T3 Phoenix-class Heavy Carrier Starship · bridge.
"Everything's proceeding very smoothly. The work of selling natural food ingredients is now gradually hitting its stride; the few small problems that cropped up at the start have all been resolved. On the supply-and-demand relationship, too, a balance has been reached. The residents' quality of life and their attitude toward their work have both seen a great uplift. On account of this decree, a great many people have had their hopes for the life ahead kindled, and are willing to enter the vocational-technical academies to study, or to raise their own skills." Within the video window, Jiang Hong was reporting to Zhao Chen on the changes and developments of this past half-month and more.
"Very good. To be able to establish good order this quickly — this shows the foundational links you laid down over the previous month were very complete," Zhao Chen said with a note of praise.
Jiang Hong looked at Lord Zhao Chen. "Those doings of mine were merely adding flowers to the brocade, no more. Had it not been for these natural food ingredients you, Commander, provided at the last, this whole set of processes simply couldn't have run at all."
"Set your mind at ease. As for the side of natural-food-ingredient supply — Bessie will conduct the interfacing with you each month, to ensure that each month's natural-food-ingredient supply proceeds without a hitch," Lord Zhao Chen pledged.
That Commander Zhao Chen could hand over so vast a quota of grain — Jiang Hong, this acting lord, was quite astonished at it, but she asked no further. She knew only that, before the end of March, several large-scale T2 interstellar transport ships had sailed out from that star region designated as the Owl Dragon military-control zone, and had delivered batch upon batch of grain to her — which she then, by means of the T1 interstellar transport ships she'd mobilized ahead of time, transshipped onward to every single planet.
"There's also another matter besides…" Jiang Hong hesitated somewhat.
"It should be to do with the household-register decree, I take it? Is someone pressuring you, hoping you might grant some more register quotas," Zhao Chen said with a light chuckle.
Jiang Hong nodded, and spoke up. "Our Owl Dragon System's currently resident population has reached 300 million-odd; but in this matter of the register registration, only a third chose to register on the Owl Dragon register. Included among those who did not was a portion of the nobility and the middle class besides — none of whom chose to register on the Owl Dragon register. They're now jointly putting forward a proposal, demanding that we once again throw open the register-registration channel."
"Now that they've seen the substantive benefits, this pack knows to feel the pinch, does it?" Zhao Chen said with a cold laugh. "Jiang Hong, remember this. As concerns the Owl Dragon register decree — apart from that first batch of personnel who joined the Owl Dragon register unconditionally, anyone wishing to join the Owl Dragon register hereafter must conform to the relevant regulations. Either they must be technical talents in one field or another; or complete a work-duration index — ranging from three to 10 years — at certain work posts in the Owl Dragon System; or, again, have a series of meritorious achievements to show; and, further, the family members of female soldiers serving in the Owl Dragon Fleet may obtain the register; and lastly, investment-based residency will do as well — so long as they can put up that sum of investment funds sufficient for it. Apart from these, none whatsoever shall be permitted to join the Owl Dragon register any longer; and should it be found that anyone is pulling underhanded little maneuvers, then, without exception, handle it with severity!"
Some things, once missed, are then missed forever. Zhao Chen had once opened for them the door leading toward a new life; it was they themselves who, with their own hands, had shut it. There was no one else to blame.
Zhao Chen added further, "Any and all who stir up trouble over this matter — the ringleaders, one and all, are to be permanently expelled from the Owl Dragon System; those whose case is grave may be directly imprisoned and put on trial — let them go straight off to dig ore."
"Yes." Jiang Hong had no objection to this arrangement. Indeed, this was precisely what she herself had been thinking. The hundred-million-odd of the Owl Dragon register was, at present, already no small number; a thing of this kind simply had to be made precious by its scarcity — only so could those without the Owl Dragon register be made to devise every means to obtain it through the proper channels. This was a manner of incentive. And at the same time, it could give the residents who held the Owl Dragon register a "sense of superior status" — setting them above those without it, and knitting those within it together!
The talk drew to a close here.
Zhao Chen swept an eye over the System-mission interface. As for the quality of life of the Owl Dragon System's residents, it had, from the 0.6 points at the start of the year, over this past half-month climbed straight up to 2 points! This, just this, was the common folk's need: so long as their three meals a day were free of worry, and hope was to be seen within their lives — that was enough! And this quality-of-life figure was still climbing without cease, rising very nearly by the day.
"Hereafter I'll roll out, in succession, some more register-holder welfare besides — things like elder-care, housing, medical care, the raising of children, and so on." Zhao Chen had, in his heart, a whole series of methods for raising the quality of life. Were all of these to be unfurled and put into play, then Zhao Chen had the confidence that he could forge the Owl Dragon System into a very land of bliss! And in the future, it could draw great numbers of talents to "settle their household" and migrate to the Owl Dragon System.
Zhao Chen looked out beyond the deep-space telescope, at that colossal interstellar warship standing towering there amid the stars.
T3 Silver Eden Ship No. 001!
Its internal structural modules were quite similar to the T2 Bronze Eden's — only, they were more advanced, of swifter efficiency, and, at the same time, of greater space. To go inside it was for all the world like entering a small heaven-and-earth all one's own. It was precisely because this T3 Silver Eden had entered service, and been put to its relevant production work, that the smooth running of this grain decree of Zhao Chen's had been ensured.
"Lord Commander, this T3 Silver Eden can, moreover, from the grain sales within the Owl Dragon System, bring us a yearly profit of close to 1 billion star coins," Lilith said from the side. Though the residents of the Owl Dragon register bought natural food ingredients at an exceedingly low price, this was in fact still a situation in which Zhao Chen turned a certain profit. Only, the margin of profit was very small — not the exorbitant, gouging profit of the market. This portion of profit could be used to maintain the basic running of the Owl Dragon Fleet, and the surplus could, besides, be handed over to Jiang Hong to take charge of raising the Owl Dragon System's basic livelihood. It amounted, one might say, to the forming of a virtuous cycle of relations.
"The grain trade has, all along, been the lion's share of the interstellar trades — a match for the arms trade, drum for drum and banner for banner. Though its profit rate isn't very high, its vast supply-and-demand factors create a very vast market. Once we've come to possess enough T3 Silver Edens, we can specially build a group dedicated to the interstellar grain trade — selling our grain outward, and creating revenue." Zhao Chen put forth a vision for the future.
Lilith nodded in agreement.
Speaking of trade, Zhao Chen thought of the quarterly mission that had refreshed for him at the start of this month.
Quarterly Mission: Sell one hundred System-produced interstellar warships to outside parties; they must be built by a fleet under the host's command.
This was a trade mission. And, moreover, it was specifically decreed that they must be produced and manufactured by Zhao Chen's Owl Dragon Fleet. The producing and manufacturing was no great problem; but the problem lay in — whom was Zhao Chen to sell them to? This was a matter that needed deliberating.
Beep, beep, beep.
Zhao Chen's handheld terminal flickered, giving notice of an urgent comm request. Zhao Chen shot a glance at it.
It was Li Yaqi.
For Li Yaqi to be contacting him at a time like this, there ought to be some urgent matter. Zhao Chen sent over a virtual-comm network room, then sat down in the captain's chair and closed his eyes. His consciousness entered that virtual-comm network room.
Opposite him was Li Yaqi, who had long been waiting; upon Li Yaqi's face was a look of panic and anxiety, and a trace of guilt besides.
"Lord Zhao Chen — Northern Goose is in trouble!" Li Yaqi said straight out, her face pale.