To trick someone, one must adhere to basic principles—never treat the target of the trick as a complete fool.
It’s hard to say exactly how many sons William II had, but if one were to start by elevating the most foolish among them, it would be difficult to avoid raising his suspicion and causing the plan to fail.
Instead, it would be easier to achieve the goal by subtly promoting his smarter sons to their detriment.
Once a rift is sown between father and son within royalty, it is not so easy to mend.
Of course, Zhu Jinsong and other leaders like Zeng Cheng never plot against just one person; they plot against a group.
For example, while plotting against the Habsburg family, they also plot against Louis XVI, George III, Paul I, and Jefferson. After all, they are all from Europe, and it is better to let them fall into misfortune together.
Zhu Jinsong’s methods for plotting against Louis XVI and others were very advanced.
Zhu Jinsong first invited Louis XVI, Paul I, George III, and Jefferson to tour the capital. He spent a day visiting the Great Wall, and then spent another two days taking Louis XVI and the others on a thorough tour of the capital city and its surroundings.
Other schemes?
There were no other schemes. Simply taking Louis XVI and the others on a tour was enough for Zhu Jinsong. The Habsburg family was far away, requiring various convoluted methods to plot against them. However, Louis XVI and the others were in the Great Ming, so no other methods were needed.
Simply taking them on a good tour of the Great Ming, letting them witness its current state and the lives of its people, would resolve any other issues.
The reactions of Louis XVI and the others proved that Zhu Jinsong's plan was feasible.
The Great Ming was currently in a phase of overall ascent. In addition to its powerful military strength, the increasingly prosperous populace was no longer apathetic as they were during the Great Qing period; instead, they were filled with an upward-looking spirit.
Consider clothing, for instance.
During the Great Qing, common people had virtually no decent clothes. The poor might have one or two patched outfits, which was considered fortunate. Those slightly better off would only have simple jackets, as they were cheap. Only officials and local gentry could afford silk and brocade.
Of course, according to the typical practice of the Great Qing, even if officials and gentry could afford better clothing, they could only wear what the Great Qing court permitted. Wearing clothing in the style of the Great Ming was completely impossible; anyone who dared to do so would be executed.
It was different in the Great Ming.
In the Great Ming, one could wear whatever one pleased. Taboos like imperial yellow simply did not exist, as long as one did not openly wear an imperial dragon robe.
Therefore, people in the Great Ming wore all sorts of clothing, some in traditional Ming-style attire, and others wearing the separate tops and bottoms that had come from Europe.
Coupled with the vast number of foreigners gathered in the capital of the Great Ming, the city somewhat resembled a fashion exhibition of all nations.
In essence, this was a form of cultural confidence, much like the process by which the suona entered China.
Yes, the suona, a traditional ethnic instrument of the Central Plains, actually originated in Persia and entered China, much like how when Li Er was in power, a large amount of Kucha music was introduced. Li Er found Kucha music pleasing, so Kucha music became Tang music. Anyone who dared to disagree was buried by Li Er.
Consider hairstyles as well.
As is well known, the Great Qing enforced a queue order, allowing commoners to only wear the "money-rat-tail" hairstyle.
The "money-rat-tail" hairstyle is not the same as the pigtails seen in television dramas, which are an idealized version that only appeared in the late Qing period. In the early period, the "money-rat-tail" allowed only a small patch of hair the size of a copper coin at the back of the head. The standard was that the braid must be able to pass through the square hole of a copper coin, and all other hair on the head had to be shaved clean.
What about those who did not comply?
Naturally, it was a case of "keep the head but not the hair, keep the hair but not the head."
Even more appalling was the Great Qing's proficiency in rewriting historical records.
In fact, there has never been a rule in the history of the Central Plains that mandated the keeping of hair or beards.
Yes, there were absolutely no strict regulations; it was entirely based on personal aesthetics and the social environment of the time.
