Gao Mengnan glanced at Pedro, chuckled, and Shi Shiran said: "I once heard Father Luo Mingjian mention you, Captain Pedro, based on your Chinese proficiency, you should be able to understand General Musali's position. , he was the garrison of Siam - the word garrison obviously has a defensive meaning."
Pedro immediately asked: "You mean that General Musali does not have the power to initiate war?"
"Of course." Gao Mengnan leaned back a little, changed to a more comfortable sitting position, and said easily: "However, although he cannot start provocations without permission, the word 'guard' also means that he can reasonably respond to any intrusion. , looting and other acts, which includes not only counterattacks, but also counterattacks and sending troops to pursue them."
Pedro immediately replied: "It is impossible for Suluoge and Dadi to invade Siam. I think you should be fully confident about this."
Gao Mengnan said calmly: "Maybe Dadi won't, because long before Beijing came to Siam, it was a vassal state of Siam, and it also paid tribute to the Ming Dynasty many times. I have certain confidence in their loyalty. However, Su It's hard to say about Luo Li.
This country has no vassal relationship with either the Ming Dynasty or Siam, and as far as I know, this country has long been infiltrated by Westerners represented by your country... Captain Pedro, if I say that once this country is under the influence of your country Instigation, you dare to do something to Siam, will you deny it? "
Pedro frowned, this question was beyond the scope of what he could answer. It wasn't that he couldn't answer, but that his status wasn't suitable for answering such a question, so he turned his gaze to the face of Special Envoy Alfredo.
Envoy Alfredo noticed his expression and could only say helplessly: "Your Excellency, our country has always maintained great respect for the Ming Empire and has been peacefully communicating with the Ming Empire for decades.
The two sides have very close trade exchanges in Malacca, Guangzhou, Quanzhou, Ningbo, Haojing (Macau) and even the Philippines and Japan, and both sides have made huge profits from such trade exchanges.
The Kingdom of Portugal has always adhered to the diplomatic purpose of maintaining peaceful and friendly exchanges with the Ming Empire, and is willing to further strengthen trade exchanges with the Ming Empire to promote and strengthen commercial exchanges between the two sides. On this basis, how could our country have any vision of war against the Ming Empire, or other bad ideas?
As for the Kingdom of Siam... Well, since it is a vassal state of the Ming Empire (most Portuguese people do not understand the tribute system and usually simply copy the European concept of vassal state), if the Ming Empire clearly expresses its responsibility for its security, then our country Naturally, there will be no war or other offensive actions against it. "
"That's very good." Gao Mengnan was quite satisfied with what he heard this time and nodded: "I appreciate your envoy's pragmatic attitude very much. This is also the quality that Jinghua Company has always valued most. I'm glad that we have finally reached some consensus."
Although Alfredo is a diplomat, it is obvious that Europeans still don't understand what it means to retreat in order to advance. After hearing Gao Mengnan's words, he subconsciously followed the stick and said: "That's great, thank you. Your trust, but I think we should dig into a few more issues.
For example, based on your answer to the question just now, can I understand that neither the Ming Empire nor the Kingdom of Siam has any intention to change the current situation of the countries and forces in the Malay Peninsula? "
Gao Mengnan pondered for a moment, then suddenly turned his head and asked Pedro: "Captain Pedro, Father Luo Mingjian said that you also studied the knowledge of our Ming Dynasty with him? I wonder if you know what books I will take for the Ming Dynasty tribute examination?" "
Both Alfredo and Pedro were stunned, but Pedro still replied: "Your Excellency, my studies in Portugal mainly focused on religion and maritime affairs. I mainly learned the basics of Chinese when I studied with Father Luo Mingjian. For I only have a little understanding of philosophy and literature, but I don’t know much about them.
As far as I know, the Ming Empire's tribute examination mainly tests the Four Books and the Five Classics - but I must emphasize that I have only read a few sentences. To describe it in Chinese, it can only be called "a superficial knowledge". "
Gao Mengnan said in his heart: I have only read a few sentences and you dare to say that you know a little bit about it? Yours is not even enlightenment.
Fortunately, he didn't want to care about Pedro's knowledge, so he just smiled lightly and continued to ask: "Do you know the scripture that my brother chose to seek truth?"
"Ah, I heard this from the priest. His Excellency Gao Jingshi's classic is the Book of Changes." After Pedro answered excitedly, he was a little puzzled: "But I don't understand why you suddenly asked about this?"
