Ch.293Tsarina Goes to the Far East (2) (Revised)

# The Central China Unification War

It makes sense when you put it that way.

But if you ask whether this is really correct, it’s somewhat ambiguous.

Do they have no thoughts on this? Don’t they know who’s protecting the Qing now?

There’s the Rome Treaty Organization, and as for the UN Peacekeeping Forces…

Ah, that’s the problem.

Since China currently has no legitimate, leadership government, it hasn’t joined the UN.

That means it can’t receive help from the peacekeeping forces. Plus, they might speculate about how long we’ll refrain from intervening in China.

Because we lack justification.

We could intervene by acting like thugs, but after making the Decolonization Declaration and doing all sorts of good deeds to manage our image, suddenly intervening would be rather inappropriate.

“There are no signs of invasion yet, but they’re causing disturbances at the border.”

So they want to exploit the prosperous Qing.

It seems conflicts are already breaking out among the South China governments.

“They’re requesting weapons sales.”

We have weapons in abundance, so transferring some wouldn’t be a problem. But we should prepare for the possibility of war.

For that, we need to get Israel to cooperate as well.

Those unification-hungry factions in South China won’t just sit still.

I’m definitely planning to completely transform the Qing army to give it a Western feel.

It may not be at the same level as the Rome Treaty, but we need to differentiate it from South China.

We should separate every possible area as much as we can.

If South China invades, Shandong will also be a target.

If the North China autonomous governments join the Asian Cooperation Organization, South China will have no choice but to become even more rushed.

They might try to capture North China before the Rome Treaty Organization gets fully involved.

It’s risky for the Rome Treaty Organization to directly intervene. We lack proper justification, and even if we enter with the US as peacekeeping forces, we won’t achieve the pacification of South China that we want.

But even so.

“We desperately need weapons now. At least until the Qing fully stabilizes, we must strengthen our own national defense.”

“At least you have some sense. I’m planning to bind North China, Israel, Balhae, and Japan together through economic security anyway.”

“Yes. Since we can’t rely solely on the Rome Treaty, if we protect ourselves, wouldn’t the Tsar be satisfied with security in the Far East?”

“With Vietnam already being troublesome, if the Qing can handle its own defense, that’s not bad for us. Selling weapons should be simple.”

For now, let’s transfer some weapons factories and technology to Korea.

War is going to break out anyway. It wouldn’t be bad for the Qing to buy weapons from Korea when they’re short, and the same goes for other warlords.

Let them enjoy the war boom.

Seeing the Qing’s growth, they should have enough money to buy weapons.

But since the Qing is still part of China, they’ll continue to wage war, so their growth might be slower than other Asian countries.

I considered visiting the Shandong Autonomous Territory but decided against it. They’re already requesting help from Russia through the Qing, so there’s no real need to stop by.

Originally, I treated Mao Zedong, the head of the federalist autonomous government, as China’s representative, and I just passed through the Qing on my way to Israel.

If I were to go to Shandong, I’d have to visit all the South China governments too, which is out of the question.

Next is finally Israel.

East Israel was developing so rapidly that one might wonder if this was even Chinese territory.

I heard the Rothschilds have been keeping an eye on it and providing support. Already, all the Chinese-style houses have been cleared away, replaced by Western-style buildings.

They’ve removed everything except for truly ancient structures with cultural value.

Though my schedule remains busy, a large crowd welcomed me here too.

The six-pointed star flag of Israel and the Russian flag wave together.

“We welcome Your Majesty the Tsar.”

“It’s been a while, Dr. Einstein.”

“Thanks to Your Majesty’s attention, Israel was able to quickly establish itself as a nation.”

I’m a Tsar who keeps his promises. Of course.

But you know, not everything can be accomplished just by providing support.

If the foundation had been rotten, they would have just maintained the status quo using what the Chinese had used, barely surviving on what Russia provided.

“How could this be due to my attention? It was all possible because the Jewish people diligently and earnestly worked to build their nation.”

Those who won’t succeed even with money just won’t. Look at Afghanistan. Even with America pouring in money, they were so corrupt that they eventually lost power to the Taliban.

The Jews have worked quite hard.

“Thank you again.”

“My tour of Israel isn’t simply to see an Eastern country. Since Israel is now part of Asia, I would like it to join the Asian Cooperation Organization.”

It’s a bit different from the Rome Treaty Organization.

If the Rome Treaty Organization represents a truly united Europe, the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere is literally just an organization.

Just cooperation between members.

It doesn’t have the same level of cohesion as the Rome Treaty Organization.

