Kangxi XI (excitedly): “Master Shen, a three-hundred-year-old dream has finally come true! Please give the order. Will our first colonial star system be Proxima Centauri or Epsilon Eridani?”
Shen Wansan (slowly shaking his head as he unfolds a star chart): “Your Majesty, we spent three hundred years failing to conquer Europe, yet made Europa work for us. We never occupied the Americas, yet tied the US dollar to our dragon notes. We laid the foundations for today’s position through two world wars.”
“The ultimate goal of civilization is not conquest, but setting the rules.”
“So, Your Majesty, the fleet is ready, and the trade routes have been charted.”
Pointing to the brightest route on the star chart, he smiled and gave his final answer:
“Now it’s time to set up checkpoints and collect tariffs along the sea of stars.”
