"Monte, I remember you. When your father took your three siblings from Rome to Daming, you were still a child at that time. ”

Monte, who knelt under the stage, burst into tears and kowtowed: "Your Majesty can remember the villain, an outsider, the villain......"

Zhu Zhanji said with a smile: "Your father is an honorary lord of honor, and you and your brother have also been awarded the title of me, and you can no longer call yourself a foreigner." Although you have foreign blood, your father and son all have their hearts set on the Ming Dynasty and serve my Ming Dynasty, which is my Ming national. ”

Seeing Monte, Zhu Zhanji thought of his father, Karlsoli. This is one of the talents who have contributed a lot to the Ming Dynasty among the foreigners who have naturalized the Ming Dynasty.

The parliament building of the Ming Dynasty, the first arena, is all due to Karlsoli. What's more, they are still a little related to themselves.

Monte's sister Sophia married Zhu Zhanji's cousin Zhang Wu and was the Duchess of Liangguo. Although she has died of illness, the children she gave birth to are still Zhu Zhanji's cousins.

After talking to Monte about Karsoli's past, Zhu Zhanji turned the topic to Meng Zheng.

Zhu Zhanji has some impressions of the Monte family, because of their commercial contributions, Zhu Zhanji also gave them the surname.

Meng Zheng graduated from the Institute of Technology, and his academic performance was average, but because he played football well, he was a man of the year in school.

Now that he has graduated, he was supposed to stay at the Polytechnic to teach, and it is said that he also had a marriage contract with the granddaughter of the imperial hero Duan Renzhi.

Monte, including his older brother Nko, who was in charge of the Ministry of Works, was a typical expatriate who actively integrated into the Ming Dynasty.

Coupled with the relationship between his sister Sophia and Zhu Zhanji, Zhu Zhanji directly agreed when the General Secretary proposed to use Monte's identity to establish a network between the upper echelons of European countries.

However, the General Administration Department was afraid that Monte's Honorary Count would arouse the suspicion of Europeans, and Zhu Zhanji did not agree with the desire to canonize Meng Zheng and give Meng Zheng a noble status.

Da Ming's official title is not so easy to obtain, although Meng Zheng is willing to act as Da Ming's secret room, but rashly giving him a knighthood will still break the rules.

On the contrary, Monte had worked for the Department of Information in the past, and this time he used his position to help the Secretary of General Affairs break into the upper class of Europe, so it was reasonable to canonize Monte.

It doesn't really matter whether the sudden change in his status will arouse suspicion among Europeans.

Because the real secret is not him, but Meng Zheng, his identity is just to provide a platform for Ming spies to enter Europe, even if he just arouses the suspicion of Europeans, it is not a big problem.

He won't stay in Europe for long, but Meng Zheng needs it. The son of a Count of Daming, this identity is enough for Meng Zheng.

He is handsome and physically strong, and Zhu Zhanji still has great expectations when he thinks of making him a Ming James Bond.

The counts of the Ming Dynasty are more noble than the kings of many small European countries.

Directly making Meng Zheng a count, even if it is fake, is too appalling, and even more detrimental to his actions in Europe.

Therefore, it is better to canonize Monte directly.

However, after the implementation of the sub-feudal system, the canonization of the Ming Dynasty was not so simple.

Even the lowest-level baron has his own fief, and to give Monte the title, he must also choose a fief.

In addition to the fiefdom, the Ministry of Rites also had to establish a genealogy for Monte and his family, register them, and tell the world all the merits he had made.

In order not to arouse the suspicion of the European countries, the imperial court had to establish a complete set of merits for Monte's knighthood.

The Ministry of Communication and the Ministry of Rites have also communicated, and the credit for the knighthood of Monte is that on his way to Europe this time, he encountered a local plague on Bago Island, and he actively treated the local natives, won the hearts of the natives, and the whole island was attached to the Ming Dynasty.

As a result, the imperial court gave the commercial and economic rights of Bago Island to Monte, and set aside a small island with fresh water as their family fief.

Bago Island, later known as the Andaman Islands, is still home to the indigenous people. In addition to mahogany, the island is not rich in other resources.

