It was June 1st, 1836. And Napoleon II was in his office. The ti was ten o’clock in the morning and he was already working on a specific topic that took France months to achieve.
Also inside was Charles-Louis, assisting him.
"Your Imperial Majesty, the Qing Dynasty has now successfully signed a treaty, allowing us to trade and opening up their ports for French rchants."
Napoleon II did not look up imdiately. His eyes remained on the docunt in front of him, scanning the lines once more as if confirming sothing he already knew. The paper detailed the terms clearly. Access to key ports. Protection for French traders. Fixed tariffs. Recognition of French comrcial presence along the coast.
Months of planning had led to this.
Now it was done.
"Which ports?" he asked.
Charles-Louis stepped closer, holding another set of papers.
"Xian, Ningbo, and Shanghai, Your Imperial Majesty. The agreent also allows us to establish permanent trade offices in each location."
"Wait, only three?" Napoleon II said, lifting his gaze from the docunt.
Charles-Louis hesitated for a brief mont before answering.
"My apologies, Your Imperial Majesty. Canton remains open under previous arrangents, but this treaty only secures three additional ports under direct agreent with us."
Napoleon II held his gaze on him.
"So Canton stays as it is," he said.
"Yes."
"And these three are what we gained."
"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty."
Charles-Louis lowered his head slightly.
"If you wish, we can press further. We can request more ports in a follow-up negotiation. The Qing court is already under pressure. It would not be difficult to expand the terms."
Napoleon II remained silent for a mont.
He looked back down at the docunt, his eyes moving again over the nas written there.
Xian.
Ningbo.
Shanghai.
Three points along the coast.
Three openings into a much larger system.
He leaned back slightly and let out a quiet breath.
"No," he said.
Charles-Louis looked up.
"No, Your Imperial Majesty?"
"It’s fine," Napoleon II replied.
He tapped the paper lightly.
"These are not just ports. They’re gateways."
Charles-Louis listened.
"Shanghai alone gives us access to one of the largest comrcial centers in China," Napoleon II continued. "Ningbo connects us further inland. Xian opens the southern routes."
He paused briefly.
"With Canton already open, we don’t need more right now."
Charles-Louis nodded slowly.
"I understand."
"If we push too hard, we force resistance," Napoleon II added. "If we move with what we have, we expand without it."
Charles-Louis straightened.
"Then we proceed with developnt."
"Yes."
Napoleon II’s gaze shifted slightly toward the map laid across the desk. China was marked clearly now, not as a distant region, but as an active part of French strategy.
"This secures our position there," he said.
Charles-Louis followed his line of sight.
"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty."
Napoleon II remained still for a mont longer.
Then his attention moved beyond it.
"Now we move to the next step," he said.
Charles-Louis did not need to ask.
"Japan," he said.
Napoleon II gave a small nod.
"Yes."
The room settled again, but this ti the direction was different.
China had been opened.
Not completely.
But enough.
Japan remained closed.
And that would not last.
"They’ve stayed isolated long enough," Napoleon II continued. "They’ve watched what’s happening around them. They know the world is changing."
Charles-Louis stepped closer.
"They will resist."
"Yes," Napoleon II said. "At first."
"And after?"
"They will choose," he replied. "Open on their own terms, or be forced to."
Charles-Louis did not respond imdiately.
There was no need.
The pattern had already been established.
Napoleon II looked at him.
"We will not approach this the sa way as China," he said.
"No?"
"No."
He leaned forward slightly.
"Japan is different. More controlled. More rigid. They won’t respond well to pressure alone."
"Then we negotiate first," Charles-Louis said.
"Yes."
"And if they refuse?"
Napoleon II did not answer right away.
Then he said,
"We make them reconsider."
Charles-Louis gave a small nod.
Understood.
Napoleon II reached for a blank sheet of paper.
"Prepare a diplomatic mission," he said.
"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty."
"I want soone capable," Napoleon II continued. "Not just a negotiator. Soone who understands the scale of what we’re doing."
Charles-Louis paused for a mont.
Then he spoke.
"There is one candidate."
Napoleon II looked up.
"Na."
Charles-Louis did not hesitate this ti.
"François Guizot, Your Imperial Majesty."
Napoleon II looked up.
For a brief mont, he said nothing, as if weighing the na before responding.
"Guizot," he repeated. "The historian?"
"Yes," Charles-Louis replied. "And a statesman."
Napoleon II leaned back slightly, his attention now fully on him.
"Explain."
Charles-Louis stepped forward and placed a docunt on the desk.
"He understands systems," he said. "Not just governnts, but how societies function over ti. He studies how nations rise, how they stabilize, and how they adapt. That matters more in Japan than force alone."
Napoleon II’s gaze remained steady.
"He has no naval experience."
"No," Charles-Louis admitted. "But this is not a naval mission. It is diplomatic first."
"And if diplomacy fails?"
Charles-Louis t his gaze.
"Then the fleet behind him speaks."
Napoleon II allowed a faint breath.
That was true.
He reached for the docunt and skimd through it.
"Temperant?" he asked.
"asured," Charles-Louis replied. "He does not rush decisions. He listens first, then speaks. He knows how to present terms without making them sound like threats, even when they are."
Napoleon II nodded slightly.
"That will matter."
Charles-Louis continued.
"He is also respected in intellectual circles across Europe. His presence alone signals that this is not a simple trade request. It shows we are serious."
Napoleon II set the paper down.
"And loyalty?"
"He serves the state," Charles-Louis said. "And he understands the direction you are taking it."
Napoleon II remained silent for a mont.
Then he said,
"He will not try to shape the mission into sothing else?"
"No," Charles-Louis replied. "He is disciplined. He works within structure."
Napoleon II gave a small nod.
"Good."
He leaned forward slightly.
"Japan is not China," he said. "They are closed, but not weak. They will study us before they respond."
"Yes."
"And Guizot will give them sothing to study."
Charles-Louis allowed a faint nod.
"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty."
Napoleon II looked back at the map.
China was now open.
Japan remained closed.
But the path toward it was already being set.
"Assign him," Napoleon II said.
"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty."
"Prepare his instructions carefully," Napoleon II added. "He is not going there to ask. He is going there to establish terms."
"It will be done."
Napoleon II’s gaze remained on the map, his thoughts already moving ahead of the mont.
"Send him with a fleet," he continued. "Not large enough to provoke fear imdiately, but not small enough to be ignored."
Charles-Louis nodded.
"I’ll coordinate with the Navy."
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