The Rise of the European Emperor

Hundreds of pieces of exquisite official kiln porcelain have smashed the Portuguese dignitaries in Lisbon to the point of losing their ability to think. The Portuguese nobles who auctioned the porcelain all returned home with joy. Even King Manuel I of Portugal, after taking pictures of some of the best china, refused to let go of the china he bought.

Of course, there are also sobriety. For example, Marin's partner, Jorge de Coimbra, Duke of Coimbra, Lencastre knew very well that this was by no means everything on board.

So, taking advantage of no one, he found Kong Tai and made a direct offer:

"Bring me a few dozen china, and each piece of china will be exchanged for an African ox!"

Comte was a little stunned, Jorge De and Lencastre also reacted - Comte and Columbus had just returned from the east, and they didn't know that Marin bought African cattle adapted to the tropical climate from him.

So, Jorge De, Lencastre sent someone to invite the representative of the North Sea Country, who was stationed in Portugal and contacted with it, to communicate with him.

After learning that Marin was in urgent need of purchasing African cattle from Jorge De and Lencastre, Duke of Coimbra, he decisively took out 4 dozen (48 pieces) of official kiln porcelain and gave them to Jorge . De, Lencastre. Because, Kong Tai knew, Marin was not interested in porcelain, only interested in exchanging porcelain for money. It's no wonder, after all, Marin was used to seeing porcelain in his previous life, so how could he treat porcelain as a treasure? For him, exchanging porcelain for gold coins or other benefits is the most important thing.

However, Kong Tai did not dare to sell all the porcelain. Because Marin wasn't interested in porcelain, it didn't mean that other dignitaries in Beihai were not interested. You must know that placing a few pieces of Chinese-made porcelain in a prominent position in the living room at home is the best way to dress up in the European aristocracy...

Therefore, Kong Tai hid most of the porcelain and waited for it to be shipped back to Marin for disposal. Whether to sell or give away, Marin has the final say. However, he brought back a few thousand pieces of porcelain, and it is still okay to take out a few hundred pieces. Anyway, the master, Marin, is not interested in porcelain.

...

The next day, Comte and Columbus were in the Lisbon Royal Palace again, and in front of many Portuguese dignitaries, they took out some silk and tea bricks, again triggering looting. Some people didn't buy it, and even wanted to go through the relationship between Columbus and Comte to pick up the goods on the ship.

However, the two did not dare to call the shots, and the other nobles also understood. After all, these things should be said to belong to Marin, not Columbus and Conté.

If it wasn't to convince the Portuguese that they had been to Huaxia and did not set the stage for the next flickering plan, these things should not have been brought out in Lisbon at all.

The reason why Marin arranged for Columbus and Comte to show porcelain, silk and tea in Lisbon,

Just to stimulate Portugal to go east and fall into Marin's trap...

...

As expected, Manuel I summoned all the Portuguese nobles in Lisbon that night and had a big discussion in the palace. The content of the discussion is to enter China as soon as possible.

Although Portugal is still running rampant in the Arabian Sea with the Spanish fleet and intends to control the Indian spice trade, it cannot devote too much energy to the east.

However, the china, silk and tea brought back by the Columbus fleet have already made the Portuguese jealous.

That night, almost all the Portuguese nobles who attended the meeting expressed their strong willingness to go to China for trade. At the same time, they also made plans to monopolize China's trade, and prepared to eat alone.

But the problem is, the Portuguese have never been to the East and don't know the route. Therefore, the Portuguese monarchs and ministers decided to entertain Columbus and Conté, and then take advantage of the drunken rhetoric to reveal the secret of the China route... If they can't figure it out, they plan to spend a lot of money to buy Columbus or Conté, or their sailors. , be sure to get the secret of Huaxia's route...

So, the next day, Manuel I sent someone solemnly to invite Columbus, Conté and Sconda, the three officials who presided over the voyage, to attend the grand banquet at the Royal Palace of Lisbon.

...

In fact, neither Manuel I nor his ministers knew that, even if they did not act, Columbus and Conté planned to take the initiative to reveal some "inside information" to them. Now that the invitation has been sent, how can Columbus and Comte still not know what it means? So, the two settled on a strategy of "pretending to be drunk and bragging"...

