Chapter 414: The Talk Therapy of the House of the Wise

Xu Xu Jiugao had already resigned himself to death; Liu Ji, as a desperate outlaw, had few faults beyond his love of piracy, and an experienced captain could lead the fleet back to Great Ming—he had clearly felt his life force ebbing at sea, and was on the brink of death when he suddenly heard the words of the Wise One.

In his dying bed, he sat up in shock—there was a place for him in the Dissection Institute!

Xu Xu Jiugao lived. He gained a fierce will to survive: he would not die in the West, would not be dismembered, and least of all would he have his skull pried open!

Xu Xu Jiugao resided within the House of the Wise in the Free City, located near the equator, bathed in sunlight, and with no shortage of visitors.

Within the grounds of the House of the Wise, Xu Xu Jiugao and others faced no harsh treatment; local pirates frequently sought help from the House of the Wise, bringing their most difficult questions for counsel—better than praying in a church, because the House of the Wise actually responded.

Praying in a church only led to being sold indulgences, but seeking aid at the House of the Wise yielded answers. After Xu Fan departed, the House of the Wise did not close its doors—it thrived even more, opening many branch offices, with Xu Fan's retainers, these henchmen, assuming the role of the Wise Ones.

After Xu Xu Jiugao recovered, he served as a Wise One for several days, resolving pirates' doubts, which greatly enhanced the House of the Wise's reputation; pirates all said: the priests of the House of the Wise could commune with the God of Wisdom, and any question could be answered.

Xu Xu Jiugao greatly enjoyed this role-playing game as a Wise One, for he keenly realized it might be an excellent platform for intelligence gathering. Soon, he fully understood the operational logic of the House of the Wise.

In truth, the "solving of doubts" was not solving at all—Xu Fan had merely devised a set of rhetorical techniques.

Everyone came seeking answers from the Wise One, but in truth, each person had already made a firm choice in their heart before arriving at the House of the Wise—they merely needed affirmation of that inner conviction.

Thus emerged a set of phrases designed to guide the speaker toward revealing their true thoughts and then affirming them.

This doused Philip II in cold water, bringing him to complete calm.

Antonio shook his head and said: "The envoy's understanding of the situation is slightly outdated. In time, Spain's military genius, the Hou Jue of Santa Cruz, will personally come to Lisbon for negotiations."

But to everyone's surprise, Philip withdrew his forces at this critical moment.

While the land war raged, both Philip and the Duke of Fernando pondered a terrifying question: where was Antonio's navy? For Antonio's entire strength lay in his navy. They soon learned: Antonio's navy was raiding their homeland.

Xu Xu Jiugao and Liu Ji stared wide-eyed. Xu Xu Jiugao could hardly believe it: "They've already tangled together—now they're planning to have a son?!"

Xu Fan leaned back in his chair and said: "Noblewomen are eager for social gatherings and take no precautions against surprises—because what they truly seek is surprise."

"I don't fully understand the situation. I hope this military genius truly comes for negotiations," Xu Xu Jiugao remained uneasy—was the military genius coming for talks, or under the guise of talks to launch an attack? Xu Xu Jiugao's concern was also Xu Fan's, but Xu Fan felt a talk was necessary—it was a risk.

Falanxi's situation was a tangled mess, and the Empress Dowager's timely support caught Xu Fan off guard; the Duchess seemed smitten with Antonio—at least for now, this choice wasn't too bad.

Antonio's wisdom may not have been enough to make him king against Philip, but he never changed—he always kept the common people in his sight.

Philip did not wish to deploy Álvaro, for Álvaro had grown too powerful and overshadowed the throne; but the situation was too dire. Álvaro did not disappoint the Spanish—he began recalling the Invincible Armada and launched campaigns, completely annihilating all of Antonio's five-masted ocean-going ships within the Mediterranean, then utterly destroying the Free Fleet.

Yet Antonio bought ten more five-masted ocean-going ships in Great Ming; once this core returned, it quickly regained combat readiness within a single month—or rather, regained the ability to harass Spain's coasts.

Xu Xu Jiugao asked with a puzzled expression: "If I recall correctly, isn't Antonio the grandfather of the Duchess?"

The Free Fleet, crossing the Strait of Gibraltar, attacked Spain's homeland. Philip had planned to capture Lisbon before ordering a retreat, but the ten five-masted ocean-going ships of the Free Fleet proved devastating: within two months, they breached dozens of ports, burning, killing, and looting along the way—even Seville, the trading hub of the New World, was captured.

"Your Majesty should consider the military threat posed by Philip II," Xu Xu Jiugao, having learned in the Free City that Antonio's life had been unstable, said: Antonio had spent a period hiding and fleeing.

