Jiang Ye sat comfortably in the soft sofa by the window, flipping through a stack of reports.
On the small table beside him, his phone suddenly vibrated.
The screen lit up, displaying "Director Dai."
Jiang Ye's expression stiffened. He immediately sat up straight and picked up the phone to answer, "Director Dai?"
"Little Jiang, I'm hosting a banquet, and I'd like you to attend. It's about eight days from now, are you free?" Dai Zhixing's voice, like an old dragon's, sounded in good spirits.
"A banquet?" Jiang Ye was taken aback. "Eight days from now... I should have time. What kind of banquet is it?"
"Heads of various planets will be present; they're all our people," Dai Zhixing said. "There will likely be five to six hundred attendees. Oh, and if your wife and son are free, they can come too. Many planet leaders' families will be attending. They'll have a separate hall, which might accommodate two to three thousand people, making it quite lively."
"Alright, I'll inform them then," Jiang Ye replied. "My wife is from the Exile Planet..."
"Ah, yes, I remember. She can attend both halls," Dai Zhixing said. "You have several planets; you can bring two other planet leaders with you. Once you've chosen them, send their names and positions to my secretary."
"Understood," Jiang Ye said. "Is this banquet purely for getting acquainted, or are there any specific tasks involved?"
"There are tasks, yes," Dai Zhixing chuckled. "We can't just spend money and time for you to simply have a meal, can we? For this banquet, every planet leader present must establish a major cooperation project with another planet leader. The standard for 'major' is ten trillion."
"Ten trillion?" Jiang Ye was astonished.
"Don't be nervous; it's not asking you to spend ten trillion," Dai Zhixing clarified. "It means the scale of the cooperation you undertake must start from ten trillion. For example, two planets could join forces to conquer a new planet. The resources of the new planet, or the troops deployed, would certainly exceed ten trillion in value. Or, two planets could engage in mineral exchange. If my planet has abundant gold mines and your planet has abundant silver mines, and you mutually exchange mining rights, the combined value of the minerals needs to be ten trillion."
"I see... I'll think about it carefully then," Jiang Ye said.
"It's not a difficult task, really. The criteria for judging the task are very flexible. For instance, if two planets open trade routes and set a plan for their trade volume to reach ten trillion within the next fifty years, that counts too," Dai Zhixing explained.
Jiang Ye immediately felt relieved. "That does sound quite simple."
"My intention in organizing this event is to foster cooperation and closer relationships among you all, so you don't remain strangers once you leave my side. The task is just a gimmick; you can use it as an excuse to freely approach the planets you wish to connect with," Dai Zhixing said. "These banquets were actually held frequently before. I've been busy these past two years and neglected them. Now that the situation is stable, we will resume holding them regularly. Seize the opportunity when you attend."
"Understood, thank you, Director. This opportunity is indeed rare," Jiang Ye agreed repeatedly. "I will make the most of it."
"Good, you're busy," Dai Zhixing said, hanging up the phone.
Jiang Ye waited for a moment, and then Dai Zhixing's secretary sent an electronic invitation, specifying the time and location.
...
Three days later, early morning.
On the orbit of the Exile Planet, aboard the fleet's mothership.
Jiang Ye pushed open the conference room door, then turned back and placed a hand on Jiang Senlin's shoulder.
"Say hello," Jiang Ye instructed.
"Hello, Aunt Isabel! Hello, Aunt Liu!" Jiang Senlin greeted them.
Isabel and Liu Jizi, seated on the sofa, both smiled.
"Good nephew, long time no see. Come, let Aunt hug you. Have you gotten fatter?" Isabel stood up and went to embrace Jiang Senlin.
"You have the demeanor of a high school student," Liu Jizi said with a smile, standing to the side. "Do you have a girlfriend?"
"Not yet, I'm focusing on my studies," Jiang Senlin replied shyly.
Jiang Ye turned to look around the room. "Where's my wife? Hasn't she arrived yet?"
"Here, here!" Cen Yemeng came from behind, grabbed her husband's waist, and wiped her wet hands. "I just went to the restroom."
"Now that everyone is here, let's discuss it," Jiang Ye said, closing the door. "Please sit down. Senlin, pour some water."
Jiang Senlin picked up the teapot and arranged several small cups, pouring tea for the elders.
Isabel, Liu Jizi, and Cen Yemeng sat in a line on the sofa.
Jiang Ye sat opposite them. "Director Dai has sent out a notice. In five days, the five of us will attend an internal banquet at a club on Songma Planet."
"This internal banquet is for planet leaders under Director Dai's command. I spoke with Director Dai's secretary last night, and it's confirmed that 788 leaders from 601 planets will be present, along with 2411 family members. Just listen to the numbers; it's an unprecedented occasion, a grand affair."
"The banquet doesn't have a specific theme; it's like a large buffet. Food and drinks will be laid out on the tables, and the space is vast. However, there are no tables; everyone must stand. The reason for this is that if tables were set, conversations might become fixed. But by standing and mingling, you can change conversation partners at any time."
"There are two halls in total. One hall is for family members. Senlin, you will go there," Jiang Ye looked at Jiang Senlin. "Your task isn't to eat, but to chat with the family members of other planet leaders. If you get along with elders, chat with them. If you find common ground with peers, get to know them. If conversations don't go well, simply move away; avoid conflict."
"I understand, Dad. This is a big event, and I know what to do," Jiang Senlin nodded. "Am I just supposed to make acquaintances?"
"Making acquaintances is fine. If they talk to you about planet cooperation, just make a note of it and give it to me and Mom later," Jiang Ye said. "Let me give you a small task: get contact information from ten peers. This task isn't difficult; the banquet will last over ten hours. If you're quick, you can easily meet twenty."
"Okay," Jiang Senlin nodded obediently. "I've got it."
"Then there's the main hall. We will all be in the main hall, and the task is quite demanding," Jiang Ye looked at the others. "Each of us has a target of ten trillion; the four of us adults need to collectively achieve a target of forty trillion."
"What do you mean?" Liu Jizi was confused. "What do you mean by 'each person ten trillion'?"
"We need to cooperate with leaders from other planets on projects, and the scale of these projects must be ten trillion," Jiang Ye explained. "It's actually quite simple. For instance, opening an interstellar trade route; once trade is established, the markets of both sides would reach ten trillion. But this method is too vague, too diluted."
"Since we're going through the trouble of attending, we shouldn't be so casual about it," Isabel agreed. "Let's try to secure projects with tangible benefits."
"Exactly, Old Yi has a high level of awareness; that's precisely what I mean," Jiang Ye said. "I've already done some preliminary research."
With that, Jiang Ye took out several USB drives from his pocket and distributed one to each person.