Wanli Xinming

Chapter 254
As soon as the first Catholic Church in the capital was completed, the people of the capital gave it a more concise name "Nantang" than Xuanwumen Catholic Church. For no other reason, it was because the church was in the south of the capital, and the word "Nantang" was less .

As a reward for the mission, the completion of the Nantang greatly stimulated the members of the mission.In addition to constantly expressing their gratitude to the emperor, the members of the mission are also trying their best to please the emperor and the court.

Fan Li'an was in Tianjin at this time, leading the shipbuilders who came with the mission to build ships for Daming, and at the same time established the first Western-style ship technology school in Tianjin.He also had an important task to cooperate with the imperial court in setting up a mission to Rome, so he often ran between the capital and Tianjin. Luo Mingjian worked as his assistant in the capital and shared a lot of work for him.

Matteo Ricci's main task in leisure time is to build relationships with the royal family, nobles, and high society—Fan Li'an and Luo Mingjian now feel more and more that letting Matteo Ricci come to the capital is a stroke of genius.

Of course, the experience of the members of the mission in the Ming Dynasty must be transmitted to Goa and Rome as quickly as possible, so that the colonial authorities and the Holy See can understand their brilliant achievements.At the same time, a large number of letters is also a need for everyone to confide in: There is an old saying in China, wealth and honor should not be known to people in your hometown, just like walking in the dark in gorgeous clothes.Well, that's what it means. The people of Seris can express it in four words, "Yi Jin Ye Xing", and the level of civilization simply crushes us.

Except for a few people such as Ines, almost all members of the current mission are "Sai Chui", Siris Chui.

All mission members are writing letters because they want to brag to their relatives and friends. This is the same reason that some people in later generations must post to Moments when they arrive in the Maldives or Saipan.Not to mention the current Ming Dynasty, everyone in the mission felt that they had entered a high civilization, a perfect country ruled by Plato's "sage king".

"Respected His Excellency the Grand Duke of Tuscany: We finally followed the Missionary Mission into Seris - China, the country that Mr. Christopher Columbus searched for all his life but never arrived. I have not checked the historical materials, but it is really possible for me He is the second Florentine to arrive in this country after Marco Polo—I always think that Venice should also be under your wise rule."

"Dear Grand Duke, please allow me to proudly tell you: Everything about Siris recorded in "Marco Polo's Travels", except for some strange people and strange things that have not been confirmed, and some figures may be inaccurate, the rest There is no exaggeration in all places. As Mr. Marco Polo said before his death, 'What I have said is not half what I have seen.'”

"Please allow me to report to you what I have seen: first of all, this is a country full of wealth and silk. It is too rich here! I can give you a simple example: in your principality, silk worth at least two francs Lorraine, and almost everyone in this country wears silk, which, I hear, was cheaper here than the best cotton just ten years ago."

"Porcelain, which ordinary people can't afford in Europe, is an ordinary dinner plate here. Because porcelain is everywhere, I can buy a beautiful plate for the price of a hundred eggs, and the guy who sells plates is still working hard Thank you so much, as if he was the one who took advantage of it."

"Therefore, I am often in a daze in the house where I live, staring at the room full of porcelain - imagining how I would feel surrounded by these lovely things in my home in Florence. When we passed by the southern cities of the Ming Dynasty, we met more than once. I’ve been to a china dealer and I can swear to you they’ve assured us many times that they can fire any pattern, even your likeness on a plate.”

"There are too many people here! I dare say that we have passed at least five big cities with a population of more than one million. As for cities with a population of more than one hundred thousand, sir, here are at most prosperous counties. In this country, the provinces are Counties, below counties are villages and towns, I don’t know if my explanation is accurate. And in the capital of any province, the population exceeds 50.”

"Your Excellency, the Mongol Empire that once brought fear to Europe has long been defeated by the Sires, and the Sires have recovered their territory—many times larger than when it was captured by the Mongols before. The head of our mission, Fan Li'an When I was in Hangzhou with Luo Mingjian, I was informed and confirmed in the capital of the empire that this empire is now one-fifth larger than Europe, and His Majesty the Emperor is not satisfied with the current territory."

"I must tell you frankly that the strength of this empire far exceeds that of the Mongol Empire. This summer, the emperor has issued an edict to King Shunyi outside the Great Wall and the ruler of the Yeerqiang Khanate, ordering them to come to Beijing to pay tribute to him. And accept the imperial court's reward—in fact, the emperor wants to include the entire Mongolian grassland plus all the territory north of the Tianshan Mountains to the border with the Mughals."

"In my opinion, although China has this strength, it is completely unnecessary. There is not a total population of 200 million in this land - please forgive me, my view of numbers has changed a lot since I came to China —and all of them are barren lands that barely produce food.”

"But the emperor insisted on going his own way. I heard that the ministers who opposed him had already been dismissed from their positions. Mr. Ines said that at least half of the success would be achieved - because Xin'ai Huangtai, the king of Shunyi on the Mongolian grasslands, had already been frightened by the army of the Seres. I have the courage. When I wrote the letter, I heard that he himself will arrive at the capital."

"As for the Western Regions, Mr. Ines said that it depends on how much determination and money the empire pays. The commander of the empire's western regions is General Ma Fang, one of the strongest generals in the empire. If he sends troops, as long as the logistics can keep up, he should be able to Take Shache, the capital of the Yeerqiang Khanate."

"This spring, when we went to Beijing to meet the emperor, we were very close to the capital and occupied Tumen Zhasak Tuhan, which is now renamed Rehe Province. provinces became 25."

"Your Majesty, you must be wondering why I know these things so well, because of the newspapers. The capital now has two newspapers, and these news are published in them in a grand manner, and they have become the topic of conversation among the people of Seris."

"It was said in the newspaper that the ninth son of the old Khan of the Yeerqiang Kingdom, Abdu Raimu, was not convinced by his nephew's rule and launched the Jingnan War in the Yeerqiang Khanate. I don't know what the emperor will think of this A rebellion—for that is how his ancestors took the throne that belonged to his nephew."

"Finally the emperor. Allow me to describe to you the king of the Sires - he inherited the throne at the age of ten due to the early death of the previous emperor. During the first five years of his reign, the empire mainly relied on The current Prime Minister Zhang Juzheng is here to govern."

"In the fifth year of Wanli, the emperor showed extraordinary courage - he started a change within the empire. I don't know what China was like before the change, but I can report to you how much the empire expanded after the change. At the beginning of the emperor's reign, the emperor of China had two capital cities and thirteen provinces—some of which were larger than the entire Apennine peninsula."

"It's Wanli ten years now, No. 11 years after the emperor succeeded to the throne. Now the empire has 26 provinces. After capturing Rehe, if the emperor's intimidation succeeds, his empire may become thirty Provinces—the newly occupied land is at least as large as four large provinces."

"Your Excellency, my letter may remind you of the bad memory of the Europeans about the Yellow Peril. I sincerely suggest that you don't worry. I say from the bottom of my heart that His Majesty the Emperor is replacing barbarism with a great civilization, with a A great system instead of cruelty, and love his 'children' with matchless kindness. Yes, that is."

"Of course, as for why I said that, I hope I can explain it clearly to you in the next letter, after all, this letter is already too long."

"Your servant, loyal Capasa Buonarroti Romano."

　Entrusted by a friend, I recommended a book, Zhiming.Lao Mo went to observe Chapter 1, and the writing style was fine.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)