Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 378 Acting! Applying Maximum Pressure! Questioning and Negotiation!
"What utterly absurd and twisted logic is this?"

"Your Majesty, this Ming envoy is utterly disrespectful and completely lacks manners."

"He actually considers himself a superior country and regards my incomparably noble Ayutthaya Kingdom as an inferior country."

"Such an act of offending our national dignity and our monarch is utterly impolite and arrogant to the extreme!"

"I believe that he should be beheaded immediately and his head displayed to the public as a stern warning to the Ming Dynasty."

"Let them know that those who look down on my Ayutthaya Kingdom will pay a heavy price!"

A Siamese minister, his face flushed and veins bulging in his neck, barked like a mad dog.

"kill him!"

"Kill this arrogant Ming envoy!"

"Refusing to kneel before my king is an unforgivable crime, punishable by death!"

……

For a moment, the crowd inside the hall was filled with indignation.

Many ministers of Siam shouted at the top of their lungs.

The shouts of battle rose and fell, as if they were about to overturn the magnificent hall.

However, Li Sicong seemed to be detached from the matter.

He stood calmly and composed, head held high and chest out, like a pine tree standing firmly in the center of the hall.

He ignored the cacophony surging around him like the annoying buzzing of mosquitoes on a summer night, his eyes filled with disdain.

"You audacious envoy, now that things have come to this, why don't you immediately kneel down and admit your mistake to my king?"

"Are you begging me, the King, to show mercy and spare your life?"

"Do you really intend to force my king to order your execution?"

"By then, it will be too late to regret it!"

Seeing that Li Sicong remained unmoved, a military officer with a face full of scars and wearing the strange attire unique to Siamese warriors strode forward and shouted loudly.

His spittle even flew right in front of Li Sicong.

In an instant, the hall fell silent.

Everyone held their breath.

All eyes were focused on Li Sicong like searchlights.

I want to see how this Ming envoy will decide.

A slightly mocking smile slowly crept onto Li Sicong's lips.

That smile concealed a deep contempt for these clown-like Siamese kings and ministers.

"I am an envoy of the Great Ming Dynasty, entrusted by the Emperor of the Great Ming Dynasty, and have traveled across the ocean to come here."

He spoke slowly and deliberately, his voice not loud, yet each word resonated like a great bell in the hall.

"Now, the Ming army has already reached the coast of your Siam."

At this point, his tone suddenly became more forceful, like a sharp blade drawn from its sheath.

"If I encounter any misfortune in your country, my Ming army will not hesitate to land in Siam."

"At that time, these powerful cannons will blast this seemingly prosperous city and this magnificent palace into scorched ruins!"

His gaze slowly swept over everyone present.

"If you don't believe me, you can try it with your own lives and the very survival of the Ayutthaya Kingdom!"

Upon hearing this, everyone in the entire hall seemed to be frozen in place.

An eerie, deathly silence descended.

The Siamese ministers looked at each other, bewildered.

They all saw undisguised surprise and shock in each other's wide eyes.

They never expected that this seemingly weak Ming envoy would be so tough.

Faced with their life-or-death threats, they showed no fear or hesitation, and refused to lower their proud heads.

Instead, they made sharp threats, completely disregarding life and death.

Does he really not care about his life?

Above, a glint flashed in the eyes of King Ramathebhu II of Siam.

He had only been on the throne for two or three years and was now racking his brains to consolidate his power.

Therefore, he absolutely did not want to be seen by his subjects as a "weak ruler".

On the contrary, Rama Thibhu II was determined to demonstrate his iron-fisted methods and establish supreme authority by displaying a tough stance to the outside world.

Moreover, the tense atmosphere in the court today was a "trap" he had carefully prepared for the Ming envoy.

How could he give up so easily?

At that moment, Ramathebhu II narrowed his eyes slightly.

He glanced at one of his trusted ministers standing in front of him, without making a sound.

The minister understood and nodded slightly.

He immediately turned around, his face full of anger, and strode towards Li Sicong, saying fiercely, "You arrogant and ignorant Ming envoy, do you really think that my Ayutthaya Kingdom would be afraid of your little Ming Kingdom?"

