The Empire begins with the Fourth Scourge.

2185: Shocking News

"The Angelik family?" Tang Xiao thought about it. He didn't have much impression of this Hutt family. He looked down at the information about this family and said thoughtfully, "Black Harbor? Shadow Dawn? What is their relationship with Scarlet Dawn?"

Ling Liang shook his head and replied, "It doesn't matter, it's just the same name. Besides, it's an assassin organization, hired by the Hutts all over the galaxy, and has nothing to do with the Bloody Dawn. The Angelik family has always been relatively low-key, and is one of the oldest families in Hutt space. Would they be so determined to abandon the old order and join the new upstart Gorensla family? I have reservations about this."

"Send a team of ghost agents to Hutt Space to find out what the Angelik family is doing." Tang Xiao said, "Also, has Jabba still not been found?"

"No." Ling Liang said, "No, he disappeared. Not only that, even his nephew Gorga disappeared. Gorga has always been the accountant of the Desiligic family and is in charge of the financial power. His disappearance also swept away most of the wealth of the Desiligic family."

"You mean, if such a large amount of money flows to other places, it may be disadvantageous to us?" Tang Xiao said.

"There is no doubt about it. Moreover, Jabba has been colluding with Palpatine all along. If he takes this wealth, plus his connections in the underground criminal world and his smuggling network, and defect to the Galactic Empire, I think the pressure faced by the Trade Federation will be even greater." Ling Liang said.

"Oruba is such a loser! He actually let Jabba escape under such circumstances!" Tang Xiao said viciously, "Let the Military Intelligence Department chase him! Send out the Salarian Special Forces as well. No matter if he lives or dies, I just want to see Jabba get in front of me!"

"I'll arrange it right away." Ling Liang nodded.

"By the way, can you find the location of the Black Harbor? Are there any of our agents there? If necessary, if the Angelik family really disobeys, we will blow up the Black Harbor." Tang Xiao said.

Ling Liang said: "The structure of the Black Harbor is very solid, and its diameter is more than 100 kilometers. Unless we send a fleet there, there is no way to destroy it. However, we did sneak a lot of people into the Black Harbor. It is a free port, and it is actually very easy to sneak in. But... it is almost impossible to obtain the most confidential information about the Black Harbor and the Angelica family. Their security work is very good. After all, they have relied on smuggling and assassination for thousands of years. But... we did get a unique piece of information."

"explain."

"The actual boss of the Angeliac family is called Tis Dolan. She is not a Hutt, but a Ulian." Ling Liang said.

"Interesting... Keep an eye on her." Tang Xiao nodded. "Anyway, now we need to increase our intelligence input in Hutt Space."

Afterwards, Tang Xiao talked with the three star district governors Ling Liang, BIG-BOSS, and Volgograd-Canidi about the recent domestic affairs of the Principality of Dawn and the advancement of Operation Zero.

After the meeting, Tang Xiao returned to the Grand Duke's Mansion. He nodded casually to Adele Ulan who came to greet him, and turned to look in the direction of the study. At this time, his two children, Tang Xing and Tang Yun, should be studying cultural courses.

Tang Xiao waved his hand to signal Adele-Ulan to leave, and he walked towards the study.

His movements were very stealthy, and neither the teacher nor the two children in the study noticed his arrival. At this moment, the lecture had ended, and the two children were doing their classwork.

Tang Xiao immediately flashed behind Tang Yun and saw the little girl concentrating on writing her homework. Today's lesson was politics. For a family like the Grand Duke Liming, it should be considered a royal family. They attach great importance to politics, and many of them are linked to reality.

Tang Yun is currently writing an analysis of the relationship between the Trade Federation and the Galactic Republic's ruling system in the Outer Rim. Although her writing is still relatively superficial, it can be seen that she is far superior to her peers in this regard.

Tang Xiao nodded and turned to look at Tang Xing... However, his expression suddenly turned gloomy. Tang Xing was secretly drawing under the table!

