The wheel of history rolled forward, unaffected by any individual’s will. The mastermind behind the incident never revealed himself, and the Japanese government could only swallow the bitter outcome on its own. In a sense, the result would have been the same whether a hidden mastermind existed or not. The escalation of tensions between Japan and Russia was inevitable. The only reason war had not broken out was that neither side was fully prepared. Both governments were deliberately stalling for time, each hoping to complete its preparations first. The moment one side finished, it would be the first to strike. Perhaps by coincidence, or perhaps to ease political pressure on the Japanese government, the British government announced its withdrawal from the free trade system shortly after Christmas in 1903. There was nothing surprising about this. The secret negotiations between the Holy Roman Empire and Britain had failed the previous week. Even Franz’s proposal for the two nations to form a new alliance and jointly rule global hegemony was rejected by the British. It was understandable. If Britain continued to uphold the free trade system and shared world dominance with the Holy Roman Empire, then within ten years Britain would be forced to “go home and take down the laundry.” As a beneficiary of the existing system, the British would not accept such an outcome without a fight, especially since they still possessed the Royal Navy. Although the Royal Navy’s advantage was no longer overwhelming, an advantage was still an advantage. With the collapse of the free trade system, the struggle for hegemony between the Holy Roman Empire and Britain lost all possibility of reconciliation. While closely watching the situation in the Far East, Franz also began preparing for the coming contest for supremacy. To be frank, Franz did not wish to seize global dominance through war, but reality was merciless. From the moment the British refused to compromise, the war chariot of the Holy Roman Empire had begun to move. As the one driving this chariot, Franz could press the brakes, but he could not stop it from moving forward forever. “Frederick has informed all nations that a World Free Trade Economic Summit will be held in Vienna next month, urging them to join in sanctioning the British. If necessary, we can raise the export prices of our monopolized products to Britain, causing short-term shortages in the British market and triggering an economic crisis ahead of schedule. Notify the relevant enterprises in advance and tell them to prepare for reduced production so we can minimize our losses. For companies that suffer severe damage, the government will provide appropriate subsidies when needed.” The meaning of “monopolized products” was obvious. Aside from grain, they were mainly petroleum and chemical goods. As for machinery, even though the performance of British-made machines was not outstanding, they could still manufacture them. Even in grain and petrochemicals, the Holy Roman Empire’s monopoly was not absolute. Given enough time, the British could still find substitutes. Unfortunately for Britain, time was exactly what they lacked. Before Parliament passed any resolution, the British government did not have the authority to stockpile supplies in advance. Since the government could not prepare ahead of time, private enterprises likewise had no preparations. Under Britain’s usual political rhythm, a policy could be debated for decades, so no one expected a decision to come this quickly. Unlike the Holy Roman Empire’s economic system, where the government could intervene in the market at any moment, the British government had no right to dictate to domestic companies or order them to stockpile raw materials. Once international prices for raw materials rose, the affected industries would inevitably take a hit, and downstream consumers would suffer as well. Imposing trade barriers was not something Franz wanted. It was a lose-lose approach. The British would certainly suffer, but the Holy Roman Empire would also face heavy losses. Whether the outcome would be “inflicting a thousand on the enemy while losing eight hundred” or “inflicting eight hundred while losing a thousand,” no one could know before the situation unfolded. The only certainty was that a new economic crisis would erupt alongside the collapse of the free trade system, dealing a severe blow to all export-oriented industries. In a sense, the outbreak of an economic crisis was the countdown to war. With the two world wars of the original timeline as reference points, Franz saw much farther ahead than most people. Delaying the outbreak of war was not impossible, but Franz could no longer wait. He was already seventy-four years old, and both his physical and mental strength had declined significantly. If he did not launch the war soon, he feared he would no longer be capable of directing it. Once Britain was dealt with, there were still many domestic matters that needed attention, and a large portion of them required Franz to handle personally. To place a perfect finishing touch on his