aya , ▁S ath a ▁was ▁over th rown ▁by ▁his ▁son ▁and ▁other ▁nobles ▁who ▁allowed ▁Ay ut th aya ▁to ▁take ▁control , ▁forcing ▁Ru iz ▁to ▁fle e ▁to ▁the ▁Spanish ▁col ony ▁of ▁the ▁Philippines , ▁the ▁place ▁where ▁he ▁began ▁his ▁advent ure ▁in ▁S out heast ▁Asia . ▁Event ually ▁Ru iz ▁returned ▁with ▁Vel oso , ▁who ▁had ▁fled ▁to ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁col ony ▁of ▁Mel aka , ▁to ▁Love k . ▁When ▁they ▁arrived ▁they ▁learned ▁S ath a ▁had ▁fled ▁to ▁Lan ▁X ang , ▁an ▁emp ire ▁centered ▁in ▁modern - day ▁La os ▁and ▁consisting ▁of ▁Is an , ▁St ung ▁Tr eng , ▁and ▁small ▁areas ▁of ▁Southern ▁China ▁and ▁Vietnam . ▁Ru iz ▁and ▁Vel oso ▁decided ▁to ▁journey ▁to ▁La os ▁and ▁bring ▁back ▁S ath a ▁to ▁restore ▁his ▁reign ▁over ▁Love k . ▁ ▁Ru iz ▁and ▁Vel oso ▁arrived ▁in ▁V ient iane , ▁Lan ▁X ang ' s ▁administrative ▁capital , ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 1 5 9 6 . ▁They ▁were ▁met ▁with ▁a ▁process ion ▁showing ▁off ▁the ▁city ' s ▁immense ▁wealth ▁consisting ▁of ▁Asian ▁Ele ph ants , ▁gold , ▁j ew els , ▁sil k , ▁ex otic ▁sn akes , ▁bou qu ets ▁of ▁tropical ▁flowers , ▁chant ing ▁mon ks , ▁Buddh ist ▁tre asures ▁and ▁re lic s , ▁music , ▁and ▁beautiful ▁women . ▁Ru iz ▁and ▁Vel oso ▁were ▁also ▁received ▁with ▁a ▁great