In this way, this matter is actually a consensual matter. However, in the specific operation, it is necessary to show the broad mind of Ming Dynasty.
Therefore, it didn't take long for Fang Yizhi to return to the inn, find Anders who had just settled down, and seriously replied to him: "Your Majesty's will is that our two countries are brothers, and there is no need to use the matter of marriage. Demonstrate the friendship between the two countries.”
"..." Anders was stunned for a moment. He thought he heard it wrong at first. After all, he hadn't even started to ask for anything, he just said that he wanted to send the princess over for marriage, and the dowry was also very generous. Don't give up such a good thing for nothing!
Seeing Fang Yizhi's expression, Anders came back to his senses and knew that he had heard correctly. He couldn't help but feel very troubled. He never thought he would fail in this matter. This is a bad start, so how can we talk about what happens next? If the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty is not interested, then the guarantee he has secured with His Highness the King and the great strategy he has conceived will not be realized!
Thinking like this, he became a little anxious, and quickly asked Fang Yizhi: "The friendship between our two countries is good, but His Royal Highness the King of my country admires the prosperity, wealth and enviable civilization of the Ming Dynasty, so even if he is As a father, I also want to find a good home for my most beautiful and beloved daughter."
At this point, Anders thought of something and quickly searched for it, took out a thick gift list, handed it to Fang Yizhi with both hands and said: "This is the dowry list prepared by the king of my country for His Royal Highness the Princess. Not to mention Colombo and Bombay, just other gifts, would be worth a million pounds.”
Fang Yizhi listened and took the list.
When Anders saw the list in Fang Yizhi's hands, he quickly added: "It can be seen that the king of this country really wants a good home for His Highness the Princess, and he really wants His Highness the Princess to marry in the Ming Dynasty."
On the surface, Fang Yizhi's expression didn't change much, but inside he was still very surprised. It's not what Anders said, but the emperor had told him before that the Portuguese envoy would definitely try his best to marry their princess.
With this thought in mind, Fang Yizhi held the gift list in both hands and said to Anders: "However, Her Royal Highness the Princess of your country is only thirteen years old, and the Emperor issued a decree a few years ago, in order to allow young people to have More opportunities to study, and it is stipulated that men and women must be at least 18 years old before they can get married! And if a woman gets married at an older age, it will be easier to have children."
"..." Anders was speechless again. How could he send a girl to his door? Why was it so difficult to send her to him? Not to mention how the princess looks, the dowry alone is probably in high demand in Europe!
Thinking this way, suppressing the dissatisfaction in his heart, Anders found another reason to talk.
Seeing this, Fang Yizhi expressed the final intention of Emperor Chongzhen: "Since your country is so sincere, if Ming refuses again, it will be disrespectful to the guests. The emperor's intention is not to violate the newly established agreement." It is an alliance between two fraternal countries. Therefore, the princess of your country will marry me, His Highness the Crown Prince of Ming Dynasty, as a concubine. How about that?"
"Marry His Highness the Crown Prince?" Anders couldn't help but ponder upon hearing this.
The prince will definitely inherit the throne of the Ming Dynasty in the future. Although it is not absolute, there should be no problem. This means that he will marry the future emperor of the Ming Dynasty. But no matter what, Portugal and the Ming Empire are finally in-laws!
"Please wait a moment, Mr. Fang." After Anders thought for a while, he said to Fang Yizhi, "Let me report this to Her Highness the Princess and I will reply later."
Fang Yizhi nodded in understanding, put the gift list back on the table, and waited quietly for the result.
…………
Catherine had just settled in and was interested in the accommodation and customs in the Far East that were completely different from those in Europe, when Anders came.
After listening to Anders' report, she couldn't help but be surprised: "Women also have to be eighteen years old to get married? Is it to give people more time to study and reduce the risk of women giving birth?"
"That's probably what I mean!" Anders nodded and replied honestly.
For women, these rules are absolutely welcome, even if Catherine is from the West. Marrying again after five years would give her such a long time to get to know the Far Eastern Empire. As for whether she would marry the current Ming Emperor or the future Ming Emperor in the future, she really didn't care much.
But after all, she knew her father's situation, so she suppressed her excitement and expressed her concerns. No matter what, the relationship with Daming must be improved to the next level.
After receiving Catherine's final statement, Anders was relieved, and came to discuss with Fang Yizhi, saying that it was okay to marry the prince as a concubine, but at least he had to have a title.
Fang Yizhi couldn't decide on this matter. After reporting to Emperor Chongzhen, he finally decided to get engaged first, decide on the status, and get married five years later.
Just like that, the prince was busy with the steam battleship, and suddenly he learned that he had a foreign concubine. To be honest, he didn't really care much about this and continued to be busy with things that interested him.
But in the court, there was a meeting about his affairs.
