By the next day, the disturbance caused by the Ming Dynasty's mission was still prevalent throughout Amsterdam. People rushed to discuss the entire mission, their clothes, their speech and movements, and everything about the Ming Empire.
In the early morning, as the owner of the bakery, Carl De Magers pushed open his wooden door and set up his stall as usual.
His bakery is one of the largest in Amsterdam, employing two chefs and six waiters, working from morning to night, and receiving countless customers every day.
What made him most proud was the window-sized piece of glass, which cost him thirty guilders, and allowed him to see delicious soft bread from outside the door.
This is the best way to attract nobles.
As for the free people, it would be nice if they could come in and buy some brown bread.
He wiped it carefully with a towel, sighing from time to time, cherishing it very much.
"Damn it, Thomas, you lazy idiot. If you were half as diligent as a donkey in a mill, I would have opened a branch long ago."
At this moment, Karl De Magers saw his son driving a donkey cart with two bags of wheat flour on it.
This wheat is also produced in their own mill.
Thomas complained: "Dad, I got up earlier than the donkey, just to feed him and grind wheat. I am not diligent at all."
"Bah, those girls were happy last night, don't think I don't know."
Karl cursed: "Although we are businessmen, our ancestors were also from noble families. How can we find such a woman?"
"Whenever you seduce a noble lady, you can be happy, but if you can't keep it, you can also defraud her of some money!"
Thomas rolled his eyes at him, unloaded the wheat, and drove away in the donkey cart.
However, he still turned around and said to his father: "Dad, when I was happy yesterday, I heard those women say that the stock market has been particularly hot recently."
"Spices, silk, and the East India Company may all have a sharp rise!"
Hearing this, Karl rolled his eyes and immediately reacted: "Yes, Mingren is here. These companies are destined to skyrocket. This is a good opportunity to make a fortune."
He quickly turned around and brought out a bag of silver coins from the shop, containing at least twenty or thirty Dutch guilders.
"You guard the store and wait until a few guys arrive before leaving." Karl ordered hurriedly, and then with lightning speed, he twisted his butt and walked towards the stock exchange.
"I know why you are talking so much." Thomas wanted to slap himself.
As early as the Middle Ages, the Netherlands was the food center of Europe. At that time, the Arab Empire conquered North Africa and the development of gold mines required a large amount of food.
The Netherlands concentrated European grain and then transported it to Gibraltar in Spain (an Arab colony at this time) and then to North Africa, thereby earning the first pot of gold.
When Spain became a colonial power, most of the large amounts of gold and silver mined went into the pockets of the Dutch.
So in 1602, Amsterdam established the world's first joint-stock company, the East India Company.
In 1613, the Amsterdam Stock Exchange was established, establishing the Netherlands as the financial center of Europe.
From 1780 to 1785, in order to retaliate against the Netherlands for supporting North America, Britain launched the Fourth War against the Netherlands and transferred the European financial center to London.
This was Britain's greatest compensation after losing North America.
Therefore, the so-called independence of the United States is basically one versus three from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, France, and North America.
How much is a colony worth? It's not as important as a financial center.
Therefore, Britain was very decisive in giving up North America.
The stock exchange occupies a small area and can only accommodate more than a thousand people. The wooden building cannot withstand the hustle and bustle inside.
As soon as I arrived at the door, there was already a long queue of people who wanted to trade.
Five windows are totally not enough.
The stock price written in chalk on the black wooden board changes almost instantly.
Many people are eager to buy the stock price, which is constantly bidding.
Karl looked at the East India Company's share price, which reached fifty guilders per share.
(One pound equals ten guilders)
You know, a middle-class tutor in Amsterdam only earns three hundred guilders a year, which is his two months' salary.
In the first two days, the East India Company only had ten guilders.
"God, this is my net profit for the week."
Karl muttered, then twisted his fat butt and squeezed into the team.
Next to the queue, several security guards watched carefully. The queue is when thieves are most rampant.
"Sir, which stock do you want to buy?"
There were no stockbrokers at this time, just sales and scribes.