Inside the Portuguese royal palace in Lisbon, King Antonio welcomed the Great Ming envoy with a grand ceremony. Yet Antonio did not follow the tributary rites—this was not because he harbored disloyalty, but because he had never heard of such rites. He was a half-baked vassal of Great Ming, with no lineage or anyone to inform him of their existence.

The Great Ming envoys did not remind Antonio, for Portugal was too distant—beyond the reach of Great Ming's military, economic, political, and cultural influence—so all remained silent; maintaining the status quo was itself political wisdom.

Xu Fan called this system "talk therapy," and it was extremely expensive: in the Great House of the Wise in the Free City, one session cost fifty taels of silver or its equivalent in coins; in ordinary Houses of the Wise, five silver coins per session—more expensive than indulgences, yet far more effective.

Notably, the Houses of the Wise were also numerous in Portugal.

Great Ming indeed could not reach far enough to directly interfere in Western affairs, but the Great Ming Emperor's investment in Antonio exceeded Philip's expectations; Great Ming's punitive tariffs and threats against its New World colonies enraged Philip, yet left him powerless.

For Antonio, the situation instantly became perilous.

Philip still harbored ambitions to seize Portugal and gathered forces to attack Lisbon, but the great Western galleons returned home—and the Free Fleet was reborn!

"Is that so?" Xu Xu Jiugao frowned.

Antonio did not stay long; after a brief chat with Xu Xu Jiugao, he departed—the State Minister and the Great Ming envoy were fellow townspeople, and naturally had much to discuss.

Xu Fan nodded: "Yes, you're right. Their grandfather was Manuel I. Philip II is Manuel I's grandson through his daughter—so this is a family feud."

"The West is like this. Understanding the blood ties among Western nobles is incredibly difficult—they themselves don't even know their relationships," Chen Chen Dazhuang stifled a laugh. When Xu Fan first learned Antonio and the Duchess were involved, he had the same stunned expression as Xu Xu Jiugao and Liu Ji—Western affairs were simply too chaotic.

Antonio's return to Lisbon to compete for the throne was itself a gamble.

Álvaro could have seized the moment to crush Antonio outright, for Antonio had no cards left—he had even fled to Porto, preparing to escape at any moment, as defeat was certain.

No one knew what was discussed. Some said Álvaro feared for the safety of his son Diego de in Great Ming; others claimed Álvaro launched a palace coup and was defeated by Philip; still others said Philip and Álvaro had a furious argument, with Philip demanding why he hadn't attacked Lisbon.

"In this seven-month war, what surprised me was the Empress Dowager Catherine of Falanxi sending naval support, and the Duchess of Braganza's choice—she sided with Antonio. Yes, as you imagine, the two heirs became lovers and plan to have a child," Xu Fan and Xu Xu Jiugao entered the Chinese Hall, sat down, and spoke of the recent war.

Only Philip and Álvaro knew the content of their talk, but what relieved all Spaniards was that the king and general did not clash directly over this campaign, avoiding domestic fracture.

At this moment, Falanxi—already struggling—sent two galleasses (three-masted, clinker-built ships) under Empress Dowager Catherine's orders to the Tagus River, repelling Philip's army. The stalemate did not last long, for Philip's Invincible Armada unleashed its terrifying power, annihilating the Falanxi navy entirely; the river was cleared, and Lisbon seemed within reach.

But this military genius, Álvaro, did not press forward. He returned to Spain's summer palace, surrendered his command, held a long night-long talk with Philip, then retreated into seclusion—as before.

"Whether punitive tariffs, the complete loss of Mindanao, or even the Viceroyalties of Mexico and Peru—these are costs Philip cannot bear."

Philip had no choice but to summon the Hou Jue of Santa Cruz, Álvaro de Bazán, once more to restore order.

The Hou Jue of Santa Cruz had never known defeat in the West, just as Qi Qi Jiguang was the military genius of Great Ming—Álvaro was Spain's military genius.

"Thank the great Emperor of Great Ming—his generosity allowed me and my subjects to enjoy a period of peace."

Xu Xu Jiugao did not linger longer in the Free City; as soon as he recovered, he led his fleet to Lisbon.

Xu Xu Jiugao glanced at Xu Fan, who smiled without speaking. Xu Xu Jiugao found Antonio's words strange—not the exaggerated gratitude, but that Antonio had ended by mentioning the common people.

