Holy Roman Empire

At the Palace of Versailles, a group of would-be allies had backed away, yet the Japanese Government still insisted on fulfilling the agreement, and Napoleon IV was deeply touched, unprecedentedly elevating the diplomatic relations with Japan.

The French government now needed to set an example to show that cooperation with them would be beneficial, in order to attract more partners and reverse a passive political situation.

Due to the war, France may not have been wealthy, but a starving camel is still bigger than a horse; even plucking a single hair would be a substantial gain for the Japanese Government.

Besides money, there is something in this world called technology. Even in this era of relatively lax technology embargoes, it was exceedingly difficult for Asian countries to import advanced technology.

Not to mention the difficulties of communication, even when technology was for sale one required the ability to discern the genuine from the counterfeit, and, furthermore, a sizeable wallet.

A look at the history of industrial development during the Meiji Restoration reveals that it is also a history of the Japanese Government being swindled in various ways. Many of the imported technological equipments faced difficulties adapting to Japanese conditions.

Perhaps it was due to these early deceptions that the Japanese people later strove for self-reliance and a determined catch-up, closing the gap between the two parties.

Having finally connected with the European powers, the Japanese naturally wouldn't miss this great opportunity. Ito Hirobumi, Japan's Minister in Paris who still didn't know the domestic plans, was now energetically engaging with the French to exchange conditions.

The cover clearly read "French Technical Assistance Treaty to Japan," which included thousands of items of civil and military technologies, almost every technology available on the market.

In theory, if the Japanese could import and assimilate these technologies, they would be able to advance to a third-rate industrial nation, potentially cutting at least ten years off their industrialization process.

As for even more advanced technologies, these were beyond the reach of a country that had not yet completed industrialization. Without proper industrial foundations, they wouldn't be able to utilize advanced technologies, even if they got their hands on them.

Unfortunately, reality is cruel. This treaty, which seems so vital to Japan, was mostly unenforceable.

The French were not philanthropists. The so-called technical assistance depended on Japan's declaration of war against Austria. Exactly how much help they would give was still to be determined by the Japanese military's performance on the battlefield.

...

The sea was a vast expanse of blue and the sky was boundless. The sun revealed only half of its face, casting a spread of sunset hues like a colorful veil, and the sea was tinged with gold.

As the sky gradually dimmed, the previously quiet dock became noisy again with the roaring sounds of ships.

A group of ragged workers stood up, gazing into the distance, their eyes filled with anticipation.

Dock work was not easy; back-breaking and unstable. Even in the bustling Lüzon Island, one couldn't be sure of work every day.

During busy times, there might be hundreds of merchant ships transferring goods, with endless work to be done. On slow days, the docks could go without business for ten days or even half a month.

Due to the war, trade routes in the Southeast Asia region had become depressed. Merchants no longer dared to set sail lightly.

France and Austria adopted a pirate strategy in Southeast Asia, and it had escalated to a point where mistakes were made, but no chances were given.

Encountering real pirates usually meant robbery, but there was still a good chance for survival; encountering these pseudo-pirates often meant both men and ships were doomed.

Under such dubious circumstances, faced with two bullies, no one could do anything except blame the pirates.

Now, only large fleets traveling together, usually under the escort of a naval ship from a neutral country, could safely conduct trade in the region.

Against this backdrop, the once-thriving Lüzon Island had also become desolate. With a decrease in passing ships, life became harder for the dockworkers.

Based on clothing, one could roughly determine that the workers were a mix of individuals with the most being of mixed heritage, followed by Chinese, then Japanese, and a handful of whites.

This was indicative of the situation in Lüzon Island where the Spaniards had ruled for hundreds of years; civilization was still only transferred within cities, while the local natives largely lived in tribal times.

As such, there was no expectation for the tribesmen to seek work elsewhere. With wild plants and fruit enough to fill their stomachs, there was simply no need for exertion.

