Beiyang Dream

1891, July 25, Yuanshan.

In the afternoon, the water on the streets of the Japanese concession had not yet dried. Chang Desheng changed into an inconspicuous gray cloth long gown and a pair of cloth shoes with thick soles, walking on the wet stone road. Behind him followed Liu Tonghai and ten personal guards.

The newly opened Okura Group branch was small, just a two-story wooden building. A brand-new black lacquered wooden sign hung above the door, with the six Chinese characters "Okura Group Korean Branch" written neatly. Okura Kijuro stood there, with two Japanese waiters in suits behind him, their hands hanging respectfully in front of them, appearing harmless.

Chang Desheng stood at the door but showed no intention of going inside. He winked at Liu Tonghai. Liu Tonghai understood and stepped into the branch. Okura Kijuro, however, remained expressionless, simply stepping aside to let Liu Tonghai in, then smiling and nodding at Chang Desheng.

After a while, Liu Tonghai came out and whispered in Chang Desheng's ear, "There's only Miss Qingzi inside, no one else. Miss Qingzi is in the Japanese-style room on the second floor."

Chang Desheng nodded, then cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to Okura Kijuro. Okura stepped aside to let him pass, gesturing for him to proceed. Chang Desheng stepped over the threshold, Liu Tonghai following closely behind, standing at the doorway with his hand on the grip of his revolver at his waist. The remaining nine bodyguards dispersed, forming a loose perimeter around the branch store.

"Lord Chang, please follow me." Da Cang led the way, the wooden stairs creaking under his feet.

Upon reaching the second floor, at the end of the corridor was a paper sliding door. The door opened, revealing a small tatami room, perhaps twenty square meters, its interior bathed in a pale light filtering through the paper windows. A low table sat on the tatami mats, upon which rested a tea set. Okura Haruko knelt beside the table, her eyes lowered, and upon hearing movement, slowly prostrated herself.

Chang Desheng glanced at her. This little vixen was quite obedient today, kneeling and bowing deeply, looking like she was confessing her sins. But... he sneered inwardly: Little vixen, pretending to be pitiful won't work now! The first time on the Britannia, the second time in Pontianak... you tried to harm me both times! Twice! I'll remember this!

He remained expressionless, took off his shoes, stepped onto the tatami mat, and sat cross-legged on a low table. Okura also sat down opposite him. Haruko then straightened up and began to brew tea.

Her tea-making movements were very skillful; scalding the bowl, washing it, rinsing it—the whole process was smooth and efficient. When the tea was poured into the teacup, a delicate fragrance wafted out. It wasn't the bitter taste of matcha, but rather the aroma of Cantonese flower tea, with a hint of jasmine.

It smells almost exactly like the flower tea that Luo Jingrou brews herself; it seems this little vixen learned it from the super-rich woman. However, Chang Desheng dares not drink her tea now… not because he's afraid she'll poison him, but because safety comes first.

His gaze swept over the teacup, then he looked up at Haruko. Coincidentally, Haruko also looked up, meeting his gaze. Her eyes sparkled, and the corners of her mouth turned up, carrying a subtle, alluring charm, as if she were utterly infatuated with him.

Chang Desheng snorted inwardly: Keep pretending!

Haruko presented the teacups to Chang Desheng and Okura respectively. As she handed them over, her fingertips brushed against the back of Chang Desheng's hand, seemingly unintentionally… Okura picked up his teacup and took a sip. Chang Desheng, however, showed no thirst; he had already drunk a large glass of cold water before leaving. "Mr. Okura," Chang Desheng began, his voice unhurried, "Yesterday evening, Consul General Xi returned from the Russian side." Okura put down his teacup: "Oh?"

"The Russians are preparing to invite Count Bülow, the German consul in Tianjin, to act as a mediator," Chang Desheng said. "In addition, last night His Excellency sent a telegram that the main venue for the Six-Party Conference will be Seoul."

Okura paused, then asked, "Seoul?"

"Yes," Chang Desheng said. "This official and Minister Yuan, the resident minister in Korea, will jointly preside over this Six-Party Talks."

Okura remained silent for a few seconds.

His mind raced, and he immediately understood Li Hongzhang's cunning intentions. From the Wonsan Incident to the Six-Party Talks, Japan had been the unlucky one, while the Qing Dynasty had been the lucky one. The stage for these Six-Party Talks had to be set up in Seoul, so that King Yi, Queen Min, Daewongun, and the other nobles of Joseon could see who truly held the reins of power in Korea.

However, this situation is not entirely disadvantageous for the Okura Group. The Qing Dynasty has won in terms of face, while the Okura Group can win in terms of substance as long as it handles its relationship with Chang Desheng well.

Thinking of this, he glanced at Qingzi again; the girl was smiling at Chang Desheng!

There is a play!

"Then I must congratulate you, sir!" Okura said with a smile, his tone even more ingratiating than before. "To be able to host such a grand event at such a young age, sir, your future is limitless."

