The East India Company, which had boasted more than two centuries of history, was dissolved.The core directors involved in the scandal were dragged into court.
Unsurprisingly, the court also ruled guilty.
Everything proceeded rapidly.
But the real problem was only beginning.
Breaking a knot is easy; tying it again is difficult.
A sandcastle can be destroyed in seconds, but rebuilding it requires far greater effort.
The sa was true of the East India Company.
Dismantling a company that had governed the entire Indian subcontinent through three administrative centers was far from simple.
More important than dissolving the company was deciding how to fill the vacuum it left behind.
In the end, Parliant chose the simplest solution.
Pri Minister Charles Wellesley summoned key mbers of both parties and myself, then explained the governnt's new policy.
"After considering every possibility, we have concluded that India must be administered directly by Britain. For the ti being, we will establish a committee to replace the East India Company. A Governor-General will continue to be appointed, and a Secretary of State will assist in governance."
"Pri Minister," Gladstone said, "I have no objection to the structure itself. However, there is one concern. According to Field Marshal Gough, public opinion in India is not particularly friendly toward Britain. If the leadership suddenly changes, could that not create confusion?"
That was exactly the point I had intended to raise.
Gladstone had simply done it first.
Working with intelligent people really was convenient.
"Mr. Gladstone is correct," I said. "And because of that, I would like to propose sothing."
"If it is Your Highness's suggestion, we will of course consider it seriously."
"It is true that public opinion in India is unfavorable toward Britain. But fortunately, that will no longer be a major problem."
"Not a major problem? According to Gough, even the army is dissatisfied—"
"Gentlen. Were those policies issued directly by the British governnt? Did Parliant ever order the East India Company to reduce Sepoy wages or exclude Indians from administrative positions?"
Gladstone paused, thinking.
Then he shook his head.
"No. To my knowledge Parliant never issued such direct instructions."
"Exactly. And we simply need to add one more fact. Britain instructed the East India Company to maintain good relations with the local population so that Britain and India could enjoy lasting friendship. That policy was ant to serve Britain's interests."
"So what you are saying is…"
"Yes."
"We redirect the entire bla for the current discontent in India—and within the Indian army—toward the East India Company."
"And when explaining the company's abolition in India, we simply add a little more context."
Britain dissolved the East India Company because it had committed embezzlent and corruption.
An investigation revealed that the company had ignored Britain's instructions and exploited the Indian population.
Therefore the British Empire decided to dissolve the company imdiately.
From now on, India would be governed by a Royal Commission directly under the Crown.
The Governor-General and administrative officials would be appointed by Parliant and the governnt.
That would be the official explanation delivered to India.
"What do you think?" I asked. "Would that not effectively calm public sentint?"
"Yes," Gladstone nodded. "Blaming everything on the East India Company would certainly work. The company is already being dissolved, so there is no real risk."
"And when the new administration takes over," I continued, "it must clearly differ from the East India Company. Military pay should be equalized again. And Indians who demonstrate loyalty to the British Empire should be promoted—not rely to minor clerical roles, but even to positions of authority."
Imperialist colonial managent might appear efficient now.
But in the long run, it was not sustainable.
India's population was simply too vast to dominate entirely.
If Britain wanted India to remain a massive market for British goods, it would have to make certain concessions.
"Indeed," Gladstone said thoughtfully. "At the very least, it would be wise to create the image that Her Majesty personally cares for the Indian people."
"I agree," Wellesley added. "Nothing would suppress discontent more effectively than the ssage that the Queen punished the East India Company for oppressing India and has decided to personally oversee the welfare of the colony."
Exactly.
The plan solved several problems at once.
It cleaned up the East India Company's ss.
It improved public sentint in India.
And it elevated the prestige of the royal family.
In fact, it even helped Parliant.
By acting decisively, Parliant could present itself as a responsible institution that had corrected a grave mistake.
Perhaps it was a fourfold victory.
At one point I had considered granting Victoria the title Empress of India imdiately.
But the timing was not right.
Unlike the original tiline, the Sepoys had not proclaid the restoration of the Mughal Emperor.
There was no justification for Britain to claim the imperial title yet.
And honestly, winning the loyalty of the Indian people first and receiving the crown later suited my strategy far better.
"Since the governnt and both parties are in agreent," Wellesley concluded, "we will move quickly to establish the Royal Commission to replace the East India Company."
"Thank you. And one more matter," I added.
