The Ming Dynasty: Starting with the border troops, it was overthrown and the Qing Dynasty was destro

Chapter 279 Meeting with Western Missionaries

Seeing Wang Chengbi's enthusiasm, Jiang Han couldn't very well refuse him.

"No need to bother."

Jiang Han immediately stood up and gave instructions to the guards on duty outside the hall.

"Immediately send someone to the residence of the Chief of Staff Wang to invite those two Western missionaries named Fepinto and João to the residence."

"Yes!"

The guards acted swiftly, and in less than half an hour, two missionaries dressed in Confucian robes, with crosses hanging around their necks and high noses and deep-set eyes, were led to the outside of the Cunxin Hall.

After a thorough search, the two were allowed to enter.

Fei Pinto and Qiao Ang looked at the magnificent Cunxin Hall before them, feeling extremely uneasy.

Since entering Sichuan—no, since entering the Ming Dynasty—their missionary work has been extremely difficult.

People in the East mostly believe in Buddhism or Taoism, or adhere to Confucian traditions.

These people were not interested in the doctrines they preached at all; instead, they marveled at their blond hair and blue eyes.

Very few people are actually baptized.

Because of the isolation of Sichuan, many gentry regarded it as heresy and kept their distance.

Although Feipinto and Qiaoang, through their exquisite objects and Western knowledge, managed to befriend some enlightened officials like Wang Chengbi.

But this is only a minority.

Left with no other choice, they mustered their courage and asked Wang Chengbi to introduce Jiang Han to them.

They had assumed that the Emperor was too busy with state affairs to have much hope, but now that they had suddenly received the news, they were naturally extra cautious.

Upon entering the hall, the two saw the King of Han sitting behind a table. According to etiquette, they were to lift their robes, kneel down, and perform a full kowtow.

But Jiang Han waved his hand, his tone calm:
"Get up."

"In my society, unless it is a major ceremony or occasion, there is no need to perform such a grand ceremony when we meet in daily life. A bow and a hand gesture are sufficient."

"Look at the seats."

The eunuchs immediately brought over two embroidered stools.

The two missionaries were somewhat flattered. They sat cautiously on the embroidered stools, their bodies taut and their eyes filled with tension and curiosity.

Jiang Han glanced at the two of them and asked:
"It's a pleasure to meet you both. Where do you two gentlemen come from?"

"And how should we address them?"

One of the older missionaries, with a high-bridged nose, was the first to stand up and reply in slightly broken Southwestern Mandarin:
“Your Highness, my name is Fepinto, and I come from Portugal, which is what the Ming Dynasty called the Franco-Portuguese.”

Jiang Han nodded:

"So they're Portuguese, I see."

He then pressed on,

"Do you know a missionary named An Wensi?"

"As far as I know, he should also be one of your Portuguese, and apparently a descendant of the famous navigator Magellan."

Upon hearing this, Fepinto looked slightly puzzled.

He thought about it carefully for a moment, then shook his head:

"Your Majesty, the An Wensi you mentioned, as far as I can recall, does not seem to be any of my colleagues who are currently missionaries in China who use this name."

"Perhaps...you mean his given name?"

Neither Jiang Han nor Fei Pinto knew that An Wensi's original name was Gabriel Magellan, and that he would not enter China until thirteen years after the Chongzhen Emperor's reign.

It's only the eighth year of the Chongzhen reign, so naturally there's no such person to be found.

To make up for the embarrassment of not being able to answer the question, Fipinto then added:
"Although I don't know this An Wensi, I am very familiar with the Magellan family."

"The Magellan family line has now ended due to the early death of his only son, Carlos."

"But I know quite a few of their collateral relatives."

Jiang Han listened to him ramble on about family lineage for a while. Although it was a bit convoluted, he understood the key information—they were relatives, and it seemed they weren't too far apart.

That makes things much easier.

If there's an opportunity in the future, perhaps we can use this Fei Pinto to bring An Wensi to Sichuan ahead of time.

In Jiang Han's impression, An Wensi seemed to be a talented person who was well-versed in both Chinese and Western learning. He wished he could be persuaded to change his mind.

"very good."

