I Became The Crown Prince Of The Mexican Empire - Chapter 100



Only Noblemtl

Pacific Fleet (1)

“Sir! Is it true that France lost the war and handed over its debts to Mexico?”

“···Where did you hear that?”

Although he knew it was just a rumor spread by his colleagues, Gerard Simon acted naturally embarrassed.

“It doesn’t matter where I heard it, right?”

Everyone who went to this school knew that France had demanded a huge amount of money in return for Haiti’s independence. They were all children of upper-class families in Haiti. If not, they would have been forced to work hard at this time.

“That’s right. Ahem. Let’s end the story here.”

“Then! What if Haiti joins Mexico? Will all of our debts be wiped out?”

“Emil!”

Gerard Simon was genuinely surprised.

“Don’t you ever go around saying things like that!”

Although Haiti achieved independence through a slave revolution, that did not mean it became a democratic country.

Only the French officials have disappeared, but the close bond between the military leaders at the time of independence and the existing landowners remains.

Fortunately, all the children here are from landowning families, so there is no need to talk about this with the military leaders, but it was a very dangerous statement.

“Oh, why! Even if you don’t like the French, Mexico isn’t bad. They beat up the French and liberated the black people in Cuba so they could live well, didn’t you teach me last time? Right, Jerome?”

“Yeah. You clearly told me that last time.”

Military leaders and landowners.

The landlord class also emerged after independence when the military leaders themselves, their close associates, and some farmers were given land. These two classes could be seen as one body, but if we look closely, there are clear differences in their positions.

Military leaders monopolized power by using the actual force of the army and the pretext of contributing to independence, and most landowners did not have political power.

“Our Haiti worked so hard to become independent, and now we’re giving it up. If the adults hear about it, they’ll be furious, so don’t say anything like that.”

“yes.”

When his teacher, Gerard Simon, got angry, Emile tucked his tail between his legs.

Gerard Simon was genuinely concerned about this situation, as the remarks came out faster than expected.

Haitians are proud of their country, which is understandable, as it was the first country in history to gain independence through a slave revolution.

Emil’s remarks were something he could say as a reckless 15-year-old who grew up in an environment where his parents were already landowners after independence. He had to restrain himself from saying things that were still difficult to sympathize with. It would only increase social backlash.

‘Still, the work I’ve done so far has paid off. I was surprised that it worked better than expected.’

Gerard Simon was the first black agent in the Mexican intelligence service. He was once a slave, but was made free by the favor of the Mexican imperial family.

He made a different choice from other freed slaves: he joined the Mexican army.

Only recently, during the war with France, did blacks begin to enlist in large numbers in the military, but seven years earlier, shortly after the abolition of slavery, fewer than ten of the tens of thousands of freed slaves had volunteered to join the Mexican army, including him.

Everyone thought about going to the countryside, getting land, and farming, or going to the city, getting a house, and working, so it was really rare for someone to enlist out of the blue.

‘I will liberate Haiti and repay even a little of the kindness shown to me.’

Ironically, the children I teach now are from families that exploit, not those that are exploited, but that is why it is more meaningful. It is because it has made the privileged class, who should be opposing it, support it instead.

In addition, he was teaching these children and was gaining a reputation as a well-informed teacher who was well-versed in the outside world.

Nowadays, there are very few people in Haiti who are well-informed and well-versed in the affairs of the outside world. So, Gerard Simon’s fame could not help but spread.

***

“It’s Asia.”

“Is it Asian?”

All the money my companies make is reinvested back into those companies.

In this situation, to increase investment through Real Inversion, money must be raised from outside sources, not from so many companies.

The way to think of it is Asia.

“Yeah. From what I’ve found out, the gold prices in Japan are quite interesting.”

“Japan… Oh, you mean that East Asian country. I understand that these days, trade volume has increased, making it very difficult to profit from the price difference between gold and silver. Is Japan any different?”

While I was talking to Diego, the cityscape of Veracruz outside the window was bathed in dusk.

“Don’t be surprised, it’s a whopping 4.5 to 1.”

“Yes? Is that true?”

There was a time when large amounts of silver were circulated in Mexico and South America, causing the exchange rate between gold and silver to fluctuate around the world, but these days, they are traded at roughly the same rate worldwide.

Trade volume has increased since then, the size of the economy itself is growing rapidly, and we have also produced large quantities of gold in Mexico.

“Yes. It’s a huge difference from the world standard of 15 to 1 exchange rate.”

“Even if that were true, wouldn’t Japan be reluctant to sign a trade agreement?”

Naturally, they would not want to trade. Japan at this time was pursuing the Sakoku policy, which literally means “closed country.”

As an exception, only the Netherlands was permitted to trade on the artificial island of Dejima located in Nagasaki. This was a policy intended to control the influence of foreign culture within Japan while allowing foreign culture to be accepted through trade.

In this situation, there is no way to resolve it diplomatically unless we force it.

“That’s why you created the Pacific Fleet.”

“Ah. So that’s why.”

It’s already been 18 years since I came to this world, and this body that was 15 years old has now become 33 years old.

