Chapter 14                                

The newly built Governor's Office was packed with tables, and from the three courtyards in the former were filled with merchants who came to participate in this market.

Of course, the status of merchants was not valued in the Ming Dynasty. Although many people have a wealthy family, they cannot receive too high courtesy. The social atmosphere of the Ming Dynasty is here, and Zhou Mengchen is too lazy to be innovative.

This is also because the halls like the Ming Dynasty that invite hundreds or thousands of people at once did not exist. Even the imperial banquet in the palace was actually held in the square in front of the three halls.

The newly built Governor's Office will be a customs office in the future. The specifications are not too large.

These merchants can only be in a yard outside according to their status.

Zhou Mengchen just walked over from the corridor in the middle of the yard, and all the merchants around stood up and saluted. Zhou Mengchen just nodded. Even so, many merchants were very excited. For them, Zhou Mengchen was already the highest official they had ever met.

However, Zhou Mengchen also wanted to give some face to the few in the inner hall.

These people are not merchants, but envoys.

Annan Mo Dynasty, Hou Li Dynasty, Cham, Siam, Zhenla, Boni, Yachi, Java, Sulu, and naturally Portuguese, Spaniards, and some officials who presided over this battle, etc.

Zhou Mengchen just raised his glass to drink a glass of wine with everyone, and then said a few words at each table. He was not going to stay here for a long time.

Zhou Mengchen had long been accustomed to his status. As a boss, he would be unable to let go of the people below. He came here for a walk and was about to leave.

However, when I saw Zappu, I talked a few more words.

After all, although Shaburo speaks a bit of Chinese, he is enough to communicate. He learned Chinese from Japan. In addition to some bluntness, he also has a hint of oriental flavor.

Zabby took the opportunity to ask a question and said, "Sir, can we preach in China?"

"Chinese missionary?" Zhou Mengchen instinctively frowned when he heard this question. Because there were too many lesson plans in history, Zhou Mengchen instinctively felt disgusted when he heard this question.

However, he quickly calmed down and had to remind himself that he was in the Ming Dynasty and had to think about the problem from the perspective of a Ming Dynasty person.

In the Ming Dynasty, we were very relaxed in Christianity. This was also the Ming Dynasty. To be precise, the cultural openness of the late Ming Dynasty was related to it. There were all kinds of rebellious things within Confucianism, and as for Christianity, we didn’t care at all.

Of course, Christianity also has an impact on some Chinese traditions. Especially Christianity is disrespectful to ancestors. It is contrary to the traditions of the Chinese. There is no threat yet.

And even if he was unwilling to do so, he had to admit that in this era, Christian priests actually represented many Western intellectuals. The cultural exchange between the East and the West, specifically the carrier, was probably these missionaries.

Zhou Mengchen said: "In principle, I am a great Ming Dynasty and I am always impatient with the flow of streams. The Buddhist path returns to other teachings. As long as I am kind to others, it is the right way of the way, and it is no limit. However, the court has its own laws. Some things must be approved by the Ministry of Rites. I allow you to live in Shanghai, but if you want to preach, you have to wait."

Zabber is ready to face countless hardships in one thing for the missionary. Now that he can live in China, he feels it is an excellent start. He immediately bows: "Thank you, sir, the Lord will protect you."

Zhou Mengchen smiled slightly and said, "Your Lord, is it effective in the land of China? You should also see."

Why can Christianity be spread in China? Is it good to be Christianity? No, it's just because Christian culture is very strong throughout the world. Zhou Mengchen firmly believes that if the Ming Dynasty follows his ideas, it is really hard to say who will be strong in the future.

This sentence is both a joke and a determination.

He then thought, "Yes. Not many people can transport cotton from India to the Ming Dynasty, but the Portuguese are sure to do it." He immediately said, "Sand Priest. I have something I want to ask for."

Zabbell immediately said, "Sir, please speak."

Shabulu naturally did not have the surname Sha, but he had been in the East for a while and naturally knew the Chinese habit of calling them. At first, he made corrections. Later, he got used to it. He himself called himself Sha Priest.