Jiang Han stopped pursuing the matter and turned his attention to another, slightly younger missionary.

The missionary immediately stood up, bowed, and said:
"Your Highness, my name is Qiao Ang, and I come from Italy."

"That is where Rome, where the Pope resides, is located, hence it is also called the Kingdom of God."

Jiang Han nodded to indicate that he understood, and then got to the point:
"I've invited you two here today because there's something I want to discuss."

"I plan to open a school in Sichuan and compile a batch of new textbooks, which will cover subjects such as mathematics, astronomy, geography, and surveying."

"I have long heard that Taixi has made great achievements in these areas, and I hope that you two can contribute your efforts to preside over or participate in the compilation of the textbooks."

Upon hearing this, a look of surprise instantly appeared on their faces.

They traveled thousands of miles to the East with the sole purpose of spreading the Catholic faith.

The most important and effective missionary strategy is to get close to the core of power and attract the attention of those in power by demonstrating the superiority of Western scholarship.

How could he not be delighted to hear Jiang Han make the request on his own initiative?

The two immediately stood up, bowed deeply, and their excitement was palpable.
"We are willing to serve Your Majesty! We will certainly do our utmost!"

"very good."

Jiang Han was very satisfied with their reaction, and then added:
"When compiling teaching materials, we should pay attention to starting from the simple and gradually increasing the difficulty, distinguishing levels according to the level of knowledge difficulty, and proceeding step by step to facilitate teaching."

"We will obey Your Majesty's orders!" the two said in unison.

Among them, the slightly bolder Fepinto tentatively asked:

"Your Majesty seems to have a good understanding of our Western learning. I wonder... I wonder if Your Majesty would allow us to freely spread the Gospel of God under your rule?"

His heart was in his throat when he asked that question.

Qiao Ang, standing to the side, stared in horror at his colleague, never expecting him to make such a direct request. But to their utter surprise, the Prince of Han only hesitated briefly before nodding in agreement.

"can."

“As long as you do your best to compile teaching materials for me and impart practical knowledge, I can allocate land in Chengdu and allow you to build a church.”

The two missionaries could hardly believe their ears and nearly jumped up.

They had struggled desperately for missionary permission in the Ming Dynasty, but had never been able to obtain it. Now, they had gotten it so easily!
The two bowed deeply again, even instinctively wanting to kneel down to express their gratitude:
"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!"

"We will certainly do our utmost and live up to your expectations!"

Seeing this, Jiang Han decided to add fuel to the fire by promising them an even bigger pie in the sky.

"I have heard that there are many learned missionaries in Macau who are well-versed in both Chinese and Western learning."

“You can write to them and invite them to Sichuan.”

"I will never hesitate to reward anyone who brings me technology, books, or talent that satisfies me."

“Those who are particularly outstanding may even be considered for official positions to serve me.”

He entered the imperial court as an official!

This temptation was simply irresistible to these missionaries who longed to influence the Eastern empire.

The two men were instantly filled with excitement and immediately patted their chests to guarantee:

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty!"

"Upon returning, we will immediately write to our colleagues in Macau, and even in Goa and Manila, promising to bring the most talented scholars and the newest and most innovative techniques to Your Majesty's service!"

Jiang Han smiled with satisfaction:

"Alright, then I'll await your good news."

"That's all for today. Manager Wang will handle the specific details with you."

The two men, sensing the situation, immediately rose, bowed again, and then, guided by the eunuch, respectfully withdrew from the Cunxin Hall.

As soon as they stepped out of the main hall and into a secluded spot, the two missionaries could no longer contain their joy and were almost moved to tears.

After years of setbacks and neglect in the East, they have finally seen the light at the end of the tunnel. They have not only obtained the long-awaited permission to preach, but have also gained the favor and important responsibilities of the King of Han!
The two clasped hands tightly with excitement, whispering prayers and praises in their mother tongues, as if they could see a bright future with countless believers converting and churches springing up everywhere.

Inside the hall, watching the two figures leave excitedly, Wang Chengbi's brows furrowed slightly.

He turned to Jiang Han, his tone tinged with worry:

“Your Majesty, these Western missionaries do indeed possess some extraordinary skills, which may be beneficial for compiling teaching materials and researching and creating objects.”

