The Joseon Prince Went To America And Didn’t Return – 195



< A guest from the Central Plains (1) >

Modern Americans do not study Chinese history in depth.

European history related to their ancestors is taught with considerable weight in world history classes.

This is because the history of the Eastern Continent located across the Pacific Ocean has a strong tendency to be lumped together and roughly treated like a snake crossing a wall.

‘Sun Yat-sen (孫文)…’

I am a second-generation Korean-American.

Naturally I spent my childhood and youth in the United States and received an American education.

The average American probably doesn’t know who Sun Yat-sen is.

I was like that too until I was a college student.

Sun Yat-sen is not a person related to the Republic of Korea my parents’ home country.

Because there was absolutely no reason to know this person.

‘A revolutionary who led the Xinhai Revolution and advocated the Three Principles of the People.’

However since I started working as a lobbyist I started studying the subject of Sun Yat-sen belatedly.

To work in China.

『Mr. Park. You must know who this person is. He is a modern great figure whom you must memorize along with Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping when lobbying against China.

There are two main groups of forces called Chinese overseas.

The Republic of China was driven out to the island of Taiwan.

And the People’s Republic of China (China) took over the continent.

Among them mainland Chinese have become major clients of the lobbying industry since the early 2000s.

After China joined the WTO.

America and China.

This is because the volume of trade between the two countries has increased tremendously.

The increased trade meant that other cultural artifacts were also being actively exchanged and at the same time it also meant that American capital was actively investing in China.

Where money changes hands and factories are built establishment permits naturally follow.

In order to invest in China as quickly as possible some lobbying was needed and that role was taken on by me.

‘Those were really good times you know.’

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Why?

That was a time when money was rolling in.

China was a goldmine until it grew so rapidly that it threatened America’s position and Trump bashed the Chinese government.

‘When I was living as Park Byung-jun before becoming an icebreaker the place I went on business trips the most was China.’

I met several high-ranking Chinese officials.

I could drink with them chat about trivial things and sometimes even talk about their great people.

What is unique is that Sun Yat-sen is a great man who is praised by both China and Taiwan.

‘Is it because the Qing Dynasty was overthrown?’

Or is it because of the legitimacy that the Chinese insist on so much?

After the Qing Dynasty collapsed.

For a while Yuan Shikai’s Beiyang government briefly ruled the Central Plains.

After that Sun Yat-sen came to rule the Central Plains.

Perhaps the reason everyone claims to be Sun Yat-sen’s descendants is to promote the idea that they are the true masters of the Central Plains following in Sun Yat-sen’s footsteps.

Although I am not a China expert I have organized my own thoughts.

I looked at the man sitting in front of me recalling in my head some information I had memorized from my past life.

‘You really do look like a fool.’

So innocent.

He’s like the kind old man who lives right next door.

‘What about the inside?’

It’s a lowly thing to judge a book by its cover.

That’s why I looked at Sun Yat-sen with heightened alertness.

“Your Majesty the King.”

That was when.

Sun Yat-sen spoke first.

I leaned back in my chair and answered with a slightly haughty attitude.

“I’m listening. Speak.”

“Before we begin our greetings I would like to offer an apology. It seems that there was a misunderstanding during a conversation with His Majesty the King’s subordinates.”

“misunderstanding?”

“Yes that’s right.”

Oh?

Something is unexpected from the start.

All the communist cadres I met while living as a lobbyist were arrogant and rude.

‘At first he didn’t have that tendency but as time went by he started to show his disdain. Especially when he found out that I was Korean how much did he look down on me?’

Having struggled to live as a minority in America I was wary of having prejudices against a particular race.

But once I started working in China I started to dislike mainland Chinese people.

Perhaps it is because of the bad memories I had at that time.

But Sun Yat-sen was unexpectedly very polite as if to break my stereotypes.

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‘Is it because I studied abroad in the US for a while?’

Or is it because of our current relationship?

I am super strong.

Is it because Sun Yat-sen is currently a super-Eul?

“I said I wanted to talk to His Majesty the King I didn’t say I wanted to see His Majesty today.”

“….”

“I feel like my original intention was distorted in the process of speaking English. I am truly sorry.”

The two of us were currently having a one-on-one conversation without an interpreter.

Sun Yat-sen did not speak Korean I did not speak Cantonese.

I am like that too but Sun Yat-sen also lived in the United States so he spoke English better than I thought.

