Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 382 The Generous Ming Dynasty, Siam Benefits from Misfortune!
The journey of over 160 li is not far.

However, this is a tropical region with a complex, labyrinthine terrain.

Everywhere you look, there are dense, almost suffocating jungles and lush vegetation.

Although roads were built in the middle, in order to prevent sudden and unexpected attacks, and to guard against mosquitoes, snakes and ants that were hiding in the dark and could be deadly at any time.

The Ming Dynasty's expeditionary force marched at an extremely slow pace, advancing cautiously on every inch of land.

After a three-day march, the army finally arrived at the walls of Ayutthaya.

The towering city walls, at this moment, resembled a silent behemoth, blocking the way for the Ming army.

Zhu Shou immediately ordered the Ming army to prepare for an attack and launch the assault on the city, but Li Sicong stopped him, saying, "General, wait!"

"The purpose of our Great Ming's expedition this time is to force Siam to arrest those heartless human traffickers."

"Release the imprisoned people of the Ming Dynasty and swear an oath never to commit the same crime again."

"Siam is far from our Great Ming Dynasty, and its customs and traditions are very different from those of the Great Ming Dynasty."

"There is absolutely no possibility for our Great Ming to establish a province here and directly rule Siam, nor does His Majesty have such a plan."

"His Majesty's true intention is to take this opportunity to establish stable diplomatic relations with Siam, not to destroy it completely."

"Destroying Siam would not be in the long-term interest of our Great Ming."

"Now, our Great Ming has already defeated the Siamese army and is at the gates of Ayutthaya."

“If the attack continues, the Kingdom of Ayutthaya will surely perish.”

"By then, even if my Great Ming wanted to negotiate, it would have no one to talk to."

"For now, it would be better to set up camp outside the city and see how they react."

"In my observation, the ministers of Siam are all cowards."

"They didn't know how powerful the Ming army was before, which is why they clamored to start a war with the Ming Dynasty."

"Now that the Siamese army has been defeated by our Great Ming, they must be terrified."

"Now is the time for them to take the initiative to surrender to our Great Ming."

Zhu Shou frowned slightly and said, "If they remain obstinate and resist stubbornly, what should we do?"

Li Sicong's lips curled up slightly, revealing a confident smile, and he said, "Then let's bombard the Siamese Royal Palace and give them a good push."

"They won't dare to act recklessly anymore!"

As the two were talking, someone rushed in to report: "Reporting to the General and His Excellency the Envoy, there is a person claiming to be a special envoy of the King of Siam who requests an audience with the General and the Envoy of the Ming Dynasty."

Li Sicong couldn't help but laugh and say, "Speak of the devil, and he appears! Here he comes!"

"Bring them in!"

But as soon as he said it, he changed his mind: "No, I want to personally greet such important people."

Upon hearing that Li Sicong was going to personally welcome the special envoy of the King of Siam, Zhu Shou was slightly taken aback, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes as he looked at Li Sicong with a meaningful gaze.

He knew very well that Li Sicong had always been extremely arrogant towards the princes and ministers of Siam, never even giving them a second glance.

Now that the Ming army has won a great victory, Li Sicong's humble attitude at this glorious moment is truly surprising to him.

Zhu Shou was filled with doubts, but he chose to keep them to himself and said nothing. He simply nodded and let Zhu Shou go to greet the special envoy of the King of Siam.

At this moment, the Siamese envoy was standing outside the Ming army camp, looking like a frightened bird, so nervous that he didn't know what to do with his hands and feet.

His gaze trembled as it fell on the gleaming black muskets in the hands of the Ming soldiers. With each glance, his heart clenched, and cold sweat poured from his forehead.

He knew that the musket could spew out dazzling fire dragons and instantly shoot out a metal called "bullets".

The speed at which it was launched was beyond imagination; it was impossible for the naked eye to detect it, and no trace of its flight could be seen.

Its power is astonishing; even a thick-skinned elephant will collapse and die instantly if hit by a few bullets.

