-->

Chapter 132 [Foreigner]

The Ming army could not gain an advantage in the war with the Jin State by relying only on arquebuses and Hongyi cannons. == First. Fa == If you want to improve your strength, the best way is to import advanced weapons from the West.

However, the imperial soldiers did not want to spend any more money on expensive artillery, nor did they plan to build an elite army proposed by Xu Guangqi. Xu Guangqi is right, but unfortunately no one supports him. The Ming Dynasty's claim of having an army of two million sounds bluffing, but the main reason for not being able to win the war may be here. There are many soldiers, not many soldiers, not to mention two million in a group of rabble, even if there are two million more, it will be blind to fight.

After a turn in the Ministry of Industry, Ao Bai told Chongzhen the actual situation, and the plan to purchase foreigners' guns and mass produce firearms was also put on hold, and Xu Guangqi still went to the Ministry of Rites.

Ao Baiken went to take a look with him, Xu Guangqi already felt very interesting, and after leaving the palace, he sighed: "Lord Huang, thank you this time, now the people in the Ministry of Industry are not doing serious things, and I hope you can find an opportunity to propose to the emperor again." ”

Ao Bai looked gloomy at him, and comforted: "Lord Xu, don't be in a hurry, the Ming army has controlled the situation at the border in the past two years, so the emperor doesn't pay special attention to firearms." Moreover, the Hongyi cannon and arquebus are not without shortcomings, the mobility of the cannon is too poor, and it can only defend the city, once the enemy army approaches the city, it is impossible to adjust the angle, and the effect is limited. The arquebus, on the other hand, is not accurate, it is too slow to change ammunition, and its practical value is not as good as that of a bow and arrow...... Lord Xu, do foreigners have more advanced weapons? ”

Xu Guangqi said: "There should be, but their firearms are too expensive to buy in bulk, and our own imitations are not very good." ”

Ao Bai smiled and said, "Lord Xu, I fully support your plan, can you help me introduce me and let me talk to those foreigners?" It would be better to make sense that they would provide weapons to the Ming army, and it would be better if they found a few smart young people to learn their techniques, and with technology, they could be used once and for all. Do you have such an apprentice? ”

Ao Bai wanted to understand what benefits the foreigners wanted from the Ming Dynasty, as long as they were promised something and supported by the foreigners, it would be easier to seize power.

Xu Guangqi only thought that he was thinking about Daming, and was very pleased, and said: "If young people are like you, why don't Daming worry?" I will contact and they will definitely be happy to meet you. ”

After saying goodbye, Ao Bai returned home. Chatting with the wives, Hai Lanzhu asked, "Today you went to see firearms, is there anything interesting?" Seeing you smile like this, what's the good thing? ”

Ao Bai smiled: "Soon, foreigners will come to our house as guests, haven't you seen foreigners?" ”

Yao Qianyu was stunned for a moment and said: "I have seen foreign missionaries, with yellow heads and blue eyes, and they are really ugly, and it is very strange to listen to them. [This chapter is provided by . How do you know foreigners? ”

In the capital, there are foreigners, they promote Catholicism in Daming, but there are not many Chinese who are interested, mainly the problem of language communication, who will believe that foreign gods bless Chinese with black eyes and yellow skin?

"Do you remember Lord Xu who came to our house? He knows a lot of foreigners, and those foreigners have what I want. ”

"You mean firearms, right?" Yao Qianyu reacted the fastest, the last time Ao Bai and Xu Guangqi talked about weapons, he knew that Ao Bai wanted to fight advanced weapons. These old ministers, including He Ruzhong, are still in the dark.

"To be precise, it's the technology of making weapons, and I have to find a way to recruit some talents and make advanced guns." ”

He also had a headache why he had never met useful people, those so-called talents in the Ming Dynasty were far more interested in the Four Books and Five Classics than in studying science, and now the most lacking thing is still talent.

A few days later, Xu Guangqi visited again and brought three people with him. introduced: "This is Long Huamin, president of the Jesuit China Mission, he is an Italian and has been in Daming for 30 years. These two are the sons of my friend, Sun Hedou and Sun Hejing. ”

The three of them saluted together: "I have seen Lord Huang, Lord He, and a few ladies. ”

Long Huamin inherited the typical Italian blood, with deep eye sockets and a well-defined face, almost like a statue, nearly sixty years old, looking deep and wise. He has been in Daming for a long time, and he also speaks Chinese very authentically.

"A few people are welcome. President Long, it's a pleasure to meet you. Ao bowed to his heart, and the other party directly dispatched the president, and it seemed that the hope of the rise of Catholicism was also placed on his shoulders.

Long Huamin smiled and said, "Dear Lord Huang, I heard Lord Xu say that you know something about Catholicism?" ”

"I've only heard a little bit about it, but I don't have a deep understanding, and I think the teachings of Catholicism are still very reasonable." "I also know that there is a bit of a conflict between Catholicism and Buddhism, but people should be qualified to choose their own faith. Therefore, I support the spread of Catholicism in the Ming Dynasty. ”

"Mr. Xu said that you are an enlightened scholar, please accept my highest respect."

As soon as Ao Bai opened his mouth, he expressed his support for Catholicism, and Long Huamin was very happy. After chatting a few words, he gushed about some of his experiences in Daming.

