Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 397 Cooperation and Friendship! Close the net! Take them all!
In an instant, Duan Xiao's face was filled with a bright yet slightly obsequious smile.

That smile was like a blooming flower, yet it carried a hint of deliberate artifice and falsehood.

Just now, when Zhu Shou said he would execute all the human traffickers and mine owners, his eyelids twitched violently a few times involuntarily.

It felt as if something deep inside had stabbed me hard.

He noticed that many of the human traffickers and mine owners who were about to be executed were casting resentful and hateful glances at him.

Many of these people had given him generous sums of money and beautiful women.

Just a few days ago, some of them were sitting with Duan Xiao, drinking and chatting happily, expressing their so-called "loyalty" to him with smiles on their faces.

Duan Xiao patted his chest and solemnly assured them that their friendship would last forever, as solid as a rock, and that he would always "protect and escort" them.

But things are unpredictable. In the blink of an eye, Duan Xiao arrested all of them as a "gift" to curry favor with the Ming Dynasty.

Although Duan Xiao had done many similar "betrayal" things before, after all, if he hadn't been so ruthless and heartless, how could he have become a powerful warlord in this chaotic world?
But such a decisive action, involving such a large scale, has never been done before.

This caused a strange sense of "heartache" to rise in the heart of this warlord who was known for his ruthless and merciless killing.

Of course, his so-called "heartache" mainly stemmed from his heartache over his own "wallet".

After all, these human traffickers and mine owners have always been his stable "cash cows," continuously supplying him with wealth.

Now, he has to hand them all over to the Ming Dynasty. How could he not feel heartbroken?
However, upon hearing the praise from the Ming general, Duan Xiao's disappointment was instantly replaced by joy.

He thought to himself that at least his life was saved and he no longer had to worry about being punished by the Ming army.

Duan Xiao quickly put on a smile and said respectfully, "This is all within my duty, nothing to mention."

"To be honest, I have always admired the glorious and splendid culture of the Ming Dynasty."

"The Central Plains civilization has a long history and profound knowledge, like a vast starry sky, dazzling and brilliant."

"It is something that our tiny nation cannot achieve."

"That's why I've taken in so many people from the Ming Dynasty, hoping to take this opportunity to better learn about the culture and knowledge of the Ming Dynasty."

"But I never expected it would cause such a huge mess."

"It's all my fault for being careless and failing to notice the evil in time, which has caused so many people of the Ming Dynasty to suffer endless misery."

"I am deeply grateful to the General for his magnanimity in forgiving me and not pursuing my crimes."

"If you thank me again, it will make me feel uneasy."

Zhu Shou threw his head back and laughed heartily and boldly.

Immediately, he generously stretched out his arm and put his arm around Duan Xiao's shoulder, saying enthusiastically, "I like straightforward men like you!"

"You must not be like those bookish, pedantic scholars who speak polite and courteous words all day long, in a pretentious and literary style that makes people uncomfortable and is really annoying."

"We military officers value brotherhood the most, and we believe in loyalty and mutual support."

"If you have something to say, just say it directly, don't keep it to yourself."

"Drinking wine from large bowls, eating large chunks of meat, living a carefree and unrestrained life!"

"Come on, we're having a good time today, let's go have a drink together!"

"Today's banquet is to celebrate the people of our Great Ming Dynasty being freed from suffering and reborn."

"Secondly, to celebrate Governor Duan's abandonment of darkness and embrace of light, thus becoming a friend of our Great Ming."

"With this double celebration, let's drink until we drop!"

Upon hearing this, Duan Xiao immediately burst into laughter: "If the General thinks so highly of me, Duan, I were to refuse, I would truly be an ungrateful person!"

Immediately, the Ming army prepared a lavish banquet to warmly welcome Duan Xiao and his accompanying generals.

Although Bago is a Buddhist country, many officials in the court strictly adhere to the precepts and abstain from alcohol.

But warlords like Duan Xiao were known for their love of alcohol.

