Chapter 896： Situation in Lisbon (Part 2)

Hundreds of exquisite official kiln porcelains have smashed the Portuguese dignitaries in Lisbon and lost their ability to think. The Portuguese nobles who had auctioned porcelain were all holding the porcelain home with joy. It was King Manuel I of Portugal who, after photographing some of the best porcelain, refused to let go of the porcelain he had bought.

Of course, there are also sober. For example, Marlin ’s partner, Jorge Duke of Coimbra, Rencastre understood that this was by no means the whole thing on board.

So, taking advantage of nobody, he found Kong Tai and directly offered the price:

"Give me a few dozen porcelains, one for each piece of African cattle!"

Conte was a little ignorant, and Jorge De, Rencastre also reacted-Conte and Columbus had just returned from the East, and they did not know about the fact that Marin bought African cattle for the tropical climate.

Therefore, Jorge De and Rencastre sent people to come to Portugal to communicate with the representatives of the North Sea country.

When he learned that Marin really needed to purchase African cattle from the Duke of Coimbra, Jorge de Rencastre, he decisively took out 4 dozen (48 pieces) of official kiln porcelain and gave it to Jorge . Germany, Rencastre. Because Kong Tai knew that Marin was not interested in porcelain, only interested in exchanging money for benefits. It's no wonder, after all, Marin used to see porcelain in his previous life, how can he treat porcelain as a treasure? For him, the most important thing is to exchange porcelain for gold coins or other benefits.

However, Kong Tai did not dare to sell the porcelain. Because Marin is not interested in porcelain, it does not mean that other dignitaries in Beihai are not interested. You should know that putting a few pieces of China-made porcelain in a prominent position in the living room of the home is a match for the European aristocracy ...

Therefore, Kong Tai hid most of the porcelain and waited for Malin to dispose of it after his return. It's selling or sending, and Marin has the final say. However, he brought back thousands of pieces of porcelain. Anyway, the master Marin does not have a cold for porcelain.

...

The next day, Conte and Columbus were in the Royal Palace of Lisbon again, in front of many Portuguese dignitaries, and took out a part of silk and tea bricks, which triggered a robbery again. Some people did not buy it, and even wanted to get through the relationship between Columbus and Conte to get the goods on board.

However, the two did not dare to be the masters, and other nobles also understood. After all, these things should be said to belong to Marin, not Columbus and Conte can casually decide.

If it were not for the Portuguese to be convinced that they had been to China, they did not plan to lay the groundwork for the next Huyou, these things should not be taken out in Lisbon at all.

The reason why Marin arranged for Columbus and Conte to show porcelain, silk and tea in Lisbon was to stimulate Portugal to go to the east and then fall into Marin's trap ...

...

As expected by the two, Manuel I summoned all the Portuguese aristocracy in Lisbon that evening and had a big discussion in the royal palace. The content of the discussion is about marching into China as soon as possible.

Although Portugal is still joining the Spanish fleet to dominate the Arabian Sea and intends to control the Indian spice trade, it has not been able to draw much energy to the east.

However, the porcelain, silk and tea brought back by the Columbus fleet have made the Portuguese red eyed.

That night, almost all Portuguese nobles who participated in the meeting expressed a strong willingness to go to China. At the same time, they also made plans to monopolize China's trade and prepared to eat single food.

But the problem is that the Portuguese have never been to the East and do not know the route. Therefore, the Portuguese monarch decided to feast on Columbus and Contai, and then take advantage of drunkenness and set out the secrets of the Huaxia route ... If they ca n’t, they plan to spend a lot of money to buy Columbus or Conte, or their sailors , Be sure to get the secret of Huaxia's route ...

So, the next day, Manuel I sent a solemn invitation to the three officials of Columbus, Conte and Skonda to host the voyage to participate in the grand banquet of the Royal Palace of Lisbon.

...

In fact, neither Manuel I nor his ministers knew that even if they didn't act, Columbus and Conté also planned to disclose "inside information" to them. Now, when the invitation is sent, which of Columbus and Conte do not yet know the meaning? So, the two settled on the strategy of "being drunk and bragging" ...

