Ch.116Yi Kang and Tsarina (2)

* * *

To put it bluntly, could anyone here actually believe those words?

Even I don’t believe it right now.

Why? Because history has changed.

In this altered history, he might become president. He might do things that provoke Russia.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Koreans never forget kindness. If you liberate Korea, we will become a pro-Russian nation and your ally in Asia.”

Yes, that’s how it was in the original history too.

It was like that when Emperor Wanli of the Ming Dynasty helped us. If China becomes divided, we won’t need to worry about them, and if we liberate Korea, it will definitely become a pro-Russian country.

Unlike the Japanese who stab you in the back without declaring war.

But you know what? That’s something I can understand because I’m Korean, but to anyone else, it’s complete nonsense.

To a third party, it would sound like some exiled government of a weak colonized country making ridiculous promises about becoming a strong ally to the Tsar.

I decided to torment them a bit more.

“A mere peninsula nation that’s become a colony of Japan dares to say it will be Russia’s ally? Who do you think you are, not knowing your place, saying you’ll become an ally of our Russia?”

“I apologize if I’ve disturbed Your Majesty. But Koreans are this desperate. Just liberating us would be considered a great debt by Koreans, and they would remain on Russia’s side under any circumstances.”

Good. That was well said.

In the end, what he’s saying is that if Russia liberates them, Koreans will become a shield protecting the Far East for Russia out of gratitude.

“Let’s say we help you gain independence and build your strength. What guarantee do we have that you won’t target Russia’s Far East?”

“Korea’s history of non-aggression proves it. When Emperor Wanli of the Ming Dynasty saved Korea, we served him with gratitude for hundreds of years. Also, after liberation, China will still be there—how could we possibly target Russia’s Far East? Above all, Korea doesn’t have the population or capacity to expand its front to Russia’s Far East while dealing with China.”

A history of Korean non-aggression, huh.

More accurately, they couldn’t because they were weak. Maybe Goguryeo could have, but Joseon only paid tribute to a unified China.

Well, that sounds plausible, but never mind that. If they become a pro-Russian country, where will they get resources? They’ll have to depend on Russia.

Just controlling them through resources would be enough to keep Korea in check.

They’ll see what happens to Japan.

The most valuable resource from Korea would be tungsten, but rather than rebelling against Russia for the Far East, which Korea would struggle to maintain anyway, they’d choose to cooperate with Russia.

With a population of tens of millions, and with China divided, they could possibly play the role of balancer behind Israel in post-war Asia’s conflict with China.

Just as I originally planned.

I stood up with a slight smile.

“Very well. That might be good. Look, General Ungern, Governor Horvath. This seems like it would make a decent Far Eastern gendarme for Russia.”

“Though I don’t like their disrespect toward Your Majesty the Tsar, they’re certainly more appealing than those Japanese.”

“Moreover, they’ve informed us about the cowardly acts the Japanese committed during the war, giving us an excellent justification.”

They still don’t seem entirely pleased.

But they’ve more or less accepted the idea of Korean independence for political reasons.

“Listen. Honestly, if you had just clung to my skirts begging for unconditional help, I would have thrown you to Japan without a second thought. What Russia needs isn’t some weak nation asking us to grant independence or lend troops, but at minimum, a reliable ally that can pull its own weight.”

“Thank you. We will never forget this kindness.”

Yi Kang bowed his head deeply.

But this isn’t the stage to feel relieved yet.

As I said, after Korea’s liberation, what happens will depend on how the provisional government acts.

“However. So far these are just words. Depending on how you act going forward, we might establish a puppet government with locals in the Korean peninsula.”

I’m serious about this.

Again, I can’t do everything alone.

The State Duma has followed me well so far, but this is different.

Even if crushing Japan seems obvious, it’s uncertain whether the State Duma will accept the Korean plea.

Japan is Japan, and Korean independence is Korean independence.

We could just take the Korean peninsula as spoils while crushing Japan.

So to ensure Korea remains a helpful ally to Russia, we need to keep them on a leash.

Even so, it would be much better than the original history, right?

I don’t know what will happen with America, but having Russian resources flowing into Southern Manchuria and the Korean peninsula wouldn’t be bad.

“How could we not understand that?”

“If you gain independence, you must remain a pro-Russian country. We’ll support your nation’s reconstruction costs, but I’ll keep you on a leash.”

Yi Kang and Ahn Changho’s eyes trembled at the mention of a leash.

What, did they think Russia would make them a colony?

Ice-free ports are sweet, but honestly, we already have plenty of ports.

The leash I’m talking about is resources, as I mentioned.

“When you say leash…”

“I’ll provide resources so your country can survive. However, if we cut that line, the rebuilt Korea will face an economic crisis.”

By making them import only from Russia and depend on Russia, we can at least ensure they won’t become hostile to Russia.

After all, Korea will directly border our territory after liberation.

“That is…”

“Let me tell you in advance: even though I’m a hero of the civil war and have become Russia’s monarch again, national interests come first. Moreover, the State Duma will only see Koreans asking for independence. So there needs to be something convincing in return. To be frank, there are many options besides liberating you.”

In conclusion, I’m saying I’ll make them a perfectly pro-Russian country.

Even so, as long as Korea doesn’t turn its back on Russia, Korea will develop more than in the original history.

Isn’t this a win-win situation?

In the original history, Korea would be completely finished if China or America decided to interfere.

If that’s the case, depending on Russia in this history wouldn’t be so bad.

If they don’t like this, they’ll have to just use us temporarily and then form their own local government.

“We accept.”

“We’ll train Koreans as soldiers under the Governor-General and the Asiatic Cavalry Division. When the day comes, you can make them your army and advance south to the Korean peninsula.”

