Mouth. “

Shaoxing City has been a thousand years old, and it has always been green and crystalline, with pink walls and tiles; Stone bridges flying frames, light boats shuttling, everything is so elegant, even people's voices, shouting, playing, singing, all reveal a leisurely and stable taste, as if it has not changed its rhythm for thousands of years.

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People here enjoy this comfortable life, but they also feel a little boring, as if there is a lack of freshness. But people don't get bored today, because they're in a new situation, and it's a new person from the city.

As soon as the man appeared in the city, he became the center of attention, for his appearance was really different from the tall man that people saw every day, but his clothes were no different from those of Chinese scholars, except that his hair was golden yellow that people had never seen before, his eyes were blue, and the bridge of his nose was very high and very high; The eye sockets are very deep, and the gaze is bright, and this image is indeed something that people have never seen before.

Everyone gathered around from afar, speculating about where he was sacred. It must not be Middle-earth anyway, but at this moment, something stranger happened. This blonde and blue-eyed foreigner actually spoke Chinese, and his amiable and polite demeanor suddenly attracted everyone like a magnet.

This man was Xavier, and according to the diary disclosed after his death, he slept on the ship for the night, and set out early the next morning in the direction of Shaoxing City. Although he has been in Daming for a while, he has only been active in Shanghai, and it is said that Shanghai has only been built for a few years, so of course it cannot represent the original style of Daming, so in Xavier's view, this time is the real beginning of his trip to China. So I didn't take the car. Just step by step towards Shaoxing City.

The array was staggered, and Xavit was slightly surprised to find it. There was not a single piece of uncultivated land on either side of the road. All the land was neatly divided, with green rice planted on it, and from time to time you could see the peasants, driving the tame buffalo to work in the fields; Oxen are also used to plough the land in Spain, but here the method is much more ingenious. Here people only use a buffalo to pull the plow. There was a man who rode on its back and threaded a rope through the nose of the ox, and it was easy to guide the ox according to the man's wishes.

He also saw flocks of geese, 10,000 of them of adulthood, being driven into the fields, and he asked from afar what they were doing. He was told that it was to make the geese eat the weeds that grew in the rice fields, and the fish, shrimp and crab roe that harmed the rice fields.

In the distance of the rice fields, there are orchards and mulberry forests as far as the eye can see; Colorful wildflowers can be seen in the fields, the pleasant fragrance of the green is dotted with the cascading greens, and the birds are singing, which is a peaceful and beautiful sight that makes Xavier feel very happy.

When he left the range of Jianhu Lake and stepped on the flat and wide official road, he suddenly saw a different scene, only to see the endless travelers coming and going from south to north on the avenue, some on foot, some on horseback, and some on a small sedan chair; In addition to pedestrians, the road is constantly lined with pack horses, mules, and the like. But with so many people and livestock, the road was not crowded at all, because the road was very wide, and more than a dozen people rode side by side. No one hinders anyone, and the ground is paved with large stones, and it is easy to walk on it; The tall trees on both sides of the road protect pedestrians from the sun, and there are many villagers selling fruits and herbal teas on the side of the road for tourists to quench their thirst.

As he walked, Xavier felt a little thirsty, and when he saw a clear spring on the side of the road, he followed the example of people, squatting on the water's edge and holding it up and tasting it, the taste was sweet and clear, and he couldn't help but drink a full meal, and when he looked up, he found that some people were watching him with curiosity.

It was not the first time Xavier had seen this kind of scene, he smiled at those people with a friendly smile, and introduced himself in pure Ming official dialect, with these two sharp weapons, coupled with his good cultivation, the misunderstanding was quickly resolved, and people were kind to him, and gave him fresh melons and fruits to taste, and when he wanted to pay, people laughed and said: "What money is not money, you come all the way to our Daming, that is the guest, how can the guest ask for money." ”

Xavier secretly said in his heart, it turns out that the teachings of Confucius have been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, and even the farmers are practicing it in a simple way. The way of hospitality.

In his conversations with those people, Xavier heard that such roads abound in the south, and if you go to the north. Although there is no such green tree, but the breadth is more than equal, he is really surprised not to know, in Madrid, Spain, there are no such wide and smooth roads, just from this point of view, the gap between the two countries is still not small,

And he also became curious about the caravans that traveled from north to south. Upon inquiry, it was learned that they were not only trafficking goods from one province to another. Even doing business in the same province can also make high profits. Moreover, these businessmen are gentle and polite in their speech and demeanor, and they seem to be very educated, and they do not have the market atmosphere of Western businessmen at all, which makes Xavier very admired.

After resting, he said goodbye to the enthusiastic passers-by and continued on the road, arrived at the outside of Shaoxing at noon, only to see that the entrance of the city is extremely majestic, the city wall is fifteen or five wide and thick, there is the orchid gate in front, all of them are wrapped with the Qin board to solidify the place, and the root of the Shijian has barbs such as a forest, which is obviously built to guard against the Koukou.

