Reincarnated as Nikolai II

Chapter 76 Flow of the Era (4)

So Roman as Amur Governor-General had to focus first on Korea's military.

'If Korean ports and capital hadn't fallen so easily, would we have needed to build fortresses at the Yalu River and Port Arthur?'

Of course not. The enemy would have had headaches just figuring out how to handle amphibious operations.

So naturally the stronger Korea's military, the more war deterrence emerges in this Far East.

Then strengthened Korea trusts its military and breaks protector-protectorate relations?

Roman didn't think Korea would be so unable to discern reason.

That would mean immediate annihilation by the Far Eastern Army so it couldn't happen.

"Seeing the troops dispatched in the last war, it's entirely possible. The military can be built up together going forward, but most important is."

"What is it?"

"Create a State Duma."

"...Pardon?"

Yi Wan-yong was momentarily flustered and unconsciously questioned strangely.

"I've studied Korea sufficiently too. Doesn't this country already have more zemstvos than our entire empire combined? But sadly I hear the zemstvos all act separately. So I strongly recommend organizing a State Duma to lead these zemstvos."

"..."

Roman Governor who massacred hundreds of thousands of Japanese troops comes to Pyongyang, promises not to establish Residency-General or Government-General, then makes strange demands.

'This country... has zemstvos?'

Yi Wan-yong coming to Pyongyang as Foreign Minister was left speechless.

==

Before returning to Hanyang after talks with Governor Roman, Yi Wan-yong met with Independence Club members who had surveyed all the way to Manchuria.

Your adventure continues at empire

"Zemstvo? State Duma? What exactly are these?"

"Roughly nobles and peasants together govern provinces, so in our terms it's like governing do..."

"Is it like American state governments then?"

Even if interested, there's no reason to listen to ministers below rather than the existing ruler king.

This small peninsular country tossed by strong winds blowing from all directions for decades whether opening ports or invasion.

Qing and Japan.

Russia and Japan.

Twice its territory was caught up in wars between other countries and devastated.

If there's any fortune, it's that for now we just need to simply stand on Russia's side without need for precarious tightrope walking or ambiguous neutral diplomacy.

So we must absolutely reform the country in this barely regained era of peace.

That alone is the way to prove the Korean Empire's value to Russia and furthermore escape protectorate status.

However the current Emperor Yi Hyeong (Gojong).

Perhaps because he spent too long under Andong Kim clan's tyranny and as his grandfather's puppet even after ascending the throne.

His obsession with power grows stronger by the day.

That obsession was so strong he seemed to consider his prestige above national development.

"Russia... recognizes the current Emperor as legitimate monarch."

"The people also think of His Majesty as parent ruling over them."

Then who exactly supports the human rights and enlightenment the Independence Club has shouted about until now?

Awakened nobility, intellectual class, middle class, and extremely few slaves.

Only minorities from each level understand this country's evils and strive for change.

But the majority of people, new overlord country, and Hanyang's rulers don't want change.

Paradoxically the Independence Club's hope fades more now the war has ended.

Though it certainly shouldn't be this way.

Though such acts absolutely must not be done.

Yi Wan-yong reached the point of thinking even of such extreme measures.

'Rather, I want to sell this country to Russia.'

Then winds of change would blow whether porridge or rice.