Within the main hall of the Second Route Wind Patrol Office in Haiyuan City, Ye Zhen sat in the central seat of honor, while Liu Feng, the deputy envoy of the Second Route Wind Patrol Office, sat to his left.
Guo Zhang, the ruler of the Marquisate of Haiyuan, and Chancellor Xu Shi sat below Ye Zhen on his right.
The arrangement looked rather strange. After all, within this hall, the person of highest status ought to have been Guo Zhang, the ruler of the Marquisate of Haiyuan.
Yet by seating order, he ranked even below Liu Feng, the deputy envoy of the Second Route Wind Patrol Office.
An imperially established fiefdom was the reward all kings, dukes, marquises, and nobles coveted most. It meant truly becoming the lord of a nation.
But when all was said and done, it still depended on strength.
Without sufficient strength, when the offices under whose jurisdiction they fell came swaggering in and throwing their weight around, each of them would be meek as grandsons.
The Marquisate of Haiyuan had only been established as an imperial fief for seven or eight years, its foundations still too shallow. Had it been a fiefdom enfeoffed for over a century, Ye Zhen would not have been able to act so forcefully.
Of course, the main reason Ye Zhen was so forceful today was that he had reason on his side and had seized the Marquisate of Haiyuan by its sore spot.
"Ye Patrol Envoy, what happened before truly was a misunderstanding. Please forgive us, Ye Patrol Envoy."
As he spoke, Chancellor Xu Shi presented a jade tray filled to the brim with both hands.
"Ye Patrol Envoy, these are the control token for the Ancient Teleportation Array in Haiyuan City, as well as the token for the