Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 562 The Marriage Alliance Between the Ming Dynasty and Europe!
"Clap clap clap!"

"Clap clap clap!"

The sudden burst of enthusiastic applause in the banquet hall sounded to Michele like a series of resounding slaps across his face.

Michelle could no longer contain her anger. She abruptly stood up and roared angrily toward the center of the banquet hall, "Deisa! What... what are you doing?"

Watching his own daughter, his most beloved darling, being kissed by a stranger in front of everyone, Michele, as a father, felt a surge of rage that almost burst from his chest.

This is a cabbage that we raised with great care, and it was just eaten by a "pig" in public!
And this was all in front of so many outsiders, where was Michele supposed to put his face?
What he found even harder to accept was that his daughter showed no sign of rejection; instead, she looked happy and sweet, which made Michele feel as if her heart was being torn apart.

"Don't lose your temper like that, it will frighten our daughter." Mrs. Michele quickly pulled him back and whispered, "There are so many outsiders here, you should be careful to maintain the demeanor of a governor, so as not to make a fool of yourself in front of them."

"You...you...look what your good daughter has done! How am I supposed to maintain my composure?" Michelle's anger surged, her face turning ashen. She accused, "It's all your fault! You spoil her too much, letting her act so willfully and recklessly, doing such outrageous things!"

Mrs. Michelle retorted, "My daughter is of marriageable age and has a man she likes. Isn't that a perfectly normal thing?"

"Most of the noblewomen of similar age to her were already married, or at least engaged."

"You can't keep her at home forever, never letting her have contact with men or get married, can you?"

Why are you getting so angry?

Michelle gasped for breath, her voice hoarse as she asked, "Who...who is that man?"

His eyesight is not very good.

As her biological daughter, Daisy was very familiar with her; she could recognize her just by seeing her general outline.

But he couldn't quite make out the man opposite him.

“He should be a prince of the Ming Dynasty.” Lady Michael’s eyesight was clearly much better than his. She turned her gaze to Zhu Di and his wife and said, “That man, does he look like your son?”

Upon hearing Lady Michele's words, Zhu Di and his wife Xu Miaoyun's expressions immediately turned extremely ugly.

Both of them cursed Zhu Gaochi a thousand times in their hearts.

How could this guy have become so lustful as soon as he arrived in Venice?

How can you accomplish anything great if you can't control yourself when you see a beautiful woman?

So hateful!

I'll definitely teach him a lesson when I get back!

However, despite their turmoil, the two were no ordinary people and possessed exceptional adaptability.

Xu Miaoyun quickly put on a big smile and said, "A son grows up and no longer listens to his mother. My son is getting old, and it is indeed time to arrange a marriage for him!"

"I wonder which family that young lady comes from?"

"I'll arrange for a matchmaker to come and propose marriage on a chosen day!"

As a woman, Xu Miaoyun was much quicker to react to issues involving romantic relationships and family reputation than Zhu Di, the "powerful ruler."

While saying she would arrange a marriage for Zhu Gaochi to show her sincerity, she cleverly pretended to be deaf and dumb, pretending not to have heard the previous conversation between the Michelle couple, and even pretended not to know that Zhu Gaochi was kissing their beloved daughter, so as to further observe their reaction and leave herself more room to maneuver.

Of course, Zhu Di was not to be outdone, and immediately followed up, saying, "My son has found his sweetheart here, and I, as his father, can find some solace in that."

He sighed, feigning doubt, "It's really strange. Back in the Ming Dynasty, he looked down on so many daughters of wealthy families, but now that he's in Venice, he's found a woman he likes."

"Perhaps this is a match made in heaven, a union destined for our Great Ming Dynasty and Venice! If my son can become a son-in-law of Venice, then Venice will become our Great Ming Dynasty's most important trading city in Europe!"

"All trade between the Ming Dynasty and Europe will be conducted through Venice as much as possible, to show closeness and importance!"

Although Zhu Di spoke a little later, his words were more sophisticated than Xu Miaoyun's, cleverly transforming what could have been a disastrous accidental kiss into a joyous occasion.

