The Ming Dynasty did not revolutionize

Chapter 346 If you don’t want to take sides, just treat it as a battlefield.

Ma Weiguo paid a visit to the emperor, accepted the emperor's instructions in person, and returned to the Western Factory headquarters with the Western Factory admiral.

Then the two of them had a brief discussion on how to deal with the affairs of Persia in accordance with the emperor's wishes.

After determining the direction, Ma Weiguo went home to rest for a few days, and then went back to meet the Persian king's confidants before the New Year.

The Persian king's confidants were also waiting for news from Ma Weiguo, and when they saw him return, they immediately went up to him to inquire about the situation.

Ma Weiguo said with a very serious expression:
"I have good news and bad news..."

A Persian king's confidant immediately asked:

"Sir, tell me, what's the good news?"

Ma Weiguo immediately explained:

"The good news is that according to what I have learned, the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty has learned about the situation in Persia.

“I convinced your Majesty’s ministers, and the ministers convinced your Majesty.

“Now, the Emperor of Ming Dynasty believes that the Persian king is not trying to please both sides on purpose, but because he is unable to resist the Ottoman Empire and Shun State.

"That is to say, we have gained the trust of His Majesty the Emperor."

Several of the Persian king's confidants were overjoyed after hearing this:
"Great, now we are safe."

"Thank you, His Majesty the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, for your wisdom."

They seemed to have forgotten the bad news, so Ma Weiguo took the initiative to remind them:

"And there's bad news..."

Several of the Persian king's confidants then reacted:
"The bad news is...what? How bad can it be?"

Ma Weiguo's expression became very serious:

“Although His Majesty the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty believes in the King of Persia, he cannot accept what the King of Persia is planning now.

“In the future, if the Ottoman and Shun armies pass through Persia and participate in combat operations against the Ming Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty will list Persia as an enemy vassal state.

"If Persia does not wish to be an enemy of the Ming Dynasty, it must not allow the troops of the two countries to pass through its borders and must maintain absolute neutrality. This is the bottom line.

"However, the will of the Ming Emperor is also very clear. If Persia does not have the ability to fight against foreign enemies, it can ask His Majesty the Ming Emperor to send troops to protect Persia.

"If Persia can truly maintain neutrality, once Persia is attacked by any other country, Ming can come forward to assist in defense or even counterattack."

Several of the Persian king's close confidants were stunned after hearing this. What did the Ming emperor mean?

Did the Ming Emperor think that the King of Persia might really surrender to the Ottoman Empire, so he reached out and grabbed the King of Persia and told him not to kneel?
It seems that the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty really believed what Ma Weiguo said, and believed that the King of Persia was unable to resist the Ottoman Empire and the Shun Kingdom, instead of trying to please both sides.

It's just that this is a little too much belief. The King of Persia should be thinking that you don't have to believe so much and just leave it alone.

Several of the Persian king's confidants were stunned for a long time before they asked Ma Weiguo:
"Mr. Ma, what should we do now? What should Persia do?"

Ma Weiguo sighed and said:

"What His Majesty the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty meant is basically the logic of the middle strategy I proposed at the beginning.

"The Ming Dynasty was extremely powerful, and the Ming Emperor was even more powerful. He did not allow Persia to compromise and demanded that Persia confront the Ottoman Empire and Shun State.

"If Persia has the courage to do this, the Ming Dynasty will support and help it. If it does not have the courage, it will be easily destroyed by the Ming Dynasty.

“I have already used up all my energy to be able to find out the true intentions of the Ming Emperor.

"I... we have no way to change the will of the Ming Emperor.

"So if the Persian king wants to maintain his status, he can only show a strong enough attitude to fight against the Ottomans."

Several of the Persian king's close associates also fell silent.

No one can change the will of the Ming Emperor, especially when it comes to issues of attitude rather than logic.

Logical issues can still be convinced through debate, but attitude issues can only be resolved through obedience.

