Take control of Wei Zhongxian at the start and confiscate 100 million from him!

Chapter 312 Two Peaches Kill Three Warriors
Deep in the alley of Tafang in the east of the city, there is an old residence of a former official of the previous dynasty. The two black lacquered gates with animal-shaped rings are always closed, and only two stone lions in front of the gate silently watch over the desolation of the street in the autumn wind.

Occasionally, a few blue-eyed, high-nosed Western servants would come out to buy rice, grain, firewood, and charcoal. They would hurry along and then immediately close the doors and windows again, as if trying to isolate the tranquility of this courtyard from the mundane world outside the walls.

This residence was the temporary residence of Sir Edmund Courtney, the special envoy of the English East India Company.

Inside the main hall, the light was somewhat dim, filtering obliquely through the carved window lattices and illuminating the floating dust on the floor.

Sir Courtney was sitting by the window, holding a piece of very soft deerskin in his hand, slowly wiping a sheathed sword on the long table in front of him.

The sword's design, with its basket-like hilt and long, narrow blade, reflects the specifications of the English royal navy.

Thirty years of trials and tribulations have seen this sword accompany him through the raging waves off Calais, witnessing firsthand how the supposedly "invincible" Spanish fleet was reduced to ashes.

Now, this weathered old companion, along with him, has been left idle in this secluded mansion for more than half a month.

His deputy, a young man named Philip, was far from possessing the tranquility to watch the flowers bloom and fade in the courtyard.

This young man, hailing from a prestigious university, came with the ambition to make a name for himself in the East. Yet, at this moment, he was like a restless monkey trapped in a cage, pacing back and forth in the hall. Finally, unable to contain himself any longer, he walked to Courtney's side, his words inevitably carrying a hint of resentment.

“My lord, we can’t just sit here doing nothing! Ever since we arrived in Jinling, the gift list we submitted has been like a stone sinking into the sea, without a single reply. Those Dutch and Portuguese envoys are probably already regulars in the Forbidden City, having schemed countless times over the gold, silver, and spices from the East! Our four ships… well, although they’ve been carefully modified, in the eyes of an Eastern monarch accustomed to rare treasures, they’re probably… probably just a joke!”

Courtney, without stopping his hands or lifting his eyelids, simply raised his sword and squinted to examine it closely in the sliver of light filtering through the window.

He spoke as if to his old companion, his voice so steady it betrayed no emotion, and slowly said, "Philip, my son, have you ever seen how a lion hunts? Before it pounces on the antelope, its greatest skill is silence and waiting. Do you think that young emperor has truly forgotten us?"

He placed his sword back on the table, gently wiped away a speck of dust with a deerskin, and then said, “You’re wrong. He hasn’t forgotten; on the contrary, he’s been watching us every moment. He’s watching to see how long we can remain calm under this cold treatment. He’s seen too many impatient merchants and too many sycophantic envoys.”

The cunning Dutchman, like a wolf, only wanted to snatch food from his plate, while the waning Portuguese, like a sickly cat, was of little use except for offering outdated trinkets. He was probably tired of both roles. He was waiting, waiting for a new possibility, for a new role to emerge.

Philip was taken aback. Although he was not entirely convinced, seeing the knight so calm and composed calmed his anxiety somewhat. He could only nod humbly and step aside, not daring to say anything more.

The hall returned to its previous quiet, with only the soft rustling of deerskin against a leather sword sheath, like the whispers of time.

Courtney, however, had other thoughts on the matter. This trip was carrying a secret message and had a long-term purpose. It was not a simple merchant's journey, but rather a crucial step in England's long-term plan, a strategic move to be made on this ancient land.

As for his opponent, the Ming emperor, who was only twenty years old, stubborn yet exceptionally intelligent, judging from the intelligence gathered from all sides, his wisdom and skill were quite remarkable.

This game of chess is an endgame from the very beginning. One wrong move and the whole game is lost. You can't rush it, and you can't afford to make any mistakes.

After another day or two, one afternoon, Courtney was studying a volume of "Complete Map of the World" in her study when a long-awaited commotion finally broke out outside the gate.

