Chapter seven hundred and fiftieth Tang people Guedes
When he walked out of the Zhaoqing Palace, Gerdes felt like he was floating when he walked, and his feet were soft. It was just like a few years ago when he had a fight with a young lady who was said to be from a noble family in a small red building in Malacca.
It was the same when I walked out after a whole night, my feet were so weak that I could hardly walk.
The same is true for him now. He is still immersed in the shock and joy when he met!
After the formal ceremonial interview, he accompanied the envoy to the Imperial Study Room to meet Emperor Tang Emperor Li Xuan again. Of course, he did not pay attention to anything else Li Xuan said to the envoy. What he really cared about was Li Xuan at that time.
We are discussing with the people in the mission the introduction of various technical craftsmen. However, several other people in the mission are colonial officials and do not care about this kind of thing. Although they agreed on the spot to let Datang introduce craftsmen.
, but it doesn’t matter how they are introduced.
They are all decent officials, so naturally they will not deal with those lowly craftsmen!
At this time, Gerdes felt that his opportunity had come, and expressed on the spot that he was willing to contribute the power of Weibo to the glorious and great Tang Dynasty, to the eternal sage Li Xuan, and to bring various technical craftsmen to the Tang Dynasty.
When Li Xuan heard this, he naturally smiled and said yes.
At this time, Gerdes just lay down directly. This was not kneeling, but lying on the ground. He said in an extremely humble tone: "Your Majesty, who is greater than the sun,
The humble Gerdes begs you to allow me to live in Zhaoqing, a glorious city like heaven. Gerdes will not only find various craftsmen for His Majesty, but is also willing to give half, no, one-third.
Two’s property!”
When Li Xuan heard this, he felt a little strange. This Fo Langji guy was a little strange. Do you want to live in Zhaoqing?
Naturally, he didn't know that after seeing the prosperity and style of Zhaoqing, Gerdes, who had been wandering around the world for decades, had an unparalleled affection for this city. He had been dreaming about living there these days.
After arriving in this paradise-like city, he never wanted to return to a pigsty-like city in Europe.
Although he was explicitly rejected by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs last time, he did not give up.
And now, he feels that his opportunity has come!
Of course, this is actually only one of the reasons. There are other reasons that make him try his best to live in Zhaoqing. What reason is of course the cutest little treasure in the world: gold and silver!
Although the Tang Dynasty opened Hong Kong for trade, it only opened two business zones in Guangzhou and Lianzhou. Foreign businessmen could only conduct transactions with Chinese businessmen in the business zones, and in many cases, it was the Chinese businessmen who often came up with something.
To sell, foreigners have to buy whatever they want.
But if Gerdes can be allowed to live in Zhaoqing, then he can directly purchase the most urgently needed materials in Europe from Zhaoqing and even the entire Tang Dynasty, and then transport them to Europe. He does not even need to return to Europe in person. He can completely act as a second-rate dealer.
The goods are sold to other foreign merchants.
Who else knows better than myself what goods those foreign merchants need most?
At the same time, those foreign businessmen, especially the businessmen who are also Francois, are they willing to believe in the Chinese or themselves, the Francois? When the time comes, they will not have to worry about selling the goods, and they may be able to buy them at a higher price than the market price.
The price is high, but if you kill it a few more times and it’s cooked, you still won’t make a profit!
Safe, fast, and hugely profitable!
So after thinking hard for a few days, he finally decided to take the risk today and personally make this request to His Majesty the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty. Of course, he couldn't mention it directly. There must be a suitable time.
As for the introduction of craftsmen mentioned earlier, he considered it an opportunity!
After all, if you want to ask His Majesty the Emperor, you must first let His Majesty the Emperor see that you can provide him with what he needs!
Sure enough, Gerdes saw the young emperor pondering for a while and then spoke, but these words disappointed Gerdes. He only heard Li Xuan say: "Except for the business area, foreigners are not allowed to live elsewhere.
Residence, this is the law of the empire, unless you are a subject of the empire, you cannot stay in Zhaoqing!"
As an emperor, Li Xuan naturally opened his mouth and directly allowed Gerdes to move in. However, since the laws have been formulated and approved and issued by Li Xuan personally, it would not be a good thing to break them casually, let alone
Not to mention just for a mere foreigner.
However, Li Xuan's subsequent words made Gerdes look happy, because Li Xuan continued: "But I also know that there are many foreign people who admire the Chinese customs, so it is not good to ban them all, as long as they can make outstanding contributions to the empire.
If you contribute and swear allegiance to me, you will be granted citizenship!"
Having said that, Gerdes immediately beamed with joy. He was able to become a naturalized citizen. This was pie in the sky. As for the guilt caused by betraying the country and nation, it naturally did not exist.
The modern concepts of country and nation, and even the idea of loyalty to the emperor, are popular all over the world!
