Chapter 44: The Empire on which the Sun Never Sets
() An Guiyi, who was outside the Meridian Gate, saw Zhong Jinwei in a daze after coming out with the imperial edict, and quickly ran over: "Mr. Zhong, congratulations!"
When Zhong Jinwei saw it was him, he smiled and said, "I'm delighted, but I don't have the money to reward you. I really don't have the money!"
When An Guiyi heard this, he also smiled and said: "Mr. Zhong, please stop making fun of our family. If I reach out and take your money, it would be strange if my godfather doesn't beat me to death."
After a pause, An Guiyi changed the subject: "Mr. Zhong, my godfather said that the emperor asked you to go to the side hall to wait. He will go there after the court is over."
Zhong Jinwei was hesitant. When he heard this, he thought, yes, he wanted some money from the richest and poorest man in the Ming Dynasty to spend his time.
So, under the leadership of An Guiyi, he went back to serve Emperor Chongzhen first.
After arriving at the side hall, An Guiyi said goodbye and left. Zhong Jinwei gave the imperial edict to Aqi, who had been waiting for a long time. Aqi unfolded it and looked at it. Uncle Zhongxing had an annual salary of 1,100 dan, and smiles kept appearing from the corners of his eyes.
Come. Then she carefully preserved the imperial edict. When she saw Zhong Jinwei drinking tea and turning around, she couldn't help but say, "Congratulations to Uncle Zhongxing!"
When Zhong Jinwei heard this, he thought, haha, his wife was also joking: "Here, give me a reward!"
Archie knew that he had no money, so he couldn't help but wonder, what should he reward?
So, he cooperated and said, "Thank you for the reward!" Then he extended his hand to ask for the reward.
Zhong Jinwei showed a strange smile: "I'm not extending my hand to accept the reward. That's Western etiquette. We don't want to imitate it. If you bring your face closer, I'll reward you with one!" It seems that this kiss was also passed down from the West, but Zhong Jinwei only
Choose the etiquette you want.
Archie was a little strange at first, but he immediately figured out what it was about, and couldn't help but blush.
At this time, Emperor Chongzhen came and just relieved the embarrassment, so Aqi stepped aside.
Emperor Chongzhen accomplished two things today, and Zhong Jinwei was in the limelight in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. He was in a good mood and walked in with a smile.
Zhong Jinwei didn't know what to do at this time. He still treated Emperor Chongzhen as a friend as before, or now that he was his minister, he had to use the courtesy of a minister.
Emperor Chongzhen was a smart man. When he saw Zhong Jinwei's bewildered look, he guessed something and said with a smile: "Mr. Zhong, oh, no, Master Zhong, you don't have to be so restrained. I still hope that you can be casual with me as before."
Let’s chat, no outsiders are present, and there will be no sour formalities between us.”
Zhong Jinwei was very happy when he heard what Emperor Chongzhen said and hurriedly asked Emperor Chongzhen to sit at the table.
After Emperor Chongzhen sat down, he smiled and said to Zhong Jinwei: "Master Zhong, you just spoke out for me in the palace. You don't know how those people are usually angry with me. They don't do things and talk to me every day."
Zhong Jinwei smiled sheepishly, "We didn't mean this."
"Can you tell me what questions Master Zhong asked back in the palace?"
"Your Majesty, there are some things that are not very civilized and it is inconvenient to say."
"It doesn't matter, I just want to know what the problem is that makes them speechless." Pig means that the person is a fat pig."
Emperor Chongzhen burst out laughing when he heard this, and pointed at Zhong Jinwei while laughing.
Wang Chengen, who was standing by, saw Emperor Chongzhen laughing so enthusiastically, and he also laughed, but he didn't know whether he was laughing with Emperor Chongzhen, or if he really thought it was funny.
Emperor Chongzhen finally stopped laughing and said repeatedly: "You, you, you, in my meeting hall, in front of many civil and military ministers, called him a pig, you are so courageous! You are not afraid
Does anyone understand?"
Zhong Jinwei didn't think much at the time and just said it. Now after hearing what Emperor Chongzhen said, he scratched the back of his head with his left hand, thought about it, and said: "Your Majesty, I believe no one can understand it at this time."
"Why are you so sure? Which country is this from?"
"Your Majesty, this is the language of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland."
"Oh, is it very far? Is this country big?"
At this time, people seemed not to know much about European countries, so they asked Emperor Chongzhen: "Your Majesty, where is the map I brought?"
Emperor Chongzhen was not very clear and looked at Wang Chengen.
Wang Chengen hurriedly reported: "Your Majesty, Uncle Zhongxing's map was traced before. Two maps have been traced, and five copies of each have just been traced. The originals have been kept by Uncle Zhongxing's wife."
Zhong Jinwei looked at Emperor Chongzhen. Emperor Chongzhen waved his hand, meaning that you have the final say on your territory.
So Zhong Jinwei called Archie and took out the map and spread it on the table.
