The Age of Discovery: Chinese cuisine swept across Europe

Since everyone has something to do, no one gathers together to gamble.

Min Xi and Yun Ji also decided to move out of the baron's house. They found a broker and rented a small yard in the city. Why did they rent it in the city? Of course, it was to provide convenience for the sailors, so that they could put their loads and carts here every day instead of taking them back to the suburbs.

After renting the yard, Yun Ji said, "Why don't we switch places with them? Let them live in this yard, and we can live outside the city? It will be convenient for them and for us."

Min Xi knew that Yun Ji had always wanted to live alone with him, so he said, "Okay, let's talk to them and see if they are willing to live here."

The sailors were naturally happy about it. Since they were going to do business in the city, it would be more convenient to live in the city and make buying and selling easier.

Although the yard in the city was a bit narrow, everyone had squeezed into the cabin before, so naturally they didn't mind the current accommodation conditions. It took them one day to move their home here.

Min Xi and Yun Ji went to the yard outside the city and looked at the neatly-kept vegetable plot. Many vegetables had not yet been planted because the seedlings were still being cultivated in the baron's glass greenhouse and it was not yet time to plant them.

Min Xi clapped his hands in satisfaction: "Not bad, we are back to the self-sufficient state we used to be. I really like growing my own vegetables."

Yun Ji said, "I know, that's why I said we should live outside the city. When I have nothing to do, I can study peacefully for a few days."

"That's right! Let's go back and tell the Baron, and then move here."

"Well, I've already thought about it. I'll borrow a horse from the Baron. He has so many horses anyway, so I can ride a horse when I go to the city to buy groceries."

"I'll go buy the vegetables!" Min Xi said quickly, "You always bought them before, and I'll buy the vegetables too from now on."

"Sure, there are only two of us eating anyway, and it's not much, just buy whatever you want." Yun Ji didn't argue with him and just gave in to him.

When the two of them went back and told the Baron that they were moving, the Baron became unhappy: "You are living well in my house. Bella is already familiar with you two. Why do you want to move?"

Min Xi smiled and said, "How can we live in a friend's house all the time? It just so happens that all our sailors have gone to the city to set up stalls to earn money, so the rented house outside the city is empty. There are still many vegetable fields there. We want to move there and grow some vegetables. It's not far away. Whenever you want to eat my cooking, just take a carriage and come over. We welcome you anytime."

The Baron couldn't help but sigh. In fact, he knew that no matter how enthusiastic he was, he would not be able to make his two friends feel 100% at ease. After all, this was not their home. Many times they had to accommodate each other, which was indeed very inconvenient.

"Well, then you must remember to come and see us and Bella often." The Baron finally did not insist on keeping her.

"I definitely will." Min Xi agreed readily.

Yun Ji asked the baron to borrow a horse, and the baron said, "Why don't we just lend you a carriage? It will be convenient if you can go out together."

"Won't it cause you any inconvenience?" Min Xi asked.

"No! I have several carriages at home. By the way, we are going to meet His Majesty the King in a few days, don't forget." The baron reminded.

"I haven't forgotten. We haven't sent the gift to His Majesty yet." Min Xi said with a smile.

"Take them with you when the time comes."

Min Xi and Yun Ji packed their luggage, loaded it onto the carriage, and drove it to a yard in the north of the city.

The yard was indeed a bit too big for the two of them. When Diego learned that they had moved out of town, he also wanted to move in with them.

Yun Ji asked him, "Would you like to spend more time with Mr. Sanvis?"

Diego chuckled: "They're very close, I can go see them anytime." Maybe it was a habit he developed since childhood, he was more in awe of Sanvis, unlike Min Xi and Yun Ji, who made him feel closer.

Yun Ji wanted to persuade him again, but Min Xi agreed: "That's fine. Go pick a room for yourself."

Diego went to choose a room happily.

Yun Ji looked at his back and sighed: "Why is it so difficult to have some time alone together?"

Min Xi smiled and said, "Just wait until we get back."

Yun Ji thought about it and realized that it was true. Only if they went back could they live in their own world.

The rooms they chose were next to each other. It was originally just a decoy, but now that Diego has moved in, they have to live separately.

A few days later, Baron Fernando came to pick up Min Xi and Yun Ji to go to the palace to meet Sebastian I. After Sebastian I learned that they had defeated the Seven Demon Pirates, he decided to reward the captains who participated in the war. Yun Ji was a great contributor and he was the protagonist of this award ceremony.

Diego stood at the door, watching them get on the carriage with some envy. The baron saw Diego and said, "Diego, why don't you come along too? After all, you have seen the world. You are the first Portuguese to have been to the capital of the Ming Dynasty. Maybe you can tell His Majesty the King about what you saw and heard in the Ming Dynasty."