A junior eunuch led several officers of the Embroidered Uniform Guard into the courtyard, carrying a scroll of bright yellow imperial edict.

The young eunuch, though speaking in a high-pitched voice, was quite polite. He said that His Majesty had heard of many great scholars from the West and wished to meet with the British envoy, requesting that the gentleman immediately change his clothes and accompany him.

Philip was overjoyed upon hearing this and immediately set out to find Courtney the most magnificent velvet court dress.

Courtney herself was wary, because the eunuch had said "accompany the emperor into the palace" instead of "go to the palace to pay homage," and the entourage was simple, without the sound of gongs and drums to clear the way, unlike a grand court assembly.

He thought to himself that this first meeting was probably going to be quite significant, so he simply chose a dark-colored naval uniform and a plain cloak before following the eunuch.

The carriage rumbled through the streets and alleys of Nanjing, but instead of stopping outside the Meridian Gate, it circled around to the Xihua Gate of the Forbidden City.

Courtney's envisioned grand spectacle of the royal procession was nowhere to be seen.

The eunuch leading the way carried a gauze lantern, guiding him and Philip through several palace gates and around several deep corridors, the stone slabs under their feet echoing crisply in the deserted palace gardens.

Finally, they arrived at a place filled with the rich aroma of books and sandalwood—Wenyuan Pavilion.

This situation was completely different from any meeting he had envisioned.

There is no dragon throne, no armored soldiers, only rows of huge bookshelves reaching to the top of the pavilion, with countless volumes of books filled in nanmu boxes on the shelves.

Several Hanlin officials dressed in blue robes were engrossed in organizing books. When they saw them enter, they merely glanced up indifferently before immersing themselves in the old papers again, as if the two were nothing more than two specks of dust that had accidentally wandered in.

In the center of the attic, there was a long sandalwood table, with writing brush, ink, paper and inkstone all laid out on it. Beside it, a small red clay stove was bubbling away, warming a pot of tea.

A young man dressed in a bright yellow robe with a dark dragon pattern sat behind a desk, engrossed in reading a Western book bound in sheepskin. He didn't look like an emperor, but rather like a young nobleman with a curiosity about everything.

Courtney's heart skipped a beat, and she thought to herself: This must be the Emperor of the Great Ming Dynasty without a doubt. Judging from his demeanor, he is indeed extraordinary.

A refined and scholarly Hanlin scholar stepped forward and introduced the two parties in fluent Latin.

Courtney dared not be negligent. Following the etiquette he had practiced many times before coming, he bowed in respect and was about to speak when the young emperor put down the scroll, raised his head, and had a gentle smile on his face.

His clear voice, transmitted slowly through the interpreter's tongue, reached Courtney's ears:

"Sir Courtney, rise, no need for formalities. I have been reading Western books lately and have heard that your country has a philosopher named Francis Bacon, who wrote the book 'Novum Organum' and advocated that 'knowledge is power'."

"I have summoned you here today not for trade, but rather to inquire about the novelty of this 'new tool.' And how do the teaching methods of your esteemed Oxford and Cambridge universities differ from those of my Ming Dynasty's Imperial Academy?"

After a brief moment of astonishment, Courtney instantly grasped the emperor's deeper meaning.

He composed himself and replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, “Your Majesty is a scholar of profound learning, and even though you are thousands of miles away, you still know the name of Bacon. I am truly impressed. The ‘new’ in ‘Novum Organum’ does not lie in the objects, but in a method of seeking knowledge.”

It teaches us that we should not only seek out passages from the books of the ancients, but also observe with our own eyes and verify with our own hands, exploring the unchanging truths within the laws governing the workings of heaven and earth.

Seeing that the emperor listened with great interest and nodded slightly, he took the opportunity to explain in simple terms the origins of the Royal Society, a group of wise men who valued talent over social status and spontaneously formed to explore the mysteries of nature.

Finally, he changed the subject and steered the conversation to the area he was most familiar with—the navy, which is what the Ming Dynasty called the navy.