The son kissed someone's daughter at a banquet, which seemed like a "disaster," but if it could lead to a marriage alliance, it could turn hostility into friendship and crisis into opportunity.

Furthermore, this was a tremendous opportunity that Zhu Di had offered to Michele, and Michele had no reason to refuse it.

really.

Upon hearing Zhu Di's words, Governor Michele's expression immediately improved, turning from pale to bright.

His eyes flickered slightly as he fell into deep thought.

Marriages of European noblewomen were mostly the product of various alliances, resulting from family interests and political considerations.

There were so many intermarriages between European royal families that they became inbreeds, resulting in a high rate of birth defects in their offspring.

Venice, as a city-state, also employed similar marriage strategies among its aristocratic class.

Michele had already chosen a marriage partner for his daughter, Daisy, a grandson of the Albizzi family in Florence.

Like Venice, power in Florence was also in the hands of an oligarchic aristocracy.

However, unlike Venice, which had the position of Doge, Florence did not have a corresponding supreme administrative official.

Its highest administrative body is the "Elders' Council," composed of nine people.

To effectively prevent the emergence of personal autocracy, the term of office for members of the Presbyterian Council is strictly limited to a mere two months.

The highest-ranking member of the council of elders is the "Standard Bearer of Justice," whose main responsibility is to maintain order in Florence. He also serves as the head of the council of elders, with a term of office of two months.

In addition, all major decisions need to be reviewed by the "Council of 100".

Most of the council members came from one of the few extremely wealthy noble families in Florence.

On the surface, power in Florence appears to be extremely decentralized, with no single person able to fully control all the power.

In reality, however, the core power of this city has always been firmly held in the hands of a few prominent families.

The Albizzi family was the most prominent and first among them.

They not only possessed enormous wealth, but their influence in Florence was unmatched by any other family.

The eldest grandson of the Albizzi family was about the same age as Governor Michele's daughter, Daisy, making them a well-matched couple.

If the marriage were to succeed, it would undoubtedly be a powerful alliance, further solidifying the political and commercial ties between Venice and Florence, and strengthening the power and status of both families in their respective cities. This is the underlying reason why Michele was so enraged when she witnessed her daughter being kissed by a stranger.

It's not just because of the humiliation of "having one's own cabbage eaten by a pig".

More importantly, his meticulously planned marriage scheme may very well fall apart because of this.

The eldest grandson of the Albizzi family, the future heir to the family fortune, certainly could not tolerate his fiancée giving him a humiliating cuckold's horns.

This is a huge blow to his personal reputation and family honor.

However, when Zhu Di proposed a marriage alliance between the Ming Dynasty and Venice, Michele's mind began to shift rapidly.

Would a marriage alliance with a prince of the Ming Dynasty bring greater benefits and a brighter future than marrying one's daughter into the Albizi family?
At this moment, Michele's mind was racing, calculating and weighing the enormous benefits and risks that this marriage might bring.

A moment later, the anger on Governor Michele's face vanished completely, replaced by a shrewd smile.

He then raised the wine glass on the table and laughed loudly, "This must be God's arrangement! My daughter and your son are thousands of miles apart, yet they have been able to marry like this. It is truly rare and a match made in heaven!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Di and Xu Miaoyun both feigned surprise and widened their eyes. Zhu Di spoke at the opportune moment, his tone carrying a hint of "sudden realization": "I've always been curious about whose daughter Venice is, that my son could fall so in love with her at first sight. It turns out she's your precious darling! No wonder!"

He then raised his wine glass and said with a smile, "Governor Michael, now, as a prince of the Ming Dynasty, I formally propose marriage to you, hoping that you will betroth your daughter to my son!"

They were exiled to Europe for committing a crime and were worried about how to gain a foothold there.

If Zhu Gaochi could successfully marry the daughter of the Venetian Doge, it would undoubtedly be of great benefit to their foothold in Europe.

At this moment, Zhu Di's resentment towards Zhu Gaochi's previous "reckless" behavior had long since vanished.