"East India Company, I want to buy shares of the East India Company."
"Sorry sir, everyone in the East India Company is asking for it. If you insist on buying it, it must be higher than the market price."
The man glanced at the blackboard and suggested: "You can give fifty-five guilders."
"Okay." Carl gritted his teeth and said, "I want ten shares. If anyone wants to sell them, you can go to Carl's bakery and find me."
After leaving his address, he was about to leave, but when he saw the crowded crowd, he immediately changed his mind.
Looking at this situation, one share of East India Company stock was hard to come by, and no one wanted to sell it.
"I have 20 Indian company shares at eighty guilders per share. Please help me sell them."
"Sir, do you want to sell it? I can give it to you directly."
At this time, a well-dressed man behind him had a surprise smile on his face.
"Of course -" Karl also smiled.
Witnessed by the stock proceeds, the two reached a deal and paid a certain percentage of the transaction fee.
A large bag of Dutch guilders made him overjoyed.
He turned around and deposited it into the Bank of Amsterdam not far away.
The investors who had been wanting to buy all laughed at him for being a fool.
Karl was proud of himself: "A bunch of fools, they are safe in their pockets. Now that people come to the Netherlands, they can do business in the Netherlands in the blink of an eye."
"By then, won't the East India Company's profits be greatly reduced?"
On the way back, with a large sum of Dutch guilders in hand, he wanted to go to a clothing store to make a piece of clothing to reward himself.
As soon as I stepped into the store, I saw several strange clothes.
It's loose and doesn't look like clothes at all, worse than a skirt.
"This is?" Karl was confused.
"Sir, this is the Ming-style robe that is popular in Amsterdam recently. Look at the material. One piece can be as good as two pieces of ordinary clothes."
The tailor introduced it with a smile, like a cunning fox: "Even though it looks baggy, in the Ming Dynasty, it was actually the clothes of the nobles."
"Think about it, how can ordinary people dare to use the fabrics of two clothes to make one?"
"That's true." Karl thought.
"Look at this waist and these legs, they can definitely cover up all the shortcomings..."
Unknowingly, the bakery owner, who thought he was from a noble family, left with a Ming-style robe.
After the old tailor left, he turned around hurriedly and shouted behind him: "Mal, you idiot, hurry up and make Oriental robes. Make a few more. We are almost sold out."
At the same time, everything about the Ming Dynasty was sought after by the entire Amsterdam public.
Marco Polo's Travels, which had been snapped up in the past, was sold out again.
Several sailors who had been to the East India Company spoke freely about their experiences; missionaries gathered together to discuss missionary work.
As for the nobles and merchants, they were constantly communicating on how to expand business contacts with the Ming Dynasty.
At this time, the East India Company, which monopolized the entire Asian trade, was not only sought after, but also criticized by many nobles.
When the East India Company was established, there were not many stocks in circulation, and many nobles did not get started. When they wanted to get started, they had no chance.
A monopoly will naturally be attacked by others.
At this time, the Prince of Orange's Palace.
The 16-year-old William III also heard about this.
The aristocratic young men around him were constantly discussing Eastern rumors and novel stories.
"As a result, the Netherlands' finances will probably reach a higher level in a few years."
A certain prince supporter sighed.
William III's eyes couldn't help but dim a bit.
Even though he is still young, power has already eroded his brain and has been inseparable from him since he was a child.
With the ancestral power gone, a group of nobles who support the Orange family are naturally unwilling to accept it. This is a considerable force.
Seemingly noticing His Royal Highness the Prince's unhappiness, a handsome nobleman said:
"I heard that in the East, the Ming Emperor had supreme power, and the pope was appointed and dismissed by him. Even powerful ministers could only crawl at his feet."
"This is the true monarch——"
William III sighed in his heart,
…
A hurricane from the east came across the entire European continent. Portugal, Spain, England, France, the Netherlands, these European powers were all the shadow of the Ming Dynasty.
For the Italian peninsula just around the corner, this news is not very good.
With the end of the Thirty Years' War, Catholic countries were forced to compromise their religious beliefs due to financial pressure, and the authority of the Pope was further reduced.