“Your Majesty, a powerful naval force cannot be built solely by strong ships and powerful cannons.” Courtney’s voice was steady and strong, carrying the certainty unique to a soldier.
"In our English navy, officers are promoted based on their military achievements, not their family background; sailors are trained in standardized manuals that they study day and night; and logistics are managed by a dedicated accounting department, ensuring that the whereabouts of every pound of gunpowder and every piece of canvas are traceable and verifiable. Only in this way can we accumulate strength and make our fleet, thousands of miles away, feel as at the emperor's beck and call."

The atmosphere in the pavilion gradually became more harmonious, moving away from the initial tentative and wary demeanor.

Zhu Youjian made an exception and granted Courtney a seat, ordering a young eunuch to serve her freshly brewed Lu'an Melon Seed tea.

Courtney knew the time had come.

He took a sip of tea, rose, and bowed again, saying, "Your Majesty's wisdom surpasses that of any monarch I have ever seen. I, King Charles I, also deeply admire the civil and military achievements of China and wish to assist Your Majesty. I only ask that we find a remote island in the Zhoushan Archipelago and, following the example of the Portuguese in Macau, establish a trading post there so that goods can be stored and ships can be resupplyed, thus forging a lasting alliance with the Ming Empire."

The moment the words left his mouth, the harmonious atmosphere in the pavilion was abruptly severed as if by an invisible hand. The emperor, who had just been all smiles, instantly darkened his face, like dark clouds suddenly gathering over a clear June sky, and all traces of his previous gentle and refined scholarly demeanor vanished.

He slowly stood up, said nothing, and walked to a huge map of the Ming Dynasty hanging on the wall.

His gaze swept across the map, and finally, he raised his right index finger as if gathering immense force, and pressed it heavily on the location of the Zhoushan Islands.

"Sir," his voice carried a chilling coldness and unwavering resolve, "Do you see clearly? This place, and indeed every inch of this land on this map, was carved out by my ancestors with their blood and bones. Every inch of my empire belongs to my ancestors, and there is absolutely no reason for it to be shared with foreign barbarians!"

The moment the words were spoken, the room fell silent.

The Hanlin Academy reader's face turned deathly pale, and even the translator's voice trembled almost imperceptibly. Philip was so frightened that he turned completely pale, his legs went weak, and he almost collapsed to the ground.

This is the most ruthless rejection.

Courtney's heart sank suddenly, as if she had fallen into an ice cave.

But he was, after all, a man who had weathered many storms, who had fought against cannon fire amidst raging waves, and who had debated state affairs before the monarch.

He suppressed his disappointment and horror, and bowed deeply once again under the cold gaze of the emperor.

His voice was devoid of any panic: "His Majesty's will is the will of Heaven, and England would never dare to harbor the slightest covetousness."

He understood that this was the emperor drawing his final line.

Courtney slowly straightened up, took a deep breath, and knew that the usual gift list was now just a pile of scrap paper.

To break this deadlock, the only option is to take a risky gamble, a risky move that no one else dares to make.

He no longer looked at the emperor, but turned to the Hanlin Academy scholar and said in the most sincere tone, "Please convey my message to Your Majesty. We are not greedy people who have come to ask Your Majesty for a piece of land. We hope to become the most valuable craftsman in Your Majesty's grand blueprint."

After saying this, he took a roll of parchment documents, sealed tightly with three layers of sealing wax, from Philip's trembling hands.

He personally stepped forward and respectfully placed it on the emperor's desk.

Zhu Youjian's gaze was filled with scrutinizing suspicion. He didn't immediately touch the document, but instead looked at Courtney, trying to figure out what he was up to.

Courtney met his gaze calmly and clearly articulated her "blueprint," word by word.

“Your Majesty, we are well aware that Zhoushan is a crucial coastal defense location. My request just now was rash. I would like to propose a new idea. We are willing to abandon all illusions about establishing a foothold in your country. We only ask to rent a house in Guangzhou, the most prosperous trading city, as the base of our East India Company. We will be fully subject to the supervision of the Maritime Trade Office, pay taxes on time, keep the accounts transparent, and never overstep any bounds.”

This first step is a strategic retreat, demonstrating complete submission.