“When you say Asian Cooperation Organization…”

“The so-called Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. Economic development and security cooperation. Of course, it’s not directly managed by the Rome Treaty Organization. Asian countries will take turns chairing it. The Rome Treaty Organization would be more of a partner country. Since Israel consists of immigrants from outside, I’m specially informing you to cooperate with other countries in advance.”

Since they all rely on us, we’re organizing these Asian countries into a separate organization.

Mao Zedong, the Qing, and Balhae already vaguely know about this. I specifically explained it to Israel because they’re a nation of people who came from outside and might not yet understand the situation.

Of course, for a while, we’ll be controlling the Asian Cooperation Organization from behind the scenes like a shadow power, but once the Asian countries stabilize, we plan to hand it over to them.

Israel probably won’t mind either.

With the Qing and the federalist government in place, Israel won’t face immediate threats.

But to maintain their country, Israel needs cooperation with neighboring countries.

Since they’ve only recently established their nation, they need to maintain peace with neighboring countries.

Actually, knowing the original history of Israel, I’m concerned that something like the Middle East wars might break out here too.

* * *

Balhae Federation, Seoul.

Around this time, Renya Mutaguchi of the United States of Japan, upon hearing news of the Tsar’s visit, personally organized a delegation of pro-Russian Anastasia supporters from the cabinet to visit Balhae.

Naturally, the Balhae side was sensitive about the visit of a delegation from the United States of Japan, which was seen as the successor to the Empire of Japan.

Although the Asian Allied Forces were allies, and despite the Tsar’s itinerary being disrupted causing the Japanese side to organize a delegation to Seoul, they had once been invaders who tormented the Korean Peninsula.

However, having already cosplayed as a hero and installed a Korean monarch, Renya Mutaguchi officially apologized to Prime Minister Ahn Changho of the Federal Government without hesitation.

This was announced throughout Balhae via radio and television installed by Russia.

“The former Empire and Imperial Headquarters caused great harm to Joseon… no, Balhae. Despite being the first in Asia to modernize, instead of helping our neighbor Joseon, we repeatedly tormented them. The Naisen Ittai policy was just lip service. As soon as war broke out, we exploited and oppressed the Balhae people. The thoroughly corrupt Imperial Headquarters and Imperial Family confined me to Southern Manchuria to keep me in check, which is why I knew nothing about this. Had I known, I would have rightfully raised an army earlier to liberate the suffering Balhae people. Although the perpetrators are all dead now, I, who prided myself as a proud samurai of the Empire and a soldier armed with the Yamato spirit, am deeply ashamed. As you know, the Japanese archipelago has been reduced to ashes, making it impossible to materially compensate the Balhae people, which I deeply regret. I, Renya Mutaguchi, Prime Minister of Japan, sincerely apologize and will work until my dying day to improve relations between Balhae and Japan and reflect on the past. I will ensure that future generations do not forget this history and will continue my resolve. Just as the Edo Shogunate normalized relations and established friendly ties with Joseon after the Bunroku War, our United States of Japan will prioritize and work on our relationship with Balhae.”

For Renya Mutaguchi, even if reluctant, he had to normalize diplomatic relations with Balhae based on his experience with the Asian Alliance.

With Russia behind Balhae, and Japan also dependent on Balhae, Russia wanted Balhae and Japan to restore diplomatic relations.

Meanwhile, when Prime Minister Mutaguchi and the Japanese delegation bowed their heads and offered sincere apologies, Ahn Changho was surprised and didn’t know how to react.

“Prime Minister Mutaguchi, you are well-known in our Balhae. Please raise your head. We were the victors, and the imperialism-crazed Empire of Japan is gone. Now there is a new Japan that you have established, isn’t there? I’ve heard that you never persecuted our Balhae people in Southern Manchuria. Please raise your head.”

“That’s right. Prime Minister Renya Mutaguchi led the uprising to overthrow the Empire of Japan more than anyone else. Isn’t the United States of Japan different from the Empire? The Korean Peninsula and Japan have had longer periods of peace than conflict. We also hope to establish friendly relations with the Prime Minister’s Japan.”

“I’ve heard that the current King of the United States is the former Prince Yi. Since he is of Balhae origin, I fully understand that Japan is working to improve relations with us.”

Unlike in the original history, Balhae directly recaptured the Korean Peninsula and maintained its status as a victorious nation by intervening in the US-Japan War.

Moreover, with many Japanese imperialists from the original Imperial faction cabinet and even the Emperor being labeled as war criminals and hanged due to American anger, Balhae had no major resentment toward Renya Mutaguchi’s West Japan.

Of course, no matter how much they claimed “We’re different from the Empire of Japan!”, human emotions aren’t so easily forgotten.