In terms of missionary methods, he took a different path from most missionaries who came to China at that time. He advocated an open outreach to society and a follower, demanding that those who had become a believer abandon traditional Chinese customs. After several years of hard work, he exhibited more than 300 followers. Persecuted by the locals, he went to Beijing in 1609 and became president of the Jesuit mission in China. Later, the persecution of Catholics occurred in China, and Long Huamin had a disagreement with most of the missionaries.

After talking for a long time, Ao Bai was a little annoyed. He came to the foreigners, and he wanted guns, not to donate money to build a church with these people. found an opportunity to interrupt Long Huamin: "Daming pushes Buddhism, if Catholicism wants to make great progress in Daming, it will have to make some efforts." I want to ask, President Long, what do you think of Daming's current situation? ”

Long Huamin said: "It's very prosperous and great. It's just that the Ming Dynasty's ban on the sea hindered the exchanges between the Ming and foreign countries to a certain extent. In addition, I am deeply impressed by the situation in your country. ”

The so-called ban on the sea, which specifies the government's policy of prohibiting private individuals from going overseas to engage in overseas trade, began in the early Ming Dynasty and has not been revoked until now. Due to political needs, Zhu Yuanzhang, Taizu of the Ming Dynasty, except for allowing some countries or tribes to trade through "tribute", all other private overseas trade was prohibited.

Long Huamin's words are very straightforward, and he is in harmony with Ao's heart, he has done a lot of homework and knows what foreigners want most.

All foreigners who came to the Ming Dynasty by boat were extremely disappointed with the Ming Dynasty's ban on the sea. The Portuguese once wanted to forcibly build a trading base, and they have been cruising along the coast of China, along the north to Fujian and Zhejiang provinces, trying to make huge profits through illegal forms such as smuggling and looting.

After the outbreak of the war, the officials of the Ministry of Rites, who were anxious to get rid of their responsibilities, also rashly asked the emperor to depose the city boss. Of course, due to the large number of people and the lack of land in the coastal area, many residents still went to the sea to trade privately, and the Ming court carried out brutal suppression. The Ming Dynasty's ban on the sea was only aimed at the people, not the imperial court, which was a typical example of "only the state officials were allowed to set fires, and the people were not allowed to light lamps", which caused China to be unable to have sustained and comprehensive exchanges with foreign countries

The ban on the sea in the Ming Dynasty suppressed the exhibition of China's maritime trade to a certain extent, but fortunately, the official shipbuilding industry could barely support it, or it could barely survive. The forbidden sea after the establishment of the Qing Dynasty completely smashed China's shipbuilding industry to death. It can be said that the people of the old Zhu family pushed China's shipbuilding industry to the edge of the cliff, while the Manchus kicked off the cliff.

Modern China was backward during the Manchu Qing Dynasty, but the Ming Dynasty was the root. Zhu Yuanzhang's sea ban and eight-strand takers are both things that are not shallow to people.

Ao Bai observed Long Huamin and said lightly: "President Long, how do you feel if the Ming Dynasty opens the sea ban and trades with foreign countries?" ”

Long Huamin was overjoyed and said with a smile: "If Lord Huang can persuade the emperor to open the sea ban, of course it is a good thing." ”

For example, in Portugal, the Portuguese living in Macao set up the Macao Council on their own without the consent of the Ming Dynasty government to carry out the autonomous management of the Portuguese community, and only paid 500 taels of silver to the Ming government and the subsequent Qing government as land rent. The Dutch and Spaniards also peeped into our island of Taiwan. If the sea is banned, how can we ensure the security of the country? ”

Long Huamin was speechless. These things are not something he can give an opinion on.

Ao Bai said again: "President Long, I'll just say it directly, I asked Lord Xu to bring foreign friends to communicate, and I also want to work hard for the sea ban, and I thought of a way." That is, foreigners taught firearms technology to the Ming Dynasty to help the Ming Dynasty enhance its military strength and defend national security. If we can defeat the Jin country on the border, and there is no war in the interior, of course, we can completely open the sea ban and carry out friendly exchanges and trade. Otherwise, even if I make suggestions to the emperor every day, there will be no results. What do you think? ”

If Long Huamin was just a simple missionary, it would be impossible for him to gain a foothold in Daming, he first went to Macao, lived there for many years, and then went to the mainland. He has the support of the Portuguese military, and he can understand that what Daming wants is actual benefits, not just pay and not get.

Long Huamin asked, "Lord Huang, can you really represent the emperor's wishes?" What if we are willing to sell it to Daming and help Daming improve his forging skills, but the emperor still bans the sea? It is said that your officialdom is much more complicated. ”

Ao Bai knew that this foreign old man had already begun to catch up with his interest. Catholicism is one thing, but what really attracts Westerners the most is trade. As long as there is trade, both sides can make huge profits.

Ao Bai said: "Not yet, in fact, I would like to sit down with some weapons experts and have a good talk, I think President Long must have some connections, I don't know if it can fulfill my wish?" ”

-- if not the last page of a certain chapter - >

!--end-->

-- if it's the last page of a chapter -- >...

The latest and fastest chapters, please log in, reading is a pleasure, it is recommended that you collect it.

UC eBook()