Huangming

Chapter 511 A Glimpse of Yanjing, the Western Barbarians Are Shocked

In Beijing in spring, the morning light is like gold.

Angelica wore a pomegranate red Western-style dress with fine gold-threaded scrollwork embroidery on the hem, and a white veil with gossamer-thin lace hanging from it.

She lifted her skirt slightly, her steps light yet somewhat reserved, her azure eyes darting around.

"Is this Beijing, the capital of the Ming Dynasty?"

She murmured softly, her voice filled with amazement.

Beside him were two equally blond-haired, blue-eyed Portuguese attendants, one carrying a leather bag and the other holding a folding fan, trying to imitate the demeanor of Ming Dynasty scholars, but their tall stature and awkward expressions made them seem out of place.

Further away, Jiang Banxia, ​​the principal of the Ministry of Rites, dressed in a dark blue official robe and with a jade belt around her waist, led the way with a leisurely gait.

Four Imperial Guards, dressed in flying fish robes and with embroidered spring knives at their waists, stood calmly scattered around, their eyes sharp as eagles, neither ostentatious nor ever vigilant.

of course
His group still attracted the attention of the surrounding people who would turn around and look at them from time to time.

after all
Angelica and her two attendants were blonde and blue-eyed, and their attire was quite novel.

This is foreign decoration!
but
No one dared to come forward and disturb them.

The four Imperial Guards behind them were no pushovers.

When the local people saw these Imperial Guards, they naturally kept their distance as far as possible.

Angelica, completely unaware, was touring the magnificent sights of Yanjing.

Shops with upturned eaves and bracket sets lined both sides of the street, with various signs hanging on their vermilion doors.

The black plaques with gold lettering, bearing the names "Zhang's Silk Shop," "Li's Tea Shop," and "Wang's Pastry Shop," gleamed in the sunlight.

The shops were filled with a dazzling array of silks, satins, porcelain, jade, writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones. The shouts of the shopkeepers, the calls of the shop assistants, and the sounds of customers bargaining mingled together, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.

People coming and going wore robes of various colors, including wealthy merchants in brocade, scholars with square headscarves, porters in simple clothes, and women carrying bamboo baskets. Everyone had a look of peace on their faces, and their steps were hurried but not hurried, exuding a sense of peace and prosperity.

Suddenly, cheers erupted from the street corner.

Angelica squeezed through the crowd out of curiosity and saw a burly, shirtless man standing in the open space with a millstone-sized blue stone on his chest. Next to him, another man held an iron hammer and, with a loud shout, smashed it down.

With a loud bang, the bluestone shattered instantly, but the burly man remained unfazed, bowing to the crowd of onlookers, which drew cheers from the crowd.

Not far away, there were acrobats breathing fire and walking on steel blades, with children clapping and cheering around them. Even Angelica's eyes lit up and she couldn't help but clap along.

"What does the envoy think of Beijing compared to Portugal?"

Jiang Banxia spoke at the opportune moment.

He was a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) in the Gengshen year. He had previously followed Hong Chengchou in surveying land in Beizhili. Because of his efficiency and clear thinking, he was promoted to the position of Principal of the Ministry of Rites at a young age.

His Majesty specifically assigned this task of receiving the Western envoys to him, and also gave him special instructions:
"Let the Western barbarians travel around and see more, let them know the true strength of the Ming Dynasty, and then they will think twice before daring to oppose us so easily."

"Furthermore, if we can sell the Academy of Sciences' products, it might be possible to make huge profits for our Great Ming Dynasty."

Angelica looked away, pondered for a moment, and then honestly shook her head.

"Portugal is naturally inferior to this place."

She paused, a complex emotion flashing in her azure eyes.

"Although Lisbon is a major port city, it is far from being this large in scale. Such bustling streets, such a dense concentration of shops, and such peaceful and contented people are unparalleled in the West."

After all, Portugal is a tiny country with a total population smaller than that of Beijing. In terms of everyday life and wealth, it is indeed far behind.

