Watching the retreating backs of Zhao Chen and his companions, the three big shots of the Azure Star Region looked at one another in dismay. Never had they imagined it would end like this. They'd taken him for nothing but a trifling little baron — and never dreamed that around him would surface so very many powers. Northstar Academy; the Su family of the Purple Perilla Star Region; and even the Chu family of the Chu River Star Region, and a royal Princess. And that was only what lay out in the open. For if Zhao Chen truly was Chu Changhe's grandson-in-law, one mustn't forget who the maternal grandfather of that Chu-family little princess was — the Governor of the North Wind Star Region!
"Damn it — in all these years I've never once been made to swallow it like today!" Marshal Huang Zhixiong returned to the booth, snatched up a wine bottle, and poured it down his throat in great gulps. Being bullied by that Chu Changhe was one thing, but now a mere junior stood over his head too — and had even goaded him to his face just now!
"What else can we do? Northstar Academy and the Su family of the Purple Perilla Star Region — those two we can disregard. But the royal house's face, that we have to give. Above all Chu Changhe, that mad dog — there's truly nothing the man won't do; in all the Starlight Empire, only His Majesty can hold him down. To anyone else he gives no face at all." The professional smile vanished from the Azure Governor's face in an instant, his look turning grim.
Chairman Feng said mildly, off to the side, "This Zhao Chen is even more the target of every eye now than before. Move against him again, and we'd very likely draw the fire onto ourselves. He may carry the technical blueprints of two fine warships — the T3 Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser and the T2 Black Rhino-class Interstellar Heavy Assault Frigate — but that's not enough to make it worth truly staking everything. Let's keep quiet for a while. The Empire's real drama has only just begun; let the bullets fly a while yet. I have a few matters of my own to see to, so I'll take my leave first."
With that, Chairman Feng left the restaurant.
The Azure Governor and Huang Zhixiong watched his departing figure.
"This fellow's been making no small stir of late — very much the look of a man about to cast us off and go solo." Huang Zhixiong looked darkly at the Azure Governor.
The Azure Governor gave a cold laugh. "Go solo? His Hurricane Conglomerate was propped up by the two of us in the first place. Without the Azure Star Region's fat orders of warships, could he ever have developed that best-selling T2 Hyena-class Heavy Interstellar Destroyer? Mind you, the core technology of that T2 Hyena I paid a heavy price to prise out of one of the Empire's subordinate starship research institutes. However mighty his Feng family may act, they're nothing but a dog the two of us keep."
Huang Zhixiong nodded with a cold smile.
Once out of the domed restaurant, Zhao Chen's party instantly drew the notice of a great crowd. Seeing Zhao Chen come out chatting and laughing with the woman officer of the Princess's royal fleet, the two academies' people all but confirmed the guess in their hearts: the one honored this time was Zhao Chen!
"Sister Wei — this time a royal fleet came in person to confer the bestowal. What's the reason behind it, really? Might you clear up a thing or two for your little brother here?" Zhao Chen stood at Commander Wei's side, asking with curiosity. With the women soldiers escorting them all around, the setting for the two to talk was quite private.
"As if you didn't know?" Commander Wei looked at Zhao Chen with a smile.
"Is it because of my big sister?" Zhao Chen said.
Commander Wei smiled and held her tongue.
Zhao Chen probed a little. "Ever since my big sister followed Her Highness the Princess, she's rarely kept in contact with the family. I wonder — what office does my big sister actually hold at the Princess's side?"
"Zhao Chen, little brother, what you ought not to ask, don't ask. As for your bestowal this time, in truth it's only reason and right — it's what you deserve. It's simply that a spectacle on this scale is a special case. What I can say is this: don't let down the care your sister has put into raising you. In fact, while I've been at the Princess's side, I've come to know a little of you too. I'd heard at first that you had no real ability, and rather resented your family's arrangements for you — but now it seems you're not entirely as the rumors had it. A single ship, braving the hive-race's deadly straits alone — that's no ordinary person's doing." Commander Wei's lovely eyes rested on Zhao Chen with approval.
"Your little brother just got lucky, that's all." Zhao Chen gave a sheepish laugh.
Since this Commander Wei was unwilling to say more about his sister, Zhao Chen pressed no further; the two of them merely made light conversation. Soon Zhao Chen and the rest arrived at the berth where the royal fleet's flagship was docked.
"This is far enough to see us off, Zhao Chen, little brother. We ought not linger — we must be getting back now. Another day, if the chance comes, when you visit the Imperial Capital Star System, your big sister will show you a fine time." Commander Wei looked at the young man before her — a fine seedling. He'd rendered great service, yet was neither proud nor rash, neither servile nor arrogant; her impression of him was a good one.
"Sister Wei, one moment. I've prepared some gifts — take them back to the ship and share them with your sisters," Zhao Chen said suddenly.
Just then Lilith came up leading a squad of women crew, wheeling several cargo crates.
"Gifts?" Commander Wei was a little taken aback, eyeing the crates.
"A small trifle — best suited to you sisters." As Zhao Chen said it, he opened one of the crates, revealing the fruit within.
At the sight of the fruit, Commander Wei's eyes lit up sharply. Natural foodstuffs were precious; the women officers serving in the royal fleet could, for the most part, get their share of them — but fruit was something they might taste only a few times in a whole year! And now this Zhao Chen meant to give them several crates of it outright.
"Zhao Chen, little brother — these gifts…" Commander Wei hesitated.
"Consider it a gift I'm sending along for my big sister; I'll trouble you with it, Sister Wei. This fruit is wonderful — it's good for the complexion," Zhao Chen said with a smile.
Perhaps there aren't many women who can resist words like "good for the complexion." In the end Commander Wei accepted after all, and had her women soldiers wheel the crates aboard the ship. Her impression of Zhao Chen rose another notch.
Just before Commander Wei boarded, she suddenly leaned close to Zhao Chen's ear and murmured, "About your sister — I can't say much. But her post is above mine."
With that, Commander Wei took her leave.
This one simple sentence held no small amount within it. This Commander Wei was one of the 10 corps-grade fleets under the Princess's royal household guard; of a post like fleet commander, there were in all only 10. Yet this Wei Shishi said Zhao Chen's sister's post ranked even above hers? The content of those words was no trifling thing.
Wei Shishi returned to the ship and went straight to the bridge. In the captain's chair sat a woman officer; before her was a surveillance video feed, and the figure displayed upon it was, plain to see, the very image of Zhao Chen.
"Lady Yue — will you… truly not go down and see your brother?" Wei Shishi looked at this personage with respect.
The woman officer said mildly, "This is enough. Prepare to set course back."
"Um… that is… your brother sent some fruit as a gift, said it was to bring to you," Wei Shishi reported faithfully.
The corners of the woman officer's mouth lifted a fraction. She said gently, "Leave one portion for me; the rest, share out among the sisters of the fleet. After all, it was for my brother's sake that I troubled you all to come this long way."
"Thank you, my lady." Wei Shishi was glad at heart.
The woman officer gazed at the young man in the image. She raised her hand, and her slender fingers slowly met the face of that figure — as though the two had touched.