Every place has its circles, and the small dock was no exception. Even at the bottom of society, people were divided into different classes, as could be seen by their clothing.

This was Spanish territory, and the whites naturally held the highest status. Even though they were all trying to make a living at the dock, the whites were mostly in management, with very few as laborers.

The status of the others was about the same. When there was plenty of work, everyone could be friends; when work was scarce, they became competitors. For the sake of livelihood, various groups often clashed in private.

The prosperity of Lüzon Island was built on its port, and the Spaniards had not invested in developing the local economy, hence there were not many job opportunities.

Compared with working in mines and plantations, although unstable, working on the docks typically offered higher earnings.

Those who could stand here were the victors of these struggles. Thus, they not only had to support themselves but also the leaders of their respective gangs behind them.

As the distance closed, the outline of a ship became faintly visible. A middle-aged man sighed and said, "Stop looking, that's a Japanese warship; there's no work for us."

The most important thing for making a living on the docks was having a keen eye, to accurately judge which business to pursue and which to accept.

For instance, the arrival of a Japanese warship generally meant little business. Even for supply stops, they tended to employ Japanese laborers preferentially.

The same applied to merchant ships. Asians are a vulnerable group in the maritime industry and must band together to survive—clans, fellow countrymen, and gangs are all indispensable.

The eager young man returned to his spot, responding with resignation, "I understand, Uncle Liu. We haven't gotten many jobs this month, and we still have to pay the gang their share.

I don't know when things will get better. If this continues, we'll soon be left out in the cold."

The workers sat down in small groups, some lighting up opium to numb their nerves with smoke, seeking to escape the sorrows of reality.

Seeing this, the middle-aged man frowned and said impatiently, "Deng Mazi, stow that opium. In times like these, you should save your money. We'll see what you'll have to eat later."

Having said that, the middle-aged man kicked out. These days, most dockworkers were bachelors; one full stomach meant a whole family wasn't hungry. Work was hard and tiring, and smoking opium was a common practice.

Although Spain was also a signatory of the international anti-opium treaty, that was more out of pressure from public opinion or, to put it another way, to save face for Austria rather than a true implementation.

Now, the true meaning of achieving the anti-opium campaign was only accomplished by a few European countries, and among the colonies, only Austria was carrying out anti-opium efforts.

The Vienna Government's indefinite liability act meant that whenever and wherever an addict was caught, they were pulled out and used for target practice. This stern measure had all the opium traders across the world step back in fear and thus stemmed the tide of opium flooding.

That's right, it only stemmed the tide of the drug spread. The underground drug trade still existed; it was just that the government's crackdown was so severe that trafficking drugs in Austria had become the most dangerous job in the world.

The middle-aged man had once been part of this trade, but after he had a family to feed and mouths to support, he gritted his teeth and kicked the habit.

Thanks to his determination to quit and his mature and steady way of handling things, he was spotted by a fellow clansman in the association and became a small boss at the docks.

In a certain sense, the middle-aged man was also a beneficiary of the Austrian anti-opium movement.

Ever since the establishment of Lanfang Province, it had become the center for Chinese in Southeast Asia. After all, there were so few safe places back then. Every so often, the colonizers would initiate an anti-Chinese movement to reap wealth.

Externally, Lanfang Province bore the flag of Austria, so there was no worry of foreign threats; internally, it implemented provincial autonomy. Influenced by Austria, it even adopted the rule of law.

No matter what the law was like, at least there were rules to the game, so there was no need to worry about safety.

With a safe investment environment, the capital of security-conscious Chinese naturally flocked in, directly driving the economic development of Lanfang Province.

By now, the large Chinese family clans in the Southeast Asia region had mostly relocated their bases to Borneo.

Although it was an autonomous province, the Chinese had a natural awe for the imperial power. When the Emperor decreed an anti-opium edict, the autonomous government didn't dare to refuse it.

