Early the next morning, Xu Guangqi made an urgent appointment with Luo Mingjian and the Duke of Sidonia, and presented the leaflet of the "Cramer Party", indicating that the personal safety of the mission was under threat.
Felipe II was furious when he learned about it, and the entire city of Madrid was closed down for a large-scale manhunt. The Spanish intelligence department comprehensively investigated the names of people at the University of Salamanca who could approach Xu Guangqi and other heads of the mission, listed the suspects, and tortured them with those who were related to them.
Relations between the "Cramer Party".
Of course, the Spaniards were curious about how the unfamiliar Chinese mission got the news, but Xu Guangqi looked around and no one came to ask questions - after all, this was considered poor hospitality by Felipe II.
Although the "Cramer Party" is called a party, it is completely different from the political parties of later generations. These people have no political program but only religious knowledge. They are the extremists among Catholic fanatics - these people have no idea of keeping secrets.
They showed their hatred towards pagans, so they were easily singled out.
As the investigation deepened, more and more evidence emerged, and the people who arranged the assassination and the killers were caught. Felipe II's anger was no joke, and he ordered these people to be executed immediately.
Because the danger could not be completely eliminated, Xu Guangqi's visit to the University of Salamanca was postponed. Out of apology to Xu Guangqi, Felipe II allowed the mission to send people to copy the documents at Spanish universities.
In Europe at this time, the level of secular education was slightly higher than that of the Ming Dynasty before Zhu Yijun traveled through. Although universities and middle schools were still the learning grounds for the children of princes, nobles and wealthy businessmen, children of the common class could only enter basic education schools if their families had enough money to spare.
However, with the emergence of a large number of cities, the literacy rate in major European cities has reached more than 20%, and the literacy rate in many wealthy city-states in Italy has even exceeded 60%. [Note 1]
The emergence of capitalism gave birth to the Renaissance movement of more than two hundred years, and led to the birth of a large number of vocational colleges and guild schools. The church had lost its monopoly on education. The development of secular education in turn gave birth to new technological innovations.
and ultimately gave birth to the Industrial Revolution.
Therefore, when Zhu Yijun restarted the fragmented basic education in the Ming Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty lagged behind Europe in terms of literacy rate. Although no one had conducted special statistics, Wang Jiaping arranged for someone to conduct a survey among the members of the Roman mission.
This conclusion can be drawn.
At this time, Spain has more than 20 large-scale universities, mainly teaching humanities, law, medicine and religious knowledge. These universities contain various documents collected over the years - including a large number of translated documents from various European countries in the Middle Ages.
Greek civilization, empirical philosophy, empiricism after Occam [Note 2], etc.
According to Zhu Yijun's instructions, a large number of people led by Wang Jiaping copied almost all the documents - these people wanted to use the mission's stay in Europe to record a large number of European civilization achievements, and to purchase paintings, technical manuals and copy all drawings.
In addition to transcribing documents, many outstanding students trained by Daming Medical College also came with the mission this time - they are Li Shizhen's students, and they already have a very high level of knowledge in animal and plant taxonomy.
Their main task is to collect crop and plant information, and are responsible for collecting specimens and seeds. Although more than a thousand years of exchanges have enabled China to have a large number of exotic cash crops, there are still some animals and plants that are not available in the Ming Dynasty at this stage - green beans are an example
, this thing would not be introduced to the Ming Dynasty for more than ten years.
In addition to collecting specimens and seeds, they also had to study the dietary structure of Europeans in accordance with the emperor's orders, study the dining tables of princes and nobles, down to traffickers and commoners, and record the common diseases and health and epidemic prevention conditions of Europeans.
...
Because of the assassin's interference, Xu Guangqi also got a rare rest time. For safety reasons, he could not go out, but anyone in Madrid's upper class who felt they had some status would visit him at his residence and communicate with him.
At this time, small-scale "salons" had appeared in the Italian city-states and were spreading throughout Europe. Salon was originally Italian and was originally the name of the gallery of the Louvre Palace. The increasingly popular "salon",
It is a fashion to talk about art, play cards and chat while appreciating art works.