Zhou Mengchen naturally knew it too, but Zabulu didn't care. Zhou Mengchen naturally didn't look smart.

Zhou Mengchen said: "China lacks cotton. Can it be transported from India to China?"

Zabby was slightly stunned and said, "My lord has misunderstood. I don't understand these things very well. However, I can tell the Governor of Malacca, and I think they are happy to see it."

Although Xavier didn't know much about trade because he was all about missionary work, he still had some understanding of the Portuguese's operations in Southeast Asia.

First of all, the Portuguese trade in the southeast was unbalanced. The most important thing about spice trade was that a large amount of spices were transported from Southeast Asia to the West. However, although merchant ships from India to Southeast cannot be said to be empty ships. A considerable number of them were not fully loaded. There was a lack of a bulk cargo from India to Southeast Asia, basically there were in India and Southeast Asia.

There is nothing special to be needed.

Now that Zhou Mengchen made this request, Zabulu may not understand whether it is cost-effective or not, but one thing is certain, that is, in principle, it is OK.

Zhou Mengchen said, "Then I'll ask the priest Sha. There is another thing. Please tell the relevant personnel of the Florians that if they don't see people in Macau, it's better to end up early. In the future, I will allow Guangzhou to set up a foreign district and allow foreign merchants to live. However, foreigners want to occupy a port in China, no matter what means they use, it will be impossible. Now I don't do it, just to give each other a face. I hope the olive branch in my hand will not fall to the ground."

Compared with other foreign colonies in China, Macau's existence was created by colluding with some officials in Guangdong, deceiving superiors and concealing subordinates. In essence, Macau's existence is similar to that in Yuegang, and they are just a private port.

However, Yuegang was hosted by the Chinese, while Macau was hosted by the Portuguese.

Zhou Mengchen has no time to sort out Guangdong. From a management perspective, Guangdong and Guangxi are really far away. The various management methods of the Ming Dynasty felt that they were beyond the reach of Guangdong.

If diplomatic means can be used to make the Portuguese concessions, Zhou Mengchen would not be willing to have a quarrel with the Portuguese at this time. After all, when the Ming Dynasty had just opened the sea and the maritime power had not yet been cultivated, it would be beneficial to make good friends with the Portuguese.

This has to be admitted that the maritime advantages of Westerners are very obvious. Looking closely at the pirate leaders of the Ming Dynasty, they all have relationships with one Western country or several Western countries. It is not that they cannot defeat it, but that the Western trade system has brought great benefits.

Zhou Mengchen doesn't want to destroy these relationships now.

Zabby was shocked. What surprised him was not that Zhou Mengchen knew about Macau. In his opinion, Zhou Mengchen, as a senior Chinese official, knew about Macau's affairs. In fact, he didn't know that Macau was essentially a matter of being done by the county magistrate. Now it is probably not even the governor of Guangdong.

What surprised him was the allusion used by Zhou Mengchen, which is the allusion of the olive branch. This is the allusion in the Bible.

He couldn't help but be surprised and said to himself: "This Master Zhou is extremely knowledgeable and has a very good understanding of Western knowledge. As the Arabs said, if you want to know, you should go to the east."

He immediately said: "Please rest assured, I will tell the Governor of Malacca that as for what the Governor will do, I cannot control it, but I will try my best to ensure a friendly relationship between the two sides."

Zhou Mengchen nodded slightly and said, "I hope so."

In fact, Zhou Mengchen did not think about how long friendly relations had with the Portuguese. In his opinion, when the Ming Dynasty's maritime power was strong to a certain extent, he could kick away the crutch of Portugal. Sorry, the country is so ruthless.

But he miscalculated one trick, that is, when the Ming Dynasty had the ability to move south, the Portuguese had been killed by the Dutch and became the leader-road party of the Ming Dynasty. The Portuguese, who had no support points in the Far East, also had a conflict of interest with the Ming Dynasty.

As a result, China-Portuguese friendship has a long history.

Of course this is a later story.
Chapter completed!