My Pen Pal Zhu Yuanzhang

Chapter 428 Let Ming Shape the World

"After figuring out the name, we can basically infer the origin of this guy named Don Ferdinand Macaros.

According to what you said, this guy is a count, and the title of Europa is hereditary like that of the Ming Dynasty. So we can infer that his father has passed away, and his title was inherited from his father.

Secondly, his mother was from the royal family of Ferdinand of Aragon. Although it was rare for a princess to marry a count, it was not unheard of. This showed that the Makaros family had a high status in the Kingdom of Castile and should have held some real power, which was why the royal family of Aragon would not hesitate to marry into the count's family in order to achieve certain political goals.

And judging from the fact that he was able to lead a fleet from the Illyrian Peninsula where the Castile Peninsula is located to the East, his family should be very wealthy, otherwise they would not have so much money to build a ship for the Earl.

You still have to interrogate him for details, Old Zhu. But I do have a suggestion for this man. You can make him the agent of Ming in Europe and let his family become the comprador of Ming."

Old Li is really smart, he knows a lot and speaks nicely.

Zhu Yuanzhang exclaimed in admiration, saying that he could infer so many things from just a name. There is a saying that goes, "Listening to your words is worth ten years of reading!"
The idea of ​​training Makaros to be the agent of the Ming Dynasty was simply a brilliant one, and Zhu Yuanzhang immediately had an idea in his mind.

First, let Makaros learn the official language of the Ming Dynasty and gradually let him be used by the Ming Dynasty. Of course, if this guy is not convinced, the Jinyiwei Prison has plenty of ways to persuade him.

Secondly, the last time Xu Da came back, he also brought an interpreter with him, so he selected a few smart people and asked the interpreter to teach them the foreign language, which would also lay the foundation for further dealings with Europeans in the future.

"Since Makaros is from the Kingdom of Castile, let's start our detailed explanation of Europe from the Kingdom of Castile. First, please take out the world map I gave you."

Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned. Why did this feeling happen to be exactly the same as when the teacher asked him to take out his textbooks when he was in private school?
He smiled and shook his head, returned to his bedroom from the Buddhist hall, found the world map, and continued reading it.

"The Kingdom of Castile is located on the Iberian Peninsula in the upper left corner of the map. It is separated from Africa by a sea. The strait in the middle is called the Strait of Gibraltar."

Following Li Han's instructions, Zhu Yuanzhang quickly found the location of the Iberian Peninsula, but it said Spain. Well, there is another country in the southern corner of the peninsula, called Portugal.

So where was the Kingdom of Castile? He was a little confused.

"The Iberian Peninsula is still in a state of division. There is the Kingdom of Castile, Portugal, the Kingdom of Aragon, and the fragmented kingdoms established by the Arabs.

In the sixth year of Zhenguan, the Arabs at that time established a great empire spanning from Egypt to the Arab world, called the Arab Empire.

From Egypt to the Arabs? Zhu Yuanzhang quickly checked the map, found Egypt, and then found Arabia, and was immediately a little surprised.

This area is quite vast. It seems that the ancestors of these Arabs were once very wealthy!

"The Arab Empire had fought several battles with the Tang Empire, and of course they were almost completely defeated, except for the Battle of Talas.

However, the only defeat of the Tang Dynasty was not entirely the fault of its commander Gao Xianzhi. Although they were defeated, it was not shameful. At that time, Gao Xianzhi had only 30,000 Anxi troops under his command, while the Arab Empire had increased its troops from 200,000 to 300,000. Moreover, during the battle, the Qarlug tribe of the Turks also turned against them, which led to the defeat of the Tang Dynasty.

However, in this battle, the Tang Dynasty lost more than 15,000 soldiers and horses, while the Arab Empire lost 70,000. In terms of casualties, the Tang Dynasty actually won. This battle had little impact on the Tang Dynasty, but it was somewhat damaging to the Arab Empire.

This is a bit off topic, but I give this example here to give you a vivid picture of what the Arab Empire was like.

Although both the Ming Dynasty and the Tang Dynasty were the undisputed number one in the world in their respective eras, during the Tang Dynasty, the status of the Tang Dynasty in the world is incomparable to that of the Ming Dynasty today. You have to admit this, Old Zhu.

And the Arab Empire was able to compete with the Tang Dynasty. Although it was defeated more than it won, it did show that it still had a certain status in the world. "

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded repeatedly. This was really incomparable. Isn’t the hassle-free scene of all nations coming to pay tribute to the Tang Dynasty what he was pursuing?

He did know a little about the Battle of Talas. If the Arabs had not bribed the Turks and caused them to betray the Tang Dynasty halfway, the outcome of this battle would be hard to say.

In this case, he also had an idea of ​​the strength of the Arab Empire. His ancestors were indeed very powerful, just like the Timurid Empire today.

"I have talked so much with you just to let you know that Europe today is actually not as good as the Ming Dynasty or even the Timurid Empire that controlled most of the Arabs and Persia. But why do I keep emphasizing the need to trade with Europe?
The point is not to make money from them, but to let the Ming Dynasty master the shipping routes and cut off the idea of ​​the great voyages to Europe. To be more specific, it is to let the Ming Dynasty control the shipping routes, control the trade, and use the Ming Dynasty's trade and Chinese culture to shape the world!
Instead of in another future where Europeans and their descendants shape the world order!

Therefore, the Ming Dynasty’s maritime trade and ocean voyages were actually competing with Europe for the future!
Fortunately, the Ming Dynasty is now far ahead of Europe. "

Well said, what Mr. Li said is so good, it really touches the heart of Mr. Zhu!

Zhu Yuanzhang clapped his hands and exclaimed that it was wonderful. Why did he, an emperor who emphasized agriculture and suppressed commerce, suddenly change his mindset and start encouraging commerce, abolishing the maritime ban of "not a single piece of wood can go to sea", and vigorously developing maritime trade? Wasn't it just to prevent the future generations of China from being bullied by countries like England and the United States?

"In order to develop ocean trade, the Ming Dynasty must understand how Europe started the great voyages of discovery. This is something the Ming Dynasty should learn from and pay attention to.

Simply put, why Europe embarked on the great voyages is closely related to their current situation.

Before that, let us first understand the channels used for trade from Europe to the East in the past.

I have told you about this route before, it is the Silk Road. Now, Mr. Zhu, please look at the map and I will mark it out for you one by one."

Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned, and quickly placed the map next to the letter and read it carefully.

“The Silk Road was mainly for merchants from the Western Regions, starting from Luoyang or Chang’an in China, and transporting Chinese silk, tea, porcelain and other goods through the Western Regions to the Chagatai Khanate, and then to Persia and Arabia.

After these goods were resold to Arab merchants in Arabia, they were then transported northwest by Arab caravans, passing through Istanbul in Asia Minor, an important transit point in Eurasia, and then to Europe.

(End of this chapter)