Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 493 Using a borrowed knife to kill! Rumors!

When Shamichagan heard Chen Cheng's voice, which was as cold as frost, his heart sank suddenly, as if a piece of ice had been smashed into his chest, and he couldn't help but feel a "thump".

He originally thought that although the Ming delegation had been attacked, there had been no major casualties, and that a few kind words would be enough to lighten the matter.

Unexpectedly, the Ming envoy's words were sharp and his manner imposing, leaving no room for compromise whatsoever.

It seems that this negotiation has been far more difficult than I had anticipated.

Shamicagan suppressed his anxiety and quickly bowed apologetically, saying sincerely, "This turn of events is something neither of us wanted to see."

"On behalf of Beshbali, I would like to express my deepest apologies once again to the esteemed envoy of the Ming Dynasty."

"We are willing to bear all the losses suffered by your delegation and provide compensation that will satisfy you."

However, Chen Cheng's expression remained as cold as frost, showing no sign of softening.

He stared at Shamichagan from head to toe and said coldly again:
"The group that attacked us just now marched in an orderly manner, launched a fierce attack, and cooperated well. They were by no means a rabble."

"To call them the 'Tianshan bandits' of the Western Regions would be to overestimate those mountain bandits."

“We suspect that they are not bandits at all, but your regular army in Beshbali, or even a well-trained elite force.”

"You'd better give us a reasonable explanation first."

Before Chen Cheng could finish speaking, a strange look involuntarily appeared at the corner of Shamichagan's eyes.

It was a subtle emotion, a mixture of joy and suspicion.

He clearly hadn't expected the other party to see through the truth so quickly, but he couldn't easily admit it.

"Well..." Shamichagan's eyes darted around, his words were mumbled, and he seemed somewhat troubled, stammering and caught in a dilemma that was difficult to express.

Seeing his evasive and evasive manner, Chen Cheng and Huo Liancheng exchanged glances.

As expected, Shamichagan was "playing dumb".

The next instant, Chen Cheng's voice suddenly rose, his tone sharp as a knife:

"What? Are you protecting those thugs who dared to ambush my Ming Dynasty envoys?"

"Do you think the swords of my Great Ming are dull? The muskets are out of bullets? Or do you think that my delegation has come from afar to be humiliated and bullied by you?"

"You Beshbaliq, do you want to be enemies of the Great Ming? Do you want to start a war with the Great Ming?"

His voice was like thunder, silencing the entire camp.

Shamichagan was suddenly jolted, cold sweat beading on his forehead. His expression changed, and he waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "No! I absolutely did not mean that, I certainly did not mean that!"

He looked flustered and spoke urgently: "Your Excellency, please calm down. It's not that I intentionally concealed anything, but this matter concerns the internal strife of my clan, and it's really hard to talk about."

As the saying goes, "Don't wash your dirty linen in public..."

Before he could finish speaking, Chen Cheng coldly interrupted, "Is it your younger brother, Maham?"

"That Mahama, who spends his days plotting for the Khanate, constantly provoking you, his brother, and showing no respect for the court, is the mastermind behind this ambush, isn't he?"

Shamichagan looked utterly astonished.

Chen Cheng suddenly laughed, and his previous aggressive aura vanished completely.

He stepped forward, gently patted Shamichagan on the shoulder, and smiled:
"Just as I predicted. Mahama dared to ambush the Ming delegation; this is courting his own destruction."

He narrowed his eyes slightly, his tone meaningful: "Such behavior must not be tolerated lightly."

"I will certainly lodge the most serious protest with your Khan, demanding a thorough investigation of this matter and severe punishment for the perpetrators who attacked the Ming delegation in accordance with the law."

“Even if he is your Khan’s own son, there must be no cover-up.”

Changing the subject, he smiled broadly at Shamichagan and said, "Of course, I will also help you secure your position as the successor to the Great Khan, so that no one will harbor any ill intentions."

Samichagan's expression froze for a moment, and he seemed somewhat at a loss for words. He then replied softly, "Mahama... he's dead."

This time, it was Chen Cheng's turn to be stunned.

The air seemed to freeze for a moment. Chen Cheng frowned slightly, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes.

Samichagan sighed softly, a hint of helplessness on his face: "He led his troops to attack your delegation, and in the chaos of battle, he was killed on the spot by the Ming Dynasty's muskets."

After finishing his sentence, he immediately added, "This matter was all caused by Mahama, not by the Ming Dynasty delegation. They brought this upon themselves, and they cannot escape punishment."

"His execution is a sign from Heaven, and the Lord has punished him on our behalf."

"We hope this matter will end here. We are willing to compensate your delegation for all losses as a token of our apology."