Tang Xiao snorted coldly, and the teacher and two children in the study room finally noticed him. The teacher bowed his head and saluted. Tang Xiao waved his hand and told him to get out. Tang Yun bowed to Tang Xiao politely and said, "Father."

Tang Xing looked up at Tang Xiao's expression and knew that something bad was going to happen. He tried to hide the painting he had drawn, but Tang Xiao just raised his hand slightly and the paper flew into his hands.

After taking a look, I found that it was a landscape painting, but the scenery was a bit blurry. It was more like an intention than a specific object.

Tang Xiao's Force moved slightly, and the drawing paper instantly turned into ashes and completely dissipated.

Tang Xing's body began to tremble. According to the memories Tang Xiao brought him, what followed would be a very severe punishment.

But unexpectedly, Tang Xiao did not do so. He just walked to where the teacher was standing just now, looked down at the two children, and said coldly: "Twenty years ago, what I thought was that with the sacrifice and struggle of our generation, we could fight all the wars that should be fought, so that our next generation should live happily. But 20 years later, I understand that this is impossible. Your generation is destined to be involved in the war. Even if we can defeat the Galactic Empire, the war will still last for a long time... Maybe when you are as old as I am now, the war may not end."

He observed the expressions of the two children. Tang Yun sat upright and listened attentively. However, Tang Xing just bit his lower lip, looking uneasy.

Tang Xiao raised two fingers and continued, "Regarding war, you need to remember two things. First, you will never be able to escape the coming of war, especially when you are born here and become my child. Then, in the foreseeable future, countless disputes will surround you. Hide? That's impossible, because even if you hide to the edge of the Milky Way, you will still be dragged out and thrown into the furnace of war."

He retracted his middle finger and continued, "As for the second point, if you need to face a war, then in the war, if you are not the winner, then you must be the loser. There is no middle ground, no so-called neutrality. Either you kill the enemy, or the enemy kills you... War, it's that simple."

His sharp eyes pierced directly at Tang Xing, and his tone became extremely cold. "War is not just a fight between guns and warships. War also includes economics, politics, humanities, geography, physics, chemistry, everything. All means that can be used to hurt the enemy and strengthen oneself will be used without scruples. This is war! So, what do you think the cultural courses I let you learn are? Learning is war. If you can't win the war, then your enemies will defeat you, destroy you... or even use you as a weapon to hurt us."

Tang Xiao walked over and stood directly in front of Tang Xing. His terrible oppression made Tang Xing unable to even stand up. He took a few steps back and fell to the ground with a plop. He said coldly: "These courses are to teach you how to protect yourself! At the same time, it is also to protect our Dawn Principality! Do you think you are being lazy and neglectful to me? No, that is only neglecting your own life and the 800 billion people of the entire Dawn Principality! So now, I will give you a chance to say a word, tell me what you think."

As he spoke, he turned around and returned to the podium.

Tang Yun raised her hand and answered loudly: "From the moment I became your daughter, my position was determined. I will be your best helper in the war!" Tang Xing gritted his teeth, raised his hand and said: "In this war... I, I will try my best... No, I will do my best."

Tang Xiao looked at Tang Xing coldly and said, "I will issue an order immediately. The teacher of this class will be stripped of all his positions and all his property will be confiscated, including, of course, his entire family. They will become one of the few beggars on the Dawn planet, and no company will ever dare to hire them. They will spend the rest of their lives starving... just because he failed to let you study well."

Tang Xing raised his head abruptly and said, "Father, I'm... sorry... I... I..."

However, all he saw was Tang Xiao's back and the last words he said, "This is another lesson I'm teaching you today - learn to be responsible for your own actions. Because people like you, your every move will affect the fate of countless people."

Tang Yun looked at Tang Xing with a gloating look, and said with a smile: "Don't worry, brother. At least, I won't let you starve. Hehehehe..."

