The Ming Imperial Court and the Southwest Court, having made their preparations first, harbored a bone-deep contempt for the foreign devils from across the sea.
So they had the audacity to plan on sailing out with wooden ships.
The others were throwing eggs against rocks — but were these two planning to throw wood against steel?
True, many of the foreign powers' ships were also made of wood, merely clad in iron on the outside.
But to not even bother with the iron plating — wasn't that a bit reckless?
Under Longcheng's persistent urging, the two courts finally came to realize they had been rather too full of themselves.
Longcheng's method of persuasion was simple: no iron plating on the ships, no sailing out to sea. And if they refused to listen, they'd get a thrashing.
Both courts capitulated, though they couldn't help but grumble inwardly: you really do stick your nose into everything, don't you.
Just as the great courts were actively preparing for war — some willingly, some not — news arrived that stunned the world, though for most it mattered little, and many were positively delighted to hear it.
British North America had declared independence!
This was already old news! Rumors had been circulating for some time, but no one could be certain. Now that the British Empire had dispatched troops to suppress the independence movement, everyone finally confirmed it.
What wonderful news this was.
If you asked who ruled the world at this moment, there was no question — everyone would say the British Empire.
The empire on which the sun never sets was no empty boast.
Sheltered by their enviable geography, the British could sit back and watch the European continent tear itself to pieces like a sty full of fighting pigs.
All the while they played the peacemaker with crocodile tears, quietly seizing colonies one by one, until they had astonished the entire world.
And their peacemaking was no real peacemaking at all. Pretty words aside, whenever one cousin was getting beaten badly enough, they'd lend a hand — or so it seemed. Was it really a helping hand? No — they wanted everyone to bleed out together!
The nations of Europe were, after all, all relations.
And this was precisely why, over the past century, the British Empire had risen to become the undisputed top dog.
The Continental Balance of Power!
They would not permit any single power on the European continent to grow too strong, nor allow any to grow too weak. If one family's territory expanded even slightly, if their war potential increased even a little, Britain would step in.
"Now, now, we're all family here — how can you go taking another cousin's land? Won't that leave the poor fellow without enough to eat? That simply won't do. If you don't change your ways, then in the name of justice — I shall have to teach you a lesson! Don't the rest of you cousins agree? Come on, all of us together — let's sort these two brothers out!"
"Alright, alright, that's enough! We only meant to teach them a lesson — any more and you'll kill them! I can see they know they were wrong. Hmm? They won't admit it? Now, cousin, no need to get so worked up."
"Even if they won't apologize, the lesson has been sufficient. We're not here to destroy anyone — just to set things right. After all, we're all family, aren't we? What's that? Finish them while they're down? Now, cousin, that kind of thinking won't do at all. We must stand together in friendship. What — you still insist?"
"So you're the truly black-hearted one! You two lying on the ground — get up, don't be afraid. I'll see justice done for you!"
That was the British Empire.
By now everyone had wised up and understood that the British were the most black-hearted of them all.
But there was little to be done about it. They had already become the top dog.
Britain's naval power was supreme; perhaps if everyone united, they might stand a chance.
But war requires something to be gained — you can't simply fight for the pleasure of it.
And there were still tensions among the powers themselves. Who knew whether someone might stab the others in the back when the moment came.
But now, with British North America in open revolt, everyone was elated!
British North America was without question the most important of Britain's many colonies — vast, fertile, and abundant, shipping gold and silver and supplies back to England by the boatload year after year.
It could be said to represent twenty percent of Britain's total strength.
Yes, that staggeringly rich and expansive territory amounted to only one-fifth of Britain's power. Just how formidable Britain truly was should now be plain enough.
One-fifth had rebelled — of course Britain was alarmed. They mobilized nearly half of their remaining forces and sent them to British North America.
They were determined to bring their eldest son to heel!
If they could not subdue him, if he were allowed to strike out on his own, the consequences were simply unthinkable!
The second son…
The third son…
The fourth son…