Zhong Jinwei first pointed out the location of the Ming Dynasty to Emperor Chongzhen, then pointed to a small island in the upper right corner of the map and said: "Your Majesty, please see, this is the country I just mentioned, which is referred to as the United Kingdom."
Emperor Chongzhen saw that there was not even a province in the Ming Dynasty. So he smiled and said: "It is so small. No wonder Master Zhong is not afraid that someone will know the language of this country."
When Zhong Jinwei heard this, he thought about future generations and felt that it was an opportunity, so he said to Emperor Chongzhen sincerely: "Your Majesty, don't underestimate this country."
"Why, what's so special about it?" Emperor Chongzhen was a little surprised.
"I have forgotten the specific year. In about a hundred years, this country will rise in the world and be known as the empire that will never fall."
"What is an empire where the sun never falls?"
"The sun shines on its land 24 hours a day, oh, at twelve o'clock, so it is called the empire where the sun never sets."
"Is there such a weird thing?" Emperor Chongzhen was surprised.
Wang Chengen and Aqi on the side also ignored etiquette and stretched their heads to see such a strange empire.
"That's not what I mean, Your Majesty. The Ribuluo Empire means that the area it rules is so large that it has spread all over the world."
Zhong Jinwei began to point to the map as he spoke: "This, this, and this, this, and this, all have become his territory. The only country that has truly become the whole world is the territory of this country."
"How is that possible!" Emperor Chongzhen lost his voice, and then stared at the British island on the map, trying to see what this so-called Britain was capable of!
"Your Majesty, nothing is impossible. Look, the Portuguese and Dutch in Macau, those Francois, their country is actually here, here." From the Ming Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, it had always been
I thought that Franji was actually near the Strait of Malacca.
Emperor Chongzhen's brain has been shut down. They are all so far away and so small!
Zhong Jinwei took the opportunity to continue to instill something: "Your Majesty, this era is called the Age of Discovery. Right now, with the support of the country, the citizens of these small countries are setting sail to sea to seek all kinds of benefits. They start from here.
, along this line, come all the way to Daming."
Zhong Jinwei continued to draw the famous navigation line on the map with his finger and pointed it out to Emperor Chongzhen.
Wang Chengen's line of sight was blocked by Zhong Jinwei's hand, so he unconsciously walked around and found a position to continue looking.
"They came along this line. When they encountered weak tribes or countries, they robbed them directly, robbed their gold and silver treasures, and robbed their people and sold them into slavery. When they encountered powerful countries, such as the Ming Dynasty, they changed to
Merchants conduct business and then transport the wealth gained back to their countries.”
In fact, those Westerners also fought against the Ming Dynasty, but they just didn't win. Emperor Chongzhen knew this, and it seems that fortunately they won, but the reason for winning was that they had too few people.
"They, they shouldn't be able to rob much?" Emperor Chongzhen thought that with such a small number of people, they couldn't rob much.
"Your Majesty is wrong. When they came here, they basically robbed everything else except Daming, which they didn't dare to rob."
Zhong Jinwei pointed at Africa and said: "Your Majesty, this continent is still in the era of primitive tribes. It is a place where black people gather, namely the Kunlun slaves. Those primitive people who drink the blood of Maoru can defeat these Westerners with guns and cannons."
What?"
Emperor Chongzhen didn't need to think about it and shook his head.
"This continent is rich in rare minerals such as gold, silver, diamonds, and gemstones. It also has many resources, including manpower. They have all been robbed by them. Either what is lacking in the country or what is more profitable, they force the locals to do so without any compensation.
planting.”
Zhong Jinwei pointed to Australia and North America and said: "The situation is the same here. Now, all of Europe and so many small countries are encouraged to go to sea and grab territory. Whoever gets there first will get it."
Then Zhong Jinwei sighed and said: "What a pity. If we opened the sea early tomorrow morning, there would still be places where Westerners are rampant, and the country would not be out of money. The land in Southeast Asia here is very fertile.
They could grow food three or four times a year, but they only had to plant it once to eat. When there was a famine in the Ming Dynasty, they would just bring food in from outside, or send people out. People from the Ming Dynasty were everywhere. We in the Ming Dynasty could also be like that.
The empire has fallen."
Emperor Chongzhen remembered that Zhong Jinwei seemed to have mentioned this matter before. Looking at the things on the map again, he was a little confused: "Master Zhong said that Japan will never fall into the empire. How did they get so many Chinese people to occupy so many places?"
Hearing Emperor Chongzhen ask this question, Zhong Jinwei tilted his head and thought for a while, and then explained: "It's like this. They encourage all Chinese people to go to sea. If they find a place that can be occupied, they will entrust the person who found it to manage it. This
A person's official position is called a governor, and this governor is the local emperor, who controls the local leaders. So they occupy a place, and they don't need many people to rule that place, and then lie there to suck blood."
After hearing this, Emperor Chongzhen immediately asked: "What should we do if this person rebels and establishes his own country?"
"impossible!"
"Why?" Emperor Chongzhen asked immediately following Zhong Jinwei's words.