Tokyo Bay, off the coast.
When two armored aircraft carriers, as majestic as mountains, along with a battleship and two cruisers, appeared on the other side of the horizon, the entire nation was shaken.
Their size was dozens, even hundreds of times larger than the ironclad battleships and armored cruisers in the harbor. The red and gold eagle flags fluttered in the wind, exceptionally eye-catching.
At that time, the Earth hadn't even developed battleship technology. Aircraft carriers were like alien technology.
The harbor was densely packed with crowds coming to watch the spectacle, along with the Coast Guard responsible for maintaining order.
People tiptoed, observing the unfamiliar fleet.
Magnificent, massive, yet imbued with a powerful sense of oppression.
Unlike the ironclad battleships and crudely constructed wooden warships in the United Fleet, all painted in black, the Azure Fleet's hulls were exceptionally beautiful.
They retained the original features of WWII warships, but with numerous modernizations.
Richelieu's pure white hull, adorned with golden patterns, her twin command towers, and her spotless deck, free from any dust, looked like a delicate work of art.
The two armored aircraft carriers, Taiho and Kaga, had a more robust appearance. The carrier-based aircraft parked on their decks were also models that people had never seen before.
"Hmm, their navy is quite retro,"
Belfast commented, glancing at the collection of torpedo boats and ironclad battleships in the harbor.
"Reminds me of a certain pirate in the Royal Navy who wasn't very respectable. Oh, a good portion of her companions wouldn't even admit she's from the Royal Navy."
"You mean that sailing ship..."
Lu Chen chuckled.
The sailing ships of the Magic Navigation Route could go toe-to-toe with steamboats, but the navy in this world clearly didn't have the ability to cross technology lines in a challenge.
Buzz——
After the fleet slowly docked.
He stood on the deck of Richelieu, scanning the welcoming crowd.
Perhaps due to the undeveloped state of the island nation's economy in this era, most people were quite short, with a thin, malnourished appearance.
Even the Coast Guard commander was a head taller than Lu Chen, forced to look up at him.
Fear, confusion, worry, shock...
The expressions of the onlookers were quite complex.
Those who were older couldn't help but recall a similar event, about 50 years ago, in a different place.
Matthew Perry, commander of the East India Fleet of the United States of America, led four warships into Edo Bay, using force to coerce the ruling shogunate into opening up the country.
The black ironclad warships in the fleet were the first that the islanders had ever seen, making them realize the enormous gap between their country and the foreign powers.
Ultimately, they signed the first unequal treaty with the Western powers—the "Treaty of Amity and Commerce Between the United States of America and Japan"—ending their policy of isolationism, which led to the collapse of the shogunate's rule.
This event went down in history as the "Black Ships Incident."
Right now, it was like a reenactment of that time.
However.
Lu Chen's fleet brought a greater sense of shock to everyone. Aircraft carriers were simply unimaginable creations for the people of this era.
They could only pray silently in their hearts that the other side wouldn't have too much malice.
“……”
"Commander, I feel like we're imperial powers,"
Kaga commented.
"Indeed."
Lu Chen nodded.
"How come I didn't think of this before? Being an imperial power is so satisfying!!"
"We'll be interstellar imperial powers in the future, forcing the natives of other worlds to sign unequal treaties."
…
After going ashore, under the escort of the guards.
Lu Chen and the shipgirls walked forward, arriving at a palace in the Japanese style.
It looked like a fortress, surrounded by moats and a wall several meters high.
This was the island nation's highest governing body—Nijo Castle.
It was also the shogun's palace, the symbol of power for the entire country.
After traversing through winding corridors, in the main hall, a middle-aged man wearing a yellow-red dyed robe and a crown sat on the dais, with a man in a black kimono and a slightly older age standing beside him.
The other attendants bowed several times, respectfully stepping back.
"So that's the shogun and the emperor?"
Lu Chen glanced over, not bothering to bow or greet them.
Taiho whispered beside him, "These natives are putting on a show..."
"Excuse me, who are you...?"
The two seated figures looked at Lu Chen and the shipgirls behind him.
They were all uniformly dressed in black and red military uniforms. Judging from their identical insignia, it seemed they were from a certain country or organization.
And considering the fleet in the harbor, their strength must be quite formidable.
"We are the Star Ocean Alliance Expeditionary Force. We notified you not long ago."
"From another world, we have come to discuss cooperation with you."
Lu Chen snapped his fingers, and Richelieu took out a document.
It was drafted together by the group during their journey.
Slap!
Lu Chen stepped forward and placed the document on the table in front of the two men.
"I represent the Star Ocean Alliance, and I demand your submission. You shall henceforth become a tributary state under the Alliance."
"All production activities in your nation, including agriculture, industry, trade, etc., will be taken over and unified by us. You will need to pay tribute with a corresponding proportion of resources every year."
"Except for necessary security forces, all military forces will be disbanded."
"And these are some additional clauses..."
The two men looked up in horror at the young man in military uniform, overwhelmed by shock.
While he wasn't old, his aura was strong.
The shogun skimmed through a couple of pages of the document.
It stipulated in detail the various goods that needed to be paid as tribute each year, including ores, timber, textiles, agricultural products, and so on...
The tribute ratio ranged from one-fifth to one-half.
The tax on agricultural products was lower, while the ratio for metals, coal, and other resources was higher.
It was evident that the other side thoroughly understood this world's productive forces and social structure. The resources they were taking wouldn't starve them or prevent them from surviving, but it would prevent them from accumulating capital and further development.
"If you wish to cooperate with us, these terms are a bit excessive..."
The young emperor responded cautiously.
"This is the final proposal, no bargaining allowed."
Lu Chen tapped the table, speaking coldly.
"You have three days to consider."
"After three days, if I don't receive a positive response, the fleet will attack."
Whoosh——
After speaking, he turned and left with the shipgirls.
Leaving behind local officials who were stunned speechless, and the two men who were drenched in cold sweat.