He sneered, and the fat on his face jiggled.

"Do you know that 'Ayutthaya' means 'invincible' in your Ming language?"

He spread his arms wide, as if declaring to the world, his tone filled with a mysterious confidence.

"This is a sacred place blessed by Buddha, a Buddhist kingdom on earth."

"Our brave and fearless warriors are all blessed by the powerful Dharma, and have always been invincible."

He took a step closer, almost touching Li Sicong's face.

"How could a mere Ming Kingdom possibly frighten the warriors of Ayutthaya?"

"Furthermore, even if your Ming Dynasty has a strong military, don't forget that the Ming Dynasty is thousands of miles away, while this place is my Ayutthaya territory."

He crossed his arms, tilted his head back, and smugly shook his head.

"The Ming army has come a long way and must be suffering from acclimatization problems, making the supply of food and other materials even more difficult."

"How many more days can they fight against my Ayutthaya's elite warriors?"

He scoffed dismissively.

"It's nothing but a bluff, all bark and no bite. It can only scare a three-year-old."

"How could my mighty Ayutthaya Kingdom be so easily frightened by a few warships from your Ming Kingdom?"

Immediately, he pointed at Li Sicong, his eyes wide with anger, and roared at the top of his lungs.

"I never imagined that you, the Ming envoy, would be so arrogant and ignorant!"

"In that case, if my Ayutthaya Kingdom does not kill you today, wouldn't the whole world look down on us?"

"Guards, drag this reckless Ming envoy away!"

“First, cut off his limbs one by one, then cut off his body and head.”

"Then throw them out to feed those hungry beasts!"

Give an order.

In an instant, two burly Siamese warriors rushed in from the entrance of the hall like wolves pouncing on their prey.

Without saying a word, they stretched out their strong arms, grabbed Li Sicong's arms tightly, and dragged him outside.

Li Sicong remained fearless, tilting his head back and letting out a hearty laugh.

The laughter echoed throughout the hall, revealing boundless pride and unrestrained spirit.

"Envoy Ming, you're about to die, and you're still laughing?" A Siamese minister shouted angrily, his features contorted with rage.

Even though he was firmly held by the Siamese warriors, Li Sicong remained calm and composed, his voice clear and resonant: "Since I have the entire Kingdom of Ayutthaya to die with me, why would I begrudge this mere life?"

As they were talking, he was roughly dragged to the entrance of the main hall by the Siamese warriors.

The Siamese ministers in the main hall all looked surprised upon seeing this.

Some were astonished, some were puzzled, and some were filled with admiration.

They were whispering to each other and talking a lot.

Normally, no matter how tough a person is, when faced with a life-or-death situation and a sharp blade at their side, they will feel fear and beg for mercy.

But who could have imagined that this Ming envoy would be so resolute, remaining fearless even at this moment?

It was as if life and death were nothing more than fleeting clouds to him.

"Wait!" a Siamese minister, dressed in magnificent clothes and with a shrewd look in his eyes, suddenly shouted.

Upon hearing the shout, the Siamese warriors escorting Li Sicong immediately stopped and stood still.

The Siamese minister stepped forward with steady steps, glanced at Li Sicong, and smiled gently before advising, "The Ming envoy's fearless spirit in the face of death is truly admirable."

"But don't you Ming Dynasty also have a saying, 'When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head'?" "There's another saying, 'A wise man submits to circumstances.'"

"Although I am a Siamese, I have always admired the brilliant culture of the Ming Dynasty."

A hint of longing flickered in his eyes.

"Kneeling and paying homage to my king is an unalterable ironclad rule of my Ayutthaya Kingdom."

"Since the Ming envoy has come to Ayutthaya, he should follow local customs and kneel before my king according to our country's rules."

"In this way, we can both avoid violating the etiquette of the Ming Dynasty and save our own lives."

"Isn't this killing two birds with one stone? Why not do it?"

He stepped forward, his eyes fixed on Li Sicong: "As long as the Ming envoy is willing to admit his mistake and kneel down to pay homage to my king."

“I wish to plead with my king to forgive the Ming envoy’s previous rudeness.”

