England's series of maneuvers, first claiming military movements against France were not aimed at France, and then shifting all responsibility to George III, left many European nations utterly bewildered.
France's reaction, however, baffled the onlookers across Europe.
France first abandoned its previous stance of "taking necessary measures to resolve the English threat." Instead, it publicly declared in the newspapers that both England and France were among the "Five Virtuous Ones" of the "Broken Pot" and bore the responsibility and obligation to do their utmost to ensure peace and stability in Europe.
Following this, France began to extensively promote its centuries-old friendship with England, completely disregarding unpleasantries like the Hundred Years' War and the Seven Years' War. They presented an image of close camaraderie.
However, France did not cease its military movements or preparations in any way. It was essentially saying one thing while acting another, practically daring England to fire the first shot.
And England, living up to France's expectations, actually fired the first shot and launched the first cannonball at the French army's positions!
This act stunned France.
According to the plan discussed by Louis XVI and Napoleon, England's military buildup did not necessarily mean England would initiate an attack on France. While George III had suffered from mental illness, surely the prominent figures in the English court had not all gone mad as well?
After all, England was no longer the England of decades past, and France was no longer the France of decades past. The power dynamics and strengths between the two nations had reversed. It should have been England that was worried about being attacked, not France.
Furthermore, initiating a conflict between two nations was far from a simple matter of trading insults. The mobilization of troops, the preparation of weaponry and provisions were tasks that could not be completed by any nation in a short period.
For instance, in this current situation, only a few months had passed since George III, in his fits of madness, declared his intention to engage in conflict with France.
It was even uncertain whether England's army could be fully prepared within such a timeframe.
After France recovered from its shock, Louis XVI, in a fit of rage, issued orders to the French army: "Retreat! Retreat fifty kilometers! The Ministry of Information will issue a statement in the newspapers, solemnly condemning England's act of sneak attack and unannounced warfare!"
This, precisely, was the second point that puzzled observers across Europe. Although England had gained the advantage of a surprise attack, and the war situation appeared to favor England, France, as one of the "Five Virtuous Ones" of the "Broken Pot" and having recently engaged in conflict with the Habsburgs, should have possessed superior military strength to England. How could they be forced to retreat fifty kilometers by England?
In response, France's Ministry of Information offered an explanation: "France and England are both among the Five Virtuous Ones of the Broken Pot, and there is centuries of friendship between them. With George III suddenly acting erratically, it is only appropriate for France to make some concessions."
However, the common people of France could not comprehend the purpose behind the Ministry of Information's words. They had been attacked, yet France was expected to show restraint. The retreat was being portrayed as a demonstration of France's self-control?
"Criticize them!"
The French nobility and populace immediately turned their attention to the French court, launching fierce attacks on the court officials, labeling them as cowardly and useless. They criticized Louis XVI for selling out France's interests, for only bullying French nobles, and for becoming as timid as a dog when it came to actual conflict.
Even Napoleon was not spared from the French critics. They argued that if Napoleon had not been so incompetent, how could England's "rose beef" have set foot on French soil alive?
In short, through their pens and the widespread dissemination of newspapers, the French critics managed to portray Louis XVI as the most incompetent monarch in French history and Napoleon as a disgrace to the graduates of the Grand Ming Military Academy.
However, while Louis XVI was being criticized, the mentally unstable King George III of England, Queen Charlotte, and Prime Minister Pitt were also enduring intense public condemnation.
The English critics seemed to be even more adept at criticism than their French counterparts.
From the outset, English critics accused George III's actions against France of leading to the deterioration of relations between England and France.
After the English army fired the first shot, the English critics lambasted George III for his lack of military understanding, stating that England would only worsen under his leadership.
Later, when the armies of England and France began to engage in combat and the news spread that the French army had voluntarily retreated fifty kilometers, the English critics once again focused their fire on George III. "We're not asking you to compare yourself to Richard the Lionheart, but at least you should know how to seize the opportunity to strike France!"
Now, the French army had been driven back one hundred kilometers by the glorious English army, yet the English army had not pursued immediately. Was this due to George III's lack of military acumen, or was it because England's officers were too incompetent?
What?
Were the English officers also graduates of the Grand Ming Military Academy?
Then they deserved even more criticism!
Look at France's Napoleon; in just a few years, he had earned the title of "God of War" in Europe. In contrast, where were the renowned figures among England's overseas students? None had made even a slightest reputation for themselves.
They didn't even understand the basic principle of pursuing victory. They were simply a bunch of small fries who only knew how to collect their salaries!
Later, perhaps feeling that simply criticizing their own countries was not enough, the critics of both England and France began to engage in reciprocal attacks.
Thanks to England's system of free competition, small newspapers proliferated throughout Europe, allowing any critic to find a publication and unleash their tirades.
Eventually, the critics from England and France even decided to settle their disputes offline.
This rather dramatic, even farcical, situation caused the critics from the Habsburg family and the Russian Empire to lose their composure.
The critics from the Habsburg family and the Russian Empire also joined in this frenzy of criticism!
Of course, despite the artillery duels between England and France on the battlefield, and the ongoing artillery exchanges between Russia and the Habsburgs, and the verbal sparring between the critics of all four nations in the newspapers, this was not considered a major issue.
