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 same 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, Parliament chose the simplest solution.
Prime Minister Charles Wellesley summoned key members of both parties and myself, then explained the government's new policy.
"After considering every possibility, we have concluded that India must be administered directly by Britain. For the time 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."
"Prime 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 something."
"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—"
"Gentlemen. Were those policies issued directly by the British government? Did Parliament 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 Parliament 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 meant to serve Britain's interests."
"So what you are saying is…"
"Yes."
"We redirect the entire blame 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 embezzlement 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 immediately.
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 Parliament and the government.
That would be the official explanation delivered to India.
"What do you think?" I asked. "Would that not effectively calm public sentiment?"
"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 merely to minor clerical roles, but even to positions of authority."
Imperialist colonial management 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 message 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 mess.
It improved public sentiment in India.
And it elevated the prestige of the royal family.
In fact, it even helped Parliament.
By acting decisively, Parliament 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 immediately.
But the timing was not right.
Unlike the original timeline, the Sepoys had not proclaimed 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 government and both parties are in agreement," 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 immediately. If the government 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 immediately."
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 Parliament and the government 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 same principle.
But this time, image mattered greatly.
So rather than acting alone, I decided to work together with Victoria.
"You want to improve hospitals and medical services?" she asked.
"Yes. More precisely, the medical services within the army."
"Is our army's medical 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 mean 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 same 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 blame commanders.
If the survival of the nation was at stake, would they allocate resources to something whose benefits seemed 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 me 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 Crimean 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 something 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 me 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 moment 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—some hoping to improve their relationship with me.
"So I simply say that I am deeply shocked that the young men 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 me, 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.
Some probably shared my ideals.
Others were likely just flattering me.
As my eyes moved down the list, one name suddenly caught my attention.
My gaze froze on the page.
"William Edward… Nightingale?"
What?
Wait a moment.
Why was that name here?