Daming Yuanfu

Chapter 2360 Intention
"Business is business, politics is politics." Gao Youshi smiled and said, "What does the Pope want our Ming Dynasty to do, and what benefits can he bring to our Ming Dynasty? These key questions are not clearly stated in this letter, but are only vaguely mentioned. How can I agree to this... and explain it to the emperor?"

Matteo Ricci did not notice that Gao Youshi almost admitted that the treaty could be passed with just his nod. Instead, he listened carefully to what he said and then said, "Your Excellency the Prime Minister may not know that such an important diplomatic treaty is often not completed in one exchange in Europe. Therefore, you can understand this handwritten letter from the Holy See as a clear diplomatic intention, but you cannot understand it as the final draft before the terms of the alliance are reached."

"That is to say, all the specific terms need to be discussed slowly, right?" Gao Youshi laughed and shook his head, "Excuse me, but without strong external help, the Catholic countries will not have the chance to suppress the Ottoman Empire for at least the next 100 years - do you believe in my ability to judge the world situation?"

Matteo Ricci nodded very seriously: "I completely trust your judgment, Your Excellency. I have been in the Ming Dynasty for not one or two years, but twenty years. I arrived in Macau in the tenth year of Wanli. After spending a year to complete the basic Chinese learning, I entered the interior of the Ming Dynasty the following year and started the sacred missionary work...

Therefore, Mr. Prime Minister, I have a full understanding of the Ming Dynasty. Based on this premise, I also know in detail the great achievements you have made in your political career.

In view of this, I fully trust your judgment on the political situation, whether in Asia or Europe. You are not only a great scholar, but also a great politician and military strategist. I believe that your judgment must have sufficient basis and perfect inference, as well as the correct result. "

Are you Europeans always so straightforward when you flatter others? Look at our Ming Dynasty. When people praise me as a "great politician and military strategist", they don't say that. Instead, they say "my literary talent is like Xiao He, my martial arts is like Han Xin" and so on... Gao Youshi complained in his heart.

"In that case, I can only say that if the Ming Dynasty agrees to join forces with the Pope, then how far the Ming Dynasty will go depends on how far the Pope can go." Gao Youshi smiled and said, "You get what you pay for. After all, it is you Catholic countries that are anxious to resist the Ottoman invasion, not the Ming Dynasty that is anxious to find allies to share the military pressure. Don't you agree, Mr. Xijiang?"

Matteo Ricci's cheeks trembled slightly, and he thought to himself: This Prime Minister of the Empire is indeed different from the vast majority of nobles and high-ranking officials of this empire. He does not care about the high-sounding words such as peace and justice spoken by the Holy See, but he always sticks to the principle of "interest". It seems that he cannot be attracted by high titles such as "world leader", and we can only talk to him seriously about the exchange of interests.

Having made up his mind, Matteo Ricci no longer hesitated and nodded, saying, "Your analysis of the situation is completely correct. I must admit that the Catholic countries do need allies more than the Ming Dynasty at this moment. In this case, please forgive me for being so presumptuous - what do you think the Ming Dynasty is capable of doing in suppressing the Ottoman Empire?"

I think? I think if I was crazy enough I could wipe out the bulk of the Ottoman army.

Of course, I would not be that crazy. After all, even if I really destroyed the main force of the Ottoman Empire, it would be impossible to rule that vast land thousands of miles away and full of "pagans" - whether it was Ming Dynasty or Beijing.

If this situation were put in the game, it would probably be a different culture, religion, administrative efficiency, military supplies... Damn, I'm full of DeBuffs. By then, you Catholic countries will eat the remains of Osman and get fat, but what good can I get? Stop dreaming, I'm not the "Prester John" in your imagination.

Gao Fusi picked up the teacup on the table, gently blew away the tea foam floating on the water, took a sip, and then slowly put it down, with an indescribable light in his eyes.

"Our fleet can indeed sail as far as the Red Sea, or even further. Our firearms can indeed equip your army with more weapons, giving you an advantage on the battlefield. Our merchants can also increase trade with you and help you restore your economy exhausted by the war."

Gao Fusi paused, then continued, "But as your famous saying goes, there is no such thing as a free lunch, Mr. Xijiang. If you want the Ming to increase its trade with you, then Ming ships need only ports to dock in, Ming merchants need the privilege of lower trade taxes than other countries, and Ming people need the right to purchase any legal goods in your country - including land."

Matteo Ricci nodded to show his understanding. "Of course, the Ming Dynasty's assistance cannot be free, and we will not make such unrealistic demands. I believe that the Holy See and the monarchs of various countries will seriously consider the requests you just mentioned. I personally think that they will be willing to provide necessary conveniences and even privileges in exchange for the support of the Ming Dynasty."

Gao Fusi smiled slightly, as if he was not surprised by Ricci's answer: "In addition, I have a few more conditions. First, I need to send at least one personal representative in Europe, who should enjoy the same treatment and rights as envoys from other countries.

