When Liu Dahai was adrift at sea, he practiced various etiquette over and over again in the cabin. People always have dreams! Liu Dahai's dream now is to continue to be the official given by Liu Pei, and it would be better if he could continue to make it bigger! Of course, it would be best if you could do the Book of Rites!

Liu Dahai remembered that Wang Changde once told him, don't underestimate your identity as a messenger! Because every word and deed you did after you went out represented the face of the King of the Ryukyus! Although the King of the Ryukyus was nothing in the Ming court, he was a king after all. Therefore, Liu Dahai didn't want to make mistakes, so he could only practice more when no one was around!

When the ship docked in Tianjin, Liu Dahai immediately went to the post station and sent a message to Beijing that the envoy from the Ryukyus had come. After a night's rest in Tianjin, he led a convoy to Beijing slowly.

When he arrived outside Beijing, he looked at the majestic city wall, and for the first time felt that he had seen and heard so little. The dense flow of people was so terrifying that Liu Dahai, who came from that small place in Macau, felt a little suffocated.

When the Ming Dynasty was founded, the city of Beijing, as the former capital of the Yuan Dynasty, had a population of just over 14,000 households. More than 100 years later, during the Hongzhi period of the Ming Dynasty, the city of Beijing was already "full of teeth, and full of goods". Even the traditional urban areas can no longer accommodate the population, so they can only expand outward, the so-called "outer city".

Since then, the "outer city" has always been a gathering area for foreign merchants in the capital, and a large number of commercial storefronts have also sprung up. During the survey of the Ming Dynasty during the Jiajing period, the permanent population of Beijing had reached more than one million. During the Apocalypse, it exceeded 1.2 million.

And this number was also very "shrinking" in the Ming Dynasty. Because this is only a permanent resident from the capital. However, Yu Shenxing, a scholar of the Ming Dynasty, estimated that at that time, "the people of the Quartet got six or seven out of ten" in Beijing. That is, more than 60 percent of the population is foreign. The "Miscellaneous Records of Wanping Administration" even records that a nursing home in Wanping County alone accommodates thousands of widows, widows and lonely people every year.

"Shuntianfu Chronicles" has more statistics: the population of Beijing during the Wanli period consumed 500,000 pigs and 300,000 sheep every year. It's as big as a modern city!

The bazaar in Beijing is even more popular all year round. On the 15th and 25th days of the first day of each year, all kinds of goods can be placed for three or four miles in one go, and even the entrance of the criminal department is full. In the description of the Ming Dynasty writer Feng Menglong, it is simply "a gathering of people, the sound of four mountains and five mountains." ”

When "Miscellaneous Notes of Wan Department" described the Jietai Temple market on the outskirts of Beijing, it was even more exclaimed: from a distance, the cover looks like a picture cloud.

Outside the city gate, Liu Dahai saw an official waiting here with a small official. He also saw the banner of the Ryukyu King, so he smiled and waved his hand to this side.

Liu Dahai hurriedly jumped down from the carriage and tidied up his clothes before slowly walking over.

When he got closer, Liu Dahai immediately bowed his hand and said: "The foreign minister was ordered by the king to come to the Ming Dynasty to pay tribute." I wish your majesty all the best of luck and peace! ”

The official on the other side also arched his hand and said, "My emperor is in good health!" There is a labor messenger to ask! ”

The two of them finished a set of etiquette there. China's claim to be the state of etiquette is not false. Etiquette comprehensively encompasses all aspects of life. For example, when the envoys of the two countries meet, they must first greet each other's monarchs. And the one who asks the question must be the one with a lower status. Then the other party asks questions. This was followed by a long list of ceremonial polite words. Those who talk all day long about the rituals of life must be very happy in the Ming Dynasty, because there are too many rituals every day!

