“They offered me a comfortable cage. I demanded an empire.”
— Zheng Shi
Attributed to Zheng Shi during amnesty negotiations with the Qing dynasty in 1810, when she rejected initial surrender terms and imposed her own conditions.
In 1810, the Qing government expected me to accept a pardon and disappear quietly. A comfortable end for a pirate. Instead, I walked into the governor's office and demanded full amnesty for 80,000 people, all our wealth, and military titles. They gave me everything. When someone offers you less than you deserve, don't be grateful. Set your price. The world respects those who know what they are worth.