Reincarnated as Nikolai II - Chapter 226

Chapter 226: Where Is My Bonus? (8)
Again, perhaps Korea should have perished long ago and laid new foundations.

Democracy, monarchy, parliamentary system.

No existing system can guarantee survival on rotten foundations.

“Kokovtsov, do you know when I feel most irresponsible as a reigning Tsar?”

“When is that?”

“When leaving results to the Duma’s vote. Then all responsibility falls solely on the Empire’s people, not me. Especially when those without education are given voting rights. They make choices without knowing what results will strangle their necks.”

Wilson might have collapsed holding his head saying I don’t even know democracy’s sacred value, but I sincerely feel this way sometimes.

Irresponsibility.

Something that must never exist in a state for even a moment.

“If no one takes responsibility, nothing can change. Someone must take responsibility. The same goes for that chaotic situation. Whether parliament, military, Imperial Household, or royal family. Someone must take responsibility.”

If a monarch throws away that difficult duty, it means they’re unqualified as a monarch.

The subject of this sentence can be replaced with any word – prime minister, president, parliament, people.

“Are you worried about that responsibility being shifted to our country if we intervene?”

“Worry? Even if they criticize and oppose me, what can they do? Their security and independence still depend on us.”

The reason for not getting involved in mediation isn’t simply concern about aftermath.

Even if we mediate or intervene, there’s no entity to handle the aftermath.

Current Korea is truly such a country.

A country without a subject.

It feels like there are many who want to get promoted and manage, but no shareholders.

Then my conclusion is simple.

“We won’t intervene until the appropriate moment.”

“When is the appropriate moment?”

“Until someone capable of taking responsibility appears.”

Until proper results come out whether through coup d’état or nationwide uprising.

“Thoroughly block external intervention.”

“Understood.”

Their situation will continue.

Though harsh, that is self-reliance independence.

==

After Russia blocked all external intervention through several conversations and even removed their own hands…

Hanyang turned into hell.

“C-city blockade! Are you trying to starve all of Hanyang’s people to death!”

“At this rate, the country might not just stop but be destroyed!”

“Please, whether Emperor or parliament, someone end this damn situation!”

Current Korea’s situation was quite similar to 21st century African countries.

Armed organizations overwhelming government forces.

Officials and politicians unable to keep up with transplanted advanced systems.

Endlessly accumulating social chaos and economic-humanitarian damage from that.

When Russia not only refused mediation but removed other countries’ hands, the situation’s main actors were also bewildered.

‘Shouldn’t they help since they’re also a country ruled by monarchy!’

‘I’m absolutely not a traitor. We just raised troops to correct what’s wrong!’

‘…Damn it, this wasn’t in the calculations.’

Though Russia held hegemony and guaranteed independence, this went beyond guarantee to nearly isolating Korean politics from the whole world.

Yet no one was naive enough to understand this purely as ‘leaving everything to Korea’s will.’

In the end, like other great powers, Russia would naturally want the final results to suit Russian national interests.

In other words, after suppressing this situation and normalizing the country, they must absolutely remain pro-Russian to receive that great empire’s K certification mark.

‘Why? Why go this far? If it were Imperial Japan! If it were America! No, any country wouldn’t choose to kick away such an opportunity and turn back!’

Yi Wan-yong couldn’t understand Russia’s firm attitude at all.

There was no more rational opportunity to permeate Korean society than the excuse of mediation.

Why did the Sino-Japanese War happen? Didn’t they all come leading troops while drooling over ‘Korea’s voluntary request for troops’?

Russia doesn’t even need to do anything big. Just sending Amur Military District forces to Hanyang and gathering both sides in one place would bring endless gains afterward.

However, Yi Wan-yong wasn’t someone to sit down before a situation he couldn’t understand.

If he were, he wouldn’t have served as Foreign Minister or been recorded as Korea’s best salesman.

“General Lee Dong-hwi, if we don’t present a solution quickly now, we might be branded as the main culprits and take all responsibility.”

“…You said you’d take responsibility for the aftermath, but your words have changed already.”

“Let’s hear the criticism later, we need to negotiate whatever happens.”

“Drop any thoughts of sending our boys back like this. I must see this through.”

“To see that through, we also need to step back!”

“…Let’s try stepping back for now. But don’t test my patience. Even if I endure, our veterans might not.”

The Tsar wants this.

The proof is that he’s not letting this situation end ambiguously.

‘It’s difficult to completely remove the Yi royal family. But it’s enough to pull down those playing in the clouds!’

We must also make this a foothold for reform.

Must take away the Imperial Household’s power.

Must implement constitutional monarchy, complete rule of law.

Must resolve the anger of those policemen who easily subdued even the Imperial Guard.

And all this must be results that satisfy the Russian Tsar.

‘…Is this possible?’

With so many conditions piling up, Yi Wan-yong was starting to regret moving while only trusting Russia as perhaps too hasty.

While Independence Party members who shared his fate couldn’t present any solutions…

“Mandate rule is absolutely impossible! If we try to bring in another country here again, the Russian Emperor will abandon Korea’s independence!”

“Hey, you stay quiet!”

“No, let him be. Do you have something to say?”

An Independence Club member parliamentarian stepped forward.

“Japan already experienced this situation! When samurai ran wild, people weren’t enlightened, and the shogunate government committed worse tyranny than the Imperial Household!”

“So, what are you trying to say?”

“Meiji Restoration. The answer is already out. We must overturn not the throne but the country. We must resolve the situation by transplanting their system as is!”

“…”

The Independence Club and foreign-educated parliamentarians all knew the background and systems of the Meiji Restoration well, being knowledgeable about foreign countries.

Everyone briefly imagined Korea with changed systems.

And Yi Wan-yong, who had drawn this blueprint faster than anyone, asked the man before him.

“…What was your name again?”

The man answered.

“Ungnam, Syngman Rhee. I helped publish The Independent before.”