As far as he knows, there has been no trace of the entire Xijiang River for more than three years, and Shaoxing has not been burned for five years, and peace has once again come to the earth. People enjoy a life of tranquility and prosperity to the fullest.

A letter of introduction to him with silence. Xavier passed the guard's inspection smoothly and entered the city of Shaoxing. It was very beautiful. The street scene is rich in humanistic atmosphere, the street is built according to the river, the road is all paved with bluestone, the river water is crystal clear, there is a beautiful stone arch bridge connecting the road above, and the bridge hole below can be passed through the big boat.

On both sides of the road are exquisite buildings with white walls and black tiles, and on the first floor facing the street, there are all kinds of shops with distinctive signs, full of all kinds of strange and exquisite goods, and even many non-essential goods. Such as all kinds of silk, amber, spices and other luxury goods. When Xavier was younger, he had been to the water city of Venice, and he had to admit it. Although it is the commercial center of Europe, it is larger than Shaoxing, clean and prosperous. It's all going to be a big loss, not to mention other European cities.

Compare. ten thousand

Realizing this, Xaviam was a little discouraged, but it also strengthened his determination to create a career in this magical and rich eastern land.

Xavier was completely immersed in this beautiful city in the south of the Yangtze River, until he was surrounded by people, and then he came back to his senses and greeted everyone, and when people asked him where he came from, they no longer held the fear of being vigilant, and behaved very well.

There are many idlers in the city, and there are many people who talk to him, and they come and go, and the two of them get acquainted with each other, and Xavier is having a stomach problem. It is like pouring beans into a bamboo tube. All of them were mentioned, for example, that he saw many beautiful doorways in the city, but there were neither walls nor gates. I don't know what it's for. Everyone smiled and told him that it was not a door, but an archway, which was used by the imperial court to commend filial sons and virtuous women, loyalty, filial piety, and righteousness, as well as those who were good at studying and being great officials.

Oh, it was to promote goodness, Xavier nodded and said, "Then we should build more." And it caused a burst of laughter from the crowd.

After a pleasant conversation for a while, it was time for lunch, and they dispersed. Everyone went to find a way to eat, and most of the people solved it outside, and there were very few people who went home to eat. Because there are many restaurants in the city, both on land and in the river, they are neat and clean, the food is delicious, and the prices are very reasonable according to the income level of the locals.

A few of the people who had just spoken to Xavier warmly invited him to a banquet, and continued to talk, especially when they heard that he was from 90,000 miles away, and they had developed a strong interest in exotic customs; Xavier told the truth that he had already eaten it, and the men led him to another kind of "restaurant," a teahouse, where he sat down, where all kinds of preserved fruits and dairy products were served, as well as fruits and marzipans, and so on, and they were very kind to him.

Xavier had no choice but to stay and talk to them about the customs of Europa, the thrills of the sea voyage, and the unique scenery of Africa, India, and the South Seas. The audience was fascinated, and the people around them gathered more and more, and they refused to disperse after dark.

However, a well-known local priest prevented the party on the grounds that "Mr. Sha was too tired" and graciously invited Xavier to live at his house.

In the home of the retired court official. For the first time, he saw the beautiful Jiangnan Garden, an art that incorporates the beauty of mountains and rivers into architecture, and wandering through it made Xavier feel like walking in a painting. The kings and nobles of the West all lived in hard stone castles; Those who have more wealth and power only use bigger, bigger and stronger castles to show their dignity. Compared with the retired officials of the Ming Dynasty, they are like barbarians.

Xavier lived in the courtyard of this husband's house for a few days, and every day the nobles of Shaoxing City came to visit, and he was surprised to see the good manners, upbringing, and noble manners of those nobles, as well as the seriousness of answering or asking questions, and there would be generous gifts when visiting, all of which reflected the true aristocratic demeanor, and indeed more heartbreaking than those merchants in Shanghai, "but even those big men in Shanghai were enough to make Xavier depressed, because in his hometown of Spain, the noble lord is synonymous with stupidity." It is completely impossible to earn widespread and heartfelt respect.

But Xavier is not content to sit at home and wait for someone to come to the door. He had to take a look and take the initiative to be a missionary. So after two days, he refused the enthusiasm of his master, and moved out to live in a small hotel, but it was such an inconspicuous little hotel, and it was also very beautiful: "The interior of the house was as white as milk, and it looked like smooth paper, and the floor was paved with large, flat ashlar stones, and the ceiling was of wood, and the structure was beautiful and brightly painted, and it looked like brocade, and it looked very good; Moreover, the courtyard is also full of ornamental flowers and plants, and there is even a fish pond with ornamental fish, so Xavier repeatedly confirmed that the room rate is not outrageous, so he dared to live in.

