Joseon Needs a Coup - Chapter 345



Only Noblemtl

#2-3. An uncomfortable cohabitation with a set ending (3)

“Is it really necessary to maintain the Oriental Development Company? I wonder if this was not something that Count Ito, who met his fate in a mob attack, pushed forward recklessly.”

Yamagata, who had returned to his usual sly ways, offered his deepest condolences to the cabinet members while the funeral was still in progress, and slyly threw in a few words. Prime Minister Saionji, who was injured and wearing bandages, knew that he was the one involved in all of this, but he spoke with as much composure as possible.

“That can’t be. This is a matter directly related to the future of our empire’s management. Even the Count, who was killed by a group of madmen and thugs, emphasized right up until his death that the future of our empire was directly linked to the Oriental Development Company.”

“So, isn’t that why you were killed by those who were dissatisfied, Prime Minister? The Japanese Empire is currently in a great crisis. The workers in the cities, influenced by evil ideologies, are showing seditious behavior, and the Imperial Army, which has not been able to overcome the humiliation of defeat, is likely to cause trouble in any form. Including the late Count Ito, our cabinet is trying to somehow overcome the crisis by holding the military together, but this is killing me.”

Saionji was shocked by Yamagata’s words. The former was a problem of extremely subversive ideas that Rosuke and others were also experiencing, so he could have suppressed it by ordering the Minister of Internal Affairs to mobilize all the power of the Metropolitan Police Department to crack down on such people. In the first place, there was also the Peace Preservation Act, so there was sufficient justification to crack down on them. However, the latter was different.

‘That damn Joshu, it’s known to the whole world that he’s controlling everything behind the scenes.’

From the beginning, it was an open secret that even the Emperor knew that the Imperial Army had dark hearts, and it was a well-known fact to the world that behind them were the military controlled by Yamagata, especially the Choshu clan.

“So, how about we pretend that the Oriental Development Company issue never happened? If the cabinet continues to insist on it, even I may not be able to control the growing discontent within the military.”

It was a subtle threat. Yamagata looked down at Saionji’s wounds, clearly from the previous attack, and smiled faintly, as if implying, ‘If you don’t stop this, it won’t end like this.’

Saionji felt a chill for a moment at the thought, but he shook his head firmly, thinking that a nobleman from a long and noble family could not be pushed out here.

“That can’t be, Lord Yamagata. As you know, our Japan is clearly in crisis right now.”

“Yes, yes. So my opinion is that you should quit now.”

“No, on the contrary, given the circumstances, the establishment of the Oriental Development Company is important to our empire. It is essential to maintaining the lifeline and profit line that Kyung mentioned earlier.”

“It is a lifeline and a profit line.”

Saionji desperately tried to explain, thinking that his life might depend on it. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the Japanese Empire was now on the verge of bankruptcy. Britain and the United States had already seen that Japan had done its part in the war against Russia, and in return, they had been giving it a breathing space by delaying the repayment of its debts throughout the war.

However, Britain and the United States, which could be considered their backers, faced the economic panic of 1907, and during the process, considerable damage was inflicted on Japan as well. As Britain, a chronic deficit empire, was heavily dependent on American companies, the panic was short-lived but had a very strong impact on the financial markets of the great powers.

Ultimately, the way for Japan to overcome its economic crisis and control the discontented forces at home and abroad depended on its neighboring country, the Korean Empire. Much depended on how much rice and gold they sold.

In this economic depression, Saionji, drawing on his experience as Minister of Finance in charge of the Ministry of Finance, printed more gold-convertible notes centered on Korean gold. He even dismissed the words of the Minister of Finance and other cabinet members who said that fiscal austerity was necessary because of the recession and that they should try to do what Okuma had tried before.

There were warnings that it could destroy fiscal soundness, but that was what happened next. Saionji responded to the panic by increasing the circulation of convertible notes while maintaining the import of Korean gold at all costs.

This was temporary, but quantitative easing allowed the domestic market to be revitalized and the national finances to recover to a certain level, and the majority of the remaining resources had to be invested with an eye on the future. Naturally, those who called for disarmament and military expansion clashed during this process, and Yamagata, as he said, “took care of” Ito in the midst of this.

“Since the economic situation in Britain and the United States is already bad, we cannot expect any help from them. So the most important thing now is how to secure gold and rice and use them for our Japanese Empire.”

“If we insist on reducing military spending and moving toward fiscal expansion, why don’t we just invest that money entirely in Hokkaido from the beginning?”

“Then we have no choice but to endure a little longer and face the end of withering away, Lord Yamagata.”

