Chapter 105: Chapter 102: China and Political Games

Canton (Guangzhou), Qing Empire (China)
July 30th, 1790

Samuel Kim arrived at the American "factory" located within the city of Canton after anchoring briefly in Whampoa for inspections. The seven American ships (one of the American merchant ships that was part of the expedition went directly to Canton instead of Lanfang in order to deliver Kim's messages to the American traders and the military governor of Guangdong) were cleared by the inspectors and arrived at the port city to prepare for their expedition to meet with the Chinese emperor. While the ships were undergoing inspections, Samuel received word that the British were already on their way north towards Tianjin to meet with the emperor directly. However, he wasn't deterred or concerned. The British sent the same (nearly the same) delegation they sent in the other history and if his assumptions were correct, then they would make blunders during their meeting with the Qianlong Emperor and return to Britain unsuccessfully.

When he, his family, and the other members of the expedition made their way to the small American enclave in Canton (several members of the crew were granted shore leave to stretch their legs, with a rotation determined by the captain of each ship), they were greeted by an American flag hoisted on a tall flagpole. The American flag was a welcoming sight to Samuel, who had not seen an American flag on land in months. The flag was also a reminder that history was changing quickly and the United States was gaining a presence in far flung continents such as Asia. The flag with fifteen stripes and twenty stars waved proudly in the air as the group moved forward.

The group was greeted by Robert Morris, who had retired from his post as Trade Representative in the Cabinet and opted to oversee the American trade to China. He lived in China for several months at a time, and the expedition corresponded with his stay in the American factory at Canton. "Welcome to China, Mr. President and the members of the expedition."

"Thank you, Mr. Morris," Samuel replied with a handshake, "Are the preparations completed?"

"The Chinese officials were a bit confused on the timing of our mission and the British mission, but they agreed to meet with our mission shortly after the British one. The gift list and letter you provided for them seemed to have offset their initial hesitation. Exactly what was written in them?"

Samuel chuckled, "I will tell you soon.. For now, the men are exhausted and need some time to rest for our future journey."

Morris called over several assistants, some Chinese and some Americans, to take the men to their temporary lodgings while Kim, his family, Morris, and the Marine officers made their way to Morris' private apartment. Elizabeth and Justin, Samuel's eldest son, excused themselves to a private room while the others sat in Morris' small sitting room to discuss affairs.

"Since we're out of the public's eyes and ears, can you tell me what was written on those papers?" Morris asked jovially.

"It wasn't anything important in particular," Kim replied immediately, "Do remember that China is a very unique nation, even more unique than the nations that our expedition has already passed through. Their hierarchy is rigid, their cultural and social norms are strict, and etiquette means everything here. I simply mentioned that I was here on the behalf of the United States to offer "tribute" and sought an audience with the Emperor. I also clarified that I and the other members of the expedition will be more than willing to follow all local customs, rituals, and processions in order to properly greet the Emperor. I also requested to bring the ships up towards Tianjin, so we do not have to walk to Beijing with the gifts."

"Do you think that's enough?"

The former president shrugged, "I'm not sure. However, it will all depend on the Emperor's mood. If his meeting with the British goes sour, then it's possible that he will be reluctant to engage us at all. Or, if we manage to impress him with our willingness to conform to their customs, the Emperor might view us in a more positive light."

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"I'm assuming the customs you are talking about are from the little booklets that you handed to us back in the States?" Major Williams asked as he pulled out the said booklet from his pocket.

"Yes. The kowtow, what we must do when the Emperor sends an Imperial Edict, the proper forms of greetings, the customs of the Imperial Court, and other important customs will be critical. It will greatly influence the views and opinions of the court officials and the Emperor towards us. Not only that, but we must remember the perspective of the Chinese towards the world. China believes that the rest of the world is filled with its tributary states and that they are the strongest nation in the world. To the Chinese, the Emperor is the Son of Heaven and a God in human form. To them, we are inferior while they are superior. Some of you may have issues with these beliefs, as do I. However, in order to make this venture successful, we will need to remember these beliefs and play them off the Chinese, respectfully of course. That way, we ensure our success in China, and in Korea and Japan as well."

