The Reborn Duke of Ming Dynasty

Zhang Fan came from modern times 500 years later, and after the Ming Dynasty, many things he saw and heard have changed.

Although his grades in history courses were not very good, it was just because he was not interested in history, and it did not mean that he had not studied it. Later, some TV science and education films, or some celebrity scholars conducted research on history. He also watched some of the programs explained.

Zhang Fan discovered a problem. In the eyes of modern people, most people in modern times have an understanding that among the last two feudal dynasties in China, the Qing Dynasty was superior to the Ming Dynasty. , Zhang Fan wouldn't think too much about it, after all, it hadn't involved his life yet, it was just what others said on weekdays.

However, after coming to the Ming Dynasty for so many years, Zhang Fan had a very opposed view of this kind of thinking. Was the Ming Dynasty really worse than the Manchu Qing Dynasty?

After some consideration, Zhang Fan discovered the problem. It seemed that those people's eyes were all on the upper echelons of the two dynasties. What's more, they thought that the emperors of the Ming Dynasty were all bastards, while the emperors of the Manchu Qing Dynasty were all idiots. Holy gentleman.

Well, the emperors of the Ming Dynasty were a bit unsatisfactory. Even the founding emperor Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Di, who had great public morality, could not escape being picked on and belittled by later generations. However, how to evaluate a dynasty is really just to look at it What is the ruler like?

To give a good example, during the Zhengde period, Emperor Zhengde himself was very playful. He could wear his own costumes to sing on stage, he could subdue the folks and molested women from good families, and he was able to proclaim himself a general to fight in battle. He also set up places like the Leopard Room for him to play. Lustful, and during the Zhengde period, there was such a treacherous eunuch as Liu Jin. From this point of view, Zhengde is indeed a foolish emperor to the letter.

However, no one can see that during the Zhengde period, the lives of the common people were not miserable, but were still very rich. Some people may say that during the Zhengde period, Liu Liu and Liu Qi’s uprising broke out, but that was also when Zhengde had just ascended the throne. The reason why some eunuchs falsely passed on the emperor's imperial decree was not the original intention of Zhengde, and even the battle of Zhengde's game work won the "Yingzhou Great Victory", which made the Yuanmeng remnant party unstoppable during the Zhengde period. If you dare to do it again, even the "History of the Ming Dynasty" written by the Qing people who tried their best to slander the Ming Dynasty has to admit it. What's more, in the late Zhengde period, the lives of the common people were still quite affluent, and there would be no starvation to death. The event of a large number of people.

On the other hand, the Qing Dynasty, as a regime that rose rapidly as a minority and ruled the Central Plains, what they really thought was not how to make the country strong, but how to consolidate their rule. They did not see a generation of "holy masters" like Kangxi and Qianlong. "The Daxing Literary Prison killed tens of millions of people; I didn't see Emperor Qianlong starving and dying countless times; I don't see how the Manchu Dynasty was finally destroyed.

It's a bit too far to say, in short, you can't just look at things on the surface, or just look at the quality of a few leading figures, and the Ming Dynasty gave the world at that time, especially those Europeans who had been to the Ming Dynasty. One of the most direct manifestations That is, enlightened.

At that time, there was a clear record, "Chinese people readily praise any virtues of neighboring countries, and bravely admit that they are inferior, while people in other countries don't like anything other than their own countries. Chinese people see products from Europe. , even if it is not exquisite, still utters an admiration, ... this humility is really admirable, especially in a people who can surpass others, and it is a shame to those who have blind eyes and deliberately devalue what they see,"

It can be seen from this that the idea that the "Chinese cultural tradition" is "foolish, rigid, blindly arrogant, and watching the sky from the bottom of a well" is absolutely wrong.

At least from what Zhang Fan now sees, the Ming Dynasty will not jump to conclusions too easily about foreign affairs. Practical things, such as the Franco cannon, are definitely what the people of the Ming Dynasty need, and they will not Because this thing is not made by Ming Dynasty, there is some resistance, and Ming people will not blindly belittle foreign things that seem to be exquisite but have no practical use.

Having said so much, before turning to the topic, when Long Qing heard Zhang Fan say that those Frang robots might still have a lot of newly developed weapons, he immediately became interested, but now, everyone still doesn't know What those weapons are, it still needs Zhang Juzheng, a "diplomatic expert", to tell other people's words.

