Chapter 776: The Siege of October (Part II)

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The courtyard was very quiet, only the rustle of feet on the leaves, and Xavier's hoarse and slightly stiff voice: "In the past two years, I have spent a lot of time studying ancient Chinese classics, but with all due respect, I have not gained anything, but it has made me more ...... Confused. ”

"Why are you confused?" Shen Mo sighed softly.

"I found that all the socially accepted and widely read books were about moral philosophy, and that they lacked the concept of logical rules, so that they expounded an aspect without regard to the interconnections between the various branches of the system, and the result was a confusing series of aphorisms and inferences." Xavier said apologetically: "These words are too heavy, but I really can't understand how such a great country can be so chaotic in the field of knowledge, as the old saying goes, 'love is deep, responsibility is deep'?" ”

Shen Mo nodded and motioned for him to continue, so Xavier continued: "And there are serious gaps and deficiencies in mathematics, astronomy, geometry and other sciences. I suspect that the reason may be that in the Ming Dynasty, only by studying philosophy can it be considered to be studying knowledge, and it is possible to be appointed as an official. And official, almost the only profession in the Ming Dynasty that is feared, and all those who are sideways in it are recognized to have reached the peak of happiness. As a result, no one wants to go through the trouble of studying math or science, unless for some reason, they have to give up their studies, and then they will go to math and medicine, which are not respected professions. ”

"Your observation is very detailed...... "Yes, this is the pathology of society." ”

"I feel that the root of the problem lies in the selection system of officials, in the eyes of us Tessians. The imperial examination system is a great project that is unprecedentedly tightly organized and completely envelops society. Xavier spread his hands and said: "But it only tests the philosophical level of the candidates, and the examiners are only selected from the philosophical veterans, and there is never a military expert or mathematician or doctor, let alone a scientist who is rare in the Ming Dynasty." Said a little disappreciatively: "In the Ming Dynasty, people seem to think that people who are good at philosophy can make correct judgments on any issue, but in fact, interlacing is like a mountain, and they are not competent." A country needs architectural, accounting, military, legal...... All aspects of talent are jointly managed, and should not be left to philosophers to master. ”

"That's all good." It was the first time that I had listened to a foreigner who had carefully observed China for many years to evaluate his country. Xavier may not be entirely correct, but it really made him feel deeply: "Then how do you think my Daming should correct it?" ”

"I don't think it's a problem, the officials of the Ming Dynasty are all scholars who are proficient in philosophy, which makes them have a good demeanor and personal cultivation, and like to listen to the opinions put forward by reason, even if they have something wrong, but as long as someone can point it out to them rationally, after rational thinking, they will be slowly convinced." Xavier stood still, looked deeply at Shen Mo and said, "The biggest obstacle is that they can get out of the shackles of the old and treat the unknown world with an equal attitude, especially the study outside of philosophy. ”

"Not bad." Shen Mo nodded and said in a deep voice: "Then how to break the shackles?" ”

"Only the light of science." Xavier said word by word.

"Well said." Shen nodded silently and said, "Science, this is indeed what Da Ming needs the most." ”

Xavier pressed his right hand on his left chest, bowed deeply to Shen Mo, and said, "The Jesuits are willing to do their part to send honest and sincere scholars to help adults spread the light of science." ”

Seeing him say this, he smiled silently and said, "On behalf of myself, I warmly welcome, if you encounter difficulties in the future, come to me." The two knew very well that this was a good thing for each to take what they needed and to combine the two good, but they both tacitly agreed.

"With your words, I am more confident." Xavier laughed happily, and after speaking, he took out a small velvet box from his sleeve, presented it to Shen Mo, and said, "This is a little heart, not a respect." ”

was stunned for a moment, and then reacted, feeling that this foreigner has been in China for a long time, and he has learned to give gifts, and he can't help but say: "Between you and me, why do you still use this set?" ”

"This is a gift from the Society of Jesus," Xavier explained, "to thank you for taking care of the Society, just a little heart, please do not refuse." ”

Shen Mo usually doesn't see gifts, but this foreigner's attitude is very resolute, he can't push it a few times, so he has to accept it first, and said in his heart to go back and get something else, let people send it to him.