But then she changed the subject, her tone becoming more boastful:

"However, Portugal also has things that the Ming Dynasty does not have."

For example, multi-masted warships capable of traversing the oceans, cannons with a range exceeding three miles, and astronomical instruments capable of precise measurements—these are all unique skills of Portugal.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Banxia simply smiled faintly, neither refuting nor agreeing, and raised her hand to make a "please" gesture.

"What the envoy said is very true; Western technology does indeed have its unique features."

However, the Ming Dynasty also has its own treasures. Please follow me; next, I'll take you to see the number one building in the Ming Academy of Sciences.

"Building No. 1, the highest-level building?"

A hint of doubt and curiosity flashed in Angelica's eyes.

She had heard that the Ming emperor had recently established an "Academy of Sciences" that had gathered countless skilled craftsmen. Could this "Building No. 1 of the Heavenly Class" be the place where they studied their crafts?

The group walked through two streets and soon arrived at a vermilion gate.

This building is quite different from the surrounding shops and residences. It has upturned eaves and glazed tiles that gleam with a greenish luster in the sunlight. Two majestic stone lions stand on either side of the gate, and a gilded plaque hangs above the door with the seven large characters "Academy of Sciences Building No. 1" written in vigorous strokes and with a magnificent presence.

Outside the gate, all kinds of carriages and horses were parked, including ornately decorated official sedan chairs, horse-drawn carriages carrying wooden boxes, and several magnificent warhorses. The people coming and going were all dressed in brocade, or in official robes embroidered with patterns, or in casual clothes of fine quality. Many of them had jade pendants and sachets hanging from their waists. They were obviously not ordinary people. They were either officials in the court or wealthy merchants with substantial family backgrounds.

"please."

Jiang Banxia turned to the side, raised her hand, and made an inviting gesture towards the door.

Angelica nodded, suppressing her curiosity and trepidation, and gestured for her two attendants to follow.

As soon as Angelica stepped into Building No. 1, she was stunned by the sight before her.

The entire building is spacious and bright, with crystal lamps hanging between the carved beams and pillars. The light shines on the various exhibits, refracting them into a dazzling display.

In the lobby on the first floor, the booths were arranged in a neat and orderly fashion, and the dazzling array of goods made her dizzy. Her azure eyes were filled with disbelief.

On the left-hand display stand, various porcelain pieces are quietly displayed.

The blue and white porcelain has a rich and vibrant color, and the glaze is as smooth as a mirror.

Ru ware has a warm, sky-blue color, a thick, creamy glaze, and a delicate, jade-like texture.

The silk exhibition area on the right is even more stunning. Piles of silk fabrics are stacked like a rosy cloud, with colors such as vermilion, bright yellow, moon white, and dark blue, so rich that they seem to overflow. Sunlight shines through the window lattice and falls on them, making the silk luster flow and change, which is so captivating that it is hard to look away.

Angelica couldn't resist reaching out, but as soon as she touched a piece of silk embroidered with phoenixes, she was so surprised by its delicate and smooth texture that she withdrew her hand.

But when she caught sight of the price tag on the wooden sign next to her, her pupils suddenly contracted, and she instinctively covered her mouth:

"Four hundred thousand taels of silver for a single horse?"

This price is higher than Portugal's monthly overseas trade revenue, which is simply unbelievable.

"Don't be alarmed, envoy."

Jiang Banxia had already noticed her reaction and stepped forward to calmly explain.

"This is not ordinary silk, but kesi (silk tapestry)."

He pointed to the pattern of the silk.

"This silk uses the unique technique of 'interlacing warp and weft,' where each thread must be hand-woven. A skilled craftsman can produce less than an inch a day."

Look at this kesi (silk tapestry) painting, "The Drunken Beauty." It took three top craftsmen four and a half years and a total of 40,000 hours to complete.

He paused, his tone tinged with pride.

"Such precious items are mostly used to make emperors' dragon robes and empresses' crowns, so their prices are naturally very high."