The island was actually taken by the Mu family, the Duke of Qian, whose fiefdom was moved from Yunnan to later Burma, turning it into the southern frontier of the Ming Dynasty.

However, the Mu family's merits are enough, and the merits of an island belonging to the Ming Dynasty are not valued by their family.

Zhu Zhanji was still chatting with the Monte father and son, and the chamberlain reported: "Your Majesty, Viscount Duan Renzhi of Huyang and his granddaughter are knocking to see you." ”

"Xuan ......"

Meng Zheng had been listening to his father and Zhu Zhanji with low eyebrows, but at this time, he couldn't help but raise his head, glanced at Zhu Zhanji, and turned his gaze to the outside of the hall.

Duan Renzhi, a former imperial hero and the first generation of football star of the Ming Dynasty, is also in his sixties this year, but he has been exercising for a long time and has always been in good health, and he still looks like he is in his forties in his sixties.

Now that he has retired from the army, he is not idle, and he is the coach of the polytechnic football team.

He was suddenly summoned by His Majesty today, and asked him to bring his granddaughter, which made Duan Renzhi have no bottom in his heart.

When I came, I was still wondering, thinking that my granddaughter was favored by the prince, and His Majesty wanted to give marriage.

But this reason is not very reasonable, because his granddaughter is a little fat, which does not meet the aesthetics of the Ming people.

It was also Meng Zheng, a boy with foreign blood, who liked his granddaughter, who was tall and plump, so he thought about giving his granddaughter to Meng Zheng, a proud disciple.

As soon as he entered the main hall, he saw the Monte father and son standing up under His Majesty, and the doubts in his heart were relieved. But even more doubts arose, His Majesty had every opportunity, how could he pay attention to the marriage of the two of them?

"Minister Duan Renzhi and his granddaughter Duan Qi visit Your Majesty......"

Because he didn't see the emperor often, Duan Renzhi came to the stage, knelt down respectfully and kowtowed three times.

Duan Qi was extremely happy when she saw her fiancé present, but she didn't dare to go beyond the rules at this time, and she didn't squint. He followed his grandfather and kowtowed three times.

"Flat, give a seat." Zhu Zhanji hooked his hand, and a female official came to Duan Qi, who got up, and said softly: "Miss Duan, Concubine Ma is waiting to see you in the apse, please come with the concubine." ”

Duan Qi recognized that the other party was the young lady of Cao Guogong's family, and he didn't dare to slack off and salute in a low voice: "I'm tired of Li Shangyi." ”

Today's palace maids are not selected from the people in the past, and most of the palace maids are daughters from noble and ministers' families.

They entered the palace at the age of sixteen, served in the palace for three years, and left the palace before the age of twenty.

At the beginning, these palace maids were only selected from the families of low-level officials, but because they had to be careful everywhere after entering the palace, the environment in the palace was very good for training.

After these palace maids left the palace, they were all trained one by one and were favored by the big family. The female officials who can come out in the palace are very outstanding, even if they go to the big family to be a housewife.

Because of this reason, when female officials were selected in the palace, no one was willing to enter the palace at the beginning, but everyone wanted to rush into the palace.

Not to mention the ordinary small families, even the Duke's Mansion and the Marquis' Mansion are all rushing to send their daughters to the palace to exercise.

So much so that the thousand new female officials recruited by the palace every year have become the ones who need to compete for me to enter the palace.

Duan Qi followed behind Li Shangyi and came to the apse and saw the graceful and luxurious Concubine Ma.

She is the highest-ranking concubine in the palace today, except for Lan Guifei. The Ma family is now a wealthy family in Daming, and it is highly valued by Zhu Zhanji, not to mention the small gateway of the Duan family, even the ordinary clan does not dare to underestimate this seemingly gentle Ma Guifei.

Duan Qi met with Concubine Ma as a lady this time, and was then intimately arranged by her in her left hand position. "Your Majesty asked me to comfort you today, but I am not a good talker, so I can only chat with you a few words."