Seeing that they were silent, Ma Weiguo bowed again:
"It's a rare opportunity to return to the mainland of Ming Dynasty. I am going to go home. You all are waiting for the reply from the Ming Dynasty court and for me to return home.

“Since the Ming Emperor has expressed his stance, there should be a formal imperial edict for the King of Persia.

"After the New Year celebrations, the Ming court will not open until the 20th day of the first lunar month. I will be back before that time.

"We should be able to set out back to Persia before the end of the first month."

The Persian king's confidants had nothing to say. The matter had already come to a definite conclusion, and there was no reason to stop Ma Weiguo from returning home to visit his family.

Then Ma Weiguo really went home to rest.

Several of the Persian king's close confidants rested in the post house of the Honglu Temple in Shuntian Prefecture, experiencing the festive atmosphere of celebrating the New Year in the best place in the Ming Dynasty, which was also a torment for them.

It was not until the 21st day of the first lunar month in the eighteenth year of Tiangong that Ma Weiguo returned to the Honglu Temple posthouse.

Three days later, the Minister of the Honglu Temple summoned the Persian envoy and read out a formal imperial edict in the lobby of the Honglu Temple.

First, he responded to the Persian king's greetings and gifts by returning a simple Ming Dynasty specialty as a return gift.

Then comes the response and promise to what the Persian king said.

First, they accused the Ottoman Empire, Shun State, and Russia of barbarity and evil, and bullying their neighbor Persia.

At the same time, he encouraged and required Persia to continue fighting the three countries to the end, and publicly promised that Ming Dynasty could provide Persia with asylum.

Finally, he asked the Persians to pass the contents of the imperial edict to the envoys of Shun, Russia and the Ottoman Empire.

Let all three countries know that once their troops enter Persia, the Ming Dynasty will directly send troops to protect Persia.

After receiving the imperial edict, the Persian king's confidants became even more helpless.

They could only accept the order obediently and then follow Ma Weiguo back to Persia to report to their king.

After Ma Weiguo returned to Tehran, the capital of Persia, he encountered a very coincidental event.

Last year, Ottoman envoys came to Tehran to meet with Persian King Fateh and demanded that Persia allow Ottoman and Shun troops to pass through the border.

Although the Persian King Fateh chose the worst strategy proposed by Ma Weiguo of not offending either side.

However, before confirming the attitude of the Ming Dynasty, Fatah did not dare to agree to Osman directly, but just tried to delay.

The Ottoman envoy spent a long time here last year and returned to Istanbul.

This year they came to Tehran again, again urging the Persian king to allow their troops to pass through, offering more gifts and direct conditions.

The Persian King Fateh was so annoyed that when he learned that Ma Weiguo had returned from the Ming Dynasty, he immediately summoned the delegation headed by Ma Weiguo into the palace.

After Ma Weiguo bowed to Fatah, the king immediately asked eagerly:
"Thank you for your hard work, sir. How did this trip turn out? What is the attitude of the Ming Dynasty?"

Ma Weiguo thought about it and felt that this matter was a long story, so he took out the imperial edict of the Ming Emperor and handed it to the Persian King Fateh.

Fatah carefully unfolded it and read it, then he said in amazement:

"This... His Majesty the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty... I am not allowed to adopt this... Sir, this is the worst plan you proposed..."

Ma Weiguo nodded slightly and said:

"Yes, the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty is extremely tough and will not allow Persia to be weak. If it is weak, it will become the enemy of the Ming Dynasty and then be eliminated..."

Fatah's face twitched slightly, revealing a smile that was uglier than crying:
"This...what should I do..."

Ma Weiguo continued to remind:

"His Majesty the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty has already made arrangements. We can just show the imperial edict directly to the Ottomans, Shun Kingdom, and the Russians.

"The Ming Dynasty has already made a promise to protect Persia. If Persia doesn't appreciate it, then it will really be waiting for death.

