Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 398 The Territory of the Ming Dynasty, A Brand New Era!
As soon as Zhu Shou finished speaking, a series of rapid and powerful footsteps came from outside, and a group of Ming soldiers rushed in like tigers descending from the mountains.

Their expressions were grim, and they held muskets, the dark muzzles of which were quickly pointed at Duan Xiao, several of his subordinate generals, and a few other warlords who were usually arrogant and domineering.

Upon witnessing this sudden turn of events, Duan Xiao's face instantly turned deathly pale, then ashen, his eyes blazing with fury. He loudly demanded, "General, what is the meaning of this? We just swore a blood oath, making a vow. Does the Ming Dynasty intend to openly break its promise and betray its oath?"

His voice was distorted by anger and shock; his throat was hoarse from shouting too hard, and his body trembled slightly with excitement.

Zhu Shou looked at Duan Xiao's furious appearance, a slight sneer on his lips, and said slowly, "The Ming Dynasty has sworn an oath of blood with you and become your allies, but one thing is one thing. We have never said that we would forgive and forget the heinous crimes you committed in the past."

After saying this, he clapped his hands lightly, and a Ming official walked in from outside the tent. Behind him was a row of well-trained soldiers, who carried heavy boxes in pairs as they filed in.

After entering the main tent, the soldiers put down the boxes, then neatly and efficiently opened them and stepped aside.

Everyone's eyes involuntarily turned to the boxes.

Inside the box were stacks of documents neatly arranged.

A look of confusion appeared on everyone's faces; they didn't know what these things were.

The Ming official stepped forward, bowed respectfully to Zhu Shou, and said, "General, these are the confessions and statements we obtained through our overnight interrogation of the traffickers and mine owners, as well as the testimonies obtained from questioning the victims."

"This is irrefutable evidence of the collusion between the Bago warlords, generals, and officials with human traffickers and mine owners to cruelly persecute the people of our Great Ming Dynasty. It is all here."

Zhu Shou nodded slightly, a look of satisfaction on his face, and said gently, "Well done! You've worked hard these past few days."

Immediately, he turned his gaze to Duan Xiao, his eyes revealing an undeniable air of authority, and said in a deep voice, "I have already said that the Ming Dynasty has always treated its friends well."

"But we will never let those who harm the people of the Ming Dynasty and are enemies of the Ming Dynasty go unpunished."

"The Ming Dynasty is a land of civilization and etiquette, and it emphasizes fairness and justice in its actions, and places great importance on evidence in determining guilt."

"These witness testimonies are proof of your cruelty towards the people of my Great Ming Dynasty."

"You have committed countless heinous crimes against the people of our Great Ming Dynasty. How can our Great Ming Dynasty easily forgive you?"

"Take them all!"

Zhu Shou suddenly roared, his voice as loud as a bell.

Upon hearing the order, the soldiers quickly stepped forward. Holding ropes, they skillfully tied up Duan Xiao and his group.

Just then, amidst the chaos, a local warlord attempted to put up a last stand and took advantage of the confusion to escape.

But just as he made a move, a crisp gunshot rang out, louder than thunder, making everyone's eardrums ache.

It turned out that the Ming soldiers had decisively opened fire, and the native warlord instantly lost his balance and fell straight into a pool of blood.

As the indigenous warlord who had attempted to rebel fell, the bloody scene brought the others to their senses, and they no longer dared to have any rash thoughts.

In the dead silence, the soldiers bound those deemed guilty and needing to be arrested tightly one by one and took them away.

Zhu Shou watched this scene calmly until the tent quieted down. Only then did he raise his wine cup, his gaze slowly sweeping over the other still-shaken people. His voice carried a hint of reassurance: "The fact that you can still sit safely in this tent means that you have passed the inspection of my Great Ming."

"At least, you did not actively participate in the persecution of the people of my Great Ming."

"Our Great Ming has always been clear about gratitude and resentment, and naturally we will not make things difficult for you all."

"From this day forward, you shall be friends of the Great Ming!"

"Come on, let's raise a toast to this!"

Upon hearing these words, the native warlords, ministers, and generals of Bago who remained in the tent finally felt relieved.

They looked at each other, their eyes still filled with relief and astonishment at surviving the ordeal. They each thought to themselves: We have finally escaped this calamity.

Immediately, everyone hurriedly raised their glasses, tilted their heads back, and drank, trying to calm the turmoil in their hearts.

Soon, the joyful atmosphere in the tent gradually returned.

Although beneath this joy, there was a hint of unnaturalness.

Seeing that the crowd's emotions had calmed down, Zhu Shou spoke again: "Duan Xiao and the other traitors have offended the majesty of our Great Ming Dynasty and harmed the people of the Great Ming. Their crimes deserve to be punished."

"Our Great Ming has always acted with integrity, fairness and impartiality. A public trial and sentencing conference will be held thereafter to publicly try Duan Xiao and others. Please remember to attend and witness this event together."

