--- 3rd Person POV ---
--- 18th of March 1906 ---
"His Imperial Highness, Yuvraj Siagu, have given all of the helms to decide on whether to accept the terms decided by this negotiation, Your Imperial Highness. The Yuvraj only wanted for Your Imperial Highness that the matters of giving lands to the Koreans and the Japanese from the lands the empire got from the Russians shall not exceed the equivalence of 2 regions." Senior Eunuch Vinesh stated while reading the letter sent by Yuvraj Siagu.
"…" Maharajkumar Sharvil remains in silence while wearing a serious expression, listening to the content of the letter sent by his nephew. Despite being much older than his nephew, Sharvil knew his place in the hierarchy of power within the family and the empire.
Although he has significant influence and power over the family and the government, his nephew, the heir to the throne and the current adhipālaka of the empire, holds much more power and influence than him. Sharvil has no issue also in listening and following his nephew's words as over the years of spending time with Siagu, Sharvil is fully aware of his nephew's capabilities in deciding the future of the empire and the family.
From the advancement in military tech, the arrival of numerous scientists, and not to mention the reforms made within the government. All were credited to only one man, and that is none other than, Yuvraj Siagu himself.
"… But these lands must not come without a price to be paid by the Koreans and the Japanese. On this matter, regarding the payment of lands, if you will be willing to trade it to the Japanese and Koreans, is now entirely on your hands." Senior Eunuch Vinesh spoke before fully handing the letter to Maharajkumar Sharvil respectfully.
Maharajkumar Sharvil took the letter with deliberate calm, his fingers brushing over the elegant calligraphy as though it were etched in stone. The silence that followed was thick—not with hesitation, but with calculation.
He rose slowly from his seat, the folds of his black and gold robe falling like shadows upon the polished floor of the delegation room. The ministers around him stood instinctively, their eyes drawn to the stoic figure who had, for years, commanded the battlefield and the council hall alike.
Sharvil raised the letter to eye level, scanning the words once more—not out of doubt, but out of duty. Every syllable of Siagu's writing carried weight, not just as an order, but as an entrusting of fate.
He spoke at last.
"Korea and Japan," he said slowly, voice resonating across the marble walls, "have stood with us in the flames of this war, along with our old Siamese allies. Their soldiers bled beside ours, their navies shielded our shores, and their treasuries opened when ours were stretched thin. They are not strangers to hardship. But goodwill must not be mistaken for charity. Especially when the Siamese have not shown interest over the lands in Siberia."
He lowered the letter and looked toward Senior Eunuch Vinesh. "Tell the Yuvraj that I accept the helm he has entrusted. And I shall see that it steers not into shallow waters, but to a harbour of strength."
Turning toward the gathered advisors, he continued, "Two regions shall be the limit. Let that be known clearly. Anything beyond that is no longer an agreement—it is an insult. Let the Koreans and Japanese send their representatives to this chamber before dusk. They will not find a closed gate—but they will find a price."
Minister Li, the Empire's Foreign Minister, stepped forward. "And what price shall we demand, Your Imperial Highness?"
Sharvil's lips curled into a faint, calculating smile. "That depends on what they value most."
The room went silent after hearing Maharajkumar Sharvil's words. The people who remain in the room have a united thought, all concluded that every member of the Shaja family, are of different level of extortionist than the rest of Butuanons.
And by the evening, Maharajkumar Sharvil convene a gathering between him and the representatives of Korea and Japan in the negotiation. Prince Imperial Yi Kang and Foreign Minister Komura Jutarō, attended the gathering, even Prince Devawongse were invited to bare witnessed on the gathering. All of them are the current representing leader of their nations for the signing of treaty.
The gathering only took 4 hours before Maharajkumar Sharvil agreed to the agreement between the giving of two regional lands to Korean and Japan. The entire region of Sakhalin and what the locals calls Kamchatka were granted to Japan. In exchange, the Japanese Empire will be paying Butuan Empire a total of ¥9 million or approximately $9.45 million to be paid for 6 years and ownership over 4 mineral mines located in the Sakhalin region for 10 years.
