Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 379 The Final Ultimatum! Schemes and the Start of War!
The Siamese minister, his face flushed red, pointed his finger like a spear at Li Sicong and roared furiously:

"The people you keep talking about are nothing more than slaves who drive mines in my Ayutthaya territory."

"You say those slaves were kidnapped and abducted, what does that have to do with my Ayutthaya Kingdom?"

He abruptly flicked his sleeve, his face full of disdain.

"Your Ming Kingdom should take care of its own people first."

“Once you enter the territory of my Ayutthaya, you shall be protected by the laws of my country.”

"And what reason is there to arrest people according to the laws of the Ming Dynasty?"

Those human traffickers were able to establish themselves firmly in Siam and Bagan, which naturally involved lavish bribery of local officials.

The official in front of us has received a lot of benefits on a regular basis.

Moreover, he also kept "slaves" in his own home who had been bought from the Ming Dynasty.

Now that the Ming Dynasty is demanding the release of the prisoners, how could he not jump out and vehemently oppose it?
Upon hearing this, the other Siamese ministers couldn't contain themselves and started chattering amongst themselves.

"There's absolutely no way we'd help you arrest them!"

"Envoy Ming, you are clearly framing me! My Kingdom of Ayutthaya is a Buddhist kingdom on earth, where the light of Buddha shines everywhere. How could we possibly do such a thing as harboring filth and corruption?"

"Yes, it's completely fabricated!"

“I can tell they are clearly people from the Ming Dynasty. Unable to bear the heavy burden of taxes, they fled to my Ayutthaya to seek survival. Yet your Ming Dynasty still won't let them go and has chased them all the way to our country?”

"What confessions or statements? Who knows if they were obtained through torture?"

"Perhaps it was deliberately fabricated by the Ming Dynasty as an excuse to interfere in our internal affairs."

Immediately, various accusations rose and fell in the hall.

Ultimately, what they were expressing was the same thing: they firmly denied that such a thing had happened in Siam, and even if it had, they believed that the Ming Dynasty had no right to interfere!
Li Sicong stood there quietly, like a statue.

Ignoring the commotion, his gaze remained fixed on the King of Siam from beginning to end.

According to the intelligence he had gathered from various sources, although the King of Siam had only been on the throne for two or three years, he possessed extraordinary ambition and extremely skillful methods, and had already firmly grasped the power of the court in his own hands.

Within Siam, he held supreme authority.

To put it bluntly, while the ministers' opinions were certainly noisy, the one who could truly make the decisions was the young and powerful king.

Ramathebhu II listened quietly to the heated discussion among the ministers below.

Facing Li Sicong's piercing gaze, after a long while, he finally raised his hand, signaling the ministers to quiet down.

Then, with a calm expression, he asked, "So, may I ask the Emperor of Ming, besides these, do you have any other requests?"

"Have!"

Li Sicong answered without hesitation and with unwavering certainty.

"In view of your country's past behavior, the Emperor of the Great Ming Dynasty demands that your country sign a guarantee to effectively protect the interests and personal safety of our merchants and people in your country, and to ensure that similar incidents will never happen again in the future."

"In addition, the Ming Dynasty and Siam could exchange envoys who would be stationed in each other's capitals for extended periods, in order to protect the legitimate rights and interests of their merchants and citizens in the other country."

Ramaputra II nodded slightly.

"Very well, I am aware of this matter."

His gaze was deep, his tone flat and emotionless, making him unfathomable.

"I need some time to consider this carefully."

Li Sicong was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.

He originally thought the other party would refuse on the spot, after all, the ministers' attitude had been so firm before.

Unexpectedly, this young king was far calmer and more rational than his ministers.

“Our people are still imprisoned in suffering, and I have little time to delay.”

Li Sicong's attitude was unusually firm, and his tone exuded an unquestionable authority.

"At most three days!"

"If your country cannot give me a clear answer within three days, then I will take it as a rejection from your country."

A cold glint flashed in his eyes.

"At that time, the Ming army will land in Siam and deal with this problem on its own."

Upon hearing this, a hint of murderous intent flashed like lightning deep within the eyes of Rama Tibhu II, only to vanish without a trace.

But Li Sicong still managed to keenly notice this extremely subtle change.

"I understand. Is there anything else, Ming Envoy?" Ramathebhu II asked calmly, his expression returning to normal.

Li Sicong said in a deep voice, "Then I will await your country's reply. I will take my leave now."

After saying this, he bowed to Ramathebhu II.

He then turned around, and with his entourage, strode out of the main hall without looking back.

As Li Sicong's steady and resolute figure disappeared from the entrance of the main hall, the hall, which had been briefly silent because of his departure, was instantly filled with noise and commotion once again.

"Your Majesty, this Ming envoy is far too disrespectful. I humbly request that he be beheaded to demonstrate the might of my Ayutthaya Kingdom!"

A minister with a fierce face suddenly stepped forward, clasped his hands together, and roared at the top of his lungs with a face full of anger.