He paused briefly, smiled and looked at the crowd as if observing their reactions, then changed the subject: "There is one more thing."

Then, he raised his voice and said loudly, "Come in, everyone."

As soon as he finished speaking, several people walked in from outside the main tent.

Upon closer inspection, everyone realized that these people were not officials of the Ming Dynasty, but generals from Pegu.

They entered with steady steps and immediately knelt on one knee before Zhu Shou, offering a grand salute: "Greetings, General."

Zhu Shou nodded slightly, pointed to the leader, and introduced him: "This man is named Duan Rui, and he is Duan Xiao's cousin."

"He was an upright and virtuous man who had always disapproved of Duan Xiao's actions and therefore never associated with him."

"After the arrival of our Great Ming army, he was deeply righteous and resolutely decided to abandon the darkness and turn to the light, and took the initiative to expose Duan Xiao's many crimes to our Great Ming army."

"Not only that, he also actively cooperated with our Ming army, using his identity and connections in the army to help our army control Duan Xiao's army, making great contributions to stabilizing the situation in Bogu."

"I propose that he succeed Duan Xiao as the commander-in-chief. What do you all think?"

After Zhu Shou finished speaking, he glanced at the crowd, waiting for their response.

"Since it is the General who recommended us, we have absolutely no objections!"

A burly warlord from Bago was the first to speak out loudly, his face full of ingratiating smiles: "Brother Duan is handsome and capable, and is indeed the only candidate to succeed him as governor."

"General, you have a discerning eye! With Brother Duan in charge from now on, our cooperation with the Ming Dynasty will surely be even smoother." Another minister with a beard quickly echoed, his tone full of flattery.

"That traitor Duan Xiao should have been killed long ago!" another warlord from Pegu spoke up, shouting, "Brother Duan has taken his place, it's truly gratifying!"

In an instant, many Pegu warlords, ministers, and generals in the main tent spoke up in agreement, one after another, vying to express their support.

They all knew that only by following the Ming Dynasty's wishes could they preserve their positions.

Otherwise, Duan Xiao's fate will serve as their example.

Even King Binyaho of Pegu, who had been sitting silently beside Zhu Shou, couldn't sit still any longer and quickly stood up to make his presence known.

He cleared his throat, straightened his back, and said loudly, "I hereby issue an edict immediately appointing Duan Rui as Commander-in-Chief, succeeding Duan Xiao."

After saying that, he didn't forget to observe Zhu Shou's reaction out of the corner of his eye. Only when he saw Zhu Shou nod slightly did he secretly breathe a sigh of relief.

Zhu Shou smiled with satisfaction and then introduced the others. These people, like Duan Rui, were all generals from Pegu who had "abandoned darkness for light and joined the Ming Dynasty."

Zhu Shou introduced their achievements one by one, saying how they understood the greater good and assisted the Ming Dynasty.

He was also recommended by Zhu Shou to replace other warlord leaders who had been taken down.

By this point, how could anyone in the tent not understand?
The Ming Dynasty had merely used some tactics to deliberately appease warlords like Duan Xiao.

At the same time, they secretly investigated their criminal activities while trying to win over their subordinates.

When the time is right, they will support these new generals and replace them, and then take the opportunity to wipe out the original warlord leaders.

This method can only be described as highly skillful.

Without losing a single soldier, he took control of the forces that were originally held by the warlords.

In this way, even if the Ming army withdrew in the future, the combined forces of these new warlords who defected to the Ming would control most of the Pegu region.

If we add the power of the Pegu court under King Binyaho's control, as well as his legitimacy, it can be said that Pegu would truly become "the territory of the Ming Dynasty" in the future.

After the introduction was finished, Zhu Shoucai took Binyaho's hand, stood up, and said solemnly, "For a long time, Pegu has been in a state of chaos and fragmentation. Local lords have their own armies and do not obey the orders of the court, which has led to constant fighting."

"The people were displaced, their lives were filled with misery, and they were living in dire straits."

"Now that our Great Ming army has arrived, we should assist the Bogu court in stabilizing the world and respecting the monarch."

Zhu Shou's voice was steady and powerful, echoing in the tent: "To restore the court's former prestige, to end the fighting in the Bogu region, and to free the people from the suffering of war."

"From this day forward, all the princes of Pegu shall obey the orders of the court and the decrees of His Majesty the King."

Zhu Shou's eyes were sharp as he scanned the crowd, and he said, word by word, "Anyone who disobeys will be punished by the Ming army of my Great Ming!"

Upon hearing Zhu Shou's words, the warlord leaders inside the tent were all startled.

With the Ming Dynasty officially intervening and supporting the Pegu court, the situation in Pegu is likely to undergo a dramatic change.

"We will obey the General's orders! We swear to serve His Majesty the King to the death!"

