Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 376 Major Rectification! Twist off the King of Siam's head and feed it to the sharks!
Upon hearing this, Wei Zhenxing was jolted as if struck by lightning.

His Majesty actually issued an imperial decree to him?
In an instant, his mind went blank.

After a brief moment of shock, his legs went weak, and he knelt heavily on the ground with a thud.

His voice trembled with fear, almost incoherent: "Your subject, Wei Zhenxing, Provincial Surveillance Commissioner of Fujian, respectfully welcomes the Imperial Edict!"

Ji Gang, with a cold and stern expression, his face as if covered with a layer of frost, loudly proclaimed: "His Majesty's decree: The people of Fujian have always had the custom of going to sea to seek their way and make a living."

“Even before the Ming Dynasty lifted the maritime ban, the practice of privately going to Southeast Asia was already prevalent among the people of Fujian.”

"Now that the Ming Dynasty has lifted the sea ban and is vigorously encouraging people to go to sea, the sea is turbulent, the journey is full of dangers, and the road to sea is fraught with difficulties."

"Furthermore, due to the long-term maritime ban, most people lack maritime experience. At this moment, there is an urgent need for the people of Fujian to impart their past maritime knowledge and experience to guide everyone to go to sea."

"In this way, the people of Fujian can benefit from it, earn gold and silver treasures, and become rich."

"People from other parts of the Ming Dynasty can also find someone to guide them and safely go to sea."

"The imperial court's national policy of going overseas will be able to be launched more smoothly."

"However, recently a few treacherous individuals have emerged in Fujian and other places. Taking advantage of their familiarity with overseas countries, they have engaged in the deception of the Ming people, even going so far as to kidnap and traffic Ming citizens overseas to serve as slaves and harm the Ming people. Such acts are outrageous."

"What's even more outrageous is that in some places, this evil has become increasingly rampant and widespread, which pains me to no end!"

“If this continues, people in other parts of the Ming Dynasty will definitely look at the people of Fujian differently and no longer trust them.”

"The people of Fujian will also be unable to leverage their own strengths and will find it difficult to assume the responsibility of leading the Ming Dynasty's voyages overseas."

“These people are not only openly trampling on the laws of the imperial court, but also destroying the foundation of Fujian step by step.”

"I will absolutely not allow such places as dens of fraud, dens of robbery, and dens of bandits to exist within the territory of the Ming Dynasty!"

"Wei Zhenxing, as the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner of Fujian, you have turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to these chaotic situations and done nothing. This is a serious dereliction of duty!"

"I consider that you have been engaged in criminal investigation for many years and have always been conscientious and responsible. Moreover, this fraud case was not committed in Fujian and the method of the crime was unprecedented. It is understandable that you may have been negligent. I will not hold you responsible for the time being."

"You are granted special permission to atone for your crimes through meritorious service!"

"You are to immediately cooperate with the discipline inspection commission to conduct a thorough investigation, arrest all those involved without exception, and completely eradicate the unhealthy tendencies that have recently spread in Fujian."

"To get to the root of the problem and make Fujian the bridgehead for the Ming Dynasty to go global."

"Let those experienced navigators become excellent guides for the Ming Dynasty's voyages overseas."

"This matter concerns the peace and tranquility of Fujian, the stability of the Ming Dynasty, and even the imperial court's major policy of going to sea. You must do your best to handle it well."

"If you slack off even slightly, I will not only strip you of your official position, but also take your head!"

Wei Zhenxing felt a sudden dizziness, and his mind and spirit were shaken.

His forehead slammed heavily against the ground, making a dull thud, several times in a row.

His voice trembled with sobs: "Your Majesty, I deserve to die! I failed to govern Fujian properly, resulting in rampant fraud and kidnapping of outsiders in many parts of Fujian. This has betrayed the trust of the court and, more importantly, Your Majesty's imperial grace!"

“Since Your Majesty is so magnanimous and does not despise me, I will do my utmost to reverse the bad habits in Fujian and serve the court’s national policy of going global.”

"If there is even the slightest slackening, and the security situation in Fujian cannot be restored, Heaven will despise us, Earth will despise us, and everyone will despise us. I beg Your Majesty to execute him!"

At this moment, his heart was filled with panic and fear.

Wei Zhenxing had always believed that he was doing very well in the Fujian officialdom.

Especially after the imperial court dispatched a governor and inspector to formally establish a provincial government and take charge of all the government offices in Fujian, he got along very well with the governor and inspector, and thus became certain that his position was as stable as Mount Tai.

To his utter surprise, he was personally criticized by the emperor and received such a stern warning.

