Joseon Needs a Coup - Chapter 114
Only Noblemtl
#114. Unexpected development (2)
“Why are you telling us to collect all the cartridges and clips when we’re not farmers gleaning grain?”
“Can you find cartridges and clips by digging the ground?”
I said, squeezing my complaining brother.
Everyone was half disappointed, because the orders given after the rest period right after the battle were not to control the area, but to collect all the cartridges and clips used during the battle.
While the Allied forces were sweating it out rebuilding the railroad, some troops, including the cavalry, were sent to escort their activities, while the rest were mobilized to pick up shell casings.
“Recover as much as possible, as the cartridge cases can be recycled into remanufactured bullets, and the bullet clips can be sent back to the factory to be used in rifles.”
Somehow, I remembered the scene from my active duty days. It overlapped with the scene where I lost a cartridge during a live-fire exercise and the entire company was running around looking for it.
The modern Korean military claims that the reason they recover cartridges is to prevent ‘hiding and misusing live ammunition’, but here, the path is a little different.
No matter how much economic reform was carried out, recyclable materials such as cartridges and clips were ultimately a way to help the poor army’s finances.
That was also the reason why they told us to scrape up whatever we could find, since if that didn’t work out, we could melt down the cartridges and use them to make new bullets.
Of course, if I give an order with my bare mouth, he won’t listen, so I waved the carrot around appropriately.
“The platoon that recovers the most cartridges and clips will receive additional corrosion.”
Then he took out the cider he had ordered in bulk from the recently opened ‘Incheon Lemonade Company’ and showed it to everyone, who turned their eyes away.
It was occasionally given as a prize to units that performed well, and those who tasted it had their perception of sweets almost revolutionized.
Actually, this wasn’t what I brought here for.
It was chosen for the purpose of replacing drinking water, as it seemed likely that the supply of drinking water would become difficult.
If something like cholera or dysentery were to spread throughout the barracks, it would lead to an uncontrollable situation.
Since there was also the issue of supplying sweets that could boost the morale of the soldiers, I signed a contract with them without hesitation.
The factory is probably busy producing cider to supply the expeditionary force right now.
As production increased exponentially after it became an official military supply, and the market price also dropped, it has recently become very popular even among the general public. I guess I will find out later when I return home.
In any case, the soldiers cheered in unison upon seeing the cider they were promised as a reward, and soon began to diligently pick up all the shell casings and other waste materials they could find on the ground.
Aren’t you going to end up picking up something that’s missing?
“Commander, this is a message from the command center in Tianjin.”
“Where should I look···”
While watching the live military version of Millet’s ‘The Gleaners’, I received a telegram from the headquarters and Lieutenant Colonel Foch left at the command post in Tianjin.
“hmm···.”
“What is it about?”
“They said to get out of here quickly.”
I showed him the report and said, It wasn’t very long, but it was a warning that the Qing government was extremely furious about the battle at Langfang and that the regular Qing army might be deployed in earnest.
It was said that an imperial conference had already been held, and it seemed that the hardliners centered around Empress Dowager Cixi and Prince Duanqin were leading the political situation, despite the fierce opposition of the current Qing Emperor.
They could not hide their anger at the defeat of Dongfushang’s army at Langfang, and immediately warned that they would declare war if the foreign troops in Tianjin did not withdraw.
In addition, they came up with an extremely hard-line policy of temporarily suspending the suppression of the Boxer Rebellion, so at this point it seemed that there was virtually no way to avoid war.
The Allied forces already viewed the talks with the Qing as virtually broken off.
Rear Admiral Alexiyev of the Russian Navy, who was acting as the de facto commander of the allied forces in the Tianjin area, was preparing to dismantle the multi-barreled battery by force.
Well, it all seemed to be messed up one way or another.
“It seems that an all-out war with the Qing Dynasty is inevitable.”
“Because I came in prepared.”
I shrugged my shoulders and answered Lieutenant Park Seung-hwan’s words.
With the hardliners gaining power at the Imperial Conference, a tragedy in Beijing was inevitable.
I’m sorry to say this to the Minister Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, but I had to hold out there for dear life until August.
Well, I guess I’ll be able to hold out somehow since there are guards guarding the embassies of each country and agents from the Records Investigation Office of the Marshal’s Office, but it won’t be a particularly pleasant experience, so I feel a little sorry about that.
In the distance, soldiers could be seen coming, carrying sacks full of cartridge cases and clips.
I ordered everyone who had worked hard to get drinks and watched as it was time to slowly withdraw.
Perhaps expecting a formal declaration of war soon.
***
“Are there any instructions from the adjustment department?”
“The only order is to hold out until the rescue force arrives.”
“When on earth will the Salvation Army come!”
Minister Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Kim Ga-jin expressed his anger at the report from an external official.
This place was no different from Abigail’s.
Even though he barely escaped with his life during the last attack and was taking refuge at the Russian embassy, the situation was rapidly worsening as time passed.
The atmosphere became even more tense after the assassination of Japanese embassy secretary Sugiyama on June 11.
“They said we could be rescued on June 11th, but it’s already June 18th! It’s been a week and there’s still no news. Isn’t that like telling us to die?”
“Inspiration, there is something bigger than that.”
The head of the records investigation office of the headquarters approached from the opposite side.
His face was always expressionless, but now it was a little different. It looked like he had chewed on something, like a bug.
“What’s going on?”
“The mob has destroyed all the telegraph offices and telegraph facilities in Beijing. I heard that the Dagu Battery was captured by the Allied Forces yesterday.”
“Well, then···.”
“This place is not safe either. The British Embassy has ordered us to defend the international embassy area with all means at our disposal, and we have no choice but to join in.”
“Allied Forces?”