For him, alcohol was like his lifeblood.

King Binyaho of Pegu and his ministers had always disliked Duan Xiao and harbored deep resentment towards him.

But seeing Zhu Shou and Duan Xiao chatting happily, he couldn't refuse Zhu Shou, so he had to suppress his displeasure and join in the drinking.

As the banquet progressed, everyone toasted and exchanged drinks, and the joyful atmosphere grew increasingly intense.

Taking advantage of his drunken state, Zhu Shou took Duan Xiao's hand and said casually, "I heard that those Ming Dynasty mine owners in Pegu are making a fortune mining jadeite rough stones in the Liujin River area. They have to give you a lot of money every month."

"Now that you have taken them all and given them to the Ming Dynasty, that mine can no longer be operated as before."

"In that case, Brother Duan, wouldn't your income be reduced by a significant amount?"

Duan Xiao's lips twitched slightly, and he quickly said, "General, you are too kind. How can you be so concerned?"

"Am I, Duan, the kind of person who values ​​profit over righteousness?"

"For the sake of our deep friendship with the Ming Dynasty, and to make friends with you, General, it's no big deal if we close down the mine!"

Duan Xiao spoke very frankly, but in reality, the thought of losing his substantial income made his heart bleed as if it were being cut by a knife.

But in front of Zhu Shou, he had to put on a show of magnanimity.

Zhu Shou's face was flushed from drinking, and he was drunk, with a hazy, intoxicated look in his eyes.

Upon hearing Duan Xiao's words, he waved his hands repeatedly, his tongue almost tied as he said, "No, no, you've become friends with Da Ming and called me brother, so as your brother, I can't treat you unfairly!"

"How can we let you suffer such a huge loss for no reason? Absolutely not!"

"It's unacceptable both publicly and privately!"

Zhu Shou kept waving his arms, and his body, which was sitting in the chair, swayed from side to side as he spoke, as if he was about to fall asleep on the table at any moment.

But it just doesn't exist.

"I do have an idea."

"Brother Duan, weren't the jadeite rough stones you dug out in the mine usually processed into jadeite jewelry and then sold to the Ming Dynasty?"

Zhu Shou let out a burp and continued, "Actually, just as those mine owners can mine and operate, other companies in our Great Ming Dynasty can do the same."

"To be honest, my family is also involved in quite a few businesses, so I have some expertise in this area."

Zhu Shou leaned closer to Duan Xiao, squinted his eyes, and patted him on the shoulder: "Brother Duan, if you trust me, you might as well entrust the mining and management of the mines to me."

“I went to recruit people and send experienced workers to dig and mine.”

"As for the profits, Brother Duan and I will split them 50/50. What do you think?"

As Zhu Shou spoke, he looked at Duan Xiao with expectant eyes, as if he could already see a bright future of win-win cooperation between the two parties.

Duan Xiao was slightly taken aback when he heard Zhu Shou's suggestion. A look of surprise flashed across his face, but then joy, like a flower blooming in spring, quickly spread across his face: "Does the General really mean this?"

Duan Xiao had already been planning how to continue the jadeite mining business in Liujin River without those human traffickers and mine owners.

In fact, Duan Xiao had considered sending people to mine it himself.

However, two problems stopped him.

Firstly, the jadeite mined is not valued in neighboring countries such as Bago and Siam due to differences in culture and market demand, and its value is mediocre.

Only by transporting it to the Ming Dynasty, where it can be sold at an astonishingly high price thanks to the Ming Dynasty's profound jade culture and huge consumer market.

But how can they be sold to the Ming Dynasty?
Duan Xiao did not have such sales channels.

Secondly, after the jadeite rough is mined, it needs to be processed into exquisite jadeite jewelry in order to realize its commercial value.

Carving jade from raw stone into ornaments is by no means an easy task; it is a craft that requires exquisite skills.

Only experienced and skilled master craftsmen can handle it.

