Zhu Youxiao smiled and waved his hand, indicating that he didn't mind the facts he said.
"May I have your name?"
"Your Majesty, you may call me Henry!"
This is a common name. Although Zhu Youxiao doesn't know foreigners, the name Henry is familiar to him.
Although Zhu Youxiao didn't know which country he was from, there were only a few countries that he had frequent contact with Ming Dynasty.
After learning his name, he immediately asked:
"Henry, are you from Spain or the Netherlands?"
"I didn't expect that His Majesty also knows a lot about the distribution of countries in Europe. It really shocked Henry!"
"But everything your Majesty said is wrong. I come from the great Portuguese Empire!"
Zhu Youxiao showed a playful smile. Do you really think that Ming Dynasty knows nothing about the world situation? I am a cheat in this era.
Where did the so-called Portuguese Empire come from? It no longer exists.
"Henry, I thought you were an honest person, but you, like my ministers, concealed the facts and told lies!"
Henry's expression changed when he heard this, but he still pretended to be dumbfounded and hurriedly replied:
"I don't know why Your Majesty thinks so!"
Zhu Youxiao laughed twice, then stroked a lathe and said slowly:
"As early as forty years ago, your Kingdom of Portugal was captured by Spain, and Portugal was already destroyed. Do you still want to tell this lie in front of me?"
Although Zhu Youxiao is not a historian, he still knows something about this kind of historical event with great influence.
The lie was exposed directly by the emperor, and the eloquent Henry was speechless for a moment.
Then under Zhu Youxiao's questioning, he finally told the truth.
It turns out that he is a branch of the Portuguese royal family. When Portugal was captured, his father fled overseas with his wife for several years, and finally took root in Luzon.
Luzon Island is far away from Europe, and there has been no large-scale war or turmoil. It can be regarded as a peaceful and peaceful place, so he took root here, and a few years later, he gave birth to Henry.
After living in Luzon for nearly twenty years, he had many contacts with the Han people. Henry was full of yearning for this powerful country.
Moreover, there have been rumors since ancient times that there is a powerful country in the east, extremely rich, and full of gold and silver.
This attracted Henry, who was extremely young at the time and wanted to make a difference, to come to Ming Dynasty. However, when he came, he discovered that the rumors were just rumors.
But now that he has come, he will never give up easily, so he settles down in Ming Dynasty. Two years ago, he followed the Western missionaries to the capital.
During the nearly ten years he spent in the Ming Dynasty, he was either doing business with merchants or selling arms. In his spare time, he would help others make firearms.
Six months ago, the arsenal was recruiting masters of Western firearms skills. Henry thought this was a rare opportunity, so he led his team to apply.
Henry's persistence over the years has only one belief and goal, which is to fight back to Europe, defeat the hateful Spain, and regain the Kingdom of Portugal!
After Zhu Youxiao learned his thoughts and details, a huge plan quickly emerged in his mind.
As long as it can develop steadily according to its own expectations, relying on domestic resources and foundation, the Ming Dynasty will become the number one in Asia, and its maritime hegemony will basically be an ironclad fact.
But if you want to expand your influence, influence the world structure, and become a real world power, you must involve the whole world, especially Europe. It is inevitable to establish contact with them and establish diplomatic relations.
The British Empire is now booming, and France is also developing rapidly, expanding its armaments and training its elite army. Zhu Youxiao will not be stupid enough to travel thousands of miles to go to war with them in the future.
Therefore, the ruined Kingdom of Portugal and the members of the clan who fled overseas are the best and lowest-cost keys for him to set foot on the European continent.
After Zhu Youxiao quells the slave trouble in Liaodong and annexes the grasslands, he will set his sights on the whole world and start competing for hegemony with the world's great powers.
At that time, when the Ming Dynasty has sufficient national strength and finance, as well as a powerful army and ships, the sun and moon flag will be raised in European waters.
But it might be feasible for the Ming Dynasty to enslave and colonize, but it is simply impossible to rule the world. pace]
Even in the era of advanced technology in later generations, no country can do this, let alone now.
So Emperor Zhu, who had always been unwilling to take advantage of others, once again started his deception.
"Although I have never experienced the shame of national subjugation, I can understand it to a certain extent!"
"Although the Ming Dynasty has never established friendly relations with Portugal, I have a compassionate heart and cannot turn a blind eye to the suffering and humiliation your compatriots have suffered!"
Before Zhu Youxiao finished speaking, Henry asked very excitedly:
"Your Majesty the King means that you are willing to help me restore my country?"
"If this is the case, Henry and the entire Portuguese people will always be in awe of the Ming Dynasty. If necessary, it is not impossible to regard the Ming Dynasty as the superior country!"
Zhu Youxiao did not expect that this thirty-year-old man would have such great mood swings. It seems that he has truly regarded the restoration of the country as his lifelong goal!
This kind of mentality is naturally extremely beneficial to Zhu Youxiao's plan. Helping him regain his country may seem difficult, but as long as he uses it properly, it is relatively easy.
Although the current Spanish Empire is still an empire on which the sun never sets, its status as a maritime hegemon has long been shaken by Britain, a rising star.
In the decisive ocean battle thirty years ago, Spain's proud Armada was completely defeated by Britain.
And because Spain is too powerful and their greedy ambitions, they have already made enemies on all sides in Europe.
Several of the more powerful countries in Europe have tacitly formed an alliance against Spain.
Britain's continuous attacks on Spain at sea caused Spain to completely lose its remaining strength in fighting for hegemony at sea, and blocked the connection between the homeland and its colonies.
Spain's overseas colonies will slowly be swallowed up by Britain, and the first generation of the Empire on which the Sun Never Sets will become history.
In the near future, several alliance countries, led by France, will launch a full-scale war against Spain on the European continent.
Although Spain has not yet declined, as the saying goes, two fists are no match for four, and Spain simply cannot withstand this powerful offensive.
The military dominance on land and the colonies will be slowly defeated and annexed, leaving only the defeated troops on the mainland.
In fact, even if Zhu Youxiao did not help Henry to restore the country, Portugal would get rid of Spanish rule in a few decades and return to the world's historical stage.