Ji Gang glanced at Wei Zhenxing kneeling on the ground, a fleeting, elusive smugness flashing in his eyes, like a shooting star in the dark night, yet undeniably present.

In an instant, he put on a concerned expression.

He strode forward, steadily helping Wei Zhenxing to his feet with both hands, his tone gentle and carrying a hint of comfort:
“Lord Wei, although His Majesty is furious, he considers your many years of service to the court and your consistent loyalty to your duties. Therefore, I believe you did not intend to condone this incident.”

He paused slightly, his gaze fixed on Wei Zhenxing's eyes, as if trying to see through his heart: "Therefore, His Majesty only asked me to convey this edict to give you a slight warning, in order to prevent you from continuing to be careless and making a big mistake. By then, it will be too late to regret it."

"You should be able to understand His Majesty's good intentions, right?"

He paused briefly, as if giving Wei Zhenxing time to process the information.

Then he spoke slowly, his tone carrying a hint of advice: "Your problem is that you have developed a habit over a long time that you can ignore those people just because they don't commit crimes locally."

"You need to change your mindset!"

"Now is the perfect time for you to redeem yourself."

Wei Zhenxing raised his head, his eyes filled with gratitude, and his voice carried a hint of flattery: "Thank you for your guidance, Lord Ji."

"If there is anything I can do to assist you, Lord Ji, please feel free to ask, and I will do my best."

Ji Gang's lips curled up slightly as he leaned closer to Wei Zhenxing and lowered his voice: "His Majesty's intention is to launch a large-scale rectification campaign in Fujian to thoroughly eradicate this unhealthy trend."

"Let it no longer have any fertile ground to grow on this land of Fujian."

"This is a tough task, and we must work together."

"Lord Wei has cultivated deep roots in Fujian for many years and has extensive connections. He is very familiar with the local situation. As long as you cooperate fully, I will speak highly of you before His Majesty in the future."

As soon as he finished speaking, a "thump" was heard.

Wei Zhenxing knelt heavily on the ground again: "This humble official is grateful for Lord Ji's guidance and is willing to go through fire and water for you, even at the cost of my life!"

"Hahaha!" Ji Gang threw his head back and laughed heartily, but there was also a hint of smugness in his voice.

He quickly reached out to help Wei Zhenxing up, saying, "I really can't accept such a great gift."

"Speaking of which, in terms of rank, I am merely a fifth-rank physician, while you, Lord Wei, are a dignified third-rank provincial inspector."

“Your official rank is higher than mine, I should address you as ‘your subordinate’.”

Wei Zhenxing's face was plastered with a fawning smile as he hurriedly said, "How dare I? How dare I?"

"Lord Ji is an imperial envoy appointed by His Majesty to investigate a major case ordered by the emperor in Fujian. How can he be judged by ordinary rank?"

"As the saying goes, 'A servant before the prime minister's gate is greater than a third-rank official.' In front of you, the imperial envoy, let alone me, a mere third-rank provincial inspector, even the governor of Fujian would have to bow respectfully to you, Your Excellency Ji."

"Furthermore, Lord Ji, you were personally selected by His Majesty, and you are so young and promising. Your future is absolutely limitless!"

"If I could be fortunate enough to become your disciple and receive your guidance, it would be a blessing I have accumulated over many lifetimes."

Ji Gang looked at him with great satisfaction, a smile playing on his lips, and said, "Lord Wei, you flatter me, you flatter me."

"After arriving in Fujian, Ji observed every move of Lord Wei."

"To be honest, when His Majesty orally conveyed the imperial edict to me, he specifically instructed me to act according to the circumstances." "If Wei Zhenxing, the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner of Fujian, were a corrupt official, then what was just read to you would not be this oral edict, but a completely different imperial edict."

"However, I think Lord Wei is quite good and deserves the court's careful cultivation."

Wei Zhenxing's heart tightened suddenly, and he secretly gasped, feeling a sense of relief.

If he hadn't chased Ji Gang all the way from Fuzhou to Qingxi and hadn't flattered him so much that he felt comfortable, then the so-called "other imperial edict" would most likely have been an order to arrest and punish him, the provincial inspector.

He ended up with the same fate as Qian Motan, the magistrate of Qingxi County.

Thankfully, I was quick-witted.

Now, not only has the situation turned around, but they have also climbed onto Ji Gang's powerful backing.

He quickly replied, "I will remember Lord Ji's great kindness and virtue forever."

"If given the chance, I will repay you with my life."

Ji Gang smiled and nodded, his eyes slightly narrowed: "As long as Lord Wei wholeheartedly serves the court and handles the matters His Majesty has entrusted to him properly and beautifully, that will be the best reward for me."