Saionji looked straight at Yamagata and said. It was as if the current Japanese Empire was in a situation where it would eventually shrink and face an eternal end, just as the laws of thermodynamics dictate. In order to overcome this, Saionji believed that Count Ito’s method was necessary, even if it was somewhat unreasonable.

“It may be uncomfortable to say, but we are now under the thumb of Joseon. They do not want us to collapse, but they do not want us to become as strong as we were before either.”

“Hmm… … .”

“So we decided to find a breakthrough in a new way, and that was the Oriental Development Company.”

This was the escape route for the desperate Japanese government. At least Count Ito thought so, and Saionji agreed. Saionji, who had somehow managed to survive the Panic of 1907 by using quantitative easing to keep Japan’s banks from collapsing, had to try something while he still had the means.

The funds that were relaxed in this way would inevitably come back as a boomerang and hit the back of the Japanese economy. So, before that, we had to expand, at least increase our weight, and build a body that could withstand the inevitable shock wave. And Saionji thought that we had to establish a yen economic zone in Manchuria, even if it meant sharing the pie with the Korean Empire’s won economic zone.

“If we develop the undeveloped areas in Hokkaido, the archipelago, the Korean Peninsula, and Manchuria through the Oriental Development Company, it will certainly be beneficial to us. In addition, I have a story that will interest Lord Yamagata as well.”

“Haha, if it’s a story that would tickle the main office, it would have to be something more than a lifeline.”

“We can establish a line of interests in Manchuria without war. Perhaps the Korean Empire can become our shield.”

Yamagata frowned momentarily. Unlike the old fox, the military’s thug rarely showed his emotions, but this time something seemed to have touched his sore spot.

“No war.”

“The main content of the Treaty of Portsmouth is that South Manchuria is now an uninhabited territory, but is nominally under the influence of the Korean Empire.”

“yes.”

“This is a counter-exploitation. If the Cheoksik Company inevitably advances, it will send development teams to Hokkaido and the Korean Peninsula, and then to South Manchuria as well.”

Yamagata’s head was spinning here. What he was talking about was a very classic and effective way to establish dominance, something that many great powers had tried to do over the past century. Naturally, they would send out a colony of pioneers, and starting with the yen economic zone centered there, they would secure political, economic, and military influence.

“If that happens… … .”

“We can gain three benefits. One is that we can hold the Korean Empire politically and economically responsible and secure the protection of the colony. The other is that we can create a pretext for our troops to set foot in Manchuria in case of emergency.”

They say there is a new fox following the old fox, and Yamagata realized once again that it was Saionji. South Manchuria was still an uninhabited land, and now behind the Qing Empire, which was gasping for its last breath, a new warlord called the New Army was slowly preparing to show his head.

At that time, there was one person who would act according to their taste. It was Jang Zuo Lin and his army, who were nominally the commander-in-chief of the Qing Dynasty’s New Army stationed in the northeastern three provinces and were growing their power under the Russian Governor-General stationed in Fengtian. If they and the Pioneer Corps were together, they could have prepared a plan to sufficiently weaken the influence of the Korean Empire in South Manchuria and suppress them from the north and south.

“If the villages our pioneers have established are destroyed or casualties occur due to unavoidable armed conflicts… we can raise political issues with the Korean Empire. We can use this to pressure them to increase our rights in Manchuria, or we can send our troops to Manchuria and occupy them one by one under the pretext of protecting our own people.”

“If Count Ito had explained it like this, we wouldn’t have suffered such a tragedy.”

As Yamagata spoke with a faint smile, Saionji felt a slight chill run up his spine.

“So, what’s the final gain?”

“You can use it to drive out the discontented people within the country. You can use it to throw the lower classes and the so-called intellectuals who have drunk the bad water… all the way to Manchuria.”

As soon as Yamagata finished speaking, he burst into laughter like crazy. After a while of loud laughter, everyone asked what was going on, but he pushed away the people around him and grabbed Saionji’s hands.

“You have been thinking very big. After all, only with this level of distribution can we lead the Empire of Japan and protect His Majesty the Emperor.”

“Ahaha… … .”

“I will try to persuade our military somehow. I don’t know if they will listen or not, but at least they won’t ignore what I say. Now that I think about it, I didn’t know that the Prime Minister had such great influence.”

Then he wiped his smile and began to talk for a long time with his confidants who were behind him. Saionji felt that things had turned out well, but he could not shake off his anxiety. He had no choice but to measure how long he would have to walk a tightrope between the military, which refused to follow the control of the civilian government, and the danger of the system itself, and how long he would have to act in a play that would not fool both the civilian government and the military.