For the Korean Empire, the lands of what the locals called Primorsky and half of what is called Khabarovsk were given to them. In exchange, the Korean Empire is asked to pay a lump some of ¥8 million or approximately $8.4 million to be paid for 5 years and ownership over 5 mines located within Primorsky and Khabarovsk for 10 years.
In addition to this, Maharajkumar Sharvil also made requested that each nation must give up ownership over one port to be used by the Butuanon Imperial Navy. The location of the ports is on the discretion and biding of the Japanese and Koreans, which they all accepted without hesitation.
The condition and payment might be a bit too much for others but Prince Imperial Yi Kang and Foreign Minister Komura Jutarō still agrees to the condition. It is not because they don't have a choice, but they know that this is just the few of other time they will be able to expand their countries territories.
With the Butuan Empire now controlling the eastern part and northern part of the Qing Dynasty, Korea and Japan are now physically blocked from expanding inward to Asia. Their only option is to expand by sea, but they both know that it would take more years than to just pay the price in buying lands from the Butuanons.
Thus, despite its almost crippling price, Prince Imperial Yi Kang and Foreign Minister Komura Jutarō still accepted the deal. The addition of these lands will not just boost their respective capacity and progress in the long run but will also sustain their population with enough opportunity to exploit these lands.
Prince Devawongse was even offered a land in the Far East for a price but he declined, citing the lands they acquired in the South of the Qing Dynasty is enough for them as of the moment. Which is of reality as Siam would want to focus more on building its territories before expanding further.
Besides, for Prince Devawongse and Siam, whom have something else to have and be discuss with the monarch of Butuan Empire. It is better to be on the good side of Butuan for now for the sake of their request than be the latter one. Besides, unlike Korea and Japan, Siam has the opportunity to further expands in the future.
With the discussion of the selling of lands to Korea and Japan, the meeting finally concluded and the information regarding the deal shall be announced a month after the conclusion of the treaty negotiation. This was the instruction made by Yuvraj Siagu to his uncle to make it appear to their western counterparts that the war drained the coffers of the empire.
A strategy that will make it look like the Butuan Empire weakened on the outside and might benefit Butuan in the long run. Maharajkumar Sharvil saw this and accepted his nephew's words.
By the 19th of March 1906 all parties came into an agreement after days of negotiation and back and forth. A conclusion has been made to the favour of the alliance and the humiliation of the defeated side. With almost no resistance from the government of Qing and Russia, the United States on the other hand have decided to remain as the broker and a witnessed on the signing, realizing that it will also benefit from the result of the negotiation in the future.
23rd of the same month, the signing commenced. With tabloids and news agencies around the world gathered to bare witnessed and record the signing of the treaty of Portsmouth, a treaty that finally opened the stage for the future conflict and the rising of power in Asia. A power bloc that neither the British nor the French has the power to prevent.
But unlike the Qing that have at least little say on the matter during the negotiation, the Russian representatives does not have the luxury to do so, despite their wanting. As before heading to New Hampshire, Count Vladimir Nikolayevich and the others were already brief on the things their country will be doing and handing during the negotiation.
This came as a surprise for them knowing that an agreement was already reach between Butuan and their nation. But what can they even do when the exchange of their signature is the deposition of Tsar Nicholas II and the possible stability of their empire. Thus, as much as Count Nikolayevich and the others would want to renegotiate the terms, they could not do so in fear of offending Butuan and possible starting again the war.
It was Foreign Minister Li Hongyi, as the face of the government started the procedure and laid the conditions and terms that the Qing Dynasty and the Russian Empire must adhere. Having been brief on the conditions to be laid by Maharajkumar Sharvil, Maha Samrat of Cebu, Foreign Minister Li just basically handed everything on the table.
As per agreement, Eastern Siberia must be surrendered to the Butuan Empire without any compensations. Involved in the agreement for the Russian Empire is to support and recognize Butuan and Siam on its claims on the lands that is currently under the hands of the British Empire and the French Republic.