reign, Franz needed to give himself enough time to complete everything while he still had the strength to do so. Triggering an economic crisis was the beginning of the war, only the first clash would be economic rather than military. Frederick advised him and said, “Father, isn’t this a bit too fast? The country is not prepared. If we trigger an economic crisis now, we will also suffer heavy losses.” As regent and crown prince, Frederick understood the domestic economic situation very clearly. Ever since news spread that Britain intended to abandon the free trade system, the more foresighted companies at home had been preparing to endure hard times. It was not that their sense of responsibility was exceptionally high, but that state-owned enterprises and the imperial family’s financial groups had set the example, and many private capitalists simply followed their lead. This was reflected in the fact that by 1903, major enterprises in the empire had all paused expansion, reduced inventories, and increased cash reserves. But even these measures were still insufficient. In only a single year, even with some preparations in place, there was no guarantee they could survive the approaching winter. Britain was not the only country that had long suffered under the free trade system. Once Britain took the first step, many others were bound to follow. Destruction is always easier than construction. The reality was clear: until Britain was defeated, the free trade system could not possibly be rebuilt. … The coming winter in the market would last for several years at the very least, and it might even continue for more than a decade. Franz shook his head and said, “We cannot wait. If we do not engage Britain in a mutually damaging confrontation, how will Russia ever dare to fight Japan to the end? With the Trans-Siberian Railway still not complete, Russia’s military strength in the Far East is no match for the Japanese. The Russian government may have launched its eastward strategy, but the interests in the Far East are still insignificant for the Russian Empire. Once the frontline suffers defeat, who can guarantee that Russia will not cut its losses and simply abandon the Far East? If the Russian government were to continue moving south after abandoning the Far East, that would be acceptable. What we fear is that Russia might withdraw entirely and sit back to watch us and the British struggle against each other. If we do not remove this thorn in advance, can you really face Britain without worry?” “Trust” was a fatal weakness. Even though the Russo-Austrian alliance had lasted for decades, Franz still did not dare to place real faith in Russia. There had been no betrayal only because the price for betrayal had not been high enough. For their own security, it was better to ensure the Russian Bear was weakened first. ... Politics always reacts as a whole to even the smallest movement. With the collapse of the free trade system, Britain and the Holy Roman Empire officially entered into open opposition. Because of this shift, the envoys investigating the attack on the Russian embassy also split into factions, making the situation in the Far East even more complicated and uncertain. But these were concerns for important figures, still far removed from ordinary life. The people who truly felt the change were the residents of Tokyo. Tensions grew day by day. Forget public demonstrations, even small gatherings of relatives or friends could attract the attention of the police or military. Everyone now had to speak with caution. There was no other choice. The trial at the international tribunal had already begun, and the Japanese government truly did not want any further complications. No matter how highly the public regarded them, in the eyes of the Japanese government, those who assaulted the Russian embassy were nothing more than rioters. No ruler appreciates people who break the rules. Even if their intentions were good, the outcome had been a disaster. Without punishing a few to warn the rest and deter future offenders, who could say whether something similar would happen again? If the radicals were allowed to act freely, then after destroying the Russian embassy today, they would destroy the Holy Roman Empire’s embassy tomorrow, and the British embassy the day after that… If things continued down that path, no one knew when Japan’s entire national foundation would be ruined. ... Ever since the delegation of envoys split, Lorelei, the chief judge from Switzerland, suddenly felt tremendous pressure. On one hand, she needed to uphold the sanctity of the judicial process. On the other, she had to endure constant interference from various members of the delegation. The situation left her exhausted and frustrated. The biggest problem with this international trial was the lack of a unified sentencing standard, and there were no precedents in international law to follow. Russia and Austria demanded harsh punishment, while Britain and Japan hoped for leniency. Of course, this disagreement applied only to the ordinary participants. The major offenders