Chapter 646: Bring this young man named Galileo back to the Ming

Some words are not cultural differences, but cultural barriers, just like the three words "clearing the monarch's side." "Clear" is a verb, and "monarch" and "side" are the targets.

"The navy really cannot be disbanded. If the silver is not invested in the navy, are we going to keep it for war reparations?" Xu Fan repeated his opinion firmly. He was firmly opposed to Antonio's decision made on a whim.

Sometimes, Xu Fan always felt that Antonio's decision-making was like children playing house, doing this for a while and that for a while.

If you really think the name "Protection Army" doesn't sound good, change the name. "Portugal Invincible Fleet" is fine. Philip wouldn't have any opinion, because he was helpless against the Portuguese navy. But once the navy was disbanded, Portugal would have to change its surname.

The Left and Right Protection Armies were not under the control of the Great Bright Sect; they were commanded by Marcus on behalf of the King.

Making decisions in such a small country is indeed a bit like playing house.

For example, Mang Yingli of the Toungoo Kingdom, on a whim, wanted to attack the Ming. After Mang Yinglong just passed away, Mang Yingli just succeeded to the throne, the top-level architecture was unstable, and the bottom-level commoners were increasingly dissatisfied with the long-term state of war, he brazenly launched a war that required exhausting the national power and mobilizing the bottom level!

Xu Fan really couldn't understand how Mang Yingli had the courage to make such a decision.

The Ming Emperor, when His Majesty was a ten-year-old child, did not make such a decision. Whether it was pacifying the Jianzhou Jurchens at Gule Village or resisting the invasion of the Tuman Khan, they were all small-scale, elite surprise local wars. Mang Yingli was so old, launching a comprehensive war against the Ming, it was a bit of a serious illness.

And Antonio was also like this. On a whim, he expelled the Cardinal Ranuccio Farnese. Under the premise of universal belief in Portugal, how much chaos would this expulsion of the Cardinal cause? If it weren't for Xu Fan's quick wit, who created an absurd substitute, the Great Bright Sect, who knows if Portugal would be fighting a civil war now?

Hu Nao, simply nonsense.

"Then forget it." Antonio thought for a moment and decided not to downsize the navy. It was equivalent to saying that the palace secretary died in vain...

"Uh..." Xu Fan let out a heavy breath. He had never missed the Ming so much. This Antonio's decision not to downsize the navy was as casual as his decision to downsize it.

"The West, which lacks a long-term feudal era, is like this. It lacks the experience of fine management of vast territories in the case of scarce materials and silver shortages. Haven't you been accustomed to it after so many years in the West?" Li Yashi looked at Xu Fan, who was so angry that his seven orifices were smoking, and laughed sincerely.

This is the West, not the Ming. The feudal system of the West is essentially slavery. My vassal's vassal is not my vassal. There is no experience of fine management of the country at all. After getting a large amount of silver from opening the seas and becoming wealthy, the management is even looser.

If Xu Fan doesn't understand this point, I'm afraid he will be angered into a stroke in a few years. Do you think Antonio is the Ming Emperor? His Majesty is always full of wisdom, and he accepts good advice. His understanding of the theory of contradictions is almost instinctive. His Majesty is an extremely excellent politician, and Antonio is at most a captain, nothing more.

"Hmm? It seems that's indeed the case." Xu Fan was stunned. He found that what Li Yashi said made a lot of sense.

The Ming simply could not accept the kind of rule that was not even considered a tributary state in overseas colonies. The Governor's Offices everywhere were occupying mountains as kings, and each was a local emperor. Even the decrees of the local monarch were farts. Therefore, the Ming's overseas expansion, in twelve years, was only the four major Governor's Offices and the development of the Yuanxun Islands, with no more. And in the short term, the Ming also lacked interest in places that could not be actually ruled.

But the West naturally accepted this scattered pattern.

"This is what political immaturity looks like. On the contrary, the Ming is too politically mature. Being too mature is also not conducive to development. Colonization is burning, killing, and looting. The Ming lacks the legitimacy and justification for this kind of burning, killing, and looting." Li Yashi said with great emotion.

"You seem to be scolding me for being a child who can't grow up. Well, I think this is a compliment." Antonio spread his hands and said, "As long as Portugal doesn't fall into the hands of Philip II, it's fine."

