterday was because of this report.”

When I showed James’ report to Victoria yesterday, both of them reacted immediately.

“Potato blight? If this spreads, the potato crop will be completely ruined, and the infectivity is enormous?”

“With that level of infectivity, you can’t stop it even if you try. Unless you block a single ship from the New World from coming to Europe, this disease will eventually spread here.”

“That’s right. Especially in areas like Ireland that depend on potatoes for their livelihood, the moment this disease spreads, a living hell will unfold. So, we need to prepare from now on.”

“Prepare… I have to, but is it possible? To do something across Ireland, the government and parliament must move as one.”

Of course.

Disraeli said it indirectly, but what he meant was that it’s not even mainland Britain, and only Irish people will die, so will the British Parliament actively deal with it?

Millions of people starved to death, and as many lost their homes and emigrated, but would they really do such an inhumane thing?

Surprisingly, they might actually do it.

The fact that Britain doesn’t care about Ireland and the population theory of Thomas Malthus, which is currently in vogue, will be the basis for such a decision.

“To avoid the Malthusian trap [the theory that population growth will outpace resource production, leading to widespread poverty and famine], the population needs to be adjusted to below a certain number. So, you’re saying that even if some Irish people die, it won’t be a big problem in the long run?”

“…Of course, no one would say that directly. But there will be quite a few members who think that way in their heads.”

“Of course, there will be. If they pull out the budget to help Ireland, they will worry that the votes of their mainland supporters will fall.”

It’s obvious, but Malthus never said that if you don’t want to fall into the Malthusian trap, you shouldn’t care if people die from disease or famine.

But when have politicians ever cited theories while caring about such things?

They simply choose what they want in the direction that is most helpful to their votes.

“But Killian. Looking at the Conservative Party alone, we can’t ignore Ireland right now, can we? It’s one of our important support bases. If we dig in well, it doesn’t seem too difficult to sway the House of Commons?”

“I think so too. We have Mr. O’Connell in the House of Commons, so it won’t be difficult to create public opinion. In fact, mainland public opinion can be easily led by massaging it through the media.”

In the original history, the reason why Britain was passive in dealing with Ireland was that the British leadership also played a part in creating the situation.

When Victoria visited to learn about the reality of Ireland, the parliament adjusted the schedule so that the Queen only visited the wealthy areas of Northern Ireland that were not greatly affected by the Great Famine.

So, the Queen couldn’t help but feel, ‘What, I came because I heard the famine was serious, but everyone seems to be doing well?’ and naturally lost interest in Ireland.

How would the Irish people have felt when they saw that?

It’s not surprising that Ireland came to hate Britain.

As such, unless the horrors of the local situation were immediately conveyed via the Internet as in modern times, it is now an era where you cannot know what is happening in the neighboring area unless someone tells you.

But conversely, if we diligently preach about the horrors that the Irish Great Famine will bring and how much it will harm the national interests of the British Empire, it will not be a problem to move public opinion.

However, in the current era, the nobles and capitalists hold the media in their hands, so how to influence them will be the key.

“Fortunately, Her Majesty has said that she will actively cooperate with this issue. We will leave the House of Commons to Mr. Wellesley and Mr. Disraeli. But we will be held back if we don’t do something about the House of Lords, right? So, I will try to do something about this.”

“Will the old men of the House of Lords listen to you? If your father helps, it might be a little different, but your father doesn’t seem to be interested in politics these days.”

“Of course, they won’t listen well, but we have to try. This is not just for Ireland. Don’t forget that this is an opportunity to recover all the approval ratings of Ireland that I have entrusted to Mr. O’Connell, and it is also an opportunity to further enhance the solidarity of the British Empire.”

“Ah, I see. If we help Ireland in trouble, will they also sincerely become members of the British Empire?”

“It’s not just Ireland. I’m laying the groundwork with Canada in mind.”

Colonial rule in a coercive manner will never last long.

This is already proven by the fact that Ireland and Canada separated from Britain in the original history.

But in order to maintain the hegemony of the British Empire in the long term, and above all, in order for me to become the power broker of that hegemonic country, Ireland must not break away.

Of course, it won’t be balanced with just Ireland alone, but what if we get Canada as well?

Even Canada, which is actively starting industrialization and pioneering the West from now on, unlike in the original history?

Right now, whatever you try to do, you will be held back by the lack of population, but a good excuse to solve that has arisen.

“When I think about it coldly, we can’t completely prevent the upcoming famine by planting alternative crops or importing grains alone. To some extent, we will have to send people who are excessively concentrated in Ireland to immigrate.”

“So, you’re going to send those people to Canada? It seems like it could have a considerable effect…”

“Even now, there is an absolute shortage of people to cultivate farmland in Canada and mine resources near the Great Lakes. In order to lay the foundation, I asked the Prime Minister to revise the related laws a few years ago, so all we have to do is prepare a systematic immigration program.”

“…You revised all the laws a few years ago? I recently learned that the Great Famine was coming, right? Did you send James to the New World anticipating this…?”

You’re quick to notice. But even if I tell you that’s all true, you won’t believe it, right?

