From a geographical perspective, Zhu Erdan's Qin King fief was located to the west of Sha Zei Ying, effectively blocking, or at least significantly hindering, Sha Zei Ying's direct sea route to the Great Ming. Zhu Sanshun's Jin King fief, Xin Qin Zhou (Alaska), blocked Sha Zei Ying's northern path.
As for the British colony of Canada separating Xin Qin Zhou and Sha Zei Ying, George III's thoughts were unclear, but Louis XVI was quite happy to see Ming forces attack Canada.
This was because the French navigator Jacques Cartier, under the command of King Francis I of France in 1535, was tasked with exploring the New World to find a new sea route to India. However, he somehow veered off course into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and later into Quebec.
Thus began the vigorous colonization.
Later, England's "rose beefs" also arrived in Canada. Sir Humphrey Gilbert of England established a settlement in St. John's, Newfoundland, declaring it England's first colony in North America.
If nothing unexpected had happened, this would have been a story of French and British division and colonization of Canada, much like the Anglo-French allied forces burning the Old Summer Palace. Both were acts of aggression and plunder.
However, whenever the phrase "if nothing unexpected had happened" is mentioned, something unexpected is likely to occur. Between 1756 and 1763, England and France clashed over their respective "江湖地位" (status in the martial world, here referring to global power and influence) in Canada, resulting in the "Seven Years' War," also known as the Third Silesian War.
The belligerents were the Anglo-Prussian Alliance and the Franco-Austrian Alliance. The war began on May 17, 1756, and ended in 1763, lasting seven years, hence the name. Its influence covered Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippine Islands.
This war, known in Europe for its siege warfare, arson of towns, and field battles causing heavy losses, resulted in approximately nine hundred thousand to one million four hundred thousand deaths.
What was particularly interesting was that in early 1762, when both warring parties were exhausted and Prussia was on the verge of collapse, the newly ascended Tsar Peter III of Russia suddenly advocated for peace with Prussia. In May, he announced Russia's withdrawal from the anti-Prussian coalition and the return of territories occupied by Russia.
Later, with Sweden also withdrawing from the anti-Prussian coalition, Prussia was saved from peril and defeated the Austrian army at Bunzelwitz in July of the same year.
On February 10, 1763, Britain and France signed the Treaty of Paris, ceding large territories in North America, the West Indies, Africa, and India to Britain. On the 15th, Prussia signed the Treaty of Hubertusburg with Austria and Saxony, stipulating that Silesia would remain Prussian territory, and the war concluded.
After this war, Britain became the dominant naval power, France was further weakened, Russia strengthened its position as a European power, and Prussia consolidated its special status in Germany.
In other words, France, which could have dominated Europe, was stabbed in the back by Russia. The Franco-Austrian Alliance was completely defeated by the Anglo-Prussian Alliance.
The forced signing of the Treaty of Paris became one of the most humiliating events during the period of the French monarchy.
Although France still held New Orleans west of the Mississippi River and Guadeloupe, this defeat marked France's loss of the New World. France's foreign policy suffered a severe setback, and its prestige declined significantly, making Louis XV one of France's most unpopular kings.
Therefore, Louis XVI never thought highly of Russia, England, or their European relatives like Sha Zei Ying. Instead, he was very willing to cling tightly to Emperor Zhu Jinsong of the Great Ming.
After all, during France's most difficult financial times, it was the Grand Secretariat of the Great Ming who advised Pierre on how to solve France's treasury shortage. It was the armaments provided by the Great Ming Military Affairs Office that improved the combat effectiveness of the French army. It was the military academies of the Great Ming that trained a large number of military talents for France.
Thus, based on the principle that Canada, seized by England's rose beefs, did not belong to France, with the spirit of making George III uncomfortable whenever possible, and under the guiding ideology of prioritizing Great Ming's interests in all matters, Louis XVI absolutely would not mind being the first to recognize Canada as belonging to the Great Ming.
For Louis XVI, even if the Great Ming were to claim Canada as historically theirs after occupying it, it wouldn't matter. Canada did not belong to France, and he was indebted to the Great Ming Emperor and the Grand Secretariat. xxs one
As for Zhu Jinsong, the Emperor of the Great Ming, the only issue he needed to consider was whether Canada belonged to the Jin King's fief or to the fief of one of his future sons. Other issues were not within Zhu Jinsong's scope of consideration.
