This anger, with the return of the expedition, eventually came to naught.

"When we arrived at a huge city, we thought we had arrived in the capital of Daming, and our companion Li told us that this was only Quanzhou, and that it might only be a second-class city in Daming.

When we arrived at a city several times larger than Quanzhou, Li told us that it was only the former capital of the Ming Empire, called Nanjing.

Along the way, we met not only people who work non-stop, but also cities that we can't see in Europe.

Forgive me for my lack of vocabulary, I really can't think of any suitable words to describe the cities we see, and the people, even the records in "Marco Polo's Travels" are not enough to describe their prosperity in life and spiritual wealth.

Their cities now seem to be not obsessed with defense, but are demolishing walls in large numbers, but on all the construction sites they can see, there is only order and cleanliness, not the squalor and chaos that can be seen everywhere in Europe.

Their commoners seemed to be satisfied with their emperor's rule, they wore beautiful clothes, spoke a language countless times more elegant than French, and were polite in everything they did.

It's just that their commoners don't really seem to worship any gods, but rather worship their emperor.

In fact, in their myths and legends, there are legends of the Great Flood just like us, but they did not wait for Noah's Ark to save them, but to deal with the flood.

In their myths and legends, it was because the battle between the two gods broke the Heavenly Pillar that the Heavenly River collapsed to produce a great flood, but they actually whimsically wanted to make up for the sky! God is above!

I really can't imagine what a crazy people this is.

As for their Emperor Majesty, he has been infinitely deified among their commoners, and is called a god who walks on earth, a son born of God, and has supreme authority.

As recorded in the Travels of Marco Polo, the horses would convey the will of their Emperor to any place, and the people of that place would obey their emperor's will immensely, even if it was to make their generals commit suicide. ”

After a slight pause, waiting for Ferdinand and Innocent to digest what they had just said, Caxton continued: "After a long time, we have finally arrived in the capital of Daming.

It is no exaggeration to say that that city should never have appeared in the world, but more like a microcosm of heaven!

God can testify that when I stood under the walls of that city, I felt only endless humility, as if I was the only one left in heaven and earth, and I was a little ant standing at the foot of the mountain!

Besides their country, what is even more terrifying is their civilian population, who seem to treat everyone as equals, always polite.

But apart from the fact that there was real equality between their commoners, I felt more like a noble lord looking down at a poor man who couldn't even eat black bread.

Damn, this kind of overlook is not only on their officials, but also on their civilians, and that's precisely the point that is most incomprehensible to me. ”

After a long sigh of relief, Caxton continued, "Actually, I'm so glad that we're friends and allies with such a powerful empire, not enemies, it's terrible! ”

Ferdinand III suddenly spoke: "What about the beggars? In such a huge country, it is impossible for a beggar to appear, right? ”

Shrugging his shoulders, Caxton said, "I'm sorry, but there really isn't a single beggar showing up. Isn't it unimaginable that His Majesty the Emperor still has the Pope's crown? ”

Seeing that both Ferdinand III and Innocent X nodded, Kaxbon laughed and said, "If there is a catastrophe that causes their civilians to have no food harvest, their government will provide the food for free, or lend the grain without interest. ”

If their elderly people do not have children to support, their country will have an institution called a nursing home to support these elderly people until they die.

If a child becomes an orphan, their country will have an agency called the Salesian Bureau to raise the child until the child reaches the age of eighteen and graduates from the school in their empire.

If a person is sick and has no money for medical treatment, their country will have an agency with a mercy pharmacy so that they can see a doctor first and then give money, and if they really don't have money, they can work to pay it back.

As a European, my imagination is obviously very poor, and I can't imagine why their country can provide so many social benefits.

It is even more incomprehensible that their civilians are more inclined to borrow food from their governments than to receive free food, even in the face of a catastrophe.

As far as I know, the food that their government distributes free of charge is exactly the same as the food they can borrow, and they are all good food that can be eaten.

God is above, I really don't know, what are the civilians of the Ming Empire thinking in their heads? Would you rather borrow than ask for free?

As for the last possibility of producing beggars, that is, the lazy ones,"

Caxton's face became subtle at the mention of the word lazy: "They were all grabbed by their government and thrown on the construction site, forcing them to work. ”

Innocent X and Ferdinand III looked at each other before they spoke: "Didn't anyone disagree?" ”

Shrugging his shoulders again, Caxton said, "I'm sorry, the protests are ineffective, their emperor has supreme authority, including the right to dispose of their lives, and they take it for granted.

In other words, whether those lazy people want to work or not, their emperor can force them to work, and the commoners of the Ming Empire will think that their emperor majesty is right!

To put it simply, their commoners had a life of abundance, both materially and spiritually, and their Emperor Majesty was clearly beyond the limits of secular law. ”

Innocent's heart couldn't help but roar - he is the spokesman of the gods, okay? Why is the treatment so much worse! It's not fair!

"What about the missionaries? How are they in Daming? Nevertheless, Innocent raised the issue of missionary issues that he was most concerned about.

