Chapter Thirty-One: Bi Fangji Comes to Visit

  Xiao Mo Xiang and Doggy get scolded more during the day, but at night when reading books and doing math, they become Iron Bull and Ox's nightmare. However, these people's personalities and abilities are different, making Yang Bo have a more reasonable plan for the future.

  Just as Yang Bo was brandishing the stick with a fierce look, the shop assistant rushed in frantically, tripping twice on the way, and without even dusting himself off, he shouted at Yang Bo: "Young Master Yang, outside there's...there's a red foreigner looking for you!"

  Yang Bo was overjoyed when he heard this, and turned to smile at the shopkeeper: "It's just a red barbarian, after all. He also has two lips and one eye, will he eat you raw?"

  The fellow said with a scowl: "I was originally shallow and narrow-minded, but when I saw Hong Yi, my heart was extremely afraid..."

  Yang Bo ignored him and went to the door, Zhang Gouer and others were about to relax and slack off, but Yang Bo suddenly turned his head and stared at them, and several people immediately restored their energetic and spirited posture.

  "Haha, Father, long time no see" Yang Bo walked towards the restless and surrounded Bi Fangji who was being gawked at by countless people.

  "Leisurely want to take a smile......" Bi Fangji saw Yang Bo, his face full of wrinkles suddenly relaxed "It's been ages since we last met! I just received some good news and rushed over here..."

  Yang Bo was greatly surprised: "Oh? Good news, come on, Father, please go inside and talk"

  Bi Fangji nodded and waved his hand towards the corner of the wall. A cow cart slowly stopped in front of the inn.

  "What's this?" Yang Bo couldn't keep up the pretentious smile anymore and ran over, lifting the oilcloth to reveal a messy pile of books!

  "Hey, Iron Bull, calf! All of you come out and help me move books!" Yang Bo shouted at the several guys still standing at attention. "Be careful, don't damage them, don't put them on the floor! Put them on the bed!"

  Bi Fang was stroking his beard on one side, observing that although Yang Bo was uneducated and untalented, he still cherished books.

  "This is the map that Zhi Xian wanted." Bi Fangji handed over several rolled-up paper tubes from under the bottom, and Yang Bo stood by the side of the ox cart, opening them one by one, looking at them greedily.

  "Was the territory of the Great Ming so small?" Yang Bo was slightly disappointed. The territory of this era had already taken on some outline, but a large part of the chicken's head was sunken from Shanhai Pass, and most areas of Liaodong were not within the control range of the Great Ming.

  "This is a world map..." Bi Fangji handed over another copy.

  Yang Bo furrowed his brow and stared for a long time before suddenly tearing up that world map without saying another word.

  "What's going on?" Bi Fangji was shocked and lost his color, he didn't know why Yang Bo suddenly turned against him.

  "Father deceived me!" Yang Bo angrily threw away the torn paper in his hand: "When did my Great Ming become the center of the world map? I don't want such a map!"

  “Cough, cough...” Bi Fangji's face turned red with embarrassment as he chuckled: “Well, well, even the knowledgeable have their limitations. In order to conform to the concept of our great Ming being a central empire, Father Matteo Ricci altered the original appearance of world maps in the West, making the Great Ming conveniently located at the center of the map...”

  "Hmph" Yang Bo's anger had yet to dissipate: "You guys are quite good at taking advantage of the situation, but it's one thing to deceive others, and another to cheat me..."

  Bi Fangji burst out laughing and walked shoulder to shoulder with Yang Bo: "Isn't this what Brother Zhi Xian said? Understanding others' needs is the best way to develop followers."

  Yang Bo thought for a moment and said: "I also thought that the doctrine of Christianity was extremely rigid and unchangeable."

  "With a bitter smile, Bi Fangji said: 'In order to cater to the customs of our great Ming dynasty, Father Matteo Ricci also suffered criticism, but he used his own efforts and achievements to respond to those criticisms. This is what we need to learn from him.'"

  Yang Bo nodded and shooed away the servant who had been standing there since serving tea, then picked up his cup and said to Bi Fangji: "Please, Father"

  At this time, the two men were not speaking, and they quietly sipped their tea. Meanwhile, Tie Niu and others busily moved all the books from the ox cart into the house.

  "Now that we have some leisure time, Father, tell me, what was the crime with which those Confucian scholars in Nanjing convinced the imperial court to expel all missionaries back then?" Yang Bo suddenly asked.

  Bi Fangji took a deep look at Yang Bo, this guy can really hold his temper? He came to visit himself, but he didn't ask about his own decision, and when he first arrived, he mentioned that there was good news to tell him, but he hasn't brought it up until now, instead asking some trivial things.

  "Ah," Bi Fangji slowly recalled, "In the 44th year of Wanli's reign, the one who led the charge was Shen Que, the Vice Minister of Rites and Acting Minister of Rites in Nanjing. He submitted three memorials to impeach the Christian missionaries, with three main charges: Firstly, the missionaries' gift-giving was a way to buy people's hearts, and they had connections with the White Lotus Sect, plotting rebellion. Secondly, they had helped the Ming dynasty reform its calendar, calculating solar eclipses and lunar eclipses. Shen Que believed that the missionaries used Western methods to govern the calendar, violating the traditional ways of Yao and Shun, intentionally disrupting the Ming tradition. Thirdly, he accused the missionaries of distorting and destroying Confucian culture, which was even more intolerable..."

  Bi Fangji let out a sigh, put down his cup and continued: "After Shen Guan petitioned the imperial court, there was no response because the reason for the petition was insufficient and lacked evidence. Moreover, Xu Guangqi, who was known as one of the 'Three Pillars of the Holy Teachings', strongly defended against it, and the emperor did not believe Shen Guan's nonsense either. The matter was thus dropped. However, Shen Guan repeatedly petitioned again and incited Buddhists and common people to oppose Christianity. Under pressure, the imperial court had no choice but to issue an edict 'banning the religion' and ordering missionaries to be expelled from the country. As a result, some missionaries were killed, some were imprisoned and then expelled, and the Nanjing Incident indeed brought certain losses and restrictions to the church..."

  "I heard that these are not the main reasons?" Yang Bo suddenly interjected: "It seems that in Christian doctrine, believers are not allowed to worship their ancestors and predecessors?"

  "Preposterous, utterly false! From Matteo Ricci onwards, we have studied and understood the funeral rites, weddings, beliefs, culture of our great Ming dynasty. We praise virtue and appreciate many things, such as filial piety towards parents, which we consider to be a most important aspect for Christians to learn from us. As for ancestors, although we do not advocate for worship in that form, what is more important is the inner reverence, just different ways of expression. I don't know where you heard these absurd words?"

  Yang Bo smiled slightly and didn't explain.

  Christianity is a monotheistic religion, which determines that it must essentially exclude other religions and beliefs. Before the separation of church and state, this belief must be barbaric and dark. The reason why Bi Fangji feels aggrieved is nothing more than that the timing has not yet arrived, and the extreme followers have not yet exposed their faces.

  Seeing Bi Fang's annoyed look, Yang Bo shifted the topic: "I also heard that Father Matteo Ricci publicly declared that in front of God the Father, everyone is equal regardless of nobility or humble status? The emperor and commoners are also equal?"

  Bi Fang's face turned red and his ears were burning, he muttered incoherently, this matter he fundamentally could not deny.

  After a while, Bi Fangji suddenly brightened up and stood up, bowing to Yang Bo: "I still hope that Brother Zhi Xian can teach me..."