Chen Cheng turned around and glanced at Huo Liancheng and Li Boyue behind him.

The three exchanged glances, their expressions revealing a complex mix of emotions.

Their original plan was to use the chaos in Mahama to expose Samichagan's ambitions, and then exchange cooperation for real benefits.

Now that Mahama is dead, Samicagan has no more internal troubles and his position is secure with fewer obstacles.

This also means that he may no longer need to rely on the Ming Dynasty's assistance.

One move, and the whole game changes.

The situation changed subtly in an instant.

Chen Cheng's mind raced, and he quickly came up with a new strategy.

He smiled broadly, and with a graceful gesture, cupped his hands in greeting:

“In that case, I must congratulate you, Lord Samichagan.”

"With Mahama dead, no one can rival you. The position of Khan of Beshbaliq will surely fall firmly into your hands."

"This is truly something to celebrate!"

After he finished speaking, he waved his hand, and immediately a servant presented him with a beautiful gift box.

The box contains exquisite jade jewelry made by artisans of the Ming Dynasty court, as well as several glass ornaments, carved glassware, and a few other finely crafted handicrafts.

In places like Beshbali, such treasures are considered rare gems.

Chen Cheng smiled and said, "This is a small gift prepared by the Ming Dynasty for the new Khan. It is nothing but a token of my respect, and I hope you will accept it with a smile."

Shamichagan's expression changed several times in an instant, his demeanor extremely complex.

Upon hearing the Ming envoy personally say that he would become the next Great Khan of Beshbaliq, he was naturally overjoyed.

However, that was, after all, his own younger brother, who had just died a violent death. It seemed unreasonable for him to accept congratulations from others at this time. If his father, the Khan, knew about this, he would probably be displeased or even suspicious.

But he truly loved these precious gifts from the Ming Dynasty.

Each piece is meticulously crafted and incomparable to ordinary items.

Moreover, if we were to easily refuse the goodwill bestowed by the Ming envoy, wouldn't that be disrespectful to the Ming envoy?
It would be bad if it caused a misunderstanding.

Torn between conflicting emotions, he hesitated for a moment before finally saying, "No matter what, Mahama is still my biological brother."

“He has now died in battle, and as his elder brother, I am truly grieved.”

Shamichagan lowered his eyes slightly and said in a somewhat heavy tone: "Since these gifts are the kind gesture of the Ming Dynasty envoy, I will respectfully accept them for the time being."

"However, I would like to ask Your Excellency not to mention any congratulatory remarks in the future."

He cautiously said, "Who will become the future Great Khan of Beshbaliq is ultimately to be decided by my father, the Khan."

"Although I am the legitimate son, I dare not overstep the bounds."

Upon hearing this, Chen Cheng smiled.
“Since ancient times, there has been an order of seniority. As the eldest son, you should rightfully inherit the Khan’s throne.”

"Furthermore, it was you who led the troops to arrive in time today, turning the tide and saving our Ming Dynasty delegation from danger."

"This alone is enough to win the admiration and trust of the entire Ming Dynasty."

"Not only us few envoys, but the entire Ming Dynasty court will firmly support you in becoming the new Khan of Beshbaliq."

"In order to maintain the lasting friendship between Beshbaliq and the Ming Dynasty, I believe that your father Khan will also carefully listen to the Ming Dynasty's advice."

These words, like a gentle spring breeze, praised his achievements and offered words of encouragement, perfectly touching the heartstrings of Shamichagan.

His face flushed slightly, and a hint of excitement flashed in his eyes. He repeatedly clasped his hands in thanks, his words filled with joy that he could no longer conceal.

Subsequently, Shamichagan led the Ming Dynasty delegation on a journey to Beshbaliputra.

Throughout the journey, Chen Cheng, Huo Liancheng, and Li Boyue treated Shamichagan with great courtesy, speaking to him warmly and behaving with humility, as if they were old friends reunited. They showed no arrogance of envoys from a great power, but rather resembled friends who had fought side by side.

Samichagan was initially a bit reserved, but as the trip progressed and they became more familiar with each other, his attitude became increasingly warm.

Gradually, he became close friends with these Ming Dynasty envoys, chatting and laughing as if they were fish in water.

Samichagan was secretly very pleased with himself.

In his view, winning such high recognition and trust from the Ming Dynasty delegation was the best affirmation of his personal abilities.

If the Khan sees that he is on good terms with the Ming Dynasty, he will feel more at ease entrusting the throne to him.

Besides, these Ming Dynasty envoys really have a pleasant way of speaking.

Whenever the future was mentioned, he would say that he would do everything he could to help him ascend to the throne of the Great Khan, which made Shamichagan overjoyed.

