I, the Ming Dynasty, can still save me

Chapter 517 Manila

Forbidden City, Qianqing Palace.

The war in Liaodong was imminent. While formulating the strategy, Xiong Tingbi also informed the emperor as quickly as possible.

But Liaodong is far away from Beijing. Just when Chen Liangbi agreed to send troops, Zhang Anning and others were tossing and turning, not knowing what to do.

Zhu Youxiao was listening to the content of the question book read by Zhang Chang with great interest.

"I, Sun Yuanhua, the Minister of Guanglu Temple, kowtowed: I set off from Macau in December of the first year of Tianqi, and a total of 16 people accompanied me on the Franconian merchant ship to go south..."

Since reading Sun Yuanhua's question book in the first month of the year, Zhu Youxiao has never received a letter from Sun Yuanhua.

Zhu Youxiao could understand this. After all, after leaving Macau, their next destination was Manila in Luzon, and then they would go to Java and the Strait of Malacca.

This road is all by sea, and it is not very convenient to write or deliver letters.

What surprised him was that only about four and a half months later, he received a letter from Sun Yuanhua.

As a person of later generations, he was very familiar with the geographical conditions along Sun Yuanhua's route.

However, I know very little about the specific conditions of Southeast Asia during this period, the customs and customs of the countries along the route, and the colonial situation of Westerners.This was what he was most concerned about, and he specifically asked Sun Yuanhua to record it in detail for him.

Therefore, after receiving Sun Yuanhua's question book, Zhu Youxiao immediately asked Zhang Chang to bring it over and asked Zhang Chang to read the question book while thinking about the content.

"I traveled south from Macao and first arrived at Luzon. Luzon was originally a vassal state of our Celestial Empire. Before the founding of Taizu and Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty, the leader of the country sent envoys to visit the Ming Dynasty three times, and the Ming Dynasty also sent envoys to apply for employment.

But now their country has been destroyed by the Francois, who chose to build a city on an island with the largest territory and the widest hinterland, named Manila.Since then, they have used this place as the basis to recruit merchants and natives, reclaim the land, station troops and horses, and regard themselves as the lord of Luzon. "

Zhu Youxiao naturally understands this situation. The Spaniards have been in Luzon for some time, and Manila was only built more than 50 years ago.But in just over 50 years, it has become the largest city in Southeast Asia for Westerners.

The Spanish also used Manila as an important base for international trade.

You must know that they have already colonized Mexico, South America, Peru and other places, and discovered massive silver mines there.

As a result, Manila became a logistics relay station for cash crops, silver, and precious commodities from Asia to the Americas.The Pacific Ocean is now full of Spanish merchant ships. They came from the east and anchored in Manila, then went north to the Ming Dynasty to exchange for porcelain, silk and other commodities, and then shipped them to Europe.

Therefore, Manila can be said to be one of the most important pivots in Spain's world trade network.It's just that this fulcrum happens to be south of the Ming Dynasty, which really makes Zhu Youxiao a little uncomfortable.

What's even more disgusting is that Spain now stipulates that only the port of Manila can conduct foreign trade in the entire Philippines. It also stipulates that all Philippine goods must be shipped to Manila first, and then uniformly shipped to Europe by the Spanish government. Even if they are shipped to the Ming Dynasty, they must go through the Manila government. Only with permission.

This means that if the Ming Dynasty wanted to develop into Southeast Asia and trade with the Philippines or even Europe, not only would it be unable to bypass Manila geographically, but it would also be unable to bypass Spain in terms of policy and trade.

Thinking of this, Zhu Youxiao couldn't help but feel a lump in his throat, which made him very sick, so he asked Zhang Chang to continue reading. "After I arrived in Manila, I found that it is hot and rainy all year round, even in January, it is unbearably hot, and the land is fertile, suitable for growing rice. I also heard that this place is also rich in gold and brass. Since the Ming Dynasty abolished the maritime ban, many Ming merchants have specialized in Come here to buy copper ore and transport it back to Daming.

Not only Ming merchants purchased copper mines, but there were many Ming merchants in Manila.According to my observations over the past few days, there are only a few hundred Spaniards living in Manila. On the contrary, there are more than [-] Ming people who have settled outside the city walls of Manila.

Because of the large number of people, the Francois are very afraid of our Ming merchants and have many restrictions.After Weichen arrived in Manila, local Spanish officials found Weichen many times.The words were extremely disrespectful to the Ming Dynasty. He not only asked the Ming Dynasty to allow them to own a land similar to Macau like the Portuguese and allow the Francois to trade freely, but also asked the minister to put more control over the Ming Dynasty merchants in Manila.

I should sternly rebuke this, but I know that people speak lightly and dare not take matters into my own hands, so I can only report the truth to Your Majesty. "

Zhu Youxiao couldn't help but get angry when he heard this. These Spaniards are really robbers.

It is really arrogant to actually want a land similar to Macau.I was already dissatisfied with the nature and rent of Macau, but now the Spaniards want to imitate it and get involved. They really think that Ming Dynasty is a soft persimmon.

"Zhang Chang, you can go to the cabinet later and ask. I asked the cabinet to discuss Macau's rent and management issues last year. Why haven't we received approval yet?"

"The slaves obey the order."

Although Zhang Chang didn't know what he meant, he still kept the words in his heart and nodded in agreement.

Zhu Youxian dislikes Spain. These Westerners have not yet become world hegemons, but they already have the arrogance of later generations.There is a lot of discrimination against non-Westerners, and the same goes for people from the Ming Dynasty.

Let’s not talk about it far, let’s talk about the famous Manila Massacre in Spain 20 years ago.

In order to seize trade rights from the Chinese as soon as possible and prevent the Chinese from causing rebellion, the Spanish attacked the Chinese in Manila in 1603 and massacred 2.5 Chinese at one time. Except for a few who escaped, almost all of them died under the sword.

Zhu Youxiao not only regretted this matter but also hated it. These Spaniards were unscrupulous towards the Chinese. Is there no reason why the Ming Dynasty was indifferent to these things.

This matter can only be tolerated or sighed in future generations, but I must record this account when I come here.

In the future, whether it is to avenge these wronged souls or to expand the Ming Dynasty into Southeast Asia, this account must be settled, and it must be settled ruthlessly, so that the Spaniards and even Westerners know that the Ming Dynasty is not easy to mess with either the court or the people. of.

However, although he was angry, Zhu Youxiao, who calmed down, knew that it was not the time to settle accounts yet, so he could only endure it for the time being.

"Keep reading."

Next, Sun Yuanhua continued to introduce some situations in Manila and Luzon, and finally talked about Mingren's life there.

It was found that most of the Ming people in Manila were merchants, coming specifically to trade with the Spaniards and even Southeast Asian countries.A few make a living by farming in Manila, just like at home.

Sun Yuanhua then continued his journey to Malacca and Java, and the content about Malacca and Java was what Zhu Youxiao was most concerned about.

(End of this chapter)