Sure enough, at the banquet, Manuel I asked the great Portuguese nobles to frequently toast Columbus and the three of them, which was completely in a battle of wheels.

Halfway through the drink, Sconda threw himself on the table (he was almost done, but he wasn't the protagonist today, so he just pretended to be drunk). And Columbus and Kong Tai seemed to be drinking too much, their tongues started to grow bigger, and they started to speak casually...

At first glance, it seemed to be successful, Manuel I hurriedly sent someone to talk...

In order to pretend to be a little more like, when Kongtai communicated with the Portuguese minister, he used Latin, the common language of European aristocrats, and then a word or two of German came out of his mouth, which made the minister who was talking to him confused.

However, Portuguese Prime Minister Lavaldo nodded to Manuel I - this is what it should look like when drunk, it is very suitable for clichés...

Then, Ricardo, the foreign minister who knew German and was very eloquent, went out in person and began to communicate with Conté. On the other hand, Columbus saw that Kong Tae's acting was better than himself, so he just lied on the table and pretended to be drunk. As a result, Kong Tai became the only one who could deal with the Portuguese monarchs...

"Lord Kongtai, have you successfully traded with the Eastern Empire?" Ricardo tried to ask.

"Trade?" Kong Tai, who had a big tongue, was full of disdain. Then, he suddenly became furious:

"Damn trade, it really makes people angry! We did try to ask the Eastern Empire for trade, but the other party's requirements were too harsh. You know, the officials of the Eastern Empire, let us submit to its emperor, and as a messenger, I must Kneel and worship them, three kneels and nine kowtows!" After speaking, Kong Tai gestured to explain what three kneels and nine kowtows mean.

Manuel I, who was listening on the side, was dumbfounded—Nima, isn’t this a shame?

Ricardo went on to ask:

"Perhaps your Grand Duke's title is a little lower, and the other party is so demanding... If our king's envoys hand over the letter of credentials..."

"Hey—" Kong Tai smiled dismissively.

After laughing, Kong Tai explained:

"Lord Ricardo, you probably don't understand the virtues of the Eastern Empire. In their eyes, the kings of other countries are nothing more than barbarian chiefs, and they are not qualified to be equal to their emperors! Even His Majesty Manuel If you go there in person, they will also ask your majesty to kneel and kowtow to their emperor three times!" Kong Tai's words are not nonsense, but fact.

However, this remark angered Manuel I. He said angrily:

"How dare they be so arrogant and don't take me seriously? Kong Tai, you're not lying to me, are you?"

Kong Tai blushed and defended:

"How could it be? I swear by Kong Tai in the name of God, what I said is true!" Then, he added in his mind - the next thing is to fool...

Seeing that Kong Tai swore in the name of God and was drunk, everyone believed it.

Kong Tai seemed dissatisfied and continued to brag:

"You don't know, that country is indeed rich and has a lot of porcelain and silk. However, they look down on people. In their opinion, we Europeans are all barbarians, and we don't deserve to be equal to them. We handed in our credentials and were torn up directly. Yes. The other official told me—after you have learned to be humble and submissive, let’s talk about things. Moreover, the Eastern Empire does not accept equal trade with any country…”

"What? No equal trade with any country?" Everyone present was shocked.

"Yes, in the eyes of the Eastern Empire, people from other countries are inferior. There is only one way to exchange their porcelain and silk..." Kong Tai said with a big tongue.

"How?" Everyone asked with interest.

"Send messengers to their capital to kneel down to their emperor, expressing submission to their emperor! Then, they will give you a chance to trade. This trade is called 'tribute trade'. And, give your porcelain a drink Silk is not traded equally with you, but after you pay tribute, the other party rewards you like a beggar. Your messengers must bow down and thank them for their rewards..."

Suddenly, the atmosphere of the Lisbon Palace froze...

Obviously, if you want to trade with the Eastern Empire, you must first let the king be someone's dog... This is unacceptable to the arrogant Portuguese...

