Chapter 173 – Foreign Trade
After giving birth to Zhao Chengan, Zhao Jinge rested for two months before beginning to exercise.
He looked very ugly when he was pregnant, and now that he was in a good health he naturally wanted to restore his figure as soon as possible.
Even if he couldn’t look like Jiang Zhen, he couldn’t be fat!
Zhao Jinge during these months was well nourished, making him fat and white. Now he wanted to exercise. At the suggestion of Jiang Zhen, he did not run, but did some indoor activities. In this way, after a few months, with his body fully recovered, everyone suddenly found that he became more good looking.
These days, he not only ate well, but every day he drank soup and water. This finally made Zhao Jinge’s body condition become even better than before.
On the contrary, Jiang Zhen this year became more fatigued than him.
This fatigue was not psychical but mental.
Without the help of Zhao Jinge, he had many political affairs to deal with and these thing really fried his brain. He felt if he continued in the same way he would definitely become bald!
Fortunately, Zhao Jinge over the years trained some people so Jiang Zhen become just responsible for the gate keeping of it.
By the time Zhao Chengan was born, the whole Republic of China had almost completely settled down. Jiang Zhen’s primary schools were opened all over the country, and everyone in the country began to speak Mandarin.
Jiang Zhen was very satisfied with it, but it was a pity that his research institute did not make any progress with studying the steam engine.
Of course it was not easy.
Although the steam engines have not been developed yet, cement and glass has been already studied and widely used. Then Jiang Zhen made people burn out ceramic tile toilets and so on.
Jiang Zhen was leading the development of science and technology, since he always felt that it was very important. After all, in his memory, steam engines had been developed in Europe since the early Qing Dynasty.
Now that he has come to this world, the development of his Republic of China must be a little faster than that of Europa.
Jiang Zhen went to the research institute again to put forward some of his opinions. It was at this time that he was informed the steam engine he wanted needed steel used to build the boiler to account for the heat.
Therefore, the research institute had made some progress, it was just that they had no steel.
During this period, the steel making process was difficult to improve so it would be relatively easier to find some good iron ore. Jiang Zhen was thinking about this when one of his subordinates reported, “Prime Minister, our merchant fleet met a convoy from Europa! In this fleet there is even a prince from Europa! !”
Jiang Zhen had some understanding of the Europa in this world, so he naturally knew that Europa was full of love for the sea. Not only that, some time ago they had already completed voyages around the world.
So, it really wasn’t surprising at all to meet Europa’s fleet.
However, it was still a rare thing for a prince of Europa to come personally.
“Tell the Foreign Ministry to arrange their accommodation. After a few days we will host a banquet to welcome this prince,” Jiang Zhen immediately said. The Europa side had a lot of technology and knowledge that they didn’t have so he was a little concerned with how to poach people from there. Now that such a good opportunity has come to his door…
“Yes, Prime Minister.” Jiang Zhen’s men immediately responded.
A few days later, after confirming that the prince was really a prince, Jiang Zhen and Zhao Jinge personally hosted a banquet for him.
Jiang Zhen still did not have much money, but he put a lot of thought into this banquet.
The banquet was held in a new manor he had built.
This manor was built by Jiang Zhen for him and Zhao Jinge. The garden on the outside looked the same as the one in the home they had south of the Yangze River, but inside the manor, it was quite different.
The banquet building at the front of the manor was paved with tiles and surrounded with exquisite handcrafted decorations. The people coming and going were all wearing silk clothes embroidered with flowers.
When Prince Galen saw the appearance of the garden, he liked it very much but when he went inside he become even more shocked.
What did he just see?
Even the floor was paved with expensive porcelain!
He has always been proud to be able to use porcelain as tableware, but now he was walking on the porcelain!
They were surrounded by maids and attendants all wearing pure silk clothing that even some kings might not be able to wear!
Prince Galen looked at the beautiful ceramic spoon on the table and suddenly felt the urge to hide it and take it away.
This spoon was very beautiful and lovely! He really wanted to show it off back home!
It was a pity that he obviously couldn’t do such a rude thing.
Maybe…he could make a request for trade with the emperor after the banquet?
Prince Galen was thinking of this when he saw two tall, handsome men walking in together.
The interpreter arranged by the Republic of China introduced him to these two men. One of them was the Emperor of this country, and the other was the Prime Minister.
