The Imperial Age with the Resurgence of Han Style

Chapter 62 Divide and Conquer

March 1724, 3, Fengning Fort (now Salian City, Myanmar, opposite Yangon City).

"What do you Qi people want?" Man Win Kaidan, the leader of the Mon ethnic group in Lower Burma, was silent for a long time and suddenly asked.

"Trade." Xiang Chongwu, the governor of Qi State in Fengning, said with a smile: "We in Qi State hope to establish an open and free trade market in Myanmar, so as to facilitate the free exchanges of businessmen from the two countries without any restrictions. Of course, As a token of our support to you Mon people, I believe that merchants from Qi can enjoy a more unique position in the future trade system."

Myanmar is located in the west of the Indochina Peninsula, bordering the Bay of Bengal to the south, Siam to the east, and the mainland Qin State to the north. If it is controlled, it will not only facilitate the stabilization and expansion of shipping and influence in the Indian Ocean coastal areas, but also surround Siam from the northwest. , the Qin State, which affects the mainland from the southwest, occupies an important strategic position.On the other hand, Myanmar is rich in teak (accounting for 75% of the world's teak resources) and mineral resources, as well as various precious jade stones, which have long been coveted by businessmen in Qi and want to get them.

Although the Qi-Myanmar War more than 20 years ago opened up the Myanmar market, only four ports were opened and restricted trade activities were no longer able to meet the requirements of Qi merchants.

In particular, in order to ensure its own safety, the Toungoo Dynasty implemented certain controls on merchant ships from various countries entering the Irrawaddy and Chindwin rivers, which prevented Qi's commercial power from extending to inland areas. This also caused dissatisfaction among Qi's Burmese business communities.

The State of Qi sent envoys to Myanmar many times, demanding that Myanmar stop military expansion, open up trade conditions, release Arakan fugitives, and provide Qi with The country has exclusive trade monopoly rights and free navigation on the Irrawaddy River.

Such unreasonable conditions were naturally politely rejected by the Toungoo dynasty.When the people of Qi saw that the Taungu dynasty had not agreed to their conditions, they did not become angry and directly retaliated.However, the people of Qi have increased their support for the Rakhine Kingdom and secretly encouraged the country to continue to stir up trouble on the Myanmar border.

Later, the Taungoo dynasty had a conflict with the Kingdom of Manipur due to the "Bride Kidnapping Incident", and a long-lasting armed conflict broke out. The Qi State also provided corresponding force support to the Kingdom of Manipur overtly and covertly, including swords, armor, Muskets, and even army light artillery were provided to the army of the Kingdom of Manipur in order to achieve the purpose of continuously suppressing and weakening the Toungoo dynasty.

In fact, with Qi's military strength, if he just rolled up his sleeves and went on his own, he would definitely be able to conquer the entire Burma, just like South India, and completely bring it under his colonial rule.However, people familiar with the military have warned that Myanmar is different from India. The mountainous terrain and tropical climate here will be the biggest enemy of the invading army.

Moreover, although the Toungoo dynasty has declined, its people's customs are strong and strong. For hundreds of years, it has been the country with the most martial virtues in the entire Indochina Peninsula.To completely conquer such a large regional country with a complete feudal ruling order, the minimum number of troops required would exceed 1 people, which was far beyond what a trading company could achieve.

To carry out a large-scale war to destroy the country in Myanmar, it is necessary to obtain local support and the assistance of neighboring Bangladeshi and Indian business companies.However, this will inevitably dilute the commercial interests of Myanmar business companies in the region.

This is absolutely unacceptable to Myanmar business companies.

So, since the rule of the Toungoo Dynasty cannot be shaken by its own strength, why not recruit a few more local powerful factions to break the entire Myanmar into pieces, so that they can be divided and eaten.

During this period, the Toungoo dynasty was in irresistible decline. The brothers in the palace were fighting against each other. The kings were constantly changing. More and more Ahmudan (people who paid tribute and labor for the royal family) and Atai (common farmers) Being reduced to slavery has reduced the manpower controlled by the central government and its ruling power has become weaker and weaker.The officialdom of the Toungoo Dynasty was also corrupt, with corruption, bribery, excessive taxation, and unscrupulous enslavement of the people in the rule.

More than 170 years ago, the Baigu Kingdom established by the Mon people was destroyed by Taungoo, and was suppressed and humiliated in various ways in the years that followed.Now that the Toungoo dynasty is weak, the Mon people scattered in Lower Burma inevitably have other thoughts.If with the help of external forces, we can take the opportunity to overthrow the rule of the Burmese and restore the former Baigu Dynasty of the Mon people, it does not seem to be an unachievable dream.

Therefore, Manwen Kaidan, the leader of the Mon tribe in the Bago area, brought his trusted tribe members to Fengning Fort with the help of "careful people", hoping to gain the support of the Qi people.

Unexpectedly, the people of Qi were very active in their commitment to establishing a Mon state and readily agreed to their requests for weapons and funds.

