Alfred's senior's uncle is now a tycoon.
He sells condoms, invests in diabetes treatments....
I suspect he's secretly manufacturing and selling other things too, but I'm pretending not to know because I don't want to find out.
Anyway, it seems his insights are quite impressive.
"Hello."
A man named Charles Elliot came to the hospital with his cousin, George Elliot.
Both of them reeked of military life....
At least Charles vehemently insisted he wasn't a soldier, claiming he had recently been discharged or something.
He would stand at attention and then immediately lean on one leg.
If I hadn't served in the military, I might not have noticed, but having spent three years and two months in the army, it was strange not to recognize that someone was or had been a soldier.
"Um, yes. Hello."
Had I just arrived in London, I would've been terrified.
Being Asian alone could make you a target during this time.
Though I doubt they'd be as scary as the police.
The police at this time felt more like legal gangsters.
But now, I could confidently face them, having become somewhat of a notable figure in London.
"I'm not sure if you're aware, but I'm working closely with Inspector Jamie."
Charles Elliot chuckled as he spoke, his words dripping with meaning.
The term "working closely" was already suspicious, and throwing Jamie's name into the mix made it blatantly obvious.
'The Opium War....'
Charles Elliot wasn't a name I recognized.
The things I knew about the Opium War were limited to its significance and the events that followed.
Having only studied for the college entrance exam, I couldn't possibly know every detail of history.
One thing was clear: the situation seemed to be progressing faster than I remembered. Considering that, perhaps the man before me was someone who had done entirely different things in the original history.
"We're on the verge of a significant event... and syphilis treatment and blood transfusions will be of great help."
Yes, that's right.
The "significant event" must be war.
What else could it be when someone smelling so strongly of the military comes talking about a big event?
"I'll be coordinating from behind the scenes, while my cousin here will take charge of the actual operations."
"Hello! Feiyingshi. It's an honor to meet you!"
As he tapped his cousin's shoulder, George Elliot greeted me with a firm attitude.
It didn't feel bad at all.
No, it actually felt good.
He called it an honor, didn't he?
He didn't seem like someone of low status.
"Ah, yes. The honor is mine. I'm Taepyeong Kim."
"We should properly introduce ourselves."
"Ah, yes. I'm George Elliot."
"Haha. Despite appearances... I'm a colonel in the Royal Navy. A talent destined to become a general."
"Ah... yes, yes."
A colonel....
So, he's going to China soon.
It really hit me that war was about to break out.
But was it okay for it to happen this fast?
'Are we going to lose?'
China... huh?
Weren't they the world's strongest nation until the 17th and 18th centuries?
I remember the prosperous reign of Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong lasting until the late 18th century....
Afterwards, corrupt officials like Heshen or... whoever wreaked havoc, and things went downhill during the reigns of Jiaqing and Daoguang....
"We'd like your help with this."
My mind was tangled, but I couldn't just stop the conversation.
It wasn't like things would fall apart if I didn't help.
Why?
Because Liston is here, and so is the secretary Inspector Jamie sent.
Not just a sommelier, but a proper secretary, so I'm not worried.
Still, since they were directly addressing me, I couldn't just stay silent, especially as the conversation was flowing naturally. I quickly spoke up.
"What kind of help are you talking about...?"
"First, the syphilis treatment. How much can you produce?"
"Ah... mass production is still difficult, but we're preparing. As you know, the demand in London alone is enormous."
The syphilis treatment we developed, an arsenic compound, has fatal side effects.
About 5% of patients, regardless of dosage, can die or suffer severe complications.
But what happens if syphilis is left untreated?
More than half will face fatal outcomes.
So, using it is much better than not using it.
Penicillin is safer and more effective, but....
How long can I wait for that?
People are dying right before my eyes.
"Could we temporarily monopolize it for the military? It won't take long."
"Hmm...."
Is it normal to say it won't take long when war is looming?
I don't recall any country or leader who said that and then easily won a war.
Besides, I remember Putin invading Ukraine and saying the same thing before I came here....
And it's been over a year with no progress, right?
I'm not sure what's happened since I arrived here, but maybe Russia is being counter-invaded by now.
'Well... I doubt the Qing Dynasty can come this far....'
Even though I'm not well-versed in world history, I know the name Lin Zexu.
He's an example of how even a declining nation has its talents....
The fact that the war has started earlier might mean the Qing Dynasty has less time to prepare.