Prior to this, the Siamese envoy had never heard of such a magical and terrifying weapon, let alone seen it with his own eyes.

However, in the past few days, with the Siamese army's crushing defeat, terrifying rumors about firearms have spread like wildfire throughout Ayutthaya.

He had naturally heard about it, and his heart was already filled with fear.

Seeing the actual object with my own eyes now, my heart is in turmoil, how can I remain calm?

He was burdened with the heavy responsibility of seeking peace, and his heart was filled with trepidation. He really didn't know what kind of temperament the Ming general was, whether he was easy to talk to, or whether he would accept their request for peace.

He had met the Ming Dynasty's envoy in the imperial court; his attitude was extremely firm.

At that time, the two sides had not yet gone to war, but the envoy issued an ultimatum directly.

Now that the Siamese army has suffered a major defeat, the enemy may go even further.

Thinking of this, the Siamese envoy became increasingly fearful and uneasy, his legs trembling slightly.

He knew in his heart that Siam was currently powerless against the ferocious Ming army.

If the Ming army does not accept the peace negotiations, the once glorious and vast Ayutthaya Kingdom will likely perish completely in this war.

However, things shouldn't have gotten that bad, right?
The Siamese envoy forced himself to remain calm, constantly encouraging himself and trying to compose himself.

Before setting off, King Ramaputra II solemnly instructed that as long as Ayutthaya could be preserved and the foundation of the Ayutthaya Kingdom could be maintained, any conditions proposed by the Ming Dynasty should be accepted without hesitation.

This is his only source of confidence at this moment, and the only belief that supports him standing here.

We only hope that the Ming Dynasty can see Ayutthaya's "sincerity" in seeking peace and will let Ayutthaya off the hook!
"Haha, Your Excellency, the esteemed envoy of Siam, my dear friend, a warm welcome to you!"

Li Sicong strode out of the tent with a hearty laugh, his voice cheerful, as if he were welcoming an old friend he hadn't seen for many years.

That smile, like the warm spring sun, instantly dispelled the tense gloom in the air.

A single sentence, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, stirred up ripples in the heart of the Siamese envoy, making him widen his eyes in surprise, his face filled with flattery.

Before arriving, the Siamese envoy had imagined the scene of his mission countless times in his mind. He was certain that as a defeated envoy, he would suffer all kinds of humiliation from the Ming general and his envoys.

He even rehearsed countless times in his mind how to endure those unpleasant words.

For the sake of Siam's survival, he had made up his mind to put aside his personal pride and honor.

When Li Sicong appeared in front of him so enthusiastically, he was completely stunned and could not believe his ears and eyes.

This Ming Dynasty envoy, who had once stood firm against the majesty of the Siamese king in the Siamese court and refused to yield even with a knife and axe to his neck, was now being treated with such high-level "courtesy" instead of being humiliated.

In an instant, the Siamese envoy's eyes reddened slightly, and a complex mix of emotions welled up inside him, overwhelming him with a wave of gratitude.

"The King of Ayutthaya has dispatched a special envoy to pay respects to the envoy from the Great Ming Dynasty!"

He panicked, hurriedly straightening his clothes with both hands and feet, then bowed deeply in a deep salute, his movements filled with urgency and reverence.

"No need for formalities!" Li Sicong reacted quickly and firmly supported him.

"The Ming Dynasty will use the most powerful firearms and cannons in the world to deal with those who oppose it."

"Similarly, we will welcome true friends with the most beautiful flowers and the finest wine."

Li Sicong revealed a bright smile, a smile that was both friendly and tinged with a deeper meaning: "Whether to be an enemy or a friend of the Ming Dynasty, that depends on the choice of the King of Ayutthaya."

Upon hearing this, the Siamese envoy trembled slightly and quickly stepped forward, his face full of humble smiles: "Our king has long admired the might of the Ming Dynasty and has always hoped to send someone to pay tribute. Unfortunately, the journey is long and the mountains and rivers are insurmountable, and we have never been able to fulfill our wish."

