Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 348: The Second Assistant’s Teachings

Ming Dynasty scholars, including Ye Xianggao, had very limited knowledge of Christianity and the Society of Jesus. Matteo Ricci, the former overseer of the Society of Jesus, would never criticize the various ethical norms of the Confucian moral system when interacting with scholars.

On the contrary, he was very good at combining the essence of Confucianism with the key points of Christianity, and often quoted words and phrases from Confucian classics and even ancient documents to prove that Confucianism and Christianity were highly consistent.

For example, whenever he met someone, Matteo Ricci would say, "My Lord God," referring to the "God" mentioned in ancient scriptures. He also combined the Christian concept of "love" with the Confucian concept of "benevolence." Ricci equated the Christian doctrine of loving God above all else with the traditional Chinese concept of "reverence for Heaven." He also equated the Christian doctrine of loving others as oneself with Confucius's saying, "The benevolent love others; those who love others are loved by others."

Moreover, when introducing the style and current situation of European society, Matteo Ricci would only select the good things and would not say the bad things.

For example, while in Beijing, Matteo Ricci met with then-Prime Minister Shen Yiguan, who entertained and sought his services. During the dinner, Ricci introduced Christian marriage customs to Shen and the other guests. He said, "Christian marriage is between two persons only, even among the royal family."

This prompted Shen Yikuan to exclaim, "In a country where marriage is so sacred, it seems unnecessary to ask about other matters. This alone is enough to illustrate how appropriately everything else is regulated."

However, Matteo Ricci rarely, if ever, mentioned to the literati the existence of original sin, the concept of atonement, and eschatology in Christian doctrine. Furthermore, in continental Europe, especially among the upper classes, there was a widespread prevalence of extramarital affairs, as well as illegitimate children born from these affairs who had no inheritance rights.

This was difficult to imagine during the Ming Dynasty, because in the Ming Dynasty, sons born to non-principal wives were illegitimate sons, not illegal illegitimate sons. They still had inheritance rights, but their inheritance rights ranked behind those of legitimate sons. The three emperors since Longqing were all illegitimate sons of their fathers.

At that time, the long-lasting dispute over the foundation of the country had entered its most critical stage. If Matteo Ricci dared to add "illegitimate sons have no right of inheritance" after the sentence "Christian marriages are only concluded between two people, even the royal family is no exception", Shen Yikuan would probably have kicked him out directly.

Since the Bible had not yet been translated, the Ming Dynasty's literati had no motivation to take the initiative to sail across the ocean to "civilize" the foreigners. Therefore, they could not truly examine and understand the full picture of Christian doctrine and European society. They could only use these carefully selected contents as the only material to observe overseas culture.

In addition, Western philosophy and technology also have their own heterogeneity and merits, so they are widely favored by scholars and officials who need to "change Buddhism and supplement Confucianism."

In the 44th year of the Wanli reign, Shen initiated the Nanjing Incident. Xu Guangqi submitted a memorial to the emperor, "Debate on Learning," to plead for his support. In it, he wrote: "The teachings of heaven that you, the ministers who accompanied you, have imparted can truly benefit the king's rule, influence Confucianism, and correct Buddhism."

Ye Xianggao's question left Tang Ruowang stunned for a long moment. After a long moment, he spoke in a very sincere tone, "I don't know what others think, but at least I came from afar. First, I admire the prosperity of the Celestial Empire. I want to emulate the example of the ancient envoys to the Tang Dynasty, to be inspired by the emperor's teachings, to cultivate myself and serve Heaven. Second, I hope to spread God's gospel, to make everyone do good, and to show Heaven's love for mankind. I have absolutely no other intentions!"

Ye Xianggao stared into Tang Ruowang's eyes, took a deep breath, and asked solemnly, "Tang, my friend, I have a question for you. Tell me honestly. Have you ever exchanged letters with that man named Mendoza?"

"No." Tang Ruowang was puzzled, but he answered honestly: "We just live in the same house, so we don't need to communicate through letters."

"After he went to Liaodong, did you write to him?"

"No." After becoming the Imperial Astronomical Official, Johann Adam Schall von Bell devoted himself to calculating the calendar. His mind was full of mathematics and astronomy. He even went to the prayer room less frequently, let alone wrote letters to Mendoza.

"Very good." Ye Xianggao nodded slightly. "Then who sent him to Liaodong?"

Tang Ruowang recalled that the Imperial Guard had asked a similar question, so he gave the same answer: "No one. The decision to go to Liaodong was made collectively by the church. Mendoza volunteered enthusiastically, saying that he wanted to use God's gospel to eliminate the war there. Everyone agreed."