After moving out, he finally had the opportunity to observe the Ming people in more detail and depth, and had the opportunity to pass on power in other countries... Two enterprises. He knew it perfectly. Get to know the country and its people carefully. It is the necessary knowledge before Kaichen is stunned, and of course, he also has a very strong interest in everything here.

He found that the people of the Ming Kingdom attached great importance to blood relations, and the elders of their clan had an irresistible power over the younger generations, and they would organize the clansmen to worship the graves of their ancestors at a fixed time of the year. It is said that this kind of ancestor worship can play a role in harmonizing the relatives of the distant relatives, so that everyone will not be regarded as passers-by because of the estrangement of kinship. In addition to this, the elders of these clans also demanded that the clansmen obey the "Code of Ethics." For example, children should be filial to their parents, and brothers and sisters should communicate with each other during the day and help each other in times of need. Anyone who fails to do this will be severely punished by the elders. At the same time, it is despised by public opinion.

This peculiar ethnic relationship does not need the law to be explicitly implemented, but it is strictly observed by everyone, so it has formed a special social form of the Ming people, and some people are woven into their own ethnic groups, and those who often come and go and have a close relationship will naturally help each other, and even if the relationship with the clan is poor, when they really encounter problems. They also have the right to seek help from the elders of the clan, which is usually resolved.

Xaviser felt that this is why since he entered the country, he has never met a person who is so poor that he begs on the street. This is simply incredible, for a European; For him. It's also pretty bad news; Because when missionaries try to open up a situation in a strange place, they often start with the poor who don't have enough to eat. It is easy to attract the first group of believers by distributing food and curing diseases. And then it grows.

Compare. stone

But to Xavit's surprise and frustration, the city's standard of living and sanitation are enough to eradicate many common infectious diseases. And there are enough doctors with excellent medical skills who will treat the poor for free or at a low price, which is not comparable to him; And when he asked. Why have I never seen anyone begging, the answer of the people of the Ming Kingdom is. There is a special area of the city where there are many houses for the poor, the blind, the lame, the elderly, and those who cannot afford to earn a living. Moreover, the government and large households would also supply rice regularly, so that they would not starve to death, and they could live in such large charity-like mansions until they died, and the handicraft industry of the Ming Kingdom was prosperous, and the urban labor force was very scarce, so there were many job opportunities, so the poor could survive without begging.

After preliminary research, he was convinced that the routine he had used in India, Nanyang, and Japan would definitely not work. With this realization, Xavier felt very troubled and decided to go for a walk in the streets. This time he was wandering, and he didn't know the direction anymore, so he decided to walk along the street, where he went, and unconsciously walked to the east of the city, where he felt that it was more beautiful than the street he entered, with more beautiful houses and torii gates, and the shops on both sides were more beautifully decorated than other streets, so he also saw more people worshipping

Xavier saw that the crowd here was full of people, lively and extraordinary, the flow of people was like weaving, shoulder to shoulder, everyone's face was very excited, and when I asked, I realized that today was the day of "opening the temple fair", so he also walked in with the flow of people, and sure enough, he saw many craftsmen who had never seen before, as well as singers, monkeys, storytellers, and jugglers, which was really lively. made him overwhelmed, only hating his father and mother for having two missing eyes, and he couldn't see all directions at once.

As the flow of people walked and walked, before he knew it, Xavier had come to a golden temple. On the top of the head, it reads, "Chengluo Temple, three words." He walked in. Seeing the smoke in the hall, the sound of firecrackers, the spacious palace, the mighty statues, and the men, women and children who sincerely knelt down, all of which made him believe that this was the belief of the Ming people.

Xavier admired his grandson's phrase "Know yourself and know your opponent and win all battles", so she stared at everything in front of her with wide eyes, wanting to write down every detail so that she could go back and analyze the countermeasures. However, when he walked slowly, someone suddenly spotted this foreigner in Chinese clothes and had a rare appearance, and he exclaimed.

After a brief moment of amazement, everyone realized that he was standing next to the idol, looking up at the god. This is a very disrespectful act in the eyes of believers. How can you stand in front of your grandfather? It's just intolerable. Someone shouted: "You Yiren, hurry up and kneel and kowtow to Grandpa Chenglu to make compensation!" As soon as this remark came out, it immediately attracted a chorus of echoes.

Xavier didn't expect that he would become the target of the public at once, and it was impossible to leave at this time, but kneeling to the pagan god was absolutely unacceptable to him, otherwise how could he still have the face to claim to be the most devout believer in the Lord? To spread the gospel of the Lord?

He insisted on not kneeling, so the two sides were at a stalemate.

In order to ensure the authenticity of this chapter, I consulted eight hours of relevant materials, including "Notes on Limahuan China", Zeng Deshao's "Chronicles of the Great Empire", Mendoza's "History of the Great Chinese Empire", etc., Xavier's observations and experiences are basically not my fabrication and personal play" Of course, he will also see the dark side of the empire in the future. Keep writing, don't wait,