"Yes, this Ming envoy's actions have gone too far! It's impossible to quell my anger without killing him!" Another minister jumped out, waving his arms and shouting indignantly.

“Although the Ming Dynasty is powerful, my Ayutthaya is by no means a pushover. Why should we bow down to the Ming Dynasty?” Another minister straightened his back, his face arrogant and his nostrils pointing to the sky, and retorted loudly.

"The people of Ming are sold into slavery in my Ayutthaya, and they are the private property of their masters. It is only natural for masters to beat or kill their slaves. As for how these slaves came to be, what does that have to do with our Ayutthaya? Why should we care!" A tall, thin minister said coldly, his eyes flashing with a cruel light.

“That’s absolutely right. Even if they were forcibly abducted by pirates and enslaved, that’s their destiny. They should accept their fate, be good slaves, accumulate good karma, and hope to be reborn into a better life next time!” A minister wiped the sweat from his brow and echoed.

“The Buddha said that everything has cause and effect. These people have been reduced to slaves in this life because they committed sins in their previous life. What torture and abuse they are in is just them paying off the debts they owed in their past life!” A minister dressed in a monk’s robe said, his hands clasped together, his face full of piety, shaking his head.

"I, Ayutthaya, will never bow down to the Ming Dynasty!"

Many people shouted, their emotions growing increasingly agitated.

"Disgrace! Disgrace! This Ming envoy is so arrogant and domineering, forcing our country. This is a great disgrace to Ayutthaya. His openly issuing a deadline to our king in court is an even greater disgrace to all of us ministers! If we do not kill the Ming envoy, we will be ashamed to be Your Majesty's subjects!" An elderly minister cried out in anguish, tears streaming down his face, beating his chest and stamping his feet.

"kill him!"

"Declare war on the Ming Dynasty!"

"kill him!"

……

For a time, shouts of fighting and killing rose and fell in the Siamese court, deafening and seemingly about to lift the roof off.

However, one of the most crucial reasons is actually different from what people are saying.

The most crucial point is that, by this day, the slave trade has deeply intertwined with the vested interests of numerous officials in the imperial court. They have either accepted substantial bribes or directly invested in it, and naturally, they are unwilling to submit to the Ming Dynasty under any circumstances.

In their narrow-minded view, they might as well go all the way and kill the Ming envoy to completely sever the possibility of making peace with the Ming Dynasty and eliminate the hidden danger of handing people over to the Ming Dynasty forever.

As for this leading to war with the Ming Dynasty?
In any case, although the Ming Dynasty was powerful, it was thousands of miles away.

They firmly believed that the Ming Dynasty would never launch a long and arduous expedition.

Even the mighty Ming warships at sea were said to be incredibly powerful and terrifying.

However, these short-sighted and ignorant Siamese officials could not imagine that the Ming Dynasty's navy could actually land and attack Ayutthaya.

If they cannot land, then no matter how powerful the warship is, it can be ignored.

Above the main hall, Ramathebhu II sat quietly on his throne, completely unaffected by the heated discussions and frenzied clamor of his courtiers.

With a calm expression and piercing gaze, he surveyed the assembled officials below and said in a composed and steady manner, "The Ming envoys are guests from afar. We must not treat them rudely, much less kill them arbitrarily."

"As for the matter proposed by the Ming envoy, everyone should carefully consider how to deal with it properly, and must not act impulsively."

At this moment, a minister stepped forward hastily, his expression anxious, and said with his hands clasped, "Your Majesty, I have heard from the generals guarding the coast that the Ming warships are equipped with powerful cannons. Once all the cannons fire at once, the scene will be like a thunderbolt from the sky, with unfathomable power. Our country must not easily start a war with the Ming!"

Although most of the ministers in Siam were arrogant and blindly confident, there were still some clear-headed individuals who saw the great strength of the Ming Dynasty and knew that Ayutthaya could not confront it head-on.

"What are you afraid of? Can their warships even land?" Someone immediately jumped out, his face full of disdain, and retorted loudly, "They can only fire a few shots at the beach, it's nothing for us to worry about."

Another minister stepped forward and respectfully said, "Your Majesty, I believe that it is best to continue to delay for the time being."

"We have already done our best to thoroughly investigate this case, but it takes a lot of time. Three days is far from enough. We implore Your Excellency to wait patiently."

"As long as we delay long enough, the Ming warships at sea cannot stay at sea indefinitely and will have to return to port due to supply issues."

“Once the Ming army has withdrawn, we will confront the Ming envoy and say that we have no evidence and are unable to cooperate.”

"At that time, without the support of the Ming army, the Ming envoy will have no choice but to accept our explanation."

No sooner had he finished speaking than another minister stepped forward and offered his advice:
“Your Majesty, according to the Ming envoy, the Ming Kingdom has come not only to question my Ayutthaya, but also to mention Bagan, which is now Pegu.”

“We can immediately send someone to deliver the message to Pegu, and we can join hands and deal with the Ming Kingdom together.”

