End of September, Galactic Calendar 3032

Almost two months have passed since the Star Prince Party seized power in the capital of the Star Glory Empire.

But so far, the Star Empire appears to be calm on the surface.

Even the princes' faction hasn't publicly mentioned the little princess.

However, if someone were to closely observe the Star Empire, they would discover that beneath this calm surface, undercurrents were surging.

The number of starships ordered by various forces within the Star Empire has increased by 300% year-on-year in the past two months!

This directly led to a price increase for many starship manufacturers' interstellar warships, with some popular starships even seeing price increases of up to 50%!

For example, the T2 Tibetan Mastiff-class medium-sized interplanetary destroyer from the Beiyan Group.

In addition, the few T3 starships available for sale are also fully booked; there is even a shortage of them.

All factions are building up their armaments on a massive scale, which is enough to say that a storm has already formed beneath the surface of the Starry Empire.

The two epicenters of this storm are naturally the princes' faction and the Chu family.

The news that Chu Changhe of the Chu family was under house arrest in the capital city had already spread among the upper class.

But so far, the Chu family army has remained inactive, which is truly surprising.

Could it be that Chu Xuan, the heir of the Chu family, is incompetent and unable to carry the banner of the Chu family?

Nobody knows what happened.

At that moment, the person in question was discussing a business deal with her 'fiancé'.

"I've already ordered the third payment—the technology licensing fee for the T3 Flame Dragon-class medium-sized interstellar destroyer—and the raw material payment of 32 billion star coins, to be transported to the Xiaolong star system," Chu Xuan said in a video conversation with Zhao Chen.

Zhao Chen looked at Chu Xuan across from him. After not seeing her for a while, he noticed that Chu Xuan had changed quite a bit.

His previously outward aura has now become much more subdued.

If she was more like a female knight before, she is more like a female general commanding the central army now.

Chu Xuan continued, "In addition, we are preparing to produce a fourth batch of T3 Flame Dragons."

This time, we will directly produce one thousand T3 Flame Dragons. According to our previously agreed technology licensing fee of 150 million Star Coins per ship, that is, a total of 150 billion Star Coins.

I will pay for the initial 45 billion Star Coins worth of raw materials along with this final payment.

Even under these circumstances, Chu Xuan was still able to uphold the spirit of the contract and continue to pay Zhao Chen the technology licensing fee.

This made Zhao Chen admire the Chu family.

It's no wonder that the Chu family became the number one family in the Starry Empire; there's a reason for it.

Zhao Chen did not immediately agree to Chu Xuan's request. He said seriously, "Is your Chu family preparing for war? Are you getting ready to go to war with the Prince's Party?"

Chu Xuan's brows furrowed with anger: "The princes' faction has placed my grandfather under house arrest, even though my grandfather forbids me from taking the initiative."

However, I must also be prepared to go to war at any time. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

If those guys dare to touch my grandfather, I'll scatter their ashes!

Even if we have no chance of winning this battle, I will make the princes pay the price!

"Let me ask you a question. Have you considered uniting with the Holy Empire of Light or the Warhammer Starfleet Union?" Zhao Chen asked.

Chu Xuan looked at Zhao Chen and, without hiding anything from this friend who had shared life and death with her, said, "Although my grandfather might sometimes make a few jokes."

But no matter what situation our Chu family faces, we will never allow foreign tribes to enter our territory and harm our fellow citizens!

The Starry Empire is over 90% human, but the other two empires are not like that.

It is also reasonable to say that the two empires were foreign.

Zhao Chen thought to himself: I knew that old guy was all talk. He would never actually do something like uniting with the other two empires. That's the Chu family's bottom line.

Chu Xuan suddenly added, "In a few days, I will announce something to the public."

The matter that my grandfather previously mentioned you as my fiancé is off.

Now that the Chu family has become the target of public criticism, our unmarried relationship will affect you.

For some reason, Chu Xuan's eyes dimmed when this matter was mentioned.

Zhao Chen feigned surprise: "What? You're turning your back on me before you've even taken your pants off?"

Chu Xuan was stunned for a moment, then blushed and shouted, "You...you...what are you saying...what do you mean you didn't even take your pants off...who...who took their pants off!"

Zhao Chen jokingly said, "I don't agree with canceling my fiancé status, even though it's fake; it's still better to let people know that I've been dumped by you."

Where am I supposed to save face?

"If I'm going to dump you, it'll be someday when I'm unhappy, and then I'll dump you."

"You..." Chu Xuan was furious. How could this guy be so ungrateful? Couldn't he see that she was doing this for his own good?

"And about the technology licensing fee," Zhao Chen said seriously, looking at Chu Xuan, "besides the final payment."

Starting today, your Chu family can produce T3 Flame Dragon-class medium-sized interstellar destroyers at will, without having to pay me any more technology licensing fees.

Chu Xuan was stunned.

"Also, if you ever can't take it anymore, just call out 'my good husband.' I may not be that powerful, but I still have a fleet that can fight. My good husband will stand up for you." Zhao Chen smiled mischievously.

Before Chu Xuan could speak, Zhao Chen continued, "I have a lot of things to do here, so I won't chat with you any longer, bye-bye."

After saying that, Chu Xuan saw Zhao Chen on the other end of the video call turn off.

Chu Xuan was dumbfounded.

But soon, she laughed out loud, her eyes still glistening with tears.

"That idiot."

...

Zhao Chen leaned back in the captain's chair, and the next moment he slapped himself.

"Holy crap, I just lost hundreds of billions of star coins with that one sentence! I've never made such a bad deal before!"

Zhao Chen didn't actually regret the loss, but he felt a little heartbroken.

Although, from the current perspective, Zhao Chen has lost several hundred billion star coins.

But from a broader perspective...

With these hundreds of billions of star coins in her hands, Chu Xuan can produce even more T3 Flame Dragons!

When the civil war breaks out in the Starshine Empire, they will undoubtedly be a formidable force!

This was also a great help to Zhao Chen.

Furthermore, Zhao Chen already has the raw material resources provided by Princess Qin Xiaolei, which are sufficient for the current production needs of the Xiaolong Legion.

Even if Zhao Chen is given more raw material resources, everything can only be done step by step; it's impossible to become a big fat man overnight.

Without enough interstellar industrial ships, those raw materials are just numbers in Zhao Chen's inventory.

"Forget it, forget it. Let's not think about these things anymore. Let's go check out our new flagship first." Zhao Chen looked with great interest in the direction the T3 Phoenix-class heavy aircraft carrier was sailing.

There, you can vaguely see a huge interstellar warship, with its external industrial framework being dismantled.

That was none other than Zhao Chen's first T4 Vermilion Bird-class medium-sized interstellar cruiser, which was about to enter service!