After listening to Xu Xinsu's suggestion, Peter Natz struggled for a long time before he couldn't help but say, "Can you really convince the shogunate to agree to let Bill solve the tax collection matter on my behalf?" That merchant Hamada Yabei seems to have a lot of influence on the shogunate, and I stayed in Edo for more than 4 months, and I couldn't see the shogun..."

When Peter Natz spoke, his eyes kept looking at Xu Xinsu's face, and looking at the mocking look on Xu Xinsu's face, his tone couldn't help but lower and lower, and gradually became inaudible.

After watching Peternatz stop talking, Xu Xinsu said mockingly: "It seems that you have been here for so long, and you still don't know anything about this land." It was already an honor for Japan to send an envoy to meet the shogun of the Japanese shogunate. Can a mere businessman still be able to compete with the majesty of the Ming Dynasty? ”

Looking at Xu Xinsu, who was full of confidence, Peter Natz also had to doubt his faith. When Xu Xinsu walked out of the small courtyard, he saw Huang Bao, a small flag of the brocade guard, standing under the hanging flower gate on the other side.

Xu Xinsu glanced behind before walking towards Huang Bao, and when he walked to the door of the hanging flower, he heard Huang Bao say, "My lord is waiting for you in the courtyard." ”

Xu Xinsu walked in with a "hmm", and inside the weeping flower gate was another courtyard, the layout was similar to the small courtyard where Peternats lived, and Lian Shanxiang was sitting at the stone table drinking a pot of tea.

"Why don't even adults warm a pot of wine, in this cold weather, drinking tea outside can't warm up." Xu Xinsu said like a spring breeze, he was very respectful and cautious in front of Lian Shanxiang.

From an unknown brocade cloth to Chongzhen's henchman who is in charge of the palace ban, he can be said to be the most trusted person in Chongzhen now.

Even Shanxiang's legendary experience made everyone in Jinyi Wei envious and jealous, and even many people hoped to be like him, and Chongzhen's appreciation jumped over the dragon gate in one fell swoop.

Lian Shanxiang seems to be unaware of the rumors in the Jinyi Guard, but with the improvement of his status, Lian Shanxiang, who was originally cowering and unkempt, has also become the majestic and self-reliant leader of the Jinyi Guard.

Lian Shanxiang put down the tea cup in his hand and said coldly: "For people like us, drinking alcohol is undoubtedly tantamount to suicide..."

There was a sudden noise from the next door, interrupting Lian Shanxiang's speech, which made him frown.

Lian Shanxiang made a gesture, and a brocade guard suddenly hurriedly walked out of the courtyard. After a while, the voice next door finally quieted down.

Jinyiwei, who had just gone out, ran in from outside the courtyard gate again, and reported to Lian Shanxiang: "It's the delegation of the people of Macao who came to see His Majesty on order, and it's not a strange person." ”

Lian Shanxiang nodded, waved him to retreat, and then continued to ask Xu Xinsu, "Has the fish been hooked?" ”

"Your Majesty, the fish has been hooked. Be careful, don't let it run. Tian Xiuying grabbed her skirt with both hands, half-squatting on the side, and kept shouting, as if she was more nervous than Chongzhen who was holding a fishing rod.

"Don't worry, it won't run." Zhu Youzhen grasped the fishing rod intently, wanting to drag the fish ashore.

Wang Chengen and a group of palace maids were nervously watching Chongzhen's actions, for fear that he would accidentally fall into the Taiye Pool and re-enter the emperor's rut.

When a lively fresh fish struggled out of the cracked ice cave, these eunuchs and palace maids breathed a sigh of relief.

Seeing Chongzhen holding a ruler of the white fish, Tian Xiuying was very curious, and couldn't help but want to touch it.

Zhu Youzhen saw that she was so interested, and couldn't help but smile and asked, "Do you want to catch it?" ”

"Really? Is it the first time a concubine has caught a live fish? Tian Xiuying involuntarily stretched out her hands to pick up the fish handed over by Chongzhen.

This fish may be Yang Shouwei, Tian Xiuying just took the fish, and struggled before she could hold it steady.

Tian Xiuying was frightened, and immediately let the fish fall back into the liquid pool. The ice on the pool was not thick, and the ice was smashed through.

"Your Majesty, fish...""Your Highness, be careful." "Your Majesty, be careful."

"Don't care about the fish, if you fall down, you'll become fish food." After pulling Tian Xiuying, who almost fell off the liquid pool, back, Zhu Youzhen said jokingly.

Seeing that Chongzhen and Concubine Tian were fine, Wang Chengen sighed and advised: "Your Majesty, this weather is so cold, it is not suitable for fishing, it is better to go back and rest early." ”

Zhu Youzhen held Tian Xiuying in his arms, looked at Wang Chengen and the others who were blocking between him and Taiye Pool, and knew that this half-day leisure was over.

After letting go of Tian Xiuying gently, Zhu Youzhen sighed and said, "Okay, let's stop here today." Tomorrow is the day to sacrifice the fallen soldiers of Liaodong, and I will go back to prepare for one or two. ”

Hearing Chongzhen say this, Tian Xiuying said a blessing to him with interest, and left with the palace maids.

