In the afternoon, William left the palace and returned to the Welcome Hotel.

This time, I met Zhu Yicheng very smoothly. The mission of the British East India Company has been completed, and his mission to the Far East has come to a successful conclusion.

As the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yicheng treated William very friendly and even kept him for lunch in the palace. William, who had no title, had attended the dinner of an earl so far, so he was with his family elders, and was just a guest. Not to mention a more noble person, being able to eat with this young Majesty in the Ming Dynasty Palace with the hospitality of the Ming Dynasty. This incident alone is enough for William to brag about for the rest of his life after returning to the local area.

In this era, Europe was not the center of the world that was known as a hundred years later. The prosperity and power of the Far East were still what many Europeans yearned for. The kings and nobles of Europe all had exquisite porcelain or gorgeous silk that really came from the Far East and were complacent. Marco Polo's description of the Far East made people yearn for this golden country, let alone ordinary people.

In the eyes of most Europeans, the Far East is the center of civilization and the world they yearn for. The lucky William was treated like this in the capital of the Ming Dynasty. I am afraid that even the King of England would envy him after he knew about it.

However, after returning to the welcome hotel, William hid his thoughts under the surface of calmness. This was not for anything else, but for the invitation Zhu Yicheng made to him in the palace.

William never thought that as the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yicheng would actually invite him to stay in the Ming Dynasty and hire him at the same time. Yes, that's right, it's just hiring!

In response, Zhu Yicheng also offered generous conditions. As long as William agrees, the Ming Dynasty will grant William a comparable position, at least not less than the current official position of the head of the Huangluzhuang Works Department. In addition, Zhu Yicheng will also give William a reward of a thousand hereditary households.

For hereditary Thousand Houses, it can be said that it is equivalent to the title of aristocratic title, similar to the Western knight class. Moreover, Zhu Yicheng also clearly told William that if he could make corresponding contributions, it would not be impossible to truly be granted title.

Although William's family was not an ordinary family in England, they were not a great nobleman. His family said that the highest title was just a viscount. As a member of the family's side, William had no hope of inheriting the title, and even could not get a title of knight.

This is also the reason why William accepted his uncle's invitation and resolutely went to work in the East India Company. But he never expected that after coming to the Far East and seeing the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, the other party actually offered him such conditions, and the things he had always dreamed of were right in front of him, and he could get them as long as he reached out.

William is a smart man. It is precisely because of his intelligence that he entered Cambridge University, and it is also because of this that the East India Company sent him to the Far East to undertake his mission.

In Huang Luzhuang's eyes, William is a fellow man like him, that is, a science and engineering man who has a high level of science and is obsessed with research. But in fact, William is not that simple. He yearns for wealth and status, and also has a certain sense of adventure. This is also the reason why he chose to leave his hometown to go to the British East India Company and accept the appointment to come to the Far East.

During his time in Ningbo, William thought he had caught the bread falling from the world and hit the fortune. He not only met Huang Luzhuang, but also obtained some advanced technologies from the Ming Dynasty through him. These made him secretly happy and planned his future plans, just like he had decided to return to the local area to establish his own career after completing the task.

But he never expected that this would happen after meeting Zhu Yicheng. More importantly, he felt an inexplicable danger in Zhu Yicheng's gentle expression. William believed that the reason why this noble emperor made that suggestion was definitely not casual. If William refused, perhaps no one knew what would happen.

Until he returned to the Ying Guesthouse, William seemed to feel the crisis hidden in Zhu Yicheng's eyes when he looked at him. This crisis was like the feeling of being stared at prey. William didn't understand why this happened at first, but he quickly realized that it was very likely related to everything he did in Ningbo.

As an assistant to the East India Company member, although William is not a senior executive of the East India Company, he also has a certain degree of political sensitivity. Perhaps, this emperor did not want to return to China, or he made a decision after discovering that he had mastered some of the Ming Dynasty's technical secrets in Ningbo.

Do you refuse? William doesn't seem to have the courage to do so. God knows what consequences will it bring to him once he rejects Zhu Yicheng's suggestions. If it brings great risks to him, or even causes the failure of the East India Company's mission, which affects his family, William will definitely not be able to bear it.

In addition, William was also moved by the temptation thrown by Zhu Yicheng. The British in this era were full of adventure, and William was the same. Moreover, the Westerners in this era did not have a strong concept of the country. William was not a real aristocrat, nor did he swear allegiance to the king. As a free man, he could act with his own ideas.

"I really don't know why this is happening. Is this a test given to me by God? Almighty God! Please tell me how should I choose?" William, who was extremely entangled, couldn't help but kneel down on one knee, holding the cross hanging on his chest with his left hand, and drew a cross with his right hand, then held his chest tightly with both hands, and whispered to God to point out the way for him, the lost lamb.

Of course, God is so busy that countless people pray to him every day, and he will not pay attention to such trivial matters at all. So William has never received a reply from God. Instead, deep in his heart, it seems that Satan has been tempting him and whispering William to accept this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Zhu Yicheng's promise was valid. The next day, the intention to carry out normal trade with the British East India Company was issued to the Maritime Bureau, and a special person went to the welcome hotel to visit William to discuss specific matters.

At the same time, William finally made up his mind to express his gratitude to the Ming Dynasty and his gratitude to His Majesty the Emperor to those sent by Zhu Yicheng. At the same time, William also expressed his acceptance of Zhu Yicheng's invitation and was willing to stay in the Ming Dynasty to serve as the position given by His Majesty the Emperor.

When the news reached the palace, Zhu Yicheng immediately issued an order, granting William the position of chief of the Ministry of Works and the hereditary thousand households. In addition, considering William's situation, Zhu Yicheng also gave him a house and several servants and guards. When William came to this large mansion near the palace in Nanjing, he saw two rows of servants and guards standing respectfully to him, as well as a wide range of exquisite utensils and decorations in the house, and even Zhu Yi praised the 10,000 silver dollars and patent certificates for commending his contributions in Ningbo, telling him that the patents obtained from the research would bring him a rich and stable income every year, facing all this, William's last trace of reserve suddenly disappeared, replaced by his joy and excitement for his choice.
Chapter completed!