Renya Mutaguchi’s name was famous on the Korean Peninsula.

Japan’s greatest general who defeated 2 million troops of the Chinese Warlord Alliance.

He governed Southern Manchuria without discriminating against Korean immigrants (though this was more due to his dislike of complications than anything else) and was an unfortunate figure assigned to supply duty in Southern Manchuria for political reasons within Japan.

A figure friendly to Balhae people, even having a Balhae concubine.

Upon realizing his country had become corrupt, he rightfully raised an army.

Although not directly comparable, some view the Southern Manchurian Army’s uprising as similar to the Wihwado Retreat, which effectively ended Goryeo. Balhae people felt affinity toward Renya Mutaguchi.

Several generals, including Lee Beom-seok who had returned to Seoul after stationing only part of his army in Vietnam, highly regarded Renya Mutaguchi as a righteous figure who had quickly annihilated the Chinese army without even using tanks and who had justly rebelled upon realizing the corruption within his own country’s army.

“How does the Prime Minister view our army? We’ve all received Russian training and defeated the corrupt Imperial faction army.”

“How could I, who belonged to an invading country’s army, evaluate the army of a nation that suffered harm? But if I may offer one piece of advice: the most important thing in an army is not weapons or numbers, but the will to fight. Strong mental fortitude. No matter how good your weapons or how large your numbers, if you hesitate and waver in battle, how can you win a war? My Southern Manchurian Army annihilated the Chinese army, which was filled with the Yamato spirit across the land, in just one battle. The Balhae army recaptured their country with an indomitable spirit to reclaim their homeland. The capabilities of the Balhae army are already sufficient.”

This would be an impossible situation in the original world.

But it was happening in this world.

Renya Mutaguchi quickly became regarded as the most friendly Japanese person in Balhae.

And shortly after, the Russian Tsar visited Seoul.

* * *

Balhae Federation, Seoul.

From Israel, I flew to Korea on a private jet.

As soon as I got off the plane at the airport built near Seoul, I felt a strange emotion.

Finally, I’ve reached the homeland of my heart that I’ve dreamed of! A homeland different from the original history. A unified Korean Peninsula that wasn’t divided, plus Southern Manchuria.

Unlike the original history where it was split in half with a terrible future, a country with a population well over 30 million!

Although I was initially overwhelmed with emotion, surprisingly, I wasn’t greatly moved.

Perhaps it’s because I’m in Anastasia’s body, so I’ve settled more as a Russian than a Korean, or maybe it’s because I’m seeing a Korea different from the original history.

It’s also unfamiliar because the country is called Balhae, not Korea.

“For a former colony, the city is surprisingly impressive. Of course, it’s still far behind Russia.”

“Well, the Government-General of Korea surrendered so unexpectedly.”

I replied lightly to Maria’s comment.

It’s probably thanks to the Imperial faction of Japan.

I heard that up until Kanji Ishiwara’s time, they developed infrastructure on the Korean Peninsula while taking losses, aiming for complete integration through the Naisen Ittai policy.

With the recapture of the Korean Peninsula ending easily due to the surrender of the Government-General, the infrastructure left by the Japanese Empire remained intact.

Plus, there would be no Korean War here.

Originally, developing Korea itself was so unprofitable it was almost ridiculous, but the Imperial faction spent even more money and committed war crimes, which is strange.

Unlike the original history, in this world, it seems like the theory of colonial modernization would receive tremendous support when Korean nationalists and Japanese nationalists argue later.

—But that’s not quite right. In this world, apart from individuals like Professor Mo Jeon-gu, I wonder how many people would praise Japan.

Even now, Japan is in a position inferior to Balhae, its former colony.

This is all thanks to LeMay.

“We welcome Your Majesty the Tsar.”

“Long live the Empress of Russia!”

“Long live Balhae-Russia friendship!”

Workers, students, and scholars in traditional robes all welcome my visit.

Children also stare at me with curiosity.

“Is that person really approaching 50?”

“So that’s why the Japanese call her Ana-chan.”

“She’s truly a saint.”

Who said I’m 50? Come out here.

I think we need to change the standards in this world.

Age should be determined by appearance and youthfulness. My appearance is early 20s. If I really stretch it, late teens.

My body has just finished its growth period and is fresh and vibrant, so I don’t think 50 is accurate.

I am an eternal saint and can be called Ana-chan.

Forcing a smile, I met with Ahn Changho and Korean government officials.

“It’s been a long time. Now a proper country has been established.”

“It’s all thanks to Your Majesty’s support for our Balhae.”

I’ve heard this so many times everywhere that my ears are calloused, but since it’s originally my country, it wasn’t unpleasant to hear.