Chapter 60
University and Slavery (1)
Anthony Butler, the American ambassador.
Normally, meeting this incredibly brazen fellow would be an unpleasant experience, but today is different.
"Ambassador! It's been a while since the wedding! Nice to see you."
I greeted him enthusiastically when he came to the palace, and he had a bewildered expression.
"Thank you for your hospitality, Your Highness. I didn't expect you to call me. It's a pleasant surprise."
He's asking why I called him suddenly.
I didn't answer right away. Instead, I offered him tea. The attendant poured the tea.
Pour-pour.
"We have time, so let's have a cup of tea."
"···Thank you."
It was when he took a sip.
"You've been playing games in Texas."
"Ahem. What do you mean?"
Unfortunately, he didn't choke or anything.
"Exactly what I said. I'm holding the agent you sent. You're closely connected to President Andrew Jackson, so you must know."
He was personally chosen by Andrew Jackson. It means he's part of Andrew Jackson's line.
"I have no idea what you're talking about. An agent? Our United States has no knowledge of that."
It's a natural denial.
"The agent confessed. You've also brought quite a lot of weapons to Texas. We've even secured testimony that they were sent by the US government to support the Texas rebellion. For your information, we've recovered the weapons, so don't waste your time trying to find them."
"The US government sent them? We don't know anything. He must be insane."
Anthony Butler immediately turned his own agent into an insane person.
It's true that this is how spies usually end up after being caught, but it's a bit too much.
"Then, you wouldn't mind if I handed over the information and evidence about this man to Henry Clay? If he raises doubts, our Mexican Empire will readily acknowledge those doubts. We'll say that your President Andrew Jackson incited a rebellion on our Mexican territory."
Henry Clay was a US senator and one of Andrew Jackson's biggest political rivals. He even founded the Whig Party, an anti-Andrew Jackson party, in 1834.
He also had considerable political influence and was constantly opposing Andrew Jackson's 'Bank War' policy, one of the biggest hot topics in US politics recently.
'He won't hesitate to attack Andrew Jackson the moment he gets a reason.'
As soon as I finished speaking, Anthony Butler stood up.
"I can't listen anymore. It's a blatant lie and incitement to say that our United States intervened in the rebellion. It's not hard to get weapons in our United States. I admit that we're responsible for not managing things like cannons properly, but inciting a rebellion? Do you think we'd acknowledge such nonsense? Even if the Mexican Empire makes such claims, it will only cause diplomatic friction, and they won't be able to do anything."
Anthony Butler, with a flushed face, spouted out his words and tried to leave.
As he said, it's impossible to officially make the United States admit to inciting a rebellion with this level of evidence. But it can inflict a huge political blow on his superior, President Andrew Jackson.
A normal diplomat wouldn't storm out like this, but would think about making a deal.
'It's clear how much they disrespect our Mexican Empire.'
It's a response that wouldn't come out if they thought of us as an equal diplomatic partner. I said to Anthony Butler, who was about to grab his coat.
"Wait, don't get so excited. Let's talk more. We can make a deal, without necessarily hitting each other."
When I said that in a calm tone, he realized that he was too excited, so he put his coat back on and sat down.
"···I'm sorry, Your Highness. I got a little excited. I want to talk about a deal."
'What an amateur.'
This is the limit of a diplomat who got his job through connections. I scoffed inwardly and brought up a story that would tempt him.
"Judging by President Andrew Jackson's Indian Removal Act, it seems like he wants to chase away the Indians. Is that right?"
"···It's not so much chasing them away, but more like wanting to move them to a suitable location."
We both know that there is no such thing as a suitable location. As the Americans move further west and south, they will continuously push the Indians away. Until they all die.
"If those Indians agree, you can immigrate them to our Mexican Empire. In return, the US government must 'humanely' bring them to the city where our Mexican Empire's immigration office is located on the border."
"Huh? Really? If you just do that, will you accept them all?"
Anthony had an expression as if he had struck a windfall. To cover up something that could be a political burden, they'll accept a headache in return? Is this real? He had that kind of expression.
"Of course, there will be more conditions. Our Mexican Empire isn't a philanthropist."
When I asked that question, as if I found it absurd, Anthony Butler regained his composure.
"Can I ask what the conditions are?"
"As a nominal condition, for signing a treaty on Indian immigration, we'll forgive half of the debt our Mexican Empire owes you, 4 million pesos. If you do that, we'll also let go of the matter of you inciting the Texas rebellion."
After confiscating their farms in Cuba, we've been paying back the principal gradually, so we have 8 million pesos left in debt.
Anthony Butler was pondering quite a bit. He must be running various simulations in his head.
'If it's $2 million, President Andrew Jackson would be happy to announce that he signed such a treaty with Mexico. If it's $3 million, it would be an ambiguous reaction, but not bad. If it's $4 million, it would be a loss.'
