In the British Merchant House in Tianshuijing Hutong, Methwald, who had just returned to the capital, was telling his subordinates Heywood and Wilson about his experience of following Chongzhen on this expedition.

After spending more than an hour briefly recounting what he had seen and heard during this trip, Methwald paced in the tearoom and said excitedly: "I have gained a lot from this trip with His Majesty the Emperor. It's not just that it brings me closer to His Majesty the Emperor.

More importantly, I finally got a preliminary impression of China as a country. China does not only have a rich, mountainous and watery south, but also a poorer but flat northern plain. The distance between the north and the south of China, and the difference in the living customs of the people, seem to put the French and the Russians in the same country. It is a miracle that such a vast territory has not been divided into different countries.

But what surprised me the most was that a country as powerful as China actually has a powerful enemy. This enemy is not the Tatars who live in the steppes, but a marginal people who have just emerged. To be honest, after seeing the fights, weapons, and command methods of the squadron, I really can't imagine what kind of existence the Jurchens who defeated such an army.

As far as the captured Jurchens I saw, I don't think they were the ones who had defeated the squadron. However, all this is no longer important, I think the staff system implemented by the squadron is very good, which allows us to further strengthen the navigation dispatch and force control of the company's ships, which is very worthy of our reference. ”

Wilson and Heywood patiently listened to the long speech of their superiors, until the moment he paused, Heywood, who seized the opportunity, quickly said to Methwald: "Dear Mr. Methwold, your trip with His Majesty the Emperor has indeed been very rewarding, and I am very happy to listen to your story.

But I hope you will spare a moment, for we have very important news to tell you that Robert, the captain of the Bucks, has returned, and the good news is that he has established the existence of Treasure Island, and the bad news is that the Japanese have built a strong fort on the island, which we cannot deal with alone. On his return, he also saw Dutch and Spanish ships swaying nearby, and it was clear that Treasure Island was not the only one we knew. ”

Methwold's attention was immediately drawn in the other direction, and he stopped and said, "This is really important news, Wilson, what do you think about this?" ”

Wilson, who was named, still replied calmly: "It's a good thing to find the news of Treasure Island, and I'm sure the shareholders of the company will be ecstatic to hear the news." But if you let them know, we found this Treasure Island, but let it fall into the hands of someone else. I'm sure the anger of the shareholders will be all out on us, and that's another terrible piece of news. ”

Heywood obviously disagreed with him, and he immediately objected: "I don't think it's bad news, as long as we get the news back to London, I'm sure the king will send enough fleets to help us..."

Wilson replied unhurriedly: "That may be a worse decision, even if that Majesty sends a powerful fleet and takes Treasure Island, but will the gold and silver on the island still have anything to do with us?" ”

Methwold raised his hands and stopped: "Gentlemen, stop your argument for a moment, I already understand your opinion. But I don't think you're right, the Spaniards and the Dutch are indeed stronger than us in the Far East, but I'm afraid they won't be able to defeat the Japanese. In the Far East, I am afraid that only the Chinese can defeat Japan.

As for our Majesty sending a fleet over, it is far away and unrealistic, and even if His Majesty were willing to share the riches of the island with us, it is difficult to say what will happen here when his fleet arrives. Therefore, there is no need for us to go far and wide, as long as we can get the help of His Majesty by our side, we can get the wealth we want. ”

Wilson frowned and said, "Mr. Methwold, are you too optimistic?" Even if His Majesty the Emperor showed enough open-mindedness and friendliness, he was still a pagan who could hardly be trusted. How can you be sure that he will be willing to share his wealth with us? ”

Meswold said without hesitation: "Believe me, I have observed His Majesty the Emperor for a few months, and I know very well how generous this Majesty is, he is not a greedy ruler. As long as we put enough effort into acquiring this island, then His Majesty will not be stingy in giving us the reward we deserve. ”

Methwold's optimism made Wilson and Heywood look at each other, and finally did not raise any objections. Methwold finally sat down, took a cup of hot tea from the coffee table, and as he was about to drink it, he suddenly said: "I wonder if our Mr. Andre and his Chinese friends have arrived in London, and I hope our Chinese friends will not be too disappointed in London..."

Just as Methwold was talking about the Chinese mission to Europe, the Chinese mission, which represented the mysterious eastern country, was setting off a China fever in Europe. Even Europe, which has received envoys from Japan and India, did not treat these Chinese as seriously as they do today.

