"What?" After hearing this, the Spanish Governor Avgeni was a little surprised, and then said in embarrassment, "It's okay if you want to buy these flowers and plants, but if you want to buy people, the price will be expensive!"
That's right, Zheng Zhibao's request was to buy people, but they were definitely not Spaniards, but Indians.
The reason he gave was that they did not know how to take care of these flowers and plants. They needed familiar Indians to take care of them, so as to ensure that they would not lose too much on the road.
In addition, if you really like it after presenting it to the Ming Emperor, someone will need to take care of the flowers and plants.
This reason is considered sufficient and there is nothing illogical about it.
However, among all the people here in Lima, only Zheng Zhibao knew that there was a real purpose hidden behind this request.
This was what Emperor Chongzhen told Zheng Zhibao privately, asking Zheng Zhibao to bring back a group of Indians from America in the name of taking care of these flowers and plants. And these Indians should not be old, weak, sick or disabled. Not only young people, but also those who are interested in the West.
Those who are dissatisfied with the Indians and suffer deeply. Finally, if you still have some identity among the Indians, that is the best.
Only by giving clear instructions to Zheng Zhibao can Zheng Zhibao select some people according to the requirements when selecting Indians.
At this time, when Zheng Zhibao heard Avgeni's words, how could he not know that this Xiyi coveted the last batch of goods in his hands.
So, he remained calm and said to Avgeni with a business attitude: "I am very grateful for the care of the Governor these days. I don't dare to embarrass the Governor. What kind of person, what kind of person?
With such a price, I believe the Governor is fair!"
In fact, to these Spaniards, Indians are nothing. They can kill and slaughter them whenever they want. They are worse than pigs and dogs. The bones of the Indians who dug holes for the Spanish can be piled up in mountains!
The reason why Avgeni said this at this time, just as Zheng Zhibao guessed, was because he just wanted to make more money.
Therefore, after Avgeni heard what Zheng Zhibao said, he was very happy and immediately introduced and priced the items according to their age, gender, and skills. Even the Indians who obviously did not grow flowers and plants, as long as he thought they could be sold.
As for the price, the price is also the same.
His term as governor-general will soon expire, and he will have to return to the country. During this term, how much money he can make is what he is most concerned about.
The amount of money he could have plundered was a certain amount, and it was similar to the previous governors; but on his side, three merchant ships from the Ming Empire came, which was equivalent to giving him an extra fortune.
This Avgeni is like a greedy hungry wolf, who has to eat all this wealth. If Zheng Zhibao hadn't shown his strength, and if he wanted to rob it, he would lose a lot of money, he might really be able to rob it.
of.
Now that he can't rob, he will naturally find a way to wipe out all Zheng Zhibao's wealth. As for how many Indians he needs to trade and what kind of Indians he needs to trade, he doesn't care at all. For him, it is almost a costless transaction.
.
After receiving Avgeni's quotation, Zheng Zhibao expressed that he would choose it himself, and Avgeni naturally had no objection to this.
Therefore, Zheng Zhibao selected a group of young and middle-aged people, mostly men and decorated with women.
The people he selected should meet several conditions as much as possible.
First, the body is strong, this is basic.
Second, everyone has some craftsmanship. No matter what craftsmanship they are interested in, as long as they have it. At least these people will be smarter.
Third, these people all have small families and have many relatives and friends, but they are not direct relatives of the current tribal chief. According to Spanish colonial habits, people from such families must have relatives and friends.
He must have had hatred for the Spaniards as he died in the Spanish labor force.
Zheng Zhibao selected a total of thirty people like this, and he really couldn't bring any more.
When the deal was concluded, Zheng Zhibao asked the smiling Avgeni again: "These people are going to take care of those flowers and plants, and they may even take care of the flowers and plants for our Ming Emperor. I hope the governor will be kind and can give them
We must take care of our family members so that they can work with peace of mind when they go to Daming!"
"No problem, my friend!" Avgeni smiled from ear to ear after receiving the Oriental specialties, and agreed casually. Of course, will he really have to do this, or will these Indian families be affected after he leaves?
, whether there will be any care, I don’t know.
However, Zheng Zhibao still has to say this. First, it is to make these Indians have a good impression of the Ming Dynasty from the beginning; second, it is to give them faith and support them in coming back here in the future.
Of course, these were also explained by Emperor Chongzhen. As for whether Emperor Chongzhen wanted to be so detailed, at least Zheng Zhibao didn't know.