In fact, the Bagan Dynasty had already fallen apart by this time, and the whole country was mired in civil war, with the people suffering greatly.

But in that chaotic land, the most powerful force was the so-called Pegu Dynasty.

Although some scattered separatist forces still exist in Bagan, the Pegu Dynasty has basically inherited all the territory and military power of the Bagan Dynasty and has become the new ruler of that land.

The relationship between Bago and Ayutthaya has never been friendly, with constant friction between the two sides.

Not long ago, a fierce war broke out, with smoke billowing along the border between the two countries, causing immense suffering to the people.

However, faced with the immense pressure from the Ming Dynasty, the ministers of Siam proposed that the two countries should temporarily set aside their past grievances and join hands in solidarity.

Ramaputra II nodded slightly, his expression calm yet revealing a hint of calculation: "What you have said makes a lot of sense. Let's proceed as such."

"On the one hand, we must spare no effort to find ways to delay the Ming envoy, and delay him for as long as possible."

"On the other hand, we should send more people to investigate the true power of the Ming warships and find out whether they are capable of landing and fighting."

"Furthermore, immediately send someone by fast horse to Pegu to inform Polon Sidu that the Ming army is about to launch an attack on Pegu!"

"Ideally, we should try to persuade Pegu to send troops to test the true strength of the Ming army."

the other side.

Li Sicong walked straight back to his residence with his head held high and chest out, his steps steady and powerful.

Seeing this, the adjutant who had come with him leaned closer, lowered his voice, and said with a hint of worry, "Sir, as an envoy, your attitude in the Siamese court just now was so tough, directly issuing an ultimatum to their king. I'm afraid this approach was not appropriate."

Li Sicong's expression hardened, and he said in a firm voice, "What's wrong with that? Our mission in coming to Siam is to tell them that this matter must be done, and there is no room for negotiation."

"If they do not cooperate, then my Great Ming will take action personally."

"We're not here to beg them, why should we lower ourselves like this!"

"Never forget that our every word and action represents the national character and dignity of the Ming Dynasty!"

"Yes, sir, your reprimand is absolutely correct." The adjutant was speechless after being rebuked by the words and could only nod repeatedly in agreement.

Li Sicong continued, "Now that our mission is complete, we will leave this place today."

"Leave?" The adjutant looked puzzled and asked with wide eyes, "As envoys, where are we going if we leave now?"

Li Sicong's lips curled into a cold sneer as he said, "I think the Siamese court is full of ignorant and arrogant rats. They have no idea how powerful the Ming army is."

"These people won't learn their lesson until they see the coffin. Only when the Ming army takes action and teaches them a harsh lesson will they obediently bow their heads and submit."

“Our continued presence here will not only be of no benefit, but will also hinder the Ming army’s conquest of Ayutthaya.”

“Once the Ming army launches an attack, Siam will definitely target our delegation to vent their anger.”

"Rather than losing our lives here, we should leave as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this, the adjutant couldn't help but retort, "But as envoys of the Great Ming, if we were to flee like this, wouldn't the Siamese think we are afraid of them? Wouldn't that be a disgrace to the Great Ming? Even if we die, we should die here. How can we desert in the face of battle?"

"Nonsense!" Li Sicong frowned and reprimanded sharply, "Today in the Siamese court, in front of all the ministers of Siam, I have already issued an ultimatum to King Ramaput II of Siam."

"For the next three days, we just need to wait quietly for news."

"Isn't it the same to wait somewhere?"

“By returning to the Ming army’s position, we can not only save our own lives, but also avoid making the Ming army hesitate to act against us.”

He paused slightly, then said solemnly, "I, Li Sicong, am by no means a coward who fears death, but I will not die meaninglessly either."

“If we stay here, and the Ming army goes to war with Siam, Siam will surely throw all of our delegation into prison and torture them severely.”

“If any member of the mission were to succumb to torture and surrender to Siam, that would be a true disgrace to the nation.”

"We will take the lead and then strike back with overwhelming force three days later, so as not to lose face for our country."

Upon hearing this, the adjutant cupped his hands and said, "What you say is absolutely right, sir. It was my oversight."

The two then quickly returned to their lodgings, made a decisive decision, began packing their belongings, and led the entire delegation to quietly leave Ayutthaya under the cover of night.

By the time the Siamese discovered this, they had already successfully joined forces with the Ming army.

Soon after, Ramaputra II sent an envoy who stated emphatically that the case was extremely complex and would require a lengthy trial to ascertain the truth.

They claimed that three days was far from enough, and that it would take at least three months, or even longer.

In response, Zhu Shou, the commander of the Ming army, and Li Sicong, the envoy, firmly refused.

Three days passed in a flash.

"Since Siam completely disregards our Great Ming Dynasty and turns a blind eye to the numerous atrocities committed against our people within its borders, then don't blame us for being impolite. Let's start a war!"

On that day, the Ming army decisively opened fire on the Siamese troops on the coastline, and cannonballs rained down. Immediately afterwards, the army officially landed in Siam!
……

(End of this chapter)