Chapter 118

It mentions the Wang Family and the Celestial Empire.

What kind of choice will they make?

none.

"Very good." said Wang Po (Wang Xiu) as he stood up.

"Then let's start from here and launch our plan!"

"How ready is our first expedition fleet?"

Wang Tian, Head of Family.

It also mentions the First Expedition Fleet.

Wang Meng.

"Good." Wang Po (Wang Xiu) nodded, "Let him come see me."

Soon, a tall, stern-faced young man in black tight-fitting clothes walked into the study.

He is Wang Meng. Although he is considered a cadet branch of the Wang Family, he grew up in the military camp from childhood, brave in battle and quite strategic, and is an outstanding among the young generals promoted by Wang Po (Wang Xiu).

"Head of Family!" Wang Meng knelt on one knee, his voice booming.

Wang Po (Wang Xiu).

"Wang Meng, you are going to Wa Country, bearing a heavy responsibility. The task I give you is only one."

"It is not conquest, nor plunder."

"But to plant a nail for me there!"

"You must exploit their internal strife to nurture our agents. Use our goods to control their economy, use our culture to change their thinking."

"I want you, in the shortest time, in Kyushu, to establish for our Wang Family a permanent military and trade base!"

none.

Wang Meng raised his head, his eyes blazing with fire.

This humble subordinate.

"Good!" Wang Po (Wang Xiu) nodded satisfactorily, "Go! Let those island barbarians witness what the majesty of the Celestial Dynasty truly is!"

I am waiting in Jiangnan for your good news.

Half a month later.

Dwarf Country, Nine Provinces, Hizen Province, Matsura District coast.

On the sea surface at dawn, a thin layer of mist lay.

Fisherman Sotoda, as usual, rowed his dilapidated little wooden boat, preparing to go out to sea to fish.

Suddenly, he stopped rowing, rubbed his eyes, unable to believe what he saw.

In the distant sea mist, a huge black shadow slowly emerged.

It was a massive fleet he had never seen before.

The leading ship was like a mountain floating on the sea. Its hull was pitch-black, several stories high, with huge square rigid sails hoisted.

Around these giant ships clustered dozens of equally huge, menacing warships.

These ships were several times larger than the 'kentoshi' ships that Wakoku used to send tribute!

"Monsters... monsters!"

Sotoda was so frightened his soul left his body; the oar in his hand fell into the sea. He tumbled and scrambled, turning the boat's bow, and paddled desperately toward the shore.

"Black ships! The black monster ships are coming!"

His hoarse shout in the quiet fishing village caused a great panic.

Soon, the entire coast fell into chaos.

The local lord, the head of the Matsura family, Matsura Chin, upon receiving the report, hastily brought his most elite dozens of retainers and rushed to a high point by the sea.

When he personally saw that massive fleet, like dark clouds pressing on the sea surface,

This local tyrant, who usually acted high and mighty, couldn't help but suck in a breath of cold air.

"Which... which country's ships are these? Tang? Or Silla?" he asked in a trembling voice.

"My lord," an elderly retainer beside him said, face ashen, "Tang, Tang has already fallen into internal strife; its strength is gone! Even the kentoshi fleet of old was nowhere near... this size!"

"These ships have black hulls, strange shapes, and fly no flags we recognize. I fear... they come with ill intent!"

Matsura Chin's heart sank.

He knew his troubles had grown.

He was merely a minor local strongman, with at most a hundred fighting retainers. Facing such a mysterious fleet whose scale he could barely discern, he couldn't even think of resistance.

Just as he was filled with doubt.

The massive black fleet stopped about two or three li from the coast.

Then a small boat, slightly larger than an ordinary fishing boat, was lowered from the flagship and slowly headed toward the shore.

On board stood several people. The leader wore a luxurious silk robe they had never seen before.

"My lord, what should we do?" the retainer asked.

Matsura Chin gritted his teeth and said, "First see what they want. Send someone to ask their purpose clearly!"

