Chapter 5

Fifth Chapter: The Shattering of the Myth

In the seventh year of Tianqi, 1627 AD.

This month, the Later Jin attacked Korea, forcing it to submit, and the Ming's vassal in the East fell into the hands of the Jurchens.

In May, Huang Taiji attacked Ningyuan and Jinzhou but was repelled by the Ming army, an event known as the Great Victory of Ningjin. As a result, Huang Taiji changed his strategy, deciding to bypass the Ningjin-Shanhaiguan defense line and directly invade through the pass. Over the next 17 years of Chongzhen, he invaded five times, causing great suffering in the Central Plains, further exacerbating the already precarious situation of the Ming dynasty.

In July, Emperor Tianqi fell seriously ill, and the once powerful Nine Thousand Years was on his last legs. In November of that year, Wei Zhongxian committed suicide and had his property confiscated. The fall of the eunuch faction brought a brief glimmer of hope to the late Ming political sky, but it disappeared like a shooting star. Removing one festering sore could not revive a patient already riddled with disease. The Ming dynasty, the last Han Chinese dynasty in the Central Plains, was powerless to turn the tide and was on the path to destruction.

The three time travelers were momentarily speechless, the atmosphere heavy.

Mr. Gao cleared his throat, stroked his beard, and slowly asked, "Since you are merchants, do you have any goods to sell?"

Wen Desui and Xiao Zishan exchanged a glance—this was the main topic. Mr. Gao keenly picked up on this.

"We do have some goods we wish to sell, but as newcomers, we are unfamiliar with the channels..." Wen Desui feigned difficulty.

"Ha ha, that's easy," Mr. Gao laughed, "I have been trading in foreign goods in this city of Guangzhou for many years. If you trust me, I can help you with this matter."

"That would be a great help, Mr. Gao." Wen Desui was delighted.

"These are our samples," Xiao Zishan said softly, taking out items from his backpack one by one.

After seeing the powder box, Mr. Gao was extremely interested in their goods. First was the powder box, but this time it was a light green and slightly sticky. Then came a completely transparent glass cup with some beautiful patterns. Although the transparency was far superior to any cup Mr. Gao had seen, it did not exceed his understanding, so he was a bit disappointed. Next were several types of porcelain, none of which were particularly outstanding in appearance or glaze. When he picked one up, it felt very light and not as cold as porcelain, indicating it was not porcelain. Just as he was thinking it was not very valuable, Xiao Zishan seemed to know his thoughts and pushed the bowls and cups to the ground. Mr. Gao was startled, but saw that they did not shatter on the brick floor, only spinning a few times without any damage.

The servants quickly picked up the items, and Mr. Gao snatched them, examining them carefully for a long time. There was not a single crack or chip, and he realized these items were indeed peculiar.

Next were some transparent boxes, both square and round, with tightly fitting lids. They were much lighter than the glassware Mr. Gao had bought from the Portuguese and were not afraid of being dropped.

There were also some shiny little knives and a hooded cloak made of a material that was like glass but did not let water through... all sorts of strange and exotic items. Mr. Gao looked at the array of items on the table, feeling both surprised and delighted. He was delighted that the items were rare and valuable, and could be sold for a good price, but he was wary of the mysterious and unknown origins of these people. After a moment's hesitation, the desire for profit overcame his concerns. He thought, "I am in the business of foreign trade, whether it's the Portuguese or the Australians, what difference does it make? Since these people have come to my house, why would I let a windfall slip away?"

"How much do you wish to sell these exotic goods for?" Mr. Gao asked carefully, having composed himself.

Wen Desui pointed to the glass cup, a common item in time travel stories, and said, "This cup, each one for a thousand taels."

According to the three, this clean and refined Ming gentleman would buy this rare treasure without hesitation. However, he looked astonished, as if seeing a group of madmen.