Chang Desheng waved his hand, but he was quite pleased with himself: Yuan Shan had won this gamble! Whether Li Keqiang sent the Beiyang Fleet or not, he and Yuan Shikai would be big winners and would surely be awarded the title of "rising star of Westernization".

Most importantly, their strength has also increased! Originally, Yuan Shikai only had four hundred soldiers, and he himself only had two hundred, barely qualifying as a junior Beiyang warlord. After this upheaval, the two of them could now have a combined force of three thousand soldiers.

Three thousand, that's quite a lot! A full six battalions. Back when Yuan Shikai first took over the Dingwu Army at Xiaozhan, it only had a little over four thousand men. Later, Yuan recruited some more, making it seven thousand. And now, this number of new troops could definitely be mustered before the First Sino-Japanese War!

However, the military pay... is still a bit short.

Let's see if we can swindle a little more from Okura.

"Mr. Okura," Chang Desheng said, "I'm departing for Seoul tomorrow. Before I leave, is there anything you'd like to say to me?" "The Japanese concession..." Okura asked tentatively, "...won't it be handed over to the Russians, will it?"

Chang Desheng was secretly pleased.

"You're trying to probe my limits. Negotiations are still ongoing in Tianjin. Okura probably wants to know if Li Hongzhang intends to deploy the fleet. If Chang Desheng is confident, it means he has the Beiyang Fleet as a backup. If Chang Desheng is hesitant, it means he's not entirely sure himself." "That depends on your country," Chang Desheng said. "Who is he negotiating with Li Hongzhang in Tianjin right now?"

Okura said, "It is Lord Mutsu."

Chang Desheng was relieved. Mutsu Munemitsu! The Japanese Foreign Minister during the First Sino-Japanese War was a formidable opponent. A Sino-Japanese alliance was impossible to sign under his watch; the Tianjin Treaty would most likely never be finalized. At most, the Qing Dynasty would simply "inform" Japan of its provisions regarding the deployment of 3,000 troops in Korea to defend against Russia—withdrawing only when Russia was "eliminated"...

"Then I'm relieved," Chang Desheng said with a smile.

Okura paused for a moment, then asked, "Don't worry?"

Chang Desheng didn't explain; this time, he wanted to emulate Li Hongzhang and become a riddle solver.

After considering for a moment, Ōkura didn't press the matter further, but instead changed the subject: "Lord Chō, since the Six-Party Talks are scheduled for Seoul, there won't be any major changes in Wonsan for the time being. The Ōkura Group does have two plans that can generate quick profits; I wonder if you'd be interested, sir?"

Chang Desheng's ears perked up: "What plan?"

"First, the fishing industry," Okura said. "Wonsan is right on the coast of Japan, ice-free year-round, and has always been the largest fishing port in eastern Korea. The Sea of ​​Japan is full of fishing boats and whaling vessels, but Wonsan's dock facilities are too rudimentary, making it inconvenient for fishing boats to dock for resupply and delivery. If we could expand the docks, build ice storage facilities, repair the shipyard... and ideally buy a steam-powered ice maker, so that Wonsan Port could supply ice for preservation even in the summer, the business at Wonsan fishing port would surely flourish."

Damn, all you've talked about is selling seafood!

Chang Desheng was speechless. How much money can you make selling seafood?

"The second thing," Okura lowered his voice, "is minting coins!"

Wow! From selling seafood to minting your own coins... that's quite a leap!

Chang Desheng's spirits lifted, and his interest was piqued.

"What kind of coins should we mint?" he asked.

"Copper coins!" Okura said. "We'll get a second-hand steam-powered coin-minting machine from Japan, and hire a few craftsmen to set up a factory in Wonsan. The copper coins issued by the Korean government are completely worthless now. The higher the denomination, the less valuable they are, and merchants and people are suffering terribly. We'll mint a kind of machine-made copper coin in the concession. It'll be of high purity and weight, and it'll be pegged to the Japanese silver dollar. One hundred coins will be exchanged for one silver dollar."

He paused, waiting for Chang Desheng to process what he had said.

Chang Desheng was already calculating in his mind. One hundred copper coins could be exchanged for one silver dollar, and the silver dollar was worth seven and two-sevenths of a tael of silver. Yuanshan was not far from the Jiashan copper mine, so the copper was readily available... Using four qian of copper should be enough to mint one hundred copper coins, which could be exchanged for one silver dollar, earning a gross profit of three qian and two taels, and a net profit of two qian and eight taels. One million coins would be two thousand eight hundred taels. If tens of millions of coins were minted a year, it would yield one hundred thousand taels.

If you divide 100,000 taels in half, you'll have 50,000 taels, enough to support a battalion.

This business is much more lucrative than "selling fish".

However, the risks are greater than selling fish, because that involves privately minting coins! If the imperial court finds out, he'll be in serious trouble.

