It is not surprising that Montaigne admired Xu Guangqi with reverence. Because Europe in 1584 was still a young continent in terms of civilization development. It had just recognized its ancestors from the Renaissance and found its own historical origin. At the same time, this civilization had an air of nascent barbarism, establishing a kind of arrogance in the process of conquering the natives of America and Africa.
However, this excessive "confidence" does not have the corresponding economic volume to set it off and make it worthy of the name; there is no "Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy" to support it and make it convincing; and there are no outstanding humanistic philosophy works to support it. Elucidate and embellish it - you won't win hearts simply by dotting new routes with murderous hijacking.
Therefore, when they encountered thousands of years of accurate chronicles, complete legal and etiquette systems, scientific and effective management systems, and noble and humane religious customs, Montaigne and others encountered a dimensionality reduction attack - this No exaggeration.
Even in the Qing Dynasty, which had become ignorant and backward two hundred years later, when Voltaire, the "Father of French Thought", discussed China in "On the Spirits and Customs of Nations and the History from Charlemagne to Louis XIII", he admired Feelings also flow in the pen:
"While we were still a small band of people wandering in the forest of Ajeng, the Chinese's vast and populous empire was governed like a family."
...
There are many Europeans like Montaigne who have been affected by the mission. This small team has become a propaganda team and a seeder, sowing the seeds of Chinese civilization in this land that longs for enlightenment. The "elite elements" who stayed in the Ming Dynasty already had companions in their homeland - Francisco I, who was brainwashed by repeated letters from Romano, the violinist in the capital, was one of them.
After Montaigne left Florence with tears of excitement, the Grand Duke of Tuscany also had a serious talk with Xu Guangqi, mainly to ask about his inheritance. He was now caught in a paradox: biologically he had two heirs, but legally he had none. He didn't know what to do, so he consulted the "sage" from Seris on this issue.
Xu Guangqi scratched his head after hearing the Grand Duke's question - after all, although he had read a lot and was highly skilled in studying things, he had no clue about such issues because he himself was sent out before he even had a child. After obtaining the Grand Duke's permission, he invited Wang Jiaping.
Wang Jiaping has too much knowledge in this area. He first introduced China's system of establishing direct descendants as "actually established by the Duke of Zhou", and has since become "a system that is difficult to change for a hundred kings".
Hearing this, the Grand Duke of Tuscany said excitedly: "It is a pity that my first wife gave me seven children, but none of them survived."
Immediately afterwards, Wang Jiaping introduced the inheritance principle of "with direct descendants, without direct descendants" - this aspect is similar to the "primogeniture system" established by European aristocrats in the past hundred years, but the current problem of the Grand Duke is: in Legally, he didn't even have a son in his name.
This did not bother Wang Jiaping, who immediately proposed the theory of "adoption" - a nephew could be adopted from a side branch to inherit the family business, but the nephew must call the Grand Duke his father and be legally separated from his biological father. Relationship.
After Wang Jiaping finished speaking, he frowned and said: "This kind of inheritance will cause some problems. Historically, when the throne is passed down in this way, there will usually be some years of unrest, and many countries will decline because of this." Out of respect for the royal family of the country, He did not mention the great etiquette, but cited an example during the Sixteen Kingdoms period, when Li Xiong, the Chenghan regime, was transferred to his nephew Li Ban, which led to kings competing for the throne and the country's power declining. He hoped that the Grand Duke would learn from this.
When the Grand Duke heard this, his expression changed. Antonio, the child brought by his second wife, looked like his mother, and even though he was supposed to be his own child, before DNA testing was available, the Grand Duke was somewhat doubtful in his heart.
As for Carlo, the illegitimate son, he was certain - but even Cosimo I, the first Grand Duke of Tuscany, only gave his illegitimate son Giovanni the right to inherit property. As for the inheritance of the Grand Duke's position, the illegitimate son was the main Can't live.
