Mark narrowed his eyes. Anticipated? So, this is the work of the fifth prince?
He accepted the scroll, unrolled it, and read.
The changes were immediate. And a bit slightly drastic.
The contributions were reduced from a hundred years to twenty-five. The yearly amount doubled, yes, but it was twenty million cronies a year, fixed without any increase later on, regardless of inflation. The empire was giving up the slow strangling method and opting for a shorter, more direct gain.
The no-expansion clause remained untouched, but that was fine; Mark had no intention of expanding yet anyway.
The hostage clause was rewritten entirely. No more sending Lan Yichen away.
Instead, the Empire asked for an elder of the sect who could serve the court. It was a political exchange rather than a hostage. A compromise one could swallow.
But then came the marriage clause.
Mark's eyes moved slowly across the lines, and his heartbeat stopped for a breath