Kim Ga-jin looked a little puzzled. It seemed like something had gone wrong with the dispatch of the relief force, since they had captured Dagu Battery before Beijing.
“Furthermore, an urgent telegram has finally been received from our forces in Tianjin. They have succeeded in advancing to Langfang, but the admiral of the Yeonggili navy and his forces who advanced ahead have withdrawn due to great exhaustion, and they are telling us to do whatever it takes to save our own lives until they advance.”
“Ha, is that so···.”
He let out a deep sigh.
It seemed like they weren’t not trying.
However, there were too many enemies blocking their way to Beijing.
“I will only trust you guys.”
“I will live up to your expectations. I hope your spirit will be strong.”
From afar, the maddening shouts of the Boxers could be heard.
Chinese Christians who had already taken refuge in the embassy area were holding their heads together and looking terrified, while other Allied soldiers also looked outside the area with nervous expressions.
“May God protect us.”
I heard someone’s mumbling voice.
The foreman of the records office pulled the pump of his shotgun and looked at them swarming in the distance with contempt.
God had already abandoned this place, so now they believed that only superior weapons created by humans could save them.
Perhaps this was the last gift from God. And the tiresome battle in Beijing was about to begin.
***
“Your Majesty the Emperor and distinguished ministers of the cabinet. Please forgive my rudeness in calling this unscheduled meeting today. I have called you here because of an urgent matter.”
“Okay. Would you like to talk about it?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Prime Minister Lee Beom-jin said, uploading a telegram that appeared to have been received just now.
“Officially, the Qing Dynasty has declared war.”
“What?”
There was a stir in the room. They had expected it, but they didn’t seem to know that a direct declaration of war would come like this.
And the confusion soon turned to anger, not fear.
The reaction was, “How dare the Qing Dynasty, which has become no better than a rascal, declare war on the world?”
“As early as June 20, the Qing declared that it would sever all diplomatic relations with the West, and the next day, today, the 21st, it issued a declaration of war. The offensive began in the area around the International Diplomatic Complex in Beijing, and with the joining of the Boxer and Qing armies, war was effectively declared.”
The audience, which had been stirring at Lee Beom-jin’s words, fell silent for a moment.
For some reason, today the ministers came wearing Western-style attire and swords.
I had a feeling that maybe it was something closer to a well-prepared event.
“Furthermore, the German minister who tried to protest this was murdered, and before that, the secretary of the Japanese embassy was also murdered by the mob. Our Minister Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary was also raided and is currently trapped within the embassy premises.”
And that silence soon turned to anger, and the anger turned to hatred.
“Accordingly, Britain, France, Russia, the United States, Germany, Italy, and Austria-Hungary have declared their military response, immediately captured the Tagu battery, and are preparing to advance to Beijing. Our troops have also joined them and entered combat readiness with the Russian Navy in the Tianjin area.”
“Your Majesty! We too must declare war on the Qing!”
“Yes, Your Majesty! It is time to give them a taste of heat!”
A voice of clarion call finally erupted from the crowd.
“Our army has been trained and prepared for such times. If you reinforce our army in Tianjin and arm the civilians at the border and send them across the river, how can they resist? Send our valiant and fearless army to put an end to the chaos!”
“Please go to sleep!”
The ministers all raised their voices calling for an increase in the size of the troop deployment, but the military and the Marshal’s Office remained silent.
The current escalation was not what they wanted.
However, since remaining silent and going against the current atmosphere could be considered treason, I kept my mouth shut as if I had made a promise.
However, they did not want a formal declaration of war.
The army was still being formed, and it was even more undesirable that the increased budget would be wasted on war.
Until at least 1903, the military had to be preserved as much as possible and modernized.
The troops dispatched to Tianjin were the maximum they could deploy.
But a military operation beyond that wouldn’t necessarily lead to a good result.
It may bring about good results externally, especially at this point when military reform is in full swing.
However, the problem was that the Emperor’s will was directed towards the ministerial group rather than the military and the Marshal’s Office, which had recently been controlled by the royalist faction, so there was no situation in which he could open his mouth.
“The luggage is···.”
The noisy atmosphere for a while became quiet for a moment at the sound of Emperor Gojong’s voice.
The next words that come out of his mouth will determine the direction of his future.
Everyone swallowed hard and waited for the emperor’s decision.
And the emperor’s next words brought about both sighs and cheers.
“We will respond to the Qing’s declaration of war. Since the year of Byeong-in, the royal shrines, temples, and people have suffered countless times because of the unfaithful Qing, and since the year of Gap-o, there has not been a single day without turmoil along the border. Now that the military has been organized and the foundation of the country has been solidified, I think it is time to end the suffering.”
Then he suddenly got up from his seat.
Somehow, the fact that they were dressed in Western military uniforms despite having gathered in such an urgent manner seemed to indicate that they were aiming for this.
Min Yeong-hwan, who concurrently served as the Chief of Staff of the Royal Secretariat, was able to sense why, today, not only domestic but also foreign reporters had entered the palace.
The emperor was planning to take advantage of every single one of these situations.
It seemed as if they were trying to announce that they had no choice but to fight against the Qing’s declaration of war, giving a just cause for the war, and that as a member of the civilized nations, they would send troops.
And the ministers, with something welling up inside them, began to shout three times, praying for the longevity of the Emperor and the Korean Empire.
The reporters were busy writing and recording something, working hard for the article that would be published tomorrow, or soon, as a special edition.
The military and the Marshal’s Office’s members showed no sign of losing their tense expressions.
I wondered what the Director of Military Affairs would have said if he had been present at a time like this, and in the end, I had to accept that they had to think and prepare on their own.
But one thing was certain: things were going in a direction they didn’t want.