Secondly, if there are scholars, businessmen, or craftsmen from the Ming Dynasty who are willing to go to Europe for inspection and study, you should provide corresponding conveniences or learning opportunities and protect their safety as much as possible.

Finally, the spread of Ming culture also needs to be respected. Our books and artworks should be properly spread and protected in Europe. This cabinet knows that many European scholars and missionaries, including Mr. Xijiang, have participated in the cause of spreading Ming culture. However, this cabinet must emphasize that: it is okay to spread, but it must not be tampered with or misinterpreted. "

Matteo Ricci pondered for a while, then said: "I believe that the Holy See and the monarchs of various countries will seriously consider these conditions and eventually agree to them. However, I must remind you that even if everything goes well, it will still take a lot of time to negotiate and implement the above, and the support of the Ming Dynasty is urgently needed for us."

Gao Fusi nodded: "This cabinet knows. But Mr. Xijiang, don't worry too much. The decision of the Ming Dynasty also needs time. This cabinet will report the Pope's proposal and the conversation between you and me today to the emperor truthfully. The final decision will be made after the emperor and the cabinet discuss it together.

Mr. Xijiang, since you are a scholar who has been in China for 20 years and is rigorous in your research, you should understand that this is a major decision that cannot be made overnight.

In particular, although the Ming Dynasty was an extremely prosperous and powerful empire, it did not have the ambition to rule everything in the world, and therefore was often unwilling to take drastic measures against countries that posed no threat to us. In your European terms, the Ming Dynasty was a conservative empire with a very low desire for expansion.

Therefore, even if this cabinet is willing to promote it, it will inevitably face huge resistance. If you cannot offer sufficiently favorable conditions in exchange, it will be difficult for this cabinet to convince the emperor and my colleagues. "

Matteo Ricci immediately stood up and bowed deeply to Gao Youshi: "I fully understand, Your Excellency the Prime Minister. I will do my best to report everything you said to the Holy See as quickly as possible. I look forward to good news from the Ming Dynasty, and I also look forward to both sides joining hands to face the major challenge of the Ottoman Empire, a civilized world." Gao Youshi also stood up and stretched out his hand with a smile: "Then, let's wait for the emperor's judgment. Mr. Xijiang, you have come from afar and must be very tired. I will have someone take you to rest first. If you are free afterwards, I will also ask the internal garrison to help you arrange a tour of Nanjing. I hope you can have a good time during your stay in Nanjing."

As an expert on China, Matteo Ricci knew that this was the time to see him off. He bowed deeply again, and then left the study with Gao Youshi's entourage. Gao Youshi looked at his back, and a hint of contemplation flashed in his eyes.

He knew that once the alliance proposal was put on the agenda, it would cause a huge stir in the government and the country. The Ming Dynasty had a certain "idol burden", or "Celestial Empire burden", so it was difficult for it to form an equal alliance with any other country. Especially in recent years, with the brilliant results of the wars, many people have developed a morbid mentality: except for the Celestial Empire, the world is barbaric.

Before the Industrial Revolution, China was indeed qualified to call itself the Celestial Empire in terms of development in all aspects, but Gao Youshi was very disgusted by the fact that court officials brought this sense of superiority into their actual work. The Book of Changes says: The sun is at its zenith and then it wanes, and the moon is full and then it wanes. These teachings of our ancestors are not complicated, so why can't we remember them?

However, Gao Youshi also knew that this was an opportunity, an opportunity for the Ming Dynasty to play a greater role on the world stage. Once the corresponding role was played, the influence of the Ming Dynasty would also increase. Therefore, he must act cautiously to ensure that his goals were achieved and that the interests of the Ming Dynasty were protected to the greatest extent.

After Ricci left, Gao Fusi stayed alone in the study. His eyes fell on the courtyard outside the window, but his thoughts had already drifted to distant Europe. He knew that the Pope's proposal for an alliance was not just a simple diplomatic exchange, but a major decision that could change the future direction of the Ming Dynasty.

First, he considered the efforts that the Ming Dynasty could make. Although the Ming Dynasty’s navy—actually the Jinghua’s two-ocean fleet—was powerful, it was undoubtedly a huge challenge to sail to Europe or at least the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea to participate in a direct conflict with the Ottoman Empire.

This means that the fleet needs to cross the Indian Ocean, enter the Red Sea, and even go around the Cape of Good Hope, go north through the Atlantic Ocean, and confront the Ottoman navy head-on in the Mediterranean. Such an expedition requires not only a large number of ships and troops, but also sufficient supplies and logistical support.

After much thought, Gao Youshi decided not to send the fleet into the Mediterranean so early. He felt that the farthest combat area would only be the Red Sea, or even better, it would be to just reach the Arabian Sea, especially the Persian Gulf region - because Portugal now had many colonies here, or colonial outposts, which could provide ports and supplies.