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After sending Xavier away, he silently returned to the signing room, opened the small box and saw a pocket watch with a gold case, a silver engraved dial, and a natural crystal crystal lying quietly on the dark blue satin backing. In this era, seeing this exquisite pocket watch the size of a palm, the impact on silence can be imagined.

He picked up the pocket watch with great texture and looked at it carefully, only to see that the dial showed a person fishing on the riverside of the town and a person walking alone on the bridge. Swans roam the lake, and the observatory, churches, castles, towers, houses, hillocks and weeping willows on both sides of the lake are vividly visible and within reach. On the copper ring on the outer bezel of the dial, there is a hand-engraved pattern of Dutch tulips and flowers. The pocket watch has Roman numerals, and the 'cathedral hands' of the steel burnt orchid are moving silently, what a perfect mechanical work of art......

The silence was deeply shocked, but there was a great surprise in my heart...... Could it be that the mechanical process of Europe has advanced to this extent? A strong sense of crisis came to his heart, which greatly reduced his joy to see the hunter. In fact, Shen Mo didn't know that even in Europe, this can only be regarded as a handicraft, and it will be hundreds of years away from real industrial production......

"My lord......" Wang Qiming called softly outside the door, waking up Shen Mo from the spiritual world, subconsciously put the pocket watch in the drawer, and said in a low voice: "What's the matter." ”

"Cui Zongyao in the host and guest Shiro asks to see."

"Please come in."

So after a while, a five-rank official in his forties came in from outside and saluted respectfully: "See the ministry." ”

Shen Mo smiled and said angrily: "Lord Cui, please sit down and watch the tea." ”

"Thank you." The scribe served the tea, and Cui Zongyao thanked him again. He knew that Shen Mo didn't like to play official, so he quickly went straight to the point and said: "There is an envoy from Nanyang Luzon who delivers a credential to the host and guest department and asks for a court. ”

"Luzon ......" Shen silently pronounced the name of the place.

"Oh, that's a Nanyang island country," Cui Zongyao thought that he didn't know this place, and quickly explained: "In the early years of Hongwu, he was a tribute and called a vassal, and our dynasty also sent officials to edict and appease his country. During the Yongle period, a total of five tributes were paid, and then it was not for a long time, and I don't know what the purpose of this time was. As he spoke, he presented the pale green national letter.

"Where's that show?" Shen Mo took it, took a brief look, and asked in a deep voice.

"Waiting for a palindrome in Shanghai." Cui Zongyao said: "Whether it is allowed or not depends on the decision of the adults. ”

"Hmm......" Shen Mo said lightly, "What was the past practice?" ”

"Normally, you are not allowed to see them." Cui Zongyao smiled bitterly: "Especially in this situation, to be honest, we really can't afford it." "When foreign envoys come, they are usually tributary. The so-called tribute means that the vassal states enter the court and contribute to the court. said that he came to pay tribute and give gifts, but he really couldn't afford it, because the Ming Dynasty prided itself on the Heavenly Empire, and often had to give ten times or even a hundred times the gift in return...... As a result, when many small countries saw the benefits, they came to 'pay tribute' one after another, in fact, they just wanted to take the oil of the big head, which is no different from fraud.

Although the Ming Dynasty had a lot of land and resources, it couldn't bear it, so the qualifications and cycle of tribute, as well as the size of the tribute group, were strictly regulated, so that the expenses were reduced...... As a result, many subject countries no longer come to the door when they see that it is not worth it, such as Luzon, which is the case. Later, the Ming Dynasty pursued a closed country, and the national strength began to decline, so it was better to pursue more than one thing as less, and often paid tribute to the 'tribute non-period', 'tribute non-Dao' or 'tribute is not legal', and now it looks like a vassal country that has not come to the door for more than 100 years, Cui Langzhong subconsciously wants to push it out.