Zhu Jinsong believed that the Grand Secretariat, the Ministry of Rites, and the Ministry of Revenue had sufficient means to turn Canada into land that had historically belonged to the Central Plains Prefecture. He also believed that the Grand Court of the Five Military Commissions had the capability to reclaim Canada, a land forgotten overseas for who knows how many years.
Of course, Zhu Jinsong's confidence stemmed more from the fact that Canada was too far from England but very close to Xin Qin Zhou. As long as the third son didn't cause trouble in Xin Qin Zhou and infuriate people like the Jian Yi (Manchus), the Jin Kingdom could sweep across all of Canada within a few months.
If Zhu Sanshun and Zhu Erdan joined forces, it was not impossible for them to flatten the entire Yindian continent.
Thinking of this possibility, Zhu Jinsong couldn't help but feel a little excited.
To say that Zhu Jinsong wasn't covetous of the Yindian continent would be a lie. It was only due to the Great Ming's population limitations and the various inconveniences of managing a vast territory that Zhu Jinsong had to give it up.
But letting Zhu Erdan and Zhu Sanshun take over the entire Yindian continent was essentially the same as the Great Ming taking over the Yindian continent.
As for the possibility of Zhu Erdan and Zhu Sanshun's descendants fighting for the throne with his own descendants, or the Qin and Jin states potentially rebelling and overthrowing the Great Ming...
Zhu Jinsong didn't really care.
As the saying goes, a dynasty is forged of iron, and the Central Plains Prefecture is tempered by iron. Only when the Central Plains Prefecture is eternal can a dynasty last for a thousand years.
Who could guarantee that the Great Ming itself would continue to exist without any upheaval? Who could guarantee that there wouldn't be any rebellions?
Or, from another perspective, if Zhu Erdan and Zhu Sanshun joined forces to conquer the entire Yindian continent, then even if the enfeoffed states on the Yindian continent overthrew the Great Ming, wouldn't it still be family fighting family?
Countless wars in history had proven that although internal wars within the Central Plains Prefecture, once ignited, would become extremely fierce, this fierceness usually remained at the battlefield level. Whether it was government troops or rebels, both would strive to win popular support.
This was unlike the wanton slaughter during the Mongol Yuan invasion or the Jurchen entry into the Pass, nor the practices of dividing people into classes or seizing land for grazing, which completely turned the populace into slaves.
After thinking for a moment, Zhu Jinsong put down his wine glass and looked at Zhu Erdan and Zhu Sanshun, saying, "I have something to task you with. After you go to your fiefs, work hard to develop them and have more children."
Zhu Erdan and Zhu Sanshun looked at Zhu Jinsong with utter confusion.
Developing their fiefs was expected, but what was the deal with having more children?
The Policy of Enfeoffment?
Their elder brother had once said that talking about the Policy of Enfeoffment before fully digesting the fiefs was nonsense and a path to chaos.
If their elder brother wanted them to have more children for the purpose of dispatching hostages, Zhu Erdan and Zhu Sanshun would never believe it. Not only because their elder brother wouldn't be so bored, but more importantly, if their elder brother wished, he could simply reclaim the fiefs without any resistance!
Besides, the practice of hostages was a relic of the past. A son sent out as a hostage was likely already deemed expendable.
Therefore, the notion of hostages was pure nonsense and an unnecessary action.
Seeing Zhu Erdan and Zhu Sanshun's bewildered expressions, Zhu Jinsong couldn't help but frown. "No, what's wrong with me telling you two to have more children? Look at your pathetic selves!"
Being reprimanded by Zhu Jinsong, Zhu Erdan and Zhu Sanshun, who had been confused, relaxed. Zhu Erdan even unconsciously shifted his body, perhaps remembering the experience of being spanked as a child.
It was still the same feeling! Still the same elder brother!
After reprimanding Zhu Erdan and Zhu Sanshun, Zhu Jinsong let out another huff. "I've thought about it. Anyway, the Yindian continent is so vast, it'll take who knows how long for just the two of you to occupy the entire Yindian continent."
