"Xu Yifan — did you give up those two star systems of your own free will?" Zhao Chen demanded of Xu Yifan.
Xu Yifan clenched his fists, his two eyes bloodshot.
"Those are… those are the star systems my father defended to the death; of course I was unwilling to…"
"Xu Yifan — don't you go forgetting that you signed the agreement voluntarily surrendering the jurisdiction over the two star systems!" Marquis North Wolf, his face a grim sight, pointed at Xu Yifan.
The two star systems he'd coveted so long were, before his very eyes, about to fall into his own pocket.
And now, who could have thought that mid-road a Cheng Yaojin would come charging out, of all things, kicking up such a business as this.[1]
Xu Yifan, aggrieved, lowered his head.
By this posture, anyone with clear eyes could see whether or not this was "of his own free will." But whatever the case, at the least Xu Yifan truly had signed the agreement voluntarily surrendering the jurisdiction over the two star systems; and since this signature had already been signed, then there was no road of return to walk back down.
Zhao Chen looked toward the North Wind Governor.
"Lord Governor, I request that the Morton System and the Ellis System be assigned to me."
"Marquis of Owl Dragon — what do you mean by this!" Marquis North Wolf, his expression darkly overcast, bored his gaze into Zhao Chen.
This was meat already at his very mouth — and this kid, of all things, wanted to snatch it away!
"I don't mean anything by it. According to the empire's regulations on the enfeoffing of territory: whenever, in a single enfeoffment, the jurisdiction over star systems is reallocated, the enfeoffed lord of the most outstanding showing may hold the right of priority choice. As far as I know, in this enfeoffment I may obtain the jurisdiction over up to five star systems. I don't want five now; I want only the Morton System and the Ellis System. Is there a problem with that? Or is it that you all question the meritorious achievement I — the one who personally went to the Capital Star to receive the marquis's enfeoffment — obtained?" Zhao Chen looked straight at Marquis North Wolf, and then looked again at all the lords present.
Xu Yifan looked, dumbfounded, at this suddenly shifted state of affairs; he hadn't grasped why this Owl Dragon lord had suddenly wanted his two star systems — and what, then, had that earlier questioning of him been about?
Could it be… could it be that…
A certain notion arose in Xu Yifan's heart, but he rather didn't dare believe it.
As for the Marquis of Owl Dragon's remarks — within the hearts of the lord-nobles present, waves surged and billowed, but not a single one spoke.
As everyone knew, Marquis North Wolf had drooled over these two star systems for a long while; before, back when Count Morton was living, North Wolf had devised every means to extend his tentacles over there, but had been blocked, each time, by Count Morton.
And now that Count Morton was gone, and there remained only an eldest son, Xu Yifan, along with a broken and battered Xu family, Marquis North Wolf naturally couldn't possibly let slip so superb a chance!
And now, the newly risen Marquis of Owl Dragon viciously sticking a foot in — this was something no one had expected.
And yet, as it happened, the Marquis of Owl Dragon's words accorded with the empire's rules.
And, moreover, his using an enfeoffment originally of five star systems to trade for two star systems was all the more reasonable.
There was truly no reason to refuse it.
A trace of gladness flashed in the depths of the North Wind Governor's eyes, but he quickly hid it away, and thereupon announced, "As the great meritorious hero of this hive-race disaster — since the Marquis of Owl Dragon wants these two star systems, then we'll go by his request. I announce: the Morton System and the Ellis System are to belong to the Marquis of Owl Dragon. And as for Marquis North Wolf — I'll arrange another three star systems for you separately; I think these three…"
The North Wind Governor, all warmth and geniality, went on to arrange another three star systems for Marquis North Wolf — though the number was one greater.
But one must know, the Morton System was, after all, a resource system.
30% of the North Wind Star Region's current raw-material output came, now, from the Morton System.
And if one were, moreover, to swap all the Morton System's interstellar mining ships for the T3 Prospector-class Heavy Interstellar Mining Ships in Zhao Chen's hands, then the output would, beyond doubt, double!
Zhao Chen, smiling, returned to his own seat; as for that gaze of Marquis North Wolf's — one that would kill him — Zhao Chen naturally paid it no mind.
He had, after all, fixed his future opponent as the Prince Faction; a paltry little marquis was simply not in his eyes at all.
Soon enough, the whole meeting ended.
Some rejoiced, some grieved.
And among them, Marquis North Wolf — who ought, originally, to have been the big winner — was, at this moment, in a mood foul to the very extreme.
He shot a fierce glare at that young man, then turned and left the meeting hall.
Zhao Chen, for his part, didn't leave at once; rather, he sought out Xu Yifan.
"Let's find a place; we'll have a talk," Zhao Chen said.
"All right… all right." Xu Yifan gulped, and, meek and obedient, followed behind Zhao Chen.
After the two of them had walked out of the meeting hall, Zhao Chen and Xu Yifan found a corner of a corridor; Zhao Chen cast a glance at the women-soldiers guarding him.
At a single look, these women-soldiers formed a "wall" around Zhao Chen.
At the same time, Zhao Chen pressed a button on his handheld terminal, and around him and Xu Yifan there formed a secrecy barrier.
"Why did you give up those two star systems of your family's?" Zhao Chen asked, opening the door to see the mountain.
Xu Yifan lowered his head, for all the world like a child who'd done wrong.
"After that hive-race incident, the Morton System suffered great destruction — the several resource mining zones above all; of the relevant equipment, barely one in 10 was left. Adding to that our Xu family's own losses, our Xu family was for all the world like a house with a leaking roof; it was very hard to recover in any short span of time. And at the same time, our Xu family, back when we were developing the Morton System, had incurred some debts besides. Marquis North Wolf, by who-knows-what means, of all things got hold of these debts from others' hands, and at the same time coerced and enticed us. So long as we voluntarily gave up the jurisdiction over the two star systems, then these debts could be waived, and he'd help us develop the one remaining star system. Otherwise, we'd be required to repay all the debts without fail. At the time, our Xu family's situation… we truly had no choice, and could only agree to his conditions. He did waive all our debts, too; as for the subsequent aid, that was to wait a stretch of time."
Only, in the present state of things, with Marquis North Wolf's scheme come to nothing, by all estimates that subsequent aid to the Xu family was gone too.
"What plans do you have for the future?" Zhao Chen looked toward Xu Yifan.
Xu Yifan was at a loss for words; for the moment he, too, didn't know what was to be done.
"If I give you funds, give you aid, and, at the same time, let you serve as proxy-manager in charge of the Morton System and the Ellis System — and if I can guarantee to you that, within 30 years, I can let your Xu family once again come to possess the Morton System and the Ellis System — will you be willing to follow me?" Zhao Chen bored his gaze into Xu Yifan.
Hearing these words, Xu Yifan felt as though cream had been poured over the crown of his head — a sudden, flooding clarity.
After a brief spell of stunned blankness, Xu Yifan directly knelt down on one knee.
"I, Xu Yifan, am willing to follow Your Excellency; my Xu family is willing to run front and back for the Owl Dragon, and to give our all until death!"
Xu Yifan knew that this was the one and only chance to revive his own Xu family.
Though, in the eyes of outsiders, the Marquis of Owl Dragon was merely a newly risen noble with a bit of a name to him — yet he, who had once fought shoulder to shoulder with the Owl Dragon Legion, knew clearly the strength of this man.
If he could follow this man, then for the Xu family it would be, beyond doubt, an enormous opportunity!
There was even the hope of surpassing the Xu family of old!