Antonio thought this was a compliment, because he was not smart, but he was not bad, and he didn't pursue being an autocratic monarch like His Majesty or Philip, so not being smart was actually not a big shortcoming.

"I need to go from Lisbon to Ma Deli to meet His Highness Philip. This may require an identity of the Great Bright Sect, the identity of the Left Envoy of Light." Li Yashi was a defector. He violated his vow of celibacy and was now directly going to be the Left Envoy of Light of the Great Bright Sect.

The West plays identity politics. The more vests you stack, the more powerful you are. This is also the reason why the West is keen on stacking vests and engaging in a bunch of titles.

"This is very simple. You have the appointment of the Ming Emperor's special envoy to the West, which is a matter of course. But a Left Envoy of Light, I'm afraid it can't let you survive in Ma Deli." Xu Fan said with a solemn face.

Antonio thought for a moment and said, "Give him another diplomatic identity. Well, you can also give him a title. How about Hou Jue of Pombal?"

"Your Majesty the King!" Xu Fan was angry again. Only vessels and names cannot be lightly granted. Xu Fan had told Antonio many times not to grant titles to people casually. Marcus, as a sword saint and first mate, being granted Hou Jue was a matter of course. Are you going to grant the chef on the ship a Hou Jue title too?

This Li Yashi is a Spaniard. Although he was sent by the Ming Emperor, can a title be given just because you say so?

"Anyway, he is still going back to the Ming. Is it possible that Special Envoy Li doesn't want to stay in the West?" Antonio said quite affirmatively, "I believe Marcus is loyal, but as long as he has seen the prosperity of the Ming with his own eyes, he knows that it is a holy land."

"There, people are the way they are alive, whether for commoners or nobles."

Antonio did not doubt Marcus's loyalty, because Marcus had visited the Ming several times and returned, which was the greatest loyalty.

"Of course I'm going back. His Majesty killed the special envoy Solon. I need to explain the situation to His Highness Philip and see what His Highness means. In fact, it is to prevent His Highness from making any unwise decisions. The Ming issued a fine, and Spain couldn't bear it." Li Yashi said quite affirmatively, "With one fine, Spain would be completely finished."

The Ming Emperor did not want to be a world hegemon, but things that the Ming Emperor did not agree with, if you wanted to do them, it was absolutely impossible, or the cost would be extremely high.

That is the influence that the Ming Emperor thinks the Ming should have on the world.

But in fact, Li Yashi could more deeply know that the Ming Emperor's power had already affected the West.

For example, a fine.

That is, the Ming doesn't like to play the trick of fabricating out of thin air. Otherwise, taking advantage of Solon's case, directly rising to the whole of Spain, and asking Spain to pay a huge fine, Philip would have to admit defeat. Otherwise, if the Ming cut off trade, Spain's silver would lose its value.

Gold and silver that cannot buy goods are just a pile of useless metal.

Merchants from the Ming to Manila did not accept gold, which made gold worthless, and a large amount of silver flowed into the Ming.

There are many, many achievements in the Wanli Reform Great Speculation of the Ming, but Li Yashi likes the "Memorial on Anchoring the Paper Currency Law" published by the Ministry of Revenue in the Court Gazette in the eleventh month of the tenth year of Wanli. He thinks this is one of the most important achievements of the Ming's economic speculation.

The paper currency law needs anchoring, but the money law doesn't? Gold and silver are not naturally currency, but currency is naturally gold and silver.

The exchange value of gold and silver that cannot buy goods will fall, the price of goods will rise, and gold and silver will substantially depreciate.

Don't make enemies with the Ming because of a Solon. Only the Ming has the confidence and ability to do this. Philip II and Spain cannot make such an irrational decision.

There is no other reason. The Ming can produce everything, and the output is extremely high, and the quality is excellent. The Ming can lose its temper because it occupies an absolute commodity advantage. Philip II cannot lose his temper.

"Well, since you are going back, it doesn't matter if you give a virtual title." Xu Fan was worried that Li Yashi would stay in the West, which would cause many unnecessary troubles for Portugal. But since he was going back, it was just an honor to witness the extremely solid friendship between the Ming and Portugal.

Li Yashi successfully obtained the identity he wanted in Lisbon and planned to take a ship to Ma Deli. This was the result of Philip II's insistence on the opinions of others in the forty-first year of Jiajing. That year, he moved the capital from Toledo to Ma Deli.