After the full set of ceremonies, the Ming official arched his hand and said: "In the lower Wang Wencheng, Xi is the Langzhong of the Ministry of Rites." The word Yuhua. Xia Guan saw that the envoy's face was very angry, I'm afraid it was the first time to come to Beijing, right? ”

Liu Dahai said: "Xiaguan Liu Dahai, the words are enlightened." I've seen Wang Langzhong! Speaking of Beijing, Xiaguan has been famous for a long time, and today it is really extraordinary! It's really bustling! ”

Wang Wencheng said with a reserved smile: "Beijing City is the capital of my dynasty, and the natural weather is extraordinary!" The envoy is free, and the official must accompany the envoy to take a good turn! ”

Immediately, the two began to greet each other. It's like this in the officialdom, eighty sentences can't get to the point, and it has to be covered with clouds and mountains. The two sides just stood there, talking in circles. Finally felt that he was overwhelmed, Wang Wenchengcai said: "The envoy came from afar to travel and travel, and went to the post house to rest first. The best courtyard has been arranged for the messengers. ”

Liu Dahai hurriedly arched his hand and said: "There is labor, there is labor." ”

The two went directly into the city to the post station. When he arrived at the post station, Liu Dahai found that Wang Wencheng really didn't deceive people, and the best courtyard was indeed arranged for him. However, this is not surprising, because the Ryukyu Kingdom is small and weak, and everything depends on the Ming Dynasty, so the successive monarchs have been extremely deferential to the Ming Dynasty. Therefore, such an obedient vassal state must of course be welcomed by the Ming court to set an example. Even when the Great Dynasty was held, the positions of the Ryukyu envoys were relatively high.

Wang Wencheng accompanied Liu Dahai into the room, and the servant served tea to the two and then retreated. Liu Dahai arched his hand and said: "Lord Wang, there are many places where the lower officials are not polite, I hope that your lord will never laugh." In addition, the lower officials came to Daming, and some things still have to be pointed out by adults. ”

Wang Wencheng smiled: "It's okay! I will do my best! Moreover, Ryukyu has always been deferential to the Ming Dynasty, and it is very easy to do anything. ”

After speaking, Wang Wencheng instructed Liu Dahai on how to walk the various yamen

things. Finally, he said: "That's all for it, the most important thing is that Lord Liu will hand in the credentials tomorrow." The rest of the time can go around the capital and see the prosperity of my Ming Dynasty. ”

This is the case. At this time, the Ming Dynasty was the largest country in Asia. If the envoys of other countries want to ask the Ming court to do something, they naturally have to deliver the letter of state first, but it is easy to deliver the letter of state, and when it can be sent to the envoy is another matter. If you are lucky and operate properly, you will be called to the court for about ten days, and if you are unlucky, it is normal to wait for a month or two in vain.

After the two finished talking, Wang Wencheng was about to leave. But where would Liu Dahai let him leave so easily, or leave empty-handed? Besides, Wang Wencheng's posture of leaving is just waiting for Liu Dahai to give benefits. The Ministry of Rites itself is a clear water yamen, and there is not much extra money. And everyone knew that it was a fat difference to receive the envoys of the vassal kingdom, so everyone rushed to do it. Wang Wencheng also took a lot of effort to grab an errand.

After Liu Dahai got up and stopped Wang Wencheng, he took out a super small white cloth bag from the cage placed by the servant, turned around and walked towards Wang Wencheng. Wang Wencheng looked at the palm-sized bag, and felt a little angry in his heart! How many taels of silver can you put in this palm-sized bag? Is it because you look down on me? Let's wait for you to deliver your credentials tomorrow, and see how I handle you? Don't look at me as just a Langzhong, there are still means to pinch you as an envoy of a vassal country!

After Liu Dahai walked over, he did not directly hand the cloth bag to Wang Wencheng, but opened it in his hand in front of him, revealing a colorful stack of papers inside. Liu Dahai didn't seem to see Wang Wencheng's eyes that wanted to breathe fire, he held the pieces of paper with one hand, and pointed with the other and said: "Lord Wang, this is a silver ticket issued by a department store, you can directly exchange this silver ticket into cash when you take this silver ticket to the department store, which is very convenient." ”

When Wang Wencheng heard Liu Dahai's words, his anger naturally disappeared, and he began to carefully look at the colorful piece of paper in Liu Dahai's hand. There are not many pieces of paper, about ten sheets of paper, and the top one in between, says fifty taels of gold and silver!

Wang Wencheng looked at the thickness of the silver ticket, which was almost five hundred taels of silver. At the moment, I was surprised and delighted. Naturally, there is a large amount of silver in the account, which can be regarded as a windfall. I was surprised to understand that what Ryukyu asked for was not small, otherwise it would not have been so generous. It is unknown whether he can contribute to it, so if this silver is collected, it will become a laughing stock if he can't do it at that time!

So at the moment, Wang Wencheng's face is a little not good-looking. After half a ring, he said: "Lord Liu, can you give me a reminder, what is the so-called matter of your tribute to the Ming Dynasty this time?" ”