Angelica nodded, finally understanding the origin of such an exorbitant price.

But when her gaze fell upon another piece of silk gleaming with gold and silver, and she saw its equally exorbitant price tag, she couldn't help but ask:

"Then why is this item so expensive?"

"This is Yun brocade."

Jiang Banxia gestured, and under the sunlight, the patterns on the surface of the brocade shimmered with different luster.

"Woven with pure gold and silver threads mixed with peacock feather silk, it features a unique 'different colors for each flower' technique. The same flower appears crimson from the front and purplish-red from the side, showing completely different colors from different angles."

He added, "Yun brocade is extremely complex to make. Workshops only weave one and a half inches a day. The finished products have always been tributes to the imperial court and are rarely seen by ordinary people, so the price is naturally high."

Angelica gazed at the exquisite silks with admiration, but the thought of their astonishing price forced her to reluctantly withdraw her hands.

She muttered to herself:
Was the Ming Dynasty truly overflowing with gold and silver?

Ordinary people probably couldn't afford such a treasure in their entire lives.

As you walk further in with Jiang Banxia, ​​the prices gradually become more affordable.

Ordinary silk and cotton fabrics were neatly stacked on the shelves, priced modestly, within her budget.

Further inside, even more novel and interesting objects came into view.

The exquisitely designed soap exudes the fragrance of roses and jasmine, and is a hundred times more delicate than Portuguese soap.

Transparent glassware, clear as crystal, even more transparent than glass.

There are also perfumes in porcelain bottles; a light spray imparts a refreshing and long-lasting fragrance, far surpassing Western perfumes.

Even the brandy and whiskey she was familiar with were packaged in exquisite glass bottles, with labels that read "Supervised by the Ming Academy of Sciences".

"This... the Ming Dynasty actually has brandy?"

Angelica picked up a bottle of wine and said in surprise.

She had always thought that these spirits were unique to the West, but she never expected that the Ming Dynasty not only had them, but that they tasted even better than those from Portugal.

Jiang Banxia smiled:

"The Ming Dynasty embraces diversity. We learn and improve upon the best Western techniques; we are also willing to share our own unique skills with others."

Just then, the "click" sound of gears turning came from ahead.

Angelica looked in the direction of the sound and saw a strangely shaped machine on a display stand in the corner of the hall.

Dozens of metal spindles were neatly arranged and connected to a wooden frame. A craftsman stood beside them, preparing to demonstrate.

"Is this a spinning machine?"

Angelica quickly stepped forward, her eyes full of curiosity.

She had seen spinning tools in Portugal, most of which were hand-cranked single spindles and inefficient, but this machine in front of her had thirty-eight spindles.

"It is the thirty-eight-spindle spinning machine developed by the Academy of Sciences of the Great Ming Dynasty."

Jiang Banxia gestured for the craftsman to begin the demonstration. The craftsman cranked the side crank, and the gears drove the spindle to spin rapidly. The cotton thread was drawn from the cotton strip and evenly wound around the spindle at an astonishing speed.

In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, dozens of fine and even cotton threads were spun out. If this were done using a Western hand-cranked spinning wheel, it would take at least a dozen female workers a whole day to complete.

Angelica was stunned, her mind reeling.

She had always thought that the Ming Dynasty was closed off from the world and backward in technology, but the spinning machine in front of her was far more advanced than theirs!

She instantly realized the value of the machine.

If it could be brought back to Portugal and made into a replica by artisans, weaving efficiency would increase several times over and costs would be reduced significantly, resulting in a continuous stream of wealth!

And
The resulting spinning machines can be sold to other countries for huge profits!
"Will the Ming Dynasty sell all of these things?"

Angelica turned to look at Jiang Banxia, ​​her voice tinged with urgency.

Jiang Banxia nodded: "Porcelain, silk, soap, perfume, glass, and fine wine are all goods that can be traded as long as the price is reasonable."