Shen Mo took the national letter and read it twice, shook his head and said, "There are only ten people with the translator, this is obviously not a tribute." ”

Cui Zongyao really didn't notice this, and asked softly, "What could it be?" ”

"No matter what it is, people have come from thousands of miles away," Shen Mo looked at him, and said slowly but firmly: "And this is the first country in Nanyang to come to see him since the opening of the sea ban, which has important and far-reaching significance, and it cannot be ignored." ”

Although I can't figure out what the 'important and far-reaching significance' is, since the ministry said yes, then it must be, anyway, when people come, the host and guest will receive it, why bother so much? So he happily changed his tone and said, "The ministry is right, but the subordinates are not considerate. ”

Shen Mo didn't bother to talk to him in detail, so he said, "Then this matter will be fully entrusted to you." ”

"However, the route, the number of people, and the time of the tribute ...... These matters have always been decided lightly by the ministers. Cui Zongyao was a little difficult, and seeing that Shen Mo's face was a little unhappy, he quickly changed his words: "Of course, the adults are busy, and their subordinates should do it on their behalf." I'll give you a look at it after I write it. ”

"Hmm......" Shen Mo nodded at this time, and said: "In the future, the host and guest department should pay attention to the vassal countries, and their basic information and latest developments must be collected in a timely manner, and archives should be established for future reference in a timely manner." When dealing with envoys from various countries, don't blindly put on the posture of the Heavenly Empire, and make people laugh at their losses. ”

Cui Zongyao didn't know that Shen Mo had just talked to foreigners, and his spirit was stimulated. The heart said, what's the matter, how can you come up with a play? can only be resigned.

"Don't look back and leave it behind, let's start with this Luzon...... Report the progress to the officer next month. Shen Mo easily wrote it down in the notebook, turning the verbal command into a hard task.

"Yes......" Cui Zongyao said with a sad face, God, what a huge task, it hurts to think about it.

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Shen Mo was not annoyed and angry by Xavier's words, and he was angry with his subordinates, although he was indeed angry, but he was not the kind of person who did what he wanted, and every order he gave had a deep meaning.

Why did he want to collect information on Luzon, because he wanted the court to know what was going on there---by implication, Shen Mo knew everything about the situation there......

Luzon, the largest island in the Philippine archipelago in the original era of silence, is located in the southeast of Asia, west of the South China Sea, east of the Pacific Ocean, and Taiwan in the distance, rich in products, the geographical location is very superior. Since the Song and Yuan dynasties, Chinese merchant ships often came here to trade, and there were many Ming people in this dynasty, in order to avoid the government's harsh taxes and miscellaneous taxes, their families moved here to settle down...... The current king of Luzon, Raja Suleiman, was a relatively enlightened and benevolent monarch, and was very welcoming to the Ming immigrants who were hard-working and technologically advanced, allowing them to settle in the capital and giving them preferential treatment, which also led to the increasing number of local Chinese ...... According to data from Shen Mo, more than 20,000 Chinese immigrants live in Manila, the capital of Luzon, making it the largest ethnic minority in the region.

However, there is an old Chinese saying, "The husband is not guilty, but he is guilty", and Luzon's geographical location is too superior, especially in this Age of Discovery, it is a natural relay station connecting Asia and South America, and it is logical that it has become the target of the Spaniards, the first maritime power with great ambitions...... They have already occupied South America and are ambitious to get into Asia, to turn the South Pacific Ocean into the inland lake of Spain.