"My previous refusal of the Ming envoy's reasonable request was due to being blinded and misled by some treacherous people."

As he spoke, he shook his head in anguish, his face filled with deep regret.

"Now, His Majesty is so impressed by the majesty and benevolence of the Ming Dynasty that he has beheaded those treacherous officials who advocated hostility towards the Ming Dynasty, as a warning to others."

"Furthermore, His Majesty has dispatched a large number of troops to hunt down those despicable human traffickers who have harmed the people of the Ming Dynasty, and at the same time released all the innocent citizens of the Ming Dynasty who have been imprisoned."

“My Kingdom of Ayutthaya hereby solemnly promises to the Great Ming that such a heinous incident will never happen again.”

"My Kingdom of Ayutthaya, renowned as a Buddhist kingdom on earth and a paradise on earth, will never become a haven for those despicable and shameless human traffickers!"

"I hope that from now on, my Ayutthaya will be able to live in peace with the Ming Dynasty and never start a war again."

Li Sicong laughed heartily, strode forward, and warmly grasped the hand of the Siamese envoy, his eyes full of sincerity: "The Great Ming is a land of etiquette, and has always loved peace. We would never wage war against a true friend."

"Your arrival from afar today demonstrates Siam's sincerity in maintaining friendly relations with our Great Ming Dynasty."

“Look, I have already prepared a testament to this friendship—the Treaty of Friendship between the Ming Dynasty and Siam.”

"Once this treaty is signed, from this day forward, Siam will be a close friend of the Ming Dynasty, sharing life and death."

Upon hearing this, the Siamese envoy was taken aback at first, then a look of surprise flashed in his eyes, and the worry on his face instantly disappeared.

He originally thought that this mission to the Ming army camp to seek peace would be fraught with difficulties and would be an extremely challenging task.

Unexpectedly, things progressed so smoothly, far beyond what was imagined.

Soon, under Li Sicong's enthusiastic guidance, the Siamese envoy entered the Ming army's tent. Subsequently, Li Sicong solemnly picked up a document from the table and handed it to the Siamese envoy; it was the "Treaty of Friendship and Mutual Assistance between the Ming and Siam" that had been prepared beforehand.

The Siamese envoy quickly took it with both hands and carefully unfolded it to examine it closely.

I. Because of a previous misunderstanding that led to war between the Ming Dynasty and Siam, this treaty is hereby concluded to quell the conflict and restore peace to the people. From the date this treaty comes into effect, the two countries shall forever be friendly and live in peace, never to wage war again. Any attempt to undermine this peace will be jointly resisted by both sides.

II. The Ming Dynasty and Siam, adhering to the principles of equality, voluntariness, friendship, fairness, and justice, solemnly sign this treaty. In their interactions, both sides shall respect each other's sovereignty and dignity, treat each other with sincerity, and jointly promote the development of bilateral relations.

Thirdly, previously, the King of Siam was misled by treacherous officials and rashly went to war with the Ming Dynasty. Now the King has realized his mistake and, to demonstrate his firm sincerity in pursuing peace, Siam is willing to fully compensate the Ming Dynasty for all expenses incurred in this war, including all personnel salaries, compensation for the wounded, all military expenses, and material losses, in order to make amends for past mistakes.

Fourth, the Siamese authorities must immediately launch a full-scale manhunt for the human traffickers who previously abducted, kidnapped, and imprisoned Ming Dynasty citizens. Once apprehended, they must be immediately handed over to the Ming Dynasty authorities for legal processing. Simultaneously, all previously imprisoned Ming Dynasty citizens must be released and safely returned to the Ming Dynasty by the Ming fleet. The earnings of the imprisoned citizens during their imprisonment must be carefully calculated, and compensation should first be made through the confiscation of the traffickers' property; if this is still insufficient, the Siamese authorities will make up the difference without reservation, ensuring that every citizen receives due compensation.

