Red Mansion: Seizing Jiangdong, starting with pirates

Chapter 324, The Siamese Envoy

Whether attacking or retreating, the disadvantage is irreversible.

As the last cannonball struck the ship's side, Prince Nan'an fell into the icy sea.

Perhaps if he had died like this, it would have been a sacrifice for his country, a selfless act in the face of national crisis.

Unfortunately, the Prince of Nan'an did not die.

General Wu Liuqi of Guangxi also fell into the water, landing not far from the Prince of Nan'an.

He clung to a plank, struggling to survive, and in doing so, saved the Prince of Nan'an.

Then, the iron-hulled ships pulled the two men ashore.

……

"Have you tested them?"

"Yes, a great success. Our gunners reported that the Chinese were using genuine medieval antiques, and they seriously doubted that those ancient cannons even had the power to penetrate ships!"

"..."

"Put aside your arrogance. Reliable sources confirm that the other party has made a large transaction with those islanders, but the specific details of the transaction are still unknown. To be on the safe side, let those Siamese natives test the waters first, make some unreasonable demands, and see how the other party reacts."

……

News of the defeat and capture of the Prince of Nan'an spread throughout the capital.

The defeat of the Central Plains by the barbarians of the South Seas is an unprecedented humiliation.

The people were discussing this extensively.

Teahouses and taverns were places where ordinary people, in their leisure time, would discuss and critique the government and its affairs.

Fang Yong did not impose overly strict oversight on this matter.

As a result, the discussions became increasingly complex.

A merchant from Guangdong and Guangxi recounted Fang Yong's previous policy of concession.

Some people have linked this policy to the defeat of the Prince of Nan'an, attributing it to the state's incompetent intervention.

Fang Yong was not angry about this.

On the contrary, he even felt a sense of accomplishment.

The fact that ordinary people have the leisure to comment on the country proves that they are well-fed and have free time.

This is the best proof of Fang Yong's achievements.

In the past, people who couldn't even get enough to eat probably wouldn't care about such things; most people would be indifferent.

As for the loss of face due to defeat.

for this.

Suppressing the people will not silence their voices.

They also cannot regain the face they have lost.

There is only one best way: to regain victory in the war.

A genuine, resounding victory is more inspiring than any speech.

A few days later, the Siamese envoy arrived in the capital.

Fang Yong only glanced at the envoy during the court assembly and didn't even remember the man's name.

Because it's unnecessary; he's just a dead man.

The other person was wearing a yellow long-sleeved silk top and a purple "loincloth" called a "strap-tail curtain" on their lower body.

Let's assume Fang Yong interprets it that way for now, since in his eyes, this kind of clothing that wraps around the buttocks is really no different from a loincloth.

The envoy was extremely arrogant.

Upon entering the Golden Palace, he neither knelt nor bowed, but looked arrogantly at Emperor Longqing, completely ignoring Fang Yong who was sitting next to the emperor.

He stated a long list of conditions in Siamese.

Including but not limited to compensation of ten million taels of silver.

They demanded that the princess of Dae Hee be sent to marry a foreign ruler.

Furthermore, it ceded twenty-three islands in the West Bay of the South China Sea to Siam, among other things.

The Longqing Emperor listened to these conditions with a cold expression and remained silent. He had no right to reply; all decisions had to be made in accordance with Fang Yong's will.

If he were to handle the matter, he would surely execute this impudent barbarian on the spot.

How dare this tiny country of Siam do such a thing...

Compared to the Longqing Emperor, Fang Yong's attitude was not as radical.

He simply instructed someone to reply that these conditions needed to be discussed before a decision was made.

Then there is no more.

After the court session, the most anxious people were not Fang Yong, nor the Siamese envoy, but the family of the Prince of Nan'an.

The best option for the Prince of Nan'an is to die on the battlefield, as that would represent loyalty to the country and might even bring him rewards.

But now, things have undoubtedly turned out the worst possible way.

The Prince of Nan'an was captured and became a bargaining chip in the negotiations.

With a worried expression, the Dowager Princess of Nan'an tirelessly traveled among the various nobles in the capital, exhausting all the resources of her palace to seek a way to rescue Prince Nan'an.

She has to do this now.

If they do not go to rescue the Prince of Nan'an, then the result of the Prince of Nan'an disobeying orders and suffering a defeat in battle will be confirmed. He will surely be regarded by the court as a criminal of the war, leaving behind a bad name for all time, and the Prince's family will never be able to recover.

To avoid such an outcome, the only option is to use connections to deny the fact and portray the Prince of Nan'an as a hero of the nation's defeat, redeeming him with the treatment due to a "defeated hero." Only in this way can the royal palace be preserved.

The Princess Consort of Nan'an searched for the nobles and powerful families throughout the capital, but the capital had changed hands, and most of these once-powerful connections were now useless.

If it were during the reign of Emperor Longqing, the Dowager Princess of Nan'an could simply swallow her pride and beg to see the Dowager Princess, which would surely save the life of the Prince of Nan'an.

But now, with the Dowager Consort imprisoned in the palace by Fang Yong, and his own fate uncertain, there's no way he can help her.

Currently, the only effective ones are probably the four major families of Jia, Shi, Wang, and Xue, as well as the two dukes of Niu and Ma.

The Niu family, the Duke of Zhenguo, and the Ma family, the Duke of Zhiguo, hold military power and are currently the most prominent families in the eyes of outsiders. If they were to step forward, they would have the greatest chance of protecting the Prince of Nan'an.

However, when the Princess Consort of Nan'an went to these two residences, she didn't even enter the gates.

The rulers of the Niu and Ma mansions have changed, and the past friendships have all vanished.

Princess Nan'an had no choice but to settle for second best and approach the four great families of Jia, Shi, Wang, and Xue.

Since the Xue family had no connections, she went to the Wang family first.

The Wang family, however, did not refuse to see anyone.

Wang Ziteng's wife received the Princess Dowager of Nan'an, and then began to complain about being poor, saying that the Prince of Nan'an had been captured and Wang Ziteng had fled to Liaodong. They were in the same boat, and their Wang family was now a widow and orphan, and their family business was declining.

In short, they had effectively shut down any potential topics the Princess of Nan'an could have discussed earlier.

Princess Nan'an had no choice but to take her leave.

Afterwards, they went to the Shi family, but the Shi family also made excuses and delayed, showing no intention of helping at all.

In the end, only the Jia family remained.

For the Princess of Nan'an, this was the family that offered her the most hope.

The old lady of the Jia family was her lover.

The two families also have a very close relationship.

I've heard that the Jia family has very close ties with the palace. Perhaps we can plead with them to save the Prince of Nan'an.

Thus, the Princess Dowager of Nan'an arrived at the Jia family mansion.

Grandmother Jia warmly received the Princess of Nan'an.

As people get older, they cherish the people and events from their past more and more.

The Princess Dowager of Nan'an explained the purpose of their visit.

She wanted to ask the Jia family to intercede and save the Prince of Nan'an.

Without the slightest hesitation, Grandmother Jia readily agreed.

In Grandmother Jia's view, given the Jia family's current status, pleading for someone's sake is not a big deal.

Among nobles, relationships are built on mutual assistance.

Defeat in war is common; who can guarantee continued success? As long as it's not a serious crime like treason, lend a hand if you can.

(End of this chapter)