Chapter 1100: Johann Adam Schall von Bell's Letter (9)

This opportunity finally allowed me to meet one of the people closest to Zhao Jin — how could that not stir excitement? He usually has to handle many matters outside, so even though this place is extremely important, he can only visit once in a while. That makes the chance we've been given so precious, and we cannot afford any mishap; otherwise, I have no idea when I might get to meet Zhao Jin.

My other colleagues share much the same attitude as I do; they probably all see this audience as a turning point for improving our current lives. To be honest, after such a grueling month, I am just as impatient as they are.

Led by the guarding soldiers, we arrived at a small courtyard in the deepest part of the factory.

Though the furnishings here were not luxurious, they were well maintained, so we did not see much coal dust.

Then, in the main hall, we were received by the Hall Director.

He was a young man dressed in simple clothes, not wearing any of the lavish ornaments I had seen on those wealthy Ming merchants along the road. Such plain attire seemed somewhat mismatched with his status, yet it harmonized perfectly with the environment of this factory.

I also noticed that his hands were not fair and clean; instead, they bore many rough creases, clearly showing he had done his share of hard labor in daily life.

This struck me as very strange. From what I had learned, he was born the son of a wealthy iron mine owner and has now become a trusted confidant of a great lord — and Zhao Jin trusts and relies heavily on him. Shouldn't a person like this, whether in Europe or in the Ming Empire, live a life of ease and comfort?

Despite all the doubts in my mind, my first impression was that he did not look fierce.

Yet, gentle as his manner was, his smile ultimately revealed good breeding and intelligence; one could tell that deceiving him in any matter would be no easy task.

Furthermore, his attitude toward me was somewhat guarded, but not unpleasantly so.

After we had exchanged a glance, he waved his hand, dismissing those who had escorted us, and then regarded us with a very friendly expression.

"Which one of you is the leader? Let him come and speak with me."

Judging by his manner, he was in a hurry to attend to more important business and had merely taken a moment to see us.

"My lord, I can speak on their behalf." I bowed deeply to him, using the form of address I had learned in the Ming Empire. "My name is Johann Adam Schall von Bell. Please, ask me whatever you wish."

I do not feel that showing him such deference diminishes my own dignity. As I have told you before, Zhao Jin has now risen to a status worthy of a Prince-elector, and his brother-in-law, were he in Europe, could likely be counted among the most powerful of nobles. This is a man I must handle with care — not to mention that I still need his introduction to meet Zhao Jin.

Perhaps a little surprised by my command of Chinese, the Hall Director studied us with some curiosity for a moment, then waved his hand again, beckoning me to step forward.

I walked over obediently and took another look at him. He, too, regarded me with curiosity, making no effort to hide his wariness and misgivings toward us.

"You are foreign missionaries, entrusted by the imperial court to bring cannons northward, correct?" After scrutinizing me for a moment, he smiled again and asked me in a soft, measured tone.

"Yes, my lord." I quickly nodded in confirmation.

"I examined those cannons just now. The quality is passable, but not as good as I had previously imagined…" He looked at me with some unease, as if afraid his words might be too harsh and wound my pride. "Did you not come from Macau? To my knowledge, the foreigners in Macau possess cannons far superior to these. Since you wished to present a gift to His Majesty, why did you not select the very best?"

Though his manner was amiable and kind, this question startled me once again.

I had always assumed that Zhao Jin and his people were merely a newly risen power that had rapidly emerged in their home region, and that despite employing a few foreigners, they likely knew little of the outside world. I never expected this Hall Director to be so well-informed. It seems his attainment of this important post is not due to blood ties alone.

Another point worth noting: though he was by no means obsequious, this gentleman's attitude toward the imperial court and the Emperor was not particularly contemptuous; rather, it held a measure of respect. Clearly, many within Zhao Jin's faction have yet to shed their old ways of thinking.