"This is indeed very expensive," Mr. Gao shook his head repeatedly, "Such glassware is also sold by the Portuguese in Macau. Large glass bowls and bottles cost no more than three taels each, and smaller ones no more than one tael. This cup..." He shook his head, implying it was worth no more than three taels.

The three felt as if they had been doused with cold water, looking at each other in dismay. It turned out that the glass cup, a must-have item for time travelers, was not worth much...

Xiao Zishan, seeing the negotiation was about to break down, realized their estimate was off. He bowed and said, "We have lived abroad for a long time and are not familiar with the market here. Please, Mr. Gao, enlighten us."

Mr. Gao thought they wanted him to name the price. After some consideration, he gave the following prices:

- Powder box: 10 taels each

- Glass cup: 1 tael each

- Melamine bowls and plates: 500 cash for large ones, 200 cash for small ones, 100 cash for spoons

- Plastic lunch box: 300 cash each

- Plastic raincoat: 100 cash each

- Small knife: 500 cash each

The traditional high-profit item, the glass cup, had failed miserably! A thousand taels had become one tael, a huge disparity, like turning diamonds into glass.

The unassuming plastic powder box, however, appealed to the Ming merchants, showing that business is never as straightforward as one might think. Xiao Zishan asked about the maritime trade in Guangzhou and probed for Mr. Gao's opinion on their goods.

It turned out that the overseas trade in Guangzhou was monopolized by the Portuguese. No matter where the foreign merchants came from, they could only dock in Macau, wait for measurement and taxation, and then sell their goods. Only Portuguese merchants were allowed to enter Guangzhou for trade. There were 36 specialized export merchants in the city who did business with them, ordering large quantities of porcelain, raw silk, sugar, and other goods every year.

However, the merchants on the Macau waterfront, like Mr. Gao, operated differently. Although Mr. Gao did not explicitly say so, Xiao Zishan had read about it in historical documents.

Mr. Gao was most interested in the mirrors in the powder boxes. He said that the Portuguese occasionally brought such items, with large mirrors costing hundreds of taels. Their small mirrors, though smaller, were much clearer and brighter than those from the West. If they could provide larger ones, the price could be negotiated. As for the "soft porcelain" (melamine bowls and plates), they were not particularly remarkable in terms of texture, feel, or design, but they were light and unbreakable. The "soft glass bowls" (plastic lunch boxes) were unbreakable but not as clear as glass. The plastic raincoats and small knives, in Mr. Gao's view, were mere playthings.

The three were embarrassed: even with their centuries of advanced knowledge, they were not necessarily superior to the people of the time.

In their conversation, Mr. Gao also probed about the customs and culture of Australia. Xiao Zishan was evasive, only saying that their country valued blue, had many skilled craftsmen, and produced many ingenious goods. The country was founded on commerce and industry, and the people enjoyed idle talk, often forming parties based on names and promoting their ideas. However, these groups would eventually dissolve. When asked about the ruler, he said the country had a leader called "Eight Feet," a powerful prime minister called "Xiaomi" who handled military and civilian affairs, and a revered divine messenger called "Ah Da Mi." Mr. Gao marveled at this.

As they talked, the three had forgotten their initial caution about not drinking tea. When they got up to leave, they had even finished the tea. This made Mr. Gao secretly look down on them. Before leaving, they agreed on the transaction, with the "Australian merchants" supplying the first batch of goods in three days and promising to bring more novel items.

However, their departure left Mr. Gao very puzzled. These three refused to leave through the main gate and insisted on going to a secluded spot in the back yard, where everyone had to leave. Mr. Gao, not trusting them, sent a bold and meticulous servant to watch from a distance. The servant saw the three people looking around suspiciously, then suddenly turning to a corner behind the wall. When the servant rushed over to check, they had vanished without a trace.

Note: The price of glassware is from Wang Shizhen's "Fengzhou Zabian," with the original price unit being guan. This is the price from the Jiajing era, but I could not find the price for the 17th century, so I used this as a substitute. Readers need not delve too deeply into this. If anyone knows the actual price, please share it.

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