For example, the scoundrel Liu Bang was known for his handsome beard, and the people of the Han dynasty generally preferred to grow beards, valuing "many beards" as a sign of beauty. During the Tang and Song dynasties, dyeing beards became popular, with people "dyeing their beards to appear youthful." In the Southern Dynasties, beard-shaving became prevalent, with noble youths "all perfuming their clothes and shaving their faces."
The same applied to hairstyles. There is even a record stating, "His hair cut like a monk's, his hands like spring onions, his voice like a rumbling xiao, those who saw him suspected him to be an immortal." This refers to Zhu Cilang, the crown prince of the Great Ming and son of Emperor Chongzhen, as recorded in the "Xian Yan."
When the reigning crown prince could have his hair styled like a monk's and be praised as one who "those who saw him suspected him to be an immortal," it clearly demonstrates the attitude of the people of the Great Ming, and even the Central Plains before the Great Ming, towards hairstyles.
As for the saying, "The body, hair, and skin are received from parents and cannot be lightly damaged," and the "tonsure," which was considered a form of torture, they had nothing to do with the hairstyles of ordinary people in their daily lives.
For example, how did a video of a rabbit being caught and having its head shaved become popular? Because it was forcibly shaved—this act of shaving the head bald was considered a humiliation due to its coercive nature. If one chose to shave their head bald willingly, who would care? (This video was staged.)
Similarly, ancient people styled their hair for convenience. Those who wished to grow their hair long could do so, those who preferred short hair could cut it short, and those who wished to style themselves like Zhu Cilang as a monk were not criticized.
The Great Ming naturally upheld this principle. Apart from military requirements regarding hairstyles, no one managed the hairstyles of ordinary citizens.
Of course, the prerequisite was that they could not wear the money-rat-tail braid; that thing was too disgusting to look at.
In addition to cultural confidence in aspects like hairstyles and clothing, what truly astonished Louis XVI and the others were the people of the Great Ming themselves.
If Zhu Jinsong had not suddenly emerged from the river of history to overthrow the Great Qing, then in a few decades, England and other European barbarians would have forcibly opened the gates of the Great Qing with their warships. The people, ravaged by opium, would naturally be inferior to those European barbarians in both spirit and physique.
The appellations of "Sick Man of East Asia" and "consumptive ghosts" were naturally bestowed upon the people of the Central Plains by those European barbarians.
Fortunately, Zhu Jinsong inexplicably emerged from the river of history to overthrow the Great Qing. The people of the Great Ming could eat their fill even without relying on sweet potatoes. In contrast, the European barbarians at this time were worse off than the people of the Great Ming in terms of food and drink.
This resulted in the people of the Great Ming generally being stronger than the commoners of Europe.
This was what greatly alarmed George III, Paul I, and Jefferson—everyone wants to be a strong leader, and who doesn't know the benefits of a strong populace?
Even more frustrating for George III and others was that the divine medicine, hailed as capable of curing all diseases and pains, was being continuously transported to Europe through the English East India Company and the Dutch East India Company. The European populace, at this moment, resembled consumptive ghosts even more.
If the Great Ming were to launch a military campaign against Europe, regardless of whether the European armies could defeat the armies of the Great Ming, it was undeniable that the European commoners could not defeat the people of the Great Ming.
Therefore, after two days of touring the capital with Zhu Jinsong, George III and the others couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. Jefferson regretted his actions so much that he wished he could die.
If he had known the Great Ming was so strong, he would never have brought up the Great Qing back then, nor would he have challenged Zhu Jinsong, the emperor of the Great Ming. It's true that his country, the "Silly Eagle," currently approves of him as a leader, but that's just an illusion!
The truth is, those gentlemen in Congress only approve of him as long as he brings sufficient benefits to the "Silly Eagle." If he cannot bring benefits, but instead brings disaster…
It is estimated that the gentlemen in Congress would immediately initiate impeachment proceedings against him.
Among them, only Louis XVI remained nonchalant.
After all, France was firmly holding onto the Great Ming's coattails, willingly serving as the Great Ming's bridgehead and vanguard in Europe. These messy misfortunes were truly not related to his France.
