"We talk about business when it comes to business, and we talk about politics when it comes to politics." Gao Pragmatic smiled slightly and said, "What does the Pope want me to do, and what benefits can he bring to me? These key issues are not included in this letter.
It was clearly stated, but it was just vaguely conveyed, so how can I agree to... separate it from the emperor?"
Matteo Ricci did not notice that Gao Pragmatic almost admitted that the covenant could be passed as long as he nodded. Instead, he listened carefully to what he said, and then said matter-of-factly: "Your Excellency, the Chief Minister, may not know something, so important.
For us in Europe, diplomatic covenants are often not completed in one exchange. Therefore, you can understand this personal letter from the Holy See as a clear diplomatic intention, but you cannot understand it as an agreement on the terms of the alliance.
The final draft before.”
"That is to say, all the specific terms need to be discussed slowly back and forth, right?" Gao Pragmatic laughed, shook his head and said: "With all due respect, without strong external help, the Catholic countries will at least
Within a hundred years, there will be no hope of suppressing the Ottoman Empire - do you believe in my cabinet's ability to judge the world pattern?"
Matteo Ricci nodded very seriously: "I completely believe in your judgment, Your Excellency Yuanfu. It has been not one or two years since I came to Ming Dynasty, but twenty years - I arrived in Macau in the tenth year of Wanli.
After spending a year to initially complete simple Chinese learning, he entered the mainland of the Ming Dynasty the following year and started the sacred missionary career...
Therefore, Your Excellency, Chief Assistant, I have a full understanding of the Ming Dynasty. Based on this premise, I also have a very detailed understanding of the great achievements you have made in your political career.
In view of this, I fully trust your judgment on the political situation, whether in Asia or Europe. You are not only a great scholar, but also a great statesman and military strategist. I believe that your judgment must be correct.
Sufficient basis and perfect inference, as well as correct results."
Are you Europeans so straightforward in your flattery? Look at our Ming Dynasty, when people praise me as a "great statesman and military strategist", they don't say that, but they say "the literary skills are like Xiao He, and the martial arts are as good as Han Xin" and so on...
...Gao pragmatic complained in his heart.
"In this case, I can only say that if Ming Dynasty agrees to join forces with the Pope, then what step Ming Dynasty will take depends on what step the Pope can take." Gao Pragmatic smiled and said: "One copy
Buy and sell, after all, it is you Catholic countries who are eager to resist the Ottoman oppression, rather than the Ming Dynasty who is eager to find allies to share the military pressure. Are you right, Mr. Xijiang?"
Matteo Ricci's cheeks trembled slightly, and he thought secretly: This imperial prime minister is indeed different from the vast majority of nobles and high-ranking officials in this empire. He doesn't care about the high-sounding words such as peace and justice spoken by the Holy See, but he always pays close attention to them.
If you don’t let go of the principle of “interests”, it seems that you can’t attract him with some high-profile title like “world leader”, and you can only seriously discuss the exchange of interests with him.
Now that he had made up his mind, Matteo Ricci no longer hesitated and nodded: "Your analysis of the situation is completely correct. I must admit that the Catholic countries do need allies more than the Ming Dynasty at this moment. In this case, please forgive me.
Take the liberty - how far do you think Ming Dynasty can go in suppressing the Ottoman Empire?"
I think? I think if I was crazy enough to do whatever it took, I might even wipe out the main body of the Ottoman army.
Of course, I will not go that crazy. After all, even if the main force of the Ottoman Empire is really eliminated, it is impossible to rule that vast land thousands of miles away and full of "pagans" - no matter the Ming Dynasty or Beijing.
If this situation were put in the game, it would probably be about different cultures, different religions, administrative efficiency, military supplies... I'm so full of DeBuffs. By then, you Catholic countries will be so fat from eating Ottoman's remains. , but what can I do for you? Stop dreaming, I am not the "Priest John" in your imagination.
Gao pragmatically picked up the tea cup on the table, blew the tea foam floating on the water gently, took a sip, and then slowly put it down, with an indescribable light in his eyes.
"Our fleet can indeed sail as far as the Red Sea and even further. Our firearms can indeed equip your army with more and give you an advantage on the battlefield. Our merchants can also increase and strengthen their ties with you. trade to help you restore your economy exhausted by the war."
Gao Pragmatic paused and then said: "But as you famously said, there is no free lunch in the world, Mr. Xijiang. If you want Ming Dynasty to strengthen its trade with you, then Ming Dynasty's ships only need ports to berth, and Ming Dynasty's merchants need With lower trade tax privileges than other countries, the people of the Ming Dynasty need the right to purchase any legal goods in your country - including land."
Matteo Ricci nodded and expressed his understanding: "This is natural. Ming's assistance cannot be free, and we will not make such unrealistic demands. I believe that the demands you just mentioned are satisfactory to the Holy See and The monarchs of all countries will seriously consider it. I personally feel that they will be willing to provide necessary conveniences and even privileges in exchange for Ming's support."
