Song Dynasty: Yuan Dynasty, you didn't expect this, did you? I'm still alive.

In 1358, on the southeastern wilderness of Australia, a magnificent complex that took seven years to build and cost the lives of 150,000 slaves was finally completed – the Garden of the Beasts.

Its actual area is a full ten square kilometers, double the original planned area of ​​five square kilometers. The walls built of blue bricks meander like a long dragon, encompassing all the scenery of grassland, forest, wetland, and rocky mountains within the park. From a distance, it is magnificent and awe-inspiring.

The cost of building the Ten Thousand Beasts Garden far exceeded the budget, but Zhao Yu not only did not feel the slightest bit distressed, but instead couldn't stop smiling.

In his view, the larger the zoo is, the more exotic animals it can accommodate, which is something to be happy about.

On the very day the Garden of Ten Thousand Beasts was completed, Zhao Yu did something earth-shattering—he personally wrote a will.

Why would a 30-year-old emperor, in the prime of his life and full of vigor, need to issue a will?

There is only one answer: he wants to personally challenge the "treasure of the garden"—the rhubarb.

A Bengal tiger.

This tiger is over ten feet long and weighs over five hundred pounds. Its fur is as glossy as silk, and the "king" character pattern on its forehead is clearly visible. When it lies in its enclosure, even a low growl can make the small animals around it tremble.

"The ancients often talked about dragons fighting tigers, but no one has ever been able to say for sure who won and who lost."

Zhao Yu stood outside the animal pen, stretching his muscles and bones, his knuckles making a crisp "crackling" sound.

He had broad shoulders and strong arms, and the muscle lines he had developed from years of hunting kangaroos were faintly visible under his tight-fitting clothes.

"Come, Great Yellow! Today, let us settle this with you and see whether the dragon's aura is stronger or the tiger's might is fiercer!"

It's no exaggeration for Zhao Yu to say that he's invincible against Australian kangaroos—those wild and untamed kangaroos don't care about human feelings in their fights. The fact that he's never lost a battle against them is entirely due to his innate superhuman strength and real fighting skills.

When the newly appointed eunuch Xiao Linzi learned that the emperor was going to fight the tiger one-on-one, he was so frightened that his legs went weak and he almost collapsed to the ground.

He was sweating profusely with anxiety, frantically searching through historical records in his mind—history can serve as a mirror to understand the rise and fall of dynasties, but he had searched through all the historical records he could find and had never seen a monarch dare to do such an absurd thing as fighting a tiger one-on-one.

In his panic, Xiao Linzi suddenly remembered King Wu of Qin, Ying Dang—when King Wu of Qin died lifting a heavy tripod in the Zhou capital, all his attendants were held accountable and executed, with none surviving.

The thought of this terrified him, sending chills down his spine and making him afraid to even breathe.

Not only Xiao Linzi, but also the group of tattooed hangers-on who had followed Zhao Yu around for years to seek pleasure were all terrified and turned pale.

Their wealth and glory depended entirely on Zhao Yu. If anything happened to the emperor, they would probably not even know how they died.

Several of the bolder hangers-on rushed forward, trying to stop Zhao Yu.

Seeing them blocking his way, Zhao Yu was not angry at all. Instead, a hint of interest flashed in his eyes: "Very well, it's a good opportunity to warm up and stretch my muscles with you guys."

As he spoke, he clenched his fist, the size of a sandbag, and waved it in front of his sycophants, the force of his punch fierce.

Upon seeing this, one of the hangers-on was terrified and, in a moment of quick thinking, cried out, "Your Majesty, wait! This Garden of Ten Thousand Beasts is missing a priceless treasure!"

Zhao Yu stopped abruptly, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "What's missing?"

"Your Majesty, it's an extremely rare cat called a Siamese cat, also known as the Moon Diamond Cat." The idler swallowed hard and spoke rapidly. "This cat has an elegant appearance, with fur as smooth as silk, and eyes as clear as sapphires. It is said to be intelligent and can protect souls and bring good fortune. It is only kept in the royal family and Buddhist temples of Siam (south of Bangkok, Thailand). Only people of high status can see it; ordinary people don't even have the chance to catch a glimpse of its true form."

