Palace of Versailles, Paris
June 8th, 1836
A week had passed since the decision was made.
In that ti, preparations had already begun moving across multiple levels of the state. Orders had been sent to the navy. Ships were being assigned and inspected. Docunts were drafted, revised, and finalized. Quiet communications had already reached the ports, setting things in motion without drawing attention.
Now, the man at the center of it stood outside Napoleon II’s office.
François Guizot did not shift his posture as he waited.
He stood straight, composed, his hands resting calmly at his sides. He had been inford of the summons only the night before. No explanation had been given, but none was needed. A direct call from the Emperor carried its own aning.
Charles-Louis stood beside him.
"He will see you now," he said.
Guizot gave a small nod.
Then stepped forward.
Napoleon II stood near the desk, not seated this ti, his attention already on the man entering the room.
Guizot stopped at the center and bowed.
"Your Imperial Majesty."
Napoleon II gave a small nod.
"François Guizot."
Guizot straightened.
"You know why you’re here," Napoleon II said.
It was not a question.
Guizot did not pretend otherwise.
"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty."
Napoleon II studied him for a mont.
There was no uncertainty in the man’s posture. No sign of hesitation. He stood as soone who understood the weight of what was coming, but did not shrink from it.
"Then speak," Napoleon II said. "Tell what you understand."
Guizot did not rush his answer.
"You intend to open Japan," he said. "Not through force alone, but through controlled engagent. A formal mission, backed by the presence of the navy, but led by diplomacy."
Napoleon II remained still.
"Continue."
Guizot took a step forward, not out of boldness, but to speak clearly.
"China has already been secured," he said. "Not completely, but enough to establish presence. Japan will have observed this. They will understand what it ans, even if they do not admit it."
Napoleon II’s gaze did not shift.
"And how will they respond?"
Guizot answered without hesitation.
"With caution first," he said. "Then resistance. Not imdiate rejection, but controlled distance. They will try to asure us before committing to anything."
Napoleon II nodded slightly.
"That’s correct."
The room remained quiet for a mont.
Then Napoleon II moved.
He walked toward the desk and picked up a docunt, then placed it in front of Guizot.
"These are your instructions," he said. "But I want to hear how you would carry them out."
Guizot glanced down at the paper, but did not pick it up yet.
"You want them to open," he said. "But you don’t want it to appear as surrender."
"Yes."
"You want cooperation," Guizot continued, "but under terms that we control."
"Yes."
Guizot finally lifted the docunt, scanning it quickly.
Then he looked up again.
"I would not begin with demands," he said. "I would begin with presence."
Napoleon II’s expression remained unchanged.
"Explain."
Guizot spoke clearly.
"They have been isolated for centuries," he said. "Their first instinct will be to protect that isolation. If we arrive as a threat, they will close themselves further. If we arrive as sothing unfamiliar but controlled, they will observe."
"And observation leads to?"
"Engagent," Guizot replied. "Curiosity before resistance."
Napoleon II gave a small nod.
"And if they refuse entirely?"
Guizot t his gaze.
"Then the fleet becos the ssage."
"That’s why you’re here," he said.
Napoleon II stepped closer.
"This mission is not about asking," he said. "It is about establishing presence. Once we are there, we do not leave without terms."
Guizot nodded.
"I understand."
"You will not improvise beyond the objective," Napoleon II continued. "You will not negotiate away position for convenience."
"I won’t."
"You will observe," Napoleon II said. "But you will not hesitate when it’s ti to act."
Guizot held his gaze.
"I won’t."
The silence that followed was brief.
Then Napoleon II stepped back.
"You leave within two weeks," he said.
Guizot nodded once.
"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty."
"The fleet will be ready," Napoleon II continued. "You will have enough strength to be respected, but not enough to provoke imdiate hostility."
"Understood."
Napoleon II turned slightly, his gaze moving toward the map laid across the desk.
China was marked.
Japan remained unmarked.
Not for long.
"This is only the beginning," he said.
Guizot followed his line of sight.
"Yes."
Napoleon II looked back at him.
"When you arrive," he said, "they will try to understand you. They will try to asure what you represent."
Guizot remained still.
"And what do I represent?" he asked.
Napoleon II answered without hesitation.
"You represent change," he said.
The words settled.
"You represent a world they have not accepted yet," Napoleon II continued. "And you represent the fact that it will reach them whether they choose it or not."
Guizot gave a small nod.
"I understand."
Napoleon II studied him for a final mont.
Then he said,
"Good."
The eting was over.
Guizot bowed once more.
Then turned and walked out.
Guizot stepped out of the office without slowing, his pace steady as he moved through the corridor. The doors closed behind him with a soft, controlled sound, sealing the eting in place. For a brief mont, he allowed himself to exhale, not out of relief, but to settle the weight of what had just been decided.
Charles-Louis had already moved ahead, leaving him to proceed alone.
At the end of the corridor, his aide was waiting.
The man straightened the mont he saw him.
"Well?" his aide asked, keeping his voice low, though there was no one close enough to overhear.
Guizot did not stop walking.
"It’s confird," he said. "We leave within two weeks."
His aide fell into step beside him imdiately.
"So it’s happening."
"Yes."
There was a brief pause as they moved past a set of tall windows, sunlight cutting across the polished floor.
"Japan?" the aide asked.
"Yes."
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