Wanli 1592

Chapter 323 Matteo Ricci

Just when the advance fleet was able to see the land of Siam through the binoculars, Wang Hui walked up to Xiao Ruxun and asked Xiao Ruxun in a low voice: "Admiral, those Franji people are asking if they can come together." Participate in the landing ceremony, you mean?"

Xiao Ruxun raised her eyebrows, and after a little thought, she figured out what the Portuguese meant.

By the way, why are there Portuguese on Xiao Ruxun's fleet?
This matter has to start from half a month ago.

In the 36th year of Jiajing, the Portuguese officially obtained the right of abode in Macau from the Ming government. In the 500th year of Wanli, the Ming government signed a land lease agreement with the Portuguese. Long-term residency.

The reason why the Ming government allowed the Portuguese to live in Macau is quite deep. The reason is that during the Jiajing period, when pirates in the South China Sea were rampant. The big pirates who knew that they were natives of Zhejiang and Fujian were very helpless. It was not until these pirates expanded their business to Southeast Asia and the South China Sea that they fought against the Portuguese and Spaniards who were intervening here at that time. The Ming government realized this. The role of red hairy bark.

Fight pirates!right!Just fight pirates!
At the beginning, the western powers close to China belonged to the Portuguese, and the Spaniards devoted themselves to operating in the Philippines. They had no idea of ​​getting involved in China for the time being, so the Ming government first came into contact with the Portuguese. At that time, the Haidao official Wang Bai was bribed by the Portuguese to allow them When the landing incident happened, Wang Bo had an idea, and handed over the bribes given by the Portuguese as Portuguese rent to the Shangguan. The Shangguan saw that the imperial court was looking for allies in the South China Sea, so he took a fancy to the well-armed Portuguese.

The Ming government asked the Portuguese to send troops and ships to attack the pirates. In return, they were allowed to live and do business in Macau, but the residence was restricted, the business was restricted, and the missionary work was even more restricted. Even the food and fresh water were strangled to death by the Ming government. It made the Portuguese very depressed, but they got a piece of territory anyway, so they worked very hard to attack pirates for their own development, and won a lot of merit.

But the proud Ming government didn't trust them, and didn't intend to treat them as allies. As long as they complained about the Ming Dynasty, they would be arrested and punished by the Guangzhou Yamen.

In this regard, the Portuguese have nothing to do. Since they were defeated by the Ming government 20 years ago, they have not dared to fight again. At that time, Portugal was forcibly merged by Spain and lost its independent status. It was not until the 13th year of Chongzhen that it regained its independence. For 60 years, Portugal was actually subjugated.

The Portuguese in Macao, dominated by the Spaniards, in fact maintained a certain degree of independence. The Spaniards encouraged the management of the Philippines, but they did not care much about Macao. Moreover, when the Governor of the Philippines at that time attempted to start a war against China, he was met by His Majesty the King. In fact, Spain was defeated by Britain in the 16th year of Wanli, and its national power was greatly damaged. Although they still maintained military pressure on Britain, they no longer had the strength to officially start a war with the Ming Dynasty in Southeast Asia.

And the background for the Portuguese in Macau to contact Xiao Ruxun this time is that when the Ming Dynasty defeated the Japanese and the reputation was shocking, they went to Nanyang and caused shocks in many countries in Nanyang. At this time, the Spaniards who actually ruled this area realized the power of the Ming Dynasty government. Although it has never appeared here, its influence is everywhere. After the defeat of the Armada, the Spaniards no longer have the confidence to continue a full-scale war with the Ming government. After learning the news that more than 700 warships of the Ming Navy sailed south, the Philippines The Spaniards even thought that the Ming Army's Invincible Fleet was coming to attack.

For an opponent that is not very familiar, everyone is always worried and fearful, especially when the opponent is a giant. The Spaniards instructed the Portuguese in Macau to take the initiative to contact the Ming army, ask their purpose, and get some information.

When Xiao Ruxun first received the request from the Portuguese, he was replenishing fresh water and food at a seaport near Macau in Guangdong. By the way, he picked up thousands of wolf soldiers recruited on board. While waiting for the wolf soldiers, he met a Portuguese missionary. , the famous Italian missionary, Matteo Ricci, who can speak fluent Chinese, accompanied by an old Chinese Confucianist, Qu Taisu.

The two went together, came to the harbor where Xiao Ruxun was stationed, and asked Xiao Ruxun to meet them. Out of respect for Qu Taisu and interest in Ricci, Xiao Ruxun took a little time to meet them on the shore.

Then Xiao Ruxun learned that the person who wanted to see him was a Portuguese from Macau. Matteo Ricci was entrusted because of his reputation and his previous experience of living in Macau, and Qu Taisu was the guarantee that Matteo Ricci could see Xiao Ruxun. .

Matteo Ricci told Xiao Ruxun that the reason why he wanted to meet Xiao Ruxun was not only because he was asked by his friends in Macau, but also because he admired and was very interested in Xiao Ruxun and wanted to have a good conversation with this general from Beijing He did not shy away from his desire to go to Beijing to meet Emperor Wanli, so as to obtain permission to preach freely in China.

Xiao Ruxun has no interest in Matteo Ricci's preaching. Even though this missionary is very persistent and has a good character, Xiao Ruxun has no interest in Catholicism at all. However, Xiao Ruxun is very interested in Matteo Ricci himself. In terms of interest, Xiao Ruxun is the same as the scholars of Ming Dynasty. Matteo Ricci himself has a wealth of natural science knowledge, and his natural science knowledge is his most valuable place.

The scholars of Ming Dynasty were far more interested in the knowledge of natural science he had mastered than they were in Catholicism. The purpose of these missionaries who came to China was to spread Catholicism. The scholars did not allow Catholicism to take root in China, but allowed Western natural science to take root in China, which triggered the first wave of Western learning eastward.

Xiao Ruxun is in urgent need of these systematic knowledge of Western natural sciences to clear up some doubts, and also hopes to establish a relationship with the Portuguese to obtain the advanced level of firearms and firearms knowledge in Europe that they now have. Matteo Ricci's arrival is simply a Just when he was about to sleep, he gave him a pillow.

Xiao Ruxun suppressed her excitement, and calmly communicated with Matteo Ricci for the first time.

(End of this chapter)