Chapter 293: The Foreign Barbarians

Three days later, Zheng Zhifeng, Junior Director of the Court of State Ceremonial, submitted a memorial requesting an audience. A day after that, a Bureau Secretary from the Ministry of Rites' Ceremonial Department led several clerks to the Zheng residence to explain and drill Zheng Zhifeng in the etiquette and formalities required for an imperial audience.

Zheng Zhifeng understood well that the court's move stemmed from fear that a man of pirate origins like himself might commit a breach of etiquette before the Emperor and make a fool of himself — this was only to be expected. Moreover, from the envious words of the Ministry of Rites officials, Zheng Zhifeng learned that the vast majority of officials below the fourth rank would never see the imperial countenance even once in their entire lives, and that an official of the fourth rank like himself, who rarely took part in ministry affairs, being granted a private audience to report to the throne was rarer still.

Only then did Zheng Zhifeng realize what an honor it was to be permitted an audience, and so he applied himself with exceptional diligence during the instruction.

After more than an hour of drilling, once they confirmed there were no more errors, the Ministry of Rites officials finally stopped. Declining Zheng Zhifeng's enthusiastic invitation to stay for a banquet, and pocketing the generous gifts he pressed upon them, the officials returned to the ministry well satisfied to report the completion of their task.

Several days later, Zheng Zhifeng, who had been agonizing between hope and fear, finally received the imperial decree granting him entry to the palace for an audience.

In the Qianqing Palace, after performing the grand ceremonial obeisance according to the rites taught by the Ministry of Rites, Zheng Zhifeng heard a young yet gentle voice: "Minister Zheng, no need for such ceremony — bring Minister Zheng a seat!"

Zheng Zhifeng dared not raise his head to look toward the source of the voice. Following protocol, he bowed with clasped hands and gave thanks, then sat down on the brocade stool brought over by a young eunuch — but he only perched on half his buttocks, not daring to sit fully. His head remained slightly lowered, his heart raced, his whole body stiffened, and his forehead was covered in beads of sweat.

Though more than ten paces separated them, Zhu Youjian could vaguely make out Zheng Zhifeng's features.

Having been in the capital for several years now, the skin once darkened by sea winds had gradually grown fairer, making Zheng Zhifeng's clear brows and eyes appear quite handsome and distinguished. Added to the enormous assistance the Zheng family had rendered the court in recent years, this further improved Zhu Youjian's impression of Zheng Zhifeng.

"Minister Zheng cuts a fine figure and looks quite young — you can't be thirty yet, can you? How many children do you have at home?"

Zhu Youjian could see Zheng Zhifeng's nervousness, and so he smiled and opened with small talk about family matters, hoping to help ease Zheng Zhifeng's tense state of mind.

"In reply to Your Majesty, your servant is twenty-eight years of age. At home I have two sons and three daughters, a wife née Zheng Huang, and three concubines. Your servant has already sent word back to Fujian to have the entire family relocated to the capital, and they are expected to arrive by the end of this month!"

Hearing the Emperor's question, Zheng Zhifeng hastily rose, clasped his hands, and bowed as he replied.

"Minister Zheng, please be seated. There are no outsiders in this hall, so you need not be tense — you may reply while seated from now on. From the time of the Jinghai Earl onward, your Zheng family has harbored loyal hearts set on serving the sovereign and the state, anxious over what the Great Ming is anxious about. In these times of unceasing natural disasters and man-made calamities, your family has contributed greatly to the Great Ming over the years — I am well aware of it in my heart. Minister Zheng, rest assured: neither I nor the Great Ming will ever treat ill those ministers who exert themselves for the state. If the Zheng family continues to render meritorious service to the Great Ming, the virtue of the Zheng clan today will surely be repaid by blessings upon your descendants!"

Seeing that the man had gone so far as to move his entire family to the capital to demonstrate his loyalty, Zhu Youjian casually dangled a grand promise before him.

"Your Majesty's praise makes your servant feel deeply ashamed! As Your Majesty's subject, everything the Zheng family has done is merely our bounden duty — we do not deserve such commendation from Your Majesty. Moreover, Your Majesty has always shown the Zheng family exceptional favor: my eldest brother is honored with the rank of earl, my third brother stands at the very pinnacle of military office, and I, who have never rendered the slightest merit, have been elevated by Your Majesty to the high position of the fourth rank. Your Majesty's grace toward our Zheng clan is rarely seen among the ministers of the Great Ming! Even if your servants were ground to dust, we could hardly repay Your Majesty's kindness. From now on, we shall only devote ourselves even more wholeheartedly to the affairs of state — only thus can we be worthy of Your Majesty's vast benevolence!"

The Emperor's gentle bearing and tone gradually put Zheng Zhifeng at ease. Hearing such high praise of the Zheng family from the Emperor, he hurriedly rose, bowed, and replied.

"Minister Zheng, please sit. It is good that you have such a heart, and I am willing to believe your words. As for why I have summoned you today, I imagine you already have some idea. But before that, I still have a few questions I need you to answer for me. Minister Zheng has long dwelt on the southeastern coast, and I hear you have had dealings with men of foreign and barbarian lands, so you should know something of their customs and ways. I wish to know how you view such far-western nations as Folangji and Holland? And if you were to journey far to the west, what aims would you seek to accomplish?"

