I Became The Crown Prince Of The Mexican Empire - Chapter 101



Only Noblemtl

Pacific Fleet (2)

February 5, 1841.

A thousand Mexican Imperial Marines landed on the Japanese coast and entered Edo.

As the military band played Mexican military songs, Admiral Navarro and the Marines marched proudly into Edo Castle, and many people in Edo watched the scene.

The Japanese who witnessed the sturdy physique, thorough military discipline, and although they did not know the details, the fierce weaponry, were inwardly intimidated, but they whispered inaudibly.

“These guys have different skin colors. Some are white, some have similar skin color to ours, and some are dark!”

“I heard that all the black guys among the Dutch merchants are slaves.”

The Edo shogunate took Admiral Navarro and his men to a nearby temple and treated them with great hospitality, but they did not like the food.

“I am Tokugawa Ieyoshi, a descendant of the samurai family and the shogun who ruled the Edo shogunate. I welcome you on behalf of our land and culture.”

Tokugawa Ieyoshi was wearing traditional armor and a long sword at his waist. His subordinates were the same.

‘Is this the samurai? He must be trying to intimidate me.’

Admiral Navarro, who carried two revolvers, one on his waist and one on his coat, was more amused than intimidated by the long sword, but he answered politely.

“Thank you for your welcome. I am Admiral Dario Navarro, Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet of the Mexican Empire. I have been ordered to deliver a letter from His Highness the Crown Prince of the Mexican Empire to you and to receive your reply.”

Admiral Navarro got straight to the point and handed over the letter.

Tokugawa Ieyoshi left, telling the reader to wait while he read the letter, thought it over carefully, and replied.

Although his stay in Japan was comfortable and he was well treated, Admiral Navarro had no interest in the food, drink, entertainment, or sports competitions that Japan had to offer.

‘I didn’t know you’d show me something like this. You’re definitely trying to waste time.’

Japan showed us something called sumo wrestling, and while it was fun to see the big guys come out and fight, it soon became boring.

A week after landing, the admiral’s patience was reaching its limit.

“Everyone! You have shown us many interesting things so far, so we would like to show you something interesting in Mexico as well. I hope the General will join us.”

Admiral Navarro, who had asked to be guided to the shooting range, pulled out a revolver in front of the man known as the Shogun and the warriors.

“Now let me show you the weapons of our Mexican Empire.”

Chorrrr-

Admiral Navarro took a quick spin of the cylinder and fired at the wooden target.

bang!

“Oh. Can you shoot it right away without reloading? That’s amazing···”

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Admiral Navarro fired six shots in an instant.

“···”

Japan still primarily uses matchlock rifles, a technology older than flintlock muskets.

I felt great just by firing the gun without the hassle of reloading, but when I fired five more shots in a row, I felt fear beyond greatness.

after-

Admiral Navarro puts his pistol away again, making a pointless show.

“Judging from your reaction, it seems like you had fun. Well then. Since you had fun enough, let’s get to the main point.”

***

The negotiations that began after Admiral Navarro’s shocking demonstration were surprisingly easy.

The letter from the Crown Prince of the Mexican Empire contained a demand to completely overturn the existing closed policy, but Japan could not refuse.

Because I was completely overwhelmed.

“That’s right, didn’t I say we shouldn’t bring in soldiers?”

“If we don’t let them in, their fleet will turn Edo into a wasteland. What do you want me to do?”

“Then you should have limited the number of soldiers. A thousand! All those thousand men came carrying other long guns as well as that monstrous gun. What if they change their minds?”

“No matter how good the weapon is, on land···”

“stop!”

Tokugawa Ieyoshi shouted at his subordinates’ argument.

“How long are you going to keep talking about things that have already happened? Since you promised to give us an answer by this evening, there’s not even enough time to think about how we can make their demands a little less severe!”

“···My lord, they won’t lift the blockade on Edo until we accept them. There’s no way.”

***

February 16, 1841.

Mexico and Japan agreed to a treaty, the contents of which were as follows:

————

Treaty of Amity and Commerce between the Mexican Empire and Japan

Article 1 – Establishment of diplomatic relations

– The Mexican Empire and the State of Japan maintain contact between themselves by maintaining resident diplomats in each other’s capitals.

– The two countries respect each other’s culture and traditions and promote mutual understanding through diplomatic communication.

Article 2 – Opening of ports

– Japan opens five ports, Hakodate, Niigata, Yokohama, Hyogo, and Nagasaki, to Mexican ships and merchants.

– These ports could be used as resupply points for the Mexican fleet and as a place for trade and exchange of goods for Mexican merchants.

Article 3 – Non-interference in trade

– Japanese officials will not interfere with the legitimate trade activities of Mexican merchants and will guarantee their commercial freedom.

Article 4 – Recognition of Mexican consular jurisdiction

– Mexican consuls within Japan have jurisdiction over Mexican citizens and provide them with legal protection.

Article 5 – Agreement Tariff Principles

– The two countries will promote trade through mutually advantageous tariff agreements, which will be regularly reviewed and adjusted.

Article 6 – Most-Favoured-Nation Treatment

– Japan grants Mexico most-favored-nation treatment, which applies to trade, investment, and other economic activities.

Article 7 – Duration of the Treaty and Amendments

– This Treaty shall enter into force on the date of signature and may be amended or extended by agreement between the two Parties.

This Treaty, when signed by the representatives of the two countries, is formally adopted and establishes the basis of friendly and mutually beneficial relations between the Empire of Mexico and the State of Japan.