"It's not so bad that this matter would damage the harmony between Ayutthaya and the Ming Dynasty."

"I hope Your Excellency will reconsider!"

He bowed slightly, his face full of expectation, his posture extremely humble.

Li Sicong gave him a deep look, his gaze seemingly able to see through his thoughts. Then he turned his head, looked up at the sky, and said firmly, "I am a dignified envoy of the Ming Dynasty, carrying out the imperial decree. I would never kneel and pay homage to your King of Siam."

"Just kill me if you want, why all this fuss!"

His voice was resolute, without the slightest hesitation.

After saying that, Li Sicong straightened his back and walked outside on his own, without waiting for the Siamese warriors to escort him.

"Hahaha!" Suddenly, a hearty laugh rang out from above the main hall from Rama Tibhu II.

The Siamese king, who had been silent and aloof until now, finally stepped down from his throne and strode up to Li Sicong.

"The Ming envoy was fearless in the face of death; he was indeed a truly valiant hero."

With an appreciative smile on his face and a hint of admiration in his eyes, he said, "I, Ayutthaya, have always admired warriors like you the most, so how could I possibly kill you?"

"We have heard that the people of Ming are all fearless warriors, so we are willing to test them."

Rama Tiputra laughed even more heartily: "I never expected it to actually be like this! Hahaha!"

He waved his hand, signaling the Siamese warriors to step back.

Then he warmly extended both hands, took Li Sicong's hand, and turned back to the main hall.

She pulled him along and sat down beside her, as if they were old friends who had known each other for many years.

Inside the main hall, the Siamese ministers, upon seeing this, all adopted a joyful expression.

It was as if the tense, murderous scene just now was nothing more than a farce staged by everyone.

Li Sicong secretly pondered that this was clearly a carefully planned extreme pressure campaign by the Siamese king and his ministers, aimed at probing the true strength of the Ming Dynasty.

However, they underestimated themselves.

In the blink of an eye, Rama Titpus II had already ordered plates of brightly colored, plump, and tempting fresh fruits to be served, along with natural beverages in exquisite containers.

The entire nation of Siam is Buddhist. Although there are no taboos against lust and meat, alcohol is strictly prohibited in the solemn court, and natural drinks such as sweet coconut juice are used instead.

"The Ming envoy has traveled thousands of miles to our country; surely he has important matters to discuss?"

Once everyone was seated, Ramathebhu II, with a gentle smile on his face, spoke first.

The tone was as if he were chatting casually with an old friend.

Upon hearing this, Li Sicong stood up and said solemnly, "We have brought some things, which are currently outside the palace. We would like to invite the King of Siam to take a look."

Rama Tseiphu II's lips curled up slightly, a hint of curiosity flashing in his eyes, and he said with a light laugh, "Then bring it in quickly."

Before long, a dozen heavy, tightly sealed boxes were laboriously carried into the main hall by the soldiers.

The box landed with a dull thud.

The ministers of Siam craned their necks, casting curious glances, whispering amongst themselves and discussing the matter.

In the past few days, they have settled the Ming envoys in Dachengfu to rest and have been sending people to secretly spy on the Ming navy fleet, but they have paid almost no attention to the movements of the Ming envoys.

In their eyes, the mighty Ming Dynasty navy was the real and enormous threat to the Ayutthaya Kingdom.

As for the Ming envoy team in front of us, a perfunctory response and some delay will suffice.

"I never imagined that the Ming Dynasty would be so generous, sending so many precious gifts to my Ayutthaya."

A Siamese minister smiled broadly, his eyes gleaming with greed.

The gifts sent by the Ming Dynasty were used by the king to reward his subjects.

He will also receive a share.

"I've heard that the Ming Dynasty can produce exquisite glass and all sorts of ingenious handicrafts. This must be it," another minister chimed in, his face full of anticipation.

"Hahaha, I can't contain myself any longer! I really want to open it right away and see what rare treasures are hidden inside!" another minister said with a loud laugh, his voice filled with undisguised excitement.

In the past year or two, with the lifting of the maritime ban by the Ming Dynasty, people have been strongly encouraged to move south.

A large number of Ming Dynasty merchants set sail for Southeast Asia.

