Since I don’t know when, several special buildings have been built in the inner city of Beijing, standing like knives, and their weird appearance has been reduced to a joke for a while.
After the building was completed and several tall-nosed Xiyi emerged from it, news spread like wildfire that there were demons from hell in the inner city, causing a sensation.
"It's rare to see it, but it's strange!" A few older people said with airs and sips of foam: "This is Xiyi. They came to the capital during the Tianqi period, and there were quite a few during the Chongzhen period!"
The Chinese people are like this. Once they learn that their ancestors have it, they immediately lose their surprise.
In just a few months, the people of Beijing have become accustomed to this group of green-eyed Xiyi wearing long robes.
After gathering all financial and material resources, the first Portuguese embassy was completed. Ambassador Santos was looking out the window with a sad face, confused.
"What's wrong, Santos, you are the Count of Portugal. Who else in this embassy can give you a hard time?"
At this time, the lady, who was wearing a baroque style dress with embroidered lace, was like an expanding mushroom.
Wearing a pink rose hat on her head, and seemingly taking into account the Ming Dynasty's ethos, a large area of nakedness on her chest has been covered, which looks weird.
"Ines, my wife, you are so beautiful today." Santos praised, and then said helplessly: "It's just that in the East, difficulties are always endless."
"After the embassy was completed, I made requests to the Ministry of Rites of the Ming Dynasty to meet with the Ming Emperor, but my requests were rejected time and time again."
"What should I do, madam, it's really difficult in Ming Dynasty."
Santos, Portugal's first ambassador to the Ming Dynasty, looked sad.
"Oh, my Lord Earl." The lady didn't take it seriously, but showed a bright smile:
"Beijing is much better than Lisbon."
"It's wider, there are more people, the city is cleaner, the roads are wide, people and horses go their own way, there are no dirty sailors, and a lot of silk is placed in the shops for anyone to choose from. It's really great here..."
Facing the lady's exclamation, Santos smiled bitterly.
How do women understand the importance of politics?
"My wife, as long as she can meet the Ming Emperor, the reward she will receive will be enough to equal half of our net worth."
"By the way, today is a grand parade in the Ming Dynasty, let's go and see it!" the lady said excitedly, pulling her husband and walking outside.
"I heard it was a demonstration after the official election."
Santos’ ambassadorship is not for nothing, but he knows a thing or two: “This is a grand ceremony worthy of national carnival.”
After that, he became interested and took a few guards with him. Under the surprised eyes of passers-by, he came to a restaurant and booked a good seat by the window.
As soon as the couple sat down, the sound of firecrackers was heard in the distance, followed by the sound of gongs, drums, and shouts, followed closely by the Jinshis riding on horseback.
The Jinshi were dressed in student-blue robes, with the single-tailed leather belt wrapped twice around the waist and the black gauze hat with two soap gauze streamers hanging down.
It is very different from the opera in later generations.
Of course, as the leading number one scholar, he was dressed in red, with hairpins and big red flowers. He was extremely bright and conspicuous, and he could be recognized at a glance among the crowd.
Flags and drums opened the way, cheers thundered, joyful cannons shook the sky, and the streets were decorated with lights and colors, making it very lively.
Men, women, old and young cast their eager gazes desperately, wishing they could replace them with their own bodies.
On the roadside, the scholars in long robes looked forward to their studies with anticipation and admiration; the children, who loved the excitement, were being tugged by their parents' ears to teach them to pay more attention to their studies.
"I heard that just by passing the exam and being admitted by the emperor himself, you can go to a city and serve as the mayor."
"All the cities in the Ming Dynasty had no autonomy. Those dirty and greedy businessmen could not hold power at all. They were all held by young people selected by the emperor."
"They come from all over the country. They may be farmers, businessmen, craftsmen, fishermen, etc. As long as they pass the exam, they can hold official positions and occupy every corner of the Ming Dynasty. They will gradually grow and even become the prime minister of a country...
…”
"As far as I know, although the emperor's cabinet is full of nobles, they are newly canonized nobles..."
Santos looked solemn and murmured.
"Ah?" The wife was shocked and covered her red lips: "Where are their ancient nobles?"
"How can the emperor govern the country without the support of the nobles?"
"Nobles?" Santos shook his head and said with a smile: "As far as I know, the nobility of the Ming Dynasty only has the right to command the army and cannot hold official positions."
"The emperor and civil officials did not think that the nobles were capable of taking on important responsibilities. In other words, people who have not passed such examinations and screenings cannot be called officials and hold power."
"It's really scary."
The wife exclaimed: "I can't imagine what a country without nobility is like."
"Isn't it right in front of you?"
Santos smiled bitterly.
As a direct stakeholder, this feeling is too real and unbelievable.
Countries without nobles are actually better off than they are.
After watching a Jinshi parade, the ambassador and his wife returned to the embassy to avoid becoming monkeys being watched.
Immediately afterwards, Santos received good news that the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty was willing to receive him, and there were also ambassadors from Spain, Portugal, and England.
Even these people's embassies were not successfully built.
"I wish for the cinchona tree."
The young emperor said in an unusually firm tone.
"In Taiwan, thousands of miles away from Beijing, hundreds of thousands of people there are suffering from malaria."
"The cinchona tree is what the Ming Dynasty needs."
"What can I gain, your Majesty?"
Santos was unfazed, even a little pleased: "What can Portugal get?"
"If Macau can be returned, I think your dream will definitely come true."
The moment the cinchona tree was discovered, the Western colonists were reluctant to give up and immediately chose to transplant it to Europe and cultivate it with all their heart.
So these saplings had already taken root in Europe.
"Macau?" Zhu Yixi sneered: "I won't give you another chance to make further progress."
"But, Portuguese Ambassador, I will give you more silk, raw silk."
This sentence instantly hit Santos' weakness.
"And if you can get it through personal connections, I will reward you with one thousand taels of gold or one hundred pieces of precious silk."
Crash--
This sentence completely penetrated Santos's bottom line, and he chose to surrender.
Facing the Spaniards, Zhu Yixi said calmly:
"I heard sweet potatoes taste soft and sweet."
"For the sake of the friendship between our two countries, Ming Dynasty needs Manila's sweet potatoes to increase Ming Dynasty's delicious taste."