Gao Pragmatic smiled slightly and seemed not surprised by Matteo Ricci's answer: "In addition, I have several conditions. First, I need to send at least one personal representative in Europe, and he should enjoy the same treatment as envoys from other countries. and rights.
Secondly, if there are scholars, businessmen, and craftsmen from the Ming Dynasty who are willing to visit and study in Europe, you should provide corresponding conveniences or learning opportunities, and protect their safety as much as possible.
Finally, the cultural dissemination of the Ming Dynasty also needs to be respected, and our books and artworks should be properly disseminated and protected in Europe - I know that many European scholars and missionaries, including Mr. Xijiang, have participated in It is the cause of spreading the Ming Dynasty culture, but what I must emphasize is that it can be spread, but it must not be tampered with or misinterpreted."
This chapter is not over, please click on the next page to continue reading! Matteo Ricci pondered for a while, and then said: "I believe that the Holy See and the monarchs of various countries will seriously consider these conditions and finally agree to them. However, I must also remind you, Even if everything goes well, it will still take a lot of time to negotiate and implement, and Daming's support is urgently needed for us."
Gao pragmatic nodded: "I know. But Mr. Xijiang doesn't have to worry about it. Ming's decision-making also takes time. Our cabinet will truthfully report the Pope's proposal and today's conversation between you and me to the emperor. Finally, the emperor will be informed.
The decision will be made after joint discussion between the emperor and the cabinet.
Mr. Xijiang, since you are a scholar who has been in China for twenty years and is rigorous in his studies, you should understand that this is an important decision and cannot be decided overnight.
In particular, although the Ming Dynasty was an extremely prosperous and powerful empire, it did not have the ambition to rule everything in the world, so it was often unwilling to take drastic measures against countries that were not a threat to us - in your European terms, the Ming Dynasty
It is a conservative empire with very, very low desire for expansion.
Therefore, even if the cabinet is willing to push forward, this matter will inevitably face huge resistance. If you cannot offer sufficiently favorable conditions in exchange, it will be difficult for the cabinet to convince the emperor and colleagues."
Matteo Ricci immediately stood up and bowed deeply to Gao Pangshi: "I completely understand, Your Excellency, Chief Assistant. I will do my best to report everything you said to the Holy See as quickly as possible.
.I look forward to the good news about the Ming Dynasty, and I also hope that you and I can join hands to face the major challenges of the Ottoman Empire, a civilized world."
Gao pragmatic also stood up, smiled and stretched out his hand: "Then, let's wait for the emperor's decision. Mr. Xijiang, you must be very tired after coming from a long way. I will let someone take you to rest first. If you want to
If you have time, our department will also ask the internal guards to help arrange a tour of Nanjing for you. I hope you can have a pleasant stay in Nanjing."
As a China expert, Matteo Ricci knew that this was the time to see off guests. He bowed deeply again, and then left the study room with Gao Jingshi's entourage. Gao Jingshi looked at his back with a flash of contemplation in his eyes.
He knew that once the proposal of this alliance was really put on the agenda, it would cause huge waves in the government and the public. Ming Dynasty has some kind of "idol baggage", or "Chinese baggage", so it is difficult for it to compete with any other
A country forms a reciprocal alliance. Especially in recent years, with the brilliant results achieved in all wars, many people have developed a morbid mentality: except for our dynasty, all the world will be barbarians.
Before the Industrial Revolution, China was indeed qualified to call itself the Celestial Dynasty in terms of development in all aspects, but Gao Pragmatic was very disgusted with imperial officials bringing this sense of superiority into actual work. "Yi Feng" says: Japan and China
When the moon is full, it will be weak. The principles of these ancestors’ lessons are not complicated, so why can’t they remember them!
However, Gao Pragmatic also knows that this is an opportunity, an opportunity for Ming to play a greater role on the world stage. Once it plays a corresponding role, Ming's influence will also increase. Therefore, he must act cautiously, both
To ensure that the goal is achieved, it is also necessary to ensure that Ming's interests are protected to the greatest extent.
After Matteo Ricci left, Gao Pragmatic stayed alone in the study. His eyes fell on the courtyard outside the window, but his thoughts had already drifted to distant Europe. He knew that this time the Pope's proposal for an alliance was not just a one-time proposal.
A simple diplomatic exchange was a major decision that could change the future direction of Ming Dynasty.
First of all, he considered the efforts that the Ming Dynasty could make. Although the Ming Dynasty's navy-actually Jinghua's two-ocean fleet-was powerful, it had to sail to Europe or at least the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea to participate in direct conflicts with the Ottoman Empire.
The conflict is undoubtedly a huge challenge.
This means that the fleet needs to cross the Indian Ocean, enter the Red Sea, and may even go around the Cape of Good Hope, go north via the Atlantic, and confront the Ottoman navy in the Mediterranean. Such an expedition will not only require a large number of ships and troops, but also sufficient supplies and
Logistical support.
After much thought, Gao Pragmatic still did not plan to send the fleet into the Mediterranean so early. He felt that the farthest combat area could only reach the Red Sea. It was even better to only reach the Arabian Sea, especially the Persian Gulf region - because Portugal was at this moment.