As soon as Zhu Youzhen returned to the upper study, Lu Qi followed up and reported to him: "Your Majesty, the representative of the people of Macao has arrived in the capital and has moved into the Huitong Pavilion accompanied by the Haiphong Tongzhi of Guangzhou Prefecture. Also, General Man Gui also arrived in the capital. ”

Zhu Youzhen took the hot hand towel handed over by an attendant, wiped his hands and face, and then said: "Let Father Jinnige go to receive the Macao people on behalf of me, as for General Man Gui?" Let's let Gao Qi potentially host a banquet for him..."

Bishop Antonio, who had just settled his luggage in the hall, was about to go out to discuss with his two deputies, Pietro and Agostinius, how to deal with the reception of the Ming Emperor.

For a long time, Portuguese merchants who settled in Macao wanted to be officially recognized by the Ming State as their autonomous status in Macau. However, such attempts failed, and the emperor of the Ming Kingdom had no interest in receiving their representatives.

In order to preserve Macao, the only area where they could trade freely with Ming merchants, the merchants of Macao were the most active in promoting the missionary cause of the Jesuits in the Ming Kingdom. Through the Jesuit mission, they hoped to be able to influence the upper echelons of the East Asian empire in order to protect the existence of the Macau region.

The sudden summons of the newly enthroned Ming Emperor made the Macau Council ecstatic. They believed that this was the best chance for Macau to be recognized by the Ming State, so the top three members of the executive committee of the Council were all in the nest in order to be able to make a quick decision when negotiating with the Ming Emperor.

Bishop Antonio had just pushed the door open when he saw Pietro about to knock on his door.

"Father Kinney Court has come to visit us, Your Excellency Bishop." Pietro said happily to him.

"Father Kinney Court, did you know we were here so soon? Is he okay in the capital? ”

Bishop Antonio straightened his clothes and followed Pietro to meet Father Kinnico.

In the lobby of the front yard, the two saw not only Father Jinnige, but also Deng Yuhan and others.

The Tongzhi of Haiphong in Guangzhou Prefecture just came out and showed his face, feeling that he had no common language with these people, so he found an excuse to leave and leave.

After watching the Haiphong Tongzhi leave, Bishop Antonio, Pietro, Agostinius and others also breathed a sigh of relief. With this Ming official here, they have some things that they don't want to ask.

Bishop Antonio glanced at the crowd in the lobby and said to Father Kinney Pavilion in front of him, "Mr. Priest, let's find a quiet place to talk." ”

"As you wish, Your Excellency." Father Kinney seemed to have something to say to him as well.

Bishop Antonio greeted Pietro and Agostinius, and led Father Kinney into the back hall.

When he turned around, he found that a young man from the Ming Kingdom had followed the priest into the back hall.

The bishop couldn't help but stop in front of the boy and said, "I'm sorry, I want to talk to Mr. Priest alone for a while, can you please excuse me?" ”

Bishop Antonio's thick Cantonese accent made Zhu Youzhen roll his eyes and ask Father Kinnige, "What is he talking about?" ”

Father Kinney hesitated for a moment, then whispered, "Bishop Antonio wants to ask about your identity. ”

"I can tell him, but by the way, I don't appear here as Emperor Ming today, so he doesn't have to be nervous."

Seeing that Father Kinney Pavilion was so respectful to this young man, Bishop Antonio roughly understood that this was probably a certain dignitary son of the Ming Kingdom.

However, Father Jinnige's relays shocked him even more, and the person in front of him was actually the emperor of the Ming Kingdom. Bishop Antonio did not listen to the priest's words, and knelt down in front of Chongzhen, wanting to complete the prostration.

Zhu Youzhen immediately supported him and said, "As I said, I didn't appear here as an emperor today, so I don't need to be polite." I wanted to have an open and honest conversation with the representatives of Macau, which is why I am here in private. When we were formally summoned, we couldn't talk about anything. ”

Under Chongzhen's reassurance, Bishop Antonio finally regained his composure, and then the three of them sat down in the inner hall.

Only then did Bishop Antonio cautiously ask, "Your Majesty, what do you want to talk to me about?" ”

Fr. Kinnecot translated for the two and did not express his opinion. After Zhu Youzhen asked a little about the itinerary on the way, he turned to the main topic.

"I would like to know what kind of system is in Macau now, Your Excellency Bishop, can you make decisions on behalf of the merchants of Macau? Why doesn't the Governor of Macau go to the capital? ”

Zhu Youzhen's questioning made Bishop Antonio a little surprised, the name of the governor of Macao, they were never allowed to spread it, for fear that the Ming people would find an excuse to take back Macao.

Bishop Antonio immediately defended: "No, Your Majesty, you may have misunderstood, there is no governor in Macau, only the position of head of the army, who is in charge of the defense of Macau, and does not govern Macau.

Macau is still under your rule, and the governor of Haiphong is the supreme chief executive of Macau. However, the former Governor of Liangguang allowed us merchants to manage ourselves, and I was only chosen by the citizens to settle disputes between them. ”