Sure enough, at the banquet, Manuel I asked the Portuguese nobles to toast the three Columbuses frequently, completely in a wheel war.

Halfway through the drink, Skandar was lying directly on the table (he was indeed about to measure, but today he is not the protagonist, so he simply became drunk). Columbus and Conte seemed to drink too high, their tongues began to grow bigger, and they began to speak casually ...

At first glance, Manuel I quickly sent someone to talk ...

In order to pretend to be a bit like that, Kong Tai used Latin, a common European language for aristocrats, when he communicated with the Portuguese ministers, and then a sentence or two of German appeared in his mouth.

However, the Portuguese Prime Minister Lavaldo nodded to Manuel I-this is what he should be after drunk, which is very suitable for clichés ...

Then, the Foreign Minister Ricardo, who knew German and had a good voice, went out in person and began to communicate with Kong Tai. On the side, Columbus saw Kong Tai's acting better than himself, and he just got drunk on the table. As a result, Kong Tai became the only one who dealt with Portuguese princes ...

"Master Kongtai, have you successfully traded with the Eastern Empire?" Ricardo tried to ask.

"Trade?" Kong Tai with a big tongue was disdainful. Then he suddenly became furious:

"Damn the trade, it's really inspiring! We did try to ask the Eastern Empire for trade, but the other party's request was too harsh. Do you know, the official of the Eastern Empire, let us submit to his emperor, and as a messenger, I must Kneel down to them, three knees and nine knocks! "After that, Kong Tai also gestured to explain what is called three knees and nine knocks.

Manuel I, who listened to it, was dumbfounded-Nima, was this too shameful?

Ricardo continued to ask:

"Maybe your Grand Duke's knighthood is a bit lower, the other party is so demanding ... if the messenger of our majesty the king handed over the national book ..."

"Oh--" Kong Tai smiled dismissively.

After laughing, Kong Tai explained:

"Sir Ricardo, you probably don't understand the virtue of the Eastern Empire. In their eyes, the kings of other countries are just the chiefs of some barbarians, and they are simply not qualified to sit on par with their emperor! Even His Majesty Manuel When they go in person, they will also ask His Majesty to kneel down to their emperor three times and nine times! "Kong Tai is not talking nonsense, but fact.

However, these words angered Manuel I. He exasperated:

"They dare to be so arrogant, so I don't take me seriously? Kong Tai, won't you deceive me?"

Kong Tai blushed and defended:

"Why? I swear by Kong Tai in the name of God. All I said is true!" Then, he added to his heart-the next thing is Fool ...

Everyone believed that Kong Tai had sworn in the name of God and was drunk.

Kong Tai seemed dissatisfied and continued to boast:

"You don't know, that country is indeed rich, and there are a lot of porcelain and silk. However, they look down on people in particular. In their view, we Europeans are all barbaric and not worthy to intersect with them equally. We handed in the national credentials and were torn directly. The official of the other party said to me-wait for you to learn humility and obedience, and then talk about things. Moreover, the Eastern Empire does not accept equal trade with any country ... "

"What? Not trading on an equal footing with any country?" Everyone present was surprised.

"Yes, in the eyes of the Eastern Empire, the people in other countries are inferior people. There is only one way to exchange their porcelain for drinking silk ..." Kong Tai said with a big tongue.

"What way?" Everyone was interested.

"Send a messenger to their capital to kneel down to their emperor and show their surrender to their emperor! Then they will give you the opportunity to trade. This trade is called the 'tribute trade'. And, give your porcelain to drink Silk is not traded on an equal basis with you, but after you make a tribute, the other party rewards you like sending a meal. Your emissaries must bow down and thank them for their rewards ... "

Suddenly, the atmosphere of the Lisbon Royal Palace froze ...

Obviously, if you want to trade with the Eastern Empire, let the king be the dog of others ... this is unacceptable to the self-respecting Portuguese ...

Portuguese Prime Minister Lavaldo was more alert, he suddenly asked:

"Since the search for trade has failed, where did the porcelain on your ship drink silk?"

