"Before this, by means of the resources in our hands, we opened cooperation of every form with the great bulk of the Stellar Alliance's interstellar merchants. We carry the goods to the Stellar Alliance, and they then put them out through their own channels of sale." So Li Yaqi reported it, looking at Zhao Chen.
Red Rose said, "But there may be one problem with this method: slowly a year or two, quickly half a year, and the fact that our Owl Dragon System is the hand behind it will come out. For this once — arranging for the interstellar merchants we back to press the Stellar Alliance into giving the Qian family up — that one event is enough by itself to set them suspecting us."
Zhao Chen said it mildly. "On the coming out of our identity you needn't trouble; that too is a thing I have reckoned on. The Starlight Empire's civil war can be settled quickly in half a year, slowly in one; and by then it will matter nothing whether it is out or not. As for the threats outside — the Holy Radiance Empire and the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth — what is to happen will happen. And whether that crew of the Stellar Alliance will still be willing to work with us then… Heh, heh, heh. Having tasted the good of us, will they be willing to give that profit up? Merchants in any age and of any race are greedy; so long as we can go on furnishing them profit, they'll not have the heart to cut our cooperation off."
Hearing this from the Commander-in-Chief, Li Yaqi and Red Rose felt the firmer ground under them.
That they could widen their commercial map so freely out in the world rested on two things: the competitive edge those high-value goods gave, and the sense of safety the Owl Dragon Legion furnished.
They were not like the Stellar Alliance, who could huddle together for warmth.
They had to lean upon a powerful military fleet behind them to furnish their 'guarantee'.
"On our present line of commercial development, leaning upon the Stellar Alliance's network of sales, our two trading groups' outward sales can reach a rate of 50% growth a month for the first three months, and after that an average of at least 10% a month!" Li Yaqi answered.
Red Rose nodded beside her.
"If so much money can be made — why do we not do it ourselves? As it is we must share a cup of the broth with the Stellar Alliance, which surely costs us several billion star coins a month?" Chu Xuan muttered from beside them.
Chu Xuan was a soldier, and had lately grown familiar with some of a secretary-officer's internal work.
But upon interstellar trade she was still an outsider to the craft.
Zhao Chen looked at Li Yaqi with a smile. "You had better explain it for our Secretary-Officer Chu."
Li Yaqi looked at Chu Xuan and said, "Because of efficiency. We could indeed do this ourselves; on the strength of the goods in our hands we could open our market anywhere at all, and both Red Rose and I have confidence enough in that. But it wants time. Opening a market, establishing carriage routes, selling outward, running the market and the rest of it — all of it wants time. And what we are short of just now is exactly time. Contracting the whole of it out to the Stellar Alliance may cost us several billion star coins a month— but it can open a road for our goods fast, and cut down our time, and our outlay on every front. And once the Galactic Alliance's situation has settled in future, we can use every sort of means to gnaw the Stellar Alliance away at leisure. So long as we hold those goods in our hands! That is a weapon that carries all before it!"
Chu Xuan wore the look of one to whom all is suddenly clear.
Zhao Chen nodded in satisfaction. For the sake of the greatest efficiency one must sometimes share a piece of the pie out; and whether it were to be taken back in future rested wholly on Zhao Chen's own humor.
In any case, Zhao Chen had planted a seed in the Stellar Alliance already.
The Star-Shark Guild would in time be Zhao Chen's pawn advanced before the horse.
"You have both done very well. Keep at it. And at the same time you are to observe the Starlight Empire's interstellar trade; once the Starlight Empire's civil war ends, I need the two of you to take at the least eight parts in 10 of the Starlight Empire's interstellar trade in the shortest span you can!" Zhao Chen said it with narrowed eyes.
Li Yaqi and Red Rose both took his meaning; and at the same time there was something of provocation in the eyes each turned upon the other.
This pie that was the Starlight Empire would be an 'arena' for their two trading groups as well.
This conference upon interstellar trade ended, and Li Yaqi and Red Rose took their leave, their lit images fading from the two sides of the conference table.
Zhao Chen worked at his own temples a moment.
And then said to the Chu Xuan and Lilith beside him, "Chu Xuan, get in touch with your grandfather; Lilith, get in touch with my eldest sister and the little Princess. We are to discuss how this turtle Qin Xiaotian, with his head drawn in, is to be stewed."
Lilith answered, "Yes."
Chu Xuan's eyes lit, and she clenched her fists. "Wonderful. At last this civil war of the Starlight Empire's can be brought to an end."
…………
The Starlight Empire · the Imperial Capital Star.
Qin Xiaotian sat at the head of the conference table, looking at the whole body of marshals and commanders under him.
"You have discussed it some days now; it is time the final strategic plan were settled. Qin Longcheng, today you must give me a detailed battle plan. In June a clearance operation must be launched against those rebel forces of the Starlight Empire; and within this year I mean to control the Starlight Empire wholly and utterly!"
Qin Longcheng looked at Qin Xiaotian, the Starlight Empire's present emperor, laid a hand at his breast and said in earnest, "By the discussion among us several marshals— we hold that the third strategic plan, in its latest revision, is the fittest."
"Oh? Bring out the latest revision of the third strategic plan and let me see it." Qin Xiaotian's eyes lit.
The secretary-officer beside him at once opened an electronic document, and set that latest revision of the third strategic plan upon the screen before Qin Xiaotian.
Qin Xiaotian ran his eye over it.
And showed a satisfied expression.
"Settled then: the military action opens at 20:00 hours on the tenth of June, is that right?" Qin Xiaotian looked at Qin Longcheng.
Qin Longcheng raised a hand and called up the map of the Starlight Empire.
"Yes. At that hour we shall launch a surprise operation. Destroying several important regions of the rebel forces. The first target being the Princess Royal Fleet: the little Princess Qin Xiaolei is a banner of the rebel forces, and destroying her will put their conviction to sleep. The second target is the Chu River Star Region's second system, the Chu Wen system; that system holds the Chu family's chief industrial installations, and near two thirds of the Chu River Star Region's warship output comes out of it! Destroy it and it comes to cutting the Chu family's very lifeline! The third target is the North Wind Star Region's Morton system, which holds the interstellar works of the Northern Goose Group — the largest starship manufacturer among the rebel forces as things now stand."
At the hearing of that name, the Northern Goose Group, gloom and a killing intent showed in the eyes of everyone present, Qin Xiaotian included.
For every one of them had procured T2 Tibetan Mastiff-class Medium Interstellar Destroyers from the Northern Goose Group — and none had imagined the hand behind that starship company was the Owl Dragon lord!
Which had led directly to a certain 'tragedy' before now.