Kangxi, who was only eight years old, inherited the dragon chair of the Qing Empire and became the new monarch of this vast empire. The young Kangxi faced not only the power struggles within the empire, but also the pressure of war outside, and his childhood was almost spent in a political storm.
When he first ascended the throne, Kangxi did not really grasp the power of the empire. Aobai, the founding father, with his military exploits and power, almost grasped the power of the DPRK, and every decision of Kangxi needed his consent. In such an environment, Kangxi learned to forbear, and he knew that only by accumulating strength and waiting for the opportunity could he turn things around in one fell swoop.
Kangxi and his master Chen Wei walked in the imperial garden and discussed national affairs. Kangxi asked, "Mr. Chen, what should I do?" Chen Wei smiled slightly and replied, "Your Majesty, it is difficult to grow grass under the big tree, but the grass can overcome rigidity with softness." All you need is time and patience. ”
In the second year of pro-government, Kangxi finally found an opportunity to eradicate the cancer of Aobai in one fell swoop. This action shocked the entire imperial court and allowed Kangxi to truly grasp the authority of the empire. Later, Kangxi began to rectify the dynasty and eliminate dissidents in the court, and it took nearly nine years for the Qing Empire to re-present a harmonious atmosphere.
But for Kangxi, the stability of internal affairs is only the first step in the long march. When the rebellion of the three feudatories and the invasion of Tsarist Russia followed, Kangxi resolutely chose to conquer in person. On the battlefield, Kangxi showed his courage and courage as an emperor, successively quelled the rebellion of the three feudatories, and defeated the Qing army in the Battle of Penghu, further consolidating the national prestige of the Qing Empire.
Kangxi, who returned victoriously, was not immersed in the glory of war, he knew that the strength of a country is not only based on military victories. Therefore, he began to reform the internal affairs, implement the policy of recuperation, reduce the taxes of the people, and promote the development of agriculture, so that the national strength of the Qing Empire has been greatly enhanced.
The sixty-one years of Kangxi's reign were a critical period for the Qing Empire to turn from prosperity to decline. Under his rule, the Qing Empire reached unprecedented prosperity, all of which was inseparable from the wisdom and efforts of Emperor Kangxi. His reign was praised by later generations as the "prosperous era of Kangqian", and Emperor Kangxi also became a great emperor in the Qing Empire and even in Chinese history.
In that era of exploration and discovery, chocolate, an exotic delicacy, quietly crossed the ocean and came to the land of China. All this is due to the feat of Zheng He's seven trips to the West in the last years of the Ming Dynasty and the openness to the outside world during the Kangxi Emperor's period. It was these two historical nodes that paved the way for the eastward expansion of chocolate.
The story of chocolate begins in the distant South America. There, Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés discovered a miraculous fruit, the cocoa bean, which was considered a gift from the local aborigines. Cortés then caused a stir when he brought the discovery back to Europe.
And during the Kangxi period, a Western missionary, he traveled thousands of mountains and rivers to China. One day, he was summoned to the palace to introduce Western culture and curiosities to Emperor Kangxi. Speaking of chocolate, the missionary excitedly said, "Your Majesty, this is a miracle food from the New World, the main ingredient of which is cocoa beans, which refresh the mind and increase the sense of pleasure. ”
That year, in order to escape the heat of the capital, Emperor Kangxi took the Manchu Dynasty civil and military to the summer resort. In the cool hills, an Italian missionary from afar, named Doro, was introduced to the emperor. Doro brought with him a treasure he had come from afar – chocolate, which was an exotic novelty at the time.
Emperor Kangxi became intrigued by this food he had never met, so he asked Doro about chocolate. Doro answered everything from the chocolate to how it was made, to its unique effects, and he even demonstrated how to brew the drink himself. However, during the explanation, Doro was concerned that his verbal expression was not clear enough, so he decided to write a detailed explanation to ensure that the emperor could fully understand the process.
When Emperor Kangxi took the nearly 900-word manual, his interest seemed to have waned somewhat. For Kangxi, what he values more is the practicality and preciousness of the items. Despite Doro's rampage about the benefits of chocolate, the Kangxi Emperor was never convinced that chocolate was just an ordinary drink that would not arouse his interest.
In a spare time, Emperor Kangxi chatted with his personal reader about it. "Chocolate is good, but it is nothing more than a mortal firework, which does not nourish the spirit and does not help national affairs. Kangxi said lightly.
The scholar responded, "Your Majesty has insight into all things in the world, and it is true. But perhaps, this chocolate can bring His Majesty a moment of freshness and enjoyment, and it is also a good idea. ”
Emperor Kangxi smiled slightly when he heard this, but he had already decided in his heart that although this chocolate was a novelty, it was not enough to impress. So, he just politely thanked Doro, but didn't say anything further.
In this way, although chocolate crossed the ocean to China, it failed to leave too many traces in the heart of Emperor Kangxi. And Doro can only take his chocolate with him to continue his missionary journey, leaving a small story about chocolate and the emperor, which will be quietly passed down in the long river of history.
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