"I see a hint of unease on your face," Dai Zhixing suddenly changed the subject. "Can you tell me why you're uneasy?"
Jiang Ye was taken aback. He thought his expression management was excellent; he had even practiced in front of the mirror for many hours. To have it seen through at a glance was unexpected.
"Feel free to speak, don't hold back," Huan Yunhe added from the side.
"At a feast of dragons, if I, a mere little rabbit, were to join, wouldn't I be crushed by a single claw?" Jiang Ye asked.
"I've considered this question," Dai Zhixing smiled. "You will be given sufficient guarantees."
Dai Zhixing gestured, and a distant guard immediately ran over, handing a document to Jiang Ye.
Jiang Ye opened it. The document was very simple, listing various measures.
As he read, Jiang Ye's expression became animated.
First, the planet trading market would grant Jiang Ye the status of a Certified Trader.
This title sounded grand, but it was actually extremely rare. Huan Yunhe had incidentally mentioned it to Jiang Ye before; it had taken him considerable effort to obtain certified trader status, with expenditures totaling hundreds of billions.
The biggest benefit of being a Certified Trader was exemption from transaction fees.
Planet trading required paying transaction fees to the Galactic Empire, not a high amount, approximately 0.5% of the transaction value, usually factored into the price. For example, on a planet worth one hundred trillion, fifty billion would be transaction fees, essentially a form of indirect taxation.
With this status, Jiang Ye would have a natural price advantage. Moreover, those who could obtain such a status were by no means ordinary individuals. Giants in the market would surely guess that Jiang Ye had a powerful backer, though they wouldn't know who it was specifically, and they would certainly be wary.
Second, the military would grant Jiang Ye technical personnel and production and sales qualifications for important weapon production lines.
Currently, the planets under Jiang Ye and his wife's control housed large-scale military enterprises and continuous military factories. Besides meeting the needs of their own forces, they also continuously exported weapons for profit.
However, the weapons produced by these military factories were all from the lower end of the technological chain.
Things like aerospace fighters and nuclear missiles, while advanced from Jiang Ye's ancient perspective, were merely basic weapons.
The so-called important weapons of the military were a level higher.
Most of the weapons Li Nannan used in combat were important weapons.
With these qualifications and technology, Jiang Ye's forces' combat effectiveness would soar, and he could capture a larger share of the arms market, fostering cooperation with his father-in-law and Li Nannan.
It would be a lie to say Jiang Ye wasn't tempted by such an increase in military hard power.
Third, Jiang Ye would receive financial support.
A lump sum of fifty trillion would be provided, with subsequent annual funding based on circumstances.
Real money!
Most importantly, while the document stated these funds were for free disposal, they were essentially Jiang Ye's salary.
Jiang Ye's scalp tingled. Commander Dai was truly incredibly wealthy; the amount of money he was throwing around to win people over was astonishing!
Fourth, 640 planets would establish diplomatic relations and strategic cooperation agreements of varying degrees with the planets under Jiang Ye's command.
The document meticulously listed the names, locations, and GDPs of these planets. More than half were behemoths with GDPs exceeding four hundred trillion. Jiang Ye also spotted several planets that looked extremely familiar, though he couldn't recall where he had seen them. However, planets that had gained fame in the vast universe were by no means ordinary, nor were they planets that Jiang Ye's star could easily associate with.
It seemed the diplomatic corps would need to expand dramatically; the manpower required to send ambassadors alone wouldn't be enough for establishing relations with so many planets.
This guarantee was of the network type. It was likely that these planets were all under Commander Dai's purview. As allies, they could help each other in times of trouble, and if anyone was bullied by outsiders, they would join forces to retaliate. The simple and crude tactic of overwhelming numbers was equally applicable in the universe, even more so than in daily life.
Jiang Ye felt like he saw a dense forest of powerful allies, too many to embrace.
Fifth, and most impactful, was a guarantee measure so significant that Jiang Ye could hardly believe it was true, his expression unmistakably one of dumbfounded astonishment.
The Galactic Empire would establish a new planet exchange within Jiang Ye's sphere of influence.
The exchange's initial classification would be C-level.
While C-level might sound underwhelming, it was already a substantial exchange, capable of trading and leasing minor celestial bodies, planets, stars, and even small star systems!
The higher-tier B-level and A-level planet exchanges could no longer be called planet exchanges; they dealt more with super-large regions like nebulae and constellations. There were only a few A and B-level exchanges in the entire universe.
Once this exchange was in Jiang Ye's hands, it would be a symbol of power and status!
This was akin to a stock exchange; only super-metropolitan cities qualified to host one, not ordinary bustling cities. If an exchange were built in some remote village, it would signify that the village's backing was unimaginably immense.
Now, this very situation was about to unfold. The planets under Jiang Ye's control were like small towns in the universe, obscure and unknown. The establishment of an exchange would surely shock many.
After finishing the document, Jiang Ye picked up his teacup and took a sip, trying to prevent his brain from overheating.
"How is it?" Dai Zhixing smiled. "Do you think these guarantees are sufficient?"
"My current feeling is like a refugee being stopped by a wealthy landowner who wants me to be a long-term laborer," Jiang Ye said. "I cautiously asked the landowner if I would be guaranteed not to starve as his laborer, if I could have four steamed buns a day. The landowner directly gave me a massive granary, with mountains of grain piled up, thousands of tons, enough for my entire family to eat for three lifetimes."
"But!" Jiang Ye abruptly stopped. "I believe in not accepting rewards without merit. I consider myself unworthy of so many resources with my current abilities. Therefore, I want to know, what exactly do you need me to do?"
"Whether you are worthy or not is decided by fate. You feel you are not worth it now, but once you truly receive it, you will feel you are worth it," Dai Zhixing said. "I have read your papers; I like the aura conveyed between the lines. Huan Yunhe also speaks highly of you. Huan Yunhe is very capable, and his judgment of people is his most outstanding trait. Therefore, I am entrusting this matter to you."
"What you need to do is very simple, including planet trading and a small amount of military occupation."
Jiang Ye's eyes immediately changed.
As expected, no free lunch.
Trading was manageable, but military occupation was definitely a tough nut to crack! A thick steel plate that could break a leg!
"As far as I know, planets under the Galactic Empire are not allowed to wage war against each other. Those who instigate war will face the iron fist of destruction from the military," Jiang Ye said.
"That is certain; the internal environment must be stable, and our own people cannot consume each other," Dai Zhixing nodded. "The military occupation I need you to undertake will not only be legal and compliant but will also be encouraged by the Galactic Empire's military, or you will even be directly ordered to do so."