Back to Ming Dynasty with Industrial Revolution System

Chapter 869 The Folding Fan of the East (Part [-])
"I have long heard that the distant east is full of gold and prosperity. In the past 200 years, all European countries have been looking for new routes to the east. It is a pity that we in Britain are one step behind Franz and Spain, and the time to contact you China is too late. It was very short. I deeply regret this matter." Charles I was eager to solve the royal debt problem through trade with the East, and his words were relatively modest.

"Gold is everywhere...Maybe we have some misunderstandings on both sides..." said Li Jinde, who only recently figured out the difference between the British Kingdom and other European kingdoms.

"If it weren't for these misunderstandings, the adventurers 200 years ago might not have been willing to find new routes to the East." Charles I said.

As they talked, Charles I became aware of the commotion among the nobles.He couldn't help but get a headache when he heard the nobles say the name Sophia.

A woman with blond hair and wearing a velvet dress entered the state banquet hall surrounded by some nobles: "Brother, I heard that Chinese businessmen have come to our city of London."

She soon noticed Li Jinde who was beside Charles I and several apprentices he brought.

"It turns out that this is what the Chinese look like. They are different from the Arabs and Indians." The woman who arrived held a beautiful folding fan. "My fan was brought back by the merchant from the far east."

"Girl, can I have a look at the folding fan in your hand?" Li Jinde became interested when he saw that the fan was familiar.

The British sailor conveyed Li Jinde's intentions to the woman, but the woman hesitated for a while, and gave Li Jinde her favorite folding fan.

"This is a common black-bone clay-gold fan, with gold leaf as the base and colored on top. The black-bone clay-gold fan in each place has different characteristics. Judging from the texture and workmanship, it should be made in Suzhou workshop. Made in Suzhou The black bone clay gold fan is naturally the best, but this is only for ordinary people. As a girl, it is very likely to belong to the royal family. If there are calligraphers and painters on the fan, it will be the best." Li Jinde said The folding fan was returned to the woman, and she said with some regret.

The British sailor who was in charge of the translation was a little overwhelmed. How to translate the black bone clay gold fan?He had no choice but to explain to the woman that it was a golden fan from the wealthy city of Suzhou.

"I don't know where I can buy the fan of the calligrapher you mentioned?" The other party seemed very interested in folding fans.

Li Jinde gritted his teeth, and said to the woman: "I have a black-bone clay-gold fan painted by Wen Zhengming, one of the four talented scholars in Wuzhong, which is invaluable. I originally wanted to sell the treasure, so I might not buy it. But The king of your country entertained us with a banquet. Although I am not a foreign envoy, I don’t want to be rude. Besides, you are also a person who cherishes folding fans, so I will give it to you.”

Li Jinde did not expect that the King of Britain would entertain him with a banquet, so naturally he did not prepare a gift for Charles I in advance.He had no choice but to take out Wen Zhengming's fan, which he usually likes most, as a national gift.

Originally, he wanted to give it to Charles I, but it seems that giving it to the woman in front of him might have a better effect.

Under Li Jinde's signal, his apprentice took out an exquisite wooden box and opened it in front of everyone. Inside was a black bone mud gold fan.

All the British nobles present wanted to know what was so special about the arbitrariness brought out by the merchants from China.

The British sailor didn't know who Wen Zhengming was, so he could only explain to the woman with his own understanding: "This is a fan painted by the most famous painter in China. It has a price but no market. He wants to give it to you, the princess."

There is a price but no market!The nobles made a sensation. Silk, porcelain, and fans from China are luxury goods used by nobles. If the fan to be given to the princess is priceless even in the place of origin, it is really not an ordinary gift!

The blond woman took the wooden box very solemnly, and opened the folding fan with Wen Zhengming's calligraphy and painting in it. On it was a pair of ink and wash river landscape soil, and there were also Wen Zhengming's poems and seals. The fan has gone up more than one step.

The other British nobles are envious, owning this fan is full of prestige.

The blond woman realized the value of this gift, and raised her hands to the sides of the skirt to express her gratitude.

"This is Princess Sophia of our British Kingdom, the youngest sister of the current king." The British sailor whispered to Li Jinde.

It seems that I sent the wrong person.Li Jinde heaved a sigh of relief when he heard that she was Charles I's younger sister.

"Didn't you meet Duke George in the Principality of Prussia? Why did you run back?" Charles I had a headache when he saw this sister.

Originally, Sophia almost died when she was very young, but later for some reason, James I and Charles I both had a preference for Sophia.As a result, she let her temper go, but now she can't get married.

European royal families attached great importance to political marriage. Charles I originally thought that he could marry his sister to the king of the still very powerful Spanish Empire, but Sophia escaped halfway.Now it is estimated that he fled back on the way to the Kingdom of Prussia.

"It's boring, the language is not understandable, and it's not interesting." Sophia curled her lips, not giving Charles I face.

"It's a tradition. Our mother, Anne, was originally a Danish princess. Isn't she familiar with British customs? After a long time, the language will be understood." Charles I said with a straight face.

"Anyway, I don't think Prussia is interesting. Going to Prussia is better than going to the far east!" Sophia said angrily.

"You... be careful that I will really send you to the East!" Charles I was slightly angry.

"Send it away, after the father leaves, brother, you don't care about my feelings." Sophia said.

Charles I was suffering. Originally, European royal marriages were a tradition. Many kings’ children were engaged to each other in their teens, and it was very unpleasant to be unable to get married when they were too old. He worked hard for the future of Britain and his sister. .

"Princess Sophia, you may have misunderstood the good intentions of His Majesty the King. As the King of Britain, he needs to consider the subjects of Britain." Earl Stratford defended Charles I from the sidelines.

"Okay, Stratford, today we are going to invite businessmen from the East, and we must not let outsiders see the jokes of our royal family." Charles I saw that Li Jinde was still present.

Li Jinde really wanted to know the gossip about the British royal family, but he couldn't let the translators translate in front of hundreds of nobles, so he had to ask the sailors in private.

"I have Bordeaux wine here, just to receive you." Charles I said enthusiastically to Li Jinde.

He pinned his hopes of making up for the loss of the royal family on trade with the East.

(End of this chapter)