Antonio spoke in extravagant tones: "Since leaving Great Ming, my command of Han language has not declined—this I owe to the State Minister's timely exchanges. I sincerely thank the Great Ming Emperor for his support. The despicable Philip attempts to sow discord between me and Your Majesty, trying to paint me as a traitor. Philip's treachery has failed—Your Majesty's threats have made Philip hesitate, afraid to act."

In the fifth month of the eighth year of Emperor Wanli, Philip dispatched his Invincible Armada to Lisbon, capturing the ancient city of Évora. Duke Fernando defeated Antonio's army on the banks of the Tagus River outside Lisbon, threatening the royal city; three of Lisbon's four ministers chose to surrender to Philip.

The Free Fleet: I've risen from the ashes!

The core of the Free Fleet was the five-masted ocean-going ships. Álvaro knew this well, so during the purge of the Free Fleet, he destroyed every five-masted ship—costing the Invincible Armada at least a 20% reduction in size. For the fleeing three-masted and two-masted vessels, Álvaro did not pursue.

"In the West, such close-kin marriages, driven by the pursuit of pure and noble bloodlines, often result in offspring suffering madness, early death, or deformities. For example, King Henry III of Falanxi's only son had a protruding lower jaw, too large to chew food, and an oversized tongue that prevented clear speech."

"That tragic child didn't wean until age five, didn't walk until eight, couldn't communicate with others by twelve, was consumed by rage, and finally, the Empress Dowager personally ended his life."

"Many say this curse came because the child was born of the Empress Dowager and Henry III."

"Is that really true?" Xu Xu Jiugao asked curiously.

Xu Fan shook his head: "No. The Empress Dowager is sixty-two. Henry III lived in the Castle of Anjou until he became king—by then, the Empress Dowager was already fifty-five. On the contrary, she has tirelessly ensured the Falanxi throne remains in Falanxi hands."

"The current King Henry III prefers male lovers, leaving him without heirs. With the Empress Dowager's death, the Valois line in Falanxi will die out. This is a conspiracy, but the Empress Dowager has no solution."

"Henry III is utterly useless."

To understand how Falanxi transitioned from Valois Falanxi to Bourbon Falanxi, one need only examine the Empress Dowager's life.

Xu Xu Jiugao received Xu Fan's notes; this record, when brought back to Great Ming, could complete the "Records of Foreign Lands"—not crucial content, but a historical record and lesson.

"Here is a letter from His Majesty to Envoy Xu," Xu Xu Jiugao produced a letter—the Emperor's own handwriting.

Xu Fan picked up the letter, first checked the wax seal—intact, meaning the letter had not been opened. He opened it, glanced at the personal seal, confirmed it was the Emperor's signature, verified its authenticity, then began reading.

The personal seal was a forgery-prevention mark.

Before the Song Dynasty, some targeted scholars who had passed the imperial examinations—this was called "stealing official rank" in the Central Plains; if caught, the entire family was executed.

For example, in Journey to the West, Tang Tang Sanzang's father, Chen Chen Guangrui, was thrown into the river by the boatman Liu Hong while on his way to take office—this is how Tang Tang Sanzang ended up in a wooden basin, drifting downstream, setting off the main plot of Journey to the West.

Journey to the West is, of course, a myth, but such substitutions of identity occurred frequently.

During Emperor Renzong's reign in the Northern Song, "seal studios" appeared: scholars who passed the imperial exams would go to a seal studio to obtain their personal seal, practice it thoroughly, then exchange it at the Ministry of Personnel for an official stamp—the seal was the standard anti-forgery mark. This was an information gap: bandits knew nothing of seals; once they forged official documents, they were exposed.

Zhu Zhu Yijun's personal seal was not his imperial name—such names were strictly taboo. Thus, the Emperor's seal was "Zhu Wu Zhongxing."

"Zhu Wu Zhongxing" represented the imperial will—the will of Great Ming's revival.

In the letter, the Great Ming Emperor bluntly stated he was Xu Fan's father's killer, and that he himself had severed the head. He gave no attempt to conceal the details—Xu Fan was intelligent; lying was pointless. Only the Emperor could have killed a prisoner in the imperial dungeon; in the early Yongle reign, Commander Ji Gang killed Xie Jin on the Emperor's orders.

The letter ended abruptly—no further explanation, no mission—but Xu Fan was profoundly relieved: the Emperor seemed no longer intent on pursuing him.

Chen Chen Dazhuang was a direct subordinate of Ling Ling Yunyi, an imperial hawk, an imperial hound—Chen Chen Dazhuang could kill Xu Fan as easily as slaughtering a chicken.

This letter, specially delivered by the Emperor, was a message to Xu Fan: the matter was closed, no further pursuit. Wasn't this, in truth, Xu Fan's own life-saving talisman?