"These cannons are merely a token of introduction for the imperial court, my lord. In Macau, we naturally have far better ones, but the more powerful a cannon is, the more cumbersome it becomes, and it is not so convenient to transport." Burying these doubts deep in my heart, I patiently answered him. "Moreover, we came here to spread the Gospel; the cannons are merely tools to deepen our relations…"

"It is not necessarily true that heavier cannons are more powerful…" He reflexively contradicted me, then smiled a little sheepishly, seemingly unwilling to argue the point with me. "Forgive me, Herr Schall. Since you have come here, you probably know by now that our relations with the imperial court are not very good at present. Therefore… we will not permit you to go to Beijing. You must stay here."

When I heard his arrangement for us, I was not surprised in the least.

At the same time, though he made it clear our freedom would be restricted, his manner was so humble and gentle that it softened the blow considerably.

"I have recently received many reports about you. Your work performance has been acceptable, and you apply yourselves diligently." Before we could even respond, he changed the subject. "However, some say you gather together in private and speak many words of discontent about us…"

His tone took on a hint of menace, which threw us all into some alarm.

"That is absolutely untrue!" I hurriedly protested to him. "My lord, please investigate thoroughly. Ever since we arrived here, we have been earnestly contributing our knowledge and skills to you, holding absolutely nothing back!"

It was only much later that I learned these testimonies against me had all been secretly reported by Louis de Rochefort, and that stirring up conflict among us Europeans was something Zhao Jin and his confidants took great pleasure in doing.

"But it is true that you wish to go outside, is it not?" Perhaps because my attitude had satisfied him, his tone softened considerably once more.

I hesitated for a moment, then finally decided to take a gamble. This man was so amiable; perhaps we would not anger him.

Uneasily, I bowed low.

"Please, have mercy."

"It's nothing, nothing at all. In your situation, who wouldn't want a little freedom?" As if to keep me from being afraid, he quickly waved his hand. "However, on this matter, my word does not count. Only my brother-in-law's word counts."

At last, this man was mentioned, and my heart jolted with a start.

"Then… my lord, might I beseech your mercy and ask to meet Lord Zhao Jin?"

To my surprise, this somewhat diffident nobleman quickly nodded his assent.

"You may. Your work lately has been quite good; I ought to reward you for it." This nobleman remained remarkably easy to talk to. "Very well, my brother-in-law will be coming here to inspect in a few days. When the time comes, you may go and let him see you."

"Thank you so very much!" I suppressed the excitement in my heart and bowed deeply to him.

We returned to our dormitory with hearts full of excitement and anxiety, and my negotiation with the Hall Director further won me the recognition and respect of my colleagues. They thanked me for securing, through my own efforts, an opportunity to meet Zhao Jin face to face — and a chance to escape our current life of bitter toil.

My emotions were so stirred and tense that I barely slept a wink the entire night, tossing and turning as I pondered how to make a good impression on Zhao Jin, to the point that I was reprimanded in the workshop the next day. But to me, as long as I can achieve my goal and win Zhao Jin's favor, a little criticism is no great matter.

Yet what I never anticipated was that my first meeting with Zhao Jin would leave him with no good impression whatsoever.

How did all of this happen? I reflected on it carefully afterward and finally reached a conclusion: Zhao Jin is absolutely not a man I can deal with using the experience I have in dealing with Ming nobles, nor even a man I can deal with using the experience I have in dealing with European nobles.

He is utterly different from any man of power I have ever met — whether in Europe or in the Ming Empire.

Please, listen as I explain everything I encountered after that…

A few days after that fortunate meeting with Xu Housheng, one day, while I was still laboring in the factory, directing several craftsmen as they carefully poured molten copper into a mold, I suddenly heard a stir ripple through the factory. I turned to look at the craftsmen and guards, and saw on their faces an expression of indescribable excitement.

My heart immediately filled with anticipation, and I quickly asked others what was happening — sure enough, I soon learned that Zhao Jin had finally arrived at this enormous factory to conduct an inspection.

Did this mean I could finally meet him? I, too, could not help but grow intensely excited.

Of course, my excitement was not the same as that of the others, which was mixed with adoration and reverence. This factory is full of Zhao Jin's devotees, because Zhao Jin has given them a life where they have ample food and clothing and can support their families, and he has given them dignity. Their reverence for him is difficult to describe in words; at any rate, I have never heard a single word of complaint about Zhao Jin.

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