Duan Qi had been confused all the time today, and he didn't know what was going on. At this time, she could only hold back the doubts in her heart, and said softly: "The little girl is fortunate to have the honor to meet the concubine Niangniang today, she is already fortunate for three lives, what the concubine Niangniang commands, the little girl must obey." ”

Ma Xin nodded and asked, "As far as you can see, what is the root cause of my Ming Dynasty's strength now?" ”

"The people live and work in peace and contentment, the officials are clean and clear, and commerce is prosperous. The little woman has seen a lot, and she knows this. ”

Ma Xin asked again: "Then do you think that if I want to maintain my current strength, do you still need talents from all walks of life to continue to work hard?" ”

"This is natural, it's just the concubine Niangniang, the little woman is just an ordinary person, I don't know what the concubine Niangniang said to the little girl."

Ma Xin smiled: "If I say that Da Ming also needs you to serve, are you willing?" ”

Duan Qi didn't expect such a result, looked at Ma Xin in surprise and rudeness, and quickly lowered his head. "The little girl is naturally willing."

Ma Xin then said: "Now Your Majesty needs Meng Zheng to serve, and in the future, Meng Zheng will be sent to Europa to be stationed." Your Majesty knows that you and Na Mengzheng already have a marriage contract, and since you want to send Mengzheng out, of course, you must first let you get married before going. In the future, I'm afraid you will have to stay away from Daming and live in that foreign land. ”

Duan Qi paused for a moment, bowed his head and said: "The so-called marrying a chicken with a chicken and marrying a dog with a dog, even if you follow Meng Lang to suffer and suffer, it is the life of the little woman." ”

Ma Xin said with a smile: "The Meng family is also considered rich, not to mention that His Majesty is now going to canonize them as earls." It's not enough to endure hardships and sins, but in the future, if you are responsible for your duties, there will inevitably be some ostentatious behavior in the future. Your Majesty is afraid that you will be wronged, so let me comfort you first. ”

This made Duan Qi even more puzzled. I don't understand how Meng Zheng worked for Daming, how could she be wronged.

However, Zhu Zhanji knew very well that since he wanted to turn Meng Zheng into a first-class spy of the Ming Dynasty, it was inevitable that Meng Zheng would have some fashionable ways in order to integrate into the upper class of European society in the future.

In this era when wives regard their husbands as their heavens, today's women generally don't care too much about their husbands' affairs, but if they are too ostentatious, they will inevitably affect their reputation.

Zhu Zhanji was not afraid that Duan Qi would be wronged, but he was afraid that she would not know the depth and make too much trouble, which would affect Meng Zheng's plan.

So let Ma Xin relieve Duan Qi and don't let her drag her feet in the future.

Ma Xin waved his hand, and the female officials who were waiting next to him all stepped back, and then he told Duan Qi in detail about Zhu Zhanji's arrangements for Meng Zheng.

Only then did Duan Qi understand why the concubine would see her in person today. His Majesty wants to reuse Meng Zheng, and for this plan, he even canonizes Monte as an earl, just to give Meng Zheng the status of an earl's son.

The future husband is so valued by His Majesty, Duan Qi is also honored, although he knows that he will suffer some grievances in the future, but he does not put it in his heart at this time.

The little woman already understood what Niangniang meant, and since Meng Lang was shouldering a heavy responsibility, the little woman would naturally not drag him back. It is also an honor for a little woman to be able to work for Daming. ”

"It's good if you can think about it, but Your Majesty and I won't let you be wronged, Your Majesty won't care about Monte's play, but will only recognize you as the mistress of the Earl's Court in the future."

The two talked together for a while, until the female official came to report that His Majesty had already seen everyone, Duan Renzhi and they were about to leave the palace, and Ma Xin said goodbye.

After coming out, a female official informed that at the Xi'an Gate, His Majesty and Ma Guifei rewarded Duan Qi with a cart of gifts as a wedding gift.

When they returned home, Duan Renzhi and Duan Qi found that the car of gifts were all precious silk and satin, as well as a box of royal jewelry.

Those silk phoenix ornaments can only be worn by the princess of the concubine and the noble daughter of the clan.