The Ming Dynasty had a jade culture that had been passed down for thousands of years, and there was no shortage of skilled craftsmen. Naturally, there was no shortage of people with this kind of processing technique.

In contrast, Bago is completely lacking in this area, with no such professionals at all.

If the jadeite rough stones that are dug out cannot be processed or sold, they are no different from a pile of useless stones.

Otherwise, the jadeite ore in the Liujin River would have been mined and sold by the locals long ago. Why would it have taken until merchants from the Ming Dynasty came to start large-scale mining?

If these two problems are not resolved, the jade mines in Liujin River will have to be abandoned.

It can no longer bring him any wealth.

However, if a "cooperation" could be reached with Zhu Shou, both of these problems could be easily solved.

In this way, the jade mining industry in Liujin River can not only continue, but perhaps, under Zhu Shou's management, it will earn even more than when it was run by those unscrupulous merchants of the Ming Dynasty.

It wasn't until Duan Xiao arrested all the human traffickers and mine owners and confiscated their assets that he discovered those people were far wealthier than he had imagined.

It seems that the profit from the jade business is much higher than he estimated.

Seeing the change in Duan Xiao's expression, Zhu Shou understood his thoughts and couldn't help but burst into laughter: "How could I joke about something so important? Of course it's true!"

"However, I still need to personally visit those jade mines to conduct on-site inspections and understand the actual situation before I can draft a specific cooperation agreement."

"In addition, you should, together with your king, summon all the other lords of Pegu."

"We have gathered here to swear an oath of blood, and together we will ensure that when I operate the mine in Bago in the future, whether it is mining, transportation, processing or recruiting manpower, everything will be safe and secure."

"Brother Duan, do you think there's a problem with these two points?"

Duan Xiao was already blinded by the impending profits, so he had no objections and hurriedly said, "No problem, absolutely no problem!"

Zhu Shou nodded in satisfaction, raised his glass, and said loudly, "Good, let's drink to our upcoming cooperation!"

Everyone raised their glasses, and for a moment, the sounds of clinking glasses and laughter echoed through the tent.

……

Several days later, the Ming army, like a magnificent steel dragon, marched in a mighty procession to the banks of the Liujin River.

Upon arrival, Zhu Shou made military arrangements while simultaneously ordering his accompanying "scientific researchers" to conduct an in-depth investigation of the mine.

The "researchers" carefully examined every corner of the mine, leaving no detail overlooked.

With the assistance of Ming Dynasty officials, they also conducted a rigorous interrogation of the mine owners who had previously operated there.

At the same time, they inquired with ordinary people from the Ming Dynasty who had been forced into enslavement in the mines to gain a deeper understanding.

They quickly grasped all the information about the jade mine.

The mining of jadeite can be described as extremely profitable.

Its profits are so high that they far exceed those of other ordinary businesses.

The staggering profits are enough to drive countless people crazy.

However, it is precisely this lure of enormous profits that has given rise to the most vicious and inhumane crimes in the world.

Zhu Shou stood in the mine, gazing at the scene before him, and sighed softly, his heart filled with complex emotions.

These days, Ming Dynasty officials have made a major breakthrough in their interrogation of human traffickers and mine owners.

The threads of all the crimes were basically clarified, and one heinous act after another was thoroughly exposed.

At the same time, personnel from the Ming Dynasty's intelligence bureau and the military intelligence department under the military affairs bureau, taking advantage of the powerful momentum created by the arrival of the Ming army, silently infiltrated the armies of warlords in various regions.

The Ming army advanced unimpeded, making its way straight to the area where the mine was located.

Now that everything is ready, it's time to close the net.

The Pegu court and warlord Duan Xiao have summoned all the major and minor warlords of Pegu.

This was, of course, due to the powerful deterrent effect of the Ming Dynasty army.

Otherwise, even with the joint appeal from the King of Pegu and Duan Xiao, many warlords who controlled their own territories and held considerable military power would not have obediently come.