Zhu Erdan quickly nodded and said, "Yes, it's true that it's not enough with just me and Third Brother. Why doesn't Imperial Brother enfeoff a few more small kingdoms? Or have more sons yourself and enfeoff them to the Yindian continent later? You can rest assured, I'll cover the military expenses for the nephews' fiefs!"
Seeing Zhu Sanshun nodding his head like a pecking chicken, Zhu Jinsong was taken aback. He had intended for them to have more sons to divide the entire Yindian continent among them in the future, but these two scoundrels wanted him to have more sons?
Thinking this, Zhu Jinsong's expression turned grim, and he shouted, "I told you two scoundrels to have more children because I intend to enfeoff the entire Yindian continent to your sons!"
"Of course, my sons will also be enfeoffed to the Yindian continent in the future. Therefore, how many sons I have is not for you two rascals to worry about!"
After Zhu Jinsong finished speaking, Zhu Erdan and Zhu Sanshun became even more bewildered.
According to the Great Ming system, although the Great Ming Emperor had the power to enfeoff imperial relatives, it had to go through the Imperial Clan Court before enfeoffment. Matters of fiefs also had to go through the Great Ming Ministry of Revenue.
Furthermore, the entire Yindian continent was not a small place. Although it couldn't compare to the Great Ming mainland, it could easily be divided into dozens of fiefs like the Jin Kingdom and Qin Kingdom.
In other words, the area of the Yindian continent was equivalent to more than half the area of the Great Ming mainland. Enfeoffing such a vast territory to the lineage of the King of Qin and the King of Jin...
More importantly, the Yindian continent was not ownerless wasteland. Sha Zei Ying had been developing the Yindian continent for many years, and Canada had also been developed for many years. If the Qin and Jin states were to capture the entire Yindian continent, then Sha Zei Ying and France would be unavoidable.
After thinking, Zhu Sanshun advised, "Should Imperial Brother reconsider? After all, the Yindian continent is very large. Even if it's divided into dozens of fiefs, each fief would be about the size of two or three Fujian Provincial Administration Offices. Moreover, Sha Zei Ying is on the Yindian continent. If Imperial Brother keeps enfeoffing feudal lords to the Yindian continent, I fear Sha Zei Ying will be provoked to jump."
Speaking of this, Zhu Sanshun couldn't help but mumble softly, "Besides, can you have children just because you want to? Even if they are born, they can't go to their fiefs anytime soon, can they?"
Zhu Jinsong chuckled and retorted, "So, are the armies in your two fiefs just for show? Even if Sha Zei Ying is provoked to jump, won't you pluck its feathers and put it in the pot?"
Zhu Sanshun said, "Little broken pot, five great benefactors..."
Zhu Jinsong interrupted without hesitation, "Little broken pot, five great benefactors, normally they wouldn't change, but what if Sha Zei Ying is gone? Won't a successor need to be chosen?"
"Besides, if you two are attacking Sha Zei Ying, do you fear that Little Broken Pot will stand with Sha Zei Ying? Louis XVI will be the first to stand with you!"
Zhu Sanshun was left speechless.
Zhu Sanshun didn't doubt Louis XVI would stand with them. After all, everyone in Little Broken Pot knew that Louis XVI was determined to align with the Great Ming and was the number one sycophant of the Great Ming in Europe.
Many even suspected that if the Great Ming were to attack France, Louis XVI might be the first to surrender.
But the key issue wasn't this, but rather the Great Ming court. Which influential figure in the Great Ming court would be willing to see the fiefs of the Qin and Jin states expand again? Which influential figure could accept the Great Ming Emperor Zhu Jinsong's idea of creating nested states with smaller versions?
Never mind that this approach was proposed by Zhu Jinsong, the Great Ming Emperor.
For these influential figures in the Great Ming court, even if the idea were proposed by the heavens, it had to be opposed when necessary. No fief should have the strength to threaten the Great Ming's own security!
The key was that even Zhu Jinsong, the Great Ming Emperor, had to acknowledge the opinions of these influential figures in the court. After all, these people were considering the safety of the Great Ming mainland, and opposing it was a normal operation. If there were no dissenting voices, Zhu Jinsong would have to seriously reflect on himself.