still had to face execution. “Tanaka Kazuo, founder and leader of the Iron-Blooded Revenge Society. He has repeatedly organized anti-Russian marches and assassinations, and is one of the primary planners of the attack on the Russian embassy—” Before the representative of the investigative delegation could finish reading the charges, Tanaka Kazuo roared, “I object. I clearly planned the attack on the Russian embassy by myself. How could I be just one of the planners? What are you trying to do? Are you attempting to implicate everyone around me? What about justice in this world? What about the rule of law?” The scene left many people stunned, especially Tanaka Kazuo’s defense lawyer, who looked completely bewildered. This was completely different from what had been discussed beforehand. The defendant took all the charges upon himself, leaving his defense lawyer in an impossible position. Lorelei, the chief judge, was just as stunned. In her twenty years on the bench, she had never encountered a defendant like this. Fortunately, the bailiffs in charge reacted quickly. They stepped in at once, restraining Tanaka Kazuo and ending the farce. But after this outburst, the rest of the trial felt like a joke. Lorelei had hoped to follow proper judicial procedure, but the other judges refused to go along. The term “international tribunal” did not necessarily mean genuine professionalism. Aside from Lorelei, who was the only trained judicial professional, most of the others were envoys temporarily appointed by their governments. In this era there was no unified system of international law, let alone standardized judicial procedure. Without rules, everything became open to manipulation. In the eyes of most present, as long as the facts of the crime were clear, the verdict should be delivered quickly. There were many more defendants waiting to be tried. As expected, Tanaka Kazuo, who voluntarily admitted all charges, was sentenced to death. Perhaps it was due to the efforts of the Japanese government, or perhaps out of respect for his decision to accept responsibility, the tribunal ultimately agreed to his request to commit seppuku. Once the farce had begun, it was not going to end quickly. Tanaka Kazuo was only the beginning. All the defendants with undeniable evidence against them, those whose deaths were inevitable, began stepping forward to take responsibility and made the same single request: the right to die by seppuku. The Japanese spectators became even more emotional. Every time a major offender requested seppuku, the courtroom erupted in applause, as if they were welcoming a hero. The scene left Lorelei questioning reality itself. See was not the only one. The envoys from various nations watching the trial felt their worldview shaken by what they were witnessing. They should at least have put up some resistance, yet one after another acted as if they were bravely embracing martyrdom. This made the envoys’ group look like the villains of the story. To be fair, the envoys’ group truly were not good people in most situations, and they usually played the role of the antagonist. However, this time was an exception. Aside from punishing the real criminals, they had not taken advantage of the situation for their own gain. It was not because they did not want to. It was simply because the troublemakers had ruined everything. With Britain and the Holy Roman Empire turning against each other and the envoys’ group splitting early, any opportunity for exploitation had naturally fallen apart. Fortunately, only a small number were unafraid of death. Once the trials of the major offenders were over, the defendants who came afterward began behaving more normally, and the defense lawyers finally stopped being mere spectators. The earlier group of so-called heroes had essentially been forced into it. As the main culprits behind the assault on the Russian embassy, they had no chance of escaping their fate no matter how they defended themselves. Since they were doomed anyway, they simply chose to act with dramatic courage. The accomplices who followed were a different matter. Most of them had only taken part in the street protests, and some had merely been caught up in the chaos. They were neither planners nor organizers, and they had not stormed the Russian embassy, so they could not be held responsible for the deaths of the embassy staff. Although the international tribunal infringed upon Japan’s sovereignty, it still needed to maintain a basic level of fairness. There was no way they could execute everyone in one sweeping judgment. The Russian representatives certainly wanted that, but the Russian government lacked the influence within the envoys’ group to make everyone abandon their principles. Because the number of people involved was simply too large, more than five thousand individuals had to stand trial. After the initial major offenders were tried one by one, the tribunal soon shifted to hearing cases in groups. … “Yamagata Jirō, Tanabe Ichijō, Wang Decheng, Li Yixiang, Watanabe… and thirty-three others organized and took part in the protest on