Zhong Jinwei smiled after hearing this, then got back to the business, and said to Xu Xiake who was sitting down: "Those missionaries have agreed to be your tour guide and take you to travel to Europe. Speaking of which, I have never been there in my previous life. If it weren't for the inseparable
Yes, I really want to see what the situation in Europe is like now."
Xu Xiake didn't understand what he heard, but Zhongxing Hou's words seemed to indicate that he really wanted to go to Europe.
To be honest, as the Marquis of Zhongxing, it is most appropriate to go to the West.
However, he felt that his status was low and he could not express his opinion, so he just smiled and looked at Zhong Jinwei, waiting for his text.
"On the surface, this mission to the West is mainly to check whether this Western sect is beneficial to the people and suitable for preaching in the Ming Dynasty. But the real purpose has been told to you once before, and I will say it again now. You must keep it in mind." Zhong Jinwei solemnly said.
said.
In these troubled times, the imperial court went to great lengths to arrange this mission, which proves the importance of its mission.
After hearing this, Xu Xiake stood up quickly, bowed and saluted: "Please rest assured, Lord Marquis, common people... I will certainly fulfill my mission as a low-ranking official."
Although Xu Xiake was knowledgeable and talented, and even had an excellent memory, he could not even pass the scholar examination.
Now the imperial court has specially added a new title for him, that is, the Seventh Rank Western Patrol Agent, who specializes in patrolling Western affairs.
He was used to calling himself a commoner when he saw officials, but he was not very used to it when he suddenly became an official.
Zhong Jinwei did not take it seriously and motioned Xu Xiake to sit down, and then continued to explain to him: "For your mission to the West this time, the imperial court has specially ordered the official kiln in Jingdezhen to bake a boatload of exquisite porcelain for you to send gifts to the West.
"
When Xu Xiake heard this, he blinked and was a little puzzled, so he had to ask: "Master Marquis, do you also give gifts when you are on an envoy to the West?"
Zhong Jinwei nodded and said with a smile: "Yes, it is a gift. Our Ming porcelain, especially the exquisite porcelain from Jingdezhen, is very popular in the West and is expensive. Westerners are proud to own a set of Ming porcelain."
We talked continuously, but in this hot weather in mid-June, my mouth was quite dry. Zhong Jinwei picked up the tea cup and took a sip of tea, moistened his throat before continuing: "After you arrive in the West, try to visit as many countries as possible."
Go. Every time you go to a country, give a set of porcelain to the local nobles. This has two benefits."
At this point, Zhong Jinwei stretched out his right hand and counted his fingers: "First, Westerners are similar to Chinese people. They are soft-spoken and short-handed. After giving gifts, it will be much easier to get what you want."
Then he stretched out another finger and said: "Secondly, every time you go to a place, you can spread the word. Whoever transports a boatload of craftsmen to the Ming Dynasty can bring back a boatload of porcelain. The more skilled the craftsman is, especially the one who has been entrusted to the Ming Dynasty.
With the skilled craftsmen in your professions, the porcelain produced by the Ming Dynasty will be more exquisite, and if you want silk, it will be no problem."
When Xu Guangqi heard this again, he still shook his head in his heart.
When Marquis Zhongxing proposed this method, it put several people with Confucian backgrounds in a dilemma. This was not exchanging things for people, and it was bound to set off a wave of smuggled craftsmen from the West.
You must know that Westerners are now trying every possible means to trade with the Ming Dynasty in order to obtain popular Western traditional items such as porcelain and silk.
If the Ming Dynasty had taken the initiative to open such a trading channel, how could those Westerners not have been so greedy?
After Zhong Jinwei finished speaking, he shook his two fingers and said to Xu Xiake: "These two benefits will be of great help to your mission on this trip, so you must give them to me, do you understand?"
Xu Xiake is also a person who is used to the world. Zhong Jinwei has already made it so clear. How could he not understand? Therefore, he cupped his fists and replied: "I understand."
After speaking, I secretly came to the conclusion that Zhongxing Hou seemed to be very familiar with the West.
After Zhong Jinwei finished talking about this, he told Xu Xiake again: "You should also write down the water routes and the conditions of each city along the way. I know you can write a travel diary, but I just want to remind you to remember the key points, or you can simply write two
Two copies, one for what you like to write, and one for what I require."
Xu Xiake's face turned slightly red, and he stood up immediately, clasped his fists and replied: "Master Hou, you are worrying too much. Xiake is first and foremost a Xiake of the Ming Dynasty, and now as an official of the Ming Dynasty, he should do his best for the country."
Xu Guangqi nodded repeatedly as he listened, and looked at Xu Xiake with more appreciation.
There are not many officials in the Ming Dynasty who are as enlightened as him. It seems that people who have been in the imperial examination do not necessarily have to be those who are useful to the country.
Zhong Jinwei thought that if he changed like this, he would lose a copy of "Xu Xiake's Travels" in the future?
He immediately smiled and said to Xu Xiake: "It doesn't matter. You just need to record what I ask for first. In the remaining time, you can also write about the customs, strange flowers and plants, strange customs and so on along the way.
It’s an opportunity for others in the Ming Dynasty to introduce the West.”
When Xu Xiake saw Zhong Jinwei saying this again, he agreed.
Because of Zhong Jinwei, Xu Xiake's life trajectory changed. The "Travel Notes of Xu Xiake" he finally wrote was different from the original history and was divided into two volumes.
The first volume is about domestic affairs, and the second volume is about what he experienced in the West as an envoy. With these two volumes, Xu Xiake's name will be immortalized in future generations, and he will be able to live comfortably in the second half of his life just by relying on royalties, and will be able to benefit his descendants.
Zhong Jinwei then said to Xu Xiake apologetically: "Because the schedule is a bit tight, I may not have time for you to go home and say goodbye. You need to go directly to Jingdezhen, Jiangxi, and then go to Macau to join the missionaries waiting there to go to the West."
After hearing this, Xu Xiake smiled and said: "It's no problem. I go out often, and it's normal not to go home once every six months or a year. I've already sent letters to my officials, so they don't need to worry."
After hearing this, Zhong Jinwei couldn't help but asked curiously: "How long have you been in the capital this time, why did you come here, and what attractions here attracted you?"
"Before Xianguan met the Marquis, he had been in the capital for many days and traveled all over the vicinity of the capital. The purpose of coming here this time is not for the scenic spots, but for the Marquis Zhongxing."
Xu Xiake's answer surprised Zhong Jinwei. He looked at Xu Guangqi, who was also surprised, and then turned back to Xu Xiake and asked: "For me?"
When Xu Xiake saw it, he realized that he had not made it clear and that Zhong Jinwei had misunderstood him. He quickly explained: "I came here for Zhongxinghou's cement, because I have seen similar things before. I heard about Zhongxinghou's cement properties in Jiangnan."
Later, I specially came to the capital to have a look."
Zhong Jinwei was interested as soon as he heard it. Could it be that someone in the Ming Dynasty had invented cement before him? But he had never heard of it, and no one in the court seemed to have heard anyone mention this.
So, he asked curiously: "Where have you seen something similar?"