In 1852, in early October, Edo Bay was calm and calm, with only the shouts of busy merchant ships and docks from all over the world.

After two years of development, Edo under the Tokugawa family has become an important trading port and maritime hub on the west coast of the Pacific Ocean, with a large number of trading ships passing through Edo each year.

Today, the three steam cruisers "Changbaishan", "Sun Moon Lake" and "Dengyingzhou" under the cruiser detachment of the Beiyang Fleet are in charge of cruising off the coast of Edo Bay. Among them, the "Deng Yingzhou" is the latest "Locust" class steel cruiser in the Empire, which is an expanded version of the "Mosquito" class, although it is slower than the first two ships in speed, but its firepower and armor are far stronger than the first two ships. The "Dengyingzhou" with a displacement of 1923 tons is, in Lin Hong's opinion, the predecessor of the future armored cruiser.

Zhang Chengcheng is the captain of this warship, and people who originally had the same sound as "Shen" in their name were not allowed to board the ship, but with the emancipation of the mind, this convention became a joke, and Zhang Cheng successfully entered this beautiful warship with his rich sailing experience and excellent examination results (the captain had to pass the examination when he took office). Today is the first day of the warship's voyage.

"Captain, the Changbaishan sent a flag, and a large puff of black smoke was found in the east and was suspected to be foreign * ships, about four of which are currently unsure of nationality."

"Oh? Okay! I'm too bored to cruise! The two ships were ordered to move closer to our ship and prepare in formation to meet the enemy. ”

"Captain, the flag sent by Changbai Mountain has confirmed that it is a U.S. * ship."

"Damn, make me happy in vain."

"Lao Zhang, don't keep thinking about war, the Pacific Ocean is the empire's sphere of influence, and no country dares not to open its eyes." The staff officer next to him really couldn't help but look like a war maniac, and said on the side.

"Alas! What a waste of such a good warship. Zhang Cheng said helplessly.

The staff officer next to him looked at Zhang Cheng and smiled, and said to the herald: "Send the flag, just say that the four U.S. * ships are here to visit the empire, don't attack at will, prepare a salute." ”

"Yes." The herald hurried out

The four warships were none other than the U.S. East India Fleet led by Matthew Perry, who was appointed by the President of the United States as a special envoy to Beijing for the trip to the Far East. But their first stop in the western Pacific Ocean is Japan's Edo Bay, and the Americans mean that they want to open the market in the Far East, although China opens itself to the world, but that is because China itself is not afraid of the import of foreign goods by virtue of its strong industrial capacity, and the United States urgently needs a national market like Japan and North Korea, and they have no industrial capacity, which is a good place for the United States to dump goods.

The current president of the United States is Millard Fillmore, former vice president, who succeeded the deceased President Zachary Taylor as President of the United States on July 10, 1850. Fillmore has always had a compromise attitude towards the issue of slavery at home, in order to divert domestic contradictions and open up overseas markets, he decided to send a mission to the East, the purpose of his mission is very clear, is to open the door to Japan and Korea, as a vassal state of China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and other places trade is basically under the control of the Chinese Empire, foreign goods can flow freely in China, but in these dependent countries, only Chinese goods are allowed to circulate. In addition, the foreign affairs of these vassal states are run under the "direction" of the Empire, so foreign trade with the subject must be approved by the Empire. This time, the mission of the U.S. East India Fleet was to open the door to Japan.

"The captain found three warships in front of him, which were Chinese cruisers." First mate on the cruiser Susquehana reported to Matthew Perry.

"Prepare a salute and pay tribute to the overlord of this sea."

"Yes."

Led by the "Denying Island" and other three ships, the US East India Fleet advanced towards Edo Bay. The Japanese, who were accustomed to seeing the warships of the suzerain's country, were not much shocked by the arrival of the US ships. After disembarking from the ship, Matthew Perry was accompanied by port officials to the castle tower in Edo to meet Tokugawa Iekei, but Tokugawa Iekei was seriously ill by this time, and was received by Okubo Toshitsu to meet with Matthew Perry.

With the help of a translator, Matthew Perry conveyed to Okubo the wishes of the U.S. government that he wanted Japan to open the country, and proposed to Japan a "Japan-US Treaty of Amity" on the opening of trade.

"Don't you think such a treaty, sir, is excessive? Did you know that the Treaty of Co-Prosperity in Greater East Asia, signed by the Shogunate as the government of Japan and the suzerainty of China, is more like a treaty than yours, sir? What will be the consequences if I sign this treaty? ”

"Mr. Okubo, I don't think there will be any consequences for such a mutually beneficial agreement." In Perry's view, Japan has no reason or ability to refuse the founding demands of such advanced European and American countries as the United States.

"Our Emperor (Hayashi Hong) has said that Asia is the Asia of Asians, and your hand has crossed the line, do you think that you Americas want to challenge China's hegemony in the Pacific? When I was in school, I knew that the United States was only a coastal country in the Atlantic. ”

After all, it is the existence of the hegemon of the world power at the same level as the British Empire, and now the total number of the US army is not as large as the Chinese Empire's army in North America, although the US Navy has successively owned ironclad ships over the years, the total tonnage of the United States is equivalent to the total tonnage of the North American Fleet of the Pacific Navy, that is to say, the military strength of the North American colonies is basically the same as the military strength of the United States, of course, the United States is definitely stronger than the North American colonies economically.

"I personally hope that Your Excellency will consider my country's request."

"I am sorry, Mr. Perry, in accordance with the provisions of the Treaty of Japanese Vassalization and the Treaty of Co-prosperity of Greater East Asia signed between our country and the Chinese Empire in 1835, our foreign affairs are completely transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Chinese Empire, and our country does not have the right to sign a treaty with your country at present.

Perry reluctantly left. In fact, when he returned to the port, he thought about letting the fleet bombard Edo Bay, but when he saw the three cruisers in the harbor that were even more terrifying than his own, he had to dispel this idea. After completing the replenishment in Edo, Perry's fleet reprepared for Korea. Hope to be rewarded there.

Looking at the departing American fleet, Okubo Ritsu stood in the attic of the castle tower and breathed a sigh of relief, he knew that it would be impossible to send the United States so easily without the prestige of the Chinese Empire, the suzerain, in the world. It is the protection of Japan by the suzerainty over the years that has a good development environment in Japan, and it is the great leadership of His Majesty the Emperor that can make East Asia rise rapidly, which has strengthened Okubo Ritsu's inner thoughts, to join the big family of the Chinese Empire, and to become the emperor's internal vassal state like Lanfang in the south, which is also an important reason why he insisted on staying in Edo, he wants to wait for a suitable time to abolish the current king of Japan and return the great government of all Japan to His Majesty the great Emperor Hayashi Hong, Let Emperor Hayashi lead Japan to a better future