The Royal Palace of Siam, where the King of Siam did not live, was divided into two parts, the front and back, according to the custom of Han palaces.
The rear part is naturally where the so-called harem is located. At present, only about 10% of the part has been built, and a large area of land is still empty. Only some zoning lines have been done. The completed part is a large dormitory hall with a courtyard, which is very close to "Siming Lake". It is currently the residence of Huang Zhiting, and Gao Yuan, the eldest son of Gao Pragmatic, also lives here.
The front part is the so-called palace front, but the construction progress is also very average. Not only has the construction of the main hall, which was theoretically used by the king to go to court, not yet begun, there is even no final decision on what it will look like - because Gao Pragmatic has not yet given any approval.
The construction progress is actually about the same on the east and west sides of the front. To the east is the civil servants' Yamen building complex and to the west is the generals' Yamen building complex. The construction progress is about 60 to 70% each.
When Envoy Alfredo and Captain Pedro were introduced into the "East Court", they were curious about everything they saw. This curiosity does not refer to the strict three-step, one-step, five-step and one-post guard in the entire palace, but the buildings that are obviously very Western-style.
Although Jinghua Company's "hobby" of recruiting European architects is well known, the fact that they actually built this palace - at least the current part - in such a European style was a big surprise to Alfredo and Pedro accident.
"Somewhat like a French palace, but without all the religious elements." Envoy Alfredo made a brief comment, and then asked: "Pedro, do you think this means that European culture has had a great impact on Jinghua Company?" Influence?"
"Sorry, Mr. Special Envoy, I can't be sure." Pedro shrugged and said: "I only heard that His Excellency Gao Pragmatic is a very enlightened person and has always been fond of Western-style architecture. He believes that stone buildings are far away from the world. It is more durable than wooden buildings, and for this reason, an initiative to improve masonry buildings was even launched within the Ming Empire.
If Mr. Gao Jingshi was influenced by European culture, then perhaps the reason for the appearance of these buildings in the Royal Palace of Siam is indeed what you said. However, I once heard a rumor that His Excellency Gao Jingshi liked stone buildings because the word "Shi" in his name was pronounced the same as "Shi" in their language. You may not know that people in this country sometimes do unreasonable things because of their likes or dislikes of certain pronunciations. "
Alfredo didn't understand a word of Chinese, so he really didn't understand these situations, so he could only shake his head and said: "Okay, thank you for your explanation, but I think now is not the time to think about these issues." He paused and asked Said: "Can the soldiers around us understand Portuguese?"
"These soldiers are the bodyguards of Baroness Huang Zhiting. They are from Guangxi. They should not be able to understand our conversation." Pedro said.
"Then what if we have something to communicate with them? Or if there is any misunderstanding between the two parties during the journey."
"Mr. Special Envoy, you may be worried too much. These guards of Her Majesty the Baroness are real killing machines. I don't think we will conflict with them." Pedro laughed dryly: "This is the Royal Palace of Siam, not The Royal Palace of Portugal, we should be friendly enough, which will be beneficial to the negotiations later.”
"Hmm... I hope Your Excellency Gao Mengnan has prepared an excellent translator, otherwise I'm afraid that if he wants to default on his debt later, he will say it was because you set a language trap for him." Special Envoy Alfredo muttered.
Pedro raised his eyebrows: "I first learned Chinese from Father Michele Ruggieri. Through communicating with many Ming Empire businessmen in Malacca over the years, I have become proficient in communicating with Chinese businessmen in Chinese, and I am also involved in their literature, so they will not doubt my ability to understand and express Chinese. Of course, I think they will prepare excellent translators, because such people are not difficult to find in Jinghua Company."
While they were talking, the two of them had been taken to a three- or four-story long row building. This building is somewhat like the Kartelburg Palace in Austria (the predecessor of Schönbrunn Palace). There is a square in front of the building, and there is a fountain in front of the square near the main door steps.
However, Alfredo was a little puzzled by the two statues spitting water in the fountain, and asked Pedro in surprise: "What kind of animal is this? Is it some kind of prehistoric python?"
"Ah, this should be a dragon, a special creature that represents the Chinese emperor... Oh, no, this is not the dragon that represents the emperor. Look at its claws. These two dragons have four claws, while the emperor uses five claws. So they represented princes - powerful local nobles, or various kings who were subordinate to the emperor.