Angelica's gaze returned to the spinning machine, and she pointed at it, her tone solemn:

"What about this? This spinning machine, are you selling it?"

Jiang Banxia smiled knowingly and nodded.
"Of course we sell them. But there are two conditions: first, the price is quite high, and second, they are not sold individually."

"What do you mean?"

Angelica's heart tightened, fearing that the other party would refuse to sell.

"A spinning machine costs 10,000 taels of silver, and at least 100 machines must be purchased at once."

Jiang Banxia spoke calmly.

"what?"

Angelica took a step back in shock, staring in disbelief, and instinctively cried out:
"This is worse than robbery!"

One hundred units would cost one million taels of silver, which was an astronomical sum for Portugal.

Jiang Banxia remained calm and smiled faintly:
"Don't be hasty, sir. We're selling more than just a hundred spinning machines."

Next, he played his key card.

"There is also the Ming Dynasty's franchise right. In the future, any Western country that wants to buy this spinning machine must go through Portugal as an agent. The Ming Dynasty will never sell it directly to a third party."

Upon hearing this, Angelica's pupils contracted sharply, and her azure eyes lit up instantly.

She quickly started to calculate.

Although one million taels of silver is a lot, as long as she monopolizes the agency rights in the West, she can profit from every unit sold. She can break even in a few years, and there will be a continuous stream of income afterward.

Moreover, with this advanced spinning machine, Portugal's textile industry will far surpass that of other European countries, and its commercial competitiveness will be greatly enhanced.

She gazed at the spinning machine that was still turning, the sound of the gears turning seeming to resemble the clinking of gold coins.

After a moment, she took a deep breath, her eyes hardening.

It seems that one million taels of silver is not too expensive.

But Angelica didn't immediately give in.

The transaction of one million taels of silver was too significant, concerning the future commercial lifeline of Portugal, and she had to consider it carefully.

She suppressed the turmoil in her heart and followed Jiang Banxia further inside.

Soon, they finished looking at the first floor and headed to the second floor.

The second floor of Building No. 1 is even more of a hidden gem.

The uniquely shaped curved plow, the dragon-bone waterwheel that saves effort in lifting water, the sundial for observing time, and the seismograph for monitoring earthquakes.
Each piece exudes ingenious craftsmanship.

Jiang Banxia explained calmly throughout, neither boasting nor hiding details, as if she were simply showing ordinary objects.

But the more this happened, the more suspicious Angelica became.

From the bustling streets of Beijing to the rare treasures in Building No. 1, and then to the spinning machine that could revolutionize the textile industry, everything seemed like a meticulously choreographed play.

"What on earth do they want to do?"

She pondered to herself.

"Is it merely a sales pitch, or is it an attempt to demonstrate strength and force Portugal to submit?"

She remained silent the entire way, her gaze sweeping over each exhibit, but she never mentioned the transaction again.

As night deepened and the streetlights came on one by one, Jiang Banxia smiled and suggested that they return home.

Angelica went with the flow and returned to the Siyiguan with a lot on her mind.

The courtyard, built specifically for foreign envoys, was neat and elegant. The crabapple blossoms in the courtyard emitted a faint fragrance in the night, but this did nothing to dispel the turmoil in her heart.

She removed her veil, changed into comfortable Western casual clothes, and took out a quill pen and parchment from her suitcase.

This has been her habit for many years: wherever she goes, she records what she sees and hears.

Now that she's in the Ming Dynasty, she plans to write a travelogue called "Angelica's Travelogue of the Ming Dynasty," which might become popular in Europe.

As she dipped the pen in ink, her wrist trembled slightly, clearly still reeling from the shock of the day:
"In the spring of the third year of the Tianqi reign, I, Angelica, the Portuguese envoy, finally set foot in Beijing, the capital of the Ming Dynasty."

The city was far larger than I had imagined. The gray streets and alleys crisscrossed, the vermilion palace walls were majestic and magnificent, and the people coming and going were neatly dressed with peaceful smiles on their faces. There was no trace of the "misery" described in the missionaries' letters.