There are many colonies, or colonial strongholds, that can provide ports and supplies.
Since the "Treaty of Wong Chi Ting", Jinghua and the Portuguese have completed the peaceful handover of Malacca, and also initiated many years of friendly cooperation. At present, the two sides have good mutual trust, so in areas where the Portuguese have the final say, sea areas
, Jinghua did not hesitate to send a large-scale fleet to fight without affecting its own strength.
However, if you go as far as the Mediterranean, the situation is completely different. There are too many countries around the Mediterranean. Although they are only divided into two major powers, neither of the two major powers is a centralized empire like the Ming Dynasty.
The forces do not have strong control, so Gao Pragmatic believes that unless he personally leads the fleet there, others will not be able to play at all and will inevitably be at a loss in the entanglement and conflicts of various forces. In the end, they will be subjected to various inexplicable things from time to time.
losses, even leading to the destruction of the fleet.
Of course, it is impossible for him to personally lead the fleet to the Mediterranean, so this idea is too unsound, so it’s okay not to go. As for the area starting from the Persian Gulf in the east and reaching the Red Sea in the west, the Nanyang Fleet has merchant ships there, and sometimes the scale is quite large.
We also have a good grasp of the sea conditions, which allows those people from Southern Xinjiang and Nanyang to vent their overly strong desire for expansion.
In addition, although the Ming Dynasty's firearms were advanced, equipping European armies on a large scale also required a lot of resources and time to prepare, as well as the other party to be able to come up with enough trading materials or gold and silver.
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! The Spanish-Portuguese Empire relies on the gold and silver mountains in America. Over the years, it has been doing "gold" transactions with Beijing, but Gao Pragmatic is not sure about the current relationship with the Ottomans.
Several other European countries that fought against the Empire could also come up with so much gold and silver.
The Habsburg family does have both silver and copper mines, but their family is also fighting on multiple fronts, and its financial situation has always been relatively tight. It is hard to say whether they can come up with gold and silver. If they can, it's fine. If they can't, it's fine.
, it depends on what other materials they can use to offset the payment - in short, Jinghua's business practices are consistent with the Ming Dynasty: settlement is done in person, and no credit is given.
After all, Gao Pragmatic never believed in the spirit of contract that Europeans boasted about (besides, "The Social Contract" would not be published for another 160 years). As for the spirit of contract, once the interests are damaged, this thing will immediately become the spirit of abandoning the contract.
.
Then, he was thinking about the benefits that the Ming Dynasty could obtain. If the Ming Dynasty could successfully help the Catholic countries suppress the Ottoman Empire, then its influence in Europe would be greatly enhanced. However, Gao Pragmatic View is that this kind of invisible and intangible thing is
Naturally, it’s good if you don’t have it, and don’t force it if you don’t have it.
What is really important is that Ming merchants will get more trade opportunities, and Ming culture and technology will be spread more widely. Moreover, through cooperation with European countries, Ming can also acquire some technologies and technologies that can make up for its own shortcomings.
Knowledge, which is undoubtedly beneficial to the long-term development of the Ming Dynasty - China has been very strong since ancient times, but being very strong does not mean perfect. Stones from other mountains can attack jade. Is there nothing in Europe that can benefit China? No
It's possible.
Finally, Gao Pragmatic also knows that these gains are not without cost. The intervention of the Ming Dynasty may arouse the hostility of the Ottoman Empire, and may even trigger a larger-scale conflict. But this does not matter, firstly, the two countries are not bordering, and secondly,
Later generations of Ottoman successors also often disgusted the Chinese. I disgusted them in advance, which can be regarded as "Lafayette paid for it."
However, if Ming Dynasty invests too much of its resources and attention in Europe, it may affect its attention to internal affairs and surrounding areas. This is also detrimental to Ming Dynasty's stability, and it needs to be controlled by itself.
Gao Pragmatic weighed it again and again, and finally decided that Ming's intervention should be limited. It was best to borrow Ming's tiger skin and let Jinghua do the actual operation. For example, Ming could provide certain military assistance, such as firearms and naval support, but
Ming should not directly contribute, but Jinghua should be responsible. If everything goes well, Ming will get its name and Jinghua will benefit; if it does not go well, Ming will have no actual losses, and Jinghua will also reduce its desire to expand due to setbacks. Moreover, Jinghua should not directly
To participate in the war in Europe, it is enough to reach out to West Asia.
At the same time, Ming Dynasty should use this opportunity to strive for more trade privileges and cultural dissemination rights in Europe to make up for the resources invested. This may not have practical benefits for the time being, but I believe that it will be hundreds of years later
All will play some role.
In short, Gao pragmatically decided that after returning to the capital, he would report the content of this meeting and his analysis to Zhu Yijun in detail, and put forward his own suggestions. The final decision should be made after discussion between the emperor and the cabinet.
Out. But no matter what the outcome is, Gao Pragmatic believes that this incident will be an important turning point in the history of the Ming Dynasty.
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PS: Over the weekend, we had dinner at two places. It was really no rest, and we had to pay and be tired of running around.