Since the Treaty of Huang Zhiting, Jinghua and the Portuguese have completed the pioneering work of peacefully handing over Malacca, and also ushered in many years of friendly cooperation. Now the two sides have good mutual trust, so in the areas and waters where the Portuguese have the final say, Jinghua does not hesitate to send a large fleet that does not affect its own strength to fight.

However, if you go as far as the Mediterranean, the situation is completely different. There are too many countries around the Mediterranean. Although there are only two major forces, neither of them is a centralized empire like the Ming Dynasty. They do not have strong control over the small forces "under them". Therefore, Gao Youshi believes that unless he leads the fleet there personally, others will not be able to handle it at all. They will inevitably be at a loss in the entanglement and conflict of various forces, and finally suffer various inexplicable losses from time to time, or even lead to the destruction of the fleet.

Of course, he couldn't lead the fleet to the Mediterranean in person, so this idea was too unsafe, so he might as well not go. As for the area from the Persian Gulf in the east to the Red Sea in the west, the Nanyang Fleet had merchant ships that had been there, sometimes on a large scale, and they had a good grasp of various sea conditions, so they could let the people in Nanjiang and Nanyang vent their overly strong desire for expansion.

In addition, although the Ming Dynasty's firearms were advanced, to equip European armies on a large scale would also require a lot of resources and time to prepare, and the other party would also need to be able to provide sufficient trading materials or gold and silver.

Relying on the gold and silver mountains in the Americas, the Spanish and Portuguese Empires have been trading in cash with Jinghua in recent years, but Gao Yousi is not sure that the other European countries currently fighting the Ottoman Empire can come up with so much gold and silver.

The Habsburgs did have both silver and copper mines, but they were also fighting on many fronts, and their financial situation had always been tight, so it was hard to say whether they could come up with gold and silver. If they could, it would be fine, but if they couldn't, it would depend on what other materials they could use to offset the payment - in short, Jinghua did business in the Ming Dynasty's usual style: face-to-face settlement, no credit.

After all, Gao Gongsi never believed in the contractual spirit that Europeans boasted about (besides, it took more than 160 years for The Social Contract to be published). What about the contractual spirit? Once the interests are damaged, this thing immediately becomes the spirit of breaking the contract.

Then, he thought about the benefits that Ming Dynasty could gain. If Ming Dynasty could successfully help Catholic countries suppress the Ottoman Empire, then its influence in Europe would be greatly enhanced. However, Gao Youshi believed that it would be good to have such intangible things, but he would not force it if he did not have them.

What is really important is that the merchants of the Ming Dynasty will have more trade opportunities, and the culture and technology of the Ming Dynasty will be more widely spread. Moreover, through cooperation with European countries, the Ming Dynasty can also obtain some technology and knowledge that can make up for its own shortcomings, which is undoubtedly beneficial to the long-term development of the Ming Dynasty - China has been strong since ancient times, but being strong does not mean being perfect. A stone from another mountain can polish a jade. Does Europe have nothing that can benefit China? Impossible.

Finally, Gao Youshi also knew that these gains were not without cost. The intervention of the Ming Dynasty might arouse the hostility of the Ottoman Empire and even lead to a larger-scale conflict. But it didn't matter. First, the two countries did not border each other. Second, the successors of the Ottoman Empire often disgusted the Chinese. I disgusted them in advance, which could be regarded as "the old Buddha paid for it."

However, if Ming Dynasty puts too much resources and attention into Europe, it may affect its attention to internal affairs and surrounding areas, which is not conducive to Ming Dynasty's stability. Ming Dynasty needs to control its own strength.

Gao Youshi weighed the pros and cons again and again, and finally decided that the Ming Dynasty's involvement should be limited, and it would be best if Jinghua could actually operate under the Ming Dynasty's guise. For example, the Ming Dynasty could provide certain military assistance, such as firearms and naval support, but it should not be directly provided by the Ming Dynasty, but Jinghua should be responsible for it. If it goes well, the Ming Dynasty will gain fame and Jinghua will benefit; if it does not go well, the Ming Dynasty will not suffer any actual losses, and Jinghua will also reduce its desire for expansion due to the setback. Moreover, Jinghua should not directly participate in the war in Europe, and it would be enough to just reach out to West Asia.

At the same time, the Ming Dynasty should take advantage of this opportunity to strive for more trade privileges and cultural dissemination rights in Europe to make up for the resources invested. This may not see any practical benefits for the time being, but I believe it will play a certain role hundreds of years later.

In short, Gao Youshi decided that he would report the content of the talks and his own analysis to Zhu Yijun in detail after returning to the capital, and put forward his own suggestions. The final decision should be made after consultation between the emperor and the cabinet. But no matter what the result is, Gao Youshi believes that this incident will be an important turning point in the history of the Ming Dynasty.
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PS: I had dinner at two places over the weekend. I didn't even have time to rest, and I had to spend money and travel everywhere.