After careful consideration, Xu Guangqi came to Rome this time with the young and handsome Carlo Medici, but did not introduce him in the Roman social scene according to social customs. In this way, the relationship between the mission and the Medici family changed again.
He can continue to maintain his neutral and aloof status by looking beyond the fog.
Although he did not introduce Carlo solemnly, Xu Guangqi had promised Grand Duke Medici to do his best to ensure Carlo's safety. Therefore, Carlo Medici, who was closely protected by two elite guards, became a special scenery in the city of Rome, and envoys from various countries
Everyone is speculating on what this guy paid to get the protection of the Eastern Mission.
Carlo was entrusted by the Grand Duke to negotiate with the Holy See about his uncle's crime of trying to kill the Grand Duke of Tuscany - the Grand Duke did not dare to come due to safety concerns, and for such a big matter, just sending envoys to communicate was not enough, so Carlo was a blessing in disguise.
, otherwise it is still unknown whether the three words "Medici" in his name will be recognized by the Grand Duke.
...
As for Xu Guangqi himself, after his baptism, Gregory XIII met him on his sick bed, blessed him and canonized him as a bishop. Although there are now more bishops in Seris than believers, the Holy See has no intention of continuing to canonize bishops.
There is no psychological burden - the bishops can expand their dioceses themselves if they have the ability.
Earl Xu, who had not been baptized by Ming Dynasty officialdom, tried his best, but could not act that kind of flattered person. He could only remain dumbfounded and serious throughout the whole process, which did not help him.
Starting on December 16, Xu Guangqi began to take turns meeting envoys and nobles from European countries in Rome. The emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, the king of Hungary and Croatia, the king of Bohemia and the brother of the Archduke of Austria - Matthias
The most noble of them all.
Mr. Matthias is a young man under thirty years old. He has bright eyes and looks energetic. Although he is the younger brother of the Holy Roman Emperor, the emperor has many brothers and sisters - five brothers and six sisters.
.
The old emperor Maximian II gave all the royal property and the throne to his eldest brother Rudolf II, and only gave Matthias some pension annuity, and his eldest emperor brother almost ignored his growth——
It's not surprising that His Majesty the Otaku seems to be indifferent to almost everything.
Over the years, Matthias has worked hard to get a position that suits his status - as a close nephew of Felipe II of Spain, he actually accepted the invitation of the rebels in the rebellious province of the Netherlands and served as the governor of the Netherlands, which was enough
See how hungry and thirsty he is.
Three years ago, the Netherlands declared its independence from Felipe II, and Matthias could no longer serve as nominal governor. At Felipe's strict request, he returned to Linz, Austria, and came to Rome many times to serve as bishop.
Position.
The poor boy's requirements are not high. He is not looking for a cardinal. What he wants is to be a local bishop: such as Münster, Liège, Speyer, etc. These cities now have a population of not even 50,000 -
-However, the majestic prince of the Holy Roman Empire could not even meet this request and was rejected continuously.
He also relied on his royal status to negotiate with the great nobles of Poland, Hungary and other places, trying to become the king of these two countries. However, the French Black Queen Catherine de' Medici and her nerdy brother continued to hinder him behind the scenes.
He failed several times - Mathias was completely angry, and he became the most famous ruined settler and troublemaker in Europe at this time.
After repeated setbacks, Matthias lacked the arrogance of a great nobleman. He first saluted, congratulated Xu Guangqi on winning the title of bishop, and expressed his strong envy.
After a period of hard work, Xu Guangqi already had some ideas about the intricately connected major families in Europe at this time. Although Matthias does not have an acre of territory now, as a member of the royal family, Rudolf II has not yet given birth to a male heir.
Under such circumstances, with Matthias's hard work, he might be able to make great achievements in the future.
Therefore, Earl Xu greeted Mathias cordially and invited him to taste the special black tea. The exquisite utensils and the fragrant tea soup made Mathias a little excited - he tried hard to show that he was indifferent.
But his incessant glances at the beautiful furnishings at the mission's residence betrayed his mood.
After the greetings, Matias said that he was very familiar with the governor of Venice, Governor Niccolo da Ponte. Although Governor Ponte was over ninety years old, as far as he knew, the old man still kept his word in the ruling alliance.
If Xu Guangqi intends to visit Venice, he can help the mission make connections.
Matthias said eagerly: "Your Excellency, I heard that you are very interested in the Renaissance. You know, after the sack of Rome, all the real artists went to Venice, and now there are no masters in Europe."
The so-called Sack of Rome refers to the large-scale burning and killing in Rome fifty-seven years ago after the troops under the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (note: he was also the King of Spain, known as Carlos I) "mutiny"
The looting incident was the most serious cultural tragedy in European history. As a result, Rome lost its central position in the Renaissance forever - as a sign, the Renaissance that had lasted for two centuries also came to an abrupt end. This incident also marked the beginning of the relationship between the Papal States and Kazakhstan.
The origin of the hatred between the Busburg family and Spain.[Note 1]
Xu Guangqi was moved when he heard this: "Thank you for your help. Originally, Venice was not included in my mission plan. But these days, I have heard a lot about the political system of the Republic of Venice - how should I say, this kind of recommendation?
The system of rulers was only seen in the three generations of rule in our country. To be honest, I am very interested in it."
When Mathias heard that Xu Guangqi was interested, his cheeks turned red with excitement. He rubbed his hands, and then flattered Xu Guangqi's demeanor and wealth. Although Earl Xu already knew that the folk customs here were vulgar, but after listening to Mathias' naked words
I still feel a little embarrassed to brag about it.
When Mattias saw Xu Guangqi nodding and smiling, he didn't know that this was a reserved and reserved thing unique to the East, and thought that his "demeanor" had impressed the Earl.
So he directly expressed his intention: "Sir, I heard that you experienced some adventures in Tuscany. There was almost a coup in the old palace, and you played a key role in it."
Before Xu Guangqi could refute, he then asked: "Can you help me get a loan from the Medici Bank? As you know, I am negotiating with Poland to get the position of king - I will use future earnings
As a mortgage, we only need a loan of five thousand ducats this time."
When Xu Guangqi heard this, his understanding of European politics immediately deepened. He pondered for a moment, then smiled at Wang Jiaping who was sitting next to him and said, "Nangong, is this a strange thing suitable for living?"
Wang Jiaping frowned and sighed: "This is a place where true gifts are ruined! Can the king buy it?" Xu Guangqi said with a smile: "It seems that the king of Poland is elected by the nobles. If he buys enough votes, it is really possible."
Listening to the two people communicating in Chinese, Mathias did not feel dissatisfied. He opened his eyes wide and held his breath, eagerly looking forward to the word "yes" coming out of Xu Guangqi's mouth.
Unexpectedly, Luo Mingjian, who was sitting next to Wang Jiaping, also interjected in Chinese: "Zixian, I heard that this guy's negotiations with Poland have failed. This should be because he has no money to spend - the King of Poland has not
So cheap.”
Xu Guangqi thought about it silently, smiled at Matthias and said, "I don't have as much influence on the Medici as you do."
Seeing that Mathias's face turned pale, Xu Guangqi then smiled and said: "But five thousand ducats is not a big sum of money. If you are willing to cooperate with Siris in depth, I would like to have a deep discussion with you on this issue -
Suitable opportunities in the future.”
When Mathias heard this, he stuttered in excitement: "Of course, this is my honor!"