Chapter 135: That Simple?
Chapter 135: That Simple?
“I hope we can all be frank and not waste time with useless talk,” Lei Yaotian said, comfortably watching Yana as she idly swung her legs. He then glanced at Kanpa beside her.
“Hehe!” Yana covered her mouth with her hand, giving an exotic smile.
“Alright, I admit you’re right. We shouldn’t waste time on meaningless talk. Let’s get straight to the point.”
Suddenly, Yana wiped the smile off her face and looked seriously at Lei Yaotian.
This sudden change caught Lei Yaotian off guard. But remembering she was a woman, he let it go.
“Lady Yana, please show some sincerity. I need to fulfill my Father’s wishes, and you need the technology in my hands,” Lei Yaotian said, straightening up and looking seriously at Yana. “You must also realize, I deliberately leaked these technologies so you would find out. I did this only to make things easier for me while doing business in the Divine Glory Empire.”
Yana nodded. “I figured as much. If any other beings had such technology, they’d keep it completely secret. So I deduced you spread the news on purpose to get the Empire’s attention and have your demands met.”
She had actually suspected these anomalies before, but she hadn’t expected Lei Yaotian to confess everything so openly before her.
Yana looked at the handsome young man before her—dark curly hair, deep black eyes, a thumb-nail sized golden crystal embedded in his forehead—and a faint smile touched her lips.
“An interesting youngster, seems very honest,” she thought. She certainly didn’t believe this little guy in front of her was as easy to deal with as he appeared.
“So, what are your terms?”
“My Tribe and I become official citizens of the Divine Glory Empire. The Empire formally recognizes my legal inheritance of my Father’s noble title. In return, I will share these two technologies with the Empire,” Lei Yaotian stated his conditions.
After hearing his terms, Yana was stunned. It wasn’t that the conditions were too harsh to accept; on the contrary, they seemed far too insignificant.
Yes, in Yana’s eyes, Lei Yaotian’s demands weren’t really demands at all.
Granting citizenship just required a verbal decree. Even classifying all his Tribe’s people as citizens of the Divine Glory Empire wasn’t particularly difficult. After all, having more subjects under the Empire’s rule was beneficial.
Furthermore, Lei Yaotian’s Tribe wasn’t weak. Joining the Empire could very well bring benefits down the line. After all, his Tribe was formerly under an Eighth-tier Civilization, making them significantly stronger than lower-tier civilizations.
“If these are the only conditions, I think I can agree to them right now,” Yana said slowly, looking at Lei Yaotian after he finished. “But I imagine you wouldn’t offer us such valuable technology for so little in return.”
Yana felt Lei Yaotian’s terms couldn’t possibly be that simple; it just didn’t make sense. Privately, she thought, if she held such technologies, her demands would certainly be much steeper.
Lei Yaotian spread his hands, shrugged his shoulders, adopting a playful look.
“Did you think I’d demand the sky, or try to blackmail you?” he asked.
Though he said this, secretly, Lei Yaotian thought exactly that. He quietly cursed Wangcai and Elder Mensa, wondering why on earth they hadn’t tried to milk the Empire for more. He couldn’t understand it.
Then, Lei Yaotian waved to Wangcai. Wangcai walked straight to Yana, placed a metal chip on the table in front of her, and returned.
Yana glanced at the chip, then looked back at Lei Yaotian.
“Lady Yana, as a sign of my sincerity, I’ll hand over Planetary Terraforming Technology and the technology for Advanced Energy Utilization right now. I believe this should ease any worries you might have.”
Yana picked up the chip, weighed it in her palm, then lifted her gaze to Lei Yaotian.
“It seems I underestimated your sincerity.”
Facing Yana, Lei Yaotian offered a faint smile but said nothing.
Yana examined the silvery metal chip in her hand, then carefully placed it in her pocket.
“You and your Tribe can become citizens of the Divine Glory Empire. Kanpa here,” she gestured beside her, “will handle issuing the Empire’s smart citizen ID cards. Then you can proceed with enrolling your Tribe members.”
