Diplomatic Pressure With Respect

Key Techniques

Honor Before Pressure:

• Show respect for the ruler's position
• Acknowledge legitimate grievances
• Demonstrate that submission brings honor, not shame

Allow Dignified Retreat:

• Let rulers blame circumstances or advisors
• Accept partial explanations
• Focus on future compliance over past defiance

Expected Outcomes

• Ruler submits without military confrontation
• Relationship restored with minimal cost
• Future compliance more likely due to preserved dignity
• Model for other potential defectors

Verification

• Confirm the ruler's ancestral graves and family members have been honored before diplomatic pressure is applied
• Validate that face-saving language allows the ruler to submit without public humiliation
• Check that symbols of independent sovereignty (imperial titles, yellow canopy) have been formally removed as part of the agreement