Chapter 597: One Step A Day

Want to have a good chat?
What to talk about?
Shall we talk about the ceremony we use to surrender to you?
You came with so many large ships in a menacing manner and set Chittagong and Chittagong city on fire. More than 200 ships and more than 10,000 people were all engulfed by the fire.

We finally managed to get more than a dozen people to escape, but you beheaded them right in front of us without saying a word. We are all adults, so of course we know that you are trying to intimidate us.

The sailors pitched a tent on a hill far away from Jida City, and Yu Dayou invited the two envoys to sit inside.

After sitting down, the soldier brought three cups of steaming hot tea.

“Come, come, please have some tea. This is the tea from my hometown, with a refreshing fragrance and a long-lasting sweetness. Please!” Yu Dayou said politely to the two envoys, holding the teacup.

After the envoys from the Sultanate of Bengal and the Kingdom of Arakan took a sip, their eyes suddenly lit up. This is the good tea of ​​the Ming Dynasty! What if I can’t drink such delicious tea in the future?
And those Arab and Portuguese profiteers, I spent so much money to buy the “superior tea” from the Ming Dynasty from them, compared with this tea, it’s simply medicine soup!
The two messengers drank a cup of tea in a hurry, regardless of the scalding water. They put the cup on the table and looked at Yu Dayou with expectant eyes.

Sir, can I have unlimited refills?

Yu Dayou saw the expressions of the two and laughed: “The tea from my hometown is not bad. Come on, refill the tea.”

After finishing the second cup of tea, Yu Dayou said slowly, “The navy and the marine divisions of the Ming Dynasty all started out fighting pirates. They hate pirates and when they encounter them, they don’t say a word but only one word: kill!”

Yu Dayou said the word “kill” in a calm and clear manner, which made the two envoys swallow their saliva.

“I have heard that Chittagong is a pirate den. A group of pirates from Portugal, Arakan, Arabia and Bengal gathered here. For these pirates, my Great Ming army does not need to declare war, but can directly attack them.

As for Chittagong and Chittagong, they have been pirates’ nests for many years. They are filthy and smell bad. We can only burn them down and use the blazing fire to burn away all their sins. “

Yu Dayou made his attitude clear first, and the envoys of the Bengal Sultanate were naturally delighted.

Chittagong used to be the golden goose that laid eggs for the Bengal Sultanate, and the Portuguese had coveted it for a long time. They tried once but failed because they were stretched too thin and needed manpower everywhere, so they could not take care of Chittagong.

So they were hired by the King of Arakan as mercenaries, first established themselves in Arakan, and then in turn hired Arakanese pirates and sailors to capture Chittagong in one fell swoop.

Brito, the Portuguese mercenary leader, proclaimed himself the Governor of Chittagong and turned it into a pirate paradise. In fact, he also levied taxes, charging berthing fees from pirate ships entering and leaving, Arab merchant ships with deep backgrounds, as well as transaction taxes on transactions taking place in Chittagong.

In addition to maintaining the operation of Chittagong and Chittagong, Brito also needs to share these taxes with the King of Arakan.

Arakan took the lion’s share, because the troops and ships in Brito’s hands were not enough to suppress the Bengal Sultanate. Only by relying on Arakan and recruiting enough Arakanese sailors and pirates could Chittagong be kept under the nose of the Bengal Sultanate.

Now the Ming navy burned Chittagong and Chittagong city to ashes, and the mercenaries and pirate groups led by Brito were killed or wounded.

The Bengal Sultanate was happy, but the Arakan Sultanate was heartbroken.

But does the King of Arakan dare to say anything?
dare not!

They had already determined that the “huge fleet” led by Calderon, the Portuguese Governor-General of India, was defeated by the Ming navy on the expedition to Malacca.

Oh my God, they could hardly believe it!
In previous years, several Portuguese sailing ships could dominate the coastlines of South Asian countries and run rampant without hindrance.

The fleet led by Calderon made a brief stop when passing through the southern port of Mrauk U in Arakan.

So many big sailing ships and so many black gun muzzles made the King of Arakan and the overlord of Pagan at that time, King Mangyinglong of Toungoo, tremble in fear and their legs became weak.

Then this “invincible fleet” that destroyed countries and cities was defeated by the Ming navy.

No one dared to believe this rumor.

I believe it now.

The Ming navy anchored off the coast of Chittagong was much larger than the Portuguese sailboats, had much denser gun barrels, and was ten times more numerous than Calderon’s fleet.

If the Calderon fleet could easily destroy a country in the eyes of the Arakanese people, then this Ming navy could destroy the entire world.

Then, the first move of this navy in front of the South Asian countries was to turn a sturdy castle and a prosperous port into ashes and completely destroy them without any effort.

So cruel!

No wonder they could easily defeat the Portuguese.

Yu Dayou continued, “The old Chittagong and Chittagong are in ruins and cannot be used. My subordinates have investigated the area and found that the place where the iron chain is pulled is the narrowest part of this section of the river. There is another big river bend after turning the corner.