She added, “However, I cannot provide a place for your Tribe to live at this time. I hope you understand; it’s rather sudden, and we need time to arrange it.”
To Lei Yaotian, this was completely unimportant.
“Lady Yana, please don’t concern yourself with that,” he replied. “My Tribe has already entered the Barren Star Domain. Please remember, I possess Planetary Terraforming Technology.”
Intrigued, Yana asked, “So you plan for your Tribe to develop within the Barren Star Domain?” She saw this plan as potentially very good for the Divine Glory Empire.
She listened as Lei Yaotian continued.
“I propose the Divine Glory Empire formally integrate the Barren Star Domain into its territory. Then, assign that Star Sector to our Tribe as our domain, allowing us to settle and thrive there.”
Hearing this, Yana recognized it as Lei Yaotian’s true aim. But thinking it over, she saw no downside.
Currently, the Barren Star Domain wasn’t part of the Empire. If Lei Yaotian could establish his people there, using his technology to transform it, this desolate region might even become habitable one day.
Moreover, the Barren Star Domain contained many Planets, but lacked valuable minerals or resources, making it worthless to the Empire. That’s why the Empire had never annexed it.
Now, if Lei Yaotian was willing to develop it, the Empire stood to gain immensely. Yana saw no reason to refuse such a proposal.
“The Barren Star Domain is unclaimed territory. Where you settle within it is not my concern,” Yana stated. “But are you truly confident you can make it livable?”
She felt it wise to ask, both for verification and to show genuine concern.
Lei Yaotian nodded. “I have full faith in our technology. The Barren Star Domain is vast; the process will take considerable time. Therefore, I hope you will discuss it with His Majesty and formally grant the Barren Star Domain to me as my fief.”
Yana readily agreed this point likely wouldn’t be a problem.
However, Lei Yaotian offered a reminder. “Lady Yana, please note this: the Barren Star Domain has no mineral resources. Even as my fief, it would remain a very poor Star Sector. Considering this, might the Empire offer me favorable terms regarding taxes?”
Lei Yaotian knew well enough that without his Dimensional Trading Device and the ability to utilize specific properties of the Barren Star Domain, no one would willingly go near that wretched place.
Only half a year earlier, the Empire’s Northern Starfield Fleet had specifically abandoned it due to its total lack of value. Yana was well aware the Barren Star Domain was utterly useless.
So granting it to Lei Yaotian and his Tribe as a settlement seemed like an effortless good deed.
Furthermore, it technically meant absorbing the Barren Star Domain into the Empire’s territory on paper, expanding its borders. That offered a certain prestige.
Thus, Yana agreed to Lei Yaotian’s proposal without hesitation.
“Given the absence of mineral wealth, Energy sources, or special ores within the Barren Star Domain,” Yana declared, “I authorize you to establish a Commercial Star there. Furthermore, you and your domain shall enjoy the Empire’s most favorable tax policies.”
Currently, her brother, His Majesty Balthers, held limited real control over outlying territories. Many regional Governors, Noble lords, and powerful Fleet commanders barely obeyed.
Promising Lei Yaotian such empty concessions to win him over seemed a cheap trade. It was a bargain in Yana’s eyes.
It also fostered goodwill. With continued contact, Yana felt she could cultivate an alliance over time.
Anyone who could share two such technologies surely held more. Yana harbored no doubt about this, though she knew patience was required.
Furthermore, a Tribe powerful enough to break away from an Eighth-tier Civilization without facing destruction? Undoubtedly formidable. Giving them land to grow could transform them into a valuable asset for use in the future, perhaps even a strong arm of her own power.
Of course, achieving this hinged entirely on Yana building a solid relationship with Lei Yaotian.
After discussing various details, Yana addressed Lei Yaotian again.
“In that case, please proceed to the Imperial Capital Star. There, the final formalities will be completed. Afterwards, you shall be an Empire citizen, Baronet Lei Yaotian.”
At this point, Yana had switched to the formal “you”. Lei Yaotian, adapting smoothly, bowed slightly in acknowledgment.
“Thank you, Your Highness Prince.”