The Rise of the European Emperor

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Just when Shen Rui and Liu Meng were praising Marin's "loyalty" to Daming, Li Sanshui Baihu, the commander of the Musket Team of the Qianhu Institute, suddenly asked:

"Deputy Ambassador Kong, may I ask, how are the match ropes used in your army's fire guns made? I can see that your army's fire ropes burn slowly and steadily. I don't know why?"

Li Sanshui's question is very professional. Ordinary ropes, such as cotton threads, once ignited, either burn quickly or go out in a while. It is indeed rare for a matchlock to burn slowly and steadily. However, this is well suited for musket applications. If the matchstick burns too fast, it is estimated that carrying a sack of matchlock will not be enough to support a battle.

Kong Tai naturally knew the principle. After all, he was the one who came to offer the matchlock gun. So, he explained:

"These match ropes are made of several strands of fine flax rope. Then, boil them in a pot with vinegar. Or, soak them in saltpeter water. It is better to boil it with vinegar. But if the match is too slow to burn, you can also soak it in diluted saltpeter water. Remember, the saltpeter water should not be too thick, otherwise the match will burn too fast..."

Vinegar is more expensive in Europe. Because European vinegar is apple cider vinegar brewed with apples, which is naturally delicate. But in Daming, vinegar is brewed from glutinous rice and costs less, so it's easier to get.

Li Sanshui quickly got a pen and paper and wrote down the method of making the match rope for future use...

But when Li Sanshui asked how to forge the Fran cannon and how to make the arquebus, Kong Tai didn't say much.

After all, Kong Tai came to seek the status of tributary. You idiot haven't allowed me to pay tribute yet, so I'll tell you everything? Isn't this a club?

Therefore, as for the techniques of casting cannons and making arquebuses, Kong Tai shied away and said that he was not a blacksmith, nor did he understand the methods very well. However, if Beihai Kingdom becomes a vassal of Daming, the lord Marin will definitely send a group of craftsmen to Daming to instruct the Ministry of Industry on how to forge excellent Fran cannons and arquebuses...

Kong Tai's explanation is also reasonable. Generally speaking, how can there be diplomats who are proficient in casting guns and guns? So, no one can find fault with this.

For the next few days, Contay and Sconda stayed in the Qianhusuo, accompanied by the artillery commander Jacob and another musketeer commander named Weissette, to practice one selected by the Guangzhou avant-garde. A group of elite gunners and musketeers. After all, Kong Tai and the others will definitely leave. Even if the Fran cannons and arquebuses are given to Daming, someone must know how to use them, right?

Seeing that the people of Beihai Kingdom are so dedicated to training Ming Dynasty soldiers,

Shen Rui and Liu Meng, the two chief officials in charge of barbarian affairs, were also very happy.

During the period, Chen Jin, the newly appointed governor of Guangdong, also came to visit the rare blond and blue-eyed ghost. Seeing that Kong Tai and others did their best to help the Ming army train gunners and musketeers, they also encouraged a few words. Moreover, Chen Jin also holds the title of Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi. He is usually stationed in Wuzhou, Guangxi, and is responsible for suppressing the Yao rebellion. After seeing the power of the Fran cannon and the arquebus, Chen Jin was eager to put all the 40 Fran cannons and the 500 arquebuses donated by Marin into the army under his command to suppress the Yaomin uprising. But unfortunately, because Beihai Kingdom has not yet officially become a vassal of Daming, these guns are currently strictly speaking, not Daming.

In addition, even if these guns belong to the Ming Dynasty, as tribute, they must be sent to the Ministry of Rites first, and the Ministry of Rites is responsible for receiving them before they can be regarded as Ming. Then, the allocation can be made.

However, Chen Jin knew that when such sharp weapons as the Franco cannon and matchlock gun were delivered to the capital, the frontier troops on the front line of the Great Wall in the north would definitely be given priority, and it would never be the turn of the second and third line troops under the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi. Because, the Ming military center of gravity in the northern Great Wall line. The defense of Mongolia was the military focus of the Ming Dynasty. Suppressing the Yaomin uprising or something is not a big deal at all.

So, when he was leaving the Thousand Households, Chen Jin, the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi and the governor of Guangdong, looked at the 40 Fran cannons and 500 arquebuses. It would be great that the officers who quelled the Yaomin uprising were equipped with such a weapon...

Seeing Governor Chen's eyes like that, how could Kong Tai, who was originally flexible, still not know how to react?

So, Kong Tai hurried back to Guangzhou city to find Columbus...