They also brought all sorts of rare and precious treasures from the Ming Dynasty to this land.

Among them, the most sought-after items by the Siamese royalty and nobility were Ming Dynasty silk, porcelain, crystal-clear glassware, uniquely shaped handicrafts, as well as books containing wisdom and fragrant tea.

Seeing so many boxes, they naturally assumed that these were generous gifts from the Ming Dynasty.

A cold smile crept across Li Sicong's lips as he waved his hand, signaling his men to open the box.

In an instant, boxes upon boxes of confessions filled with charges of crimes were laid bare before everyone's eyes.

The relaxed and joyful atmosphere in the main hall vanished instantly like smoke, replaced by a deathly silence and astonishment.

The Siamese ministers stared wide-eyed at the boxes of confessions, which were not yet bound into volumes and whose pages were yellowed.

They were all puzzled, completely baffled.

Just then, Li Sicong took a deep breath and spoke in a loud voice that echoed in the hall like a great bell: "Several months ago, some people of the Ming Dynasty wrote a letter in blood, pleading for help from His Majesty the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty."

The letter lamented that her son had been abducted by wicked people, kidnapped to Siam, and imprisoned as a slave.

"It was only because these villains colluded with Siamese officials, who provided them with protection, that the imprisoned people were isolated and helpless, powerless to resist, and could only send out distress signals to the Ming Dynasty."

"When His Majesty the Emperor learned of this, he was furious and immediately ordered the Ministry of Justice to thoroughly investigate the case."

"These boxes contain detailed confessions and evidence from the Ministry of Justice's investigation into this case."

"According to the investigation by the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ministry of Justice, a group of wicked people, under the guise of going overseas to make a fortune, used sweet words to deceive the kind and honest people of our Great Ming Dynasty."

“After luring them into Siam and Bagan, they revealed their true colors, imprisoned them, and forced them into slavery, numbering in the tens of thousands.”

"Among them, the women were brutally humiliated, while the men were whipped all day long, suffering unspeakable pain."

“Any resistance would result in even greater torture, and countless people were tortured to death.”

"His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Ming Dynasty has specially dispatched the Heavenly Army from afar to deal with this matter."

"The goal is to eliminate the wicked and evil people and rescue the innocent people who are imprisoned."

He clasped his hands together and respectfully bowed upwards: "Logically speaking, our Heavenly Army should have driven straight in, struck at the heart of the enemy, and wiped out those bandits in one fell swoop."

“But His Majesty the Emperor is benevolent and remembers the deep friendship between Siam and our Great Ming Dynasty in the past. Therefore, he specially sent me as an envoy to inquire first.”

"May I ask the King of Siam, are you aware of the details of this matter?"

Rama Tseiphu II's face instantly darkened, like the sky before a storm, changing slightly.

Below, the Siamese ministers erupted in a frenzy, jumping out to criticize Li Sicong.

"Envoy of Ming, how dare you treat my king like this, with such disrespect?"

Whether our king knows about it or not, what does it have to do with your Ming Kingdom?

"The Ming Dynasty has gone too far in arresting criminals on my Siamese territory!"

"Do you really think Ayutthaya is easy to bully?"

"Envoy Ming, why don't you immediately apologize to my king, or I'll twist your head off and use it as a football?"

……

Li Sicong ignored their shouts as if they hadn't heard a thing, his eyes fixed firmly on the King of Siam before him.

"I urge the King of Siam to answer my question directly: are you aware of this matter?"

Ramaputra II slowly raised his head, met Li Sicong's gaze, and said in a deep voice, "Indeed, there are people from the Ming Dynasty who have come to Siam to develop mines."

"But according to them, those people were their slaves."

"Siam has never interfered in their internal affairs."

Li Sicong smiled coldly, a glint of cold light flashing in his eyes, and said decisively, "Very well! Now, as an envoy of the Ming Dynasty, I formally lodge a solemn protest with your country."

"We demand that Siam immediately arrest all the wicked and evil criminals and release all the Ming people who are imprisoned."

“That’s absolutely impossible!” a Siamese minister jumped out and retorted loudly.

……

(End of this chapter)