Two days later, the Ming Dynasty fleet arrived at the port of Abyssinia. The king of this country completely ignored that the country was still at war with the Ifat Sultanate in the east. Not only did he come to the dock to greet Wen Di in person,
, and held a grand welcome ceremony, and had a very close attitude towards Daming.
Wen Di was very puzzled by this. At the end of the welcome ceremony, he was escorted by Abyssinian soldiers on the way to his residence and said: "The purpose of the Ming Dynasty's land and water divisions coming here is that this so-called Dawit I
The emperor should have known about it, right? Although the Ming Dynasty's control of Egypt did not harm Abyssinia, it also had no benefits. Why did he welcome Gu like this? Could it be that Abyssinia was once ruthlessly attacked by the Mamluks in Egypt?
He was severely bullied, and even this emperor or his father had been humiliated by the Mamluks?"
"Your Highness, the concept of Abyssinia is different from that of the Ming Dynasty. It does not pay much attention to filial piety and will not feel humiliated because of the insults suffered by its fathers and ancestors. As for Dawit I, he is not because he was insulted by the Mamluks.
Insult, welcome to Your Highness. The Mamluk Kingdom began to decline decades ago, and the Abyssinian Kingdom has been prospering in the past few decades. The Mamluk Kingdom will not go south to attack the Abyssinian Kingdom and invite humiliation.
The reason why King Dawit I welcomed His Highness is because the Mamluk country is a pagan country to Abyssinia."
7 continued to explain: "Although the Kingdom of Abyssinia is located on the continent of Merga, the religion believed in by the country is the same as that of the Kingdom of Fu, which believes in Christianity. And the countries surrounding the Kingdom of Abyssinia, such as Iraq,
The Fat Sultanate, the Mamluk Kingdom, or the countries in Tianfang across the sea all believe in the Tianfang religion. The Tianfang believers and the Cross believers have been fighting each other for nearly a thousand years, and they have great hatred, so Dawit I heard that the Ming Dynasty
He was very happy after joining forces with Castile to conquer Egypt. If Abyssinia was not still at war with the Sultanate of Ifat at this time, David I would even be willing to send troops north to attack with the Great Tomorrow Soldiers.
Egypt."
"However, Xianguan has been in Hanzhou before, and this is the first time he has come to Abyssinia. These are what I heard from Abyssinian officials or Nanyang and Indian businessmen doing business there." 7 Finally.
Another explanation.
"I see. But why did a country surrounded by Tianfang Cult on all sides become a Christian country? Was Egypt also a Christian country many years ago?" Wen Di asked again.
"Your Highness clearly knows that the Tianfang religion is later than the Christian religion. In the past, Egypt, Palestine, Syria and other places were all Christian believers, and later they became the Christian Christian believers. Now there are still Christian believers in Palestine and other places, but their numbers are very small and they are persecuted.
” 7 replies.
Wen Di nodded and said nothing more. He just thought about how to use this to make Abyssinia contribute to the Ming Dynasty's seizure of Egypt for free. "Many ships have been seriously damaged and need major repairs. Now they can only
Abyssinian State Repair. It is better to default on the repair fee for now, and when you see Dawit I again in a few days, pretend to let him know inadvertently, and let him take the initiative to waive the repair cost. Others can also be let them
Send out some food, fodder, ordnance. As for sending out troops, the meaning of 7 should be that it is impossible, so there is no need to report this intention.'
'No, as the prince of the Ming Dynasty alone, I have to pay attention to my status and not lose the face of the clan. Let Cao Xing and his uncle talk to Dawit I about these things. Cao Xing doesn't think it will work, so he will let his uncle talk about it. But before that, he still needs to say it.
Ask someone who knows the local customs very well, in case you still don't know if you have violated the taboos of the people of Abyssinia.'
Wen Di was thinking as he arrived at the mansion where he was staying. Wen Di looked up and saw that the style of the mansion was somewhat similar to the one he saw in the capital built by Ghiberti, Donatello and others for his father.
A palace. 'It seems that the palaces of the Christian Christians are all similar in style.' He thought again.
He suddenly remembered something: "Isn't Donatello in the army? Ask him to ask. He came all the way from Fu to Ming Dynasty. Maybe he has been to Abyssinia before and knows this place."
custom; even if he has never been here, he is still a Christian after all, and he has stayed longer than Clavijo.'
He immediately wanted to send someone to call Donatello. But after a while, the guard reported back: "Your Highness, Donatello had to stand on the deck to observe the sea battle during the sea battle a few days ago, so that he could
I'll draw it later. I was injured a little when the giant eater attacked and I'm recuperating."
"In this case, there is no need to call him." Wen Di said. He knew this guard very well. Donatello must have been seriously injured, otherwise the guard would have brought him forcibly. However, it was inevitable that he would be a little frustrated.
"7. Are there many Southeast Asian or Indian merchants in Abyssinia? In your opinion, can they be trusted?" Wen Di asked again.
7 Xin said that he had only arrived in Abyssinia less than a month ago. How could he know about the local Nanyang? The Indian merchants could not be trusted! Moreover, it is very puzzling that you suddenly asked this question. But His Highness had to answer the question. 7 I could only
After careful consideration, he said: "Your Highness, I think it is difficult to generalize about this matter. If the Nanyang and Indian merchants benefited when the Ming Dynasty expanded its territory to Nanyang and India, they would probably be very grateful to the Ming Dynasty and could trust them;
If you don't get any benefits when you expand your territory, you can't trust it."
"You didn't say anything!" Wen Di was dissatisfied and said angrily: "If we talk about opening up territory and expanding territory to India, then why did the Ming Dynasty open up territory and expand territory to Nanyang? The Ming Dynasty added vassal kings to Nanyang.