"If you have to offend one of the three Ottoman states and the Ming Dynasty, do you want to offend the Ming Dynasty?"

Fatah was completely in despair, but he no longer had to worry because he had an action plan that he had to implement, which of course was forced upon him by the Ming Dynasty.

Fatah prepared for three days, and mainly with the encouragement of Ma Weiguo, he worked hard to adjust his mentality.

Three days later, the Ottoman envoy was summoned again.

Fatah asked his court officials to place the imperial edict on a special gold-inlaid tray on a special gold-inlaid desk, so that the Ottoman envoy could read the contents directly.

The Ottoman envoy could also understand Chinese characters. He glanced at the content and then fell silent.

Fatah said with a straight face:

"As you can see, His Majesty the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty has given me an ultimatum.

"In order to protect Persia from the Ming attack and maintain the relationship between Persia and the Ottoman Empire, I can only choose not to help either side.

"In your conflict, Persia did not assist the Ming Dynasty or the Ottoman Empire at all.

"Persia has no choice now. Please forgive me, Your Majesty the Sultan."

The Ottoman envoy was also helpless, knowing that Persia did not have the courage to confront the Ming Dynasty, so he could only request to copy a copy of the imperial edict and take it back to the Ottoman Sultan.

Fatah certainly would not refuse and gave the Ottoman envoy enough time to carefully copy the original text of the imperial edict.

The Ottoman envoy returned to Istanbul with mixed feelings, taking the manuscript with him.

After receiving the report, Ottoman Sultan Selim III immediately summoned his most trusted general and minister Mustafa.

The new Ottoman army, led by Mustafa, returned to Istanbul after the coup.

Under the mediation of Ubashir, the Ottoman Guards received honorary treatment but lost actual military power.

The new army of Salem III and Mustafa became the new military backbone of the Ottomans.

Salem III's safety was also ensured.

Mustafa was directly promoted to Grand Vizier, equivalent to the Ottoman Prime Minister.

During the period of negotiations between the Ottoman Empire and Persia, Ubashi of Shun State also stayed in Istanbul so that he could be the first to know the results of the negotiations between the Ottoman Empire and Persia.

Therefore, Selem III also summoned the envoy of Shun State, Ubashi, to the palace for discussion.

After entering the palace, Wabashi received a copy of the imperial edict from the Ming Dynasty to Persia from Mustafa, who had a solemn expression.

After reading it, Wubashi sighed:
"It should be said that the Ming Dynasty is truly worthy of its name. They easily cracked our plan.

"When we do not force Persia, but persuade Persia with reason and faith, if Ming forces Persia to surrender, Persia may turn to us.

“Although the Ming Dynasty acted very tough, it did show an attitude of being on Persia’s side and seeking justice for Persia.

"If we continue to force Persia to cooperate, or even just continue to persuade it tirelessly, there is a high probability that Persia will directly turn to the Ming Dynasty."

Mustafa couldn't help but sigh after hearing this.

The atmosphere at the scene was somewhat depressing.

Salem III then interjected:

"Is it too generous that the Ming Dynasty is willing to send troops to protect Persia without requiring its formal surrender? Is the Ming Dynasty really that kind?"

This time, there was no need for Wubashi to explain, Mustafa said directly:
“Your Majesty, this so-called military protection can turn into military control at any time.

"The Ming army that enters Persia can be used to resist our attack and can also be used to control Persia.

“It’s really a protection, but it’s also really a threat.

"It's just like we asked Persia to let our troops pass through its borders.

"But we used faith to convince Persia, and the Ming used courage and justice to persuade Persia.

"It's just that compared to us, Persia is more afraid of the Ming Dynasty.

"If we use a similar plan, the Ming Dynasty will definitely win..."

Salem III was not a incompetent ruler, otherwise he would not have been able to preside over the Ottoman reforms and build a new European-style Ottoman army.

After hearing this explanation, I completely understood it, and then I started to worry:

"Then what should we do next?"