The moral dilemma about attacking outside groups has already been resolved by forcing natives into submission.

I am the Crown Prince of the Mexican Empire, and as Crown Prince, my first priority must be the interests of the Mexican Empire.

‘Of course, there’s no need to treat them cruelly on purpose.’

Even though it is the age of imperialism, in this situation where we are busy trying to fully digest our own country, we have no intention of expanding useless colonies. After all, these colonies will only end up with a bad reputation and will not be able to be maintained.

It is right for Mexico to exercise some influence to benefit itself and invest that money in the mainland.

“Our fleet must have crossed the Pacific by now.”

***

February 1, 1841.

An unidentified fleet appeared in Edo Bay, Japan. Under the brilliant morning sunlight, the imposing figure of the fleet appeared over the sea.

This unidentified fleet completely blocked Edo’s shipping, which supported a population of one million.

Edo’s daily life, which had enjoyed stability for a long time, was suddenly filled with tension.

“···Is that really the entire ship lined with iron? Am I seeing things wrong?”

“No, I’m watching it too.”

“The size of the cannon is also enormous.”

As the Japanese who were watching said, the lead ship was not only large, but also had iron hulls and the cannons were so large that the Edo shogunate could not even think of dispatching the navy.

“If it’s to that extent… Is that a British ship that is currently at war with the Qing Dynasty?”

Tokugawa Ieyoshi’s eyes turned to the distant fleet. He guessed the identity of the fleet that had appeared out of nowhere.

Recently, there was news that the great empire of the Qing Dynasty was struggling against a European country called Britain, so I thought that a fleet of that size could be that of Britain.

“I heard from Dutch merchants that that flag belongs to a country called the Mexican Empire.”

As his subordinate’s voice cut through the heavy air, Tokugawa Ieyoshi’s forehead wrinkled.

“Mexico? Where is that… No, we can’t just stay like this, so send a ferry.”

“yes.”

The Edo shogunate’s ferry reached the Mexican Empire’s fleet, but there was no one in Japan who could speak Spanish. They sent a person who was fluent in Dutch and English and could speak some French, but he could not speak Spanish.

In fact, Mexico’s Pacific Fleet had English-speaking personnel, but they asked to bring in Spanish-speaking personnel to gain a psychological advantage in negotiations.

The ferry inevitably returned without any results and they began looking for someone among the Dutch who could speak Spanish.

“It’s been a day and he still hasn’t come… I guess I’ll have to fire a warning shot.”

Admiral Dario Navarro, commander of the Mexican Pacific Fleet (Flota del Pacífico), gave the order to fire a warning shot.

“yes!”

The two main gun turrets of the silent Mexican fleet began to rotate. The heavy silence spread over the sea was broken by the sound of the main gun turrets rotating.

“Huh? Huh? The cannon is moving!”

The main gun aimed at the sea opened fire.

Boom!···Boom!

A powerful explosion shook Edo Bay.

Wedge-

with a plop!

Even the Dutch merchants watching from afar were astonished by the chilling power of the blast.

“Is that the new Mexican ship that destroyed the French fleet?”

A merchant sighed.

“The rumors weren’t false. Wouldn’t that be enough to pierce through even a battleship?”

“It looks sufficient.”

While the Dutch merchants leisurely assessed the power of the Mexican ships, the desperate Japanese were barely able to find anyone who could speak Spanish.

On February 3, two days after the fleet arrived, while the cold winter winds still blew, the first talks between the Mexican Empire and the Edo shogunate took place.

“What brought you the fleet?”

“I have brought you a personal letter from His Majesty the Crown Prince of the Mexican Empire. I will deliver it directly to your general, so please grant me permission to land.”

“···To land a fleet this large? That is impossible.”

“Then I guess we have no choice but to lead the fleet into Edo.”

The tone of the shogunate personnel was polite, but the tone of the Mexican personnel was high-handed.

The Pacific Fleet, consisting of one ironclad, two 104-gun ships of the line, four armored frigates and high-speed contact ships, has no opponent in the East.

To officers of the Mexican Imperial Navy, the Japanese warships seemed little more than toys.

The Edo shogunate official changed his words, sweating profusely at the terrifying threat.

“Please wait a moment, I will go back and get permission.”

“Bring me an answer within three days.”

***

“It’s crazy to bring those guys into Edo! You saw their rude attitude!”

“Do you think they’ll just retreat? My lord, if it’s unavoidable, we must lift the blockade as soon as possible.”

For the Edo shogunate, having the seas off Edo blocked was like being strangled.

The current shogunate’s naval power is not enough to even scratch their fleet. In that case, the opinion was that it would be better to negotiate quickly.

‘That’s true, but what if they have other intentions?’

Tokugawa Ieyoshi’s deliberations were prolonged, but he had no choice but to make a decision.

Because after three days, as the Mexicans had informed them, they began to approach Edo with their fleet.

“Their fleet is moving!”

“We must allow landing immediately!”

The fear that they could be bombarded at any moment swept over Edo.

“I will allow landing.”

Tokugawa Ieyoshi had no choice but to say that.