Adele Wulan was waiting for Tang Xiao outside the door. She saw everything that happened in the study room. However, she had the same opinion about Tang Xing as Tang Xiao. She thought that this child was too cowardly and introverted.

Being cowardly and introverted is not actually an unforgivable shortcoming, but as the son of the Grand Duke of Dawn, you absolutely cannot be cowardly or introverted!

She walked a few steps to Tang Xiao's side and whispered, "I'm sorry, Master... I will continue to strengthen my requirements on Tang Xing."

Tang Xiao said coldly: "If he never becomes useful, I will treat him as a hidden danger before the enemy takes advantage of his weakness to deal with us. By then, his fate will be dethronement and exile. Sparing his life is the greatest mercy I can bestow on him for the sake of family affection."

Adele-Ulan felt a chill in her heart, even a little frightened.

Only then did she understand that although Tang Xiao's personality had not been as irritable and changeable during this period, the darkness deep in his heart had not diminished in the slightest.

He is still the same Tang Xiao - the ambitious man who can sacrifice everything for the hegemony of the Milky Way.

The atmosphere was so oppressive that she wanted to escape. Edel Ulan had to quickly change the subject and said, "Leia is currently training with the Force. Would you like to... go and take a look?"

She regretted saying this. If there was any name that Edel-Ulan absolutely did not want to mention, it was definitely Leia.

But it was too late now. Tang Xiao nodded and walked towards the garden behind the Grand Duke's Mansion.

Adele Ulan had no choice but to continue on this topic: "Leia has made great progress recently. She is a very obedient... and serious child." She tried to put herself in the mother's perspective and talk to Tang Xiao about Leia.

However, Tang Xiao stopped and looked back at Adele-Ulan with a meaningful smile on his face. But in Adele's opinion, this smile only made her feel terrified.

"Do your own thing, play your own role well, and don't...overstep your boundaries. You should know what I want to say." Tang Xiao said coldly.

Adele-Ulan fell to her knees as her body softened. She quickly said, "I'm sorry, Master... I... I didn't..."

Fortunately, at this time, Tang Xiao's communicator received a message, which at least relieved Adele-Ulan from her current desperate situation. However, she immediately became curious about what kind of information could be sent directly to Tang Xiao, the Grand Duke of Dawn.

Tang Xiao waved his hand, turned and left the Grand Duke's Mansion.

Adele-Ulan finally breathed a sigh of relief. She felt that the clothes on her back were soaked with cold sweat and she looked miserable.

Tang Xiao, a dictator, a tyrant, a Sith Lord, all of this will never change whether he gets rid of the influence of darkness on his emotions.

This is why, although she and Tang Xiao are husband and wife, she only dares to call her husband "Master".

Tang Xiao walked quickly and arrived at the combat meeting room of the Grand Duke's Palace in less than ten minutes. At this moment, in the holographic projection, Chief of Staff Qi Jian, Minister of Defense Cheng Shitao, Secretary General of the Prime Minister's Office Harry Seldon, Navy Commander-in-Chief Matt Horner, Army Commander-in-Chief Xian Hui, Sethwenna Star Region Governor Ling Liang and other top military cores had already participated in the meeting remotely through hyperspace communication.

On the other side of the holographic projection was the commander of the First Exploration Fleet, Vice Admiral He Ru. He said solemnly, "Grand Duke, we just received a message from Shepard. It's very urgent."

"Say it immediately!" Tang Xiao said seriously.

He Ru nodded and said, "Commander Shepard told me that they are now on the planet Kraku." As he spoke, he marked the navigation coordinates sent by Shepard on the holographic star map.

Tang Xiao looked at the star map. The red light spot was located very deep in the unknown star field, or in other words, very close to the edge of the western border of the Milky Way plane star map, corresponding to the middle and rear section of the cantilever.

He frowned, "Shepard, she actually ran so far?"

He Ru said: "That's right. She is now almost close to the core planet of Monggal-Monggal, Mug-Faro..." (End of this chapter)