The river there is wide and deep, suitable for a port. Coincidentally, it is close to the left fortress where the iron chain is pulled, so it is a good opportunity to expand the new city based on the fortress.

Our Ming Dynasty navy newly built this port and this city, named Chadi Port, to restore the Chadi Port branch office that was set up here when the eunuch Sanbao’s navy came here during the Yongle period.

From now on, this city port will be under the jurisdiction of the Ming Dynasty, and goods will be gathered for trade, and ships and merchants from all countries can travel freely.

Do you agree or disagree with my idea? “

The envoy of the Bengal Sultanate immediately replied: “We agree and we firmly support it. The Port of Chattika was originally presented to the Ming Dynasty by our country a hundred years ago, but it was abandoned by the upper country long ago.

Now that the Celestial Empire is willing to take it back, the entire Bengal Sultanate is cheering and rejoicing.”

Anyway, Chittagong was occupied by someone else before, and it is not in my hands. Now it is abandoned, and the Ming Dynasty will rebuild a new one. It doesn’t matter whether it is in my hands or not.

Besides, now that the Ming father has arrived, his thighs are so thick and big, shining with golden light. We from Bengal rush over and hug him tightly. Who will dare to bully us in the future?

The envoys from Arakan soon realized that even if the Ming navy seized Chittagong, Arakan would not be able to take it back.

Now that the Ming Dynasty has built a new port city and is willing to allow free travel among countries, this is already good enough. What else can we ask for?

He quickly replied: “The people of Arakan strongly agree and are willing to contribute to the construction of Chathi Port.”

When the envoy of the Bengal Sultanate heard this, he was shocked and said, “You are so smart, how could you get there first?”
He quickly added: “We in Bengal are also willing to contribute to the construction of Chathi Port.”

“Okay.” Yu Dayou nodded with satisfaction, “The construction will be managed by my subordinates. If there are any needs for manpower, food, etc., I will let you know.

Don’t worry, our Great Ming has always been benevolent and kind, and your two countries are respectful and obedient, so the Great Ming will naturally not forget you.”

Yu Dayou changed the subject and asked the Arakanese envoy, “I heard that your Arakanese country is being pressed step by step by the King of Toungoo, Mang Yinglong?”

The Arakanese envoy immediately replied: “In reply to the envoy’s words, Mang Yinglong was arrogant and ruthless, and he went on wars everywhere and annexed other countries. The people in Pagan were devastated.

My country of Arakan and the interior of Pagan are separated by the Arakan Mountains, and they were originally at peace. Thirty years ago, the former king of Toungoo, Mang Shwe Thee, led 100,000 troops to besiege my city of Myau-U. After three months of siege without success, they had to withdraw their troops. But my country of Arakan was also seriously injured, and had no choice but to surrender to Toungoo in exchange for thirty years of peace.

But after Mang Yinglong ascended the throne, he led his troops to the south and east and won many victories, so he wanted to turn around and reconquer our Arakan Kingdom. “

Yu Dayou stroked his beard and said, “That’s right. You have a big enemy in front of you, why do you want to make enemies with the Kingdom of Bengal behind you? For the sake of Chittagong, you have torn your potential allies apart and made yourself vulnerable to attacks from all sides. When Mang Yinglong’s army invades, you won’t be able to find even a single foreign aid.

From this point of view, the Portuguese who deliberately provoked the war between you and Bengal did not have good intentions. “

The envoy from Arakan was a high-ranking official of his country and had his own insights. After listening to what Yu Dayou said, he thought about it carefully and felt that it made sense.

Mang Yinglong attacked from the east, and the only foreign aid that Arakan could find might be the Portuguese and the Bengal people.

The Portuguese only care about money, not people. Now they are colluding with Mang Yinglong and providing him with a group of muskets and artillery mercenaries. When the war breaks out, the Portuguese will definitely stand on Mang Yinglong’s side instead of theirs.

Because they pay more money there!

The only foreign aid left was the Bengal people.

As a result, under the instigation of the Portuguese, the country broke off relations in order to seize Chittagong.
Damn, the Portuguese are really bad people. We are going to turn against you!

Yu Dayou looked at the expression on the face of the Arakan envoy and knew that he had taken his words to heart. He turned to the envoy of Bengal and said, “I know that there is the Mughal Sultanate to the west of your Bengal. Their ruler Akbar is a man of great talent and strategy, and he is eyeing your Bengal.

The pressure is not small.”

The envoy of the Sultanate of Bengal was about to shed tears. Yes, we have been through a very hard time during this period.

The Mughal Empire was pressing forward step by step in the west, and the Arakanese were colluding with the Portuguese in the east to snatch away Chittagong, our old hen that lays golden eggs.

Attacked from all sides, financial resources are tight.
It’s really difficult for us!

Yu Dayou also noticed the expression of the Bengal envoy and knew that the soup he had cooked was cooked to perfection.