Inspired by the Duke of Sidonia, Xu Guangqi held a small-scale oriental art exhibition "Salon" in the drawing room of the Earl's Palace. It included porcelain, cloisonné, embroidery, paintings and calligraphy works.
The exhibition achieved an astonishing sensation because all the handicrafts were of astonishing beauty. Although Europeans at this time had already developed a high level of art appreciation, the Ming Dynasty was far behind them in this regard.
After Felipe II got the news, he temporarily decided to leave the palace to visit the Earl's Palace. There is no need to detail the details of welcoming the king. Felipe II immediately fell in love with a cloisonné "refrigerator" after arriving.
Although cloisonné is a kind of "copper-embedded filigree enamel" from the Arab region, after the aesthetic addition of Ming craftsmen, it has far exceeded the quality level that European aristocrats can see.
Felipe II was particularly interested in this enamel vessel. It has a handle with a double fish swallowing ring, and the inner wall is inlaid with silver. The cover and four walls are covered with sky blue enamel glaze, and the filigree-filled glaze has various intertwining angustifolia patterns.
The bottom of the box is decorated with cloisonné enamel ice plum pattern. The spandrels are inlaid with enamel animal mask patterns, the legs are bulging and the teeth are bulging. The ends of the feet are carved with outward-turned lion claw patterns, and the feet are stepped on mud.
This handicraft, which is full of Chinese artistic characteristics and can store ice cubes, amazed all the princes and nobles present. Felipe II's eyeballs were like hooks, and they could not pull off the cloisonné eyes.
Duke Sidonia smiled and asked Xu Guangqi: "Your Excellency, is this enamelware the highest level of the Ming Dynasty? Or is it ordinary?"
Xu Guangqi didn't understand this, but Wang Jiaping did some research on it because of his wealthy family and high position. He replied: "The best things in China are all in the inner palace and the prince's home. What was brought to Europe this time was in the Ming Dynasty."
It’s considered second-rate.”
Although he had received a batch of gifts from the mission, Felipe II really wanted to get this enamelware, and everyone present could see it. A young man dressed as a nobleman at the scene did not see any members of the mission.
Opening his mouth to give it away, he interjected: "It's not for sale, right? I want to buy it."
Seeing that the speaker was tall and elegant, Xu Guangqi looked at Duke Sidonia. The Duke frowned and said, "This is Carlo Medici, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Francesco de Medici."
His son is studying Latin grammar at the University of Salamanca."
Because Xu Guangqi was close to Matteo Ricci and other missionaries, he was considered half-European at this time. After listening to the Duke's introduction, he immediately understood that this young man's surname was very impressive, but he was just average. He should be the current American beauty.
The illegitimate son of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, the head of the Tichy family.
So he smiled and said: "The mission does not intend to do business this time." Carlo Medici glanced at Felipe II and continued to request: "Can you make an exception, your Excellency? I like it very much."
.I am willing to pay five hundred ducats.”
The gold content of a ducat is close to 3.56 grams. Although prices across Europe have skyrocketed due to the large influx of precious metals from the colonies, the equipment on an ordinary musketeer in Spain plus a year's food and clothing costs about 5 ducats.
Dukat or so.
In other words, Carlo Medici spent enough money to support the One Hundred and Sixty Musketeers for a year to buy this cloisonné, and the Spanish nobles present were shocked.
Luo Mingjian, who was standing next to Xu Guangqi, said excitedly: "Your Excellency, this is a lot of money." At the same time, he secretly pushed Xu Guangqi's back with his elbow, signaling for him to agree.
Xu Guangqi looked at Carlo and said: "I would like to ask, what are you going to buy it for? Of course, this has nothing to do with me, you don't have to tell me."
Carlo Medici's young face flushed a little, and he said: "I think this is my personal reason."
Xu Guangqi looked at Felipe II again: "Your Majesty, do I need to pay tax on this transaction?"
Felipe's mouth twitched, and there was a burst of laughter because of Xu Guangqi's humor.
Xu Guangqi smiled at Carlo Medici and said, "Mr. Medici, I still can't sell it to you."
When Carlo Medici's expression changed, Xu Guangqi continued: "His Majesty the Emperor told me that my mission is to make more friends in Europe. Therefore - I give it to you."