Daming Crazy Emperor

Chapter 197
How did the Ming Dynasty receive foreign envoys?
Under normal circumstances, it would be a grand reception, gracious hospitality, and then a pile of property to show the demeanor of the heavenly kingdom!

During the Hongwu Dynasty and the Yongle Dynasty, there were still many foreign envoys who came to pay tribute to the Ming Dynasty, especially during Zheng He's voyages to the West, there was an endless stream of foreign envoys who came to pay tribute.

Because at that time, Ming Dynasty was indeed a kingdom of heaven, invincible under heaven.

Moreover, every time you pay tribute, you only need to bring some special products, and His Majesty the Emperor of Ming Dynasty will bestow a pile of valuable property.

Therefore, the small countries around the Ming Dynasty would send envoys to pay tribute to the Ming Dynasty almost every year, just like receiving wages.

However, after the Renzong Xuande Dynasty, the envoys from the foreign countries who came to pay tribute were less frequent, especially after the Yingzong Zhengtong Dynasty, basically few foreign countries sent envoys to pay tribute.

Because the Ming Dynasty had no money, moreover, the Ming Dynasty was defeated by the Mengyuan Wara tribe, and it was no longer an invincible kingdom of heaven.

In this case, coming to the Ming Dynasty is not to receive wages, and it is possible to lose one's life.

For example, if the countries in the Western Regions dared to come to pay tribute to Daming, it would be no wonder that the Mongol and Yuan tribes did not beat them up.

Another example is the Nanyang countries, they are far away from thousands of mountains and rivers, and it is not easy to come here. If you can't get enough benefits, you will die!
Therefore, after Yingzong's orthodox dynasty, except for a few vassal states that would send envoys to pay tribute routinely when the king changed or when the new emperor of the Ming Dynasty ascended the throne, almost no other foreign countries came again.

It was even more embarrassing in the Taichang Dynasty, because the Ming army had just been defeated by Jiannu in Sarhu, and North Korea, the most diligent Ming Dynasty, did not dare to send envoys when he ascended the throne, let alone other foreign countries.

That is to say, this is the first time that Taichang has received foreign envoys.

Moreover, this state is still Spain, the original maritime overlord!

They definitely didn't come here for the rewards. Those things are nothing in their eyes. If they grab something in any colony, they are worth more than the rewards.

Of course, people definitely didn't come here to play for no reason.

Taichang reckoned that people should be curious about why Daming would sell so generously, and would be willing to pay 100 taels of silver for a barrel of rubber, which is not very valuable at all, and a thousand barrels at a time!

These guys are very shrewd. They probably came to see what Da Ming was doing with the rubber. If things made of rubber can make a lot of money, they probably made it themselves.

Apart from this, Taichang couldn't think of anything else that would attract the Spanish envoy to rush over.

What this rubber is used for naturally cannot let the Spaniards know. The steam engine is something that can lead an era. If people know, Ming's advantage will be lost.

The question, how to hide it?
If people insist on seeing what you are doing with the rubber, if you don't show it to them, they may directly threaten you and stop selling it to you!
These colonial bandits must be able to do this kind of thing.

If you don’t say it, they won’t sell it to you. If you say it, they will make it themselves and make a lot of money by themselves, or they won’t sell it to you!

If so, vomit blood.

This kind of thing has to be guarded against!
Rubber is so important, if you can't buy it, it will be really troublesome.

Taichang held the report and frowned for a while, then he said decisively: "Immediately send a message for [-] miles, order Zhao Feng to take the Fanbang envoy to the post station, and drive horses all the way. Remember, don't let the Fanbang envoy know that the wheel is on the road. About the ship."

Wang Chengen cupped his hands without hesitation and said, "I understand."

After speaking, he bowed and retreated.

Taichang thought about it again, and then said loudly to the door: "Biography of Wang Zheng."

Wang Zheng is really depressed at the moment, because the rubber is almost used up at the moment, so he has stopped the transformation of the wheel rig, and it is impossible to make a big steam engine to turn the waterwheel. The only thing he can do is to develop machine tools Yes, and this thing also needs to be trial-produced and improved, and it still needs rubber.

In short, without rubber, he would not be able to develop bold new things with his hands and feet.

This is simply torture for a technical madman like him.

Therefore, he looked a little listless when he entered the imperial study.

After paying respects to the emperor and ministers, he couldn't help asking: "Your Majesty, when will the rubber be bought back?"

How about this question?

Taichang also couldn't help asking: "Why, is the rubber almost gone?"

Wang Zheng said helplessly: "Your Majesty, it's not that the rubber is almost gone, it's that it's almost used up. I can't try to produce anything right now."

what?
This is troublesome, he still wants to make something to fool the Spanish envoy, but the rubber is almost used up!
How to do?
Taichang frowned and pondered for a while, then comforted him: "Liangfu, don't worry, Zhao Feng has already brought back two barrels of rubber from Luzon, I can order the cart to fetch them for you, but you have to remember, don't worry. Do not let the envoys of Fanbang know anything you are doing now, including steam engines, ships, steam machine tools, etc., as long as it is related to steam engines, you must not let the envoys of Fanbang know."

If Fanbang learns this thing, it will be a big deal.

Wang Zheng hurriedly cupped his hands and said, "I understand."

Taichang nodded slightly, and then pointed to his feet and said: "Go back and order someone to make a few sets of copper molds, just add two cents to the size of this shoe sole. Remember, it must be exquisite, and more carvings Come out with patterns."

what?
Wang Zheng couldn't help asking: "Your Majesty, I dare to ask, what is this mold used for?"

Taichang smiled slightly and said, "To fool the envoys of the Fanbang, don't they use rubber to make umbrellas, and we use rubber to make shoe soles, so they won't think that we use rubber to make other things."

Oh my god, use rubber for the soles!

Wang Zheng felt distressed and said, "Your Majesty, how much rubber is wasted?"

Taichang couldn't help shaking his head and said: "This is just to fool the Fanbang envoy. When the Fanbang envoy leaves, we will buckle the rubber and vulcanize it. There will be no waste at all."

So this is ah.

Hearing this, Wang Zheng nodded quickly and said: "I understand, I will order someone to make molds."

After speaking, he bowed and retreated.

But Taichang sat there and continued to frown and meditate.

He thought for a while, and then said loudly to the door: "Bring it to Wang Cheng'en."

Wang Chengen really didn't expect that after a while, the emperor ordered someone to call him back.

After the emperor and his subjects saluted, he couldn't help asking: "Your Majesty, there is still an explanation for Zhao Feng's matter?"

Taichang nodded slightly and said, "You haven't sent the [-] miles urgently yet, have you?"

Wang Chengen quickly explained: "Yes, Your Majesty, I have just returned, and I haven't finished writing the letter yet, when the Emperor summoned me, I came over."

Taichang couldn't help rejoicing and said: "Fortunately, you add a sentence in the letter to ask Wang Chengen to send someone to send the two barrels of rubber to the canal wharf when he passes through Hangzhou. Don’t let the foreign envoys know, go.”

Wang Chengen hastily cupped his hands and bowed to leave.

Taichang looked at Wang Chengen's back and fell into deep thought again.

This is the first time he has dealt with a sea power, and, as the maritime hegemony unfolds in the future, he will definitely deal with these guys frequently.

Therefore, we must be cautious and must be well prepared.

(End of this chapter)