Chapter 16

On the Matter of Siam 2

The table was filled with teacups and snacks that Uncle Somyot had brought from the Capital of Siam. Phraya Decha Damrongsak, Uncle Phin, Uncle Pai, and Manfah sat around the table, while Somyot stood next to Phraya Decha Damrongsak. As for Grandpa Puang, he requested to sit on the bamboo bench in front of the house, quietly munching on snacks while eavesdropping.

Phraya Decha Damrongsak looked at the three of them, then cleared his throat slightly, as old folks do when their throats get easily irritated.

"I'll answer your earlier question myself. Foreigners can only receive the highest rank of Khun."

"How many people hold the title of Chao Phraya?"

"There are currently four, one of whom is my brother. He is Chao Phraya Sri Suphanyaporn Phakdi, who also happens to be your grandfather."

Boom! Manfah's mind could hardly process the information.

Father, no wonder Grandpa Decha talks about you so much!

"Hmph!" Phraya Decha Damrongsak grunted when he saw Manfah's stunned reaction.

Manfah placed her hand on her chest. "I have such a prominent relative?!"

Uncle Phin and Uncle Pai were equally speechless with shock.

"The Phakdi family has deep roots with the royal lineage. We are like close relatives, not distant ones."

Manfah, Uncle Phin, Uncle Pai, and even Grandpa Puang sitting outside all took a deep breath in unison.

"Not just prominent, truly extraordinary."

Manfah gave a sheepish smile, while Somyot stood there, barely able to contain his laughter at everyone's reactions.

Uncle Somyot, if you can't hold it in, don't force yourself. You might faint.

Manfah thought to herself. Where did her father get such courage?!

Oh... and her mother, so committed to true love, ran away with her father without caring about her noble family, without any regret. As for her, she had to think it over and over again. This was about living a life of luxury.

Life as an orphan is tough, you know!

"What else do you want to know?" Phraya Decha Damrongsak asked.

"Ahem! What does Grandfather Sri oversee?" That name is so long, I can't remember it.

Phraya Decha Damrongsak's eyelid twitched. Manfah called his brother "Grandpa Sri." If it were him, he'd probably be "Grandpa Decha." It seems there's a lot to teach about etiquette and social manners.

"You must call him 'Grandfather,' not just 'Grandpa Sri.' The term 'Grandfather' is a polite general form used by commoners. You can call him just 'Grandpa' only when no outsiders are present."

Manfah nodded. "Understood."

"Chao Phraya Sri Suphanyaporn oversees the military and the royal guards."

"And what about you, Grandfather Decha? What do you oversee?"

Phraya Decha Damrongsak nodded with satisfaction at the new form of address. At least she learned quickly.

"I oversee foreign trade."

“Then, who is wealthier?” Manfah asked innocently.

Phraya Decha Damrongsak thought to himself, this child is really only interested in money.

“Certainly me, but I don't have as much power as your Grandfather Sri Suphanyaporn.”

“I understand now.”

Somyot burst into laughter. “Haha, I apologize, but Miss Manfah is truly amusing.”

Manfah shrugged, whatever makes you happy.

Phraya Decha Damrongsak shook his head. “It seems you still have more to say.”

“Grandfather, what part did you hear?”

“Since Village Headman Phin told you the story about King William.”

So, he’s been eavesdropping for a while. Our grandfather is quite capable too.

Somyot spoke, “Your observations are spot on, Miss. Only insiders can notice these things.”

“I’m observant and love learning. In the future, I might have to work more with foreigners, so I need to gather some information. That way, I can find ways to navigate and make money.”

“Did you come up with all this yourself, Miss?”

“Ever since I’ve been on my own, I’ve been trying to find ways to elevate myself. It’s opened up my world and taught me more than school ever could. School doesn’t offer real-life experience. I have to seek knowledge on my own. Anything that helps me, I take and adapt. My thoughts too—I have to practice approaching people for my benefit, and learn to read their expressions, words, and gestures. Right now, I’m still young, so I can easily use my youth to my advantage. No one would think a twelve-year-old like me knows about these things.”

“In the future, there will be people who try to deceive me and want my money. As for foreigners, I’m curious because it concerns my own future. I won’t clutter my mind with unnecessary things. I do get tired, you know, Uncle Somyot.”

Somyot admired Manfah in his heart, but he also felt sorry for her. At this age, she should be playing and enjoying time with her family, not having to think so complexly.

Phraya Decha Damrongsak asked, “What do you think about our country’s stance towards other countries?”

“Are you testing me, Grandfather?”

“Weren’t you going to share these thoughts with those two anyway?”

Phraya Decha Damrongsak was genuinely curious as well. He wanted to know just how far his granddaughter's thoughts and ideas surpassed those of an ordinary child.

Manfah took a sip of tea, knowing she was about to speak at length. "Even though I'm not His Majesty, I know a part of it."

"Grandfather Decha, I might have some questions that might..."

Manfah looked at Phraya Decha Damrongsak hesitantly.

"I'll answer as best as I can."

"Thank you very much."

"Hmph! Hurry up and ask."

"Before King William arrived, was there any internal power struggle in Siam?"

Manfah blinked at Phraya Decha Damrongsak.

Phraya Decha Damrongsak nodded. Certainly!

"So, when King William arrived, were you there, Grandfather Decha?"

"I was."

"Did you see King William's ship?"

"Of course."

"Then, dear Grandfather∼"

Manfah spoke in a sweeter tone than usual, with a sly smile at the corner of her mouth.

"How did you feel, Grandfather, when you saw a massive iron ship floating? Let me guess, Grandfather, there were heavy cannons on board too. And importantly, there were several ships like this."