Diego was so frightened when he heard this that he could hardly close his mouth: "I, I, I can also go to see His Majesty the King?"

Min Xi smiled and said to him, "Since the Baron has said so, you should come up quickly."

"Hey!" Diego got on the carriage happily. In fact, he had always dreamed of such a day, so he changed into his most decent clothes early in the morning, thinking that maybe he could go to see the king. Unexpectedly, his dream really came true. He was overjoyed.

In addition to them, there were also captains of several other ships entering the palace together today. The baron led Min Si and his men in first, while the other captains were received by the court attendants and taken to the hall where the king summoned his subjects to wait.

The baron took the three of them to the small reception room of Sebastian I. Min Si and others bowed respectfully. Diego was so excited that he almost crawled in front of the king to kiss the back of his feet, because he had heard since he was a child that this was the etiquette for meeting the king. But when he saw that Min Si and others did not kneel, he had to try his best to keep it upright.

Sebastian I was very happy to see them: "I didn't expect you to come back. And you have made great contributions. It's really unexpected and makes me happy. Please sit down and tell me all about your dealings with the Seven Demon Pirates. How did you subdue the two pirate ships?"

Yun Ji's move solved a problem that was troubling the Portuguese navy, saved Portugal a lot of manpower and material resources, and prevented Portuguese merchant ships from suffering huge losses. This made Sebastian I very pleased, so he decided to call Yun Ji alone to commend him.

Yun Ji then told the story in detail about how he subdued the two pirate ships. During the conversation, Sebastian I asked many questions about details, so once they started, they couldn't stop. The courtiers ran over here several times, trying to urge His Majesty to meet the captains, but the conversation was going on so well that they had to go back.

Sebastian I listened with great interest. He clapped his hands on the table and cheered. When he got excited, he couldn't help but swore: "Well done, well done! Kill those hateful pirates!"

The courtier beside him hastily reminded him: "Your Majesty! Watch your words."

Sebastian I ignored him, waved his hand at the courtier, and urged: "What happened next? What happened next?"

Yun Ji and Min Xi continued to tell the story from their own perspectives. Sebastian I finally heard the entire war. He stood up excitedly and shouted, "Great! I will reward you handsomely!"

The courtier beside him reminded: "Your Majesty, the captains of the other ships in that naval battle are still waiting for you."

"Yes, and they are also a reward!" Sebastian I said, "Let's go out together."

Min Xi and Yun Ji looked at each other and said quickly, "Your Majesty, we brought you some gifts."

"Oh? You have a gift for me?" Sebastian I asked excitedly, "Show it to me now."

Min Xi and Yun Ji presented the gifts they brought to Sebastian I. They included a set of four treasures of the study, a set of purple clay teapots, a set of dragon kiln celadon tableware, an ancient zither, a set of go, some folding fans, a set of dominoes, and a piece of Yun brocade and Shu brocade.

Sebastian I's eyes lit up as he watched, and he asked about its purpose: "This is so interesting, do you all know how to play it?"

Min Xi smiled and said, "Your Majesty, I only know how to play dominoes, and Yun should know how to play Go and Guqin."

"Interesting, interesting. Let's go meet those people first, and then you teach me how to play these." Sebastian I said excitedly, rubbing his hands.

So a few people moved to the hall. When the captains saw Min Xi and Yun Ji following the king out, they realized what was going on. It turned out that they went to see the king first, no wonder the king didn't come out. These people were not angry. On the one hand, they didn't dare to get angry with the king, and on the other hand, they didn't want to get angry with Yun Ji and Min Xi. If it weren't for them, they might have been fed to the sea fish by now.

Sebastian I rewarded everyone with a lot of money. He only granted Yun Ji the title of baron, a piece of territory, and a fief of 300 households, and allowed him to build a house in the territory to commend his outstanding contributions to Portugal.

After the reward was given, the king kept Yun Ji and Min Xi to ask them how to play with Chinese musical instruments and toys.

Yun Ji played a piece of music called "High Mountains and Flowing Water" for the king. Perhaps the melody played by the guqin was quite different from Western music, so it did not arouse much interest of the king. After the song was over, Sebastian I began to yawn. Yun Ji had to put the guqin aside and explain how to play Go.

Go is not something that ordinary people can play. The king's mischievous personality would definitely not attract his interest. Sure enough, he said it was too difficult before he had even made a few moves.

Min Xi smiled and said, "Your Majesty, let's play dominoes."

Sebastian I looked at the dominoes and asked, "How do you play this?"

"It takes four people to play this, so we can play together." Min Xi said with a smile, "But this requires a round table or a small square table. Your Majesty's table is too big."

So everyone moved to the coffee table in the king's living room, poured out the dominoes, and started playing dominoes.