And the conclusion was one. No matter what happened, he had no choice but to remain until the end and maintain this system. Since the restraint on the military had disappeared, he thought he had to burn everything he had, however inadequate, and run the empire in this way.

***

“With the establishment of the Oriental Development Company, our country has been able to support numerous farmlands. We have been able to make significant progress, such as repairing irrigation facilities and restoring devastated farmlands… … .”

The place where the Hansung branch of the Oriental Development Company was established was filled with quite a few high-ranking officials. Director of Records, Jo Dong-yoon, was smoking a cigarette and looking at the distinguished guests who were applauding the congratulatory speech with a disapproving look, as if he was dissatisfied with something.

“Why are you so worried?”

“Ah, Director of Operations.”

He hurriedly threw his cigarette on the floor, stubbed it out with his boot, and spoke to me with a look of delight on his face.

“I’m saying this because I think the intentions of that company are suspicious. I’m mobilizing the guys from Section 4 to do some background investigation.”

“… It’s clear to me. Isn’t it because they want to expand their yen economic sphere and somehow get a foothold in South Manchuria?”

“That’s true… but they invested their money too readily. Their situation must be bad, too.”

Of course, officers who had fought fiercely against the Japanese in the Marshal’s Office would have had such doubts. No matter how important it was to make a living, seeing them extend their hand and seek peace only a few years after the end of the war, it was impossible to dispel the suspicion that there was something hidden.

“Don’t worry, Chief of Records. Whatever my bastards are thinking, I can see their black bellies clearly like a mirror.”

“Do you have any policy?”

“We will revise our war plans. We are also currently preparing a 10-division plan and reorganizing the Army as a whole, and the Navy will also prepare large-scale shipbuilding projects that will be seen over the next 30 years.”

“…Is it possible in the current state?”

“We have to proceed step by step, one by one, like crossing a bridge.”

Perhaps it was obvious, since news came through the embassy right after Ito’s assassination that Saionji and Yamagata had made some kind of secret agreement. It was because the civilian cabinet and the military had colluded over South Manchuria and temporarily turned the tip of the sword of conspiracy against us.

“There are many ways we can destroy their plans, such as building an industrial complex in Buksamdo, expanding the military industrial complex, and introducing a reorganized division structure. In the end, if the Japanese, who have no bridgehead, want to attack South Manchuria, they will have to send ground forces and a fleet, but we will block that from the beginning.”

Of the ten newly formed divisions, all but two or three were to be deployed north of the Chongchon River. This was planned to be done by 1915, but two divisions, excluding the Guards Division, had already been reorganized and deployed deep north of Pyongyang.

“Whether it’s Yamagata or Saionji, if they want to do something, they’ll have to get past us.”

“But what if the pioneers come?”

“In South Manchuria, Sir Lee Yong-ik is increasing the number of post offices, and Sir Lee Do-jae is increasing the number of border guard offices, preparing to establish actual control. If even they cannot help but be subordinated to our ruling system… no matter how much the pioneering corps increases, it will be of no use.”

Even if the police were like that, you might ask what the post office, that is, the post office, could do, but this played a key role in the South Manchurian ruling system. In Manchuria, where there were no financial institutions, the post office was almost the only one that could act as a bank’s agent. Money could be transported and goods could be moved through the post office.

It may seem like the smallest thing, but it was the key. Even without me, the cabinet officials, who were already quick-witted, had already dispatched officials and spies to South Manchuria as soon as the war ended to grasp the situation, and were also working to solidify a kind of management system by mobilizing the Ministry of Agriculture, Commerce, and Industry.

As the emperor had been throwing a tantrum, sending a military officer there to reclaim the land or make a field was a secondary issue. Right now, it was more important to establish a system there.

“Perhaps that huge pie the Tsar gave us will attract a lot of bugs. But even so, we cannot leave it alone. If we leave it alone, we will fall into their trap.”

“… As always, Your Majesty is a very scary person.”

Cho Dong-yoon shrugged his shoulders and said, If we left South Manchuria as it was, as they intended, it was obvious that when the old owners came back one day demanding that we give up our share, we would be unable to do anything.

“Hehe, don’t worry. Please continue to collect information from the Japanese side in case something happens.”

“Yes, Chief of Operations.”

He smiled and looked at the podium where he was giving a long speech. With diplomatic relations restored, the newly appointed Japanese Minister to Korea was seen standing on the podium himself, speaking in broken Korean about the friendship between Japan and Korea.

I don’t know how long this relationship will last, but it was clear that this uncomfortable cohabitation, where we lay in the same bed, looking for a place to lie down and waiting for an opportunity to stretch our legs, would always end in one thing.