Zhejiang, Hangzhou General's Mansion, Yamen Hall.

Two blonde and blue-eyed Spanish missionaries, Leonardo and Zapatiri, sat in chairs, you look at me, I look at you, not knowing what to say.

In the fourth year of the reign of Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty (1665), the Spanish Dominicans sent them to China as missionaries, along with other Spanish missionaries. Due to the expulsion of missionaries from the Qing Dynasty, they were repatriated to Macao and stayed in Guangzhou. Taking advantage of the "Rebellion of the Three Feudatories", Geng Jingzhong occupied Zhejiang, and when the Qing court had no time to take care of it for a while, Leonardo and Zapatiri returned to Zhejiang to preach in Lanxi.

This time, he was recruited to Hangzhou by the rebel leader Wang Heyao, but he didn't know what it was for.

In addition to the stubborn people's reluctance to accept new things, the moodiness of the Qing emperors and the expulsion of them from the borders of the Qing Dynasty was a very bad sign.

Loaded guns, well-trained, solemn military appearance, silence, and swarthy soldiers all show that Hangzhou Mansion is a world of soldiers.

This rebel leader Wang Heyao, is he going to establish a new order in the southeast?

"López, why are you here?"

Leonardo, who were thinking wildly, stood up in surprise when they saw that it was a fellow Spanish villager who appeared in the lobby.

Encounter old acquaintances in a foreign land! In the whole of China, there are only about 20 Spanish missionaries, and it is not easy to meet each other.

"Leonardo, Zapatiri, you're here too!"

López stepped forward and greeted Leonardo cordially and smiled.

"I'm an old friend of the general. I also came to him for missionary work. ”

After receiving Wang Heyao's letter, López also came to Hangzhou City for the first time. It's just that he didn't expect that Leonardo and the others were also here.

Wang Heyao looked for him because he was casting firearms. As for mission, it can only be done at the opportune level.

"That's great! López, this Wang General, who is sacred? ”

Leonardo couldn't help but ask.

"He's a 20-year-old. He is a mathematical genius, a physics genius, and very knowledgeable! ”

López said with a flutter of eyebrows, I don't know if it was an exaggeration or a deliberate flattery.

"20 years old?"

Despite their mental preparations, Leonardo and the others were taken aback.

The Qing officials and generals they saw were all forty or fifty-year-old antiques, sophisticated, sleek, greedy, and conformist, and when they thought of this general, he turned out to be a 20-year-old young man.

It's just that they are young, and they are also proficient in mathematics and physics, which makes them surprised and relieved.

Such young, open-minded young people are at least easier to communicate with than those old antiques and stubborn ones.

"López, do you know what this General Wang called us to do?"

Zapatiri asked softly.

"I don't know, I guess it's for the casting of firearms."

López was about to continue, when a voice came from outside the lobby when someone strode in.

"Father López, two priests, it's a pleasure to see you!"

López turned around and quickly stood up, smiling all over his face.

"Wang Heyao, no, General Wang, long time no see!"

"Hello, General Wang!"

Leonardo and Zapatiri also stood up to salute.

This young and handsome "short-haired" general was full of youth and vitality, which made the two of them sincerely envious, jealous and hateful, and had a good impression.

"Priests, please be seated, and you're welcome!"

After greeting each other, several people sat down separately.

"Father López, we're old friends, and I'm not going around in circles. I asked you to come here to help me make a firearm. In return, I will build a church for you in Hangzhou, and I will build another church school. ”

Wang Heyao went straight to the point and did not hide it.

"What?"

The three of López were all stunned, looking at each other, and they all looked at Wang Heyao in surprise.

Build a church! And another church school will be built!

It's not a joke, is it?

"Wang ...... General, what did you say...... But really? ”

López's lips trembled, and his eyes were full of consternation.

"Will ...... Jun, you're not joking, are you? ”

Leonardo's heart was also beating wildly, and his eyes were full of shock.

“Of course NOT!”

Wang Heyao said a word of Liverpool Mauritian English, and looked at Lopez and the others, his eyes were blazing.

"Ladies and gentlemen, don't you want to have a church school in Hangzhou? Don't you want hundreds, thousands, and thousands of Oriental students to be nurtured by the gospel? ”

The influence of Western learning on China was mainly in the natural sciences such as astronomy, mathematics, and cartography, but because it was only circulated among a small number of scholars and scholars, and most of them were obscure, they were not well popularized.

Since we are already lagging behind, we might as well catch up and seek knowledge from the world.

"General, of course not!"

López hurriedly spoke, he looked at the serious Wang Heyao, and groaned for a moment.

"General, it's not as simple as running a church school, is it? If you have any thoughts and requests, please tell us the truth. ”

Having been in China for so long, he has become accustomed to the twists and turns of the Chinese. This young general, I'm afraid that he can't avoid vulgarity, he must have other ideas.