They were all granted at the invitation of the local people, and the land was divided into provinces and managed by the imperial court. This was not considered the expansion of territory."
"Your Highness is right. I made a mistake." 7 agreed quickly.
"Please step back," Wen Di said again. 7 He quickly bowed and stepped back.
After he left, Wen Di sent someone to invite Cao Xing and Li Jiqian, told them his thoughts, and asked: "Mr. Cao, General Li, how do you think we should understand the local customs so that we can make them come again?"
Will you not accidentally offend King Dawit I the next time you meet him?"
"How dare you call me your Highness, Lord? Just call me by your first name." Cao Xing said this first, and then said: "Your Highness, this matter can be reported to the Abyssinian country who is hosting you.
Officials can ask directly, and there is no need to look around for 'trustworthy people'. I have just arrived in the Ming Dynasty, and I have never sinned against anyone, so there is no need to worry about the reception officials deliberately trying to harm me."
"General Cao is right! You are so alone." Wen Di immediately patted his head and said with a smile. He subconsciously wanted to find people close to the Ming Dynasty to ask, but he never thought that he could directly ask and receive them.
of officials.
"General Li, I have entrusted you with one thing. Contact the official responsible for the reception and ask him about local customs and taboos." Wen Di said to Li Jiqian again. Li Jiqian was good at dealing with people, at least better than Cao Xing, and his status was sufficient, which was just right.
Act as a temporary diplomat.
"Let Claviyo be your translator. He is also a Christian. According to his own words, he knows many languages, and he should be able to speak the language of Abyssinia. Although communication can be done using the Dashi language as an intermediary, it is still
It would be better to have someone who understands the local language do the translation.”
"Yes, Your Highness." Li Jiqian agreed, then thought of something, and said: "Your Highness, after listening to what Your Highness just said, I want Abyssinia to also contribute to the Ming Dynasty's attack on Egypt. If Abyssinia is allowed to
The Asian country should do its best to not only understand the local customs, but also the internal affairs of the country, so that the request will not offend David I. The officials receiving the request will not disclose their internal affairs to the lower officials."
"But I can't find anyone who is familiar with the situation in Abyssinia. I asked just now, 7, there are no merchants from the Central Plains here, and the Southeast Asian and Indian merchants may not be trustworthy." Wen Di said helplessly.
"Even if it may not be trustworthy, there is no harm in asking." Li Jiqian said.
"What General Li said is that I will make an appointment with businessmen from Southeast Asia and India," Wen Di finally said.
In the afternoon of that day, Li Jiqian went to the official responsible for receiving them and asked about the customs and taboos; Wen Di himself sent Fu or a subordinate who looked like an Indian to meet with the local Nanyang Indian businessmen. These businessmen were overjoyed, especially the businessmen from Nanyang.
Do they know how different the status of merchants in the Ming Dynasty is from that of the clan? They were so honored to be able to meet the Ming prince, and they immediately ran to see him.
But when asked about the inside story of Abyssinia, these people shook their heads without exception. "Your Highness, it's not that the grassroots and others don't want to tell your highness, it's that we really don't know. The grassroots and others came to Abyssinia just because
In order to do business, as long as it doesn’t affect our business, we don’t care what happens in Abyssinia. We don’t have much communication with the locals. The local officials don’t recognize any of them except for the ones in charge of customs. We don’t know Abyssinia at all.
The inside story of Xenia."
Wen Di was very disappointed. "Is it possible that in the huge country of Abyssinia, there is no one who knows the inside story and is trustworthy?"
Almost all the businessmen lowered their heads, fearing that the Ming Prince would be angry with them. But when one person heard this, he suddenly thought of something and said: "Your Highness, I, the common people, thought of someone who might be able to tell Your Highness about the Kingdom of Abyssinia."
The inside story, and His Highness should be trustworthy."
"Who is he? He is not a businessman from Nanyang. He is just doing business in other places." Wen Di said casually.
"Your Highness, this man is not a businessman. At least he is not a businessman who sells goods from the Ming Dynasty to Abyssinia and Abyssinian goods to the Ming Dynasty. He is already in the country of Abyssinia.
A man who settled down and only did business in Abyssinia. Moreover, he knew many officials of Abyssinia. He was also hired by King David I to teach Abyssinian officials to learn Chinese.
."
"Being hired to teach Chinese? Does this person speak Chinese very well?" Wen Di asked. The Nanyang businessmen in front of him didn't speak Chinese very well, but could barely communicate.
"Your Highness, this man claims to be Han Chinese, not Nanyang."
"What? He is a Han?" Wen Di said in surprise: "Didn't you say there are no Han people here, so why did another Han suddenly appear?"
"Your Highness, because this man is different from the common people, he is not a merchant who sells goods back and forth, so we don't think of him. Please forgive the common people and others." An older man hurriedly knelt down and said.
"Get up! I have no intention of punishing you!" Wen Di said this and asked the young man: "Where is this man now? As a Han, how could he come to Abyssinia? And he wants to be here?
Settled? Does he have a family?"
"Your Highness, the common people don't know much about him. He was brought back by an official in charge of foreign affairs in Abyssinia. It is said that when he was first brought back, he was very worn and skinny. He got better later.
.He settled in a nearby city because that city was the hometown of the person who brought him back..." The young man roughly introduced what he knew.
"What's going on?" Wen Di was even more confused. But since he couldn't figure it out, he stopped thinking about it and said to the young man: "You take Gu's bodyguard to a nearby city and bring him back. Gu wants to see him.
! Remember, you must bring him back. As long as you bring him back, Gu Gu will be rewarded; but if you cannot bring him back, Gu will punish you!"
"Yes, Your Highness." The young man had a bitter look on his face, but he could only agree.