Duan Renzhi had doubts, he saw His Majesty today, but he only knew that His Majesty was going to send Meng Zheng to Europa to do things, since he was working for the General Administration, Duan Renzhi also knew what Meng Zheng was going to do.

His granddaughter is also going to Europa, Duan Renzhi didn't take it seriously, since her husband is going to Europa, it is not natural for his wife to go with him.

He asked why, but Duan Qi didn't want to worry his grandfather, so he just said: "Niang Niang has mercy on me to go to Europa with Meng Lang to suffer and suffer, this is to compensate my granddaughter, and my granddaughter deserves it." ”

At this time, the Monte father and son came to pay a visit.

Duan Renzhi originally lived in Xiamaqiao Farm, but when his children grew up, the house there became smaller.

In the eighth year of orthodoxy, the First Fleet of the Navy built a naval dormitory on the north side of Xuanwu Lake. Duan Renzhi, as an imperial hero, was only a thousand generals at that time, but he was also assigned an independent three-story building.

Duan Renzhi left Monte to speak, and many doubts had to wait for the other party to explain, while Meng Zheng and Duan Qi, in the laughter of their grandmother and mother, were sent to the back garden to let them talk.

was finally able to be alone with his sweetheart, and Meng Zheng said with a straight face as soon as he opened his mouth: "Don't worry, like my father, I want my children and grandchildren to have more Ming blood, so even if I act on the scene for the task, only you and my children will be recognized by me." ”

Although Duan Qi was more generous than ordinary women, she couldn't help but be shy after listening to his words: "Who wants to have a child with you, we haven't married yet." ”

Monte laughed and said, "Didn't I come with my father to discuss marriage with your grandfather...... In the next few days, you will spend time with your grandmother and mother, and after we get married, we will leave for Europa. ”

At this time, in Nanhua City, the southern continent of Dongzhou, a huge fleet has been formed, and the ship is full of valuable mahogany from Dongzhou, as well as many iron ingots, ready to go to Europa.

South Hua City is the future Rio de Janeiro, and the name of Brazil in later generations is derived from mahogany, which is loved by those Arabs as a necessity.

Iron ingots, on the other hand, are the favorite resource of the Europa people, and there are not many iron ores in the whole of Europe, nor is it large, and the price of iron in Europe is also very high.

In the past, in order to control the muskets in Europe, the Ming Dynasty was not allowed to transport iron tools like Europe, and at most could only supply iron pots of pig iron.

But now that the Ming Dynasty has changed its repeating guns, it has also begun to loosen the control of iron tools and rely on iron tools to weaken the economy of Europeans.

Dongzhou is too far away from Daming, and although the timber here is precious, the cost of transporting it back to Daming is high.

In the vicinity of Daming, there is no shortage of precious wood, and the wood of Dongzhou has no competitiveness.

On the Xizhou side, there are also a lot of precious timber in the territory of the Han King and the Jin King, and Dongzhou is not competitive with them. In order to develop the economy of Dongzhou, the Ministry of Internal Affairs discussed with the two royal governments for a long time before they nodded and allowed Dongzhou's timber to be sold to the Arabs.

Zhang Han took his grandfather's car to the dock, and when he saw more than a dozen big ships parked by the dock, he was also very proud.

This kind of 10,000-ton giant ship, up to now, only Daming can make it.

Princess Yongqing said goodbye to the children in front of her with some reluctance, this time in addition to Zhang Han, the Zhang family also had several girls from thirteen to fifteen years old who also returned to Daming together.

They don't have a marriage contract yet, and after returning to the Ming Dynasty, those who can get married will get married, and if there is no suitable object, they can also be arranged to be on an errand in the palace and experience a few years.

Originally, they could also follow the fleet to the Doge's City, and from there take a boat directly back to Daming.

But Zhang Han proposed to go to Europa to see, and this plan was agreed by Zhang Feng, so this time they would go to Europa first, then go to Crete, and from there take a boat back to Daming.

Although the road here is a little farther, you can pass through more countries and regions along the way, and you can also increase your knowledge.