Mustafa glanced at Wabashi:
"Your Majesty, my idea is to continue negotiating with Persia, but at the same time, fully prepare for war.

“When we officially go to war with the Ming Dynasty, we will first raid northern Persia and try to seize the northern passage of Persia as quickly as possible.

"And if the Ming Dynasty really sends troops to rescue Persia, we will fight the Ming Dynasty in Persia.

"If the Ming Dynasty does not rescue Persia, then Persia will have to join us."

After hearing this, Wubashi agreed directly:
“I think it’s okay, and this is all we can do now.

“Since Persia really wants to remain neutral between the two sides and really not side with either side, then it can only become a battlefield.

"I think most Ming people are able to realize this, but the Persians may not be."

Salem III also thought it made sense:
"Okay, then let's start preparing according to this plan, and both sides should cooperate well."

Shunguo and Osman are still discussing specific cooperation plans.

The Ming Dynasty has also officially begun to transfer troops to Persia.

The southernmost tip of the Persian region, the coastline north of the Persian Gulf, was occupied by Oman during the Persian civil unrest.

After the Ming Dynasty conquered Amman, it directly took over this section of the coastline on the north side of the Persian Gulf.

At this time, Persia could be considered a purely landlocked country.

Now, within the entire Persian Gulf, only the northwestern corner, near the mouth of the Mesopotamian River, has a coastline that belongs to the Ottomans.

That is the coastline of Iraq and Kuwait in Zhu Jianxuan’s previous life.

The coastlines in other places are all the territory of the Ming Dynasty.

But on the other hand, the Ming Dynasty's territory around the Persian Gulf was divided into two parts on land by the Ottoman territory.

If the Ming Dynasty territory on the north coast of the Persian Gulf wanted to communicate with the south coast, it could only take a ship by sea.

This stretch of coast is also the source of the existing conflict between the Ming and the Ottomans.

After Zhu Jianxuan warned the Persians, he immediately began to organize and strengthen the defense of the Persian region.

These actions were indeed preparations to deal with the war in the Persian region, and were also direct warnings to the people of Persia.

If the Persian king does not violate the will of the Ming Dynasty, then these troops are here to protect Persia. If Persia does not obey, then these troops are here to conquer Persia.

Ubashi and Mustafa could see that if Persia did not choose sides it would be treated as a battlefield, and the Ming Dynasty could see it even more clearly.

So Zhu Jianxuan asked Ma Weiguo to return to his homeland and work in the Honglu Temple before the war.

Ma Weiguo also saw it clearly, but he did not explain it to the Persian Fatah because there was no point in explaining it.

Fatah cannot make a decision now, so it can only accept its fate as a battlefield.

Zhu Jianxuan arranged the affairs in Persia and once again turned his attention to the assessment of the monarchs of vassal states and the sons of noble families.

In the first half of the eighteenth year of Tiangong, the selection of crown princes, dukes and princes over the age of sixty was completed, and the crown princes of the vassal states were allowed to return to their countries to prepare for war.

In the second half of the year, the Honors and Conferring Department, which was composed of princes, dukes, and dukes in Beijing, presided over the selection of lower-level nobles and princes of vassal states.

By the end of the 18th year of Tiangong, Ming Dynasty’s preparations for war in all strategic directions had been basically completed.

After nearly two years of emergency repairs, the railway across Poland on the flat plains of East Europe has completed its first regularly usable route.

Subsequently, war materials and troops will be transported to Poland's eastern border, while the railway will continue to be reinforced and double tracks will be built.

The armies of various vassal states in eastern and southern Africa arrived in southern India one after another.

Armies from vassal states in northeastern and northern Africa reached the northern and eastern coasts of the Mediterranean.

The armies of European vassal states were rapidly gathering towards Austria and eastern Poland.

The main force of the Ming Dynasty gathered in large numbers in western Sichuan and the Western Regions.

Everyone who was well-informed knew that a new war was about to begin.

(End of this chapter)