"Southern scholars are always excessively greedy," Xu Fan put down the letter and said to Xu Xu Jiugao: "In the thirtieth year of Emperor Hongwu, the Southern and Northern Examination Scandal—Southern scholars refused to grant even one Ming Jinshi slot to the North."

"Huh?" Xu Xu Jiugao paused, then understood. This Southern-Northern Examination Scandal was famous—discussions of it were countless—but Xu Fan's interpretation was clearly a novel perspective.

"Indeed, they always push further. After Emperor Yang of Sui died in Yangzhou, which emperor dared let powerful clans merge with the ruling class? Wasn't the Southern-Northern Examination Scandal precisely an attempt by regional clans to break through their class, firmly seizing control of official appointments—and even hereditary offices?"

Xu Fan had heard only fragments of class theory in the West; he had analyzed the era of aristocratic dominance using it.

That is, the period from the late Eastern Han to the fall of the Sui Dynasty, when aristocratic clans completely controlled the official selection system through the Nine-Rank System, then used their controlled resources to attain hereditary official status.

At that time, generals and officials in court all came from prominent clans. Then Emperor Yang of Sui's reckless ambition led to his death at the hands of a united aristocratic conspiracy.

Xu Fan carefully stored the Emperor's letter, now more certain than ever that he must seize the Portuguese throne—otherwise, he would one day lose even the right to receive a Great Ming imperial decree. He continued: "Viewed through the lens of class theory, the Southern Examination Scandal reveals a terrifying truth: Southern scholars hoped to use it to expel Northern scholars entirely, seize control of official appointments, then, through the prevailing trend of promoting literature and suppressing military power, weaken hereditary officials, and become the new aristocratic class."

"They succeeded halfway: through the trend of promoting literature and suppressing military power, they weakened hereditary officials—but they never fully controlled official appointments, because infighting broke out—everyone wanted it."

Xu Fan's talk of Southern scholars' greed was, in truth, a reflection on his father's death. Xu Xu Jie had no escape—he finally dashed himself against the Emperor's blade. But a son does not speak of his father's faults; Xu Fan could not directly say his father deserved to die. Had he not pleaded, earnestly, to no avail?

"Envoy Xu, when do you plan to go to Falanxi? I bought some silk from Great Ming and sent it to the Empress Dowager as a gift. She hasn't given up—she's a very fashionable woman, hoping to rekindle Henry III's interest in women. She needs silk."

Empress Dowager Catherine was a very fashionable woman; she single-handedly shaped Parisian romance. Corseting was wildly popular in Paris—some women's waists measured only one chi or less. As the old saying goes: the golden spear cannot compete with a slender waist.

Henry III had once favored women—otherwise, he wouldn't have fathered a deformed child. Now, at sixty-two, Catherine had prepared over seventy beautiful women, hoping to awaken Henry III's desire for women through fashion, and bear a healthy child to inherit the throne.

Yet Catherine was also an extremely violent woman. She once launched the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre—on her daughter's wedding day, she ruthlessly purged the opposition, turning the wedding into a blood-soaked affair.

The massacre occurred in Paris; over five thousand died that day alone. The killings spread from Paris to the countryside; at least thirty thousand perished in this purge.

Considering Paris had only 150,000 people and Falanxi no more than five million, thirty thousand dead was an extraordinarily high proportion.

Catherine had decided: if fashion failed, she would use violence.

Once Henry III bore a healthy heir—male or female—he himself would become useless. This may be why Henry III preferred men.

"I plan to meet this Spanish military genius, then proceed to Paris and the Netherlands. The Strait of Gibraltar is under Spanish control; otherwise, I could reach the Ottoman Empire by sea," Xu Xu Jiugao explained his itinerary—he wished to explore the Ottoman Empire, but Philip would not let the Great Ming envoy fulfill his wish.

If Great Ming allied with the Ottomans, Philip would lose all sleep.

"He'll arrive in about three days," Xu Fan nodded, finding it acceptable.

In truth, the Hou Jue of Santa Cruz's strength far exceeded Xu Fan's expectations. The moment he appeared, every disadvantage Philip faced reversed. The Free Fleet, which had been trading blows with the Invincible Armada and even gaining the upper hand, was crushed underfoot by the Hou Jue of Santa Cruz.

Had Great Ming not again supplied the new core—the five-masted ocean-going ships—Portugal would already belong to Philip.

Four days later, the Hou Jue of Santa Cruz's fleet appeared at Lisbon's harbor. Antonio, the Duchess, Marcus, Paulino, Xu Fan, Xu Xu Jiugao, Liu Ji, Chen Chen Dazhuang, and others welcomed the Hou Jue at the port.