At this point, Zheng Zhibao had completed his expected mission in Lima, and there was no need to go around South America and go to Brazil on the west coast of the Atlantic to risk doing business amid the war between the Dutch and the Portuguese.
The fleet had already been repaired and after replenishing fresh water and food, Zheng Zhibao ordered to set sail back.
According to the information provided by Emperor Chongzhen, they wanted to use the warm Pacific current to cross the Pacific and return to the Ming Dynasty.
Although Emperor Chongzhen has provided them with as detailed information as possible, whether they can finally cross the Pacific and return to the Ming Dynasty safely depends on God's face and whether their lives are tough enough.
There is no other way, this is the only way to hang out at sea!
After leaving Lima, the Indians on the ship were gathered together.
These Indians were all in shackles. Of course, they were given free of charge by the Spanish colonists. Because this was what they did when they sold black slaves, and it is naturally the same when they sell Indians now.
All Indians are panicked and uneasy about their future.
Zheng Zhibao did not untie their shackles, but asked people to bring out food and feed them first.
Needless to say, although he didn't say anything, he showed Zheng Zhibao's goodwill by taking out bread that the Indians had never eaten and that only those noble Spaniards could eat.
Under this premise, Zheng Zhibao asked Jiang Shouyi to start communicating with these Indians through Spanish and gestures.
Point to each other's black hair, dark eyes, yellow skin, etc., and communicate first that we are actually of the same race.
Then he tried his best to tell them that the Ming Emperor sympathized with their plight and would help them. First let them go to see how powerful the Ming Dynasty was. One day, he would help them fight back to America, regain their homeland, and never be enslaved by the Spaniards again.
It has to be said that the same skin color, etc., gave these Indians a prerequisite for peace of mind. Later, the kindness shown by Zheng Zhibao and others further reassured them.
After all the Indians were pacified, they took off their shackles and asked them to take care of the flowers and plants. At the same time, they also began to teach them to speak the Ming Dynasty Mandarin.
There is only one expectation for them. I hope that during the long voyage, they can learn the most basic Ming Dynasty Mandarin, so that they can communicate simply when they return to the Ming Dynasty. Unlike now, they need to use both hands and feet, mixed with
In Spanish, it takes a lot of effort to communicate.
The Ming Dynasty will send troops to America in the future. According to the usual practice, it must be famous. And these Indians are the best names.
It can be said that this has a political purpose, but no matter what, these Indians will always live better under the rule of the Ming Dynasty than under the rule of the Western Yi!
In the process of teaching them to speak, Zheng Zhibao could clearly feel that the subjective enthusiasm of these Indians had increased significantly. They also became very yearning for the Ming Empire they were about to set foot in.
They didn't know what kind of country people of the same race would build in that distant place, and how they could sell such beautiful things and still be treated politely by the Spaniards?
……………………
When Zheng Zhibao was returning, Chen Yuanyuan, deputy envoy of Zhengtong, finally returned to the capital from the Yunnan-Guizhou region in southwest China.
At the Beijing Railway Station, the palace had already sent someone to wait here. Of course, this person was not sent by Emperor Chongzhen, but by Concubine Tian.
However, Chen Yuanyuan still reported to the Political Affairs Department before returning to the palace.
Although she is already the deputy envoy of Zhengtong, with an official rank ranging from the third rank, she does not have her own residence in the capital. The palace is considered her natal family.
After Tian Guifei heard that Chen Yuanyuan had arrived, she couldn't wait. She personally welcomed Chen Yuanyuan out of the palace. Looking at Chen Yuanyuan in official uniform, she couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
In her impression, Chen Yuanyuan was the kind of girl who was pitiful and taciturn. She only talked a lot when talking about folk arts. To be honest, she was worried about what would happen if Chen Yuanyuan left Beijing as an official.
Will be bullied.
But now, Chen Yuanyuan was standing in front of her. She was still the same person, but the impression she gave her was completely different.
To be precise, the momentum has changed.
When I saw Chen Yuanyuan again, she was no longer the girl I felt pity for. Instead, she had a heroic spirit in her every move. This kind of heroic spirit was different from Qin Liangyu's.
It is obvious that Chen Yuanyuan has grown up and gained experience during these two years of not seeing each other.
When Concubine Tian had just had this impression, she saw that Chen Yuanyuan's aura that she had maintained just now changed immediately. Tears welled up in her eyes at some point. She was a little excited and choked as she saluted and said at the same time: "See you there."
Live like a queen!"
It was Concubine Tian who changed her destiny and treated her like a sister. She, who had lost her parents since childhood, missed Concubine Tian all the time.