Manuel I and other Portuguese nobles suddenly realized-yes, you said that you can't trade, where did your goods come from?

Kong Tai smiled triumphantly and said:

"We snatched it!"

"Robbed?" Everyone was dumbfounded, but then they understood. Why? Because the Portuguese are also keen on plundering. Kong Tai said this, which was very appetizing to them. So they asked Kong Tai to talk about the details.

Kong Tai drank another glass of wine and said with a big tongue:

"We refuse to surrender to each other, but there are small countries in the East who are willing to surrender. They sent tribute merchant ships loaded with porcelain, silk and tea ... and then, when they returned to the ship ..." Kong Tai blinked. The expression "you know" ...

The Portuguese prince really understood ...

"It's a good idea!" Portuguese princes who are thieves are happy ...

...

It seems that I ca n’t say enough. Kong Tai also took out a small map from his pocket and showed it to everyone:

"Look, this is the Eastern Empire ..."

"This is Guangzhou, this is the Pearl River Estuary ..."

"The defense of Guangzhou City is very strict. It is estimated that there are 20,000 troops stationed in ..." Kong Tai said without saying that there are indeed four health centers in Guangzhou, each with more than 5,000 people, with a total of more than 20,000. Of course, this is a theoretical number, and there are still a lot of money.

This number also shocked the Portuguese monarchs.

"Don't be afraid, no matter how many people they are, they are also in the city of Guangzhou. Our ships are just waiting for the small country trade ships returning to the sea off the Pearl River estuary. Then, hehe ..."

The Portuguese emperor once again showed an evil smile of understanding ...

Then, Kong Tai pointed to the Strait of Malacca and said:

"Do you know where it is?" Turtle's Portuguese ministers shook their heads one after another.

Kong Tai proudly said:

"This is called the Strait of Malacca, and it is the main maritime transportation route from India to Huaxia. Whoever occupies here will monopolize the maritime trade with China ..."

Speaking of which, Manuel I's eyes suddenly brightened. Moreover, he stared at the small map violently, apparently moved ...

"I tell you, there is a small country called the Kingdom of Malacca. Do n’t look at this small country, but it is prosperous because it is on the road of communication with China. Moreover, they have just discovered a huge tin mine in their country. It's a huge tin mine, not a small one! "Said Kong Tai, seemingly swayed.

"How old is it?" Ricardo asked in astonishment.

After pretending to think for a while, Kong Tai said:

"The tin reserves there are estimated to have tens of millions of pounds of tin metal!"

"Tens of tens of millions of pounds!" Manuel I's wine glass did not hold firmly and fell directly to the ground.

You know, there is a shortage of tin ore in Europe, so the price of tin is higher, which is similar to that of copper ore. In other words, tens of millions of pounds of tin are worth millions of pounds of silver ...

Thinking of this, the saliva of Manuel I and the Portuguese aristocracy who were present were going down ...

"Are you sure you didn't talk nonsense?" Ricardo said in disbelief.

"I believe it or not! You can send a spy to inquire! That place is called Kuala Lumpur, I'm wrong, I'll leave it to you!" Kong Tai shouted blushing like anger ~ www.novelhall.com ~ Then, he was still here Show Ricardo on the map:

"This is Malacca City, this is Kuala Lumpur ... If you can take this place, it is equivalent to occupying a large gold mine ... hiccups ..."

Staring at the map, Manuel I's eyes were full of heat ... He nodded to Ricardo, Ricardo understood ...

"Come on, continue to drink ..."

"Okay, I drank ... toast ... toast ..." After a few more drinks, Kong Tai pretended to be drunk, collapsed to the ground, and drilled directly under the table ...

Manuel I carefully removed the map from Kong Tai when he ordered the three men to rest in the guest room. Then instructed:

"Get a court painter, make a copy. Finish before he wakes up, and send the original picture back ..."

"Observe!"

Then, the song ended, and the "drunk" Columbus, Conte, and Skonda were all taken to the rooms of the Lisbon Royal Palace to rest ...