With the promotion of enlightened individuals, as well as the Austrian Navy's attacks on opium ships, the opium input was limited, and Lanfang Province's anti-opium movement also proceeded smoothly.

Those selling opium were shot, and those smoking it were forcibly sent to detox centers. Regardless of status, everyone was compelled to quit. Naturally, this included the leaders of the societies.

After all, Hongmen, the largest triad organization in Southeast Asia, was essentially controlled by a few large families. When the upper echelons quit opium, it naturally impacted the members below.

Furthermore, the anti-opium campaign wasn't just about banning opium, but it was also accompanied by a lot of propaganda. By now, it had become a habit to disdain opium smoking, much like how people in later generations would detest drug abuse.

Words fall on deaf ears when preaching to the damned. Seeing his words ignored, the middle-aged man furrowed his brow and turned away, deciding out of sight, out of mind.

"Don't follow his example. If he continues like this, he will end up dead in the street sooner or later. Regarding the issue of the loan interest, I'll communicate with the society. We are all fellow townsmen, the society won't let you starve to death."

In these times, Hongmen was not just a mere gang organization but also a gathering place for the countrymen. The local Hongmen branches did not have strong enforcement over each other; they simply shared a common name.

This endowed them with different attributes; while they collected protection money, they also took on the role of social assistance providers, like helping newcomers from Asia to settle, find jobs, and so on.

...

Warships differ from merchant ships; reaching an agreement for docking is necessary well in advance. Unquestionably, this Japanese Fleet was an unwelcome visitor.

Negotiations were futile. Despite its decline, the Duckboard Empire did not take the Japanese lightly and would not agree to lend them the port as a staging area.

Even if England and France intervened, it would not work. The situation on the Europe battlefield was becoming increasingly obvious, not kicking France while it's down was already giving face; how could they possibly side with France?

Seeing negotiations dragging on without a result, Commander Ito Yohiro coldly ordered, "Send the prepared 'gifts' to the Spaniards. Tell them we are just docking to resupply some materials and won't take long. We will leave before nightfall and won't cause them any trouble.

Notify the Army to be ready. As soon as we dock, we must act immediately and catch the enemy off guard."

Leaving before nightfall was out of the question. Ito Yohiro had chosen this time deliberately; once docked, they would delay until nighttime at any cost.

The Spaniards, who had operated on Lüzon Island for quite some time, still had coastal cannons that were old but not to be underestimated. A direct assault would inevitably cost the Japanese Army dearly,

As for the Spanish Fleet in the Philippines, a bunch of outdated Sailing Warships and two decrepit Ironclad ships, Ito Yohiro did not take them seriously at all.

Japan's treasury was limited; this war had to be swift and decisive. The core of the Philippines was in Lüzon Island, and once it was captured, the rest would be easy.

Money talks, even if it's just for a brief docking to resupply, right?

The Japanese Government this time had gone south under the pretext of suppressing pirates, ostensibly targeting Austria, and the Spaniards couldn't recognize the danger. Even subconsciously, they never thought the Japanese could pose a threat to them.
Find your next adventure on My Virtual Library Empire

Despite this Japanese Fleet being excessively large, they still assumed the Japanese wouldn't dare challenge Spain. It's just that they had been at peace for too long and had lost their sense of crisis.

On the island, groups of Japanese ronin began to converge on the pubs. This wasn't their first time; having a drink at night seemed to be a Japanese habit.

If someone observant noticed, they would have seen that these men were different from usual, all appearing adrenaline-charged and their eyes brimming with murderous intent.

...

"Some of us have been here for over ten years, some just arrived last month. We all come here with only one purpose, to help the Empire conquer Southeast Asia and drive away the white invaders.

Today, the opportunity has finally come. Our fleet is just offshore, and tonight, we will launch a full assault. Our mission, before the battle breaks out, is to preemptively seize the governor's mansion, the city hall, and disrupt the enemy's command system.

We don't have much time left, now to distribute the weapons..."