“His Majesty the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty sent me to the Southern Ocean to, first, re-promote the might and virtue of the Ming Dynasty and open up trade routes; second, to eliminate violence and protect the good, punish evil and promote good!
“Mang Yinglong was brutal and immoral in his campaign against Pagan, causing great suffering to all living beings. He even dared to covet the Yunnan border of the Ming Dynasty. Such an offense to the majesty of heaven is a way to death!”

The Arakanese envoy was pleasantly surprised and asked, “The Ming Dynasty is going to send troops to attack Mang Yinglong and eliminate the tyranny for the people of Pagan?”

Yu Dayou glanced at him and replied, “Pagan is separated from the Ming Dynasty by thousands of mountains and rivers. It is difficult to travel by land, as difficult as climbing to the sky. It is impossible to send troops directly at present.

But now the sea route is open. I have reported the tyranny and rebellious behavior of the Toungoo King, Mang Yinglong, to His Majesty the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

As soon as the imperial edict arrives, our Ming navy will act according to it and first blockade the coast of Toungoo and its port cities like Chittagong!
You, the Arakanese nation, can take advantage of the might of the Ming Dynasty to revive your forces and bravely advance eastward.”

The envoy of Arakan said immediately: “After I return, I will immediately ask the king to write a letter and send an envoy to pay tribute to the Ming Dynasty to show the sincerity of the vassal state.”

Well, you have good eyesight, you are on the right track!
Yu Dayou nodded with satisfaction.

The envoy of Bengal was anxious, “Your Excellency, Akbar of the Mughal Empire is not a good guy either. He is cruel and inhumane, and he is against the will of heaven. He…he also…”

The envoy suddenly came up with a brilliant excuse: “Your Excellency, Akbar is so arrogant that he actually covets the Zheyu region (Sikkim and the southern region) of U-Tsang.”

Anxious!

Look at you, why are you so anxious?
Yu Dayou waved his hand and said, “Don’t worry. The Ming Dynasty has always been a country that uses courtesy before force. When our navy reaches Cochin, Goa, Diu and other ports, we will have a good discussion with Akbar.

If he is willing to listen to advice, willing to trade freely with the Ming Dynasty, and willing to live in peace with other countries, then everything will be fine. If he dares to persist, then don’t blame me, the Ming Dynasty, for enforcing justice.”

Before leaving, Zhu Yijun wrote several secret edicts to Yu Dayou, instructing him to find the local overlord first and have a good talk with him when he arrived in the South Ocean.

We must negotiate higher conditions. The Ming Dynasty is not here to beg for food. We are here to spread the light of civilization and to engage in free trade. We occupy the commanding heights of justice, so the price we offer cannot be low.

As for the local overlord, he has always been tyrannical and will naturally not agree to our conditions.

Since we can’t reach an agreement and justice holds the high ground, we will not be polite.

Blockade its coastline, destroy its ports, support its enemies, and lay siege to it.

In short, the bigger the waves, the more expensive the fish! The more chaotic India is, the better the business.

According to Zhu Yijun’s wishes, the General Staff of the Military and Political Bureau and the General Staff of the Navy formulated a South Ocean Operation Outline and passed it to Yu Dayou early on.

Yu Dayou, who knew the situation well, comforted the envoys from Arakan and Bengal and asked them to stay calm.

In the next few days, Bengal and Arakan each sent a team of laborers to clean up the ruins of Chittagong and Chittagong, and then completely demolish them.

Let’s plant crops and raise fish first. This land and this body of water are very fertile now and will definitely produce high yields.

The next step is to build Chathi Port.

Yu Dayou left a detachment of sixteen large and small ships and a thousand marine battalions stationed at Chadi Port, responsible for supervising the construction of Chadi Port.

A communication ship was dispatched to inform Song Yingchang in Longkou City to transfer some building materials and supplies to Chadi Port. At the same time, the South China Sea Navy Zuoying was asked to include Chadi Port in the patrol route node.

After everything was arranged, Yu Dayou led the main force of the Suzaku Navy to set sail and headed straight for the Colombo Port on Ceylon Island.

The Port of Chattogram in the north, the Port of Colombo in the west and the Port of Amran in the east formed a triangle. The waters between India and the Straits of Bagan and Malacca were under the control of the Ming Dynasty.

The weather is clear, with sparse white clouds, and the blue sky and the blue sea complement each other.

Seagulls fly over the mast from time to time.

The fleet was not far from the east coast of India. But the east coast of India was notoriously poor and lacked good ports. Its wealth and good ports were almost all concentrated on the west coast.

With the sea breeze blowing, Jose carefully asked Yu Dayou: “Marshal, why don’t we go straight to Cochin Port?”

Yu Dayou glanced at him and smiled slightly: “Before I set out, His Majesty the Emperor told me to take one step at a time and advance cautiously. India is a great treasure, so we must be patient enough!”

(End of this chapter)