Chapter 606: Equivalent Exchange

Latest website: "From now on, my wife and the child will live in Yancheng. I hope Your Highness will look after them."

In the Hui Ke Tang of the Prince's Mansion, Ma Han said to Zhao Xu.

After arriving in Yancheng, he first went to pay his respects to Zhao Heng.

After all, the Imperial Edict was issued to Sizhou in Zhao Heng's name.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Zhao Heng, he was sent off to the Prince's Mansion.

Zhao Xu glanced at the woman in the courtyard who was holding an infant and chatting happily with Feng'er.

She was the one who had saved Ma Han when he was being assassinated, the one with whom he had exchanged vows of eternal love, and also the person Ma Han cherished most.

Now that Ma Han had sent this mother and child to Yancheng, it was clear he had truly made up his mind to serve under the Prince's Mansion from this day forward.

"There is no need for this. I already understand your intentions; you should take your wife and child back." Zhao Xu poured a cup of tea for Ma Han, and Ma Han stood up to receive it.

Sitting down, he blew on the scalding tea and chuckled, "Your Highness, actually, I have another presumptuous request in bringing my wife and young son here this time."

"Oh? Let's hear it." Zhao Xu sized Ma Han up; from the first time he met Ma Han, he had felt this fellow was a bit slippery.

"Although it is a bit of a reach, I would like my son to acknowledge Your Highness as his godfather." Seeming worried that Zhao Xu might be displeased, he added hastily, "Of course, I am just suggesting it."

Zhao Xu was stunned for a long moment, then suddenly laughed out loud. He pointed at Ma Han and said, "You are going too far. I haven't even married yet, nor do I have any children, yet I've suddenly gained a godson."

Then, he pondered for a while and slapped the table, "Very well. Since you, Ma Han, can entrust your greatest love in life to my hands, what does it matter if I accept a godson?"

Upon hearing this, Ma Han was overjoyed, his lips trembling with excitement, "Your Highness, have you really agreed?"

Zhao Xu nodded, "A gentleman's word is as good as gold; when have I ever deceived you?"

"Hahaha..." Ma Han burst into laughter.

He dashed into the courtyard, pulled his wife over, and said to her, "His Highness the Yan Wang has agreed. From now on, he is Lin'er's godfather."

Ma Han's wife was also a clever and perceptive person.

She bowed to Zhao Xu with a joyful expression and said, "Your Highness, Lin'er is still young and cannot serve tea or kowtow to you, so please allow me to do it on his behalf."

Having said this, she picked up Ma Han's teacup and offered it to Zhao Xu.

Zhao Xu glanced at Ma Han and saw him nodding vigorously.

Having no other choice, he accepted the teacup, and then Ma Han's wife had the child kowtow three times to him.

After the ceremony, Ma Han's wife said to the infant in her arms, "Lin'er, from now on, His Highness the Yan Wang is your godfather. In this world, no one will dare to bully you anymore."

After she finished speaking, the three of them laughed simultaneously.

Zhao Xu shook his head, "I really don't know if I've gained or lost."

Between their laughter, he and Ma Han had completed a fair exchange.

Ma Han left his wife and young son in Yancheng as hostages, and he accepted Ma Han's son as his godson.

In this way, as long as Ma Han did not betray the Prince's Mansion, his Ma Family could use this child as a bond to maintain a close relationship with the mansion in the future.

After chatting and laughing a bit more, Ma Han had his wife leave first, then immediately entered the main topic with Zhao Xu, "Your Highness, there is one more matter I came for, which concerns the Rich Clans of the Ma Family. The clans are worried that if the Ma Family joins your command, their lives will be difficult in the future, which might trigger chaos in Sizhou."

Zhao Xu nodded; he naturally knew that all the Rich Clans in the world regarded him as a common enemy.

It was normal for the clans under the Ma Family to fear him.

However, he had already established a strategy against the Rich Clans in Yanzhou; if he changed it, he would lose the hearts of the people of Yanzhou.

This was a red line that must never be crossed.

Therefore, he would not allow the Rich Clans to occupy vast amounts of land.

So he said, "Is my example not enough to make you understand whose side you should stand on? Although you have lost the support of the Rich Clans, you have gained the support of countless commoners. There are gains and losses; you cannot have both fish and bear's paw."

"You cannot have both fish and bear's paw!" Ma Han was shaken to his core upon hearing this. Although the words were simple, they contained the ultimate truth of the world; he could not have everything.

Staring fixedly at the Yan Wang, he thought to himself: 'That's right. Why was the Yan Wang able to rise? Wasn't it by suppressing the Rich Clans and supporting the commoners that he achieved today's success? If the Yan Wang can do this, why can't my Ma Family?'

Having understood this point, Ma Han nodded slowly and finally made a decision in his heart, "I understand."

Zhao Xu nodded. To him, the Rich Clans of a small Sizhou added together could be crushed by a single finger.

But he felt that Ma Han should be able to handle these matters himself without his personal intervention.

Otherwise, if he couldn't even handle this, what value did he have to him?

Therefore, after pondering for a moment, he said to Ma Han, "Actually, compared to you sending your wife and child to Yancheng, I care more about whether you will reach a consensus with me on the issue of the Rich Clans."

Having said this much, there was no need to say more.

Ma Han's expression was solemn; he stood up, cupped his hands to Zhao Xu, and said, "Your Highness only needs to wait for my good news."

Zhao Xu also patted his shoulder to encourage him, "I will not let a single enemy go, but I will also never treat anyone who has served me poorly."

Ma Han felt a sense of relief, bid farewell, bowed, and turned to leave.

However, he still did not take his wife and young son with him.

Zhao Xu had no choice but to arrange a residence for them and assign guards to protect them.

Ma Han treated him well, so he would naturally treat Ma Han well.

"Is there any movement from the Sixth Prince's side?"

Not long after Ma Han left, Zhao Xu called Xu Ke to inquire.

"There is some movement." Xu Ke frowned slightly, "After the Imperial Edict was delivered to Jincheng, the Sixth Prince ordered the arrest of able-bodied men in Jinzhou to fill his army. It seems he intends to resist to the end and has not taken the Imperial Edict seriously at all."

He paused and said, "However, I have also discovered some tricks. Do you know why the Sixth Prince is so arrogant?"

"Oh?" Zhao Xu showed an interested expression, waiting for Xu Ke's follow-up.

"The informant I planted in the Sixth Prince's mansion found a letter from Yuan Li. After reading it, he put it back exactly as it was. In the letter, Yuan Li said that the Han Family is currently discussing with Dongying how to deal with Your Highness, and they are demanding that the Sixth Prince coordinate with them on the western side to create a diversion."

"If they eliminate Your Highness and the Qi eventually conquer the world, the Han Family promises to make the Sixth Prince a prince of a different surname, to guard Jinzhou for generations," Xu Ke said slowly.

Zhao Xu revealed a disdainful smile and said, "Since that is the case, I need not be polite with him anymore. It is time to eliminate him."

At this moment, countless images of the Sixth Prince bullying the Ninth Prince back in Jingshi flooded Zhao Xu's mind.

He knew that the Sixth Prince had a guilty conscience and certainly knew that he would not tolerate him.

Therefore, he firmly threw his lot in with the Han Family.

But no matter how he chose, to Zhao Xu, he was walking a dead-end path.

The world is in chaos, heroes are rising everywhere, and from now on, he will settle scores with his enemies one by one.