It's a price that President Andrew Jackson could easily accept, politically, even though it would be a bit of a burden, if it covers up the matter of inciting the Texas rebellion.
Anthony Butler answered after pondering.
"···I need to consult with the home country and decide, but you can be optimistic."
"Okay. I want to hear the official answer as soon as possible."
I shook hands firmly with Anthony Butler. As I watched him leave, I thought.
'He's going to regret this decision.'
Since the United States is chasing away the natives because of the land, they'll want to get rid of them by sending them to the Mexican Empire, rather than moving them to other territories within the United States.
I added the condition that they should only send tribes who agree to immigrate to Mexico, but the United States will use force to make them agree.
'They'll have a huge grudge against the United States in the process.'
I will settle these tribes along the border with the United States. I'll give them land, food, and farm implements, just like the European immigrants.
Unlike the native tribes who were already living in our territory, I won't let them live together in the same tribe. They will follow the same immigration policies of our Mexican Empire as the other immigrants, to promote rapid assimilation.
'There's no need to use carrots and sticks.'
Those who reach our Mexican border have already been defeated in the war with the United States, walked a path of tears, and have fully realized the harsh reality.
They won't have the strength to resist even if we scatter them, and their motivation to resist will gradually disappear once they taste the benefits of immigration.
They will become self-sufficient farmers in our Mexican Empire, restoring our population, and in 10 years, the United States will bitterly regret this treaty.
***
Major Ricardo was promoted to lieutenant colonel after returning to Mexico City. This was because I reported his exploits in detail to my father.
He became the head of the military intelligence corps.
A corps was established that officially didn't exist, and only a select few knew about it.
The 20 agents personally selected by my father were all the most loyal elite officers of the royalists.
From young officers in their early twenties to officers in their forties, they stood in a single file, led by Lieutenant Colonel Ricardo.
I spoke in front of them.
"You will be carrying out the most dangerous and difficult missions of all the soldiers in our Mexican Empire."
I made eye contact with each and every one of them.
"But don't worry. Your patriotism and loyalty will be rewarded."
It's the first intelligence corps we're operating. Naturally, we have no foundation and no know-how in operating spies.
"This corps doesn't officially exist, but you can be proud that it's the best in our empire, in terms of its meaning and importance. So, carry out your missions with pride."
I stood in front of Lieutenant Colonel Ricardo.
"Lieutenant Colonel Ricardo, I'll leave it to you."
He answered with a determined expression.
"I will strive to be the eyes and ears of the imperial family. Loyalty!"
I accepted their salute.
There was one more person at the quiet, modest founding ceremony of the military intelligence corps, held quietly in a quiet place.
It was Michael Williams, standing awkwardly at the end of the many officers in uniform.
"Why are you making that face?"
"I..I wonder if I should be here."
"You weren't sentenced to hard labor, were you? Or do you want to go to the mines?"
"No!"
I assigned him to this corps because he would be given a special mission.
"The training will be a bit tougher than these guys, but hang in there."
They're the first spies. Naturally, there's no training curriculum. Lieutenant Colonel Ricardo and the other officers will work together to create a training curriculum for cultivating spies, necessary for carrying out missions.
The officers here will experience the curriculum firsthand, and the effectiveness will be evaluated.
The training will be based on the standards of elite officers, so it will be quite tough. Michael Williams needs to successfully complete that training.
"You need to train hard if you want to take over the immigration company and collect information inside the United States. If you don't want to get caught and die."
Michael Williams's complexion changed at my words.
"I'll do my best!"
"That's the spirit."
Stephen Austin is dead, but we need to continue accepting immigrants from the United States. There's no one better suited for this mission than Michael Williams.
He already knows how things work from working in the field, and he's someone I can control completely.
"If you do a good job, your family will live comfortably."
I patted Michael on the shoulder.
'We need to continue taking people from the United States.'
We can't offer the same immigration benefits as Stephen Austin. It was a scam. But the number of immigrants will actually increase.
We'll implement multi-level immigration, similar to European immigration companies.
Stephen Austin made money, built a large farm, and bribed Texas officials, but that won't happen after Michael Williams takes over.
Instead, Michael, who is at the top of the multi-level system, won't receive any commission, so it will be a multi-level immigration company with even greater benefits than Europe.
'But I have to pay him a salary.'
He was sentenced to hard labor, so I don't have to pay him a salary, but I need to consider his salary to some extent, as he's also playing the role of the immigration company CEO and a spy inside the United States.
"You'll also receive a generous allowance while you're in the United States, so don't worry too much."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Michael will be deployed to the United States after three months of extreme training, along with the agents.
***
When I returned to the palace after the founding ceremony of the intelligence corps, the maid said.
"Your Highness, there's a guest waiting. He says his name is Pedro, a member of the republican party."
It seems like the day isn't over yet.
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