What is Gerdes? Although he is a Frenchman, he was a poor man before, then a pirate, and now a pirate and merchant. In his eyes, the king is nothing!
Immediately, he knelt down and prostrated continuously, no longer using Buddhist language, but said in broken Chinese: "I am willing to serve your majesty!"
When Li Xuan heard this, he immediately laughed and said: "Okay, since you are so loyal, Gerdes, then I will grant you naturalization in the Tang Dynasty. From now on, you will be a subject of the Tang Dynasty. You can live in Zhaoqing as long as you want!"
Several Folanji people in the mission looked at Gerdes and in a blink of an eye, they betrayed Folangji and directly swore allegiance to Li Xuan. They were also a little dumbfounded, but loyalty is a personal matter, and they really had no choice.
Not to mention, they couldn't stop it even if they wanted to. This Gerdes is just a pirate.
However, these have nothing to do with them. Anyway, they have achieved their goals in coming to Zhaoqing this time. After signing the contract, the two parties formally decided on the state of war. From now on, the merchant ships of the Flemish people can enter and exit Guangzhou openly.
With the two trading ports in Lianzhou, there is no need to be sneaky anymore.
However, although he didn't care much, he still felt unhappy, but he didn't say much. This Gerdes was not an official envoy in the first place, but just a captain who sent him to Guangzhou.
Not to mention other people, after Gerdes walked out of the palace, he was still immersed in what happened just now. He did not expect that things went so smoothly and that he would now become a member of the people of the Tang Dynasty.
At this moment, he held in his arms the naturalization document specially issued to him by the people from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and asked him to go to the Yamen of Zhaoqing to register. With such a thing, he could register in Zhaoqing, accompanied by people from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
I bought a house in Zhaoqing and settled in Zhaoqing.
He is going to make a fortune, a big fortune!
With this identity, he can still be a pirate, and he can do big business. He uses this special identity to deal with Chinese businessmen and foreign businessmen, and the money comes in a hurry!
However, although he has been naturalized successfully, when the officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs accompanied him to register, they said: "Don't forget your previous promise!"
Gerdes knew without asking what kind of promise it was that it must be about recruiting skilled craftsmen. As for donating family wealth, just talk about it, and the emperor also said it himself, there is no need to donate family wealth, let him use the money
Go recruit more craftsmen!
Gerdes promised the people of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, saying that he would recruit craftsmen as soon as possible, especially the cannon-making craftsmen specified by His Majesty. At the same time, he also said that there was no need to return to Europe. He would go directly back to Malacca and bring the local cannon makers to Malacca.
Recruit a group of cannon-making and other types of craftsmen. Although the number is not large, they can still respond to emergencies!
Hearing that Gerdes was so motivated, the officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also showed a satisfied smile, and then asked him to learn Chinese as soon as possible. As a citizen of the Tang Dynasty, he could not even speak Chinese decently. Before learning Chinese, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The ministry will send him a translator. Of course, the translator’s salary will have to be paid by Gerdes!
When I accompanied Gerdes to apply for household registration, I also encountered some troubles. People in Zhaoqing Prefecture said that they had never done this before to allow foreigners to register. What should I do and how to go through the procedures?
, but it’s just a little trouble.
Your Majesty has already said that those who have made outstanding contributions to the empire will be allowed to be loyal to the empire where they are registered.
As for the relevant legal provisions, the Ministry of Law is improving them and they will be officially promulgated in a few days. Since His Majesty personally issued the decree and approved it, it is naturally a special matter. You need to register first and complete the procedures!
After registering, Gerdes excitedly ran directly to buy real estate. As a maritime and pirate leader, he naturally had a lot of money. On the spot, he took out several Royal Bank cards specially for large-scale payments for business transactions.
The one hundred taels of silver notes issued for the exchange were not paid back, and a house was purchased directly.
Unfortunately, he was the only one who was naturalized, so he could not bring his servants with him. Fortunately, the people from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs introduced him to an elderly couple to act as housekeeper and cook. Of course, they were asked to serve a foreigner.
The price is also quite expensive.
And none of them, including the people from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, knew that this elderly couple were serious spies, agents of the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics of the Hanlin Academy!
A foreigner suddenly came over and said he wanted to live in Zhaoqing. Although His Majesty agreed, the agents from the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics of the Hanlin Academy were worried. Spies must be sent.
In fact, not only was the housekeeper and cook a spy, but one of Gerdes's neighbors was also a spy disguised as a spy from the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics of the Hanlin Academy.
Of course, Gerdes doesn’t know this!
After buying a house and registering, Gerdes was like a little bird entering paradise for the first time. He ran out every day and wandered around the streets and alleys. Fortunately, he was accompanied by a translator from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who paid a lot of money to accompany him. Otherwise,
If he did, he would be beaten to death as if he were a devil in a matter of minutes.
After a few days of indulgence, he calmed down and started getting ready to do some serious business. Of course he was a craftsman!