V. In light of the cause of this war, Siam solemnly promises to the Ming Dynasty that henceforth, whenever anyone is found guilty by the laws of the Ming Dynasty, regardless of whether they are a citizen of the Ming Dynasty or a citizen of Siam, Siam must immediately take action upon receiving official extradition documents from the Ming Dynasty to arrest the offender and promptly transfer them to the Ming Dynasty for conviction. No excuses may be used to delay or evade this obligation, in order to uphold the fairness and dignity of the law.

VI. The Ming Dynasty is willing to proactively send "ambassadors of civilization" to impart the teachings of sages to the people of Siam, disseminate advanced cultural knowledge, and help Siam embark on a more brilliant and glorious path of civilization. Siam promises to do everything in its power to protect the personal safety of these ambassadors, ensure that their teaching activities are not interfered with in any way, and allow the seeds of civilization to take root and sprout in the land of Siam.

VII. The Ming Dynasty and Siam establish a permanent friendship and, in order to promote economic prosperity, will establish mutual trade relations. Both sides will open all their coastlines and seaports to each other, allowing each other's ships to freely dock for rest and resupply.

8. As friendly and mutually supportive partners, both sides should provide each other with a favorable business environment and conditions on an equal footing. Whether it is establishing a bank, newspaper, operating a shop, or trading goods, Siam should not impose any unreasonable obstacles on Ming Dynasty merchants doing business in Siam, but should do its utmost to provide all conveniences so that business activities can flourish in a fair and just environment.

9. In the event of any conflict between Ming Dynasty citizens and Siamese citizens due to commercial disputes or other reasons, the Ming Dynasty government shall make a fair and impartial judgment in accordance with Ming Dynasty law. The Siamese government unconditionally recognizes the relevant judgments of the Ming Dynasty government. If there is any objection, an appeal may be filed with a higher-level legal authority in the Ming Dynasty until a final judgment is obtained, ensuring that every dispute is resolved fairly.

10. Based on the principles of friendship and mutual assistance, Da Ming will use its advanced technology and experience to help Siam develop its mineral resources and strive to improve the living standards of the Siamese people. The Siamese government voluntarily entrusts all its mineral resources to Da Ming for development. Da Ming will pay appropriate fees according to the principles of moderation and reasonableness to achieve a win-win situation for both parties.

XI. The Ming Dynasty and Siam signed a military alliance treaty, stipulating that any attack on either side would be considered a joint invasion of both. The other side would dispatch troops to fully assist its ally in resisting the invasion and jointly defending territorial integrity and national dignity.

12. Given the relatively weak strength of the Siamese army at present, and in order to maintain Siam's security and stability, as an ally, the Ming Dynasty will dispatch well-trained troops to be stationed along the Siamese coast, building a solid defensive line for Siam. Siam shall pay the Ming Dynasty reasonable costs for the stationed troops. Furthermore, the Ming Dynasty may, according to Siam's specific needs, send specialized instructors to the Siamese army to help train a strong and elite force. Alternatively, Siam may send officers to receive training from the Ming Dynasty.

Thirteenth, the Ming Dynasty and Siam will exchange envoys to establish a sound communication mechanism. The envoys will exchange views regularly to enhance mutual understanding and trust, promptly resolve problems arising in the cooperation process, and promote the continuous warming of relations between the two countries.

XIV. Once signed, the above provisions shall have unalterable legal effect and become a solid foundation for the friendly relations between the two countries. Any matters not covered herein may be supplemented or improved through an appendix.

……

The Siamese envoy's gaze swept over every single clause of the treaty, word by word.

My eyes gradually welled up with tears.

Tears welled up uncontrollably and rolled down my cheeks.

In his mind, this time when they sought peace, the Ming Dynasty would surely fleece them like a vicious wolf.

He had assumed that the Ming Dynasty would force Siam to cede large tracts of fertile land.

To make the King of Siam submit to him.

They also had to hand over mountains of gold and silver.

They even forcibly demanded a large number of women.

He had already prepared himself mentally for this.

My heart is filled with bitterness and helplessness.

Even women sent to entertain the troops have been urgently conscripted from within the country by the King of Siam.

The whole of Siam was shrouded in fear and humiliation.