“We are well aware that the silk trade between the Ming Dynasty and Japan is the lifeblood of the Dutch and Portuguese, and England has no intention of getting involved.”

Zhu Youjian raised an eyebrow slightly.

Courtney seemed to read the emperor's mind, and abruptly changed the subject:
"Because our goal is to create a completely new world of trade for His Majesty! Our East India Company has established trade routes and ports in both India and Persia. Ming Dynasty silk, porcelain, and tea can be continuously sold to the Mughal emperor and the nobles of the Persian Empire through our fleet!"

"Your Majesty, the Dutch may sell you a few ships and cannons; but what we are willing to offer you is the whole of India, and even markets further afield! Mountains of silver are piled up there, waiting to be exchanged for Your Majesty's goods!"

Upon hearing this, a ripple finally appeared in the emperor's eyes.

Courtney didn't give him much time to think and continued to offer his own bargaining chips: "As a token of our sincerity, the four ships we brought, though converted merchant ships rather than warships, are still usable. If Your Majesty is willing, we may accept them all."

However, we would prefer, with His Majesty's permission, to order four genuine 'Monarch'-class second-tier warships from our homeland, along with a complete set of shipbuilding blueprints and the finest craftsmen, and present them to you!

He frankly admitted that the ship he brought was a converted merchant vessel, and this honesty carried more weight than any exaggeration.

Finally, he delivered his final statement on this high-stakes gamble, essentially entrusting his own fate, and even the future of the entire East India Company in the East, entirely into the Emperor's hands.

“Your Majesty, today we do not seek the ‘dragon ticket’ that everyone dreams of. We only ask for a foothold in Guangzhou, and Your Majesty’s permission to purchase some non-strategic materials, such as second-class porcelain and cotton cloth. That’s all.”

He looked intently at the emperor, his eyes sharp and sincere, like a gambler who had made a desperate gamble: "We are willing to use the trade volume of the next ten years to prove to Your Majesty that England is your most trustworthy and far-sighted partner. When our fleet returns to Guangzhou port fully loaded with silver from India and Persia, we will then dare to request Your Majesty the right to purchase the finest silk and tea!"

The entire Wenyuan Pavilion was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Philip was stunned.

He never imagined that the Jazz had such a groundbreaking plan in mind!
This is tantamount to trading the company's fate for the next ten years for a license that seems so uncertain at the moment!

Zhu Youjian remained silent for a long time.

He looked at the old man before him, whose hair and beard were already white, but whose back was ramrod straight, and felt a slight ripple in his heart.

Since his ascension to the throne, every foreign envoy he had met had demanded benefits before discussing conditions; they were all like hungry wolves eyeing fat meat.

Even the seemingly submissive Dutchman harbored a deep-seated greed that was as obvious as Sima Zhao's.

But the person in front of me did the opposite. He saw through my determination not to give up an inch of land, and he also understood the desire deep in my heart to open up new sources of wealth and establish a new order.

After a long while, Zhu Youjian slowly sat back down behind his desk, his slender fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the sandalwood tabletop.

He finally picked up the document, "Preliminary Ideas on Establishing a Ming-British Joint India Trading Company," and began to read it carefully.

After a long while, the emperor finally raised his head, his eyes revealing undisguised admiration for the first time.

“What a ‘market of the future,’ what a ‘ten years of proof,’” he said softly, his tone no longer cold. “Sir Courtney, your foresight truly surpasses that of many I have met.”

After a moment of contemplation, the emperor made a decision that surprised even Courtney.

"Granted. I grant you permission to establish a trading post in Guangzhou, under the control of the Maritime Trade Office. I will also accept those four ships. As for the second-class warships you mentioned, I await your decision."

Courtney felt a huge weight lifted from her heart and was about to bow in gratitude when Zhu Youjian waved his hand and proposed an additional condition.

"However, I have one more small request." He looked at Courtney, a meaningful smile playing on his lips. "I have heard that your country is renowned for its scholarship. I would like to select some bright and talented young students from your Imperial Academy to travel with your ship to study in England. Upon completion of their studies, your company will then send them back. What do you think, Sir?"

(End of this chapter)