Zhao Yu lowered his head and pondered for a moment, realizing that there was indeed no such cat in his Beast Garden. His face immediately darkened, and he angrily said, "Issue my decree! Summon the person in charge of the Beast Garden to me! I want to ask him, is this how you do things? You can't even find such a rare creature!"

Seeing Zhao Yu's anger, the idlers quickly stepped forward to appease him: "Your Majesty, please calm down! This Siamese cat is considered a national treasure by the Siamese royal family, and its export is strictly prohibited. It is only reasonable that the person in charge cannot obtain it; it is not due to his incompetence."

"Can't you get it?" Zhao Yu scoffed, his tone full of disdain. "Is there anything in the world that I cannot possess?"

He completely disregarded Siam's ban and immediately ordered his eunuchs to retrieve his tokens and send an envoy to Siam with them, demanding that the Siamese royal family present one hundred Siamese cats within a specified period.

……

Siam, Ayutthaya.

The capital city, which locals call "the city that cannot be conquered," is currently shrouded in peace.

The former King of Siam had no sons and passed the throne to his son-in-law, King Uthong, before his death.

King Uthong, newly enthroned, was ambitious and eager to make his mark and establish a great career. However, he did not expect that a group of uninvited guests had already arrived outside the capital.

The visitor was Ji Bai, an envoy from the Eastern Song Dynasty and a close advisor to Zhao Yu.

The Song people were inherently arrogant because of their strong national power. As a close advisor to the emperor, Ji Bai was even more haughty, his eyes full of contempt, and he didn't take a small country like Siam seriously at all.

King Wutong naturally did not want to provoke the envoys of the Eastern Song Dynasty.

He knew that Siam had once bordered Srivijaya, and the two countries often clashed. In the end, Srivijaya was destroyed and its people perished simply because it offended the Eastern Song Dynasty.

Although he had not witnessed firsthand just how powerful the Eastern Song Dynasty was, he knew it was something that Siam could never rival.

To show his respect for the Eastern Song Dynasty, King Utong personally greeted Ji Bai at the palace gate, presented him with the most precious treasures in the palace as gifts, and summoned the most beautiful dancers in the palace to serve him, all in an effort to please the Eastern Song envoy.

Ji Bai merely glanced disdainfully at the presented treasures and dancers, snorted coldly, and said arrogantly, "I'm sorry, but I am a man of integrity and righteousness, how could I allow such vulgar things to taint me? I have come here not for enjoyment, but to fulfill an imperial mission."

Seeing this, King Utong, though displeased, dared not show it in the slightest. He quickly bowed and apologized, "It was my oversight; please forgive me, angel. May I ask what brings you here, angel?"

"My Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty, the Great Khan of Heaven and Earth, has heard that your country's Siamese cats are elegant in appearance and possess a human-like intelligence, and I am very curious about them." Ji Bai held his head high, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "His Majesty has decreed that your Siamese royal family must present one hundred Siamese cats. Prepare them immediately!"

"What? One hundred?" King Wutong was shocked and his face turned deathly pale upon hearing this.

He took a step back abruptly, clenching his fists tightly until his knuckles turned white from the force.

In Siam, Siamese cats are far from ordinary pets. They symbolize royal and divine power and are the exclusive creatures of the royal family and temples. Like the Buddha's relics in India, they are directly related to the foundation of his rule and cannot be easily given away.

Not to mention offering a hundred at once!

"What? You have a problem with that?" Ji Bai glanced at Wu Tong Wang sideways, his contempt growing even stronger.

Although he was all alone in the heavily guarded royal palace of Siam, he acted as if he were the master of the place, and King U Thong was merely a subject who had come to pay homage.

furious!

This is absolutely outrageous!

King Utong was consumed by rage and torn between his own mind and his own—should he stand firm and refuse this unreasonable demand, or should he yield in order to preserve his country?

In the end, he lowered his head.

Even the most sacred Siamese cat is merely a symbol; but the emperor of the Eastern Song Dynasty possessed real power that could completely erase his royal and divine authority from the world.