But when he actually saw the conditions proposed by the Ming Dynasty, he was completely stunned.

I couldn't believe my eyes.

The conditions proposed by the Ming Dynasty were surprisingly generous and benevolent.

There was not a trace of ruthlessness in taking advantage of someone's misfortune.

They did not take the opportunity to extort money.

The only compensation clause in the treaty required Siam to compensate the Ming army for its expenses in this war.

This request is so reasonable that it's impossible to argue with it.

After all, it was Siam that started this war.

It is only right and proper for them to bear the corresponding costs.

As for compensating the enslaved laborers of the Ming Dynasty for their lost wages, that is only reasonable.

Although the two sums of money add up to a considerable amount.

This is a heavy burden on Siam's finances.

However, Li Sicong thoughtfully suggested that if Siam's finances were strained and it was unable to raise enough funds in a short time, Daming Bank could provide low-interest loans.

In the future, when Siam has developed with the help of the Ming Dynasty and has enough wealth, it can gradually repay the debt.

And the interest rate on that loan is as low as four percent per year!
"My God!" the Siamese envoy exclaimed inwardly.

This is an unprecedentedly low interest rate.

It's important to know that in Siam, the interest rates that noble lords lent to serfs were typically as high as 300% per year.

Compared to the low interest rates of the Ming Dynasty, this is a world of difference.

Looking at the clauses regarding the adjudication of disputes between the two parties, it stipulates that the Ming government shall make the judgment.

The Siamese envoy thought to himself, "What does it matter?"

Moreover, there is the opportunity to appeal.

He believed that the Ming government was impartial and would never make arbitrary judgments.

A fair and reasonable result will definitely be given.

Furthermore, why did the Siamese people have conflicts with the Ming Dynasty people?
Can't you be a little more accommodating?

Those lowly people who dare to offend the "masters" of the Ming Dynasty deserve to be severely punished.

It's already too lenient for them to be tried by the Ming government!
According to the treaty, the Ming Dynasty was obligated to not only actively spread the teachings of the sages to Siam and educate the Siamese people.

To help Siam improve its level of civilization.

They even help Siam develop its rich mineral resources and will pay for Siam's mining expenses—that's incredibly generous!

More importantly, the two sides signed a military alliance treaty.

From now on, the coast of Siam will be garrisoned by the elite troops of the Ming Dynasty.

Like a sturdy fortress, it protected Siam from foreign invasion.

Siam, a country ravaged by war, ironically benefited from this conflict.

"What a bargain!" the Siamese envoy exclaimed in his heart.

The Ming Dynasty was incredibly generous.

They called themselves disseminators of civilization, and now it seems that they were right.

Only a highly civilized country like the Ming Dynasty, with a global vision, would sign such a "fair and just" treaty with the defeated Siam.

If this had happened to another country, Siam would have suffered endless humiliation.

Where else can you get such generous treatment and conditions?

The Siamese envoy was overjoyed, his hands trembling slightly with excitement.

He could no longer contain himself and eagerly reached for the pen.

He signed his name without hesitation.

It was as if they were afraid that the Ming Dynasty would renege on its goodwill at any moment.

"You must take the treaty to your king; it will only be effective when he signs it in his own hand."

Li Sicong stepped forward, his expression gentle, and softly reminded him, "Your signature is only temporary."

"Please rest assured, Your Excellency, the Ming envoy!"

The Siamese envoy thumped his chest and confidently assured them, "As long as I bring this document back, I will definitely bring back the King's signature within a day, without a single mistake!"

"it is good!"

A hint of satisfaction flashed in Li Sicong's eyes, and he raised his hand to clap his hands forcefully.

He then raised his glass and said loudly, "Let us toast to the friendship between the Ming Dynasty and Siam! May this friendship flow like a mighty river, never to end!"

The Siamese envoy quickly raised his glass, a sincere smile on his face, and loudly replied, "A toast to the friendship between the Ming Dynasty and Siam! May the friendship between our two countries last forever!"

……

(End of this chapter)