What are you doing with Columbus? Naturally, the guns and guns that were embezzled by Columbus...

Before, Marin had planned to present 20 Fran cannons and 200 arquebuses to the Kingdom of Malacca. However, Columbus, who was greedy, actually made his own decisions. He was half greedy and only sent 10 Fran cannons and 100 arquebuses to the kingdom of Malacca.

As a deputy envoy, Kong Tai couldn't say anything to the nominal envoy and Baron Columbus. However, seeing that Chen Jin, the Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, particularly liked these guns, Kong Tai decided to give Chen Jin the 10 Fran cannons and 100 arquebuses that Columbus greedily acquired.

After Columbus listened to Kong Tai's idea, he started to lose his temper and refused to hand it over. But Comte threatened to sue after returning home, and Columbus had to give in. After all, he also knew that Kong Tai could become a deputy envoy at a young age, and he was definitely a celebrity in front of Malin.

As a result, the 10 Fran cannons and 100 arquebuses that Columbus greedily acquired were given to Chen Jin, the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, by Kong Tai.

"This... how embarrassing is this..." Governor Chen felt a little embarrassed when he saw Kong Tai's eyesight. However, he liked the Fran cannon and the arquebus very much, and he also wanted to quell the Yaomin uprising as soon as possible. So, it was half pushed and half accepted...

After the artillerymen and musketeers of the Guangzhou avant-garde received training in their use, Chen Jin, the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, could not wait to select half of this group of people, along with the 10 Fran cannons and 100 arquebuses that Kong Tai sent him, to send Went to Wuzhou, where the Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi was stationed, and used it as the front line for Guangxi's suppression of Yao people...

...

However, there was very bad news from the Guangdong Chief Secretary's Yamen - it may be difficult for Beihai Kingdom to obtain the tribute from the Ming Dynasty...

why? Because according to Ding Haishan’s inquiries from the Guangzhou Shipping Division, officials and businessmen from the vassal countries such as Champaign (South Vietnam), Siam (Thailand), and Mansuka (Malacca) who came to Guangzhou Shipping Division to pay tribute trade, and even A merchant from Ceylon and Dashi. As a result, none of them knew about Beihai Kingdom's...

Now the problem is bigger...

You must know that there are two ways for the Ming Dynasty to confirm the existence of a vassal state - one is to directly send a small official from the Ministry of Rites to inspect the country to confirm its existence; the other is because the vassal state is too far from Daming, it is inconvenient to send someone Go on a field trip. At this time, the original vassal state is needed to help prove the existence of the country.

However, Beihai Kingdom is a small country in the northwest of the European continent. The countries that come to Daming Guangzhou for trade are basically small countries in Southeast Asia. Even if there are occasional ones from India and Arabia, it is true that they have never heard of the North Sea country. Because, how long did it take for the Grand Duchy of Beihai to be established? The fame hasn't reached the Arab world yet...

So now it's embarrassing...

Although Shen Rui and Liu Meng were very fond of the North Sea Mission, they did not have the right to determine the trade qualifications of the North Sea. If there are officials or businessmen from the original vassal state who can prove the existence of the North Sea Kingdom, they can make an impromptu decision according to the regulations. But no one has heard of Beihai Kingdom... So, there is nothing they can do...

For today's plan, the two envoys can only go to the imperial court, leaving the court's Ministry of Rites and the cabinet with a headache...

Kong Tai asked Liu Meng very depressed:

"Master Liu, how long will it take for the imperial court to approve it?"

Liu Meng said depressedly:

"I don't know, this old man. This is the process that the court must go through... Time... Maybe it will take a long time... You can come and see it again next year..."

"Ah... so long?" Kong Tai's mouth widened in surprise. But soon, he began to admire Marin's magic tricks.

why? Marin had predicted it before he came—with the urgency of the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty, it is estimated that there will be a long quarrel in reviewing the qualifications of the Beihai Kingdom to pay tribute. Maybe it will take a year or two to quarrel and argue... Anyway, it's just procrastination... This phenomenon, even in later generations, is not uncommon...

Fortunately, Marin was already mentally prepared, otherwise he would have to be depressed to death...

However, what Kong Tai is most concerned about now is whether the Beihai Mission can purchase goods from Daming in Guangzhou this time...

The two political envoys Shen Rui and Liu Meng were also more embarrassed, because, according to the rules, the Beihai Kingdom was not allowed to purchase goods in Guangzhou without obtaining the tributary trade. Moreover, Shen and Liu have no right to make decisions...\u003c/content\u003e

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