Chu Changhe looked at Zhao Chen, not understanding.
Zhao Chen raised his hand, and a holographic-projection interstellar holo-table appeared between the two of them, taking in the whole territory of the Starlight Empire, together with the vast stretch of star regions beyond the Starlight Empire's north, and showing, besides, the regions two other empires controlled.
And the star regions and star systems between the three interstellar empires were shown in three colors, similar to the several colors representing each of the three interstellar empires' domains, but paler — so they could be told apart very well.
"After the Mechanical Race withdrew its forces, this stretch of interstellar region all became ownerless star systems. Its total area is as vast as one whole Starlight Empire. Before this, the various powers within the Starlight Empire all poured eagerly into it; up to now they've controlled close to 30% of the ownerless star systems, but it's still at the construction stage. Going by the data fed back so far, this one-third of the ownerless star systems alone can furnish a resource output equal to five Chu River Star Regions."
Zhao Chen pointed at these places, and said with a smile, "You said just now that the strategic resources aren't enough — well, isn't there ready-made resource right here?"
Chu Changhe understood Zhao Chen's meaning.
"You mean to control these ownerless star systems!"
Zhao Chen nodded.
"We're now set against the Prince Faction; within the Starlight Empire, only one of us — the Prince Faction or ourselves — can go on living. This contest might, at the short end, run a year or so; at the long end, it might hold on for several years. We must make ready for the long haul. And with so much ready-made resource for us to take in hand, why should we let it go to waste?"
Chu Changhe fixed his eyes on those star systems beyond the Chu River Star Region.
"Your proposal is a good one, but the difficulty of carrying it out is great. First and most important is the capacity to mine these ownerless star systems. Our Chu River Star Region is very developed in the matter of military industry, but in other respects it's our short board. Take, for instance, the advanced equipment for mining resources and the like — that we'd find it very hard to produce on a large scale. And then there's the matter of time. You must understand — even the plan the Starlight Empire officialdom put out before regarding the mining of these star systems was to complete the industrial construction within five years, and to reach the peak of output within 30 years. Even if we truly did control these ownerless star systems, we have no such long span of time to develop them in."
"They can't do it — but I can," Zhao Chen said with confidence.
Chu Changhe looked toward Zhao Chen.
Zhao Chen raised his hand, and the holographic image of an interstellar warship appeared before Chu Changhe.
"This is our Owl Dragon Legion's present T3 Prospector-class Heavy Interstellar Mining Ship. So long as we outfit large numbers of this class of interstellar mining ship, we can, in an exceedingly short span of time, set the resources of these ownerless star systems running. At the same time, on my side I'll attempt to develop a more advanced T4-grade interstellar mining ship, to maximize our production capacity. So long as you reckon this plan workable — let me put it plainly like this: within three months I can guarantee to build another 'Chu River Star Region' out there!" Zhao Chen said in earnest.
Chu Changhe looked at that T3-grade interstellar mining ship, and looked at Zhao Chen in great surprise.
"You boy — you have no small number of hole cards in hand. Even the Empire's side hasn't yet developed a T3-grade heavy interstellar mining ship, and you, of all things, already have one. If it's truly as you say — that within three months there can be the resource output of one 'Chu River Star Region' — then the resource consumption of our head-on engagement with the Prince Faction, on the conventional-warfare side, can at the least be brought level; and failing that, the strategic resources that would originally have been spent to the dregs in half a year can be made to just barely hold out for a year and more. Since you've already made your arrangements, I take it you have a detailed plan already."
Zhao Chen gave a faint smile, his eyes glancing sidelong at that succubus secretary working away in the distance.
With that secretarial team of hers on hand, a great many things were, well before they began, prepared long in advance with any number of contingency plans and schemes — Zhao Chen needn't trouble himself over these matters at all.
"Leave it to me — I'll handle all this. What you need to do is, within three months, to make sure we take no loss on the head-on battlefield against the Prince Faction," Zhao Chen said.
"Take no loss? Heh heh heh — on an interstellar battlefield, taking a loss isn't in my nature." Chu Changhe gave a cold snort.
In the end, the two looked at each other and smiled, and turned their gaze upon the interstellar holo-table.
In this moment, a dragon and a tiger seemed to look down upon the whole of the Starlight Empire.
…
The next day, the news that Chu Changhe had returned safely to the Chu River Star Region was very soon made public by the Chu family, which put the Prince Faction's position in a delicate spot.
The Prince Faction made no statement whatever on this matter, but its moves were not few.
First it began dispatching great numbers of legion fleets to hurry toward the important military-hub star regions bordering the Chu River Star Region and the North Wind Star Region; at the same time it moved imperial forces in from other star regions.
And the Prince Faction, besides, drafted an expansion-of-forces plan to build out 10 legion fleets within the coming year.
A sudden expansion of forces — the reek of gunpowder it carried was simply too sharp in the nostrils.
At the same time, on the Chu River Star Region's side, a 'military exercise' was likewise conducted.
All the imperial legion fleets of the Chu River Star Region were arrayed out in full.
They even invited some interstellar media to broadcast live from the scene.
19 imperial legions all told.
Among them were the imperial forces stationed permanently in the Chu River Star Region, and also the imperial legions of the border group-army here.
So abnormal a 'military exercise' — it let no small number of people catch the scent of something amiss.
In the various star systems, interstellar legion upon interstellar legion of interstellar warships were arrayed there in differing battle-formations, giving one a feeling of solemnity.
Very soon, an open-channel picture appeared in all the legion fleets, and in the channels of the interstellar media.
In the open-channel picture was an old man standing on the bridge of a T4 Boreas-class Heavy Interstellar Battleship, clad in the Chu family's regulation military uniform, five dazzling stars upon his shoulders, and on his chest a golden 'Chu' character.
The background of the open-channel picture was the bridge's holographic projection of the outer-space scene, on which one could see great numbers of Chu family interstellar warships, all bearing the golden 'Chu'-character crest.
Beyond doubt, this was the Chu family legion!
"The Second Prince Qin Ming has falsely charged me with regicide, has slandered the Empress's honor, has cast a false charge on the little Princess Her Highness's bloodline. He has even attempted to frame the Empress, to do harm to the little Princess, and to put me, Chu Changhe, to death. But the truth is — Qin Ming cruelly murdered his father to seize the throne, killed the Starlight Emperor, and schemed to lay hands upon the imperial seat." Chu Changhe's gaze was like a torch; without wrath he carried his own authority; his voice was not loud, but to the ear it felt for all the world like a great bronze bell.
"This day, I, Chu Changhe! Marshal of the Empire, Governor of the Chu River Star Region — am willing to cleanse the poisonous sore for the royal house."
Up to here, no one was overly surprised — for this was a thing everyone had reckoned on.
The Prince Faction had made its move before; you, Chu Changhe, were bound to answer.
It was nothing more than the two methods of a head-on hard fight, or a low-key negotiated suit for peace.
And since Chu Changhe was drilling troops in a military exercise at this juncture, his attitude was already quite plain.
But the next second, a sudden turn left everyone astonished.
"This lowly general Chu Changhe shall, for the royal house's one and only hope — the little Princess Her Highness — sweep clean every savage beast and poisonous vermin within the Starlight Empire!" Chu Changhe turned his body aside, revealing the person seated in the captain's chair behind him.
A set of Royal-Legion-style uniform, pure white, worn upon the little Princess Qin Xiaolei's body, gave one a feeling of dashing, valiant spirit.