Chapter 232: Zhao Xiaofei Lets Himself Go
Zhao Xiaofei was very tired today. Getting married once was enough. The last time he married Kunxing, the ceremony was already complicated enough. Marrying Qin Baobao would be a better timeframe.
Li Sihong and Kou Baimen were concubines, so there was no need for proper etiquette. At most, they could just give her some nice gifts.
I'd been in the Ming Dynasty for several years. For the first year or so, I'd been making a fortune in secret, keeping quiet. I'd sneak into villages, never using a gun. After escaping to Nanjing, I'd been scrambling around, fighting everywhere. Traveling back and forth to collect supplies and make money, I was exhausted every day.
In the end, it is unknown how Princess Kunxing Zhu Mianzhu persuaded her mother-in-law, Queen Mother Zhou, to confer the title of prince on herself and to marry Zhaoren to her.
I recently heard that the court is planning to marry off several princesses to Wanshan and Zhou Shuai. If you add in Ma Wanchun inheriting the title of Prince of Chuan, that means Ma Xiangling will also become a princess. These three are essentially prince consorts, a true prince consort group! I guess the Ming Dynasty is selling off all their daughters wholesale!
Princess Kunxing hasn't been seen coaxing her son these past few days, but Empress Dowager Zhou has been quite free, always asking her to send the child to the palace so she can look after her grandson. Since she wants to see the child, then let her! It also saves her wife from being tired!
After meeting the officials who had come to congratulate him and clinking glasses with them, Zhao Xiaofei approached the foreign envoys. The envoys from countries heavily influenced by Chinese culture, such as Korea, Japan, and Vietnam, were just as polite as the Ming officials, speaking and drinking with moderation. But Zhao Xiaofei didn't like that. Since getting married was a happy occasion, he decided to have a grand celebration.
He actually found it easy to chat with the Western white envoys. Zhao Xiaofei had prepared beer, rum, and whiskey. They seemed much more relaxed, drinking happily and chatting and laughing. Most importantly, these foreigners all spoke Chinese, speaking authentic Beijing Mandarin with a hint of foreign accents.
Portuguese envoy Rodman came up to Zhao Xiaofei and said respectfully, "Your Highness, Prince Li, congratulations on becoming the consort of the Ming Dynasty once again! I wish you a happy wedding! I really envy you Chinese men, who can marry several wives at once and have them live together in such harmony!"
"Mr. Rodman, thank you for your blessings. I know you envy the system here. If you give up your nationality and join our Ming nationality, and give up your faith in Catholicism, you can live the same life as me!" said Zhao Xiaofei.
"Oh! Your Highness, joining the Ming nationality is something we can consider, but we can't ask me to give up God! I still have family and friends, and they are all in Portugal! If I give up my faith, they won't associate with me!" Rodman said.
"Then let them all come to Daming and let them experience the life in Daming. I believe that after living there for a few years, they will also like Daming! I guess even if you ask them to go back to Portugal, they will not go back! This way you don't have to worry about having no relatives or friends ignoring you!" Zhao Xiaofei said.
"Oh! Really! That's worth a try!" Rodman smiled happily and clinked glasses of whiskey with Zhao Xiaofei.
Zhao Xiaofei smiled and thought to himself, "It seems you're not a staunch Catholic. If I want you to betray God, I'll just have to pay the price."
Dennis Rodman has been doing very well in Macau lately, and the Chinese are eager to learn about Ming Dynasty luxury goods. If you can bring back a foundation and eyeshadow set, show it off to the ladies of the wealthy and aristocratic families. If they take a fancy to one, just give them the gift, and they'll definitely come to your bed.
Rodman went back two years ago and brought a lot of these things with him. He was so happy that he was the groom every night, changing brides every night. He had to rely on Viagra, a miracle drug bought from the Ming Dynasty, to survive. Otherwise, he would have become a weakling.
After taking a sip of Wangfu's whiskey, Rodman felt that all his previous drinks were garbage. Wangfu's whiskey tasted excellent, free of impurities and full of flavor. Beer and rum were even better. And they came in all sorts of flavors, like peach, apple, and pineapple. There was nothing he couldn't drink.
"Mr. Rodman, drink and have fun as much as you want! I hope we can cooperate more in the future to make our business more profitable!" said Zhao Xiaofei.
"Thank you, Your Highness. I hope the rebellion in the Ming Dynasty will end soon. I also want to experience it in all parts of the Ming Dynasty!" Rodman said.
"I hope this day will come soon!" Zhao Xiaofei said and clinked glasses with him again.
After drinking with the Portuguese Rodman, other Western envoys came forward to toast, expressing their desire to play nice with the Ming Dynasty and be obedient. Those products were equally hard to come by in their own countries. Besides glassware, porcelain, and silk, the mainstay of overseas trade was cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and various alcoholic beverages.
These European ladies were proud to wear gowns made of Ming silk. If you smeared concealer and foundation from the Ming dynasty on your face, it would further demonstrate your wealth and your taste. During this period, many white women had freckles, and most of them did. With a touch of Ming dynasty concealer, their skin would appear naturally beautiful, blending in with the rest of their skin. The love of beauty is human nature, especially for women. Women sought beauty, and men, for the sake of face, were forced to spend exorbitant amounts on Ming dynasty cosmetics.
If you hold a party in your own home and serve various kinds of wine from the Ming Dynasty, you will become the focus of the aristocratic upper class.
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