We’ll provide support troops, but we still need to train an army so they can enter first and taste independence.

And minimize casualties for the Russian army too.

At least this is a much better history than the original one where they had pipe dreams about launching an operation to recapture Seoul with just a few hundred independence fighters and coordinating with various cities to repel the Japanese army.

“Yes. Thank you.”

“Remember this. We are not granting you favors out of pity or sympathy. If you don’t do your part, I will form a government to my liking, even if I don’t annex the Korean peninsula.”

“We understand.”

Yi Kang and Ahn Changho answered with tense expressions.

Seeing their clenched fists, they probably didn’t take my words as empty threats.

If they know their place, that’s somewhat fortunate.

* * *

As soon as Yi Kang and Ahn Changho withdrew, Ungern spoke with an uncomfortable expression.

“You said you’d keep them on a leash, but I still don’t like it. Why not make Korea like Finland and have Your Majesty also serve as Emperor of Korea?”

“They wouldn’t accept that. Twenty or thirty million people may be fewer than other great powers, but it’s not a number to be ignored. Moreover, would the citizens of the United States accept it? The Russian Tsar also serving as an Eastern Emperor?”

Of course, there’s British India and other cases where rulers of great powers also served as monarchs of colonial countries, but that was possible because they were colonies.

If I were to serve as the Korean Emperor in the Finnish style, neither Koreans nor Russians would accept it.

Finland might also be outraged at being considered on the same level as Korea in the East.

Koreans are already disappointed with the House of Yi, and after finally gaining independence, they’d have a monarch of a different ethnicity.

They wouldn’t accept it, and Russians would be angry for different reasons.

How dare Koreans have our Tsar as their monarch—that’s what they’d say.

“That’s unfortunate. The Great Khan of the Mongol Empire and the Emperor of Eastern Rome held multiple titles, but you can’t also be an Eastern monarch.”

Did this person catch something from Semyonov?

Or maybe the “Mad Baron” theory was true?

Ugh. That would be truly terrible.

“Well, if our citizens agree and Koreans want it, nothing would be impossible. Though the possibility is low.”

“Oh? That means…”

“Don’t even dream of pressuring the provisional government to get the Korean Emperor position.”

“Ahem. I had no such thoughts.”

I’m suspicious, but surely he wouldn’t do that.

“More importantly, Governor Horvath. If you build up an army of Koreans under the Governor-General, Japan might protest, so you’ll need to handle this carefully.”

“They won’t be able to complain. The Asiatic Cavalry Division, which is essentially Russia’s Far Eastern army, is mostly stationed at the Mongolian and Chinese borders, but the Governor-General’s army is very small in number. Japan won’t be suspicious.”

“That’s good.”

“Moreover, Renya Mutaguchi, who commands the South Manchuria Railway forces, seems more daring than he appears.”

“Daring?”

“He keeps sending Koreans to Northern Manchuria, not realizing we’re building an army that will stab them in the back. Hahahahaha!”

How is Renya Mutaguchi already getting this kind of treatment?

Well, it doesn’t matter.

Considering his actual history, he wouldn’t think of reassuring the Northern Manchurian Governor-General to stab Russia in the back.

“To be honest, this Ungern was a bit anxious.”

Ungern is suddenly referring to himself in the third person, trying to be cute.

That’s probably not what he means, but the word “anxious” coming from his mouth is quite something.

“General Ungern is anx… what did you say?”

This person gets anxious too?

Wow. That’s really unexpected. Surely Ungern, who traveled between Mongolia and Manchuria, wouldn’t be anxious like a student on their first field trip.

No, that can’t be right.

“I was anxious. Think about it. Didn’t something like that happen in Poland? I was worried something might happen at Harbin Station. The late Tsar also experienced the Otsu Incident. And wasn’t a Japanese official assassinated by a Korean at Harbin Station?”

“Hmm, that’s true.”

There have been some unsettling incidents related to Russia.

In Japan, Anastasia’s father, Nicholas II, was nearly assassinated. And at Harbin, which Russia administers, Ito Hirobumi was assassinated by Ahn Jung-geun.

“Hahaha. Northern Manchuria is now completely our territory with secure public order. Moreover, this isn’t Japanese territory, so an incident like Otsu couldn’t happen, and Koreans staying in Northern Manchuria hoping for help wouldn’t dare harbor ill thoughts toward Your Majesty.”

“No. Many Bolsheviks have died and disappeared from Russian mainland, but who’s to say they aren’t here in Northern Manchuria?”

That’s true.

The people who have reason to kill me are the Bolsheviks.

I don’t know for sure, but there might be some Bolsheviks who escaped to Northern Manchuria. Hmm, no.

This is an area where Jewish capital flows in.

Even if there were Bolsheviks, the Governor-General would have blocked them long ago.

Come to think of it, I’m curious.

I gave Horvath a look suggesting he should speak. Horvath glanced at Ungern with a somewhat resentful look before speaking.

“There were some Bolsheviks.”

“Really?”

“Yes. But after Jews started coming into this city, I mobilized the Governor-General’s army to eliminate all visible Bolsheviks, and since then they’ve disappeared.”

Hmm, I see. Anyway, we can’t let foreigners get hurt unnecessarily.

Thanks to that, I wasn’t in danger, that’s what he’s saying.

“Well done.”

“The Okhrana’s intelligence network deserves credit too.”

“Good. Then I’ll spend a few days looking around Northern Manchuria before returning to Moscow.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

I’d like to see with my own eyes what Korea is like during this period, but that would be difficult as the Russian Tsar.

From the Tsar’s perspective, there’s no reason to go unless Japan invites me first.

And Japan wouldn’t invite me to their colony, though they might to their home islands.

Still, there’s someone I’d really like to meet.

Renya Mutaguchi, that is.