In the Wenhua Hall, Anders was performing his performance facing Emperor Chongzhen and senior officials of the Ming Dynasty.
First, he praised the friendship between the two countries, and then emphasized that now they have become sons and daughters, and the friendship between the two countries has taken a step further. And he also said that since they were engaged anyway, the princess's dowry would be given first, and there would be no problem in handing it over to Daming as soon as possible.
Regarding these, Emperor Chongzhen always kept smiling. After all, this was a good thing. Of course, the senior officials of the Ming Dynasty were also happy about this. The atmosphere in this Wenhua Hall was very good for a while.
Then, Anders looked at the atmosphere and began to complain, saying that the situation in Portugal was very bad now, but he could still persist, and he just hoped that Ming Dynasty could lend a hand to help.
Isn’t it according to Eastern customs that a betrothal gift is required for an engagement? Then there are no other requirements. It just depends on whether the Ming Dynasty can send troops to join Portugal to kill the Spaniards in America. Anyway, the Spaniards massacred the people of the Ming Dynasty several times, and they were the enemies of the Ming Dynasty. Moreover, during the Battle of Luzon that year, some Spaniards fled to America.
When he got excited, he said passionately and generously to Emperor Chongzhen: "The king of my country admires His Majesty the Ming Emperor very much for his kindness in loving the people like a son. Especially I heard that His Majesty the Ming Emperor once said that those who offend the Ming Dynasty will be punished no matter how far away they are. ! Therefore, after hearing that the Spaniards killed the Ming people in Luzon but fled back to the Americas, I came up with this idea. Your two countries will unite to eliminate all the Spaniards in the Americas to avenge the Ming people, and at the same time also Cut off Spain’s coffers.”
Seeing that Emperor Chongzhen seemed noncommittal, Anders quickly added: "I am willing to pilot the route from the Ming Dynasty to the Americas. I don't say absolutely. Basically, there is no big problem in crossing the Pacific. Moreover, I have detailed military information in the Americas. We can also do our best to provide it. After the two countries eliminated Spain, South America will belong to the country, and the rest will belong to the Ming Dynasty. Your Majesty does not know that the richest part of the American continent is Central America, and there is no problem in giving it to the Ming Dynasty. "
After finishing speaking, he felt a little uneasy. Looking at the expression of Emperor Chongzhen and the expressions of senior officials of the Ming Dynasty, he was afraid that after so much preparation had been made, so much effort had been made, and even the princess had been sent away, don't worry about this critical moment. Time got stuck.
In fact, he was overthinking it.
Emperor Chongzhen did not say that he would definitely conquer the American continent.
In addition, as far as the senior officials of the Ming Dynasty in the Wenhua Hall were concerned, they had actually known about Emperor Chongzhen's determination to expand the territory. They had already known about Ming's expedition to the American continent.
Not to mention that the Spaniards in Luzon fled to the American continent, and the remaining Japanese captives also fled to the American continent. As Anders said, one of the slogans of the Ming Dynasty is: No matter how far away they are, they must be killed. This is no joke. No matter where the enemy flees, he must be chased.
The biggest difficulty for Ming in doing this is actually that he is not familiar with the Pacific Ocean and the situation on the other side of the ocean. Now that Fo Lang Ji has stepped in to make up for this shortcoming, Xue Guoguan and others know with their toes that the emperor will definitely agree.
Since the emperor will definitely agree, then Xue Guoguan and others will naturally not object. At least for them now, they are absolutely confident in the combat power of the Ming Army.
So, one by one, they expressed their support for sending troops.
Emperor Chongzhen remained silent. After they all spoke, he nodded and said, "In that case, let's send troops."
In fact, for the Ming Dynasty, the most ideal situation is not to send troops now, but to wait a generation to digest the annexed land first and enrich the Ming Dynasty's manpower and materials.
However, Emperor Chongzhen cannot trust the future Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, nor can he trust the ministers of the Ming Dynasty after the Ming Dynasty. If he does not expand as much as possible while he is still alive, then he will be sorry for time travel and Goldfinger.
The specific details of sending troops to the Americas will certainly not be discussed at this meeting. Convinced, Anders withdrew happily.
But Emperor Chongzhen still had something to do, and he immediately said to his ministers: "I want to follow up on this occasion of sending troops to America and reform the policy of the Ming Dynasty."
Upon hearing this, many courtiers smelled it and understood that the emperor had definitely been planning it for a long time. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to say this so quickly.
Sure enough, when they heard that Emperor Chongzhen announced the new vassal policy, they immediately understood that the princes had not accepted the vassal status, and they were actually waiting for this!
For civil servants like them, it would be the best thing to get Zongfan out. Therefore, they naturally also strongly supported it.
In June of the 24th year of Chongzhen, the imperial court announced several major events at once, which immediately caused a sensation in the world.
Miaoshuwu