According to the two-power pact made in front of the Pope, the east of the meridian belongs to Portugal and the west to Spain, and it is said that Spain cannot touch the eastern world. However, this was definitely not a problem for the ambitious King Philip II of Spain, who made up his mind to take advantage of this loophole based on the fresh theory that the earth was round, and ordered the governor of Mexico to organize a fleet of ships and desperately go west and west, and finally reached the east, Cebu Island in the middle of the Luzon Islands. It can reach Luzon in the north and Mindanao in the south, and the island has a good harbor, abundant food and products, and is a good place to attack and retreat, so the Spanish took it as the first colonization point in Asia.

At first, the Spaniards tried to establish relations with the islanders in a moderate way, but after being defeated, they decided to use force to attack, and the expedition concentrated all the artillery to bombard the villages of the local population, and at the same time sent a group of soldiers to force a landing under the cover of artillery fire. The islanders resisted, but were forced to retreat to the sea in the face of the superior firepower of the Spaniards. On the one hand, they threatened not to investigate the resistance of the islanders, and on the other hand, they said that they would punish the islanders who continued to not return, and that they would destroy their houses and crops.

After sacrificing the Muslim citadels on the two islands, the Spaniards took Cebu once and for all, and they immediately set out to find a route back to Mexico, and when the route to and from Mexico was determined, reinforcements from Mexico continued to arrive, and they were faced with the choice of choosing a strategic direction to continue to expand their power - whether to go north to conquer China, or to go south and fight the Portuguese for the Spice Islands. If they go south, then Cebu can be their central base, and if they go north, they need to go to Manila on the northern island of Luzon. Due to the large influx of spices into Europe at this time, the value of spices was not so great, and it was reported that spices were also produced in Luzon, and they preferred to open the door to China, and the conquest of the Americas and Asia made the Spaniards extremely confident, believing that the Chinese were similar to the Indians, and it would not take much effort to conquer them. Therefore, they did not want to clash with Portugal in the south, and finally decided to develop north, to invade the Luzon Islands, and then use this as a springboard to attack China.

The wolf ambitions of the Spaniards have long been exposed to the world, and the king of Luzon, Raja Suleiman, while actively organizing defense, accepts the advice of the minister, and asks for help from the suzerain, the suzerain, who has not been in contact with him for a long time. What Cui Langzhong said just now is the Luzon mission that came to ask for help.

As a silent person who always pays attention to the ocean and the two powers, he is naturally clear about this, and he has been preparing to deal with it early. Yes, he was ready to compete with the famous Spaniards, but before that, he had to pass the imperial court first. Without the permission of the imperial court, the division is nameless, and it does not make any sense.

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After a few days, it was October. Shen Mo had to turn his gaze from the distant South China Sea back to the capital......

The northwest wind swept up the loess and dry grass, and also blew the alarm sound of the side plug.

'Hulu will disturb the edge of the autumn fat every year', which has long become a long-lasting and cyclical drama of the Ming Dynasty. And because the Son of Heaven guards the country, it is inevitable that 'the emperor will frequently see wolf smoke'. The people of the capital have long been accustomed to this time of year, seeing fast horses with small fiery red flags whistling in the streets, whistling away, and even the martial law of the Beijing division is not alarmed.

But this time, they were really scared, because it was the old devil who came in person, and it was said that there were 100,000 iron horsemen under his command, and the scale was so large that they had not heard of it for many years.

On September 22, Alta captured Shizhou, slaughtered the city, killed more than 50,000 men and women, and burned houses for three days. After that, he plundered Jiaocheng, Wenshui and other places. In addition, the Chahar barbarian tribe invaded Jizhen and plundered Changli, Funing, Leting, Lulong and other places until the Luanhe River. Everywhere he went, the killing, plundering and burning were incalculable, and the capital was shaken.

On October 1, martial law was imposed in Beijing, and the imperial history of the five cities was ordered to intensify the inspection, and the imperial history of the warehouse was inspected to supervise the transportation of grain into the city. The next day, the Son of Heaven made an early dynasty and ordered the six ministries and nine secretaries to discuss the military.

Partition -

Very serious in writing......