Caxton said: "They are very good, very conscientious and hard-working, and there is no one on the side of the Ming Empire who prevents them from proselytizing.

It's just a pity that even the civilians of the Ming Empire are spiritually rich, and they are more accustomed to pinning their hopes on their Emperor Majesty than on the gods.

So, even though the missionaries had tried, it didn't work. ”

Ferdinand III was apparently more concerned with another question than Innocent X, who was more concerned with missionary issues: "You said earlier that they were equal to all of them, but what about us in the Holy Roman Empire? ”

Caxton said: "If they look down on everyone else, then congratulations, they are really close to equality for us in the Holy Roman Empire, although not completely.

I think this has something to do with your wise decision, after the Holy Roman Empire and the Ming Empire became in-laws, they did look at us differently than other people.

To put it too far, they look at other people as they look at wild animals, and the gaze they look at us is more akin to looking at wild people—they are already in the category of people. ”

……

Ferdinand did not know whether he should be sad or happy, and after a long silence he spoke, "Why? Where does this sense of superiority come from? Because of their invincible empire? ”

Nodding and then shaking his head, Caxton said, "Not all.

Their empire is truly invincible, and they are indeed proud of it. But more about their cultural heritage and their perception of the world.

In Europe, even if the oldest parchment scroll is turned out, we can't imagine how a civilization has been passed down for 5,000 years, and those ancient civilizations similar to theirs, who still exists now? The answer is no.

And in their perception of the world, they are at the center of the world, the chosen ones favored by the gods, and the others are inferior to them.

So they are proud, but their cultural education can ensure that they do not turn this pride into arrogance, so that they can be polite to anyone.

However, this pride hidden in the bones and blood could not be concealed at all, and they did not bother to hide it. ”

After a moment of silence, Caxton continued, "While our civilians are still having a headache over a piece of brown bread, their civilians can eat good food, put on fine clothes, and discuss knowledge together."

When our children are torn between being a sheep herder or a shaver, their children must wear clothes that symbolize civilization, sit in the spacious and bright school, and learn those elegant square characters and all kinds of knowledge.

The only thing that is not so good is that this kind of education is compulsory, and they will force their children to learn even if they don't need it at all, and those commoners obviously agree with the educational philosophy and methods of their Emperor Majesty.

But please note that Your Majesty the Emperor, this compulsory education of children is completely free.

From what I have learned, this compulsory education is entirely borne by their government and the emperor's private coffers, and their commoners do not need to spend a single silver coin, which may be one reason why their commoners are receptive. ”

There was no way to talk about it on this day - both Ferdinand III and Innocent X knew in their hearts that this situation could appear in the Ming Empire, but it could not occur in Europe at all.

Because the education and welfare of the Ming Empire are not so much borne by their government and the emperor's private treasury, but by the whole world.

Putting other things aside, how much tax revenue will the trade of Fushou paste bring to Daming? Is it difficult to afford the cost of education?

If Fushou paste is not enough, then what about the arms trade? What about the silk trade? What about the tea trade?

Just like what Caxton just said, the people of the Ming Empire do have enough reason to think that they are the chosen ones, because God really favors the Ming Empire too much.

Therefore, their government can arbitrarily provide such good benefits to their people, because these benefits are borne by the entire civil community for the Ming Empire.

Change me and I can too!

Ferdinand III couldn't help but roar like Innocent X.

Fushou ointment, munitions, silk, tea, these trade in a single store can indeed bring them enough income.

With such a high income, let alone the emperor of the Ming Empire, even if it is replaced by himself, or even by a pig, there will be no difference!

If the civilians of Europe can have such good benefits like the civilians of the Ming Empire, they still need to have a headache with Innocent X here? Europe has long been unified!

After another period of silence, Ferdinand III said: "So, as a wise scholar, what did you learn from this trip to the Ming Empire?" ”

"Education!"

Caxton said categorically: "There is no doubt that it must be education, and only education can make Europe prosperous, just like the emperor of the Ming Empire said, no matter how poor you are, you can't be poor in education!" ”

Ferdinand III said with interest: "Go on, for example, where should we start?" And the finances of the Holy Roman Empire, you should know, are not as optimistic as imagined, how to solve these problems? ”

After a long breath of air, Caxton said, "The financial problem is actually not difficult. ”

Ferdinand III was genuinely interested.

If you want to revitalize Europe, education is indeed a big problem, at least you can't expect students in universities to study religious texts to revitalize Europe, even if you are stupid enough to see clearly.

Daming's physics and chemistry are good things!

Now that Europe has lost at the starting line, and it is likely to continue to lose, the most critical problem is that there is no way to solve the fiscal problem.

Caxton said: "We also have a lot of mines in the Holy Roman Empire, which can be mortgaged, except for the part that needs to be spent on the construction of the railway, and can be invested in education!" ”

This answer did not exceed Ferdinand's expectations: "Where, then, should we start with the financial problems?" ”