We were having a private conversation because we could talk to each other in English.

“Let me introduce myself first. My name is Sun Yat-sen the founder of the Chinese Alliance who is working tirelessly for the Chinese revolution.”

“The leader of the Chinese Alliance Party…”

One of Sun Yat-sen’s eyebrows rises.

Maybe it’s because I have a knowing look on my face.

“Do you know about the China Alliance?”

“then.”

As expected.

He suddenly asks the question I expected.

I chuckled and briefly explained the information I had received from the Ikmunsa agents.

“I heard that you planned a large-scale uprising in Guangdong Province last April but were caught by the local authorities and suffered great humiliation. Am I wrong?”

“…That’s right.”

Sun Yat-sen looked slightly embarrassed when I told him that I knew more about his activities than he had thought.

I told him one more thing that would have embarrassed him even more.

“I heard the Qing government has put a bounty on your head.”

“….”

“It’s a lot more than I thought. I can guess how wary the Qing court is of you.”

I stared at Sun Yat-sen without hiding my sparkling eyes.

“Your goal is probably to drive out the Qing from the Central Plains and create a new republican regime?”

“…Yes. That’s right.”

I am a globally successful investor.

But his real identity was that of a prince.

A republic is a political system that eliminates royalty and has no king.

A system that is even more progressive than a constitutional monarchy.

“Bring out the tea.”

To drive out the king.

Although it was a foreign matter it was something that could easily offend me as a member of the royal family.

Sun Yat-sen carefully watched me over and over again.

“….”

“….”

The atmosphere was greatly dampened by talk of a republic.

The story that follows will roughly be about asking for help in overthrowing the Qing Dynasty.

As I continued to look gloomy Sun Yat-sen kept his mouth shut.

I guess he decided now wasn’t the time to get to the point.

“Isn’t it truly amazing?”

The two of us spent our time like that sipping on freshly brewed tea.

About ten minutes had passed?

I opened my mouth first.

“What do you mean?”

“What month and day is it now?”

“I don’t know the exact date because I haven’t checked the calendar but I think it’s around early August.”

I chuckled and looked at the green leaves outside the window.

“Yes. It’s the time when both the Central Plains and Joseon New York are entering midsummer.”

As soon as I finished speaking Sun Yat-sen opened his eyes wide as if he had noticed something hidden in me.

“Now that I think about it it seems a bit cool inside the house. Even though it’s the middle of summer.”

“okay.”

I nodded and put down the tea I was holding.

After that I got up from my seat and headed to the window.

Broadly-

I opened the closed window wide and the wind blew in through the open gap.

“It’s still hot outside. If I just open the window like this hot air will come rushing in.”

Sun Yat-sen also put down his teacup and looked at me.

“Your Majesty the King.”

“Tell me.”

“I wonder what principle makes this house so cool.”

“It’s thanks to the electrical appliance called air conditioner installed there.”

Just like he did for Rockefeller he also introduced air conditioning to Sun Yat-sen.

“This is an object that can be seen as the culmination of Western science.”

However he added the following afterward:

With a bitter expression.

“Joseon and Qing were obsessed with the illusion of Confucianism and neglected science. On the other hand the Yang people were not like that.”

“….”

“Isn’t this truly infuriating? In the past the East lived a much more affluent life than the West. Now the tables have turned.”

Sun Yat-sen made a face of agreement.

Maybe it’s because he’s not a completely closed-minded old man but I think we can communicate quite well.

“Western science does not stop at blowing a cool breeze. Ah! It is time to test your keen eye.”

I continued talking looking at the teacups placed between us.

“I think you’ve probably figured it out. What I gave you was warm tea. On the other hand what I drank was coffee. To be exact it was cold iced coffee with ice cubes floating in it.”

The refrigerator was invented in England long before air conditioning was even available.

We already had this refrigerator and freezer installed in our kitchen and I mentioned it to sneak in what I wanted to say.

“Strangely enough we Koreans enjoy cold water in the summer. Those who have the money to spare even float ice cubes in their coffee or tea. On the other hand the Chinese people who immigrated to the United States still enjoy hot tea.”

Even in the 21st century it is the same.

Not only Koreans who came to study abroad but also Koreans who grew up in American families stick to iced Americano even if it means dying on a cold day.

It’s as if Koreans’ taste in drinks is ingrained in their DNA.

The Chinese on the other hand did not.