Phraya Decha Damrongsak's eyes trembled, and everyone fell silent.

Manfah continued, "At that time, our country only had long guns as the best weapons in Siam. There might have been some cannons, but not many, because we could produce so few. However... one day, we suddenly realized that outsiders could easily invade our territory. They had better and more dangerous weapons, like these giant ships. Oh...! It was truly shocking. What would Siam do?"

"......"

"His Majesty was naturally 'afraid' when fear arose in his heart. But... King William didn't initially show any signs of aggression. After some conversation, he became more curious about the outside world. When he went to see for himself what the outside world was like, His Majesty saw the severity of invasions from other countries, full of modern weapons. Grandfather Decha, did you go to England with His Majesty?"

"I did. My elder brother went too. At that time, my elder brother and I were personal guards of His Majesty."

"Wow... Both of you must have been very skilled fighters," Manfah's eyes were full of admiration.

Somyot added, "The martial arts skills of the great master were second only to Chao Phraya Sri Suphanyaporn."

Manfah nodded, "King William became an ally with His Majesty to protect against invasions from other countries. Let me guess, King William was the great ruler of the colonial hunters, right?"

Phraya Decha Damrongsak nodded, Exactly!

"Our country had nothing to match them, so we had to rely on King William. His character was good enough for an alliance. Importantly, King William no longer wanted to wage war due to internal issues. When His Majesty returned to Siam, he shared stories of the outside world with all the courtiers. Naturally, the courtiers were afraid. In Siam, they held power over the people and didn't want to lose this power to other countries. His Majesty didn't want to see his people captured as slaves, living in hardship, or perishing. Losing a war to another country's invasion could truly mean the end for Siam, as everything would belong to another nation. No one loves their country more than its own people; this is only natural."

"To truly make our country safe, we must have knowledge."

"Building weapons, ships, vehicles, power plants—anything that benefits the country. Our teachers always tell us to use our knowledge to develop the nation. The Westerners are knowledgeable and skilled in inventing new things and improving existing ones. A prominent trait of Westerners is their eagerness when they encounter something new and unfamiliar."

"Their colonial pursuits are like discovering new things, an adventure. Perhaps they were just curious about what lay beyond the sea, but it escalated into war."

Phraya Decha Damrongsak remarked, "That might be the case. We Siamese became complacent, satisfied with what we had, indulging in our safety, and not progressive in this regard. Knowledge and progress are like double-edged swords. Within twenty years, Siam has developed to this extent. The advantage is having many conveniences."

Manfah said, "The Siamese people are like any other nation; we have good people, bad people, cunning people, opportunists, and greedy fools. The easier things become, the more severe the misuse. Even today, Siamese people kill each other, look down on each other, and put money before morality. They claim the good for themselves and blame others for the bad. Just like my parents, who died because of fellow Siamese."

Everyone turned to look at Manfah in shock. "I think my parents were murdered."

Phraya Decha Damrongsak asked, "Are you sure?"

"I have no evidence, Grandfather."

"I'll have someone look into this matter," Phraya Decha Damrongsak sighed.

"If you avenge my parents, Grandfather, I'll owe you one."

"What if, in the future, I force you into a marriage like your mother?" Phraya Decha Damrongsak stared at her face.

"If he's richer and smarter than me in the future, I might not resist. And if he's handsome, I might be even more willing. But it would be hard to find someone better than me, wouldn't it?"

Phraya Decha Damrongsak tapped Manfah on the head with his cane. "Who praises themselves so shamelessly?"

Manfah held her head. "Ouch... That cane is heavy. What did I say wrong?"

"Haha, haha," everyone burst into laughter.

Phraya Decha Damrongsak glared at her until his eyes were green with frustration, but she feigned ignorance.

"I'll handle the matter of your parents myself. This issue needs to be thoroughly investigated and clarified first."

"Thank you, Grandfather." She couldn't do it herself, but with such strong backing, she had to ask for help. Grandfather Decha loved Mother Jitlada dearly, and those who harmed her would surely meet a bad end.

"Let's get back to the topic. Due to the advancements brought by the Westerners, Siam currently faces several disadvantages in exchanges."

"Our advantage is that we are not a vassal state of theirs; our status is better than other countries. For Siam, I believe our internal politics are as skilled as any nation in the world. We can legally block the Westerners within our country, especially regarding Siamese trade. We cannot allow them to dominate us. This is evident from the taxation and making the Capital of Siam a test ground for development. Once something is developed and deemed suitable for us, it is gradually passed on to other provinces. Although we allow Westerners to hold titles as nobles in the palace, we do not give them power beyond acceptable limits. When the people learn about progress and know how to solve problems, they can bring the most benefits to the country. At that point, Siam will be secure enough to protect itself without relying too much on King William. That's what His Majesty hopes for and wants to see a bright future for Siam. I also see opportunities to make money in this matter. Where there is development, there are always ways to work more. Hehe."

Phraya Decha Damrongsak nodded in agreement at the beginning, but by the end, his face turned green as his mischievous granddaughter revealed her true intentions.

"Everything you said was because you were eyeing this, wasn't it, Little Man?" Uncle Phin sighed. "If you were a man, you'd be even scarier, for sure."

Phraya Decha Damrongsak spoke, "All you think about is making money, not about helping the country."

"That's the job of the nobles, isn't it? In the future, I'll have to pay taxes like everyone else and create jobs for people too."

Phraya Decha Damrongsak saw Manfah puffing out her chest proudly, like a strutting rooster.

When she's angry, she probably pecks without holding back.

"Your duty is to study and learn proper manners, that's all," Phraya Decha Damrongsak interrupted.

"Boring, sigh∼"

Thud! She got a tap with the cane.

Ouch!