Though Charlotte wondered why the Commander-in-Chief had taken so sudden an interest in the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth—
she told Zhao Chen what she knew of it, point by point.
First was the state of those four beast-folk tribes.
Those four beast-folk tribes likewise belonged among the Warhammer's twenty great tribes.
Though their standing ran high and low.
Highest in standing among them was the Fox-folk tribe. The Fox-folk tribe was one of the New Four Giants — one of the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth's three great powers — the other three of the New Four Giants being the Giant Lion tribe, the Minotaur tribe, and the Black Tiger tribe.
And the Fox-folk tribe's own fighting strength was in fact not high; but the Fox-folk tribe produced great numbers of staff officers, military commanders and the like, and scientists and researchers of every sort besides.
It was said the Fox-folk tribe's intelligence ran very high!
"The Fox-folk tribe is in fact one of those great lineages: their own race is not large in number, but the Fox-folk tribe counts every half-fox tribe as one of its members. Nine-tailed fox-folk, twin-tailed fox-folk, fire fox-folk, white fox-folk. Even the Black Fox tribe within our own Revolutionary Army originally belonged to the Fox-folk tribe. But for reasons outsiders do not rightly know, the Black Fox tribe broke away from the Fox-folk tribe and set itself up as a tribe of its own. Only, being few in number and not strong in strength, it could not become one of the twenty great tribes. Perhaps out of a wish to overthrow the Fox-folk tribe, the Black Fox tribe has always been a great supporter of our Revolutionary Army. The Black Fox tribe is something like our Revolutionary Army's brain trust. That young chieftain of the Black Fox tribe, Hu Xin'er, is at present my secretary-officer in the Dragon-Tiger Legion." Charlotte explained it from beside him.
Zhao Chen knit his brows slightly. No wonder the Fox Clan Empress of this Fox-folk tribe carried the highest completion of the four — 20% outright.
The other three were only 10% apiece.
With their present standing among the New Four Giants, to bring such a people to "submit" to Zhao Chen would be very hard indeed.
"Though I did come by one piece of intelligence earlier that is not certain. The Fox Clan Empress seems to be in contact with the Dragon-folk tribe in private." Charlotte said it in a low voice.
Zhao Chen made a note of it.
Within the Warhammer Interstellar Commonwealth there were three factions: one headed by the Dragon-folk tribe, at present the Warhammer's strongest faction; second the New Four Giants, who would not submit to the Dragon-folk tribe; and last, certain neutral tribal powers who declared for neither.
Zhao Chen learned from Charlotte afterward the present state of the other three tribes as well.
The Siren tribe belonged among the neutral tribes; because the planets within their territory were all of the oceanic sort, ill-suited to the survival of other races, they had no great entanglement of interest with anyone.
The Harpy tribe and the Spider Queen tribe belonged to the Dragon-folk tribe's camp.
The Spider Queen tribe was somewhat like the interstellar dwarves: though chiefly female, they had a very strong capacity for craft and for learning.
Because of the particular nature of the Spider Queen race's individuals, at a work post one spider could often do the work of several, at enormous efficiency.
Of the Dragon-folk tribe's industrial system, a full third came from the Spider Queen tribe.
They amounted to the Starlight Empire's Northern Goose Group — only without the Northern Goose Group's formidable capabilities.
As for the Harpy tribe, it might be called the weakest in strength of these four tribes.
Among the hangers-on under the Dragon-folk tribe's hand, they came near the bottom.
"Among these, as I told you before— the Harpy tribe and the Spider Queen tribe have already made private contact with us; and with the Harpy tribe above all, since our Revolutionary Army's staged victories, the notion of joining us has grown stronger still. Though to this hour they are still wavering. Chiefly because within these two tribes there remain some who are loyal to the Dragon-folk tribe," Charlotte said.
"Suppose I meant to bring these four tribes over. Charlotte, do you think the odds are good?" Zhao Chen asked.
Charlotte was somewhat astonished at Zhao Chen's notion, but analyzed it all the same. "The Harpy tribe would not be difficult; the Spider Queen tribe, given a little sweetness, ought to be no trouble either. The Siren tribe have always kept out of the world's quarrels, and with their own particular living environment besides, they will likely be unwilling to take part; to bring them over would be harder even than the Fox-folk tribe by a good deal. And the Fox-folk tribe… are very cunning. High though their standing is, that cunning nature of theirs is precisely what gives us our opening — so long as we can offer terms that satisfy them. And strength enough to convince them. The Fox-folk tribe have always been excellent opportunists; they understand very well what manner of speculation will let their own tribe flourish and prosper."
Lilith put in a word from beside them. "And I think this is the best opening we shall have. If the Fox Clan Empress truly is in contact with the Dragon-folk tribe— then it shows the Fox-folk tribe have no great confidence in the New Four Giants themselves. And if at such a moment we can let the Fox-folk tribe see our strength, they will naturally choose to turn toward us."
All this analysis came, at bottom, to a single word: strength.
"So long as one possesses strength enough, then even if they cannot be made to submit to you from the heart— at the least, let them fear you, dread you. And that can just as well bring them meekly to bow their heads and call themselves subjects. Have I said it wrongly, Lilith?" Zhao Chen looked to Lilith.
Lilith nodded; she had guessed the Commander-in-Chief's meaning. "Let them gaze into the abyss, and they will know what choice they ought to make."
Zhao Chen drained the cup in his hand and said to the women present, "This banquet is near enough over. Though the Starlight Empire's civil war has ended— our own business is not yet cleared away. Everyone see to your own affairs, and then return at once to the Owl Dragon Star System to refit the legion fleets. Su Lan, have your Owl Dragon Fourth Legion complete the handover with my eldest sister's side as fast as you can; let them handle the Imperial Capital Star's affairs. We leave early. If I do not go now, that eldest sister of mine will— never mind; let us not raise that subject."
Over this stretch Zhao Ruyue had blown no small amount of wind in Zhao Chen's ear, and Zhao Chen was beginning to develop a certain fear of his own sister.
Something came to Zhao Chen, and he looked to Su Lan. "Su Lan, if the Su family make contact with you, wishing to recommend some of the Su family to join our Owl Dragon Legion— you need have no misgivings. So long as they meet our requirements, take every one of them in; arrange them straight to the Goddess Academy for advancement study, and so long as they pass the assessment, arrange for them to join our Owl Dragon Legion. We happen to be expanding on a great scale and are short of high-grade talent. The Su family is handing us a pillow; not to take it would be a waste."
What notions the Su family had, was Zhao Chen unclear on them?
Heh, heh, heh. Though that old Governor Su would, at a guess, find his reckoning out by some way.
Those Su family women, once sent to the Owl Dragon Legion, would be meat buns thrown to a dog — never to return.
"Come — let us go home." Zhao Chen stretched himself, and left the table with his company of women generals.
Leaving the guests present nothing but the sight of a departing back.