————

Although the terms of the treaty were unilaterally disadvantageous to Japan, Admiral Navarro’s demands did not end there.

“Oh, and since we’ve made a friendship treaty, I have a favor to ask.”

“···What else is left?”

“I would like to send a letter to our neighboring country, Joseon, and I hope that Japan can help me.”

It was the Crown Prince’s order. He was instructed to deliver a letter through Japan, saying that Joseon would not surrender meekly like Japan, but would resist fiercely.

Admiral Navarro thought he could just lead the fleet and destroy it, but it was His Highness the Crown Prince’s order. He must have had a plan.

“It has been a long time since we lost contact with Joseon. The last Joseon envoy was cut off in the 8th year of Bunka (1811).”

Tokugawa indirectly refused Admiral Navarro’s request, but the admiral, who heard the message through an interpreter, did not back down.

“Even if official communication is cut off, can’t we send at least one letter? If we directly lead the fleet, there is a high probability that we will fight, but if we contact Japan, they will not attack.”

“···You’ve done a lot of research. Good. It shouldn’t be hard to deliver a letter.”

“thank you.”

The warriors closed their eyes tightly as if they were ashamed of that humiliating conversation.

February 1841.

The impact of the Mexican Empire on Japanese society was enormous.

Japan proved unable to even resist the overwhelming naval power of the Western powers, and the prestige of the Edo shogunate fell to the ground.

Japan called this incident the “Iron Wire Incident.”

***

“Your Majesty, there seems to be no problem with the letter.”

“This is a letter from the Crown Prince of the Mexican Empire. Let me take a look.”

The king tried to accept a letter from Japan out of the blue, but it didn’t go as planned. As soon as the Japanese messenger left after confirming that the letter had been delivered, his subjects began to speak one by one.

“Your Majesty, this is a letter from the crown prince of Mexico, a country far across the ocean. Your Majesty, you may handle it as you wish, but I dare say that the contents of this letter may be a diplomatic matter that will have a significant impact on the future of Joseon. I therefore recommend that Your Majesty summon all of your ministers, great and small, to discuss this matter together. I hope that Your Majesty, with your foresight, will decide the right path for the well-being of your people and your country.”

“I would like to add a word to the words of Grand Master Kim Jwa-geun. Your Majesty, the letter from the Crown Prince of Mexico must indeed contain important matters for our country. It would be right for the stability of the court and the peace of the country to carefully discuss this important matter and make a wise decision.”

Although Jo Man-young was in opposition to Kim Jwa-geun of the Andong Kim clan, whose position had recently been rapidly rising, he was also curious about the contents of the letter.

Although Joseon was a closed country, it knew that a Western country called Britain had invaded the Qing Dynasty.

In Joseon’s traditional worldview, the Qing Dynasty was an undefeated power. Amid the shocking news of an invasion of the Qing Dynasty, the crown prince of another Western country, Mexico, sent a letter to the king through Japan.

“However, wouldn’t it be a diplomatic faux pas to make public a letter sent to me privately by a foreign crown prince?”

“Your Majesty, there is no way they will know that the letter has been made public. Please make a wise decision.”

It was a weak claim that was no different from a stretch, but it was difficult for the king, who had just turned 15 and started his own reign, to refuse the demands of the two powerful factions.

“···Okay.”

As Kim Jo-geun and Jo Man-yeong gave notice, those who were present at the royal meeting bowed and left. The only people left in the royal meeting were the powerful figures and some high-ranking officials.

“Ahem. Then I will read it.”

Kim Jo-geun, who received the letter, coughed once and then read the letter out loud.

“···”

“Ugh.”

“Ahem···.”

The meeting was momentarily silent at the shocking content.

“···Didn’t you clearly say that you brought a fleet to Japan and threatened it into opening its ports?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

The content sent to Joseon was completely different. It was true that they wanted to open the ports and trade, but it was not a threat to bring a fleet if the ports were not opened.

“If you don’t like it, you don’t have to open it.”

“It’s all in words, but if you look at what’s written behind it, isn’t it a complete curse?”

[···(omitted) The Qing Dynasty will be crushed by Britain. The technological level of the two countries is as different as heaven and earth, and even the Qing Dynasty’s vast territory and population will not be able to overcome the gap.]

“The Qing Dynasty is falling? Isn’t that a delusion?”

“That’s right. And how arrogant is it to think that we will be eliminated just because we don’t trade with the West?”

In Joseon, except for a very small number of intellectuals, people reacted indifferently or optimistically to the Opium War.

The talk that the technological gap was huge, that the Qing Dynasty would lose, and that Japan, which had previously traded with the Netherlands and accepted civilization, would once again open its ports first and begin to develop did not create a great sense of crisis in Joseon.

This is because the Qing Dynasty considered it a delusion to think that they would be defeated by a mere sheep.

“The letter looks flashy on the outside, but the content is complete nonsense.”

“Yes. In the first place, it is doubtful that the Mexican Crown Prince even sent a letter through Japan.”

I wasted my time on a strange letter.

That was Joseon’s conclusion.

***

When Admiral Navarro heard that the King of Joseon had accepted the letter, he prepared to set sail with the fleet that was staying in Japan.

“We’re going to the Philippines. There might be combat, so prepare.”

“yes!”

Although it was known as a Spanish colony, Spain was defeated by Mexico and lost its first fleet, and was unable to repay its debt to England, so it lost its remaining fleet.

It has been several years since the naval power to control the colony was eliminated. What would the situation be like there then?

Even His Highness the Crown Prince could not have predicted that situation.

Admiral Navarro set out with his fleet half worried, half excited.