Now among the heirs left by Cosimo I, except for the illegitimate son Giovanni who became a cardinal, only himself and his younger brother Ferdinando are left. Ferdinando tried his best to pass the throne to Antonio. objected, and Giovanni was noncommittal.
This time Xu Guangqi visited Europe, Carlo, an illegitimate son, was able to curry favor with the envoys and became a celebrity around Xu Guangqi, successfully attracting the attention of royal families and Grand Duke Francisco.
After careful consideration, Francisco entrusted the illegitimate son to Xu Guangqi - this statement was equivalent to recognizing Carlo's partial inheritance rights. In terms of the influence of the Medici family in the Holy See, Carlo would be like his illegitimate uncle Giovanni in the future. , there is no problem being a cardinal.
But there is still the same problem. Illegitimate children do not have the right to inherit from the Grand Duke, because the Medici family has not yet reached the stage of a single inheritance. Legally speaking, Ferdinando’s inheritance rights are stronger than Carlo and Antonio—unless the Grand Duke is irrefutable. to prove that Antonio was his child, but this was impossible.
He truthfully told his dilemma, and Xu Guangqi and Wang Jiaping looked at each other. The inheritance of a great person is an extremely sensitive matter at any time, but the Grand Duke didn't show up. He chatted with two foreign envoys until midnight and asked for advice - you have the energy to try your best to create another one?
Upon hearing this, the Grand Duke broke the jar and said, "I have lost my ability to have children." After speaking, he let out a long sigh and his face turned red with embarrassment.
Wang Jiaping and Xu Guangqi were shocked again when they heard this. The Grand Duke was only in his forties, so why couldn't he survive? This was because he was not good at keeping in good health when he was young. How pitiful!
Wang Jiaping took a deep look at the Grand Duke, got up and went back to his room. After a while, he came back and took out a large box of pills and said: "Your Excellency, these are our country's sacred medicine 'Shenbao' pills. You can try taking two pills."
Xu Guangqi's eyes almost popped out of his eyes when he heard this, and he couldn't help but look at Wang Shangshu. Wang Jiaping, who had thick eyebrows and big eyes, looked a little worried and whispered in Chinese: "Aren't I afraid of losing the prestige of a Chinese man?"
The Grand Duke smiled bitterly and said: "I'm afraid it's useless. I've eaten coriander several times and almost got poisoned twice - this stuff is useless at all."
Wang Jiaping heard this and said: "Believe me, the Spanish fly cannot compare with this medicine - of course, as an ingestible drug, I recommend that you undergo a test before taking it. Well, you know how to test for poison with a silver needle, right?"
Xu Guangqi is an expert in this area. He quickly interjected: "Silver needles only react to impure arsenic. Your Excellency, it is better to find someone to test the poison before taking it. Moreover, we have different soil and water, and different races. This thing will work." or not..."
The Grand Duke of Tuscany stood up and bowed: "Thank you, Your Excellency the Count and Your Excellency the Minister, I will make arrangements immediately... Good night!"
Wang Jiaping didn't say anything. He handed over to Xu Guangqi and went back to sleep. Xu Guangqi grabbed him and said, "Nangong, there is something wrong with you~"
Along the way, Wang Jiaping and Xu Guangqi had become friends for a long time. Now that he saw him trying to get closer, he laughed dryly and said:
"Hey, don't mention it. At first, I thought that there could be some romantic and elegant things among the brothels and houses in Europe - who would have thought that this place is so barbaric and there is no poetry and singing at all? I was prepared for nothing!"
After a pause, the old guy said again: "It's a pity that this medicine has expired. Is it a favor to give it to the Grand Duke of Tuscany to try it?"
...
After a night of no words, Xu Guangqi thought that when he saw the Grand Duke of Tuscany again, he would be filled with joy or as if he were mourning his heir. However, he never expected that the Grand Duke would have a look of fear on his face: "Your Excellency, today I will test with a silver needle." When I tried the breakfast, it turned out to be black—someone poisoned our couple’s meal!”