The warlord leaders dared not hesitate for a moment, and expressed their stance in unison, with a mixture of awe and helplessness. They knew in their hearts that under the overwhelming power of the Ming Dynasty, resistance meant certain death, and submission was the only option.

The court officials who were already loyal to the king were all flushed with excitement.

For many years they had longed for national unification, and now the intervention of the Ming Dynasty gave them hope.

Their faces beamed with joy, as if they could already see a prosperous and stable future for Bago.

Binyaho was completely stunned. His eyes widened and his mouth gaped open, looking utterly incredulous.

Happiness comes so suddenly.

This left him somewhat at a loss for what to do.

Binyaho had been worried that his position was in jeopardy and that he might not even be able to protect his life and fortune.

After all, he had been severely reprimanded and even beaten by Zhu Shou before.

Unexpectedly, this great general of the Ming Dynasty suddenly announced that he would end the long-standing division of Pegu, forcing those Pegu warlords who had carved out their own territories to pledge allegiance to the court and to him.

From now on, wouldn't I, as the king, truly possess supreme power and be worthy of the title?

"General!" He was so excited that his voice trembled, his eyes reddened, and he almost cried.

The small resentment he once harbored because Zhu Shou had ordered him to be whipped has long since vanished.

At this moment, Binyaho was filled with gratitude towards Zhu Shou, and wished he could kneel down immediately and call Zhu Shou "godfather".

If it weren't for the need to maintain the last vestiges of the king's "dignity" in front of his ministers, he probably would have done it.

Zhu Shou looked at Binyaho's appearance, smiled slightly, reached out and patted his shoulder, his tone calm yet dignified: "You don't need to worry, the Ming Dynasty will send envoys to be stationed in Pegu to assist you in handling Pegu's political affairs. Anyone who disobeys orders will be eliminated by the Ming Dynasty."

After saying this, Zhu Shou paused, looked at Binyaho with a deep gaze, and said meaningfully, "As long as you always remain a friend of the Ming Dynasty and never betray it, the Ming Dynasty will firmly protect its friend, ensure that you and your descendants can sit firmly on the throne and pass it down through generations."

Binyaho nodded hurriedly and said repeatedly, "Thank you for your guidance, General! I will definitely learn more about the ways of governing the country from the Ming Dynasty's envoys in the future and listen to their advice."

"The royal family of Pegu and their descendants will always be the most loyal friends of the Ming Dynasty, and will never waver."

A hint of satisfaction flashed in Zhu Shou's eyes, and he said loudly, "Good!"

Immediately, he took out a treaty he had prepared beforehand from his pocket and said solemnly, "This is a peace treaty that our Great Ming Dynasty has carefully prepared for the Pegu court with the utmost sincerity."

"This treaty strictly adheres to the principles of fairness, impartiality, and equality, and makes detailed and meticulous provisions regarding the relationship between the Ming Dynasty and Pegu, as well as the rights and obligations of both parties."

His gaze was fixed on Binyaho, and he emphasized, "By signing this treaty and faithfully abiding by it forever, Your Majesty will gain the sincere and lasting friendship of the Great Ming."

"This friendship will be as solid as a rock, protecting the peace between our two countries, safeguarding the stability of Bago, and ensuring the eternal prosperity of His Majesty's kingdom."

"Your Majesty, please sign the contract in front of everyone and with Buddha as the witness."

Zhu Shou's tone carried an unquestionable authority, yet also contained a hint of anticipation, as if he were waiting for a historic moment.

Binyaho dared not be negligent in the slightest. His hands trembled slightly as he accepted the contract, and the attendant beside him quickly handed him a pen.

Without even looking at the contents of the treaty, Binyaho picked up a pen and quickly signed his name on it.

After signing, following the tradition of Bago, he solemnly placed his hand on the treaty, his expression devout, and swore to Buddha: "I, King Binyaho of Bago, hereby swear to Buddha that I will forever abide by this treaty and never break it. Otherwise, may I never attain the Arhatship and be condemned to eternal damnation in Avici Hell."

If one cannot attain the Arhatship, one will be eternally condemned to Avici Hell. In Pegu, where the entire population believes in Buddhism, this is the most serious vow.

Breaking a vow will inevitably leave a deep shadow in one's heart.

After all, the belief in Buddha is a concept instilled from birth.

Even setting that aside, once the news gets out, the king's prestige will plummet.

How could the people of Bago accept a king who could break his vows before the Buddha?

After taking the oath, Zhu Shou took back the contract, quickly scanned the signature on it, and after confirming that it was correct, put it away with satisfaction.

He raised his head, a pleased smile on his face, and clapped his hands, saying, "Good! Today is a good day for the Ming Dynasty and Pegu to forge an alliance. This is a new beginning for the relations between the two countries. The Pegu Dynasty will usher in a new era. Let us celebrate this to the fullest!"

……

(End of this chapter)