"It is my honor and Siam's blessing to present a Siamese cat to the Emperor of the Kingdom." King Uthong's voice trembled slightly as he forced down the humiliation in his heart and bowed in response.

Seeing this, Ji Bai's lips curled up slightly, revealing a satisfied smile.

He grabbed the dancer beside him, pulled her into his arms, and burst into laughter: "A wise man submits to circumstances! King Wutong, you've made a wise choice! Come, let the music continue, let the dancing continue! Today we must drink until we're completely drunk!"

When King Wutong saw that Ji Bai had relented, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as if he had escaped a calamity.

He looked at Ji Bai, who was indulging in pleasure in the palace, and felt helpless—this was the tragedy of a small country!

He secretly vowed to work hard to make Siam strong and never have to suffer such humiliation again.

After several rounds of drinks and dishes, Ji Bai was completely drunk, his eyes were blurry, and his behavior became increasingly outrageous.

He was never a noble person to begin with; the fact that he was able to associate with Zhao Yu shows that he was a first-rate rogue and scoundrel.

At this moment, he embraced the dancer, his fingers wandering restlessly over her body, eliciting giggles from her, and the atmosphere in the hall became increasingly decadent.

"Haha... What kind of logic is it for a subject to enjoy himself abroad while the king toils at home?" Ji Bai hiccuped, his eyes still blurry with drunkenness as he looked at King Uthong. "I think you should offer up another hundred beauties to accompany me back to the Great Song Dynasty. As long as you're sensible, the Great Song Dynasty will surely ensure the longevity of Siam and an end to war!"

As it turns out, once a person's bottom line is crossed, it will be crossed again and again.

If they've already agreed to send out Siamese cats, which symbolize royal and divine power, why would they be stingy with a hundred women?

Although King Wutong was unwilling, he could only nod in agreement.

However, it is simply impossible to find one hundred beautiful women who meet the requirements from the general public in a short period of time.

Left with no other choice, King Uthong gritted his teeth and issued a decree ordering Queen Suphanburi to lead the palace maids who had not yet been favored to the main hall.

"This humble prince has shallow taste and does not know what kind of woman the emperor of the great nation prefers. I hope the angel will personally select one so that this humble prince can do his part."

Ji Bai stared wide-eyed, his gaze sweeping over the group of palace maids.

These palace maids were all carefully selected by King Wutong from among the common people. Each of them was beautiful and graceful. If they were in an ordinary family, they would be considered rare beauties.

But Ji Bai shook his head repeatedly, his face full of disdain—these women might be stunning enough for ordinary people, but who is the current emperor?

He is the Great Khan of Heaven, Earth, and Man, a saint who holds the power over the sky, the earth, and all living beings!

How could such a vulgar beauty be worthy of the noble family of an official?

Just then, Ji Bai's gaze suddenly fixed on the woman in front of the crowd, and a look of amazement flashed in his eyes.

The woman was dressed in gorgeous clothes, exuding elegance and grace, with a gentle temperament and stunning beauty that surpassed all the palace maids in the hall.

"You can choose any of the others," Ji Bai pointed to the woman, his tone leaving no room for argument, "She must return to the Great Song Dynasty with me!"

Ji Bai thought that since he had already spoken up, King Wutong would definitely agree without hesitation.

Unexpectedly, King Wutong's face turned ashen instantly, so dark it seemed like it could drip water. His hands clenched into fists, his knuckles turned white, and his whole body trembled slightly.

"Hahaha, the angel must have mistaken me!" King Uthong said in a hoarse voice, suppressing his anger. "This is not a palace maid, but my queen, Suphanburi!"

"The Queen?" Ji Bai not only didn't restrain himself, but clapped his hands and laughed loudly, his tone full of mockery. "The Queen is even better! That's exactly what I wanted!"

In his eyes, there was no dignity of the Queen of Siam at all—whatever the Song people wanted belonged to the Song people; anything belonging to the Song people was equivalent to the imperial property.

On the surface, Suphanburi was the Queen of Siam, but King U Thong only had a temporary right to use her. Her ownership should have always belonged to the Song Dynasty Emperor!