Zhu Shou ordered a lavish banquet to be prepared, inviting King Binyaho of Pegu, Governor Duan Xiao, as well as many other Pegu warlords, ministers, and Duan Xiao's trusted generals to attend.

After a few rounds of drinks, everyone's faces flushed, and the atmosphere became lively.

Just then, Zhu Shou suddenly stood up and said loudly, "From today onwards, the jade mines in the Liujin River area will be officially taken over by the Ming Dynasty and developed by the Ming Dynasty."

"As compensation for the military expenses of this expedition of our Great Ming army, and as reparations for the blood and sweat of the many Ming people who were forced into slavery in the past, does everyone have any objections to this?"

Binyaho and everyone present dared not have the slightest objection, and hurriedly said, "Everything is as the General says, and we have no objection whatsoever."

A sense of doubt arose in Duan Xiao's heart.

This is completely different from what Zhu Shou had told him privately before.

The original plan was for the two to operate the business together and split the profits privately, but now Zhu Shou claims that the Ming Dynasty will take over.

But he quickly came up with his own explanation: perhaps Zhu Shou needed an official name, under the guise of the Ming Dynasty.

However, they would still secretly divide the profits from mining jadeite with themselves.

In officialdom, it is not uncommon for people to say one thing in public and another in private.

As the "Governor" of Pegu, Duan Xiao was very "savvy" about this.

Thinking about this, he felt relieved.

He joined in the chorus of agreement with the crowd.

Seeing that everyone agreed, Zhu Shou had someone bring out the carefully prepared peace treaty. He glanced at everyone present and said in an unquestionable manner, "Since everyone has no objections, please sign the peace treaty."

Then, everyone signed in turn.

In accordance with the customs of Bago, when signing the agreement, one must also swear an oath to Buddha to demonstrate one's determination to keep the agreement.

Those who break their promises are considered to have betrayed the Buddha.

This is the most solemn vow among many Bago people.

After all the procedures were completed, Zhu Shou carefully put away the documents, his expression turned serious, and he spoke in a calm tone: "There is a second matter I have summoned you here today."

His voice suddenly turned serious, and he exuded a chilling aura.

A murderous intent surfaced on his face, and his eyes seemed to pierce through people's hearts, sending chills down their spines.

"Those who become friends with my Great Ming will be remembered by my Great Ming."

Zhu Shou's voice, clear and resonant like a great bell, echoed throughout the tent.

"However, those who dare to infringe upon the interests of our Great Ming and harm our people will be punished most severely without any leniency!"

"Those human traffickers and mine owners who abducted and kidnapped the people of our Great Ming Dynasty and forced them into slavery have all been successfully captured by our army and brought to trial."

"They will be escorted back to the Ming Dynasty to receive a fair trial under the laws of our Ming Dynasty."

"However, there are also some people who are accomplices to these human traffickers and mine owners."

"The crimes they committed against the people of our Great Ming Dynasty were no less than those committed by human traffickers and mine owners."

Zhu Shou narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze revealing endless coldness: "If it weren't for their assistance, indulgence and protection behind the scenes, how could human traffickers and mine owners have so easily defrauded and kidnapped so many people of the Ming Dynasty?"

"We cannot force them into slavery, causing the people of our Great Ming to suffer such misery!"

"It could even be said that these people are the real culprits who harmed the people of our Great Ming Dynasty."

"But these guys are still at large."

As he spoke, Zhu Shou's voice grew increasingly cold, as if it were carrying the frost and snow of a harsh winter.

The temperature inside the tent seemed to drop several degrees as well.

Everyone felt a chill run from the soles of their feet to the top of their heads.

No one dared to breathe loudly, for they had already discerned the hidden meaning in Zhu Shou's words.

Could it be that……?
Before they could speculate further, Zhu Shou's face darkened instantly, like the gloomy sky before a storm, and he coldly uttered a sentence: "Men, seize all these heinous criminals who dare to harm the people of my Great Ming!"

……

(End of this chapter)