"The so-called "Zhouyi" has always been called the head of the group of scriptures and the source of the great truth." Gao Mengnan chuckled and said: "If you understand the meaning of the "Zhouyi", you will know that my brother and I, who seek the truth, are responsible for what you said. What is the current stance on the situation on the Malay Peninsula?"
Alfredo had a headache. He had heard missionaries say that the official examination of the Ming Empire was actually a test of philosophy. According to his consistent view, philosophy was extremely brain-intensive and relied heavily on talent.
Gao Mengnan seemed to be fooling around by referring a matter that required a clear attitude to a philosophy book. Now he could only hope that Pedro had learned the ideas of the Book of Changes from Father Luo Mingjian.
Alfredo cast his pleading eyes on Pedro's face, but the latter scratched his head in embarrassment and laughed dryly: "Ah, this... I can't remember."
It's a bit embarrassing, but it's understandable. "The Book of Changes" was written very early, and its "minor words and great righteousness" reached a certain level. Even in the imperial examinations of the Ming Dynasty, there were always only a few scholars who chose "The Book of Changes" as the main scripture.
However, the reason why Gao pragmatically chose "The Book of Changes" as his classic canon was precisely because its ideas were most consistent with his own understanding: everything is always changing, but "all changes remain true to their origins."
Easy, change.
What Gao Mengnan wants to express is that everything is changing, and "our" attitude will also change as the situation changes. In other words, he wasn't going to make any guarantees at all.
It's just that it might not be a good idea to say this directly, so why not try another way and use "The Book of Changes" as an excuse to let them guess on their own.
Pedro was not knowledgeable enough and lost his temper. Alfredo could only cough lightly and said: "Your Excellency Gao Mengnan, there is one more thing. I hope to get the real news from you: After the Battle of Manila, I heard that the Ming Dynasty The army is continuing to fight on Luzon Island, and many local tribes that originally submitted to the rule of the Kingdom of Castile have also been attacked by the Ming army...
But according to the latest news I have received, the local "Ming Army" is not the regular army of the Ming Empire (the translation Lin Jizong automatically changed it to "Jingzhi Army"), but the private army of His Excellency Gao Pragmatic. I would like to ask, is this sending troops to Manila an act of the Ming Empire government or a private act of Jinghua Company?
If it is Jinghua Company's private behavior, the previously signed Manila Contract may have huge legal loopholes, which may lead to many unpredictable major disputes between the two parties in the future. What do you think about this? "
Gao Mengnan said calmly: "The Manila War is not my authority and responsibility, and I have no opinion. But what I want to tell you is that although the Ming Dynasty participating troops in the Manila War were not part of the imperial government, except for the people and ships of my Jinghua Company, In addition, it also includes three princes from the capital of the Ming Dynasty and more than 20 princes and earls' subordinates.
All the nobles (translated as hereditary military nobles) in the capital of the Ming Dynasty had a role and all participated in this battle. Oh, by the way, they also have an organization that you must have heard of in Japan - the Beiyang Maritime Trade Alliance.
You two, regarding this issue, I can tell you the truth: the initiator of this war is not so much the Jinghua Company, but the Beiyang Maritime Trade Alliance.
I believe that based on your political experience, your envoy should know very well that the emperor would definitely acquiesce to the war launched jointly by the court nobles (translated as the hereditary military nobles of the Ming Empire) even if he learned the news - not to mention that he won easily. "
Alfredo learned the news from Pedro, and upon hearing the words, he immediately looked towards Pedro. The latter recalled briefly and immediately nodded slightly to him, indicating that Gao Mengnan could believe what he said.
Alfredo, the special envoy of the Governor of Goa, suddenly felt that the matter was unexpectedly difficult - in his understanding, "hereditary military aristocracy" meant that his family had long held a strong military power, and according to European habits, , this kind of power even has a high degree of independence.
The military aristocrats in Europe are not like the Ming Dynasty Honorable Group. In name, several great military meritorious noble families control the national military status through the Fifth Army Governor's Office. In fact, not to mention that the emperor, the cabinet, and the minister of the Ministry of War are all bigger than them, and even the Minister of Rongzheng of the Ministry of War can speak in front of them, and their real role... is mainly just in name.
The European military aristocracy was quite different. At this time, most countries in Europe continued to use the enfeoffment system. There was a famous saying that "the vassals of my vassals are not my vassals."
The general meaning of this sentence is: Each monarch (lord) can only govern his own vassals, but he has no right to govern the vassals of his own vassals. Since the land was enfeoffed at different levels, the vassal would only recognize the person to whom it was directly enfeoffed as its lord, and had no vassal relationship with its lord.