Although Zheng Zhifeng's attitude was perfectly proper and he expressed his intention to continue making due contributions to the court and the Great Ming as before, Zhu Youjian — whose principle in employing men had always been to listen to their words but, more importantly, to observe their deeds — did not shower him with praise for this. Instead, he shifted the topic and brought up the real business of the day.

No matter how one looked at it, Zheng Zhifeng was the most suitable candidate for his westward plan, but Zhu Youjian still wanted to see his worldview regarding the world beyond Great Ming society.

In this Great Ming, where nearly everyone considered themselves the center of the world, there was top-to-bottom discrimination and contempt for every foreign nation. Beyond the tributary state of Joseon, all other countries were lumped together as barbarian tribes.

National self-confidence is a fine quality that the people of any nation ought to possess, but excessive confidence is tantamount to arrogance — and what is worse, it can send one racing headlong down the crooked path of blind conceit.

Having come prepared, and now fully relaxed, Zheng Zhifeng pondered briefly before clasping his hands and answering: "In reply to Your Majesty, the world all says that nations like Folangji are savage and uncivilized, that their conduct is crude and direct, utterly lacking the gentle warmth of the refined gentleman. Their people, it is said, have eyes only for the profit of gold and silver, with no sense of benevolence or righteousness whatsoever. They honor martial prowess but cultivate no virtue, and are quick to resort to force as a threat. Compared to the benevolent spirit that our great nation upholds, their ways are truly too deplorable — indeed, these are the common traits of barbarians. But after your servant had dealings with them, I came to realize that what the world says is merely due to knowing too little about them — their words are greatly mistaken!"

Hearing this, Zhu Youjian felt a surge of joy inwardly — it seemed the man he had chosen truly possessed uncommon insight.

Since the death of the former Grand Secretary Xu Guangqi, the Great Ming had rarely produced anyone who could look at the world with open eyes. Fang Yizhi, though he did not reject the learning of foreign barbarians, could not match Xu Guangqi in either status or influence. Still, fortunately Fang Yizhi was young, and Zhu Youjian believed that given time, this uncut jade, once polished, would one day shine brilliantly.

"Minister Zheng, what do you mean by this? What you said just now about the view of the western barbarians held throughout our Great Ming is indeed the common opinion. But from what I have heard, the western barbarians are not only not so deplorable — they even have many points where our Great Ming falls short of them. Since Minister Zheng clearly has something specific in mind, you may speak freely today — I am all ears!"

Zhu Youjian encouraged him with a smile, desperately wanting to hear from Zheng Zhifeng's mouth some of the things he hoped to hear.

"In reply to Your Majesty, your servant once had dealings on several occasions with a man from the great Folangji nation named Andriyano, and during those meetings a translator surnamed Fan was always present as company. According to Andriyano, far to the west of the Great Ming lies a continent called Europa, whose lands are no less vast than our Great Ming, but which is divided into several large and small kingdoms that war constantly among themselves — all for profit! The great and small Folangji nations and the red barbarians of Holland are among the foremost of these, but to their west lie nations called Francia and Odir, whose rise can no longer be checked. The people of Europa, men and women alike, are bold and unrestrained by nature, fond of drink and pleasure, and the sovereigns and nobles of those nations especially love the silk and porcelain produced by the Great Ming. Though all their people are fond of profit, they conduct everything according to law and regulation; whoever oversteps the bounds is dealt with by their courts according to law, and no one else raises any objection. Because their several nations are perpetually at war, they place particular importance on the development of firearms, and their muskets and great cannons grow ever more refined. Andriyano said that their nations teem with skilled craftsmen adept at ingenious contrivances, and in his words there seemed to be a hint of contempt for our Great Ming's firearms. Your servant has also considered: if our Great Ming's maritime merchants were to travel to Europa, they might seize the opportunity to abduct skilled craftsmen who build firearms and great ships and bring them back to serve our Great Ming — in this way, our Great Ming could contend with them upon the seas as well!"

Zheng Zhifeng had talked for a long while and his mouth and throat were growing dry. Seeing this, Zhu Youjian gestured to the side, and Wang Cheng'en personally poured a cup of tea and brought it over. Zheng Zhifeng scrambled to his feet in a fluster, first bowing in salute before accepting the teacup with both hands.

"Minister Zheng has spoken very well! Such fair-minded discourse viewing others with impartiality has rarely been heard since the death of Grand Secretary Xu — I never expected to hear similar words again today, and it fills me with deep emotion! But what is even more regrettable is that since the voyages of the Three Treasure Eunuch in the time of Emperor Chengzu, no one in our Great Ming has dared to venture across the vast oceans to observe the customs and ways of lands ten thousand li away! Now the people of the small nations of Europa come from tens of thousands of li away, risking life and limb to reach the Great Ming. Whatever their purpose in coming, their courage alone commands genuine admiration. Yet look at our Great Ming, with its hundreds of millions of people — no one has emulated their example. This matter truly fills me with the deepest regret! Fortunately, Minister Zheng is willing to relieve me of this worry — hearing this fills me with boundless joy! I was indeed not mistaken in my judgment — Minister Zheng is truly a man of outstanding talent!"