A total of eight ships were sent back to the country by the European mission, but only five returned. These large sailing ships departed from Lisbon in early October of the twelfth year of Wanli and returned to Guangzhou in early September of the thirteenth year - this was also the average number of sailing ships in this era.
speed.
The Atlantic Ocean gave Xu Guangqi face, but it revealed its cruel and ferocious side to the fleet returning to the Ming Dynasty. Although the ships hired by the mission were all the top Galenic sailing ships in the world, with enough 1,800 pieces of information, among them
The three ships were smashed into pieces under the roaring storm like children's folded paper boats. [Note 1]
The returning missionaries wiped away their tears, sang elegy and continued their return journey. Fortunately, although one of the large ships carrying merino sheep and other animals and plants sank, the fleet still had four backups - this was also a foresight.
After the fleet returned, the whole Guangzhou was in a sensation, and citizens went to the pier to see the Western view. When the news reached Nanjing, it was reported on the front page of the "Nanjing Daily" - ten days later, the capital's daily also reprinted this report, which was another
It caused a sensation throughout Ming Dynasty.
Returning with the ship, in addition to the letters and items brought back from the mission, there were also technical talents such as European architects, manufacturing craftsmen, technicians, etc. who wanted to come to the East to make a lot of money, as well as a large amount of documentation. In just one month,
With time, the European mission could only get back a batch of the most important public information, and there was no time to copy it, so the documents on the three sunken ships could only be sacrificed to the sea.
There were dozens of members of the mission and escorts on board the three sunken ships - the families and courts of these people must have generous pensions and appropriate honors.
...
Although the losses were huge, the wealth brought back by the five 600-ton ships was also extremely amazing.
The most valuable ones are the Merino sheep and the shepherds who serve them. According to later anthropological theories, the most important reason why the ancient American continent could not have developed a more advanced civilization than the Eurasian continent was that there were no cattle, horses and other livestock.
——The Spanish fine-wool sheep of the original time and space accompanied the spread of colonists around the world, and the role it played in the rise and fall of political power and even the direction of human civilization was jaw-dropping.
If there were such fine-wool sheep in ancient China and developed a matching textile industry, then the entire history of Eurasian civilization would have to be rewritten - unable to produce long-term preserved goods for trading with farming civilizations, nomads would have to use
Robbery by force is a necessity for survival and is not dependent on human will, nor is it a basic economic problem that can be solved by so-called "enlightenment".
In this time and space, these fine-wool sheep breeds were introduced four hundred years earlier than in history. It was not until 1985 that China developed the first fine-wool sheep breed for wool based on the introduction of Australian and American sheep. At this time
The nomadic people have been able to sing and dance for three hundred years, but the price was the brutal killing of them by the Manchu Qing Dynasty's "reduction policy" - by the time the country was liberated, the number of Mongolians was less than one million.
Therefore, these Merino sheep are closely related to the fate of the Ming Dynasty and are the most important results of the mission's visit. These forty little guys, who have traveled a long distance and become skinny and skinny, will become an important support for Zhu Yijun's entire northern strategy.
In addition to these sheep, the Europeans' research on machinery manufacturing was different from that of the Ming Dynasty at this time. For example, the flour grinding and rolling machine brought back by ship, the gears, rockers and fine sieves can grind wheat into flour, and
Four separations are performed - much more efficient than the Ming Dynasty's double-fan stone mill and manual sifting of powder. This thing has been invented in Europa for 38 years and has been promoted and used on a large scale. The mission was able to get it back without any effort.
Two units, and the corresponding manufacturing technicians were also brought back.
In addition, in the field of basic science, the mission also brought back a large amount of literature. The book "Elements of Geometry" alone, no matter whether it was written by a Greek or an Egyptian, as long as it was translated by the Ming Dynasty, the mission was worth the price.
Others are incidental.
At the same time, documents such as logic, metaphysics, ethics, aesthetics and politics were also transported back, including many works by Aristotle, Plato, Xenophon, Democritus and others - among others.
Stone is enough to attack jade. [Note 2]
.......
After the Queen Mother Rensheng and Princess Leping heard the news that the fleet encountered a storm and sank three ships, they were frightened and feared that Xu Guangqi would also suffer the same fate when he returned to the voyage in the future. When Zhu Yijun went to Ciqing Palace to pay his respects, he saw Princess Leping's eyes were crying like peaches.
In general, Queen Mother Rensheng was so frightened that she couldn't help but recite the Buddha's name, and she couldn't help but feel a little regretful - using Xu Guangqi as the envoy to visit Europe, she really ignored the feelings of the two ladies.
Although Princess Leping was adopted, she has already become the Empress Dowager Rensheng's greatest support in terms of family ties. Now that her son-in-law has traveled thousands of miles across the country, and the sea journey is dangerous and turbulent, it is impossible for her not to worry about her.
Seeing the Empress Dowager Rensheng and Princess Leping looking at him eagerly, Zhu Yijun felt uncomfortable and hurriedly comforted her and said: "Mother, don't worry too much. My son was also frightened when he heard that the fleet had crashed. The day before yesterday, he had issued an order to Tanggu to speed up the ship closure.
The construction speed - in the spring of next year, six large ships with 7,000 materials will be launched. These ships will carry the imperial envoys to Japan, Satsuma and Ryukyu to canonize the king's son, and then go directly to Europe to bring Xu Guangqi back without returning. "
After hearing this, Queen Mother Rensheng touched her chest and sighed: "This bastard never listens to advice, otherwise he wouldn't have run away from home. This is a job he chose himself. No wonder the emperor."