The railways constructed by the Russians in Manchuria and the Eastern part of Siberia were also handed to Japan, Korea, and Butuan, in a price of ¥10 million or around $10.5 million. Along with this, the mining areas were also given to Siam, Korea, Japan, and Butuan, as a form of payment.
Although the Eastern part of Siberia holds of great importance to the Russian Empire because of its resources and the influence Russia could exert at the far east, influence and presence that other European countries could only dream of. But as painful as it can be to retreat from the east and abandon the eastern part of Siberia to the alliance, not to avoid further conflicts but to save Russia, their mother nation from further humiliation.
Their protest was not even heard by Tsar Michael II, their very own monarch, due to fear of further extending the war and basically loosing far greater land. Siberia is huge and losing its eastern part might be humiliating and damaging to their economy, but those can be mended and solved.
What they cannot solved is the death of their soldiers and the destruction the BV 238 might bring to St. Petersburg, a destruction that they do not want to experience. They have heard the destruction a fleet of BV 238 have brought to the Qing Dynasty, and they don't want that to experience.
The Qing Dynasty on the other hand is in much more in a dire state as the entire region of Manchuria were taken and divided by the Korean and Japanese Empire and a small coastal town in Shantung were taken and paid with $3 million. On the Southern part of the Qing Dynasty, the provinces of inland Kwangsi, Yunnan, and Kweichow were given to the Kingdom of Siam.
The provinces of Fukien, Kiangsi, Hunan, Kwangtung, Hupei, Chekiang, and coastal Kwangsi, were given to the Empire of Butuan while the protectorate of Mongolia shall be given under the rule of the Empire of Butuan.
This alone gravely weakens the Qing Dynasty as the lands being taken from them were not just of great importance due to its resources but also due to the number of people they will be losing. Originally, before the 23rd of March 1906 came, Prince Chun tried to renegotiate the lands being surrendered due to the impact it might bring to their nation's economy and strength.
But instead of being granted and heard, Prince Chun and Prince Zaiyi was reminded that it was their doings that Butuan and Siam joins the war. It was their command that civilians of Butuan and Siam died after being attacked by Qing's naval forces without a warning or even a declaration of war. Maharajkumar Sharvil even reminded Prince Chun and Prince Zaiyi that the counties of Xuwen and Leizhou originally belongs to Butuan and they are just taking it back.
Which made Prince Chun and Prince Zaiyi cursed the now ill Empress Dowager Cixi as she is the one who made a deal with Maharajkumar Sharvil to exchange Xuwen and Leizhou in exchange of the trainings of Qing soldiers under Butuanon leadership.
Seeing that Prince Chun and Prince Zaiyi remains persistent on changing the conditions of the treaty, Maharajkumar Sharvil threatens that if the Qing Dynasty further refused the deal, an indiscriminate attack shall be made by the alliance further inwards to the dynasty. A threat that left a grudging mark to the heart of Prince Chun and Prince Zaiyi who both promises to take revenge against the Butuanons and its allies.
And as much as Prince Chun and Prince Zaiyi wanted to protest the loss of Manchuria from their hands, the fear of Emperor Guangxu's safety made the both of them cower in submission. Not because their lives depend on Emperor Guangxu but because the survival of Emperor Guangxu will provide legitimacy to Prince Chun's leadership as the regent of the Qing Dynasty or what is left of it.
And given a chance to grow, Prince Chun is confident that he will be able to retake the lands that was stollen from them. Not to mention dismembering the body of the treacherous Yuan Shikai, whom Prince Chun gravely hated after defecting and joining the White Lotus Rebels in Tibet. An Act that Prince Chun cannot forgive this is why Yuan Shikai was not included in the negotiation.
Allaying with the British, French, and the United States and offering few of their ports are better than to be partitioned like a roasted pig by the alliance. The humiliation that Prince Chun has to carry for the rest of his life is not something he is willing to take.
And when that time happen, Prince Chun cannot wait to see and enjoy the pleading and pain of members of House Shaja as they bear witness the decimation of their nation. Prince Chun would want to see the pain on the face of Maharajkumar Sharvil as he harassed his entire family.