"The East India Company maintained a large standing army. Once the company is dissolved, there may be temporary confusion in both security and military command. To prevent that, the Indian Army's communications system must be improved imdiately. If the governnt approves, I would like to assist the Indian Army in adopting telegraph systems as quickly as possible."
Wellesley blinked in surprise.
"I hadn't considered that. Your concern for the soldiers in India is admirable. I will arrange the necessary authorization imdiately."
Normally the Royal Navy might protest if the army adopted new technology first.
But with such a justification, no one would object.
Field Marshal Gough—
I had kept my promise.
Those who carried out my instructions would receive their rewards.
The Rothschilds.
Gough.
I was, after all, a man of loyalty.
While Parliant and the governnt busily established the Royal Commission, I began working on the second phase of reform for the British military.
Calling it a revolutionary reform might have been an exaggeration.
I wasn't introducing unknown technologies or miraculous weapons.
If I could casually invent machine guns or tanks, Britain would dominate the world.
Unfortunately, I possessed no such knowledge.
All I could do was adopt technologies that already existed—like the telegraph—faster than anyone else.
And this reform followed the sa principle.
But this ti, image mattered greatly.
So rather than acting alone, I decided to work together with Victoria.
"You want to improve hospitals and dical services?" she asked.
"Yes. More precisely, the dical services within the army."
"Is our army's dical system really that bad? Bad enough that the Queen herself must intervene?"
"Compared to other countries, it's actually not terrible. France and Russia are probably just as bad—if not worse."
"…Then won't it look like we're causing unnecessary commotion?"
Victoria had a point.
If Britain's military healthcare were worse than France's or Russia's, reform would be obvious.
But that wasn't the situation.
In truth, every army of this era suffered from appallingly poor hygiene.
That didn't an nineteenth-century doctors were idiots who didn't understand sanitation.
If they were, reform would be impossible.
Even in the early nineteenth century, sanitation laws already existed.
Legally, armies were required to maintain hygiene.
The problem was simpler.
People rarely understood the importance of hygiene until they experienced its consequences.
The sa applied to armies.
If resources were plentiful, hygiene might receive attention.
But wars rarely occurred under comfortable circumstances.
When resources and manpower were limited, priorities were obvious.
Hygiene was pushed far down the list.
And it was hard to bla commanders.
If the survival of the nation was at stake, would they allocate resources to sothing whose benefits seed uncertain?
"So if we suddenly intervene in the military, lecturing them about sanitation laws, the backlash will be significant," I explained. "Armies hate interference from outsiders."
The royal family might technically command the military.
But everyone knew that authority was largely symbolic.
Gough might listen to out of obligation.
But even he would probably see it simply as repaying a debt.
So instead of logic—
I needed emotion.
"Killian," Victoria said suddenly, "you've been paying a lot of attention to military reform lately. Is the international situation becoming unstable?"
"Not yet. But signs of instability are appearing everywhere. And those tensions could easily escalate into major wars."
Even setting aside the Crian War, which was approaching—
Within a few years, revolutions would sweep across Europe.
France.
Italy.
Austria.
Hungary.
Poland.
Many would fail, but the upheaval would still be enormous.
And if sothing went wrong, the chaos could escalate into a continental war.
Even if reforms would happen eventually, why not prepare now?
"Alright," Victoria said at last. "I'll help. What do you need to do?"
"It's simple. I've already asked for data on how soldiers have died in past wars. Based on that information, Your Majesty will make an emotional appeal."
The Queen of Britain mourning the unnecessary deaths of soldiers.
Few things would resonate more deeply.
After that, we would establish institutions to improve the professional training of doctors and nurses—who at the mont were often treated little better than servants.
We had already planned several public events.
And once rumors spread that the royal family itself would oversee the project, wealthy individuals began offering donations—so hoping to improve their relationship with .
"So I simply say that I am deeply shocked that the young n who will carry Britain's future are dying from wounds and disease rather than enemy weapons?"
"Exactly. At the upcoming military ceremony, if Your Majesty says that personally, it will attract enormous support. I will handle the rest."
For , reducing the number of soldiers dying in war was essential.
If awareness of hygiene spread, it would also help improve urban infrastructure across Britain.
But for that to happen, the event had to succeed.
So I reviewed the list of donors who had volunteered to support the project.
So probably shared my ideals.
Others were likely just flattering .
As my eyes moved down the list, one na suddenly caught my attention.
My gaze froze on the page.
"William Edward… Nightingale?"
What?
Wait a mont.
Why was that na here?
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