After reading the battle report from the Ministry of the Navy, Jerome Bonaparte suddenly felt as if the world was accelerating. Historically, the "exchange" between France and the Tokugawa Shogunate was supposed to happen after the Black Ships incident. Unexpectedly, due to his momentary impulse, the Tokugawa Shogunate was invaded by Marquis Alet, dragging along the unfortunate Satsuma Domain as well.

Marquis Alet, who destroyed Satsuma Domain's naval military forces (Jerome Bonaparte speculated that Marquis Alet might have been misled by some half-informed priest, treating Japan as if it were a German State, with the Tokugawa Shogunate akin to the Austrian Empire of the German Confederation, and the Satsuma Domain as a small kingdom under the German Confederation), sent emissaries to conduct friendly and cordial exchanges with the daimyo of the Satsuma Domain. Eventually, under the large-caliber naval guns of the French fleet, the Satsuma Domain humiliatingly surrendered to the French Empire and compensated the French Empire with 50,000 British Pounds.

Then, the French fleet proceeded contentedly to the Ryukyu Kingdom to coerce it into opening up to missionaries in the same manner.

The King of the Ryukyu Kingdom also agreed to the French Empire's demands with humiliation.

The French Fleet's journey to the Far East took just one year to wipe out a somewhat sovereign state, incidentally subduing two other countries (the Tokugawa Shogunate, and the Ryukyu Kingdom).

If there were such a thing as infamy in this world, then Jerome Bonaparte had reason to believe that the French Empire's infamy in the Far East might rival that of the Russian Empire.

However, Jerome Bonaparte himself was not particularly concerned about infamy.

Under the strong arm of imperialism, it's always the case that those who submit to me live, while those who resist me perish.

Hoping for the Great Powers to stand up for a nation far removed from their interests and enmity against the French Empire,

is less likely than hoping for God to strike Jerome Bonaparte down with lightning for this person who dares to alter historical progression.

Since God has not chosen to physically eliminate him, he plans to seek more entertainment for the world and leave his marks on it in passing.

With this thought, Jerome Bonaparte felt he needed to introduce the tribute system of the Far East to Marquis Alet.

This is something completely different from the Westphalian system. Any European attempting to forcibly apply the Westphalian system to the tribute system would be met with results vastly different from reality.

No one in all of France understands the operation of this system as deeply as Jerome Bonaparte, so much so that even those missionaries residing in the Far East cannot compare to Jerome Bonaparte in local knowledge.

If possible, Jerome Bonaparte plans to establish a tribute system on the existing Near East base that aligns with the conditions of France and the Near East.

The Kingdom of Hawaii, the Ryukyu Kingdom, and even An Nam will become vassal states (also could be called tributary states) of the French Empire.

These tributary states hold certain sovereignty. When the French Empire needs them, they can join France in military engagements, jointly undertaking defense in the Far East.

Of course, the benefits gained by the French Empire in the Far East will also be shared with these subordinate states, recognizing their contributions to the French Empire.

Saying it and doing it, Jerome Bonaparte took stationary from the drawer and vigorously penned a few thousand words introducing the tribute system of East Asia, while also proposing to Marquis Alet to fill the ecological niche of an old Eastern empire with the niche of the French Empire. This could ensure that those countries originally in the tribute system would not generate resistance and could use their power to further expand the French Empire's sphere of influence in the Far East.

At the end of the article, Jerome Bonaparte even quoted some postcolonial ideas, saying to Marquis Alet: "The French Empire should exert influence over some frontier countries with its strong culture and economy rather than recklessly using force. The result of using force to maintain colonies can only lead us to invest effective military power into an endless peacekeeping war, dragging down our nation. We should lend a hand to those in barbaric areas (according to the now-popular European world island theory) and help them step into civilization. At the same time, we should support some people within their countries to become France's most faithful partners. We need to help them build railways and telegraphs and help them regulate their financial industry... Once the French economy is deeply bound with theirs, a massive interest group will emerge, and this interest group will be our best tool in controlling this nation."

After finishing the last sentence, Jerome Bonaparte read through his article from top to bottom once more. While considering how he would cultivate "loyal partners," he involuntarily swallowed and his body trembled slightly.

