Chapter 3043: Nobles and Merchants (3)

Zhao Chi didn't lack capable subordinates.

Gu Qing and the others handled affairs reliably.

Even Tang Ruan, usually playful and rowdy, became very dependable when serious.

And she had two experienced female team leaders: Li Ruanyu and Shangguan Ting.

Now there was also Yao Feng.

Beyond them, all lower-level female team leaders and group leaders were trustworthy.

There was absolutely no need for another Zhao Tan.

To Zhao Chi, Zhao Tan brought only disadvantages, no benefits.

Zhao Chi didn't lack women at all.

He could have as many as he wanted.

So he had no interest.

Zhao Chi also knew Zhao Tan was, in a sense, a hostage sent by Zhao Quan.

But such a hostage was too troublesome; Zhao Chi didn't want her at all.

Seeing Zhao Chi didn't reply, Zhao Quan sent another message.

Prince Zhao Quan: 【Marry Zhao Tan, and you become one of our Zhao royal family! Zhao Tan will be your wife! I will be your elder brother! I will be your children's uncle! The Zhao royal family of Central District One will be your backing! If you agree, I'll send her to you today—have her conceive your child immediately! And without your consent, she cannot leave your territory!】

Prince Zhao Quan: 【Afterward, your entire Zhao clan will become part of our royal Zhao family. The entire Binghe County, including towns and villages under it, will be managed by you! And the head of your family will be you! What do you say? Think it over?】

Zhao Tan: 【Zhao Chi… repairing the World Wall truly requires your power.】

Fuck…

What the hell is this?

Do they even know what my abilities are?

How can they be so certain I'm useful for repairing the World Wall?

Maybe the abilities I've shown so far are enough?

No…

Zhao Quan is only guessing—how can he be sure I have this ability?

How can he be certain my technology came from me alone?

They certainly can't confirm it.

They're probably still in the verification phase.

Absolutely must not admit it!

Even if I had to join, I couldn't agree now.

Now is the most impulsive moment.

I'll wait until I'm calm to decide.

Besides, many of their claims still need verification—how could I just believe them outright?

Must not agree!

Zhao Chi: 【The conditions are excellent, but I don't possess the ability you mentioned. I'm truly sorry.】

Prince Zhao Quan: 【Zhao Chi!! Think carefully before you answer!!】

Zhao Tan: 【Prince Zhao Quan, give him some time.】

Prince Zhao Quan: 【Ha! Fine, fine, fine, fine… By the way, Zhao Chi, do you know how nobles come into being?】

Zhao Chi didn't know why Zhao Quan suddenly brought this up.

But whatever Zhao Quan said, Zhao Chi was willing to listen.

This was all knowledge.

The library didn't have this.

Zhao Chi: 【Nobles… are earned through competition?】

Prince Zhao Quan: 【Earned through competition… Hah, yes, in a way. Let me tell you: today's nobles are the rebel army from five hundred years ago.】

Zhao Chi: 【Rebel army?】

Prince Zhao Quan: 【Correct. Five hundred years ago, our ancestors were commoners too. They rebelled against the ruling nobles and succeeded—so we became nobles.】

Prince Zhao Quan: 【Of course, some noble families are older, having joined us after the last great war, and have endured to this day.】

Prince Zhao Quan: 【Understand?】

Zhao Chi: 【I understand…】

Zhao Chi had never imagined it was like this.

Among today's nobles, some are old-line families that joined the rebel army five hundred years ago, allowing them to survive to this day.

Many are new nobles too.

But even new nobles have had five hundred years to establish themselves—they're already ancient families.

At least five hundred years of heritage…

This is what a noble is?

Prince Zhao Quan: 【I want to ask you: if your Shì Army ultimately wins, what happens after? How will the world develop? What do you think will occur?】

Zhao Chi: 【…】

Prince Zhao Quan: 【Can't think of it? Let me tell you!】

Prince Zhao Quan: 【You'll relax! You'll enjoy the spoils of victory! You'll indulge in pleasure! You'll laugh heartily! You'll gradually grow lax! You'll believe your merits are extraordinary! You'll become the new nobility!!】

Prince Zhao Quan: 【Then… after ten or even several decades, these new nobles will face increasing demonic beast assaults on the cities. The city's great array's energy will grow perilously weak, and you'll be forced to repair the World Wall.】

Prince Zhao Quan: 【Repairing the World Wall requires enormous resources—you've already calculated that. So where will these resources come from?】

Prince Zhao Quan 【Of course, we can only gather resources from everyone's hands just like you do. You will also set high taxes and plunder heavily from the common people. This is inevitable! It is something we must do; there is no other way! There will be no difference between you and us!】

Prince Zhao Quan 【But do you think we only plunder from the common people? How much resources can a bunch of paupers have? It is us nobles who contribute the most resources!】

Prince Zhao Quan 【Do you know about this matter?】

Prince Zhao Quan 【So... what is the difference between you and us? There is none!】

Prince Zhao Quan 【Then why waste more than ten years or even decades? Join us right now; this is your best choice, do you understand?】

Zhao Chi 【...】

Prince Zhao Quan 【Alright, I have said everything that needs to be said. If you want to die, there is nothing I can do. I have already arranged for someone to save Yin Wanyan; I always keep my word! Should I send her to you after rescuing her, or to the Ruby Chamber of Commerce?】

Zhao Chi 【Send her to the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, thank you.】

Prince Zhao Quan 【Damn it, this is the first time you have said thank you to me today, and it is for a woman again!】

Prince Zhao Quan 【That's it then. Take care of yourself!】

Zhao Tan 【Zhao Chi, consider it. Rest assured, I am not anyone's spy; I am simply your hostage. If I go to your territory, you can control my permissions. We truly need your help.】

Zhao Chi 【...】

Neither Zhao Quan nor Zhao Tan sent any new messages.