Most of these girls, except for those who were born in Daming, have never returned to Daming, and they are full of yearning for the rich and prosperous Daming.

Therefore, although their elders were very reluctant one by one, they themselves were very excited and did not have much reluctance to part.

Zhang Han made a big bow to his mother and uncles and aunts, and the other sisters also knelt down and kowtowed. "Mother, don't worry, I will take care of your sisters all the way and not let them suffer a little grievance. When I get to Daming, I will also worry about their marriage with my eldest brother. ”

Princess Yongqing said: "They are still young, and it is good to get married a few years later, but it's you, you have to settle the marriage when you go back this time, otherwise, don't blame your mother for arranging a marriage for you casually." ”

After saying goodbye, Zhang Han took his seven younger sisters on a 10,000-ton giant ship, and it took a lot of effort to settle these sisters in the luxurious guest rooms on the second floor of the deck.

When the ship set sail, the girls, who were still happy, began to cry again.

After all, they are still children, and when they leave home this time, they will not see their relatives for at least a few years.

If the marriage is arranged in Daming, you will have to live another life from now on.

Zhang Han is the only one who is emotionally high, and he has been yearning for Europa for a long time.

On the banks of the Kama River, a torrential rain has made the temperature extremely low here.

Lin Hanlun and Wu Lu were extremely bored, and they hid in the tent and began to conduct tactical deductions again.

When they were in school, they were masters of deduction, but when they really entered the barracks, especially when they recently studied behind a group of staff officers from the General Staff, they realized that the deduction they were proud of was like a child in front of a real expert.

To be able to enter the Ministry of Defense as a staff officer, everyone here is a tactical genius, and the two of them have not won against anyone once in more than a month.

The coalition forces have been surrounded for more than half a month, and because there is no shortage of food and grass in the opponent's formation, the protection is still very strict.

And in this far west, the life of every Han soldier is precious.

Although they wanted to capture the position as soon as possible, they were unwilling to sacrifice too much, so they still besieged it but not attacked it now.

First, they waited for the results of another army that came to the aid of Blackstone, and if they could eliminate that coalition army, they would be demoralized and exploited by the coalition forces here.

"Mazi, the rain will stop tomorrow, why don't you take leave with me and go back to Tanglin City. My mother's birthday is coming soon, and my sister's birthday is approaching. ”

"Big head, teach you a little more. Although there is nothing to do now, it is also during the war. At this time, don't say it's your aunt's birthday, it's Your Majesty's birthday, and you have to go to the back. Although we are not the main generals, because of our special status, we are the hope of all the soldiers. When the battle is stalemate, if we leave the barracks, the impact will be very bad. ”

Lin Hanlun paused for a moment, hugged his fists and said, "I've been taught, it's that I think it's too simple." ”

Wu Lu smiled proudly: "Of course, Lao Tzu entered the military camp a year earlier than you." ”

The two were teasing when they heard a commotion outside.

The two men looked at each other, immediately got up, and opened the big tent. "What happened?"

"Young City Lord, good news. The main mother led the army to defeat the coalition army, and the crisis in Blackstone City has been resolved. The old mistress led the army in pursuit, and the vanguard had returned along the Kama River, bringing back twenty pieces of artillery. ”

"Twenty guns." The two of them were overjoyed and returned to the sand table on the long table. "Twenty guns are still insufficient, but they can have a huge impact on the morale of the enemy. Let's take a look at where these twenty guns can be used for better results. ”

"Report ...... Staff Officer Hu of the General Staff Department issued an order, and the commanders at all levels and above gathered in the big tent of the Chinese army. ”

The two people who studied in front of the sand table didn't care about looking at the sand table anymore, they were two young city lords, although their rank was low, but they were qualified to participate in the military aircraft.

To twenty guns, which was useful for attacking the opposing turtle formation. They also wanted to see how the staff was going to use this batch of artillery, and they hoped that it would work in one fell swoop and break through the opponent's protective line.

(I have a cold, I'm sorry for the late update today.) Now continue to sleep, and hopefully tomorrow the cold will be better. ）