News and Stories of the Heavenly Kingdom (1912-)

[Guinness]

Thread for news from the Heavenly Kingdom of China, beginning in the year of the Black Water Rat (western year 1912)

[Guinness]

Note that the following stories may fall out of chronological order as details emerge over time. Also this is an IC background post to set the stage for the reader, but of course no one other than Chun knows his own thoughts.

Bāyuè, Shǔ Nián (approx. August 1912)

Prince Chun, father of the Emperor and the Prince-Regent of China, wasn't looking forward to this emergency meeting of the Grand Council. Only two weeks before, they had met and over the course of an afternoon ratified his strategy for defeating the belligerent Japanese. That ratification hadn't been easy, but had resulted in a brief respite from the usual court factionalism. Now he had to address them again, and this time Prince Qing and the others loyal to the Empress Dowager Longyu would surely take advantage of the news he had to share to block his reforms of the court bureaucracy, just as they had worked to block the military reform policies of Chun and his father had worked so hard to progress. The Qing/Longyu faction, as always, followed the cynical ways of the deceased Empress Dowager Cixi.

No matter, Chun had a good enough cover story that Longyu and her allies would have choice but to accept it, at least publicly. They might even relish it. A chance to blame the bureaucrats, Chu's bureaucrats, for the premature and disadvantageous peace would undoubtedly be appealing to them. To save face, Che expected, they would push harder for overseas colonization, harder for confrontation with Japan in the future.

But no matter, Chun thought, as they did not understand that his would only further his long term goals. He did not want to defeat Japan. Indeed he did not even want to fight them. He had little use for overseas possessions, other than those in the East and South China seas which afford some measure of security for China.

No the louder they complain, the more they criticize, the more they help Chun make the case for modernization, for reform, and for strength. Defeating Japan would do nothing for China in the long term. China would just return to its traditional and backward ways, even in the face of the invasion from the West. The traditionalist forces would say: "How could Roman colonists hope to defeat a half-million Chinese? Impossible!" Of the Horde the traditionalists seem to have little fear. They're content to sit behind their dilapidated walls in the North and assume the Horde would never come. Little do they know how easy it could be.

No, China needs Japan to stay intact, and dangerous, for now. Until the reforms are completed, and Army and Navy are the best in the world. Then China will defeat Japan easily, maybe without firing a shot. That is the plan anyway.

Chun pulled on his traditional hat and walked across the hall to deliver the news and receive whatever abuse was to come. China, at the very moment they could have crushed Japan had relented. As with all things, it was exactly as it needed to be.

[Guinness]

The Peking Gazette
August 12 1912

Peking -- Seemingly only hours after war had been declared, the Foreign Office announced today an armistice and that peace negotiations were already underway with the Chinese. This comes at the same time as the first reports from Jeju indicating a Chinese victory. Numerous Navy sources, who ask not to be named because they were sharing sensitive information, report that the Navy was very near to completely crushing the Japanese, only for a radio message from the mainland ordering them to cease fire. These same Naval sources are incensed. "What treachery is this, we had them beaten!" one said. A second asked "What does this mean of the sacrifice our our heroic torpedo force, lost in a meaningless engagement?"

Sources on the Grand Council, who also asked not to be named because they were speaking without the authority of the Council or the Prince Regent, indicated that the Prince Regent explained that there had been a miscommunication within the Foreign Office, and that a junior deputy minister, rather than seek confirmation, had communicated a cease fire to the Navy immediately. Query's to the Justice Ministry as to whether this junior deputy minister is under investigation were met with "No comment."

The same Grand Council source indicated that the Grand Council and the Prince Regent had no choice at that point but to negotiate with the Japanese, rather than lose face. Still the question demands to be asked: was this all some sort of farce? Which of the Imperial Court's factions will benefit from this travesty? Only time will tell.

[Guinness]

February 22 1913

Ijūin Hikokichi, Imperial Japanese Ambassador to China, was surprised to see he wasn't the only one called to this audience with the Chinese Emperor. The Iberian Consul General, who represented his Majesty the King of Iberia, was already waiting at the entrance to the Palace of Heavenly Purity in the Forbidden City. Ijūin bowed politely.

Their polite small talk was interrupted by the opening of the great doors to the Palace. Four ornately costumed Imperial Guards flanked the foreign Ministers and escorted them into the Imperial presence.

Ijūin was surprised again to see that many of the Beijing foreign diplomatic corps was already in the audience hall, standing quietly in a group to his left as he entered. He also noted that the Parthian Ambassador, who had recently been elevated from the rank of Minster Resident, was the diplomat standing closest to the throne. Ijūin and the Iberian Consul General were led to the dead center of the room.