This sounds like another joke about Zhang Juzheng, but Zhang Juzheng really doesn't even have the slightest idea of ​​being unhappy at this time. After all, this is for the prosperity of the country. Besides, those who laugh at him are all his colleagues, himself The people of the country have nothing to be ashamed of.

The camera turned to the side hall, Joanna and Richard were still waiting here, but they didn't feel too anxious, after all, there was a more delicious drink here than what they drank when they were in Jiangnan. Tea drinking, this is actually nonsense, how can there be bad things in the palace, not to mention the tea used to receive foreign envoys, even if it is not top-notch, it is definitely the best that ordinary people can't see.

"Richard, why do you think it's been so long, but no one sent by the Emperor Ming has let us go?" After waiting for a long time, it was Joanna who was a little anxious at first, and asked about her own problems. Companions come.

"Well, there's nothing strange about this," Richard said. In fact, he was more anxious than Joanna. It's not that they have any urgent matters, but it's really boring to sit like this, but As a foreign minister, if he didn't have such patience, he should have been "laid off" a long time ago, "Think about it, such a huge empire is ruled by only one emperor, although I also know that the emperor's subordinates must There are many ministers who help him govern the country, but he can't just ask about everything, he has to settle the affairs of his own country before he can come to see us."

"Oh, it's right to say so," Joanna heard Richard's words, and it made sense after thinking about it, so she calmed down again and waited.

Alas, these two people are too innocent. How could they know that if Long Qing hadn't thought that the Fang Yuxi brought back by Zhang Fan might be genuine, they would have gathered all the ministers in the imperial palace this afternoon. In the extreme hall, I'm afraid they will have to wait until tomorrow morning to follow the ministers sleepily into the palace, and then wait in this side hall.

"Richard, you are the Minister of Foreign Affairs. You are more familiar with this kind of thing," Joanna asked suddenly, "Do you think the emperor of Ming Dynasty will allow us to attack India?"

"Well, this kind of thing is hard to say," Richard thought for a while and said, "Before, although the Earl was very warm to us and received us with the highest standard, didn't you notice that when we explained to him After knowing what he wanted to do, he just nodded his head to show that he knew, but he didn't say anything about it after that, "

"Do you think this means that they disagree," Joanna asked nervously, "Isn't it going to be troublesome now? His Majesty the Emperor has made up his mind to send troops to India, and this matter has also been approved by the domestic authorities." The consent of all the ministers cannot be changed at all. If the emperor of Ming Dynasty disagrees, I will send troops rashly. Will it make them feel that we despise them and let them send troops to fight with us? Richard, I have seen Their army, our army will definitely not be their opponent, what should we do now,"

"This is really troublesome," Richard said with a frown. "If their emperor really disagrees, we have no choice but to go back and persuade His Majesty to cancel the plan to attack India. Even if those ministers don't agree Agree, but with this reason, they have nothing to do, do you still remember what His Majesty said before we came, we must definitely become allies with Daming, not enemies, even those proud French people, or people from other countries , are all consistent on this point, Ming Dynasty is a powerful civilization empire that we must ally with, "

"It's just that if this happens, the situation in the country will be very bad," Joanna said with a frown, "Although we are connected with the Spanish royal family now, there will always be a day when we separate, and those Spaniards are even worse now. In a country where a lot of things have been quietly taken from our country to their country, His Majesty and the ministers have no choice but to make such a decision. If it doesn’t work, then it will be troublesome.”

"It depends on the situation. If it really doesn't work, we have to go back and persuade His Majesty to change the target," Richard said helplessly.

"But where should I change it?" Joanna was also worried, "I chose India because it is rich in gold, gems, and spices, and it is also the most suitable place. Do you want His Majesty to change the destination to Africa? "

"I didn't say that," said Richard hastily, "what did we do in that barren land, and I heard that the tribes there were still eating people, God, that was horrible, I just said, If there is really no other way this time, we can only ask His Majesty to change places. As for where to change, I haven’t thought about it.”

Seeing what Richard said, Joanna fell silent, but a somewhat sad atmosphere had already spread between the two of them.

"Don't be so sad," Richard said suddenly, "Haven't we not met the emperor of Ming Dynasty yet, maybe things will turn around again."

Hearing what Richard said, Joanna had no choice but to agree with him.

"You two, Your Majesty has summoned two special envoys to meet you," at this moment, a young eunuch came in and said to the two of them,