Desert Eagle Suletan Khan

The memorial submitted by Alatan Cang, the Governor-General of Yunnan and Guizhou, was quite long, but its core message was summed up in just two words: attack Burma. His reasons were twofold: first, the Burmese king was arrogant, refusing to submit to the Celestial Empire and repeatedly sending troops to harass the border; second, since the reign of King Pingdali, the Toungoo (Ava) Dynasty had been weak, and King Biya (or King Biyau, referred to in Chinese historical records as Mangbai) had seized power by killing his brother, his rule was unstable, and King Biya had died more than two years prior, with the new king, Narovara, being weak and incompetent—a perfect opportunity to attack Burma! He volunteered to lead the army, even stating that the court did not need to transfer troops from other provinces, only the troops stationed in Yunnan and Guizhou would suffice, and requested one million taels of silver from the Ministry of Revenue.

Upon seeing this memorial, the Great Khan of Lotus was both angry and amused! Did he think he was a three-year-old? Since Narovara was so cowardly and incompetent, how dare he repeatedly send troops to invade my borders? Clearly, you want military merit and are deliberately trying to sow discord before me! Sultan knew his childhood playmate well. During the war against Russia, Narisong was granted the title of Prince of Kashgar, and the boy was envious. Among the earliest group of boys who followed him, Narisong was already a prince, while Suhe, Mandulatu, and Hada were all first-class dukes, while he was still only a second-class duke. How could he not be anxious? But the rules of the Great Kingdom stipulated that no one could be promoted without military merit, and the higher the rank, the greater the military achievements required. That's why he set his sights on Burma. What merit could be greater than the conquest of a nation? Hmph, saying the Burmese king repeatedly sent troops to harass the border, I think it's clearly you deliberately creating border friction.

While launching a major war against Tsarist Russia in the north, the Great Khan did not relax his vigilance in the south, especially against the Toungoo Dynasty in Burma and the Mughal Empire in India, two countries that were unwilling to submit to David. He sent countless spies, both openly and secretly, so he had a clear understanding of the situation in Burma.

Although Burma (Hongsawaddy) formally established the chieftain system and achieved its second unification during the reign of Bayinnaung, frequently waging war and invading neighboring countries, resembling a small hegemon, it lacked a unified internal administrative structure. Only at the central level was the Rudao (Privy Council), responsible for national administration and justice, composed of a few officials (Bomu Minda), who made decisions collectively. Subordinate to it were agencies responsible for departmental and local affairs. In addition, there was the Yamen Betai, responsible for court affairs, nominally subordinate to the Rudao, but often wielding more power. At the local level, it was divided into several "Myo," with the administrative head of a Miyo called Miyo Win, town administrators called Miyo U, village chiefs called Miyo Thong I and Miyo Thu Ji, and Shan leaders called Miyo Sa (meaning tax collectors of the territory). The king, royal family members, ministers, Miyo Win, Miyo Sa, Miyo U, Miyo Thong I, and Miyo Thu Ji constituted the ruling class of Burma. Although the king was the supreme ruler, and the Miyo Thong I and Miyo Thu Ji were nominally appointed by the Rudao, their positions were hereditary. These local leaders wielded immense power, acting as local emperors in their respective territories.

Not only was the administrative structure imperfect, but the hierarchical system was also extremely rigid. The king and his ministers constituted the first class, while other classes included Akhmadan, Atai, and slaves. Akhmadan were mainly Burmese villages directly controlled by the royal family, providing military service and various miscellaneous tasks for the royal family. They were the main source of the king's military strength and finances, and their tax burden was lower than that of the Atai. Each Akhmadan village had fixed obligations; some provided elephant cavalry, some provided cavalry, some made certain handicrafts, and some provided certain services to the royal palace. Because of the different obligations they bore, the tribute paid by each Akhmadan also varied. Elephant cavalry were the main fighting force in Burma, holding the highest status and exempt from paying tribute. Atai were mostly non-Burmese villages with a relatively independent status. They held lower status, were dependent on their respective lords, and bore fewer military obligations, generally only providing light infantry, but had to pay more tribute. Slaves were the most miserable beings in the entire country, having no status whatsoever. The strict hierarchical system prevented the mixing of classes, and lower classes could not improve their class status through intermarriage. Because of this unique class system, the Toungoo Dynasty's territory was divided into three parts: the area centered on the capital Ava, which contained all the Akhmedans of the country and the fiefdoms of most princes; the more developed areas outside the core area; and the mountainous areas where ethnic minorities lived.

During the reign of King Pindali, Burmese taxes increased continuously, and Ahmedan, unable to bear the burden, repeatedly fled, resulting in a decrease in the manpower controlled by the royal family and a weakening of its rule. Officials at all levels were insatiably greedy, engaging in bribery, extortion, and enslavement of the inhabitants, leading to an increasing number of Ahmedans and Ahtai becoming slaves. Furthermore, Burma lacked a fixed succession system, resulting in constant internal strife within the royal family. King Biya (Mang Bai) usurped the throne by killing his brother, King Pindali. This fratricidal conflict and frequent changes of throne led to numerous internal and external troubles, including the Siamese invasion, the Mon rebellion, and the intrusion of Anglo-Dutch colonists. When the Yongli Emperor of the Ming Dynasty fled to Burma, Burma was no longer able to resist Wu Sangui's attacks. King Biya was forced to extradite the Yongli Emperor in exchange for the Qing army's withdrawal, but this further triggered rebellions by pro-Ming chieftains. After King Biya's death, his son, Naravara, succeeded him. The new king was actually quite capable; amidst internal and external troubles, he prevented the Siamese king Narai from invading Lanna and maintained domestic political stability.

What the Great Khan feared most was Burma's mountainous terrain. Having fought a lifetime of wars, he naturally knew the trouble this terrain posed. Even if he defeated the Burmese army, it would be difficult to completely eliminate them. If the Burmese army hid deep in the mountains, finding their traces would be as difficult as climbing to the heavens. The war would become protracted and cost a fortune, far beyond what one million taels of silver could handle.
Money, oh money, even a hero can be brought down by a single penny, and even the mighty Khan who reigns over the world is not immune to this! Recalling the promise he made in front of his ministers to allow the people to rest and to refrain from major wars for a year or two, Sultan made a decision: the Burmese issue can only be resolved politically, and must not be dragged into a protracted war by resorting to military force!

Thinking of this, he sent an imperial edict to Alatan Cang: "I am pleased that you wish to demonstrate the power of our nation to distant lands! However, Heaven cherishes life, and punishing without instruction would be an offense against Heaven's virtue. I have already ordered Wei Zhifan, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, and Pan Zonghan, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, to rebuke the King of Burma and order him to submit and pay tribute. You may station troops on the Yunnan-Burma border to provide external support for the mission. A show of force is sufficient; do not rashly start a war that would cause widespread suffering."

The Khan's orders were paramount, and Alatan Cang, having received the imperial edict, had no choice but to abandon the plan. Wei Zhifan and Pan Zonghan arrived in Ava and gave King Naravala of Burma a thorough dressing-down. They expected the Burmese to be arrogant and surely angered. To their surprise, Naravala's attitude was extremely courteous. He received the delegation with utmost respect, explaining that he had only recently ascended the throne when King Narai of Siam invaded with his army, and he had no time to pay homage to the Celestial Empire. After saying this, he immediately ordered his son, Soni (also known as Miri Kao Ti), to accompany the delegation to Wei Dadu to present a memorial of submission.

At this time, the Kingdom of David was renowned far and wide, and Naravara dared not defy the Great Khan of Lotus. Poor Alatan Cang, who was eager to achieve military merit! (End of Chapter)