At this point, the Papal State's sphere of influence was further reduced.
Pope Alexander VII succeeded to the throne in 1655. He had witnessed the Thirty Years' War, so he had to accept religious reconciliation.
Due to the pressure of the situation, his thoughts are more open and free than those of his predecessor.
For example, it continued to allow the Jesuits to preach while continuing the Ricci rules.
However, ideological enlightenment is only to maintain power.
When it comes to Jansenism (which emphasizes that the power of the Holy See lies in the Council rather than the Pope), he has always raised the sword of power.
Now, with this shareholder hurricane, the Jesuit news that had been pushed into the archives had to be mentioned again.
The Eastern Emperor required that all bishops in his country must be appointed and removed by the Emperor.
This is unacceptable to the Holy See.
The missionary work is in full swing, but without the right to appoint bishops, is such a cause still necessary?
And will this spread to Europe and cause other countries to follow suit?
This is unacceptable to the declining Holy See.
But for many people who are sincere in preaching, expanding the Lord’s flock is their greatest contribution.
What does the mere power of appointing bishops mean?
Those who supported this part were naturally the Jesuits.
Because the main body of missionary work in the East is the Society of Jesus.
No matter how much the Ming emperor was appointed or dismissed, he was just tossing around in the Jesuits. The meat was still in the bowl, but chopsticks were used instead of the Vatican's knife and fork.
"His Majesty the Pope——"
Alexander VII was sitting on a comfortable chair, with a steaming cup of hot tea beside him, wafting the charming fragrance.
He was holding a thick New Testament in his hands, and the sun was shining on his face. Everything was so pious and sacred.
A group of visiting bishops naturally knew a lot about the Pope's private life and were not as blind as ordinary believers, but they had to lower their heads when it came to his power.
Before the Pope is selected, the cardinal is the boss, but once elected, the Pope is the well-deserved leader.
What's more, this Alexander VII is the great-grandson of the former Pope Paul V. He has a good family background and a huge influence in the Holy See, so the succession is natural.
What? Catholics don’t allow wives?
Shit, how can there be a wife if you have an illegitimate child?
"Um!"
After waiting for a long time, the bishops saw the Bible that the Pope had folded, and a smile appeared on their faces.
"What's wrong with everyone?"
Facing a group of gray-haired cardinals, even the Pope can't help but feel a little stressed.
"Your Majesty, the Orientals have arrived in Europe, and their envoys have been stationed in the Netherlands. I'm afraid they will come to Rome soon."
The first person has a wrinkled face, sparse white hair, and a slight stoop, but his face is full of worry:
"There must be an outcome regarding the bishop matter...
"
"This is absolutely impossible-"
Alexander VII was like a frightened wild cat at this time, with a sharp look in his eyes: "This is related to the authority of the Holy See, and I will never agree to it."
"Your Majesty, if you refuse, you will have to accept the result."
At this time, a Jesuit bishop said: "The Eastern forces have arrived in the Philippines and are adjacent to the East India Company. By then the entire Eastern Order will be completely defeated."
"The Holy See will also lose all influence in the East."
"The hard work of thousands of missionaries over the past hundreds of years by the Society of Jesus will be a complete failure."
Hearing this, Alexander VII hesitated.
Although the Eastern missionary world cannot bring tithes, it can bring powerful influence to the Holy See.
At the same time, he will also lose the hearts and minds of the Jesuits.
You know, the missionaries who join the Society of Jesus are basically old stubborns who are stubborn and have nothing to fear except preaching.
It has a very large influence in Spain and Portugal, and a bad move may even shake the prestige of the Holy See in both countries.
You must know that the Spanish Inquisition is subordinate to the king. In order to make money and consolidate power, the Inquisition does not restrict or exempt bishops.
The so-called Inquisition in Europe, especially in Spain, was just a way to centralize power and collect money for the king under the guise of the Pope.
Coincidentally, the Jews were the most persecuted.
The richer you are, the more dangerous you are.
"It is okay to transfer some power, but not all." Alexander VII made a compromise.