Zhao Chen fell silent for a good long while.
He was still digesting this matter. The disturbance of this affair had only just begun, and it had already formed a storm mighty enough to sweep across the whole of the Starlight Empire's existing system.
Five days' time!
To ambush a royal fleet that was an elite fleet — possessing five T4 interstellar warships and several hundred T3 interstellar warships! And to leave behind, besides, not a single clue or scrap of news. Within this were too many riddles.
"Why would the First Prince's royal fleet have appeared here? When the First Prince's royal fleet suffered the ambush, why did it send no distress signal to the outside world? Was it because the signal was intercepted? And at the scene, apart from the royal fleet's interstellar-warship wreckage, no other interstellar-warship wreckage was discovered — which is to say, the wreckage of the attackers' interstellar warships! This sky-veiling, sea-crossing means is surely too terrifying.[1] The chief culprit able to accomplish all of this would need to meet too many conditions. It's truly hard to imagine just who could possess such ability, and such audacity. To ambush a nation's crown prince — that is to declare war upon this empire!" Zhao Chen knit his brows.
This suddenly arisen affair had thrown all of Zhao Chen's plans into disarray.
And it was just at this point that Lilith's side received yet another latest piece of news. Lilith consulted it a moment, and, with a somewhat astonished expression, reported to Zhao Chen, "Lord Commander, the latest intelligence. The interstellar fleets of those pro-Starlight interstellar forces within the Reef Star Region are, across the board, withdrawing from the Reef Star Region, and pulling back toward the several star systems the Starlight Empire has newly taken control of!"
"Withdrawn?" Zhao Chen at once guessed at the reason within. "Is it because of this matter of the First Prince falling in battle?"
"That's right. All the Starlight Empire's imperial-army fleets have received orders to halt all military action, and, absent orders, are not permitted to leave their current positions. It's been heard that no small number of imperial-army fleet commanders and marshals have been taken away for investigation! This has led the Starlight Empire's military-action deployment in the Reef Star Region to be, across the board, suspended. And without the support of the Starlight Empire's imperial army, those pro-Starlight interstellar fleets naturally dare not confront us head-on, and so have chosen to withdraw from the Reef Star Region for the time being. And the Starlight Empire's side has, too, temporarily agreed to their relocating into the several star systems the Starlight Empire has newly taken control of — and, along the way, having them carry out development of those several star systems," Lilith answered.
"This truly is a set of dominoes — one tile falls, and it directly causes a whole string of chain reactions. I feel that behind this matter of the First Prince's falling in battle, there must, without doubt, be some major conspiracy at work!" Zhao Chen said in earnest.
In truth, whether the First Prince lived or died, Zhao Chen personally wasn't overly interested; for, after all, this was a person of no relation whatsoever to him. But the problem was that the First Prince was bound up with the Starlight Empire's body politic. And most, most important of all was — the First Prince's death, who would it profit?
The Prince Faction!
The Prince Faction, formed by the Second Prince and the Third Prince, who'd originally had no hope of contending!
But the faction that had originally supported the First Prince — how could they possibly watch, wide-eyed and helpless, as the Prince Faction rose? Indeed, this might well be the very mastermind behind the First Prince's death! For, after all, the Prince Faction was the single greatest direct beneficiary of this affair.
Thinking of the First Prince, Zhao Chen thought of the First Prince's own younger sister, the Starlight Empire's little Princess. And most important of all — his own eldest sister was, after all, serving in the little Princess's royal fleet.
"Lilith, modify the original combat plan! Get in contact with Medusa, and have her interstellar fleet at once move into the star-system fiefs formerly held by those several pro-Starlight interstellar forces. I think the Warhammer faction's interstellar forces will surely make some move. Our Owl Dragon Fleet, for the moment, doesn't stir — we watch quietly and see how it develops. Now that the pro-Starlight interstellar fleet has withdrawn from the Reef Star Region, that, on the contrary, leaves our enemy here as only the Warhammer faction's interstellar fleet. It has to be said — this matter of the First Prince's falling in battle is a double-edged sword; it's affected us, but it's also, indirectly, been of help to us," Zhao Chen said with some helplessness.
Zhao Chen grumbled a bit, then went straight on. "The fighting here I'll leave, for the time being, in the charge of you and Charlotte. I'm going to take a trip back to the Owl Dragon System; I want to have Jiang Hong help me get in contact with my eldest sister. I'm guessing that this matter of the First Prince being ambushed and killed will soon draw the little Princess into it too."
Lilith's eyes lit up; she'd caught the meaning within Zhao Chen's words. "You think that the crown-prince faction, which originally supported the First Prince, will — because of the First Prince's death — turn instead to propping up the little Princess? But since the Starlight Empire's founding, there's never been a case of a female emperor holding power. Would the Starlight Emperor agree to it?"
"Whether or not the Starlight Emperor agrees, the people below have, all the same, to make their bid for it. Originally, with the First Prince in his position, the Prince Faction had no chance whatsoever of seizing power. But now that the First Prince has been ambushed and killed, it will surely cause the First Prince's faction to waver. The Prince Faction will absolutely not waste this rare chance; they'll surely rise upon the momentum of it — and the only one who can now obstruct them is the little Princess! For, after all, the little Princess is the First Prince's sister; and though the Starlight Empire has no precedent for a female emperor, who yet dares guarantee that the little Princess won't become that very first one!"
Zhao Chen scratched at his head with some vexation, and said, "This Starlight Empire is now utterly cooked into one muddled pot of porridge; I only hope these party-and-faction struggles won't drag me into them. All I want is to find a place to settle myself and make my living, and develop well — to possess a strength that keeps me from being bullied by others. For all these matters to come colliding together at once, really… haah…"
And the reason Zhao Chen was, now, concerned about the little Princess was, of course, on account of his own eldest sister! He had to find a way to get in contact with his eldest sister. And to see whether he could persuade his eldest sister to leave the little Princess's royal fleet and return to the Owl Dragon System. Before, his eldest sister had left the Owl Dragon System because of reasons where she was not her own master. And now, the Owl Dragon System was within Zhao Chen's grasp, thriving and flourishing. His eldest sister could perfectly well come back. And if his eldest sister wished to establish an enterprise of her own, Zhao Chen could even prop her up to become his own spokesperson in the Reef Star Region.
"Please set your mind at ease, Commander; the matters here, I and Deputy Commander Charlotte will, without fail, deal with properly!" Lilith pledged.
"The T3 Phoenix I'll leave for you; I'll ride a T3 Blizzard back and that'll do. Barring the unexpected, the round trip is only about half a day's time. During this while, should there be any sudden situation, contact me at the first moment — and, at the same time, you and Charlotte have the authority to make decisions!" Zhao Chen enjoined.
"Yes."
His returning to the Owl Dragon System this time was, on the one hand, to get in contact with his own eldest sister. On the other, it was to find some way, through certain information channels, to come to know the Starlight Empire's specific situation as it stood now.
Having finished laying out his instructions, Zhao Chen, aboard the T3 Blizzard, hurriedly left the Snake-folk system — first returning to the Lion King System, then transferring to the Owl Dragon System.
The First Prince's death — just where, after all, would it push the Starlight Empire?