The Hou Jue of Santa Cruz was old—slightly hunched, thinning hair, with only a few strands left at his temples, sunken eyes, a white mustache curling upward beneath his nose. He took out spectacles, put them on, studied Antonio and the Duchess, then shook his head: "I told the King from the start that the Duchess supported Antonio as king. The King didn't believe me. Now it's clear: the Duchess never supported my King's claim to the Portuguese throne."

The Duchess was one of the heirs; having no supporters, she withdrew directly. The aged, sharp-eyed Álvaro saw at once: Antonio and the Duchess had long been entangled.

"Is this the envoy from the Eastern Great Power, Portugal's State Minister Xu Fan?" Alvaro sized up Xu Fan and smiled: "I see ambition in your eyes—and of course, Lord Antonio, you may take that as me stirring trouble between you."

"Soren is a capable man; he learned a few things from the State Minister and returned home, after which the city was no longer so foul as to be unapproachable. Thank you, Lord Xu Fan, for your careful instruction."

"Actually, Lord Antonio's attitude doesn't matter—what matters is the Eastern Great Power's stance. Lord Xu Fan, is the Great Ming extending its hand too far?"

Alvaro didn't care about Antonio; he didn't need to lift a finger—Felipe could crush such a fool with three fingers. Alvaro cared about Xu Fan, Xu Xu Jiugao, and these unfamiliar Eastern faces; their arrival filled him with deep unease, and as soon as they disembarked, he launched his assault against the Easterners.

A single sentence branded Antonio a traitor who had invited wolves into his home, accused the Great Ming of overreaching in Western affairs, pointed out that the Great Ming was too distant to intervene, yet dared to stretch its hand so far—while Alvaro himself led the Invincible Fleet to chop off that hand!

Unfortunately, that hand had reached out again.

"If the General were twenty years younger, the Free Fleet would never have had a chance to rise from the ashes." Xu Fan paid no mind to Alvaro's provocation, for Alvaro had come to negotiate—what could not be won on the battlefield could not be won at the negotiating table.

"Is this gentleman, then, the Great Ming captain Xu Xu Jiugao, who recently arrived in Free City?" Alvaro turned to Xu Xu Jiugao, his expression slightly resigned. The arrival of the Great Ming exploration fleet in the West was no good news for the West—it meant the sea routes long monopolized by the Spanish Crown had been breached.

It meant that even without Western galleons, the Great Ming's five-masted ocean-going ships could now cross the seas and reach Free City, reviving the Free Fleet from its ashes.

"Yes, General, your fame has reached even the Great Ming." Xu Xu Jiugao held no contempt for Alvaro; he asked with some curiosity: "It's strange, though—how did you defeat the Free Fleet? The Invincible Fleet was always at a disadvantage before."

"Old things still have their uses. The Invincible Fleet was too bloated; each faction had its own agenda. Everyone feared my land campaigns, so they obeyed my orders—but in raw strength, the Invincible Fleet far surpassed the Free Fleet. Vast empires share the same disease: bloat and rigidity. The Great Ming is no exception, nor is Spain." Alvaro waved his hand. Strength alone was overwhelming, yet the battlefield results were dismal—because everyone had their own hidden motives.

Alvaro was the Father of Soldiers, a dual land-sea war god. Only while he lived and led his troops did the army become a single, unified force.

Victory should have been inevitable, but the bloat and rigidity within the empire caused factions with conflicting interests to act differently—ultimately reflected in the battlefield outcomes.

What did Alvaro discuss with Felipe II at the Xia Gong? Alvaro had urged Felipe II to launch a purge akin to the Massacre of the Wedding, seizing total control of the empire for Felipe himself, then fully annexing Portugal.

And Alvaro himself would be the first target of that purge.

Felipe II did not endorse such extreme measures. As the dominant power of the West, he believed the sun never-set empire, at its zenith, had no need for such radical tactics.

On the way to the Portuguese royal palace, a man rushed up to Antonio in haste and whispered: "News from Spain—Felipe has acted. On the Day of Transhumance, Felipe purged the nobles who came to attend the festival."

Felipe did not wish to purge Alvaro—the cost would be too high. Troop morale would shatter; the Invincible Tercios and the Invincible Fleet would lose faith in the king. But that didn't mean Felipe wouldn't strike at others.

"Brutal tactics," Xu Fan said sincerely, watching Alvaro arrive in Lisbon.

Thank heaven this old man is nearly dead.

(End of Chapter)