"Is there a written record of this matter? Did you sign it?" Ye Xianggao twirled his beard.

"There is no written record. We just decided it in a short meeting in the prayer room," replied Johann Adam Schall von Bell.

"Do you have a good relationship with him?" Ye Xianggao asked again.

"It's not that good, but it's not bad either." Johann Adam Schall von Bell thought for a moment.

"Are you and him from the same hometown?" Ye Xianggao asked.

Hearing this, Sun Yuanhua, who was sitting next to Johann Adam Schall von Bell, vaguely understood the hidden meaning of Ye Xianggao's words.

"He is Spanish and I am Roman, but we are both guests in the Celestial Empire, so we can be considered fellow countrymen," replied Johann Adam Schall von Bell.

"Are these two places far apart?" Ye Xianggao asked finally.

Tang Ruowang replied: "It's quite far. The distance between North and South Zhili should be longer."

"Then listen to me." Ye Xianggao pointed to the three impeachment memorials that Tang Ruowang had placed on the coffee table and said, "The contents of these three memorials are similar. They all accuse you of disrupting the order of the imperial examination. Just pick one and reply to it, saying that you recognize your mistakes and recklessness, and that you want to study the laws and regulations of the Celestial Empire in peace and quiet. I beg the Emperor to dismiss you."

"This..." Tang Ruowang wanted to speak, but was interrupted by Ye Xianggao again.

"Hear me out," Ye Xianggao continued. "Asking for dismissal is a strategic move. The fact that you went to the Imperial Examination Hall and caused such a scene is a fact. Since you can't deny it, you must admit it. 'Unfamiliar with the imperial system' itself is an evasion of the main point. The Emperor will have the eunuch in charge of ceremonies personally release you; he won't approve your resignation."

"Really?" There seemed to be a smile between Tang Ruowang's eyebrows again.

"I'm at least 80% sure. But it's not over yet." Ye Xianggao said, "If you really want to protect yourself, you have to submit another memorial."

"Please give me some advice, sir." Johann Adam Schall von Bell said hurriedly.

Ye Xianggao did not answer directly, but asked first: "Tang Xiaoyou, have you heard of the Nanjing Incident in the 44th year of the Wanli reign?"

"I've heard of it," Johann Adam Schall von Bell nodded. This incident had a profound impact within the Jesuit Order. In the 46th year of the Wanli reign, they heard about it when they arrived in Asia with Ginni and settled in India. "The final result was the expulsion of the Jesuits from China by order of the late Emperor."

"I'll tell you right now, this case is far more serious than the Nanjing Incident," Ye Xianggao said. "As far as I know, during the Nanjing Incident, only the imperial police were mobilized; not even the Nanjing Imperial Guards were involved. But now, right after the incident, the Northern Pacification Office has gotten involved. This matter implicates cabinet members and government officials, and also involves military affairs in Liaozhen. For now, the Censorate is examining the evidence sent by the General Administration Office. And for further information, the censors who went to Liaodong for a re-investigation have already left Beijing. The final verdict in this case won't be as simple as 'repatriation to your home country.' If you want to save yourself, you'll have to get yourself out of it."

"Take it out?"

"That's right," Ye Xianggao said. "Since there's no correspondence between you and Mendoza, there's no written record of the nomination, and you're not from the same hometown, then you're innocent with the Emperor. When the Censorate's report comes out, you'll immediately submit a memorial describing the incident as Mendoza's personal behavior, claiming you were completely unaware of it." "I truly was completely unaware," Johann Adam Schall von Bell said, his worry turning into joy, a noticeable smile on his face. But the next moment, his smile vanished.

"From now on, no matter who is involved, you must not speak for him." Ye Xianggao turned to look at Sun Yuanhua. "Even if it's Xu Zixian."

--------

The next morning, the four gates of the palace and the main entrances to the palace were opened on schedule. Wang An, who had spent the night at the headquarters of the Imperial Household Department, calculated the time and followed his usual route, heading straight to the southern study of the Qianqing Palace.

When Wang An entered the palace, Liu Ruoyu, who was on night duty in the Forbidden City, had already arrived. He came before Wang An, knelt down and said, "Greetings, ancestor."

Wang An gestured for Liu Ruoyu to rise from the ground, allowing the eunuch on duty to remove his cloak. "What's the situation at Jingren Palace?" He took his seat and, as soon as he sat down, pulled out a leaflet containing a briefing from the Imperial Household Department.

"The imperial physician said the same thing." Liu Ruoyu followed up and said.