But before Prince Chun could even start to celebrate his plan for the future for what remains with the Dynasty. Another clause of the deal was added that Prince Chun and Prince Zaiyi cannot even have the chance to decline.
A reparation of worth ¥100 million or approximately $105 million, to be divided to the members of the alliance, was asked from the Qing Dynasty. The final nail to the Qing Dynasty's downfall is the military sanction the alliance imposes to the dynasty. The dynasty was only allowed to maintain a total of 50 thousand standing military while its navy were to be reduced to just 7 ships in total.
And there, the hopes of Prince Chun and even Prince Zaiyi fades into nothingness as the clauses of the treaty did not just seal their fate but also destroyed any hopes of climbing from the shadows of war. The reparation of ¥100 million or approximately $105 million alone is something that will make the Dynasty unable to recover for the next 20-40 years. Not to mention that the lands taken by the alliance and the rebellion of Yuan Shikai greatly impacted the future plans of the dynasty for recovery.
A sanction that did not just significantly weakens the dynasty but also lessen its presence at their far regions. But as much as Prince Chun wanted to retort, he cannot do a thing with the condition. Especially after the final condition were laid to them.
Four governors from the Empire of Butuan, Empire of Korea, Empire of Japan, and Kingdom of Siam will be sent in Peking to assist the rehabilitation and reunification of the rebel provinces to the Qing Dynasty proper.
Grudgingly, Prince Chun signed the treaty along with Count Vladimir and was witnessed and authenticated by President Roosvelt. And by the 27th of March 1906, the treaty was ratified by the Privy Council or Cabinet of Japan, Korea, Siam, and Butuan. On the 28th and 29th did it get ratified in Qing and Russia.
This officially ended the war between the Pan-Oriental Alliance and the combined forces of the Russians and Qing. With a total of 1.913 million deaths, majority of which were from the Qing Dynasty who received a total death of 1.3 million individuals.
And days later, the news of the conditions being accepted by Russia and the Qing creeps at the halls of every government building all throughout the world.
The treaty sent shockwaves through the Western powers. The cession of Siberian territories and the weakening of Russia marked the decline of European dominance in Asia. Britain and France, wary of the Pan-Oriental Alliance's growing influence, began reevaluating their colonial policies in the region.
In the United States, President Roosevelt's role in brokering the treaty enhanced his reputation as a global statesman. However, American strategists grew increasingly concerned about the alliance's long-term implications for the balance of power in the Pacific.
In South America on the other hand, the continent was fairly not interested on the affairs within the Southeast and East Asia as they have also been preoccupied with their respective battles. With almost weekly standoffs as borders were still being carved due to sudden power vacuum.
But the British India and Malaya government, along with the French Indochina, and Dutch East Indies were in full alert as not just Butuan and Siam further expanded. But the arrival of BV 238 changes the region's political dominance, and the world knew this.
On the outside, it was the alliance who have won against the Russians and Qing. Even the common people were thinking that it was the combine forces of the alliances that dominated the war. But government leaders, diplomats, and high-ranking officers and officials knew differently.
It was not the alliance that won the war, it was not the alliance whom have stopped the battle. It was not the alliance whom have carried the entire war. It was the Empire of Butuan whom have dominated, carried, and stopped the war. And the world could feel that at the treaty of Portsmouth after whispers of the entire negotiation were lead and directed by Maharajkumar Sharvil of the Empire of Butuan.
Asia is not for Europe's playground anymore. The scramble for Asia finally came to an end as the continent have already had their leader, and every European government knew that it was not the alliance, it was Butuan alone who rules over Asia.
And just days after the conclusion of the treaty, all members of the Pan-Oriental Alliance unanimously made a stop in Hawai'i, a protectorate of the Butuan Empire. All are in for a serious discussion that they weren't able to speak while in Washington due to the risk of being heard by others. Thus, in the halls of the conference room in the Jade Palace in Hawaii, all have gathered with a serious atmosphere.