The No. 1 building of the Chinese Academy of Sciences really opened my eyes!

There you'll find soaps a hundred times finer than Western soaps, and glass bottles as clear as crystal.

What surprised me most was that I was able to drink brandy and whiskey, and the taste was even more mellow and lingering than that of Portugal.

What shocked me the most was a spinning machine with thirty-eight spindles!

With just a crank, dozens of spindles spin rapidly, and the cotton thread spun in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea is enough to keep a dozen or so female workers in our country busy all day.

Such skill is simply unbelievable!
I had originally thought that the Ming Dynasty was the "rotten and sinking ship" described by missionaries, but what I saw with my own eyes was a completely different scene.

The city was bustling with activity, merchants and travelers were constantly coming and going, the people lived in peace and contentment, and their skills far surpassed ours.

Such a nation is so powerful that it commands respect; it is absolutely not to be its enemy.

After writing the last sentence, Angelica put down her quill and exhaled a deep breath.

The neat yet hurried handwriting on the parchment reflected her turbulent emotions.

She carefully folded the travelogue and placed it in the brocade box close to her body. Just as she was about to wash up and rest, a servant's voice suddenly came from outside the courtyard:
"Your Excellency, Chief Clerk Jiang from the Ministry of Rites of the Ming Dynasty has arrived again!"

"Jiang Banxia?"

Angelica paused, her mind filled with confusion.

It's already late at night, why did he suddenly come to visit?

Without thinking twice, she quickly straightened her clothes and hurried out of the room to greet him.

In the darkness of night, Jiang Banxia, ​​dressed in an official robe, stood with a composed expression.

Upon seeing Angelica, he smiled warmly and cupped his hands in greeting, saying:

"I apologize for disturbing you so late at night."

"You're too kind, Manager Jiang."

Angelica quickly returned the greeting, her tone tinged with a hint of probing.

"I wonder what brings you here so late at night, sir? What are your instructions?"

"It's not an order, but rather I have good news to tell the messenger."

Jiang Banxia straightened her tone and said solemnly:

"His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Ming Dynasty has heard that the Portuguese envoy has come from afar and intends to summon him. He will meet with you in the training ground of the Western Garden in three days."

"what?"

Angelica's bright blue eyes widened suddenly, her beautiful eyes staring wide-eyed, her face filled with disbelief.

Her visit was not a formal diplomatic mission, but rather a mission entrusted by the royal family to secretly investigate the strength and weakness of the Ming Dynasty. She never expected to be summoned by the emperor!

After a brief moment of shock, a strong sense of curiosity welled up inside me.

She recalled the letters the missionaries sent back to Portugal, in which they said that the Ming Dynasty was corrupt and the emperor was incompetent.

But the Ming Dynasty she witnessed was full of vitality, and its people lived in peace and happiness.

Why did this empire undergo such a dramatic transformation in just three years?
What kind of person was that Ming emperor who had been on the throne for less than three years?

Was it he who turned the tide and revitalized this "decaying empire"?

Why would he summon himself, an unofficial messenger?
Countless questions swirled in her mind, filling her with anticipation for the meeting three days later.

"Thank you for informing me, Manager Jiang."

Angelica composed herself and her tone became much more respectful.

"I will definitely be there on time."

Jiang Banxia nodded and continued, "Over the next three days, officials from the Ministry of Rites will teach you the etiquette for meeting the Emperor of the Great Ming Dynasty. If your etiquette is not up to standard, you will not be able to meet the Emperor of the Great Ming Dynasty."

Angelica nodded immediately upon hearing this.

"I understand."

After giving the instructions, Jiang Banxia left without lingering.

Watching his departing figure, Angelica stood in the courtyard, her heart filled with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation.

She looked up towards the Forbidden City.

In the darkness of night, the outline of the palace walls is majestic and mysterious, as if hiding countless unknown secrets.

What kind of surprise or shock will this Ming emperor bring her?
(End of this chapter)