As for the meaning of these two statues, I think it should be 'Double Dragons Playing with a Pearl', which means two dragons are fighting or playing around the middle bead. This is a very common vocabulary in Chinese literature. "
"The difference between a king and an emperor is that he is missing one claw? Well, this is very vivid. However, I reserve my opinion on whether the King of Siam is considered a surrender of the Ming Emperor." Alfredo said.
Pedro chuckled and said, "You don't know something. Even if this place is not the palace of the King of Siam, but the residence of His Excellency Gao Jingshi, this statue can still be used because he was given the opportunity to use it a few years ago." This symbolic animal." [Note: Refers to the person who is highly pragmatic and is given a python robe. ]
At this time, an interpreter finally came down the steps from the gate, bowed slightly to them, and said in Portuguese: "Good morning, gentlemen, welcome to the Siam Prime Minister's Palace. Please allow me to introduce myself: My name is Lin Jizong , are the two translators on this trip. I hope we can have a pleasant cooperation."
"I also wish you good morning, Mr. Lin." Alfredo took off his hat and bowed in return, and replied politely: "I also hope that we can have a happy cooperation, not only with you, but also with His Excellency Gao Mengnan. "
Lin Jizong smiled, but did not answer this sentence. Instead, he turned slightly sideways, made a "please" gesture, and said: "Inside, please, gentlemen."
When they got to the building, they discovered that this place was somewhat different from the "Prime Minister's Office" they imagined. The main reason was that it was not quiet and depressing, but instead people came and went. Judging from the crowds coming and going inside, there are both Ming people and Siamese people. Of course, what they have in common is also obvious: everyone is well-dressed.
Lin Jizong seemed to have guessed their thoughts and explained: "Don't be surprised, the Prime Minister's Office currently not only serves as the official residence of the Prime Minister of Siam. In fact, after the Kingdom of Siam carried out the 'Six Reforms', because the construction of the palace has not yet been completed, the officials The Sixth Department of Hurei Military and Criminal Engineering are currently working in this building, and some members of the Jinghua Advisory Group are also working here."
Alfredo quickly expressed his gratitude for his explanation, but Lin Jizong said no more and took them directly to Gao Mengnan's "Prime Minister's Office" in the middle of the fourth floor.
After the communication, the two Portuguese were brought into Gao Mengnan's office, and they saw the Mingren Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Siam and the chief advisor of the Beijing Advisory Group for the first time.
In their eyes, Gao Mengnan is a majestic middle-aged man in his forties with a chest-length beard on his chin. However, unlike the common beards of Europeans, his long beard is trimmed very delicately and is not wide and wide. It is long and has a magical sense of elegance.
He is wearing a black Ming-style robe (neither of them is very good at Ming Dynasty clothing styles. Pedro has only spent time learning about the official uniforms of the Ming Dynasty, so he does not know what kind of casual clothes Gao Mengnan is wearing). At this moment, he He was getting up from behind his desk and walking out.
Seeing Gao Mengnan approaching, the two Portuguese men immediately took off their hats and bowed slightly. Gao Mengnan had already had experience in dealing with Westerners at this time (mainly from missionaries and architects), and when he was about to walk in front of them, he already took the initiative to extend his right hand to Alfredo.
"Welcome to Dingnan, please take a seat."
After shaking hands one by one, Gao Mengnan waved his hand briefly, led the two of them to sit down, and then asked: "I heard that your envoy came on the order of the Governor of Goa, your country. Do you have anything important to discuss with me?"
Alfredo listened to the translation and said quickly: "Yes, Your Excellency, I am here on the order of His Excellency de Arenquel, Governor of Goa of the Kingdom of Portugal. Your Excellency, the Governor hopes to discuss many important matters in the Nanyang region with Your Excellency and Jinghua Company." , the Kingdom of Siam, etc., and if possible, it would be best to formulate this agreement into a written contract.”
Gao Mengnan didn't seem to be very surprised. He smiled slightly and asked, "What are the important things?"