Ma Deli's geographical location is better. Toledo is just a small town of no more than 30,000 people and can no longer fulfill the obligations of the capital.

Li Yashi set off from Lisbon by ship to Ma Deli. After leaving the territory of Portugal, Li Yashi felt malice. The captain who led him to Ma Deli was a naval officer of the Spanish Invincible Fleet and a noble, treating Li Yashi like a prisoner.

Li Yashi didn't care. When he resolutely left the Ming and returned to the West, he had already made the worst preparations.

He loved the land that raised him, so he returned regardless of everything.

After Li Yashi went ashore, he was thrown into a closed carriage. Although he could look outside from the carriage window, he was not allowed to leave the carriage. He could only peek at this familiar and strange hometown bit by bit. He didn't know what kind of punishment he would face. With this fear of the unknown, half a month later, Li Yashi finally arrived in Ma Deli.

After a short stay in Ma Deli, the convoy set off again. It took two hours in total, and Li Yashi finally met Philip II, whom he hadn't seen for twelve years, at the El Escorial Monastery.

The architectural style of the monastery is called "Escape from God," and this monastery is also called: "Mysterious Sanctuary." If Philip is really a devout believer, why escape from God?

Being an official of the third rank is anti-religion. Philip hides his resistance to religion deep in his heart. This is a power struggle.

Because the power that should belong to the king was taken away by the Curia, just like the Holy Roman Emperor no longer accepts the canonization of the Curia.

Because of the Curia, Philip II lost the succession to the Holy Roman Empire, which made Philip II even more angry.

The defender of the Curia and the eradicator of heresy? It was just to knead a piece of scattered sand in Spain. Now that there is a new substitute, the appearance of the Great Bright Sect, Philip II chose to indulge.

Religion must use the power of religion to contend.

The defender of the Curia and the eradicator of heresy? It was just to knead a piece of scattered sand in Spain. Now that there is a new substitute, the appearance of the Great Bright Sect, Philip II chose to indulge.

Religion must use the power of religion to contend.

Galileo was able to find a job with Philip II because he studied medicine at the University of Pisa and was identified by the Inquisition as a heretic who strongly doubted God, and his research was restricted. He was ordered to drop out of school and was now looking for a job. I think you can take him with you when you return to the Ming.

"No problem." Li Yashi said not very concerned.

Li Yashi sat up straight and said, "The Anatomy Institute is seen as a symbol of hell on earth in the Ming, but all its achievements have brought people to health and away from death."

"And the Anatomy Institute has a very important achievement, which is the research on opium. There is a patient in the Anatomy Institute named Fan Yingqi, who is a scar in His Majesty's heart, a pillar of the empire, a minister who can support the sky of the empire. Because of opium, he became a permanent prisoner in the Anatomy Institute."

"Can you talk about Fan Yingqi's story?" Philip II said to the secretary, "Cancel all the schedules for the next ten days. I want to listen to my old friend tell stories. If there is no news of the English attacking Ma Deli, don't disturb me."

"Yes." The secretary answered quickly.

Li Yashi finished telling Zhang Siwei and began to tell Fan Yingqi. As he spoke, he talked about the Emperor knocking out his wisdom teeth in the Anatomy Institute and almost being killed by an inflammatory storm.

"His Majesty is a very courageous person. With Fan Yingqi as a negative example, His Majesty is unwilling to turn himself into a slave to opium, preferring to die rather than do so. But His Majesty's body is too strong, and the inflammatory storm appeared during the operation. Also because His Majesty is too strong, he survived the inflammatory storm, which made the rebels extremely disappointed." Li Yashi talked about His Majesty's vigilance against the harm of opium.

Philip II breathed a sigh of relief and said, "You are trying to tell me how determined and strong the Ming Emperor's vigilance against opium is. In order to prevent the spread of opium in the Ming, the supreme, all-encompassing Ming Emperor would rather pay the price of his life."

Li Yashi said very affirmatively, "That's indeed the case. His Majesty said that anti-drug is a war, a war of life and death. As a natural noble, he cannot go to the front line of the anti-drug battlefield, but as an Emperor, he cannot bring trouble to the front line. He supported the anti-drug war with his own actions."

"Solon's behavior of transporting opium into the Ming territory is undoubtedly equivalent to declaring war on the Ming!"

"Does Your Highness know that Solon did these things?"