“For thousands of years. I think it’s because the survival instincts that the people of both countries acquired while living in the area are imprinted on them. The water quality in the Central Plains isn’t that good. You have no choice but to boil the water and drink it. But our Joseon isn’t like that.”

“….”

“Unfortunately sheep cannot tell the difference. If you look at the appearance of the Chinese and Koreans they are all the same oriental people.”

I’ve been beating around the bush but the conclusion is the same.

Koreans and Chinese have cultural differences starting with the way they drink beverages.

If we go a little further from here we can move on to the next topic I had in mind.

– Are China and Korea really one country?

“….”

“….”

Sun Yat-sen is the great man who brought down the Qing Dynasty.

I spoke in circles but I’m sure he knows what I just meant.

‘How will Sun Yat-sen react?’

A significant number of modern-day Chinese people still consider the Korean Empire to be their vassal state.

Furthermore if I get the chance I will call them back into my enclosure and place them under my feet.

I asked Sun Yat-sen in a subtle way what he thought about this.

“It’s strange. Since I came here I’ve been able to clearly distinguish between Koreans and Japanese from the Central Plains.”

“Is that so?”

“yes.”

Sun Yat-sen initially agrees with what I say.

This did not reassure me.

Because you never know when or how the Chinese will change.

They will always betray anyone who does not benefit them.

“Oh my dear guest! I have been sitting here talking nonsense. Yes. Today or whenever I have time. You wanted to meet me. I think it is time to hear the reason. What brought you across the ocean to come here?”

* * *

Was it 3 years ago?

Rumors about Li Kang began to spread in Guangdong Province.

“I heard that a guy called the Prince of Joseon made a lot of money in America.”

“They say he possesses unimaginable wealth.”

『You know? The Zheng Dain of Guangdong and the Ho Dain of Anhui.』

“That historical giant?”

“Yes. I heard you have more silver than them.”

“Hey no way.”

At first Sun Yat-sen thought that the source of the rumor was Koreans who visited Guangzhou.

I thought it was just their lies about wandering around and having a hard life.

As Sun Yat-sen learned that rumors about Li Kang were spreading more and more among Westerners he gradually began to take an interest in it.

“And the officials.”

“Who betrayed you?”

“Avoid. Sun Daein.”

Beginning in the early 1900s Sun Yat-sen continued to plan uprisings against the Qing Dynasty.

But every time I failed.

There may be several factors but the biggest reason is money.

It was because there was a lack of funds for the revolution.

“Nice to see you again Mr. Son.”

Successive failed revolutions.

To solve this problem Sun Yat-sen was currently traveling around the Western powers.

He reached out to Morgan Rothschild and Rockefeller but they all treated Sun Yat-sen coldly and turned him away.

For them their only business partner in China is the Qing Dynasty.

Even though it was weakened I never expected that this giant dragon would completely collapse in such a short period of time.

Is that why?

The capitalists in New York all mercilessly expelled Sun Yat-sen who was at odds with the Qing government.

“This way.”

But Lee Kang was different.

Li Kang who had listened to Sun Yat-sen’s offer of a vice ministerial post at their first meeting invited him again to his New York annex.

“Please wait a moment Mr. Son.”

“yes?”

“I’m telling you this just in case but no matter what happens please don’t make a fuss.”

“….”

“You must heed my words.”

Sun Yat-sen looked slightly puzzled at Choi Hyun-woo’s advice.

He tilted his head and looked around wondering what kind of surprise event Lee Kang was planning.

“Come on over here.”

That was when.

A curtain made of Korean paper.

Lee Kang’s voice was heard from the room next door.

“Have the tea brought out quickly. Oh! And bring out that too which I have kept in the tea cabinet for the special ambassador sitting in front of me.”

“Are you referring to the top-quality tea that was imported from Qing a while ago?”

“okay.”

Sun Yat-sen was momentarily confused.

Because he was confused as to why Lee Kang had left him here alone.

“How is Prince Gong doing? I heard that Prince Sun has been appointed Prime Minister creating a slightly awkward situation.”

But Sun Yat-sen soon figured out who Li Kang was talking to.

This is the type of person Sun Yat-sen hates the most.

The Qing imperial family was right next to him.

Sun Yat-sen clenched his fists and began to listen to what Li Kang and the man from Prince Gong’s office were saying.

<Guest from the Central Plains (1)> End