“Hey, don’t go that far… I just believed that the New World was the future and invested in it, and it could shine like this, well.”

“Well, that’s what you do. Haha. Then I’ll fully support you this time too.”

Wellesley spoke playfully as usual, but this is also possible because of his absolute trust in me.

I nodded with a confident expression as if to reassure him.

“Don’t worry, it will go well this time too. If this goes well, Ireland and Canada will be our backyard within 10 years.”

In the original history, a significant number of Irish people who emigrated on a large scale due to the Great Famine went to the United States.

Even these people had a strong animosity towards Britain and even subtly attacked Canada, a British colony, during the Civil War.

If we want to develop the New World, each person is important, so we can’t let this population outflow happen.

And I didn’t say it on purpose, but if the Irish become the mainstream in Canada, who will be the British politician that Canada supports and loves the most?

It’s just a waste of breath to say such things.

* * *

A member of the British House of Lords must be 21 years old to start proper activities.

And even in 1840, I was 20 years old, so I couldn’t vote or make speeches on the agenda that came up to the House of Lords.

But if you are a cabinet minister, it is a different story.

Ministers cannot vote on specific issues, but they can make speeches in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

Thanks to this, I, who was attending the House of Lords at the request of the Prime Minister, was able to stand in front of more than 200 nobles of this country for the first time.

It was a historic moment to debut in the House of Lords, but somehow the eyes of the elders were not very welcoming.

Rather than feeling hostility, it felt like a sigh of ‘A young man is already standing in such a position; it’s the end of the world.’

In fact, there were some people who were clearly hostile.

I know very well why they are doing this, so if they openly oppose me like this, it will be easier for me to deal with, so I feel relieved.

I wonder if I can maintain that upright gaze until the end of this meeting? If so, I am willing to acknowledge it.

“Minister, you are here today to testify on the unfamiliar issue of potato blight. Is that correct?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Most of the members here have seen the submitted report. But it’s a bit shocking, so I think we need to confirm it again. Is the reliability of the contents recorded in this report guaranteed?”

“Of course. It’s what I directly requested, and it includes the testimonies of local scholars as well as local farmers who have been engaged in potato farming for a long time. I was going to bring an actual sample to show you, but I didn’t bring it on purpose because it could be a big problem if the blight spread.”

“I see. It certainly could be dangerous if it’s that contagious. If you bring infected potatoes carelessly, it could spread not only to our country but also to all of Europe.”

“But Minister, weren’t you in Qing until recently? When did you know about this and write the report? Are you exaggerating to continue the popularity you gained from the war?”

“Oh! Does the Whig Party have anything in their heads other than finding fault? Trying to undermine the minister’s patriotism in that way!”

“Who is undermining who? Isn’t it strange that you are trying to block what is strange!”

Well, as expected, it’s a friendly and affectionate place.

In any era, regardless of East or West, the National Assembly should be like this.

I would have been embarrassed if they had politely listened to each other’s opinions and had a high-level discussion, but I feel a little relieved.

“First of all, to be clear, this report was ordered to be written before I went to Qing. As some of you may know, I am very interested in the Irish issue. And the current agricultural structure of Ireland, which relies on a single variety of potatoes, is hard to say is healthy. So, I have been constantly looking for ways to improve it, and that’s when I accidentally heard rumors about potato blight.”

“I see. You heard the rumors and sent people to the New World to collect data before leaving for Qing.”

“Yes. So, this report was not hastily written after I returned from Qing. Please think of it as a report that contains only perfectly verified content after nearly two years of investigation.”

“Certainly, if the situation unfolds as predicted in this content and the minister’s predictions, something quite serious seems likely to happen. But if you announce this, wouldn’t it cause tremendous confusion in Ireland?”

“I also don’t think it’s a wise idea to make all of this public. But I think we should prepare a solid contingency plan to avoid the worst-case scenario. It’s a matter of millions of lives.”

The members of the House of Lords were not very happy, but no one came forward to express their opposition first.

Since I directly stated that it was a matter of millions of lives, there were not many people who could just go out and say, ‘What does that have to do with me?’

Of course, the high pride of the House of Lords would not allow them to obediently follow what a 20-year-old kid said.

One of the members who had been looking at me with unkind eyes since earlier challenged me with a stubborn voice.

“But Minister, the war hasn’t ended yet. The reparations haven’t all come to us, and the relief of the mainland merchants who have been damaged hasn’t been completed yet. Do we really need to worry about potato blight that we don’t even know when it will strike?”

“Are the damaged merchants the ones who suffered huge losses by selling unauthorized goods in Qing?”

“They are still merchants of the British Empire. The Qing guys even came into a perfectly good island and burned all their property, so of course they should be compensated for their losses!”

“I see. Certainly, what the member said makes sense. Then, why don’t we discuss that issue together today?”

As expected, people who received huge bribes and sponsorships from opium merchants are different.

But why did I coax William Jardine and James Matheson with the excuse that I would spare them if they gave me information?

It’s to shut up those guys who are making such nonsense.

Come on, members, let’s see if you can stick to your claims even after looking at the data that is being distributed now.