"I don't know. In fact, I only knew that Solon was dead after the Great Galleon returned to the West. And the Ming Emperor wrote a national letter, explaining the situation in detail. The Far East is still too far away." Philip II shook his head, "Of course, you may not believe it, and the Ming Emperor may not believe it, so I plan to give some compensation, just two million taels of silver."

"In the words of the Ming, it's like yellow mud falling into the crotch; you can't explain it no matter what."

"I have no motive to instruct Solon to do this. Compared to the loss of silver, I am more worried about not being able to buy goods with silver. You know, the rich silver mine is a huge silver mountain, and there are many slaves in that place, cheap labor, making the mining cost of silver extremely low."

The grade of the rich silver mine is 60, which means that one hundred catties of ore can produce sixty catties of silver. Philip really doesn't have to worry about the silver loss problem caused by the trade deficit. As long as he can exchange for Ming goods, he can earn back the lost silver from other parts of the West.

Solon's behavior was really his own action, perhaps even for his own benefit, not the problem of Spain's trade deficit.

But his minister had such a thing happen when he was on a mission. It wasn't instructed by Philip II, but it was also instructed by him, so compensation was needed.

Two million taels of silver, hoping to calm some of the Ming Emperor's anger.

"His Majesty is a very frugal person, or even bluntly, a very greedy person. But I think His Majesty will not accept this compensation. If it is an individual act, His Majesty has already killed him. If it is instructed by Your Highness, I hope Your Highness will not have such offensive behavior in the future." Li Yashi made a decision on behalf of the Emperor.

"No, no, no, the Ming people care very much about face. You should know better than me in the Ming. I need to do something to release goodwill, so as not to let the Ming Emperor misunderstand. What is that word?" Philip II frowned, trying to remember the word.

"Reciprocity?" Li Yashi asked tentatively.

"No, I remember, it's human feelings and worldly wisdom, yes, human feelings and worldly wisdom." Philip II said very affirmatively.

The secretary reminded in a low voice, "Your Highness, Galileo is here."

"Bring this young man named Galileo back to the Ming. I believe he can have more development in the Ming. At the very least, he can finish reading his books." Philip II looked at the young man who was expelled by the University of Pisa and said sincerely.

Being unable to complete his studies is a very painful thing for a smart person. Family changes and the malicious harassment of the Inquisition have made Galileo's situation difficult.

Galileo came to Ma Deli because the spread of the Great Bright Sect in Spain gave him a cultural shock.

The widespread spread of the Great Bright Sect in the West is the result of the long-term oppression of human nature by religion. ===== CHAPTER 647 =====

The Great Ming has translated a large number of mathematical books from the West. His Majesty the Emperor has never forgotten this point. The circulation of knowledge will not be bound by national borders, but scholars of the Investigation of Things must have national borders.

Li Yashi did not bring the steam engine back to the West because it would be useless even if brought back. It requires coal, coke, the polishing of cylinders, and too many other things.

"Wise Emperor of the East," Felipe thought for a moment and said, "Call Galileo over."

"Galileo, a very clever child, but because he studied medicine and astronomy, he was identified by the Inquisition as a heretic strongly suspected of doubting God. His research was restricted, he was ordered to withdraw from school, and he is currently looking for work. I think when you return to the Great Ming, you can bring him along."

"No problem," Li Yashi said, not caring much.

Li Yashi sat up straight and said, "The Dissection Institute is seen in the Great Ming as a symbol of hell on earth, but all its achievements have led people toward health and away from death."

"And the Dissection Institute has one extremely important achievement, which is the research on opium. There is a patient in the Dissection Institute named Fan Yingqi, who is a scar in His Majesty's heart, a pillar of the empire, a minister who could support a piece of the empire's sky, who has become a permanent prisoner in the Dissection Institute because of opium."

"Can you talk about the story of Fan Yingqi?" Felipe II said to his secretary, "Cancel all schedules for the next ten days. I want to listen to my old friend tell a story. Unless there is news of the English reaching Ma Deli, do not disturb me."

"Yes," the secretary replied hurriedly.

Li Yashi finished talking about Zhang Siwei and began to talk about Fan Yingqi, and as he spoke, he reached the point where the Emperor knocked out a wisdom tooth in the Dissection Institute and was almost killed by an inflammation storm.