The tribute system he crafted for Marquis Alet...no, for the French Empire, is essentially what France did to some countries in West Africa after World War II.

As long as the currencies of Far Eastern countries peg with that of the French Empire, they will never break free from the control of the French Empire.

Creating a huge interest group is easy, but eradicating one is very difficult, especially when this group involves a country's currency and financial systems.

"I hope you will like the gift that I have prepared specifically for you!" Jerome Bonaparte murmured softly.

Jerome Bonaparte then placed the letter in a specially made envelope and called for the Royal Chief Steward, Mokar.

"Your Majesty!" Mokar respectfully said to Jerome Bonaparte.

"Personally deliver this letter to Admiral Deco and have him send it to the Far East Fleet Commander, Marquis Alet, as quickly as possible!" Jerome Bonaparte said solemnly to Mokar while handing him the letter and the Ministry of the Navy's battle report.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Mokar responded with a solemn expression as well.

Since His Majesty bypassed the secretariat to have him deliver the letter personally, Mokar realized that this letter must be extremely important, and he must devote all his attention to the task at hand.

After Mokar left, Jerome Bonaparte suddenly remembered something significant. Not only had he given the Marquis Alet a large green hat (though Marquis Alet himself might not care about it and even feel honored), but he also had a child with his wife.

Moreover, he continued to work diligently for his Empire, making Jerome Bonaparte suspect that he might be living in some kind of adult-themed world.

Poor Marquis Alet was like the protagonist, and Jerome Bonaparte himself was the antagonist.

Gradually, Jerome Bonaparte's mind started conjuring scenes from certain adult-themed scenarios from his past, with Marquis Alet, his wife, and Jerome Bonaparte taking the place of the original characters.

If you want your husband to keep this hard-earned job, you know what you should do...

Jerome Bonaparte, whose thoughts had drifted off course, shook his head slightly and muttered to himself, "Work! Work!"

Just as Jerome Bonaparte was about to pick up the next government report for annotations, there was a knock at the door.

"Coming back to report so soon?" Jerome Bonaparte muttered softly and then responded to the door, "Come in!"

It wasn't Mokar who entered the room but Marcel Yale, Director of the National Intelligence Bureau.

"Your Majesty!" Marcel Yale stood straight in front of Jerome Bonaparte, speaking to him with a serious expression.

"Sit down!" Jerome Bonaparte invited Marcel Yale to sit.

"Yes!" Marcel Yale responded firmly and slowly approached Jerome Bonaparte before sitting opposite him.

"How is the situation progressing?" Jerome Bonaparte clasped his hands across his chest and leaned back slightly, adopting a casual posture as he inquired of Marcel Yale.

"The main conspirator planning to overthrow the Empire has unfortunately fallen from a carriage and died on his hurried return to the countryside; the remaining accomplices have been expelled from the country in cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs," Marcel Yale reported to Jerome Bonaparte.

"You've done well!" Jerome Bonaparte gave Marcel Yale a thumbs-up and then took a 100,000 franc check from the Bank of France out of a drawer and placed it before Marcel Yale, "This is what you deserve!"

Marcel Yale accepted Jerome Bonaparte's cheque without reservation, then took out a letter from his inner pocket and placed it in front of Jerome Bonaparte.

"What is this?" Jerome Bonaparte looked at Marcel Yale with a puzzled expression.

"Your Majesty, this is a letter from our intelligence personnel deployed in the Far East," Marcel Yale replied to Jerome Bonaparte.

Jerome Bonaparte opened the envelope and spread the neatly folded letter. The letter's content detailed the encounters of the intelligence personnel Marcel Yale had dispatched to the Far East disguised as missionaries to sell firearms.

To find suitable buyers, the intelligence personnel had even joined an organization called the Earth Vatican (Taiping Heavenly Kingdom) and acquainted themselves with the leader of the Spartan Rebel Army, Xiuquan Hong, and the two vice-leaders, Xiuqing Yang and Yunshan Feng.

After close interactions, the intelligence personnel believed that this unit was full of vitality and capable of defeating the corrupt forces that had once been crushed by the Kingdom of Britain.

With the intention of serving the interests of the French Empire, the intelligence personnel suggested that France should attempt to make contact with this force to gain benefits from the war.

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