He glanced at Princess Leping again and said, "Even Leping didn't listen to my advice at the beginning. I didn't let Xu Guangqi go, and she still got angry with me. But now she is scared to death. How pitiful!"
After saying that, he hugged Princess Leping, stroked her hair and said with a smile: "Now do you know what it feels like to regret asking your husband to seek a title?" Princess Leping burst into laughter, twisting her body to act coquettishly on the Queen Mother.
When the aunt's mother asked for a title for her son-in-law, of course the emperor wanted to join in the fun, so he decided at that time: "Well, don't worry, mother, when Xu Guangqi comes back, no one can escape him."
He smiled again and said, "He is doing a really good job and is in very good health. Queen Mother and Miss Leping can rest assured." After saying that, he signaled to Wei Chao beside him.
Wei Chao hurriedly bowed and handed a thick kraft paper envelope to Princess Leping: "Your Highness, this is a letter from Sir Xu. It's quite a big letter."
Princess Leping hurriedly took the letter, but the envelope was very thick, and the seal was firmly glued and sealed with wax. She even pulled it a few times without tearing it open. Zhu Yijun smiled and said, "I'll do it."
Wei Chao winked and immediately ran out to get the paper knife. Zhu Yijun took it and was about to tear it up when Princess Leping regretted it and said: "Brother, please wait a moment. If you tear this envelope open, it won't look good."
After hearing this, Zhu Yijun felt an inexplicable pain in his heart, but he teased the girl and said, "That's fine, but don't break the love words inside." Leping blushed with embarrassment, and Queen Mother Rensheng laughed.
When the Wei Dynasty apologized, he opened the seal with a paper knife and took out the letter. As expected, it was a thick stack. It looked like Xu Guangqi almost wrote a book.
Seeing Princess Leping unfolding the letter, Empress Dowager Rensheng urged: "Go over there and sit and look. Don't let your tears ruin the fine silk and satin on my mother's body." Zhu Yijun couldn't help but laugh.
Princess Leping pouted and went to the other end of the kang table to sit and read the letter. Only when she read the title did her cheeks flutter with tears, because the first sentence Xu Guangqi wrote was: "Dear Lin."
She spat lightly, blushed and read on: "'Dear' is a commonly used title in European letters. Although the people here are vulgar, they are affectionate and are not afraid of expressing it outwardly. The fiery appearance is very moving.
A place of soul.”
"My husband has traveled thousands of miles across the country, and I miss you all the time. A word of love is just right when I write it down. There is no other word that can replace it. I have cherished my eyebrows for thousands of times, and I miss you deeply. What words can describe it!"
As expected by Queen Mother Rensheng, Princess Leping burst into tears in the first few sentences and wetted the paper. Zhu Yijun felt a little embarrassed and left Ciqing Palace to go to the Yangxin Hall to review the memorial.
Here, Princess Leping continued to read the letter. After seeing that Xu Guangqi had written about the pain of lovesickness in the letter, he wrote: "... On the way, I sent letters back when the ship stopped in the Spanish colony. I don’t know how many letters you will receive.
.Among them, the vastness of the sky and the earth, the different stars, and the heroic nature of humanity have been described by my husband. The most surprising thing is that the starry sky in the southern hemisphere is completely different. There is no crape myrtle or Big Dipper in the sky..."
"Although Europeans are 'civilized', they are different from China. Although their land is vast, they have many countries, kings attack each other, and people's livelihood is difficult. Although most of their people believe in God, they also have different sects and their own
They band together to kill each other for the sake of doctrine, and the cruelty cannot be heard..."
"The mission is here because His Majesty has been so virtuous and the country is strong. The Pope showed respect and issued a 'stop order'. The war in Europe has been suspended. This is the first kindness His Majesty has shown to the people of Europe; and the prevention and control of smallpox."
After the announcement of the law, I pretended to be your Majesty’s Heavenly Majesty for my husband, and I have become the first-class honored guest of the Europeans. I am enjoying myself as much as I can a prince, so you don’t have to worry about me...”
When Princess Leping saw this, she tightened her hand on the letter. She couldn't enjoy the prince--is there a fox to sleep with? At the beginning, her husband also said that Europeans have strong emotions and are very touching--this piece of shit
You won't be cheating on your body, right?
"Lisbon is known as the largest port in Europe, but its population is said to be only more than 100,000; Madrid is the capital of Spain, with a population of less than 300,000. Compared with China, it is a humble country. Its people do not pay attention to any hygiene and defecate everywhere. Although the king and nobles
, the body odor is worse than that of abalone, and the man is only ten feet away from me. As a husband, I wish I could hide my nose and go away..."
Fortunately, fortunately, my husband is a bit of a germaphobe, so he probably won't have a super friendly relationship with smelly fish and rotten shrimps. This European is not without merit, at least he has a great body odor.
Just like this, while reading the letter and thinking wildly, Princess Leping didn't even eat dinner. She read Xu Guangqi's letter over and over again. She didn't fall asleep until the east was white.
Because Xu Guangqi was on an envoy, Leping lived with the Queen Mother Rensheng in the palace. The Queen Mother did not play mahjong that night. When she was sleeping, she could hear her daughter crying and laughing outside, and she could not fall asleep tossing and turning. She couldn't help but feel itching in her teeth.
He said: "Don't wait for Xu Guangqi to come back. Let's let this girl move to our princess' mansion tomorrow. I miss her before I let her come."