Lieutenant Jackson scratched his head as he jotted down a few lines into his journal, "Is that why you brought silver, gold, valuable gemstones, steel, a cotton gin, and a threshing machine instead of weapons and other valuables for the meeting with the Chinese Emperor?"

Samuel smiled, "Pretty much. Despite what some may believe, China is fairly advanced and have its own internal industries. We can't expect to impress the Emperor with just machines and industrial goods that are either far too complex to replicate or for looks. No, we need to make sure to leave a significant mark on the Emperor's mind and gift him things that he can make use of. Silver is the main form of currency in China, and we have a boatload of it. Gold is and gemstones are valuable in their own rights. China may have ways to create steel, but the United States has ways to mass produce steel and that can be something to catch the Emperor's interest. The cotton gin is revolutionary, since China has long struggled to make cotton profitable. This is mainly due to the difficulty of removing the seeds from the cotton. However, with a cotton gin, that obstacle is gone and they can increase productions to make cotton profitable. As for the threshing machine, it's pretty self explanatory; it will significantly decrease the time it takes for crops to be collected."

"So gifts, and practical machines that they can use to improve their own economy. But should we really give away our industrial secrets so easily?"

"The British are already working on replicating the cotton gin, so that won't matter as much. As for the threshing machine, it's still a fairly complicated machine to replicate so they'll need some time to produce it and distribute it. Additionally, China is far away and will have relatively little impact on our total trade," Samuel pulled out a letter from the bag he was carrying and showed it to the others, "I also have a letter from President Jefferson on the matter, which allows me to have leeway in negotiations."

"We don't doubt you, Mr. President," Colonel White mentioned, which caused a visible recoil from Samuel. Despite spending eight years as the president of the United States and being called "Mr. President" every day during that time span, the title still felt a bit out of place. "And I'm sure you already have a plan."

"I do. Now let us go over the basics of the plan. We will accept any demands made by the Chinese officials during our trip, unless they are totally unreasonable and we are obligated to object. The only thing we will strongly push for is to travel by sea to Beijing, instead of by land. That means if they ask us to make detours on our trip up to Beijing, then we will do so. If they ask us to bring only three ships towards Tianjin, the port closest to Beijing, then we will do so. Remember, they view us as inferiors and barbarians. If we make too many demands, then they may turn increasingly hostile. After we arrive in Tianjin and make our way to Beijing, we will make no attempts to break any rules that the officials set out for us. I will allow all of you to ask if you can speak with the locals occasionally, or ask questions about local affairs. However, do not carry out these actions lightly or often, or we will arouse suspicion. Do not speak any Mandarin, Cantonese, or Manchu that you know, since China does have laws against foreigners learning their local languages. Remember, in Asian culture, bowing is a very important form of greeting. Refrain from handshakes and bow to those with significant authority and rank. We will most likely be asked to learn court rules and customs before we even meet the Emperor, so keep an open mind and learn as much as you can."

Lieutenant Jackson frowned, "It seems like we're sacrificing our dignity in order to meet with the Emperor."

"I agree. But remember, we are here as visitors. We can not act arrogant or conceited. I'm sure the British will act that way, but we know better. How would you like it if an ambassador from China came to the United States and strictly refused to show any shred of respect to the president and the members of government? It's the same way for the Chinese. When we are in their "home field," we must play by their rules. If it means sacrificing a bit of dignity, then so be it. It's not wrong to be prideful of our nation, as we have achieved much in little time. However, we can not be blinded by our pride." Samuel answered firmly, "Following customs will not be the deal breaker for the Chinese. There are other issues we must address as well, such as playing the "tribute nation" and our "barbarian" status..."

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