November 27, 1903. Their actions caused traffic congestion and seriously disrupted public order, which led to…” Without anyone noticing, the tone had shifted. What had originally been an indictment related to the Russian embassy incident had turned into a charge of disturbing public order. If not for the fact that the envoys behind the international tribunal were not people to be provoked, the Japanese government would likely have exploded in anger. Even disturbing public order was being handled by foreigners, which practically felt like someone stealing their job. Of course, that was impossible. Anyone with even a basic understanding of politics knew that the charge of disturbing public order could be used lightly or heavily. The use of this accusation by the investigative commission clearly showed their intent to let these people off lightly. People with connections exist everywhere. Foreign students had ways to resolve problems, and local Japanese students certainly had even more means to pull strings. The major offenders with undeniable evidence could not be saved, but for those not directly involved, as long as the right strings had been pulled behind the scenes, there was still a chance to get them out. Naturally, an acquittal was impossible. The commission needed to save face. A symbolic punishment with a trivial charge was the best they could do. “Honorable judges and members of the jury, my clients only participated in an ordinary protest. No one wished for the unexpected incidents that followed. We have already reached compensation agreements with the victims, and both the victims and the Japanese government have agreed not to pursue charges…” To tell blatant lies with a straight face was also a skill. As a defense lawyer, he was certainly capable of such things. As a judge, Lorelei despised such cases involving people with connections, since they threatened the fairness of the judiciary. For example, in this situation, the verdict had not yet been influenced, but the charge brought by the prosecution had already been changed. If this were still part of the embassy incident, sentencing three to five years or even eight to ten years would have been easy. But now the charge was merely disturbing public order, and since both the victims and the Japanese government had declined to prosecute, even she, the presiding judge, had her hands tied. After consulting with the other judges, everyone decided to simply go through the motions and hand down a symbolic punishment. After all, if everyone was satisfied, then everything would proceed smoothly. In this muddled manner, Wang Decheng and the other thirty-two individuals walked out of the courtroom with a sentence of two years of community service. As for how the sentence would be carried out and where it would be enforced, no one intended to look too deeply into such minor details. After escaping disaster, Wang Decheng learned the full story from his cousin, and he felt completely defeated. All he had done was join a protest, yet he spent two months in prison and caused his family to owe a mountain of favors. He knew his own abilities well. Being able to stand out among the many members of the Wang clan and study abroad was already his limit. With his reputation, he could at most persuade a few close classmates to help him, and that was far from enough to get him out of danger unscathed. Although many others had also been swept into the disaster, his family had played a major part in facilitating the arms deal with the Holy Roman Empire. Such matters required political favors to be exchanged. As for when the debt would be repaid, that depended entirely on when the other side chose to collect. Noticing his cousin’s distress, Wang Deran comforted him, “You do not need to worry too much. The elders in our family understand these things better than we do. Although we owe a great deal of favors this time, an unexpected setback may turn out to be a blessing. Do not forget that we also used this opportunity to broaden our connections.” He was not wrong. Networks and personal ties were built exactly this way. Today you help me, tomorrow I help you, and after several rounds of mutual assistance, families become long-standing allies. Wang Decheng only nodded reluctantly at his cousin’s reassurance. It was true that connections were forged this way, but he was certainly not a hero in this affair. It might not matter much in Japan, but once he returned home, he would be held accountable. Knowing his strict father, even if he would not be beaten to death, being beaten half to death was entirely possible. In a traditional extended family, discipline was harsh. Being dragged by Japanese friends into a protest and causing such a major incident violated all the fundamental rules, and without severe punishment, how could it serve as a warning to future generations? Not only would he suffer, but even his cousin would be punished. His cousin was only fortunate that he had not gone to prison and could still find ways to conceal certain details.
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