"What brought you to the office, ma'am?"
Agustín I looked up from the piles of documents on his desk, his weary eyes betraying his exhaustion. He rose slowly as we entered, hugged my mother, and gave me a firm pat on the shoulder before settling back onto the couch.
The office was spartan, with a single large desk weighed down by a dense stack of papers that seemed to embody the chaotic state of the Mexican Empire. Dust coated the corners of the room, and the air was heavy with the scent of ink and coffee.
My mother placed a tray of desserts and coffee she had brought on the table, breaking the tense silence.
"You've been working for days without rest, so I thought I'd come to check on you," she said softly. "Your eldest son also has something to share."
"Your eldest son?"
Agustín I's gaze shifted to me, his expression neutral but faintly skeptical.
"You didn't come here to talk nonsense, did you?" he asked, his voice laced with both curiosity and caution.
His expression toward me, the eldest son, wasn't hostile, but it also wasn't particularly trusting. He regarded me as someone yet unproven.
"I assure you, Father, it's not nonsense," I replied, meeting his eyes directly.
"I'll go straight to the point. I've heard that your work has grown more challenging recently. As your heir, I want to support you in whatever way I can."
Agustín I snorted, his expression a mix of disbelief and amusement.
"Support? From you? I appreciate the sentiment, but you're fifteen years old. You should be focused on your studies, not meddling in state affairs."
"I've also heard that you're facing significant opposition from lawmakers," I pressed on, ignoring his dismissal. "That the government can't even pay the salaries of civil servants and soldiers. Is that true?"
His brow furrowed, momentarily surprised. He quickly masked the reaction and leaned back.
"Your mother must have given you that hint," he said, waving his hand dismissively. "Leave that to me. You focus on your studies."
I knew this was my chance. If I didn't make a bold move, he wouldn't take me seriously.
"Father," I said carefully, "you're not tampering with evidence to arrest opposition lawmakers, are you? That will only provoke backlash from Congress and the citizens."
Agustín I's face tightened, his shock barely concealed.
"What are you talking about?" he exclaimed.
"You've already made a plan, haven't you?" I continued, pressing my advantage. "Arresting opposition lawmakers won't silence them. It will only strengthen their resolve and drive other legislators to oppose you. You're also thinking about dissolving Congress, aren't you?"
For a moment, he said nothing, his face a mix of surprise and agitation.
"...Keep talking," he said finally, his tone guarded.
"If you dissolve Congress, the citizens' support will waver. And the local armies, already out of reach of the central government, will begin questioning their loyalty. Without the support of the people and the trust of the military, everything you've built could crumble."
Agustín I slammed his hand on the desk.
"Dictatorship!" he thundered. "It is the emperor's right to command his people!"
I held my ground, undeterred by his outburst. His anger told me I was getting through to him.
"Father," I said firmly, "our empire is still fragile. Many people in the provinces don't even feel the emperor's presence. Even your supporters, the conservatives and royalists, are hesitant. The longer this tension lasts, the harder it will be to recover their trust. But right now, while their support is still lukewarm, you have the chance to win them over."
Agustín I leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temple with a troubled hand.
"This is an era when even the emperor must consider the will of the people," he muttered, almost to himself. "The problem is that the situation in Mexico is a disaster. The Constitution is still being written, so we have no proper laws. Finances are in shambles. The peninsulars have fled or been expelled, leaving local administrations in ruins. Taxes aren't being collected properly. Civil servants and soldiers remain unpaid. And Congress... Congress does nothing but argue and sabotage. How am I supposed to move forward without drastic action?"
For the first time, I glimpsed the weight of his burden. Agustín I, for all his flaws, was a man trapped in a nearly impossible situation.
"I understand, Father," I said, my voice steady. "That's why I've come with a solution."
"A solution?" He raised an eyebrow skeptically.
"Yes. The most urgent issue is the financial crisis, and I've thought of a way to address it."
"Let's hear it, then."
I took a deep breath and laid out my proposal.
"As you said, the peninsulars who opposed independence have either fled or been expelled. Their properties remain here in Mexico, unclaimed. If the government were to confiscate these properties, it could provide the funds needed to pay salaries and stabilize the economy. Spain is too weak right now to retaliate—its civil war has left it a toothless tiger."
Agustín I stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"Confiscating Spanish property..." he murmured. "It's a bold idea, but lawmakers will block it. They'll accuse me of overstepping my authority."
"They can't block it if the people are on your side," I countered. "You're popular among the citizens, Father. If you make your case publicly—explain that this is necessary to achieve true independence and rebuild the empire—they'll rally behind you."
He nodded slowly, but I could see doubt lingering in his eyes.
"Even so, Congress may resist, and it could send a bad signal to other nations."
"You can address that too," I replied. "Frame it as a step toward sovereignty, not a precedent for seizing foreign assets. Emphasize that Mexicans and other foreigners living here have nothing to fear. This is specifically about the peninsulars who betrayed the nation."
Agustín I leaned back in his chair, deep in thought. For several minutes, he questioned me relentlessly, probing the weaknesses in my plan. Though some of his concerns caught me off guard, I managed to address them all.
Finally, he sighed and leaned forward, a glimmer of determination in his eyes.
"Very well," he said. "I'll move forward with your proposal. But if this fails, the blame falls on me alone."
Relief washed over me, but I wasn't done yet.
"Father," I said cautiously, "if this succeeds, may I ask for something in return?"
He raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"A favor?" he said. "Fine. But only if you help ensure this plan works."
I nodded, satisfied.
Agustín I watched me leave his office, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"I didn't think he'd changed so much in a few years," he murmured to himself.
He had barely spoken to me during the years of revolution and independence, his focus entirely on the battlefield and the political chaos that followed. Yet now, his adolescent son had presented a solution to one of the empire's most pressing crises.
"Confiscating Spanish assets..." he muttered again. "Why hadn't I thought of that sooner?"
The logic was sound, and the emotional appeal to the people was undeniable. If successful, the move could turn the tide in his favor.
Summoning a soldier, Agustín I gave his orders.
"Major General Fernando, I need a thorough investigation into the property of the peninsulars," he commanded. "And tomorrow, I'll address the citizens in Constitution Square. Make the preparations."
"Yes, Your Majesty," the soldier replied with a crisp salute.
As the soldier left, Agustín I sat at his desk, pulling a fresh sheet of paper toward him. With his military precision, he began drafting the speech that could determine the fate of his empire.