Xinshun 1730

Chapter 900 The Strange Status Witnessed by the British ([-])

When leaving from Liu Yu, Fazaklei's face was already a little stiff because of the long fake smile.

Back at his residence, Fazakle picked up his pen and, as usual, recorded what he saw at the beginning of his trip to Macau in his diary.

…………

[December 12th.clear.Macao. 】

With his usual shamelessness and his notorious reputation like Frederick II, the Duke of China has adopted extremely shameless means of unfair competition.

It seems that the company's financial statements this year will be very ugly.

He said that in view of the efficiency of the Chinese government and the fact that this matter needs to be submitted to the emperor for a final decision, all the company's merchant ships in Macau, Shanghai and Guangzhou will be detained for a period of time.Check to ensure that no opium is carried without permission, or show sufficient evidence that no one on board is engaged in the opium trade.

I tried my best to clarify the company's problems, but the Duke was unmoved, and explained the matter with the darkness of politics:
He believes that if there is no strict investigation, in the future, if there is evidence that the company's merchant ships have concealed opium, or that the sailors and employees on board have evidence of direct participation in the opium trade, then he will be attacked by his colleagues and other officials of the imperial court. , saying he likely took a bribe.

For his official position and family, and for his favor in front of the emperor, he certainly doesn't care about the interests of hundreds or thousands of shareholders of the company.

This reminds me of how in our Parliament we call our political enemies Scottish horse thieves and Irish bandits.And the Jenkins ear incident, the story of those who accuse the opposition of the war faction of being bribed with Spanish silver coins.

It seems that the world is similar.

They also have their own moral system and govern the country with a morality that can clearly distinguish right from wrong. I think there is only room for extremes and more extremes.

Undoubtedly, this is not good news for the company.

Once the monsoon season ends in February, if you still can't set sail...I'm afraid this year's tea and raw silk profits can be said goodbye.

[December 12th.Negative.Macao. 】

There came the dreadful news that the barbarity of the Orientals was a shock to all civilized people.

The murderous Duke, as the imperial envoy who handled the Macau incident, made a list of criminals.

In fact, this is not so much an execution as a massacre.

324 people related to the opium trade, including but not limited to smugglers, smugglers, implementers, and opium den operators, were sentenced to death.Among them, 240 are Chinese, and among the remaining 84, there are 12 compatriots.However, I am powerless to save them.

Not only that, but the cruel Bloody Duke also sent me a viewing invitation, saying that he had reserved a good spot for me.

In addition to these more than 300 poor people, some people of the Dominican Order were also sentenced to death.

Among them, 13 Dominicans headed by Bai Duolu were sentenced to be shot.And many members of the underground church organizations they established in Fujian, Suzhou and other places were sentenced to exile in Macau.

Most of these Catholics are poor people, and they are different from the Puritans on the Mayflower.In fact, they don't even have the ability to scrape together the money to escape from this demonic kingdom.

Poor Macau.Of course, the Jesuits did not have the miracle of five loaves and two fish. These people who are constantly being exiled will turn Macau into hell.

However, it is impossible for the Jesuits and the Bishop of Macau to choose not to accept them.However, from the perspective of a businessman, I would like to know whether the Society of Jesus has the ability to relieve them and guarantee their most basic survival?
[December 12th.clear.Macao. 】

Today is the day of the first executions.I was "invited" to watch it, and indeed it was a "nice" spot in the front row.

It has to be said that China is a god-worshiping nation, and their idol worship is very serious.If science, mechanics, etc. prove to be effective, they will worship these things like gods.

Today's first batch of executions adopted a new execution method.This method of execution also proves what we have always believed, the worship of reason and science, is also terrible.

A wooden platform about 20 feet high, on which a heavy guillotine is suspended by a block and pulley structure, the guillotine is inclined.

As for why it is 20 feet tall, one of Bloody Duke's students told me in a very proud tone that it was carefully calculated.

Only at such a height can there be enough kinetic energy to ensure that each end is clean and neat without damaging the guillotine.

As for why it is inclined, the young man also explained it with some mechanical principles that I couldn't understand at all.

It never occurred to me that anyone would use science in such a way.In fact, they worship science as a new god, which is no different from their worship of temples, dragon kings, gods of wealth, and ancestors.

They even regard the application of science as another form of divine manifestation.

In the Academy of Sciences in the capital, the purpose of their scientific research is clearly stated, it is for application.And continued Leibniz's argument, repeatedly sneered at the set of "science for the sake of science and for the study of the universal truth of the world" of the Royal Society of England, and denounced it as "a person who has been reduced to some aristocratic class". pastime," such as some papers on various types of mushrooms.

Obvious utilitarianism.Like their worship of gods, what they long for is not the truth of creation, but things such as rain, sunshine, and harvest.