Prince Galen’s eyes fell on the Emperor as he began to talk with him enthusiastically.
After finding out that Jiang Zhen knew several languages, Zhao Jinge also wanted to learn them. Jiang Zhen didn’t let him learn the languages of the countries surrounding Daqi and instead taught him Europa languages.
The prince, who also happened to speak one such language, was able to communicate happily without the need for an interpreter.
Zhao Jinge had long been accustomed to this kind of communication, and asked lightly about a lot of information about that prince.
Then the conversation ended and the banquet began.
The food was brought to the table one by one. The food did not look like food, but like a piece of art making Prince Galen not dare to move his chopsticks!
Prince Galen was so envious when he saw how skillfully the Chinese used chopsticks to pick up various things to eat. He decided to learn how to use chopsticks in private so that he wouldn’t make a fool of himself on such occasions in the future.
Using chopsticks, he picked a piece of meat and placed it on his spoon, which he then scooped into his mouth.
It was really delicious! He had never eaten such delicious food before!
Prince Galen tasted a little bit of each dish and probably because the taste of the food was so wonderful and tempting, he was able to learn how to use the chopsticks very quickly!
Prince Galen ate a lot, and then found that almost all of the people he brought with him also ate a lot.
It was really great here!
Prince Galen looked at the bright young girl beside himself. “Dilys, what do you think of this place?”
“Very good.” Dilys’s two eyes shone brightly.
“Would you like to stay?” Prince Galen asked. Dilys was his cousin who was very beautiful. He took her with him when he sailed this time with the intention to give her away if necessary.
He originally wanted to give Dilys to the Emperor of Daqi but now, he felt that the Emperor of the Republic of China was very good.
At this banquet, the officials of the Republic of China who came all brought their wives, but the Emperor of China had no one around him so he probably didn’t have one.
This Emperor of China looked very young and was most likely not married yet, if Dilys could marry him…
“I am willing.” Dilys immediately nodded her head. She also felt that the Emperor of China was very good. He was handsome and so graceful, it was just too pleasing!
Of course, the most important thing was that he was rich.
Her family had long since fallen so she didn’t have much of a dowry at all. The only men who were willing to marry her were basically all merchants without any titles. If she could, she certainly preferred to marry this Emperor.
Prince Galen discussed this with his cousin for a moment and then stood up. “Emperor of the Republic of China, I am very fond of China, and my sister Dilys is also very fond of China so she is willing to become your wife!”
Zhao Jinge had been pondering how to negotiate business cooperation with Prince Galen, but he didn’t expect the other party to suddenly say such words, making him immediately stunned.
Jiang Zhen was originally talking to someone so he didn’t hear what was said, but he still turned his head around in surprise.
The translator from China, however, was dumbfounded.
Although Zhao Jinge was the Emperor, the main power in the Republic in China has always been Jiang Zhen. Now that someone wants to rob Zhao Jinge from Jiang Zhen… this…
“Why don’t you translate?” Prince Galen glanced at the translator in disbelief.
As a translator, one’s duty must be done well so as the translator’s expression stiffened. He translated Prince Galen’s meaning.
The officials from the Republic of China might not have understood Price Galen’s words before but now everyone’s hands trembled.
This person did not even inquire before coming here?
His Majesty had just given birth to the third child of the Prime Minister!
“I’m already married.” Zhao Jinge smiled and said, “I also have three lovely children.”
“You are so young but you already have three children?” Dilys looked at Zhao Jinge in surprise.
“I am not that young, she is my eldest daughter.” Zhao Jinge pointed at Zhao Mingzhu.
Zhao Mingzhu was already eighteen and was very tall for a woman. Before, Dilys, who was not very good at identifying Chinese people’s age, thought she should be about the same age as the Emperor of the Republic of China but it turned out…
The spark of love that had just risen within her was extinguished at once.
“Besides, they were all born from me.” Zhao Jinge smiled again, full of pride.
“！！！！” Prince Galen and his group froze.
So the emperor was a ger?!
Although the beauty offering did not succeed, after the banquet, Prince Galen and his party still signed a trade treaty with China, and Jiang Zhen sent his own people to follow them to Europe.
Jiang Zhen sent people to learn technology and another group to recruit people from Europe. He even sent some people to find plants like potatoes, but Price Galen and others didn’t know about it.
They especially welcomed Emissaries from China to their country!
Especially when these people were carrying countless porcelain and silk with them!