Chapter 303

"This Su Qiao, aside from that mouth of his, is nothing but a fire enthusiast. Sigh."

……

……

The capital of the Chongzhen reign.

After the Grand Secretariat's edict was issued.

The capital was unusually calm.

The edict stated clearly: officials at all levels of the court must not force the common people to use Baochao.

Except for those few transactions explicitly mandated by the court to use Baochao.

It had almost nothing to do with the daily lives of ordinary people.

As for the merchants traveling the Western Pass, although they voiced some complaints.

They merely spat a mouthful of thick phlegm at the notice, cursed quietly about having to make two more trips themselves, and even had to hire two accountants to do this task regularly every month.

That was the extent of it.

What the Great Ming Grand Secretariat did not expect was that the people truly reacting with great force were not these Great Ming commoners.

But rather those Westerners in the Bureau of Military Equipment under the Ministry of War.

Before they came to Great Ming.

The Western economic system had already begun to take shape.

Just a few years before Tang Ruowang set sail, the first comprehensive work on economics, "A Treatise on Taxes," had already been printed.

The moment these Western missionaries saw this edict.

They immediately realized the Grand Secretariat's intent.

Those Westerners did not even care about their current duties.

They immediately began conversing in their native tongue within the Bureau of Military Equipment.

"If this edict of Great Ming is truly implemented."

"I fear that before many years have passed, even the merchants by the banks of the Laiyinhe River will be holding Baochao."

Tang Ruowang sighed and said,

"What truly worries me is who proposed this plan. Even the bishops of the Papacy could never have thought of such an idea!"

"Enough. The urgent matter now is to find a way to locate the King of Great Ming and persuade him to revoke this order."

Even though these Western missionaries had a rough understanding of economics.

This method of anchoring currency to commodities.

Was absolutely a dimension-shattering strike against them.

Just as these missionaries were discussing how to meet Zhu Youjian.

A person dressed in Zhu Hong robes walked over from a distance.

When they clearly saw the person before them.

Tang Ruowang and Nan Huairen's eyes immediately lit up.

However, Zhu Youjian did not even spare them a single glance.

Instead, he walked straight toward a barracks in the distance.

Nan Huairen and Tang Ruowang did not mind.

Normally, to see Zhu Youjian, one had to pass through layers of guards, and whether one could see him depended entirely on the Eunuch's mood.

Today, he had come right to their door.

How could they miss this opportunity?

However, just as the group moved closer.

They were stopped by two Embroidered Uniform Guards at the gate.

"Two of you, halt! This is a major stronghold of Great Ming; barbarians are not permitted to enter without authorization!"

Before Tang Ruowang could speak.

The two Embroidered Uniform Guards at the gate had already drawn the embroidered spring swords from their waists.

This place was Su Qiao's workshop for white sugar and gunpowder.

What would happen if these two foreigners were allowed inside?

Tang Ruowang stood outside the courtyard, watching Zhu Youjian speak to someone in a posture almost abjectly servile.

After a long while.

That person seemed somewhat impatient.

He stood up, put down what he was holding, and then walked toward the outside.

"Your Majesty, I must go relieve myself."

"Mr.!"

Zhu Youjian stubbornly ran out right behind Su Qiao's heels.

Seeing Zhu Youjian's demeanor toward Su Qiao.

Tang Ruowang's nose could not help but sting with emotion.

If the Emperor of Great Ming treated himself this way.

How could the great cause of spreading the faith fail?!

However, Tang Ruowang had no time for envy; seeing Zhu Youjian rush out, he hurried forward and said,

"Your Majesty! Your subject has words to speak! The ministers in the Grand Secretariat are being too Hu Nao!"

"They cannot be allowed to continue disturbing the people!"

Zhu Youjian's eyes held only Su Qiao; how could he possibly spare a thought for these two Westerners?

"We'll discuss it later. Can't you see His Majesty is busy?"

"Mr. Su, you should hurry to the Grand Secretariat. As for the Imperial Arsenal, I have ordered Minister He to personally oversee it. Is that agreeable?"

Seeing Zhu Youjian's manner.

Nan Huairen, already anxious and flustered, instantly blurted out in his native tongue.

"Johann, think of a way quickly! If this continues, it won't be us coming to Great Ming to preach; rather, those scholars will take The Four Books and Five Classics to Europe!"

Su Qiao, who had previously been avoiding Zhu Youjian, upon hearing these words.

Instantly froze in place.

Slowly turning his head, he looked at Nan Huairen and asked,

"What are you talking about?"

(What did you just say?)

In an instant.

Outside the Imperial Arsenal, a deathly silence instantly fell.

Zhu Youjian looked at Su Qiao with a face full of shock.

"Mr. Su, do you also understand Western languages?"

Tang Ruowang and Nan Huairen could not help but break out in a cold sweat.

Su Qiao stared fiercely at the two Westerners before him.

If Su Qiao had understood.

That would be impossible.

The two of them were speaking German.

Su Qiao could only barely claim to know some English.

After all, the British Isles were merely a tribe composed of descendants of the ancient Germanic Angles and Saxons tribes.

These two nations.

Were roughly equivalent to the relationship between the Xiongnu and the Turks.

There were always a few words where one could barely discern some meaning.

Although he did not know the specific meaning of that sentence.

Su Qiao keenly sensed.

That this was not good news!

Su Qiao's British accent clearly gave these two Westerners quite a fright.

Nan Huairen and Tang Ruowang looked at Su Qiao with terrified expressions.