Soon, a Wakoku small boat went out to meet them.

The two sides conducted a difficult exchange on the sea, speaking and gesturing.

On the Wang Family's ship was a person who had once come to Wakoku with a merchant caravan and understood some simple Wakoku language.

He conveyed their purpose to the other side.

"We come from the Celestial Empire."

"Our king, having heard that this place has honest folk and abundant produce, has specially sent us to establish friendly trade with you."

"On board we have brought exquisite silk, porcelain, and tea leaves. We hope to exchange some of your local specialties with your lord."

These words were half‑understood and half‑misunderstood by the people of Wa, and were transmitted back to the shore.

"Trade?" Songpu Zhen was startled for a moment.

He looked at those black warships that resembled sea monsters, and no matter how he looked, they didn't seem to be here for proper business.

How could any merchant come to trade with such intimidating warships?

But he dared not refuse.

"Tell them that I, the head of the Songpu family, Songpu Zhen, am willing to meet them."

"However, the location must be on land, and they may not bring too many people." He still kept a precaution.

The news was relayed back to the Wang Family's flagship, the "Zhenyuan."

Wang Meng listened to the translator's report, and a predictable smile appeared on his face.

"As expected. I have long known that the local strongmen are both greedy and suspicious," he said to his deputy commander.

"General, what about us…?"

"Proceed according to the original plan." Wang Meng stood up and began donning his polished, gleaming black plate armor.

"Relay my orders: First Land Battle Battalion, prepare for combat. Divine Machine Battalion, bring ten firearms and follow me ashore."

"Additionally, prepare a 'gift'."

Soon, Wang Meng, leading a hundred fully armed soldiers, set off toward the shore in landing craft.

When Songpu Zhen saw Wang Meng and his soldiers disembarking on the beach,

he and his subordinates, the "servants," were once again deeply shocked.

Wang Meng and his soldiers were generally taller and more robust than the Wa people of that time.

They wore seamless jet‑black armor that glimmered with a cold metallic sheen and exuded a sense of power.

In their hands they held long black iron pipes.

In contrast, Songpu Zhen and his short "servants" clad in large bamboo‑wood armor and wooden clogs looked like a band of uncivilized savages.

The two sides didn't even seem to belong to the same era's armies.

Songpu Zhen and his "servants" were intimidated by the overwhelming aura and involuntarily stepped back.

He suppressed his astonishment, straightened his chest, and in a tone he deemed dignified said, "I am the master of this place, Songpu Zhen! Where do you come from, and what is your purpose?"

Wang Meng's translator conveyed his words.

Wang Meng said nothing, but waved his hand toward the rear.

Two soldiers lifted a large box covered with red cloth and brought it forward.

Wang Meng stepped forward and ripped off the red cloth.

Inside the box were two items.

One was a life‑size, crystal‑clear, polished mirror standing a full person tall.

The other was a low‑magnification telescope made of brass and crystal that glittered.

When Songpu Zhen and his "servants" saw the massive mirror that could reflect a person's silhouette with perfect clarity,

they all let out a startled "oo‑oo."

All they had ever used were copper mirrors that were not polished smooth enough, producing blurry reflections, and even those were not available to just anyone.

When had they ever seen such a clear, gigantic mirror?

And when Wang Meng handed the telescope to Songpu Zhen and indicated that he should look through it,

Songpu Zhen hesitated for a long time, but finally could not restrain his curiosity and leaned forward.

When he looked through the eyepiece and saw a soaring seagull's feathers on the distant sea as if they were right before his eyes,

he let out an "ah" and shouted, then fell backward onto the ground.

"What… what… what is this sorcery?!" he cried, pointing at the telescope in terror.

Wang Meng looked at his naïve expression and sneered inwardly.

He slowly spoke, and through the translator said word for word:

"This is not sorcery."

"It is a goodwill from the Celestial Empire."