"Alright, enough with the pleasantries. Let's think carefully about how to completely eradicate this unhealthy trend in Fujian."

……

Just as Ji Gang was ordered to investigate fraudsters within the Ming Dynasty, on the other side...

The Ming Dynasty's navy has already arrived in the waters near Siam.

In fact, according to Zhu Yunwen's meticulous plan, the Ming Dynasty adopted a two-pronged strategy in its campaign against Siam and Pagan.

One way by sea, one way by land.

However, although the overland route from Yunnan seems shorter, it actually involves crossing mountains and dense tropical rainforests, and takes much longer.

Zhu Yunwen didn't actually expect the land army to play any significant role.

Although historically, the Central Plains dynasties always conquered these two countries by land.

But precisely because of this, they always ended up failing.

This is not a problem with the army's combat strength.

Rather, it was caused by a variety of factors, including mosquitoes and ants in tropical regions, various diseases, soldiers' inability to adapt to the local environment, and difficulties in logistical support.

The war itself has the least impact.

To put it bluntly, Siam and Bagan are ultimately just two small countries.

It was incomparable to the vast Central Plains dynasties.

If it weren't for the limitations of terrain and climate, and if the two armies were to actually engage in a head-on battle on the plains, any one of the Central Plains dynasties could easily defeat them!
However, natural barriers such as climate and terrain limited the military capabilities of the Central Plains dynasties.

This time, Zhu Yunwen was merely using the pretext of a large-scale military expedition to build a road leading to Siam and Bagan.

After all, this place is mountainous and densely forested with few people. From a short-term economic perspective, investing in road construction here is extremely uneconomical.

Officials in the imperial court would certainly strongly oppose it.

Although Zhu Yunwen could forcefully suppress it, it would cause unnecessary trouble and make the ministers feel that he was too stubborn and self-willed as emperor.

Now that the road is being built under the guise of a large army expedition, no one dares to object anymore.

In Zhu Yunwen's view, only by building a wide cement road could the Ming Dynasty truly strengthen its rule over these regions.

This would not only deter countries like Siam and Bagan, but even within Yunnan Province itself, the Ming Dynasty urgently needed such a highway.

Therefore, the land-based army took on the important task of road construction.

The real task of suppressing the enemy still falls on the shoulders of the navy.

Medicine and science have made great progress.

The doctors accompanying the army were well-prepared with medicinal herbs and treatment plans.

The same applies to herbs that repel mosquitoes.

At this moment, aboard the naval flagship, the commander-in-chief of this expedition, Zhu Shou, and the envoy Li Sicong, stood at the bow, holding binoculars and carefully observing the situation on the shores of Siam.

"The climate and environment of Siam are indeed very different from those of the Ming Dynasty. Everywhere you look, there are high mountains and dense forests, with trees towering into the clouds and stretching as far as the eye can see."

"If it weren't for my army coming by sea, we would probably be trapped in this dense forest, unable to move an inch," Zhu Shou said with deep emotion.

Among the many generals of the Ming Dynasty, he was considered to have extensive experience in naval warfare.

He later studied at the Ming Dynasty Military Academy.

For this expedition, Zhu Yunwen dispatched Zhu Shou, who was already the Minister of Military Affairs, to lead the troops.

Li Sicong nodded in agreement: "The General is absolutely right."

"However, there is no need to worry too much."

"Previously, many merchants from our Great Ming Dynasty had already come to Siam, and they reported the findings to the court."

"The capital of Siam is called Ayutthaya, also known as the Ayutthaya Province, which is the heart of all of Siam."

"The present-day Siam Kingdom is also known as the Ayutthaya Kingdom, or the Ayutthaya Kingdom. Siam is just the name that our Great Ming Dynasty used to refer to it."

"The fact that they named their dynasties after their capital cities is enough to show the importance of those cities in their countries."

"Although the city is not on the coast, it is not far away."

"Our army has landed on the coast not far from this city, and the journey to its capital is now within reach."

"There's no need to worry too much about this short journey."

Zhu Shou clapped his hands and exclaimed, "What you said coincides with my thoughts."

"Ok, deal!"

"Before we land, I will order the army to fire on the open ground, so that those people can witness the powerful force of the Ming Dynasty's cannons, and also to bolster your momentum when you go to Ayutthaya to meet the King of Siam."

Li Sicong nodded his thanks: "Then thank you very much, General!"

Zhu Shou laughed loudly, "We are all serving the Ming Dynasty, so there's no need for thanks."

"Go ahead and meet the King of Siam with confidence. With my army backing you up, if he dares to show the slightest disrespect to our Ming envoy, I will definitely twist the King of Siam's head off and throw it into the sea to feed the sharks!"

……

(End of this chapter)