"His Majesty is a very courageous person. With Fan Yingqi as a negative example, His Majesty is unwilling to turn himself into a slave to opium, preferring death over it. But His Majesty's body was too strong; during the surgery, an inflammation storm appeared, and also because His Majesty was too strong, he survived the inflammation storm, leaving the rebels extremely disappointed." Li Yashi spoke of His Majesty's awareness of the dangers of opium.

Felipe II then let out a long breath and said, "You are trying to tell me how determined and strong the Great Ming Emperor's vigilance against opium is. In order to prevent the spread of opium in the Great Ming, the supreme and all-possessing Great Ming Emperor is willing to pay the price of his life."

Li Yashi said very affirmatively, "Indeed. His Majesty has said that anti-drug work is a war, a war to the death. As a natural noble, he cannot personally go to the front line of the anti-drug battlefield, but as an Emperor, he cannot bring trouble to the front line. He has supported the anti-drug war with his own actions."

"Solon's behavior of wanting to transport opium into the Great Ming is undoubtedly equivalent to declaring war on the Great Ming!"

"Does Your Highness know that Solon did these things?"

"I am not clear. In fact, I only knew that Solon was dead after the galleon returned to the West, and the Great Ming Emperor wrote a state letter explaining the situation in detail. The Far East is still too far away." Felipe II shook his head and said, "Of course, you may not believe it, and the Great Ming Emperor does not believe it either, so I intend to give some compensation, let's say two million taels of silver."

"To use a Great Ming slang, it is like yellow mud falling into one's trousers; it is impossible to explain clearly no matter what."

"I have no motive to instruct Solon to do this. Compared to the loss of silver, I am more worried that silver cannot buy goods. You know, the Rich Bai Yin Mine is a huge mountain of silver, and there are many slaves in that place. Cheap labor makes the mining cost of silver extremely low."

The grade of the Rich Bai Yin Mine is 60, meaning one hundred catties of ore can produce sixty catties of silver. Felipe really does not need to worry about the loss of silver caused by the trade deficit. As long as he can exchange for Great Ming goods, he can earn back the lost silver from other parts of the West.

Solon's behavior was truly his own action, perhaps even for his own interests, rather than a problem of Spain's trade deficit.

But when his minister caused such a thing while on a mission, even if it was not instructed by him, Felipe II, it was still instructed by him, so compensation is needed.

Two million taels of silver, hoping to appease some of the Great Ming Emperor's anger.

"His Majesty is a very frugal person, or to put it bluntly, a very greedy person. But I think His Majesty will not accept this compensation. If it were an individual act, His Majesty would have already killed him. If it were instructed by Your Highness, I also hope Your Highness will not have such offensive behavior in the future." Li Yashi made a decision on behalf of the Emperor.

"In the Great Ming, because I criticized His Majesty for being stingy and greedy, I was even caught in jail by His Majesty's Imperial Guard. But His Majesty is truly a gentleman. The Great Ming's positioning of Spain is as a friendly nation, but if Spain offends again, it will be downgraded, roughly to the treatment England currently receives."

The Emperor has strong principles in doing things; there is a first and a second, but there cannot be a third or fourth.

Spain's provocation in the opium matter, Solon was the first, and because opium is not particularly rampant in Spain, there is no clear understanding of the dangers of opium. But now that it has been warned, to commit it again is a provocation. Even if it is far away in the West and cannot be fought, Spain must pay a sufficient price for it.

Therefore, Li Yashi judged that the Emperor would not accept the compensation.

"No, no, no, the Great Ming people care very much about face. You should know better than me in the Great Ming. I need to do something to release goodwill and not let the Great Ming Emperor misunderstand. What is that word?" Felipe II frowned, unable to remember the word.

"Reciprocity?" Li Yashi asked tentatively.

"No, I remember it, it is 'human sentiment and worldly wisdom' (renqing shigu). Yes, human sentiment and worldly wisdom." Felipe II said very affirmatively.

The secretary whispered a reminder: "Your Highness, Galileo is here."

"Take this young man named Galileo back to the Great Ming. I believe he can have more development in the Great Ming, at least he can finish his studies." Felipe II looked at the young man who was expelled by the University of Pisa and said sincerely.

Being unable to complete his studies is a very painful thing for a smart person. Family changes and the malicious difficulties of the Inquisition have made Galileo's path difficult.

Galileo came to Ma Deli because the spread of the Great Brightness Sect in Spain made Galileo feel a cultural shock.

The widespread spread of the Great Brightness Sect in the West is the result of long-term religious oppression of human nature.