Within moments, with practiced precision, His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of the Great Qing Dynasty, Son of Heaven, Lord of Ten Thousand Years Puyi entered the room, followed at a respectful distance by his father and Regent, Prince Chun. The Ambassadors bowed as the seven year-old Emperor took his seat and peered down at them. Then his father the Regent leaned over the Emperor whispered some thing to him.

Prince Chun then spoke loudly and with a sneer on his face: "His Imperial Majesty would like to know why foreign Ambassadors don't kowtow as is normally required of all received in the Imperial presence?" The Ambassadors bowed again, this time more deeply, before Ijūin, sensing danger, answered: "My sincerest apologies your Imperial Majesty, but we are not permitted to kowtow, as that would represent our masters kowtowing to you, and kings do not kowtow to kings."

Chun sniffed loudly and frowned. "Are you not aware, your Excellency, that your master is vassal to his Imperial Majesty, as are all men, as his Imperial Majesty rules over all men everywhere in the Earthly realm?" Then before the Ambassadors could answer, he went on: "It is only through His Imperial Majesty's supremely serene patience with is subjects that he allows your Masters' continued dominion in your realms. One day His Imperial Majesty, in his infinite wisdom, might withdraw this benevolence, to your Masters' peril."

Ijūin prepared to argue the point, then thought better of it when Chun gestured behind them to the scene in the forecourt of the Palace of Heavenly Purity. Outside there were two group of 3 prisoners. Each prisoner was kneeling, and standing next to them was a uniformed man standing at attention, holding a sword. Each group in turn was circled by forty Imperial Guardsmen.

"The prisoners on your right have been convicted of spying on behalf of a foreign power. The penalty for espionage in the Heavenly Kingdom." Chen paused. The three executioners raised their swords. "Normally the penalty for spying takes quite a bit longer, but His Imperial Majesty is merciful, and has commuted their sentences to beheading." And with that, the swords fell in unison, and three heads rolled.

Chun continued: "The three men to the left work in the Emperor's Foreign Ministry. They have been convicted of dereliction of their duty related to the mistaken wireless message which ended the fighting in the recent war started by your Master, Ambassador Ijūin." Again the executioners raised their swords. "The penalty for such incompetence in a time of war is death, but again His Imperial Majesty is merciful, and has pardoned these men." The swords were lowered, and the guards led the three prisoners away. Chun continued: "They will be reassigned to stations more commensurate with their abilities on the northwest frontier."

Chun frowned again. "His Imperial Majesty is disappointed in both of your masters as well." He nodded at the Iberian and Japanese ambassadors. "Your masters have seen fit to sign a treaty, to divide up the islands to the south of the South China Sea. His Imperial Majesty is patient and forgiving. Such actions far away would be unlikely to trouble him. But so close? And a treaty with such a duplicitous man as the Japanese Shogun? This cannot be ignored."

Chun paused and let the moment hang. Then he continued: "His Imperial Majesty considers this treaty an affront to him personally, and he hopes that you will help educate your masters as to how mistaken they are to try to seize a privilege his Imperial Majesty has not granted them."

Then he stared hard at Ijūin. "Because of your Master's belligerency and untrustworthiness, His Imperial Majesty has decided to withdraw his Ambassador in Tokyo. Japan will no longer enjoy the privilege of being in His Imperial Majesty's presence. Any further business can be handled by your ministers with their equivalents at our Ministry of Foreign affairs. You both may leave now."

[Guinness]

The Peking Gazette
February 23 1913

The South China Undersea Cable Company announced today plans to extend their cable from it's current Terminus at Saigon across the South China Sea to the Chinese mining colony in Kalimantan on Borneo with a further extension to Brunei in Parthian Borneo.

[Desertfox]

OOC For the record the only part of the treaty that is known IC is that Japan and Iberia recognize each other's claims in the Indonesian archipelago.

[Guinness]

That's more than enough to trigger a negative reaction in Beijing. Any move by Japan to establish cooperation with other states in the region will be viewed with extreme mistrust by the Chinese now.

[Desertfox]

Fair enough, if that is the case China won't be liking what I do next one bit...

[Guinness]

July 1913

China charters a steamer to carry home almost all of it's consular staff in Japan, as well as families.

Police and the Army are seen setting up a cordon around the Japanese Legation. The cordon does not prevent anyone from coming nor going, but does stop and quest many. Detailed notes are taken. Keen observers might also notice plainclothes men closely observing those entering and exiting the Iberian Legation.

Martial law and a curfew are declared in the Chinese Philippines. On the mainland, Army passes are cancelled and enhanced drill and readiness is ordered.