Although the latest issue of the major newspapers had yet to be published, the news of the 'Slave King' being captured had already begun to ripple through the upper echelons of the Southern Sea nations, with currents of speculation flowing back and forth through the exchanges on the Den Den Mushi.
When it comes to the slave trade, the Southern Sea is undoubtedly the foremost among the four great seas!
Of course, this is inextricably linked to King Taklama's decades of meticulous efforts in this region, making outstanding contributions to the development of the slave industry.
The mafia of the Western Sea and the slave owners of the Southern Sea are the defining characteristics of these two regions, with the latter enjoying a more developed heavy industry, while the former thrives in light industry.
The Yanad Kingdom is a typical Southern Sea nation.
At this moment, a young, handsome man with golden curly hair, dressed in a blue and gold noble outfit, ascended the steps toward the grand palace hall made of large white stones, under the watchful eyes of guards holding muskets on either side.
"Father!"
The young man entered the hall with graceful steps and respectfully bowed to the middle-aged man seated on the throne.
"Pericles, you've finally arrived! Come and take a look at this!"
The king, wearing a golden crown adorned with sapphires, immediately brightened at the sight of his eldest son, his previously heavy and serious expression giving way to joy.
He stood up and descended from the high platform, handing over the intelligence report he held.
"Alright, please wait a moment."
The prince of the Yanad Kingdom smiled as he took the report and began to read it carefully, but as he continued, his expression grew serious, mirroring that of the king. He then raised his head and said, "Father, regarding the situation in the Thutmose Kingdom, I believe we cannot only look at the surface; this indicates that the World Government is about to take significant action against the slave trade!"
"Yes, I thought of that too. The World Government, for some unknown reason, has suddenly changed its stance on something it has tacitly accepted for hundreds of years!" the king complained, rubbing his temples.
In the past, he believed that even if King Taklama's identity were exposed, the World Government would not allow the navy to act against him lightly. Yet now, without any prior notice, they had made a direct arrest! "This matter has a huge impact on the Southern Sea, and an even greater impact on our Yanad Kingdom," Prince Pericles said, repeatedly examining the contents of the report in his hands.
Their nation has always purchased slaves through various channels, with the slaves responsible for producing light industrial goods in factories. The income from sales would then be partially allocated for the slaves' food and replenishment.
The remainder would be used for the operation of various domestic affairs and to pay the annual Celestial Tribute.
Through this method, they alleviated the living burdens of all citizens, vigorously cultivating their management skills. Citizens only needed to enhance their knowledge, pursue hobbies, and maintain their physical health.
This has been the national policy of the Yanad Kingdom, upheld by successive kings.
They found that this approach yielded excellent results, with the citizens living in a prosperous, comfortable, relaxed, and clean environment, naturally fostering immense support for their royal family. Thus, they became one of the few royal families in the world to maintain their rule for several hundred years.
Because of their successful model, many countries in the Southern Sea rushed to imitate them, with most even taking it to more extreme levels.
Rumor has it that a kingdom called St. Margret has turned all its citizens into slaves, treating them not only as cheap labor but also secretly selling them as commodities when needed. Prince Pericles said to the king, "If the World Government truly intends to crack down on the slave trade, even prohibiting the existence of slaves, then we must prepare for all eventualities!"
"In fact, there's been a rumor circulating among the nobility that at the upcoming World Conference, the Five Elders will propose a comprehensive ban on slavery."
The king paced back and forth, troubled, and continued, "Previously, I didn't take it seriously, thinking it was just a ridiculous rumor, but now that the Slave King has been captured, I have to be cautious."
Upon hearing this, Prince Pericles frowned, observing his father's agitated figure, and raised his voice to remind him, "Calm down, Father!"
The king paused, realizing he had lost his composure, and shook his head with a wry smile, "I truly don't know what to do now. What will our kingdom do without slaves? And on top of that—"
At this point, the king revealed a hesitant expression, prompting Prince Pericles to ask curiously, "And on top of what?"
"Ah, I should tell you, Margret III of the St. Margret Kingdom just called me, hoping that our Yanad Kingdom can join their alliance."
"An alliance?" Prince Pericles felt a sense of foreboding and quickly pressed for details, "What does she want?"
The king ascended the platform and wearily sat back on his throne, addressing his eldest son, "She plans to secretly establish a Southern Sea Alliance. She said that if everything proceeds as usual at this year's World Conference, then fine, but if a comprehensive ban on slavery is indeed passed, they will respond as an alliance."
"They want to challenge the World Government?" Prince Pericles gasped, staring at the king in shock.
"No, Margret III means not to confront them directly and to avoid conflict as much as possible. However, within the alliance, the issue of banning slavery will be treated as if it doesn't exist. Their attitude toward the World Government will be to delay as much as possible, and if it comes to a point of no return, they will then use the allied forces of various nations to resist."
Prince Pericles fell silent for a moment before saying, "So, have you joined?"
"No, I only told her I would think about it. Isn't that what I'm troubled about?" The king shook his head with a wry smile.
"Would you like to hear your son's opinion?"
"I called you here to ask for your thoughts," the king said, looking at Prince Pericles with anticipation, knowing that his son was far more capable than himself.
The latter raised his head and replied firmly, "Then my opinion is to refuse, for this is an extremely foolish path to self-destruction, a path to annihilation, even a path to the downfall of the kingdom!"
The king was taken aback by this statement, while Prince Pericles continued his argument.
"Back in the day, how powerful was the Germa Kingdom? It even dominated the entire Northern Sea region, with more than twenty kingdoms willing to follow them."
"But what was the outcome?"
"In just sixty-six days, they were completely crushed by the naval fleet sent by the World Government. How long do you think this so-called Southern Sea Alliance, composed of just a few kingdoms, can hold out?"
The king instinctively nodded after hearing this, yet he still felt reluctant, hesitating, "But what about the slaves? Our kingdom cannot exist without slaves!"
"Father, which is worse, serious injury or death?!"
Prince Pericles shouted, "If we release the slaves, we can hire workers, and we do not treat slaves harshly. We provide basic guarantees for food, clothing, and shelter, and we do not allow anyone to be whipped at will. I believe some will be willing to stay and work."
"Even if they don't, by doing this, we might suffer for a few years or a decade, but we can gradually adjust. However, if we confront the World Government, the best outcome is that we all end up in the East Sea building bridges!"
This was the first time the king had seen his eldest son so agitated, and he suddenly laughed, "Pericles, tell me honestly, if I had just said I decided to join the Southern Sea Alliance, what would you have done?"
"…"
Prince Pericles was taken aback, and after a moment of silence, he quietly said, "I would leave alone tonight, then change my name and find a way to join the navy."
The king's lips twitched, and he asked, "Wouldn't you try to persuade your father?"
"Good advice is hard to give to a stubborn fool. Once a decision is made, there's no need for further words."