"Is it okay?" Wang An's expression didn't change much.

"After all, the medicine was used." Liu Ruoyu said vaguely.

Wang An looked up at Liu Ruoyu's face and asked vaguely, "Where is His Majesty?"

"Going for morning exercise." Liu Ruoyu didn't think much about it.

"That's not bad." Wang An got the answer he wanted, and his expression eased a lot. He saw the panic in Liu Ruoyu's eyes and eyebrows, and said soothingly, "No one can do anything about this kind of thing. It all depends on God's will. Don't panic, just be careful and don't say anything careless, and you'll be fine."

Wang An had served the eldest prince since the year he left for school. He had witnessed such important events as the crown prince's enthronement, his wedding, and the births of eighteen of his grandchildren. But currently, the emperor had only two sons and three daughters. Having witnessed similar events so often, Wang An wouldn't be surprised if the soon-to-be heir failed.

"Yes." Liu Ruoyu nodded woodenly.

"Did anything else happen in the palace yesterday?" Wang An asked again.

"Other than that, there are just some trivial matters." Liu Ruoyu replied.

"Well, then go back and sit down." Wang An suddenly thought of something and called Liu Ruoyu again. "Wait."

Liu Ruoyu turned around. "Does the ancestor have any instructions?"

"Did Concubine Kang also go to Jingren Palace yesterday?" Wang An asked.

"Yes. We met at Jingren Palace." Liu Ruoyu nodded.

"Really?" Wang An shook his head. He had long known that Consort Kang Li Zhulan often visited Jingren Palace, but he had never taken it seriously and hadn't reported it to the emperor.

However, Li Zhulan herself really hopes that the emperor will know about this matter.

As early as July of last year, the former ostracized Consort Zhuang, Li Qinfang, would often visit the pregnant Shao Sishen. But back then, Li Zhulan was the most favored of the Ciqing Palace, looking down on everyone, so naturally, she wouldn't bother with any of the sisterly displays of affection. Only the weak would cling to one another for warmth.

But she was a person who was very good at grasping the situation and constantly adjusting herself according to the situation. In other words, she could always become the person her husband liked the most. Since the emperor no longer favored her alone and began to pay attention to the harmony of the harem, she became a part of the harem order and even became a symbol of this order. After the emperor moved Li Qinfang to the Qianqing Palace, she also learned to sculpt herself in the way of Li Qinfang. She noticed that Li Qinfang often went to Jingren Palace to visit Shao Sishen, so she went there too, and went more frequently. Although the emperor had clearly stated that he would not put her in the Central Palace to be the empress, what if one day it changed again?

"What's wrong? Is there any problem?" Liu Ruoyu looked nervous again.

"No problem. I just asked casually." Wang An shook his head helplessly. "Get to work."

"Yes."

Not long after Liu Ruoyu sat down, Wei Chao also came over. He had met with Hui Jingao, the appointed president of the Beijing branch, at the Sun Moon Bank headquarters the previous night and had spent the night there.

Wei Chao had actually intended to give this position of "expanding territory" to his godson, but fate had its way, and he reluctantly relinquished it. To Wei Chao's relief, the old man, Hui Jingao, was quite understanding. He immediately thanked Wei Chao for his recommendation and flattered him eloquently, practically acknowledging him as his father.

When Wei Chao entered the hall, Liu Ruoyu immediately stood up. "Greetings, Chief Wei." To Wei Chao, he only needed to stand in his seat and bow.

"Greetings, Liu Bingbi." Wei Chao returned the greeting with a bow, then knelt before Wang An and said, "This servant greets the ancestor."

"Have you completed everything the master asked you to do yesterday?" Wang An waved his hand to signal Wei Chao to get up.

"It's all done." Wei Chao stood up and replied, "The head office will send the silver to each branch today, a total of 100,000 taels, 40,000 to Zhengyangmen, and 20,000 each to the other branches."

According to procedure, the head office should have handed the silver to the branch and recorded it once, and then the branch would have handed the silver to the sub-branch, recording it again. The West Factory oversaw this entire process. However, because the branch was just a signboard and lacked even a bookkeeper, this process was skipped and recorded as a special item.

"Hmm." Wang An picked up his pen, dipped it in ink, and wrote down Wei Chao's response on his briefing. "Where's Hui Jingao? If he's gone, who's going to take the 40,000 taels of silver?"

Wei Chao replied, "In the past few days, Hui Jingao has continued to work at Zhengyang Gate. He will not take his men out of the capital to select a site until the new branch manager arrives."

(End of this chapter)