"I only have one request, that the church school must teach children as much about the natural sciences as possible, such as mathematics, astronomy, physics, medicine, geography, and so on. As for the silver taels spent, I'll bear all of them! ”

Wang and Yao's words made the three of López look at each other, and they were all relieved.

Although the missionary philosophy of the Congregation is different from that of the Jesuits, adhering to the missionary method of Matteo Ricci in the late Ming Dynasty, spreading Christianity in Chinese and using natural science knowledge to win the favor of the Chinese, these methods have always been followed by the Tessie missionaries.

In other words, the dissemination of Tessie's knowledge of natural sciences to Chinese students is not contrary to the missionary purpose of López and others.

It would be a great undertaking to spread the gospel from the school, year after year, and what a great cause it would be.

Perhaps, the whole Tessie will be shocked! Even to the shock of the Pope, the whole world shook!

"General Wang, according to your estimates, how many students will there be in the church school?"

López couldn't contain his excitement.

"Thousands!"

Wang and Yao's faces did not change, and they faced the stunned and wide-eyed López, and they were heart-wrenching.

"The semester of the academy is established for three years, and after three years, I will send outstanding students to study in Taixi, batch by batch, probably until I die, and studying abroad will not stop."

Wang Heyao said word by word, his face was solemn.

has been extremely poor all his life, if he can exchange for the rise of China, then he will not go in vain in the world. There is no shortage of bright students in China, only the right guides and enlightened leaders.

"General Wang, if that's the case, that's great! If possible, I hope you will teach the students too! ”

López's eyebrows fluttered, a little fascinated.

If they could really spread the gospel in China and bring about cultural exchanges between the East and the West, they would be famous for all ages, and they might or may not be received by the Pope.

"My knowledge is so advanced for the students. Let's do it for the teachers from Tessie. ”

Wang Heyao went to Versailles a little again.

He may be able to serve as a lecturer, but he has a lot of opportunities now, and I'm afraid he doesn't have time.

"General Wang, can you guarantee that you can defend Hangzhou City?"

López, who was sober in the world, quickly regained his composure.

As far as he knew, Wang Heyao only occupied a few prefectures and counties around Hangzhou Mansion, such a small territory, there were strong enemies on all sides, what did he use to defend Hangzhou City?

In case the Qing army or Geng Jingzhong and Zheng Jin called, Wang Heyao could not hold the city of Hangzhou, wouldn't they, the missionaries, want to be beaten by chickens and eggs and suffer unjustified disasters.

"Defend the city of Hangzhou?"

Wang Heyao shook his head lightly and shook his fingers.

"I'm not going to stick to it, I'm going to play out. To tell you the truth, when the weather cools down in autumn, I will wave my troops north and occupy the city of Nanjing. When the time comes, you will still be able to preach in Nanjing, and I will also build a new church school in Nanjing! ”

Wang and Yao's bold words made the three of López frightened, and they looked at the young general in front of them in surprise.

This person is either confident and determined to succeed. Either it's a big success, and the brain is not quite normal.

And they, preferring to believe in the first one. Those murderous and fierce soldiers inexplicably gave them confidence.

These guys are much stronger than those green battalion soldiers.

"General, what do we do now?"

Leonardo asked.

In a few months in the autumn, it depends on whether Wang Heyao can capture the city of Nanjing? If it succeeds, the church school will remain the same. If they are defeated, they will each go back to their missions or withdraw to Macao, and they will have a choice.

"Which of you will forge artillery, and who will make birds?"

Wang Heyao smiled and asked.

When he was stationed in Jinhua, he remembered the names of these two missionaries vividly.

"General, I will make a bird and flint, and I will leave it to me and Zapatiri. As for Leonardo, he will make artillery, so leave it to him! ”

López immediately made instructions and arrangements.

By this time, he had fully believed in the young and ambitious general.

"General, there is a young man surnamed Dai in Hangzhou City, who has a lot of experience in artillery research, if the general can find him, it will be of great help to artillery casting!"

Thinking of Dai Zi, Leonardo hurriedly recommended it to Wang Heyao.

Wang Heyao nodded lightly. No need to ask, this young man surnamed Dai is Dai Zi.

"My lord, you're looking for me!"

Before Wang Heyao could speak, Dai Zi had already strode into the lobby.

"Father Leonardo, Father Zapatiri, why are you here?"

Wang Heyao didn't introduce him, Dai Zi was already surprised, and stepped forward to greet Leonardo.

"Dai Gongzi, you are also in General Wang's army, that would be great! To introduce you, this is Father López! ”

Leonardo and Zapatiri looked at each other and laughed.

No need to ask, since Dai Zi is here, he must be in charge of the casting of firearms. With a big acquaintance like him, there is no need to worry about being unfamiliar with life.

"Brother Dai, these priests will be your deputies in the Weapons Manufacturing Bureau in the future."

Wang Heyao's heart was excited.

It seems that there is no need for him to make a recommendation.

The team of the Jiangnan Ordnance Manufacturing Bureau has also been set up.