Wanli 1592

Chapter 1336 The Honorable Governor of Genoa

The tableware used in this banquet is completely different from European style.

There are no knives and forks, jugs and wine glasses are quite different, chopsticks are exquisitely carved, spoons are made of iron, wood, and porcelain, and there are also various patterns, not to mention bowls, which are made in Europe A very high-end porcelain bowl in the eyes of people.

Seeing these tableware, the nobles and wealthy businessmen hesitated at first. You can use it, but you don’t know how to use it. If you don’t understand Chinese food culture and dining etiquette, if you use it rashly, you might be slapped in the face and laughed at.

No need, looking at the delicious and brightly colored food steaming and swallowing, I am really hungry, greedy and panic, and I am really curious.

So whether to say or not, they are a little confused.

Then at this time, the Governor of Genoa officially appeared in an expensive silk costume that only Chinese officials can wear, then raised his sleeves, slowly picked up the jug in front of him, and filled himself with a glass of white wine in the standard method taught by Chen Zurong .

Then raise a glass and say a toast.

A row of nobles and wealthy businessmen under the stage immediately poured wine for themselves in the image of the Governor of Genoa, and then toasted together.

Then it's drinking, drinking Chinese brewed liquor, and then eating.

A group of people watched how the Governor of Genoa operated.

Then they saw the Governor of Genoa skillfully picked up two wooden sticks to pick up a piece of meat, put it into his mouth with a smile on his face, and chewed it slowly.

Oh, it turns out that this wooden stick is used like this!
They started working immediately, and found that it was easy for them to use it while watching the governor, but it was not easy for them to use it themselves.

No matter what, they couldn't make the two wooden sticks obey, they just didn't know how to pick up the steaming food in front of them, which made them very impatient.

At this time, the governor of Genoa knew that it was time for him to pretend.

So he stood up first, walked to the small table of a distinguished guest below, picked up a few pieces of meat and fish for the noble couple, poured wine for them, and taught them how to use chopsticks.

Then he pretended that he just found out that everyone can't use chopsticks, and said that he really made a mistake, because his family has been eating with chopsticks, and he forgot that everyone still can't use it. It was really his mistake, so he called the servant Serve them with European cutlery.

The group felt liberated at last, but they soon discovered that Chinese dishes were inconvenient to eat with a knife and fork.

Seeing the governor elegantly eating vegetables with chopsticks, they are not low in status, why do they feel so inferior?

After the banquet ended, a group of nobles and wealthy businessmen immediately went back to practice eating with chopsticks.

The method is also simple, just cut two similar sticks, put refreshments in front of you, just practice picking things like this, from how to pick up and fail at the beginning to pick up food smoothly later, this is also a process.

Anyway, at that time, the servants of the noble and wealthy families always saw their master eating with two thin and long wooden sticks in a strange way, and they felt very strange.

But later they learned that this is the custom and habit of that mysterious and rich and powerful country, China.

In short, the Governor of Genoa earned enough face and his vanity was greatly satisfied, and then he asked Chen Zurong more humbly for Chinese etiquette and cultural knowledge, and spared no expense to get the Four Treasures of the Study from China and other things that symbolize Chinese culture.

He also learned from Chen Zurong's dress, wearing a scholar's robe on some informal occasions, tying himself up, wearing a scholar's square scarf, holding a folding fan in his hand, and wearing Chinese shoes, to receive some noble friends, watching Their envious and curious eyes were very happy.

Especially beside him is Chen Zurong, an authentic Chinese cultural person who can write with a brush and draw Chinese landscape paintings. more happy.

It was also during this period that Genoa and France officially received requests from diplomatic envoys representing the Qin government of China.

It is said that the Daqin government announced that China is willing to establish formal diplomatic relations and business exchanges with the two countries, which made King Henry IV of France and the Governor of Genoa ecstatic.

They immediately sent a formal diplomatic mission to Beijing to meet with Xiao Ruxun, established formal diplomatic relations with Daqin, and negotiated on some commercial issues. finalized during this period.

At that time, the French envoy and the Genoese envoy had a heated debate on this matter, resulting in serious conflicts.

In the end, Genoa won this honor with more favorable conditions and won the victory. The King of France was very angry about this, and he mocked those "vampires" in Genoa openly and secretly.

But there is no way, this honor was won by Genoa. Chinese shops and Chinese hotels opened in Genoa, which immediately attracted the attention of high society nobles from all over Europe.

Almost immediately, many European aristocrats who admired Chinese culture and their children and family members came to Genoa to visit these two Chinese stores in person.

It is completely in charge of the Chinese, and it is completely operated by the Chinese. The architectural styles are all Chinese, authentic, and all the goods and appliances are from China, and none of them are locally produced.

The floor was covered with soft cushions, and the nobles who came in carefully visited the shops and hotels with admiring expressions. The people who received them were all Chinese, but they were all trained people who had learned foreign languages ​​from missionaries. How to deal with these European nobles.

Unlike treating their own majesty, their majesty told them to show the air of a big country, and face these nobles, either humble or overbearing, don't worry, they can't control you, only our country's ambassador's day can control you.

So they made these European nobles understand what it means to be a big country.

In order to meet the needs of these European nobles, the hotel has also integrated some local styles, such as the afternoon tea that European nobles like, and the hotel specially arranged the same style of service in private rooms.

Using Chinese tea and cakes with rich styles, accompanied by elegant incense and specially arranged music by court luthiers, these aristocrats have a good experience of the enjoyment mode of Chinese literati.

The fragrant tea and the never-before-seen Chinese pastries and desserts immediately captured the stomachs of many aristocratic ladies and satisfied their curiosity.

They strongly hope that the chefs who make these things can be brought back to their homes to make Chinese desserts for them to enjoy frequently. They also like the Chinese luthier and elegant Chinese music very much.

However, this aspect cannot be satisfied. The owner made it very clear that it is only in Genoa and not out of Genoa. If you want to enjoy it in your home, please forgive us for not being able to do it.

This is a diplomatic matter between your country and our country, we are just businessmen and don't care about these things.

The French are more fortunate, because the Qin government promised that the action in Genoa will start here, and the action in France will follow.

However, it is in the order of time. After about three months, the Chinese shops and Chinese hotels in Paris, the capital of France, also opened. Immediately, the French nobles laughed.

King Henry IV of France’s pursuit and love for Chinese culture is not inferior to the Governor of Genoa. Of course, this can greatly satisfy the king’s vanity is also one of the important reasons. Knowing that the Governor of Genoa has a Chinese instructor, a Chinese house and a Chinese chef service, Henry IV was very unhappy.

How could I lose to those vampires in Genoa?
(End of this chapter)