Chapter 226: Strait Gambit

The royal palace, Golden Top Hall.

Shìlì·Móhēluójiē was reviewing memorials. These past few days he's been in a good mood; although the Maliujia Haixia side hasn't been completely retaken yet, at least those Wang Family people can no longer collect tolls.

Without income, they'll eventually have to get lost.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"

A guard stumbled into the hall, didn't even have time to kneel before shouting.

"Something... something big has happened!"

The king raised his head, his brows furrowed.

"What's there to panic about? What kind of conduct is this?"

"East Market... East Market blew up!" The guard's voice changed tone, "Many people died! West Market also blew up! And the streets outside the palace!"

The memorial slipped from the king's hand and fell to the ground.

"What did you say?"

"Explosion! Five places exploded at once!" The guard trembled all over, "Now the city is full of screams, fire everywhere!"

The king jumped to his feet, his face turned deathly pale.

"What happened? Who did it?"

"I... I don't know..." The guard swallowed, "But the guards said that before the explosion, someone saw several bald beggars..."

"Bald?" The king's pupils contracted sharply.

He recalled the information from Maliujia Haixia from the Era Name Deadline ago, those Wang Family people, their weapons...

"It's them..." the king muttered, all color draining from his face, "It's the Wang Family..."

The hall doors were pushed open again. Chief Minister Su Baluomo strode in, his face as dark as iron. His robes were dusty, his hair disheveled, completely lacking his usual composure.

"Your Majesty." His voice hoarse, "East Market blast killed thirty-seven, casualties uncountable. West Market saw twenty-one dead. The streets outside the palace had fifteen dead. Among them..."

He paused, a pained expression appearing on his face.

"Among them, there was Móhē Màn tè lǐ Pà lā kǎ shí."

The king swayed, nearly collapsing.

Pàlākǎshí was one of his most trusted ministers, in charge of Sanfoqi's tax revenue. That fat man, though greedy for wealth, was capable and the king's right-hand man.

"Also, the son of General Sàdìyàwǎmàn." Su Baluomo continued, "He happened to be shopping in East Market today and was blown up at the doorway of a jewelry shop; his body couldn't be found whole."

The king's face went from pale to purplish, then to flushed red.

"Wang Family... Wang Family!" he gritted his teeth, trembling all over, "How dare they... how dare they commit such atrocities in my capital, right under my nose!"

"Please calm down, Your Majesty!" Su Baluomo rushed forward to support him, "The urgent task is to stabilize the situation. Now the populace is panicked, many dare not go out. Markets have stalled, shops closed; if this continues, Giant Port will descend into chaos."

"Stabilize the situation?" the king scoffed, "How can we stabilize? Tell the populace that someone set off explosions in my capital, and as king I can't even catch the culprit!"

"The perpetrators are dead," Su Baluomo said, "Five people died in the explosions. Guards found their severed limbs in the rubble, plus fragments of the iron cans tied to their waists."

"So what if they're dead?" the king snapped, "The mastermind behind them is still alive! That Wang Family is still roaming free in Maliujia Haixia!"

Su Baluomo fell silent.

He knew the king was right. Killing a few suicide warriors meant nothing. What the Wang Family wanted was this effect—to let Sanfoqi know they could not only fight at sea but also bring the war straight to the capital.

"Your Majesty," he whispered, "We can't keep fighting the Wang Family."

"What?" the king widened his eyes, "What are you saying?"

"We can't take back Maliujia Haixia," Su Baluomo's voice trailed off, "The Wang Family's strength exceeds our imagination. Our ships can't beat theirs. The pirates we sent out have merchants feeding them intel. Now they can even send agents to infiltrate Giant Port and assassinate our ministers."

"If we keep fighting, only more will die."

The king opened his mouth but couldn't speak.

He knew Su Baluomo was right, but he couldn't swallow the humiliation of admitting defeat.

"Then what do you suggest?" the king asked through clenched teeth.

"Recall the pirates," Su Baluomo said, "Cease all attacks on Wang Family merchant ships. Send envoys to Maliujia to negotiate with the Wang Family."

"Negotiate?" the king's face flushed red, "You want me to negotiate with those bandits?"

"Your Majesty, they're not bandits," Su Baluomo shook his head, "Bandits only loot; they don't build fortifications, manage trade routes, or send suicide warriors to warn us. They are an organized, purposeful, powerful force."

"Going up against such a force will get us nothing."

The king remained silent for a long time.

Only his heavy breathing filled the hall.

After a while, he waved his hand.

"Go ahead and do it."

Su Baluomo exhaled in relief and bowed his retreat.

As he left the hall, he glanced back. The king sat on his throne, looking as if he had aged ten years.

Three days later, the panic in Giant Port eased slightly. The authorities posted notices everywhere saying the culprits had been executed, so the populace need not worry—but no one believed it.

Markets reopened, but foot traffic was half of what it used to be. The bombed-out shops remained ruins to this day. The site of the East Market tavern had been leveled, leaving only a scorched patch.

At the same time, Maliujia Haixia.

Wang Tie stood on the dock, watching a merchant ship approach in the distance. It was a Sanfoqi vessel, its bow flying a white flag.

"They've come to negotiate," Wang Kai said beside him.

"Negotiate?" Wang Tie sneered, "What were you doing earlier? Now you're scared?"

"Being afraid is one thing, interests another," Wang Kai said, "Sanfoqi now knows that fighting us head‑on costs them, but they're unwilling to give up their interests in Maliujia Haixia entirely. So they've come to discuss terms."

"What terms?"

"Nothing more than a split," Wang Kai laughed, "They'll likely propose that we share the tolls with them, or let their ships pass free of charge."

"Fat chance," Wang Tie spat, "They won't get a single copper."

"Of course." Wang Kai patted his shoulder, "But on the surface we still need to be polite. After all, although Sanfoqi can't retake Malacca Strait, their influence remains. To completely break ties would benefit no one."

The merchant ship docked.

Three people disembarked from the ship. The leader was an elderly man in his fifties with a speckled beard, wearing a gold-embroidered robe. Two young attendants followed him.

"I am Su Baluomo, Chief Minister of Sanfoqi." The elder bowed to Wang Tie and Wang Kai, "I have the honor to meet you two generals."

Wang Tie said nothing, merely staring at him coldly.

Wang Kai stepped forward and likewise bowed.

"Minister Su, you've come a long way; thank you for your trouble. Please."

The three were led to the guest hall of the garrison. It was a crude wooden shack containing only a table and a few chairs, even the tea served in rough pottery bowls.

Su Baluomo sat down, glanced around, and a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes.

He had expected the Wang family, which occupied the Malacca Strait, to have built something more luxurious, but what he saw resembled a military camp more than a merchant's stronghold.

"Minister Su, please have some tea." Wang Kai pushed a bowl of tea toward him.

Su Baluomo lifted the tea bowl, took a sip, and set it down.

"Gentlemen generals, I have come here by order of His Majesty the King to discuss the Malacca Strait with you."