On the contrary, he secretly praised the boy for being so capable, having "smoothly won over" the daughter of the Doge of Venice as soon as he landed.

He truly is his own son!
Cow!

Judging from Michele's expression, he should agree to my marriage proposal!

However, just as Zhu Di was pleased, behind Michele, his wife quietly tugged at his clothes and shook her head slightly, clearly indicating that she did not agree.

Although Michele had previously defended Daisy when she angrily reprimanded her daughter, at this moment, upon hearing with her own ears that her daughter was to marry a prince from the distant Ming Dynasty, Michele's wife, Daisy's mother, appeared quite unwilling.

After all, the Ming Dynasty and Venice were tens of thousands of miles apart.

Geographical distance itself is a difficult chasm to overcome.

Prior to this, the two sides had never had any direct contact.

Europe's understanding of the Ming Dynasty was limited to the vivid legends told by some merchants.

Merchants spread the word that there was an ancient and powerful country in the East!

As for what this country is like and what its name is, even the merchants who often travel far and wide cannot say for sure.

It wasn't until Zheng He led his fleet to Europe that people learned of a country called "Da Ming".

Subsequently, Zhu Di, who claimed to be a prince of the Ming Dynasty, arrived in Venice with his fleet.

From any perspective, the connection between Venice and the Ming Dynasty was extremely limited.

If their daughter marries a prince of the Ming Dynasty, she will likely have no chance of contacting her family for the rest of her life.

As a mother, Mrs. Michelle was emotionally unable to accept this.

Although daughters always have to get married.

However, if she married a nobleman from Florence, at least she could maintain correspondence, stay informed about her daughter's situation, and find some solace in her longing for her daughter.

But if she marries into the Ming Dynasty, they will truly be separated by vast distances, and there will be no further contact from then on.

How could she not feel worried and reluctant to part with him?
Mrs. Michelle was extremely dissatisfied with her husband's words, and she hoped that he would retract his rash remarks as soon as possible.

Beside her, Xu Miaoyun keenly noticed Madame Michele's expression and subtle movements.

As a mother herself, she immediately understood the other person's concerns.

"In the past, the Ming Dynasty and Europe did not have any direct contact, simply because the sea routes had not yet been opened."

Xu Miaoyun smiled gently and said, "Previously, Zheng He's fleet had successfully opened up the sea route to the West, which is why we were able to arrive in Venice smoothly today."

"In the future, the Ming Dynasty will send more fleets to Europe to establish stable trade relations, exchange goods and services, and share prosperity."

“Your daughter will not lose her connection with her hometown just because she married my son.”

"The exchanges between the Ming Dynasty and Venice will only become closer and closer."

Zhu Di immediately added, "I have come here on the orders of His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Ming Dynasty to preside over trade between Europe and the Great Ming Dynasty, as well as to handle many affairs in Europe."

"In the short term, we will not leave Europe, but will continue to visit more city-states and countries, and strive to establish a comprehensive and friendly relationship between the Ming Dynasty and Europe."

"Only when trade between Europe and the Ming Dynasty is unimpeded and we have successfully completed the various tasks assigned by His Majesty the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty can we set off to leave."

"By then, the exchanges between Europe and the Ming Dynasty should be very close, and communication will be very convenient."

"Despite the great distance between the two countries, with their giant ships capable of long voyages, it would only take a few months at most for them to reach each other's countries."

"If your daughter marries into the Ming Dynasty, she will certainly receive the best hospitality and treatment, and enjoy a life of honor. What else could you possibly worry about?"

Of course, he wouldn't reveal his true intentions to the other party, saying things like he would never leave once he arrived in Europe. Instead, he would say he would leave after completing his mission.

As for when this task will be considered complete, that's another matter.

Upon hearing this, Governor Michele's smile widened, and he was deeply moved by the grand vision described by Zhu Di.

He completely ignored his wife's disapproving looks and gestures, and immediately declared, "It is my daughter's honor to marry a prince of the Ming Dynasty! As her father, I fully agree to this marriage!"

……

(End of this chapter)