"The first priority is the right of free navigation in the Nanyang region." Alfredo said: "Your Majesty the Governor believes that given that the number of pirates in the Nanyang region has been greatly reduced, and the navy of the Kingdom of Portugal has the ability to ensure that its merchant ships can operate in this area, Safe navigation in the sea area, so it is very unreasonable for the Nanyang Fleet of Jinghua Company to collect navigation fees from our merchant ships and even warships in this area.
At the same time, there are many countries and political entities within the scope of the Nanyang Sea, and the Nanyang Sea should be a public sea area owned by all countries. Moreover, given that Jinghua Company is only a private enterprise belonging to the Ming Empire, from a legal perspective, the company obviously has no right to decide who can and cannot pass through the Nanyang waters..."
"If your envoy is here to discuss the issue of 'Who belongs to Nanyang?', I suggest that your envoy should learn about the history of the major countries in Nanyang - they have already submitted to the Ming Dynasty more than a hundred years ago to declare themselves vassal and pay tribute, so What you call public sea areas actually has a higher legal sovereignty owner, which is my country, the Ming Dynasty.
As for Jinghua Company or its Nanyang Fleet, everything we do in this sea area is to exercise this power on behalf of the Ming Emperor and the court. Whether to charge navigation fees, and even the amount and standard of navigation fees to be charged are all my freedom.
According to the instructions of Gao Qiuzhen, the Minister of Household Affairs of the Ming Dynasty and the owner of Jinghua Company, the legal reason for Jinghua Company's two-ocean fleet to collect navigation fees is that Jinghua Company has been paying customs duties at the highest rate in the Ming Dynasty. Therefore, the imperial court gave it the power to collect navigation taxes from the East and Southeast Asia.
If you or the Governor of Goa are dissatisfied with this, you have two options to choose from: first, write a letter to the Ministry of Household Affairs of the Ming Dynasty to make a complaint; second, declare war on the Ming Empire. "
Alfredo was so angry that his brain ached. Represent to the Ministry of Finance of the Ming Empire? Damn you, your Minister of Finance is very pragmatic. I went to him to complain that his company's behavior was illegal. Did I eat too much?
As for the second option, it is simply a mockery to your face: If I had this kind of strength, I would have done this decades ago, why should I wait now? What's more, a few decades ago, the Ming Dynasty only relied on numerical superiority to win on its own coast. Now, the highly pragmatic private fleet can beat the Castilians. At this time, the Kingdom of Portugal will jump out and attack the Ming Empire. Declare war?
"Your Excellency, I think we should discuss solutions to the problem more from a political perspective instead of talking about war. After all, war is not good for anyone." Alfredo coughed lightly and said: "About the issue of sovereignty , since your views and ours are hugely different, I think we might as well put it aside for now and talk about more practical issues first."
Gao Mengnan snorted indifferently and said, "It's okay, please tell me."
Alfredo said: "In less than half a year, General Musali, the garrison envoy of Siam in the Kingdom of Siam, held large-scale military exercises in areas extremely close to Suluoke and Dadi. We believe that his behavior It has seriously threatened the peace and stability of the region, caused serious interference to businessmen from various countries, including our own businessmen, and also severely impacted regional commercial trade..."
"Wait a minute." Gao Mengnan interrupted: "The Luowei area where General Musali held military exercises is nearly a thousand miles away from the city of Malacca. How come his actions thousands of miles away actually affected Malacca? Did he really affect it? Businessmen from various countries, or does it only affect businessmen from your country?
The news I have is that since this year, the number of merchant ships from Daming Maritime to Malacca has continued to increase. According to the current situation, the number of merchant ships sailing from Daming ports to Malacca this year may increase by 15% compared to last year.
Based on this, I have not seen any situation where commercial and trade activities in the region have been affected. I even believe that it was precisely because of General Musali's actions that some unscrupulous businessmen in the region were greatly deterred, and various illegal activities were significantly reduced. "
As a naval officer, Pedro was not used to listening to the two of them arguing over a few words here. At this time, he finally couldn't help but said: "Your Excellency Gao Mengnan, I am from the 'Grandura' of the Navy of the Kingdom of Portugal. Captain. As a soldier, I just want to ask you briefly: Does General Musali's behavior mean some kind of war threat? Please note that the war threat I am referring to here does not only refer to Suluoge and Dadi. , also refers to the city of Malacca.”
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