Manwen Kaidan knew that the aid from the people of Qi was not free, and they had to pay a certain price.But so what, as long as the Toungoo dynasty can be overthrown and a new dynasty dominated by the Mon people can be established, some commercial benefits can be given to the people of Qi to meet their trade needs, which should be fine.
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April 4, Mrauk U (now Myahang City, Myanmar).

From the Yongle period to the Zhengtong period, the Ming Dynasty set up the "Three Propaganda and Six Comforts" in the southwest of Yunnan and the Indochina Peninsula. In addition to the Yunnan part, the jurisdiction roughly included Burma, northern Siam and the central part of Nanzhang. All "Central Yunnan can be dispatched" By". After 1531, Mang Ruiti established the Toungoo Dynasty.As the power of the Ming Dynasty in Indochina gradually declined, the Toungoo Dynasty became increasingly powerful, and the chieftains of the Ming Dynasty, including the Three Proclaimers and the Six Weis, all submitted to the Toungoo Dynasty.

The Arakan Kingdom located on the west coast of Myanmar was where the Demasasa Xuanweisi of the Ming Dynasty was located. In 1433, King Naromikara relied on the power of the Bengal Sultan Kingdom to reestablish the Arakan Dynasty in Mrauk-U.A few years later, the kingdom also occupied Chittagong. At its peak, the kingdom received tribute from "twelve Bengal towns".When the Toungoo Dynasty unified Myanmar, the Arakan Kingdom also sent Portuguese mercenaries led by Portuguese mercenaries to attack Baigu.

Well, our ancestors were also rich back then!

However, as time changed, as the Mughal Empire expanded its power to Bangladesh, the Arakan Kingdom was first expelled from Bangladesh more than 60 years ago and lost all its territory in the region.Before it arrived, the Mughal Empire relied on the maritime power of the Qi people to take away its most important port, Chittagong, further weakening its strength.

Just when the Arakan Kingdom was cowering on the west side of the Arakan Mountains, facing the aggressive Taungoo dynasty, and struggling to survive, the Qi people came.

Logically speaking, the territory of the Arakan Kingdom is mountainous, with only narrow plains along the coastline, which are not connected to a line. The products are not abundant, and it is definitely a poor place with poor land and barren people.Since losing its territory in Bangladesh and Chittagong, the Kingdom of Arakan has become increasingly financially troubled and has been unable to make ends meet year after year.If you have no money in your hands, you will naturally have weak backbone and weak military strength. Facing the powerful Taungoo dynasty, you can only stay humble and petty, pay tribute as a vassal, and treat yourself as a vassal.

But for some reason, the people of Qi State actually took a fancy to their small country and deliberately supported it. They provided equipment, muskets, and artillery, and sent military instructors to help them train their troops.With the passage of time, the influence of the Qi people began to penetrate into all aspects of the Arakan Kingdom. Political, economic and military aspects were also indirectly controlled by the Qi State, and the entire kingdom fell in line with the Qi State.

Later, under the hint of the people of Qi, the Arakan Kingdom abolished its vassal status with the Toungoo Dynasty and turned to vassalage and tribute to Qi, becoming the younger brother of this powerful Indian Ocean overlord.

It feels good to be protected by a boss. The Toungoo Dynasty heard that the Arakan Kingdom was reproducing and took the initiative to abolish the vassal relationship between the two parties and immediately led troops to attack.

Just when the Arakan Kingdom dispatched thousands of new troops trained by Qi military instructors to fight the Burmese army in the lofty Arakan Mountains, Qi dispatched several armed merchant ships and sailed into the Irrawaddy River to appeal eastward. The dynasty issued a warning not to attack Qi's vassals without any reason and to withdraw immediately.Otherwise, Qi State will take drastic measures to prevent the Toungoo Dynasty's military operations.

Although the Toungoo dynasty was unwilling, they were afraid of Qi's powerful strength and had to hold their noses and admit that the Arakan Kingdom would break away from the vassal yoke and switch to Qi.

As if inspired by the Arakan Kingdom, the Manipur Kingdom and the Ahom Kingdom (also known as the Ahom Kingdom or the Assam Kingdom) also broke away from the vassal relationship in Taungoo and no longer paid tribute.The Kingdom of Manipur, with the secret support of Qi State, launched an all-out war with the Toungoo Dynasty, which continues to this day.

A few days ago, King Mingyesaki received an order from the people of Qi, requiring the Arakan Army to move out of the Badubi Valley and threaten the southwestern border of the Toungoo Dynasty.

It is reported that the Mon people located in Lower Myanmar are preparing to launch armed uprisings in Bago, Moulmein, Pathein and other places to overthrow the local Taungoo regime.

It goes without saying that the arrangement of the Qi people is to let their Arakan Kingdom cause trouble in the southwest border area of ​​the Toungoo Dynasty, attract the attention of the Burmese army, and provide favorable conditions for the Mon armed uprising.

It seems that the people of Qi have taken the most critical first step towards the goal of splitting the Toungoo Dynasty.

In this case, in sharing the feast of the Toungoo Dynasty, our Arakan Kingdom cannot lag behind, and we must follow the people of Qi to get a share of the pie.

(End of this chapter)