Or maybe they started preparing early....
It's not that Britain didn't have the strength to defeat the Qing Dynasty, but rather that they couldn't accurately gauge the Qing's military power, right?
"How many people?"
"Around 5,000 to 6,000."
"Oh...."
That's a small number.
Can they really handle a war against the Qing Dynasty with just 5,000 to 6,000 men?
In the *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, 5,000 men would just be scouts, right?
'They must have it all figured out.'
But if I say, "Don't underestimate the Qing Dynasty," what will happen?
They'll probably think I'm a Qing spy or some kind of sorcerer.
After all, I've heard that some people are jealous of my recent success.
"I see. That should be... manageable if you give me about a month to prepare."
"A month. Perfect. Towards the end of the year..."
"Ah, brother. That's."
"Ah. Right."
So, the war is at the end of the year.
It seems late since everything seems ready now, but....
If the military is being dispatched directly from Britain, the end of the year is actually quite soon.
Just getting there will take a long time.
If they're going from India, the largest and closest colony, the end of the year seems about right....
"Anyway, so it'll be ready within a month?"
"Yes. That's correct."
"Great. Then that's settled... Next is blood transfusion."
"Blood transfusion, hmm."
"We'd like someone who can perform transfusions to accompany us. We'll compensate generously."
I glanced at Liston at his words.
He was definitely thinking something unpleasant.
His grin looked unsettling.
"Hmm."
Liston, likely sensing I was thinking the same thing, finally spoke after staying silent.
"There's a skilled man named Dr. Blundell."
"Ah... I've heard he's currently working with the police. Having him join would be fantastic. It would greatly boost the soldiers' morale."
"Is that so...?"
"Absolutely. There are only a few surviving policemen who were certain to die. Everyone knows it."
So, my ideas and methods are turning him into a renowned doctor, huh?
They wouldn't have much to say even if we secretly profited from it.
It felt slightly unfair, but since they promised generous treatment, I nodded.
Well....
Surely the Royal Navy of the British Empire wouldn't cheat us, right?
"Lastly, this is actually the most important matter."
"Huh? You said there were two earlier."
"Ah... Did I say that? Haha, I must've been too nervous in the presence of such esteemed individuals...."
As I nodded with that thought, Charles Elliot, who had been standing back during less important matters, stepped forward again.
Seeing his sly demeanor, I realized this man had left the military and was now working as a diplomat or something similar.
But trusting that someone working behind the scenes with Inspector Jamie on such shady matters wasn't sinister....
"You two are the best surgeons in London... no, in the world, aren't you?"
"Haha. That's true."
I stayed silent, feeling uneasy, but Liston, who's weak to compliments, laughed heartily without a care.
"As you know... many in the Royal Navy will die or be injured during the war."
"That's inevitable. It's tragic."
"Yes, they're Britain's finest young men...."
It feels hypocritical coming from those who ignored soldiers contracting syphilis....
Liston, already in patriot mode, was even tearing up.
He was cutting prices on syphilis treatments? I wanted to smack him if I could.
But doing that might kill me, so I had to hold back.
Liston is indeed a double-edged sword.
"If our surgeons could accompany us, it would be... incredibly helpful. You can refuse, of course. But I'd like to ask... Could you set sail around October and assist until early next year?"
"Huh?"
"Of course! We must go!"
It's obvious who said "Huh?" and "Of course!"
I glared at Liston, then noticed his secretary smiling brightly before turning expressionless.
'Judas is here!'
Jamie....
This bastard repays kindness with treachery?
Feeling pity for the guy who castrated himself, I even saved his daughter-in-law, and now this?
"Truly, you're patriots. As a token of our gratitude... knighthoods will be conferred."
"Huh?"
"Haha, indeed."
Again, I said "Huh?"
This time, it had a slightly different tone.
Knighthood...?
Wasn't that a poisoned chalice?
"We're well aware of your concerns, Dr. Feiyingshi. In fact, Inspector Jamie had already planned to confer knighthoods but held back due to fears of criticism from narrow-minded individuals... But this war is of utmost importance to the British Empire's future. Who would dare oppose granting knighthoods to those who aid in this endeavor? Such a person would be an enemy of the British Empire."
"Oh..."
Jamie....
It seems becoming a duke makes one fair and just.
My goodness....
I'm becoming a noble of the British Empire.
I guess I'll be able to board ships anytime I want.