To put it bluntly, Europe had been operating like this for thousands of years: today you attack me, tomorrow I attack you; today you criticize me, tomorrow I criticize you. They were already accustomed to it.
However, the ongoing conflict in Europe spread to the Ottoman Empire, and then from the Ottoman Empire to India. From India, it was transmitted to the capital of the Grand Ming Dynasty via telegraph.
Then, it reached the overseas student branch of the Grand Ming Royal Academy.
The students from overseas immediately lost their focus on their studies. Whether they were students sent by the Habsburg family, England, or France.
Students from various European countries sent to the Grand Ming gathered outside the student activity center, waiting for the latest issue of the "Grand Ming Newspaper" and discussing the European situation in hushed tones.
A female noble student from the Habsburg family, with a worried expression, asked in a low voice, "Why did they suddenly start fighting?"
Another English student shook his head and replied, "I don't know."
Another female noble student from the Habsburg family frowned and said, "Will they recall us? I just met a boy in Ming Country, and he is about to become my boyfriend."
Just then, a French student chimed in, "Lady Falti of the Habsburg family? Do you think you are worthy of a boy from Ming Country?"
The first female noble student from the Habsburg family retorted unceremoniously, "Falti's family is of noble rank and possesses their own fiefdom. If that boy from Ming Country is willing to marry her, I believe the Falti family will grant her more fiefdoms! And you, French frogs, stop having ideas about Falti; she will definitely not look down on you!"
The French student let out a scoff, mockingly saying, "You've been here for two years, don't you realize that nobles from Europe are not as good as a commoner from Ming Country!"
After the insult, the French student simply ignored the two female students from the Habsburg family and squeezed through the crowd towards the student activity center.
Lady Falti, however, suddenly stated firmly, "I will succeed!"
The French student paid no attention to Lady Falti.
But as he entered the activity center, he heard a voice say, "The English army has already fired on the French army, and the French army has stopped retreating after falling back fifty kilometers. Both sides will soon engage in direct combat."
When the voice stopped, among the students, a man with sparse hair styled in a stubborn right-hand sweep, wearing a black shirt and glasses, holding red and blue pencils in his hand, snorted and said, "These蛀虫 (蛀虫 -蛀虫 -蛀虫 -蛀虫) haven't even prepared properly. How long can they fight?"
The person who had just spoken moved his lips, and after a long pause, he stammered, "Adolf, now the Habsburg..."
Another student nearby continued, "The Habsburg family has formally declared war on France, and they did so while already engaged in conflict with Russia."
Upon hearing this, Adolf forced himself to take several deep breaths. After calming down slightly, he removed his glasses with his right hand, which had a lingering after-effect from his years of cotton processing, and said, "Those who have found boyfriends or fiancées in Ming Country and intend to stay in Ming Country and not return to Europe, you may leave now."
After several people turned and left the room, Adolf suddenly roared, "These maggots! Trash! Their actions fill me with grief! The fate of Europe fills me with even more grief!"
"This week, the teacher is about to teach us battlefield strategy and tactics. I was very happy."
"But these damned maggots, they have stirred up war again!"
"They are even worse than the 一赐乐业 (Yī Cì Lè Yè - a historical term that can refer to various groups, often with negative connotations)!"
"Damn it, have they learned from the 一赐乐业 farmers, that if there is no war, they must create war!"
An English student said with a solemn expression, "It's too late to say anything now. They have already started fighting."
Adolf became even more furious, "Shut up! They've started fighting, does that mean we won't be affected? These obstacles, these scumbags!"
The English student asked, "Then what do you suggest we do?"
Adolf angrily replied, "What to do? What can we do now? These bastards are fighting with gusto. When they can't hold on any longer, they will call us back and make us fight for them!"
Speaking of this, Adolf's anger intensified. He suddenly exerted force and threw the red and blue pencils in his hand onto the table, cursing, "Infuriates me!"
"Why the hell did they have to choose this timing to fight!"
"If they had two more years, even two more years, we could have learned more, and our theories would have been more complete."
"But now, they have ruined everything!"
"Now, I wish I could pack all these bastards and send them to Stalin of Russia!"
After cursing, Adolf seemed to have lost all his strength and slumped into a chair. He then said in a low voice, "How did it come to this?"
"I came to Ming Country, to Hebei Province, to receive a good education."
"The education of the Heavenly Dynasty is so great, so great."
"If we all study diligently, we can achieve better development for Austria and even the whole of Europe when we return."
"But now..."
A silence fell upon the room.
The European noble students in the room all understood that with the official commencement of hostilities between France and England, Europe, which had already been thrown into chaos by the conflict between the Habsburg family and Russia, would become even more turbulent.
And they, the overseas students, might be recalled by their respective countries at any time, assigned as officers in the army, and find themselves facing each other on the battlefield.
However, as all the students fell silent, Adolf suddenly snorted and said angrily, "Revolt!"
"Since these maggots and trash are preventing us from studying properly, then let's not wait for their conscription. We'll go back first!"
"Fuck!"
"When we get back, we'll first hang these damned maggots, trash, and those landlords of 一赐乐业 on lampposts!"
"Fuck!"