Although Shamichagan remained outwardly cautious and dared not rashly agree.

But the smugness and joy in his eyes said it all.

"As expected of envoys from the Ming Dynasty!" he exclaimed to himself. "Each of them is a remarkable person, with discerning eyes and tactful speech. They are truly extraordinary."

Because of this closeness, Shamichagan became increasingly attentive to the Ming Dynasty delegation.

Thus, by the time they arrived in Beshbaliq, the two sides had already become very close and intimate.

They had almost reached the point of swearing a brotherhood and burning incense to make a solemn oath, only short of swearing a blood oath in front of the clan hall!
However, Samichagan was unaware that on his way back to Beshbaliq with the Ming delegation, Chen Cheng and Huo Liancheng had already secretly sent the news of Mahama's death into the city.

Meanwhile, the Ming Dynasty's intelligence agents planted in Beshbali had also quietly taken action, secretly spreading information and exaggerating the truth about the attack on the Ming delegation to the public.

"Have you heard? Mahamat Taiji led his troops to attack the Ming Dynasty delegation, but was instead killed on the spot by the Ming Dynasty's muskets."

In a quiet corner of Beshbali, an elderly man with graying hair and beard spoke softly.

"What? Isn't Mahama the Great Khan's biological son? Why would he attack the Ming Dynasty's envoy?" Someone frowned in surprise.

“Oh, you don’t know yet? Rumor has it that it was Samichagan who set up a provocation. Mahama is hot-tempered, and in a fit of anger, he actually led his troops there, only to fall into the trap.” Another person chimed in.

“Yes! I’ve heard people say that too. They say that Shami Chagan used a Ming Dynasty delegation to kill his own brother. What a vicious tactic.” Another person whispered over.

"But they're brothers! This is so heartless!" someone exclaimed, covering their mouth.

"Brothers? You're being too naive. They've been irreconcilable enemies for a long time, fighting for the Khan's throne. What brotherly affection is left?" someone sneered.

“No matter what, Shamichagan’s actions are far too cruel. He is the Khan’s eldest son and the future heir. How can he treat his own brother like this?” a young man retorted angrily, his face full of indignation.

"Shh, are you crazy? How dare you say such a thing out loud?"

"I'm speaking of justice! Are we just going to stand by and watch a wicked person rise to power?" The young man was still indignant, his eyes full of questioning: "Is there no one willing to tell the Great Khan about this?"

"Maybe someone's already told us," someone whispered. "The news's spread like wildfire, everyone in town knows about it, there's no way to hide it now."

……

With the deliberate efforts of Ming Dynasty intelligence agents, the news that "Shamichagan plotted to murder his younger brother" quickly spread throughout Beshbaliq in just a few days.

From taverns and teahouses to alleyways, everyone knows about it and talks about it, as if the truth has already been revealed.

When Shamitsagan returned to the city in high spirits and beaming with joy, he was met with a barrage of rumors and gossip.

"Slander! This is the most vicious slander!" He flew into a rage, raging in the mansion.

"Mahama brought this upon himself by recklessly attacking the Ming Dynasty delegation, resulting in his death in the chaos of war. What does it have to do with me? These despicable fellows dare to tarnish my reputation out of thin air!"

With that, he kicked the table over, shattering cups and plates all over the floor with a thunderous sound.

The servants in the mansion knelt on the ground, their heads bowed low, trembling and not daring to utter a sound.

“My brother and I are like brothers, how could I harm him?” Shamichagan murmured softly, his voice trembling.

However, as soon as he said those words, even he felt guilty.

His tone was evasive, and his expression was evasive, not like a genuine expression of emotion.

The secret of brothers fighting for power and hating each other is already widely known, so the common people will naturally be willing to believe this script of the elder brother killing the younger brother.

That's why those rumors spread so easily, and a single spark can ignite a massive storm.

With just a little guidance from Ming Dynasty intelligence personnel, rumors spread like wildfire, unstoppable.

Shamichagan originally thought that with Mahama dead, there would be no one to compete with him for the Khanate, and his position would be as secure as Mount Tai.

But to everyone's surprise, the originally favorable situation suddenly reversed.

How would Father Khan view this matter?

Will I feel neglected because of this?
Even punishing oneself?
Besides Mahamat, he also has other brothers.

The more Shamichagan thought about it, the angrier and more panicked he became, with fear creeping into his heart like a venomous snake.

"Ah!!!" He roared to the sky, his voice shaking the house, as if he wanted to vent all his anger and resentment.

Just as he was on the verge of collapse, a familiar voice came, as if descending from the sky:

"Shamichagan, my closest friend, what's wrong? Have you encountered some trouble? Do you need my help?"

……

(End of this chapter)