Far to the south, a fleet of foreign warships now waited in the Pearl River.
And their envoy was asking for something no Western ruler had ever been granted.
An audience with the Emperor of China.
The hall remained silent after the messenger finished speaking.
The ministers stood in their places beneath the high red pillars of the court, their faces controlled, but the tension in the room had changed. Foreign merchants in Canton were an old matter. British opium smugglers were a serious matter. But this was something else.
A foreign ruler had not simply sent ships.
He had sent a fleet.
And not merely to trade.
The Emperor sat motionless on the Dragon Throne, one hand resting lightly on the carved armrest. His expression revealed little, but his eyes moved across the officials gathered before him.
One of the senior ministers stepped forward first.
"Your Majesty," he said, bowing deeply, "this matter must be treated with caution."
The Emperor did not respond immediately.