For example, the Great Ming prohibited the private sale and consumption of opium, and France followed suit. The Great Ming continuously built railways and roads, and France also vigorously built railways and roads.
Louis XVI even made the official language of the Great Ming a compulsory language in French schools, requiring French citizens to learn the official language of the Great Ming from primary school.
Except for Louis XVI not daring to imitate the system of enthronement and the fact that the French people looked very different from the people of the Great Ming, France was almost a miniature replica of the Great Ming in all other aspects.
Under these circumstances, Louis XVI naturally had no worries about trivial matters, nor did he worry about the Great Ming attacking France. At worst, he would raise his hands, change the French flag to the Great Ming flag, and perhaps he could even obtain a noble title such as Duke of Gui De.
Of course, Louis XVI's greatest confidence did not come from following the Great Ming in everything, but from the fact that he still owed the Great Ming two billion Dragon Dollars, which amounted to a full two hundred million taels of silver.
At the very least, until this debt was repaid, he as the King of France and France itself should be safe.
Therefore, Louis XVI adopted a dismissive attitude towards George III and the others' worried expressions: "What are you all worried about? I, Louis, owe the Great Ming twenty billion Dragon Dollars, and you all owe no less than I do, do you?"
"Since the Emperor of the Great Ming allows us to owe so much money, it means he still has a use for us, or rather, for our countries. He won't attack us easily."
"So, since the Emperor of the Great Ming created this 'little broken pot' and dragged us into it, let's work with him to manage the 'little broken pot.' As long as we don't go against the Emperor of the Great Ming or the Great Ming, we will get our fair share of benefits."
Speaking of which, Louis XVI then pointed to Jefferson and said, "As for you, you should refrain from having those wild thoughts in the future. When you should bow, bow. When you should take a beating, stand at attention. Bowing to the Great Ming is not shameful. The beating from the Emperor of the Great Ming is not shameful. Becoming the last leader of the 'Silly Eagle' is shameful."
Paul I also nodded and advised, "Our Russian court has some records that you absolutely would not believe. During the Mongol Yuan period, kings and lords of all sizes in Russia lined up to pay tribute to the Golden Horde and listen to the Great Khan's teachings.
"If any king or lord received a whipping, they not only wouldn't have any other thoughts but would be quite pleased, because they could return alive to collect taxes from the commoners. If…"
"The same logic applies now.
"It doesn't matter if you lose face, and it doesn't matter much if you lose substance. At least the 'Silly Eagle' can continue to exist, and you can continue to live."
After being told this by Louis XVI and Paul I, Jefferson's face became somewhat unbearable: "How can you slander me out of thin air! Is losing face in front of the Emperor of the Great Ming considered losing face?"
What followed was a barrage of difficult-to-understand words, such as how the "Silly Eagle" had always admired the Great Ming, had maintained good relations with the Great Ming over the years, and would continue to be even more friendly in the future. The air was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.
However, while talking and laughing, George III, Jefferson, and Paul I were quite envious of Louis XVI. If one were to speak of the country with the closest relationship to the Great Ming, no country on this entire small planet could compare to France. If one were to speak of the leader with the closest relationship to the Emperor of the Great Ming, no leader on this entire small planet could surpass Louis XVI.
Even France had more slots for students studying abroad in the Great Ming than other countries. French nobles who came to the Great Ming enjoyed the same treatment as ordinary citizens of the Great Ming; this was already far superior to the treatment received by nobles from other countries, and many nobles from other countries were even contemplating changing their nationality to French because of it.
While there was envy, George III and the others clearly understood that the opportunity to establish good relations with the Great Ming was equal. However, only Louis XVI dared to go all-in at that time. When the Great Ming was just established, Louis XVI directly bet on the Great Ming, not only kicking away Qian Long, his old pen pal, but also unreservedly supporting the Great Ming in naval development, directly selling France's most advanced warships to the Great Ming, along with the manufacturing technology.
Now, it was precisely Louis XVI's turn to reap the rewards.