"But is it inappropriate to allow them to preach, or even to grant them official positions?"

There's a saying that goes, "Those who are not of our kind will surely have different hearts."

“In the past, during the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, people of different ethnicities were also heavily employed, and various foreign religions were established, creating a chaotic situation.”

"The Mongol Yuan dynasty once honored Tibetan Buddhist monks as imperial preceptors, granting them a high status and allowing them to participate in government affairs; it also heavily relied on Semu officials to manage finances, which led to their exploitation and cruelty, provoking strong dissatisfaction among the Han people and even accelerating the collapse of its dynasty."

"We must heed these lessons from the past."

"Moreover, Western doctrines are quite incompatible with Chinese etiquette and morality. If they are allowed to spread unchecked, they may poison the region."

Jiang Han waved his hand confidently:
"Master Wang is overthinking it."

“I only said I would be offered an official position, but I didn’t specify what kind of position it was.”

"If he really has to be given an official position in the future, we can just give him a sixth-rank official position under the Imperial Observatory, such as the Five Officials Officer or the Lingtai Lang."

"At that time, they will be responsible for revising the calendar and observing celestial phenomena."

“This is called using one’s strengths to serve me. These kinds of official positions don’t have much real power and can’t affect the overall situation.”

He gave a cold laugh and explained to Wang Chengbi:
"You don't know this, but these Western missionaries, who seem humble, polite and knowledgeable, are actually quite ambitious."

"This group of people are the most bullying of the weak and the most cowardly. On the surface, they claim to be shepherds spreading the gospel, but in their hearts they are a group of absolute conquerors."

"Looking at the history of Western countries over the past two hundred years, wherever their fleets went, killing and conquest often followed."

"These missionaries, in the name of God, committed plunder and slaughter, destroying countless local tribes and civilizations."

“In India and in Malacca, commercial outposts and military fortresses were often built at the same time as churches.”

"For them, missionary work and conquest are one and the same thing, two sides of the same coin."

"This group not only had designs on those small tribes, but they even once bared their fangs at the Ming Dynasty."

"As early as the Jiajing era, missionaries attempted to forcibly enter the mainland from Macau to preach, but their efforts were thwarted."

"Initially, they faced great difficulties because they did not understand the language and etiquette of the Ming Dynasty."

"Some people have claimed that they should use force to compel the Chinese emperor to grant missionaries the right to enter China to preach, while also giving the local people the right to accept the truth."

"This group of people wrote back to their country, attempting to mobilize troops to attack the Ming Dynasty."

“There were even more fanatical Spanish in Greater Luzon who actually devised a military plan to conquer the Ming Dynasty with two thousand musketeers.”

"Although the matter eventually came to nothing, their covetousness was clearly exposed."

"It was only after they discovered the power of the Eastern Empire that they abandoned their idea of ​​conquering by force and instead proposed an adaptation policy, requiring missionaries to learn Chinese, become familiar with Confucian classics and etiquette."

“These Western scholars attracted the scholar-official class by showcasing Western knowledge and exotic objects, which gradually led to their permission to enter the mainland.”

"The current humility is merely a strategic shift."

After hearing this secret, Wang Chengbi's face was filled with shock and anger:
"I never imagined that these red-haired barbarians would harbor such wicked intentions!"

"Their actions are no different from those of the Japanese pirates; they are simply more cunning and secretive!"

"Since Your Majesty knew about this, why did you still allow them to preach, and even promised to allocate land for them to build churches?"

"Isn't this like raising a tiger to cause trouble?"

Jiang Han rolled his eyes at him after hearing this:
"Nonsense! If you want a horse to run, you have to feed it some grass, right?"

"Although these Western missionaries harbored ambitions, they were indeed very knowledgeable."

"Western countries have made considerable achievements in astronomy and calendar systems, mathematical surveying, firearms improvement, and mechanical manufacturing."

"Now I can exchange a church and a few nominal positions in the Imperial Observatory for their knowledge system accumulated over hundreds of years."

"Wouldn't you take this deal?"

(End of this chapter)