The Rise of Iceland

On November 25, two days of ice and snow covered North America, causing the Hurons, Abnaki and Cree people living in the vicinity of the St. Lawrence River estuary to hide in the tribe’s wooden huts to avoid the cold. Champlain, who wanted to place his hopes on the Huron allies, and hoped to get some food from the Huron or Abnaki, was disrupted by this heavy snow. In such weather, he could not send anyone to find the indigenous people. It is impossible for the indigenous people to bring food for them. Not only the environment does not allow it, but also the indigenous people will regard food as more precious after the heavy snowfall.

　　 There is a French-style villa with stone walls and wood roof in the Citadel of Quebec. The chimney is steaming black, indicating that someone has lit the fireplace for heating.

　　 This is the residence of Champlain, the governor of New France, and it is also the power center of New France.

In the house, Champlain was wearing a sweater and his beard on his lips was neatly constructed. He sat by the fireplace and looked at the letter in his hand. After a while, he coughed and said, "Allie! Add another handful of firewood, why? Still a little cold?"

　　 His lover, Ai Li, who followed him by the side, is a charming woman in her thirties. She chuckled and put some firewood into the fireplace.

　　 "Your body is not as good as before..."

Hearing the faint voice of his lover, Champlain coughed slightly, thinking that he was becoming more and more powerless in bed, and said with a blushing face and breath: "I am almost fifty years old. I have been exploring the North American wasteland all the year round and can live. God bless you! You need to know how strong I was when I was young!"

　　 Allie chuckled and said: "Yes, my strong governor-general!"

　　 Shrugged, Champlain read the letter again, and then tightened his clothes, as if it felt warmer.

Champlain pondered the bad news that Francis’s urgent request and the letter stated that the Gaspé Peninsula has caused a large number of deaths of indigenous people due to this year’s cooling. If a large number of indigenous people on the peninsula’s strongholds are guaranteed to die, hunting and fishing will not be guaranteed next year. When the amount of supplies harvested, Francis and his French soldiers could not even beat a fox at all.

　　French soldiers are not as versatile as the Icelanders. They don’t understand hunting and fishing skills at all. Therefore, if they don’t rely on savage allies, they will not be able to obtain enough prey to supply the consumption of strongholds in Quebec.

　　Because of the harsh living environment, Icelanders are very proficient in hunting, fishing, sailing and steering and many other skills. Basically every Icelander masters two skills, which are inherited by ancestors.

But the French are different. They are an agricultural country. Most of the farmers only know how to farm the land. Those who are mercenaries only know how to fight. There are not many fishermen by the sea, so the kingdom of France with a population of 10 million really depends on fisheries. Instead, there are only one or two Basques in the region.

　　 Champlain clearly knows that if you lose the help of the natives’ allies, it will be impossible for the French to survive in North America.

　　 Putting away the letter, Champlain frowned and fell into thought.

　　 Ally noticed the emotional change of her lover, sat next to Champlain, hugged him and asked, "My dear, what did Francis tell you again?"

　　 "What else? Except for persuading me to form an alliance with the Icelanders on Vinland Island, he won't have any new tricks now! Humph!"

　　 Champlain said coldly: "Last month he lost to the Icelanders, and Hadar let him back. The first thing he saw me was to persuade me to form an alliance with Vinland. I think this kid has been brainwashed by the Icelanders!"

　　 "Oh!" Allie nodded and asked, "But before you said that the English people are pressing harder and harder, maybe it is a good thing to form an alliance with the Icelanders in Vinland? Why...?"

"The Icelanders on Vinland Island are not kind people! They ruled and enslaved the Beotuks, and they had great ambitions to occupy Vinland Island. Now the English people want to drive me away, I think even I temporarily retreat. The British without the foundations still can’t rule here, but the Icelanders are different. Their style is to enslave the indigenous people to rule. Compared with the English, they are more direct and violent. If I ally with them, they will have It may be possible to use my power to ascend to New France, and then annex the natives on the North American continent and occupy the separatist land. The English are wolves and the Icelanders are leopards!"

　　 Champlain seems to have been well thought out. He is very worried about the Icelanders' ambitions. In order not to attract wolves into the house, he has always refused to respond to Francis's strategy of alliance with the Icelanders.

　　 "Since you don't want to ally with the Icelanders, why don't you ask for domestic support? You are the governor appointed by Prime Minister Richelieu, and he will never ignore the embarrassment of New France!"

　　 Champlain has never married a wife and set up a family. Ai Li has been with him for four or five years. He has been in and out of the halls of high-ranking officials and aristocrats and met with many celebrities. She also has a certain political perspective, so she made suggestions to Champlain.

　　 Champlain waved his hand, frowned and said, "Prime Minister Richelieu may be powerless and unwilling to support me!"

"what's happenin?"

"Hey! Prime Minister Richelieu tried his best to promote the "Anti-Habsburg Alliance" of Britain, France, the Netherlands, and Denmark three years ago. Then the three countries funded the alliance and Denmark sent troops to attack. At first, Denmark's fight was pretty good, but Since last year, Christian IV has been retreating steadily, and the British commander-in-chief Mansfield has also been defeated. Now Denmark has been beaten back to northern Jutland, and the Habsburg army has no one to check and balance. Richelieu He is actively looking for other forces that can be wooed, and also to guard against Spanish invasion. After all, Spain and Habsburg are one family!"

Champlain sighed, got up and turned around, and then said: "I have ordered Francis to try to ensure Quebec supplies on the Gaspé Peninsula. He has more than 100 musketeers and Huron warriors. Assuring logistics, this winter will be a bit harder than before, but it will be able to survive. When the weather gets warmer next spring, I will try to negotiate with the British! As long as the conditions are not too harsh, I think I can always discuss it..."

Champlain didn’t know whether his decision was correct, but he was learning about Francis’s 180 French soldiers, 500 Huron warriors, and three thousand Beotuk warriors. After losing to the Icelanders, and the Icelanders still have artillery, muskets, plate armor and other weapons, Champlain is deeply afraid of the Icelanders.

Champlain thinks that such a well-prepared colonist must not just be satisfied with scouring the fur. They must have ambitions for the population of the territory. Champlain does not want to provoke the Icelanders. He even questioned himself in his heart why he hadn't discovered Iceland a few years ago. Are people hiding so deep? He even maintained a general friendship with the previous leader Hagrid.

Because Champlain was worried that his alliance with Vinland would give them a chance to enter the mainland and compete with the English for territories, he still disagreed with Francis’s proposal of alliance even if he faced the risk of enduring hunger in his stronghold. I saw in the letter that this right-hand man had some opinions on himself.

Reached out and touched the fire, feeling warmth and a slight tingling, Champlain coughed slightly, and then muttered to himself: "Wait and wait...Francis, you are too young and young, you don't understand. The Icelandic leader who is kind and courteous to you actually has the ambition to dominate North America. Unless we can’t support it, we can’t form an alliance with the Icelanders because, in case of an alliance with Vinland, the Icelanders will have enough reasons to do so. I am involved in the affairs of the mainland, and North America will fall into chaotic wars in the future, and the worst result may be even more chaotic and fierce than the current All-European Union war! This is not in the interests of New France...and it is not good for me. Rule..."