[quote=@Eldritch Puppy]
I think that a compromise can be reached without throwing your nation concepts out the window.

[@Letter Bee] I could see Britain making a deal with Egypt, but you should make it clear that they got some pretty hefty guarantees from Muhammad Ali that the Suez canal will be under [i]their[/i] control, not Egypt's. Maybe ceding the bit of territory that is the canal to the British directly.

[@Lady Lascivious] I would suggest that, as mentioned before, Japan was swept by a particularly virulent plague that left Japanese society prone to rebellion. With so many people dead, it could justify women getting a more prominent role in society in 19th century Japan.
[/quote]

I am receptive to your idea, especially as it is compatible with everything I said before.

Edit: And I'll accept the plague.