More than 100 years after the great maritime discoveries began, European navigators finally had a basic understanding of the whole earth, knowing the difference between the East and West Indies, and also knowing the difference between Japan and China and India. As the source of silk, porcelain, lacquerware, and other beautiful things, China is seen by Europeans as a promised land flowing with honey and milk.

In the eyes of the Holy See, the Chinese mission to Europe was the beginning of the bowing of the knee to God by the rich and powerful countries of the East, and a milestone event for the Holy See's missionary work in the East.

As for the Catholic countries of Europe, there was still a war between Protestants and Catholics, but a friendship from the great powers of the East would give them a strong ally in the struggle against the Ottoman Empire.

Beginning in 1453, under the leadership of Mehmed II the Conqueror, the warriors of the Ottoman Empire captured Constantinople, personally ended the declining Eastern Roman Empire, and entered Europe.

By the time of Suleiman the Magnificent in the 16th century, the Ottoman Empire had been established: a vast empire bordered by Iran in the east, Algeria in the west, Egypt in the south, and Austria in the north. From the Danube to the Nile, the Arab world and the Balkan Peninsula were owned by the Sultan, and the Mediterranean Sea became almost the inner lake of the Ottoman Empire.

Under the watchful eye of such a powerful and hostile pagan empire, the monarchs of Europe, while vying for European supremacy, were equally fearful of the continued Ottoman Empire's attack. Therefore, for the visit of China, a large country in the East that is not a Celestial Religion, both Catholic countries and Protestant alliances have expressed sufficient goodwill.

Not to mention, because of the Jesuits, some Chinese technologies and doctrines were also introduced to Europe. Both the secular centralized system and the meritocracy of the imperial examination scholars catered to the tastes of the burghers, who had grown stronger in Europe since the Renaissance, and the monarchs who tried to oppose too much interference in the papal see. This is also the most fundamental reason for the rise of China's fever.

The European convoy departed from China with five ships, three from the Chinese Mission and two from the British East India Company. However, when the fleet arrived at the port of Surat on the Indian mainland, it was accompanied by three more British merchant ships.

In September of the third year of Chongzhen, the fleet bypassed the Cape of Good Hope and stopped at the Tebul Bay above the Cape of Good Hope, where there is a hill as flat as a table, so it was called Tebul Hill by the British, and the bay below the mountain became Tebul Bay.

The Cape of Good Hope is a headland where the warm and cold currents of the sea meet, and it is also known as the Cape of Storms, especially in winter. As a result, the Gulf of Tebul above was often a shelter for passing merchant ships in winter, and the arrival of the fleet coincided with the end of winter.

The men and ships who were ordered to build an observatory were left behind, and the Chinese captain, who was in charge of building the local port and the observatory, declared it a free port where ships of any nation could stop and repair, but they were not allowed to attack each other.

The flotilla, replenished with fresh water and food, set off for the north again, encountering several pirate ships along the way, but in the face of the large fleet, the pirate ships eventually followed only a certain distance before leaving. In mid-November, the flotilla saw the Canary Islands, and at the end of November the flotilla arrived in Lisbon, which caused a stir among the citizens of Lisbon.

Although the Spaniards were at odds with the British, they tolerated the British merchant ships anchoring in Lisbon, and the Chinese mission received an invitation from the Spanish court to the royal capital, Madrid. King Philip IV gave the Chinese delegation a warm welcome and offered to send ships to escort them to the Holy See when spring arrived.

In February of the fourth year of Chongzhen, Ida and Xu Gao parted, and Ida's ship headed north for London, while Xu Gao's ship headed east into the Mediterranean Sea and bound for Rome. By the time they left Madrid, news of the Chinese mission's visit had spread throughout most of Europe, and King Charles I of England was eager to send warships south to meet the mission, wanting to know what the Chinese emperor's goodwill was to England.

This winter experience in Madrid also gave Ida an insight into the daily lives and interests of European ladies. It is said that the current Madrid court is the most enjoyable and fashionable court in Europe.

But in Ada's eyes, these noble ladies with exaggerated silk collars and floor-length dark burqas, revealing their white breasts and brushing their faces like the white ash on the walls, were more like inferior prostitutes in the East. This fashion is just terrible.

She could only hope that England, which was considered a rural place by the Spaniards, would not have too much European fashion taste.