As if he knew what Okura was thinking, he smiled and explained, "We will mint these copper coins in the Wonsan concession and issue them under the name of 'Wonsan Money Shop Headquarters.' Your country's court has no say in the affairs of foreign concessions on Korean territory, right? As for the Korean royal family and Lord Yuan, I'll trouble you to take care of them."

Chang Desheng laughed: "How are the costs calculated, and how are the profits divided?"

"I'll provide the capital, and we'll split the profits 50/50," said Okura.

How much can you get in a year?

"At least 50,000 silver dollars."

"Fifty thousand silver dollars..." Chang Desheng repeated, then shook his head. "Too few, and your calculation is wrong." Okura was taken aback: "How is it wrong?"

"My people are in charge of security in Wonsan," Chang Desheng said. "I will still serve as the Minister of Military Affairs of Korea! If you want to mint coins in Wonsan, your machinery won't even be allowed into the port without my approval. I'll take 70% of the profits, and you'll take 30%. In addition, I'll contract the Wonsan docks and warehouses to you for operation, and you'll give me another 30,000 silver dollars a year."

Okura was silent for a few seconds: "What about the coal and iron mines in Tanakawa?"

"The profits from the mines at Dancheon should be shared with the Korean royal family," Chang Desheng said. "If you're willing to share, I'll negotiate it for you when I go to Seoul this time. The port at Dancheon will be built and operated by your Daicang Group; I won't interfere. But the port's defenses will be handled by my personnel. I'll station some newly formed Korean imperial troops there. We'll discuss the cost of the troops later."

Okura did not answer immediately.

The Japanese-style room was quiet for a few seconds.

Then, Okura's gaze slowly shifted from Chang Desheng to Haruko, who was kneeling to one side.

"Lord Chang," Okura began, "there is another private matter I would like to discuss with you."

Chang Desheng also turned his gaze to Haruko. "Mr. Okura, please speak."

"Haruko is my elder brother's adopted daughter," Okura said. "She has been studying and writing since she was a child, learning Chinese poetry, and admires Chinese culture. She came to Yuanshan with me this time because she wanted to experience the ancient Chinese customs. If you don't mind, could you let her serve you with writing and calligraphy? That way, she can learn about the customs and traditions of the Qing Dynasty."

Chang Desheng did not answer immediately.

He glanced at Haruko. Haruko happened to look up, and their eyes met for a moment. Her eyes held a hint of allure, and the corners of her lips were slightly upturned. It was as if she were saying: You've wanted me for a long time, haven't you? But when she spoke, she said, "Lord Chang, Haruko is willing to serve you. I beg you to take me in."

Chang Desheng sneered inwardly: "Little vixen, you're quite the actress. Last time, on the Britannia, and in Pontianak, you participated in two assassination attempts against me! I've kept a detailed record of those!"

He remained outwardly calm, but inwardly thought: "Fine. Since you've delivered yourself to my doorstep, I'll take you in. Once we're in Seoul, I'll see how I deal with you. Last time in Tianjin, in Pontianak, you were a guest, so I couldn't act rashly. This time is different; you were delivered to me by the Okura Group..." He smiled and bowed slightly to Okura Kijuro: "Mr. Okura, you trust me, how could I refuse? My wife, Ms. Luo, is in Seoul; Haruko has gone, so it'll be good to have someone to keep her company."

Haruko lowered her head, pretending to be embarrassed.

Okura smiled, picked up his teacup, and took a sip. "Then I'll leave it to Lord Chang! I'll also entrust the Duanchuan Mine matter to you, sir." "Mr. Okura," Chang Desheng said, "Don't worry, I've got it covered... I'll leave on the Gaosheng tomorrow morning, and have Haruko meet me at the dock."

Okura nodded and got up to see the guest out. Chang Desheng stood up, paused at the door, and glanced back at Qingzi.

She knelt on the tatami mat, and when she saw Chang Desheng turn around, she knelt down again with a sweet smile on her face.

Chang Desheng opened the door and went out.

In the courtyard, Liu Tonghai greeted him: "Sir, have you finished talking?"

"Yes," Chang Desheng said, walking quickly outside. "Back to the Qing Concession. We'll set off for Seoul tomorrow."

Early the next morning, Chang Desheng arrived at the dock with his personal guards. The Gaosheng was already on fire, ready to depart, with thick black smoke billowing from its chimney. A group of people stood on the dock: Moben Wuyang, Oishi Masami, Consul General Hill, Puxian, and nineteen other Manchu bannermen sent by the Tongwen Guan... and of course, Qingzi was also there.

These people will all leave Wonsan on the Kowshing.

Chang Desheng greeted everyone, then watched them board the ship before finally walking up the gangway with Qingzi. As he walked behind Qingzi, he suddenly lowered his voice and said, "Little fox, once we get to Seoul, I'll see how I deal with you!"

Haruko paused slightly, then turned around, gave Chang Desheng a sweet smile, and softly replied, "Hai."