Jinyi Town Mountains and Rivers

Chapter 327 Tina's Idea

He Liu, Lao Hu, Li Gao, and Sun Chunbin boarded Tina's merchant ship.

Among Tina's six merchant ships, three were loaded with special products from South America, and three were loaded with Western goods—exquisite clocks, new firearms manufactured by the Firearms Factory in the Netherlands, clairvoyance, dioramas, etc. of. . .

Five people stood on Tina's flagship deck.All of a sudden, twenty lucky boats of the Tanggukou Navy passed by six merchant ships.

These 44 lucky boats were built by Zheng He during his voyages to the West a hundred years ago.Among them, the flagship of the Admiral of the Navy is [-] feet long and [-] feet wide.The rudder alone is two feet long, and it takes more than a dozen people to turn it.

Compared with Tina's merchant fleet, Tanggu's saliva fleet is like a herd of elephants.And the six merchant ships were as small as ants.

Tina was dumbfounded.She asked He Liu: "General, is this the main fleet of your navy?"

He Liu smiled: "The main force? I'm afraid it doesn't count. The Daming Navy has jurisdiction over seven major navy divisions including Zhejiang, Fujian, and Tanggukou. Treasure ships. The fleet led by the eunuch Sanbao when he sailed to the west had more than 300 lucky ships of the same size as before... The fleet that passed just now was just a partial division of the Tanggukou Navy.”

After hearing this, Tina asked in bewilderment: "In this way, your navy is stronger than Spain. I don't understand why your country doesn't colonize with such a powerful navy?"

He Liu was at a loss: "Colonization?"

Tina nodded: "It is to occupy new regions and open up new territories for your country."

He Liu shook his head: "No! My celestial state has always conquered the world with virtue. To our weak neighbors, we have always treated them with benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trust..."

Tina interrupted He Liu's words: "General, I understand the virtue you mentioned as 'truth'. We Europeans believe that truth always exists only within the range of the cannon."

Lao Hu said from the side: "Oh, a barbarian is a barbarian. Sixth, how can she understand what you tell her about benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trustworthiness?"

Tina continued: "Dear generals. Your empire is very powerful. Our entire province of the Netherlands may not have a Tianjin Weida in your country. The navy of the entire Utrecht Union may not be able to keep up with the fleets of some of your naval fleets." The weakest one. But the navy should not be born to protect the existing land. It is the army's business to protect the existing land. The navy has a naval mission - to open up a new world. The navy is like this, and an empire should also That’s right. If an empire wants to continue to be strong, it must have the courage to go out to sea and explore, and have a firm pioneering spirit.”

He Liudao: "What you said is like the way of military strategists during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. There are no righteous soldiers in the Spring and Autumn Period! Our Ming Dynasty ruled the world with Confucianism. According to what you said, if a person is born as strong as a calf, he can bully him wantonly. His neighbor, occupying his neighbor's house, making his neighbor a slave? If Ming Dynasty did that, how would it be different from the Mongolian barbarians?"

Tina argued with He Liu: "General, this world has always been dominated by the weak and the strong. Just like your country's five-beast chess, lions eat tigers, tigers eat wolves, wolves eat rabbits, and rabbits? They can only eat grass. An empire If you want to continue the glory of the world, you must set your sights on the end of the sea! Go sailing, explore, explore, and colonize!"

He Liu smiled and said, "Lady Tina. If your remarks are heard by those well-educated Confucians in my Ming Dynasty, they will definitely call you an uncivilized barbarian."

Tina shrugged her shoulders: "Even if you don't use war to occupy new lands, you should use commercial trade to occupy the whole world! I don't understand why the decision makers of your empire banned maritime trade, leaving only three This small port allows trade. You have a powerful naval fleet, and under the protection of the naval fleet, your silk, tea, and porcelain can occupy every place known to mankind."

He Liu shook his head: "It is my Ming Dynasty's national policy to close the country and seal off the sea. This is not something that you and I can change with a big talk here."

Tina said: "Please wait a moment."

After speaking, Tina turned her head and went to the cabin, and brought back an original carved wood cylinder, which was stamped with wax seal.

Tina handed the cylinder to He Liu: "General, this is the letter of credence that our Utrecht Union requests for friendly trade with your country. It is written in two languages: the Netherlands and the Ming Dynasty. This is Utrecht. The branch council entrusted me to bring it to you from the Ming emperor. I hope you will forward the letter of credence to your emperor."

Old Hu said on the side: "Our Ming Dynasty does not accept the credentials of any small country. It must be a vassal state of my Ming Dynasty to be eligible to submit the credentials."

Tina's eyes brightened: "If Ming is willing to open trade with Europa, I believe that every country in Europa is willing to become a vassal of Ming! It's just a status, what's the big deal? National interests, The rights of the people are above all else.”

Old Hu was stunned when he heard it: "My God! What does this mean, those countries of your Ouba can lose their face for money?"

Tina asked: "What is face?"

He Liu explained: "It's dignity."

Tina shook her head: "In our Europa, dignity is maintained by cannons. For example, the Utrecht Union surrendered to Spain before. Later, we had powerful maritime trade channels, accumulated huge wealth, and established a powerful navy. Now Although we are a Spanish territory in name, Spain cannot interfere in our government affairs. I, the Lady of Utrecht, is going to Madrid, and the Spanish royal family will send an envoy to receive me politely."

He Liu sighed: "We have a saying in Huaxia, saying that if you are different, you should not seek each other. You and I, Lady Tina, are typical differences."

Tina replied: "General, I can understand the Dao you talked about in the Ming Dynasty as 'ideas'. Although we have different ideas, there is a saying in your Ming Dynasty that the sea is inclusive of all rivers, and tolerance is the greatest. Besides, we They all have the same purpose, which is to make our respective countries strong and our compatriots live a good life."

He Liuxin thought: In fact, Hu Zongxian, Zhang Juzheng, Qi Jiguang, Yu Dayou, Qin Lun, these loyal ministers and good generals, what they have been pursuing all their lives is not to let the people of Ming Dynasty live a good life?Although Tina is a Xiyi, what she said has three points of truth.

He Liudao: "Okay, Lady Tina. I will take you to the capital, and at the same time present your letter of credence to the cabinet. As for whether the imperial court will open the sea ban, it is not up to me. It depends on us." Does the emperor agree?"

Tina put her right hand on her left chest and bowed to He Liu: "Thank you, Your Excellency General. At the same time, please remember my words, the future of a great empire must lie in the distant sea."

(End of this chapter)