This means that the title of king and vassal is limited to two individuals who swear an oath to each other. The two parties use the oath as a contract to bind the relationship between monarch and minister, master and subordinate.
This derives two aspects of rights and responsibilities: on the one hand, if the vassal fails to fulfill his obligations, he will not enjoy the rights; on the other hand, if the prince exceeds his authority and demands, the vassal can reasonably resist.
This resulted in two-way rights and obligations in the European feudal system. Under the sense of contract, the levels were relatively independent. Even among monarchs and ministers, there is rarely such super-centralized control as "the monarch wants his ministers to die, and the ministers have to die".
In fact, not only in Europe, but also in countries where the centralization of monarchy has not reached a very high level, a similar situation will generally occur.
For example: In Japan at the end of the Warring States Period, on the eve of the Honnoji Incident, Ishida Mitsunari was a retainer of Hashiba Hideyoshi, and Hashiba Hideyoshi was a retainer of Oda Nobutada (Nobunaga had given him the position of governor of the family). Then according to the tradition at the time, Oda Nobutada could not directly command Ishida Mitsunari, because Ishida Mitsunari only had to follow Hashiba Hideyoshi's orders.
All in all, they all have a high level of independence. And when these highly independent "vassals" unite to carry out military operations, especially when "almost all participate" as Gao Mengnan just said, even their vassals are unlikely to object. .
Gao Mengnan's original intention was actually "the nobles acted collectively, and the emperor would acquiesce in order to save face." Who knew that once Alfredo understood it according to European thinking, it turned into "a tough action by a military aristocratic group to force the palace. forcing the emperor to accept the established facts."
The results are similar, but the causal relationship is completely misaligned.
However, there is no need to go into detail, because Alfredo already believes Gao Mengnan's statement that "even if the emperor learns the news, he will definitely acquiesce." At this time, he could only consider countermeasures along this line of thinking.
The emperor's acquiescence meant that the Ming Empire would recognize the legitimacy of this action. Since the "Kingdom of Luzon" was originally a "vassal state" of the Ming Empire, it meant that there was no legal problem with the behavior of the Beiyang Maritime Trade Alliance, so it was meaningless to continue to struggle with legal principles.
"It's really regrettable...Oh, please don't get me wrong, I mean that such uncontrolled war behavior will have a very negative impact on the trade environment of Manila and even the entire Kingdom of Luzon."
Alfredo considered his words and continued: "Out of concern for the trade environment, I would like to ask you, how long will the war in the Philippine Islands last?"
Gao Mengnan shook his head and said: "Your Majesty seems to be a little forgetful. I have just said that the war in Luzon is not within my authority and responsibility. I neither know nor can I make any statements or predictions about it.
In addition, I always feel that the scope of your concern here is too large. As the chief advisor of the Kingdom of Siam, I can only express my views on matters related to the Kingdom of Siam.
If you want to know what actions Jinghua Company will take throughout Nanyang and even wider seas and regions, I suggest you either find a way to get in direct contact with my brother Qiuzhen. "
"But as the Minister of Finance of the Ming Empire, Your Excellency Gao Jingshi is very busy with official duties, so it is impossible for him to leave the capital and go to the sea to meet me, and the Ming Empire does not allow people like me to enter at will... This really makes me very regretful."
This is true. The Ming Dynasty only allowed certain missionaries to enter on rare occasions, and this usually required the guarantee of officials with a certain status.
Relatively speaking, Gao Jingjing has greater "power" in this matter. He often provides guarantees for some architects from Europe, so that they can go deep into the mainland to understand Chinese architecture and cooperate with domestic architects according to his requirements. , designing some buildings that combine Chinese and Western styles - such as Rixin Building, which is a product of this kind.
If Gao Mengnan wanted to, he could actually report directly to Gao Jingshi and then invite Alfredo to enter the country in Gao Jingshi's name, but Gao Mengnan suspected that Gao Jingshi might not be willing to talk nonsense with this person.
"It seems that you are seeking something far away." Gao Mengnan nodded and said, "Otherwise, I will go to Huang Dutong's office and ask her to see if she is willing to meet you."
Alfredo was overjoyed: "Are you talking about Her Excellency, Baroness Huang Zhiting? That's great. Thank you very much for your generosity and kindness."
"You're welcome." Gao Mengnan smiled kindly, but thought to himself: Hum, my younger siblings are not as easy to talk to as I am. If she hadn't been seeking truth, she would have crushed Malacca ten or eight times by now... Can you still gain something good by going to see her?
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