However, this student of the Bloody Duke has another explanation for the guillotine.And think that this is a kind of benevolence and righteousness.

It is believed that executing the death row criminals in a scientific way is more humane than our European methods of burning, wheeling, dismembering, and hanging.

Let the criminal die without pain.Compared with hanging and quartering, this is a kind of humanitarian progress.In his words, this is Ren.

According to him, the sentence for Bai Duolu and others is to be executed by artillery fire, which is actually more benevolent.Because it hurts less.From a mechanical point of view, he told me about the speed of the cannon ejection, the speed of crushing the human body, and concluded that the speed of the cannonball is 20 times the speed of falling from a 45-foot-high guillotine.Therefore, the most painful time between dead and not dead is also a 45-fold gap.

I asked him sarcastically, is it also a kind of benevolence he understands to invent more effective weapons that kill people faster?

But not only did he not take these words as sarcasm, but a special brilliance appeared in his eyes.

He said that compared with the human body hit by lead bullets, it is undoubtedly a kind of benevolence to invent a more powerful firearm that kills when hit.Weapons are just tools, he cannot decide whether the war will start, so he can only solve the pain in the war as much as possible.

With such thoughts in mind, it is no wonder that he would use science to explain the superiority of the guillotine.

This atmosphere is terrible.In their Academy of Sciences, perhaps it was with this mentality that they created naval guns, howitzers, and rifled guns with the same reload speed as smoothbore guns.

Terrible nation.

However, after observing the executions, to a certain extent, I agree with the student of the bloody duke: indeed, this method of execution seems to be more humane than the axe, guillotine, burning, hanging, and wheel punishment .

The incision is smooth, the procedure is quick and painless.

This execution will continue for several days, including some executions in the city of Guangzhou in the future.After today's execution, the Bloody Duke told me that there will be opium traffickers in the future, all of them.

I can only say that the company will definitely strengthen supervision in the future.

What can I say?

[December 12th.Guangzhou.Negative. 】

The Chinese chose the day of the Lord's Nativity to execute Bai Duolu and other missionaries in Guangzhou.He showed the bravery of a pious man, and even before his death he persuaded the lost lambs who tied him to the cannon.

And said that the Lord will not blame them, they just carried out the will of the pagan emperor.

May his soul rest in peace, to the land where the water and grass are fertile.

[December 12.Guangzhou.clear. 】

"If you believe in the gods of the Westerners, you will not have eternal life."

"Believe in science, you can get rid of smallpox."

This is the slogan they shouted after they executed Bai Duolu and other missionaries. This is a man-made opposition. In fact, it is not that we do not believe in science.

Obviously, this artificial opposition is to replace the possible true God with a new one.According to the Bloody Duke, the best way to weed the fields is to plant pine trees instead of squatting on the ground to pull weeds.

The Bloody Duke knows what science is, but he deliberately twists science into a kind of god.Obviously, he tried to spread this idea quickly by means similar to missionary.

It has to be said that this artificially created opposition is effective.But he forgot that the worship of rationality will bring disasters, making people think that they have the power to spy on the divine power of the Dao of Heaven, and that the Dao of Heaven can sum up the laws, and it is good to follow this law, and it is bad to go against this law .This is delusional.

However, the method they invented to prevent smallpox by inoculating some kind of magical substance has been promoted in large cities and the army in Jiangsu.

It is said that the emperor's court will also promote it in the future.Because after more than ten years, it has indeed been proved that it is 100% effective and there is no danger.Just like in Europe, even in the court, it is a big event worth celebrating if a child can live past the age of five.

Today, it is being promoted in Guangzhou City. A large number of officials and gentry take the lead in inoculating their children with bean sprouts.

They still remember the smallpox that raged 12 years ago.

Undoubtedly, this will be another effective political propaganda.

He did plant a pine tree to prevent any weeds from growing back.

Although, he did save many people by doing so.

But the political taste in it is too strong, which shows that he lacks a truly benevolent and kind heart.

Just because he actually saved the lives of many people who would have died of smallpox doesn't make him a good man.

Because his purpose is evil.

He refused to promote vaccination in Macau. Although his reason was the lack of manpower, the capital city has recognized its effectiveness, and a large number of people will be sent to the capital city to expand its influence and facilitate subsequent promotion.

But I think he is trying to disintegrate belief through a comparison.

A large number of people are crowding into Macau, businesses are in decline, housing is in short supply, the city is dirty, and the plague will soon prevail.An outbreak of smallpox was inevitable.

He is creating a contrast.Those who carry out his will will surely go to hell.

Although I loathe his cruelty and darkness, I had to inoculate bean sprouts too.

(End of this chapter)