Or Portuguese Prime Minister Lavaldo is more astute, he suddenly asked:

"Since the search for trade has failed, then where did the porcelain and silk on your ship come from?"

Manuel I and other Portuguese nobles suddenly realized - yes, you said you can't trade, so where did your goods come from?

Kong Tai smiled proudly and said:

"We took it!"

"Grab it?" Everyone was stunned, but then understood. why? Because the Portuguese are also keen to plunder. Kong Tai said this, very much to their appetite. So they asked Comte to tell the details.

Conté drank another glass of wine and said with a big tongue:

"We are unwilling to surrender to each other, but there are small countries in the east that are willing to surrender. They sent a tributary merchant ship full of china, silk and tea... Then, when they returned..." Kong Tai blinked, Showing a "you know" expression...

Portuguese monarchs really understood in seconds...

"It's a good idea!" The Portuguese monarch and minister who are thieves agree with it...

...

As if it was not enough to say, Kong Tai also took out a small map from his clothes pocket and pointed it out to everyone:

"Look, this is the Eastern Empire..."

"This is Guangzhou, this is the Pearl River Estuary..."

"Guangzhou City is very well-defended, and it is estimated that there are 20,000 troops stationed there..." Kong Tai did not say that, there are indeed four guards in Guangzhou, each guarding more than 5,000 people, and the total number exceeds 20,000. Of course, this is a theoretical figure, and there are plenty of empty payers.

And this number also shocked the Portuguese monarchs and ministers a lot.

"Don't be afraid, no matter how many they are, they are still in Guangzhou city. Our ships are waiting for those small country trade ships to return to the sea off the Pearl River Estuary. Then, hehe..."

Portuguese monarchs and ministers once again showed a knowing evil smile...

Then, Kong Tai pointed to the Strait of Malacca and said:

"Do you know where this is?" The Portuguese monarchs and ministers shook their heads one after another.

Conte said proudly:

"This place is called the Strait of Malacca, and it is the main sea transportation route from India to China. Whoever occupies this place will monopolize the maritime trade with China..."

Speaking of this, Manuel I's eyes suddenly lit up. Moreover, he stared at the small map, obviously moved...

"Let me tell you, there is a small country called the Kingdom of Malacca. Although this country is not big, it is prosperous because it is in the main communication route with China. Moreover, they have just discovered a huge tin mine in their country. It's a huge tin mine, not a small one!" Kong Tai said flamboyantly.

"How big is it?" Ricardo asked, pretending to be surprised.

After pretending to think for a while, Kong Tai said:

"The tin reserves there are estimated to be tens of millions of pounds of tin metal!"

"Tens of millions of pounds!" Manuel I's wine glass didn't hold steady and fell directly to the ground.

You know, there is a shortage of tin mines in Europe, so the price of tin is higher, similar to that of copper mines. In other words, tens of millions of pounds of tin, worth millions of pounds of silver...

Thinking of this, the saliva of Manuel I and the Portuguese nobles present will flow down...

"Are you sure you're not talking nonsense?" Ricardo said in disbelief.

"Believe it or not! You can send spies to find out! That place is called Kuala Lumpur. If you say something wrong, I'll let you deal with it!" Kong Tai roared with a blushing face as if in anger. Then, he pointed it out to Ricardo on the map:

"This is Malacca City, this is Kuala Lumpur... If we can occupy this place, it is equivalent to occupying a big gold mine... Hiccup..."

Staring at the map, Manuel I's eyes were full of fiery... He nodded to Ricardo, who understood in seconds...

"Come on, keep drinking..."

"Okay, I'll drink... Do... Cheers..." After drinking a few more glasses, Kong Tai pretended to be drunk, collapsed to the ground, and got under the table...

When Manuel I ordered the three to be sent to the guest room to rest, he carefully removed the map from Conté's hand. Then he commanded:

"Find a court painter and make a copy. Finish it before he wakes up, and send the original back..."

"As ordered!"

Then, the song ended, and the "drunk" Columbus, Conté and Sconda were all sent to the guest rooms of the Royal Palace of Lisbon to rest...