A few days before the full debate began, Kim Hak-seo came to see me to discuss strategy.
I handed him every piece of material he could use and added a few instructions.
"Remember this. I will remain strictly neutral in this debate. Treat everything I give you as something you obtained yourself."
"Of course. Thank you for entrusting me with such materials."
"It is nothing. We are on the same side."
"…Pardon?"
"You are working for the friendship between Joseon and the British Empire. That makes us allies, does it not? Unless you feel I am being presumptuous."
"Not at all. That would never be the case."
He hurriedly gathered the documents, clearly eager to leave before I said anything more.
Naturally, I stopped him.
"Minister Kim."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Do well. You never know, something good may come of it."
If he successfully laid the foundation for deeper British influence in Joseon, perhaps it could even be considered a form of atonement.
In truth, he was already acting in that direction.
"…Understood. No matter what, I will break through the ignorance of those scholars."
"I will be watching."
No one rises to the rank of State Councillor without ability.
In Joseon, officials constantly argued with one another, which meant their debate skills were highly developed.
Logical reasoning alone was not enough. They had to master rhetorical tactics such as twisting arguments, exaggeration, and dismantling opponents' words.
And Kim Hak-seo demonstrated all of it.
Scholars like Choe Ik-hyeon and Yi Man-son, who had spent their lives studying texts in the countryside, could not match that experience.
"Th-that is not what I meant. Barbarians and common people are different…"
"The Jurchens of Manchuria conquered Ming and were transformed by its culture. Can you still claim barbarians cannot be civilized? Or are you saying Qing remains barbaric, and that Joseon has been serving barbarians all along?"
"…No, Qing is no longer purely barbaric."
"Then there is no contradiction. Britain, under His Highness, is undergoing the same transformation. In fact, even before that, Britain was more advanced than the early Qing. It is not strange that they might lead a new order."
Yi Man-son lost momentum, and the next scholar stepped forward.
Choe Ik-hyeon, representing a stricter ideological stance, spoke with a different argument.
"Trade with Britain exposes us to moral corruption. As commerce develops, people will pursue profit and pleasure. How do you intend to prevent that?"
"We must guide the people, certainly. But is it an objective fact that commerce leads only to indulgence?"
"Western trade spreads desire and materialism. That is undeniable."
"If that were true, Western nations would have already collapsed. Yet reports show otherwise. Scholars continue to develop technology, and people work harder to improve their lives. Those who pursue only pleasure fall behind. How do you explain this?"
"That is only a partial view. Perhaps it appears stable now, but the future is uncertain. No nation built on greed has endured forever."
It was ultimately a theoretical argument.
The officials had already anticipated such claims.
"Then let us speak of the present, not the future. Among those here, does anyone know how Europe is colonizing Asia and Africa?"
No one answered.
Naturally, they did not know.
Kim Hak-seo sighed and revealed the materials I had given him.
"These are reports from our embassy. Everyone here must understand the reality we face."
He began to read.
France's actions in Algeria, where resistance was met with mass slaughter.
The gradual encroachment into Annam.
Spain's exploitation of the Philippines.
Russia's expansion into Central Asia.
The Netherlands in Indonesia.
Portugal in Africa.
As he continued, the expressions of the audience hardened.
He described not only conquest, but the extraction of resources and the suffering of those under colonial rule.
He also explained why traditional resistance, relying on swords and spears, could not stop modern armies.
The atmosphere shifted completely.
"…This is the reality while you speak only of ideals. If we do not choose a strong ally, Joseon will face the same fate as Annam."
"Then we will fight to the death."
"So will I. But do you believe those nations lacked loyal men willing to die? Does sacrifice alone absolve responsibility when a nation falls and its people suffer for generations?"
Silence followed.
Moral arguments alone could not answer that.
"Those who speak only of ideals without understanding reality cannot grasp this. The scholars you saw exiled have been sent to lands already colonized. When they return, ask them what they witnessed."
Murmurs spread among the crowd.
The perception was forming.
Officials represented reason and survival.
The scholars represented outdated idealism.
Sensing the shift, Kim Hak-seo delivered the final argument.
"Some may ask whether alliance with Britain truly prevents such a fate. I say it does. While other nations suffer under Western powers, Joseon has expanded its territory. This was achieved because His Highness pressured Russia to yield half of Sakhalin."
The crowd reacted immediately.
Land was something no one could ignore.
"And why has Britain grown stronger while Qing declines? Because the Mandate of Heaven has shifted. And at the center of that shift stands His Highness, born of Joseon blood."
The argument blended Confucian logic with national pride.
"All under heaven now turns toward Britain. If so, it is only natural that Joseon, as a successor of civilization, strengthens its ties and secures its place."
People began to respond.
Some hesitated, others were convinced.
Then he pushed further.
"I will speak plainly. This path leads to the recovery of Manchuria."
"…What?"
Even the court was startled.
But the impact was immediate.
The idea of reclaiming lost lands stirred something deeper than ideology.
Cheers began to rise.
"Long live His Majesty. Long live His Highness."
I simply raised my hand and smiled.
I had said nothing.
That was the rule.
Yet the momentum continued to grow.
More voices joined, imagining expansion and strength.
Kim Hak-seo continued to encourage them, his gaze occasionally turning toward me, as if seeking approval.
I allowed myself a faint smile.
He had done well.
And now, the tide could no longer be stopped.