olitical reasons, the khan was in thehabit of appointing foreigners to administer conquered lands, particularlyChina, where the tenacity of the Chinese bureaucracy was legendary. Thekhan could also observe for himself that young Marco was a good candidate.Finally, Marco reported back so successfully from his fist mission-informing the khan not only on business details but also on colorfulcustoms and other interesting trivia-that his further appointment wasconfirmed. The journeys specifically mentioned in Marco's book, involvingtravel across China and a sea voyage to India, suggests that the khan didindeed trust him with some of the most difficult missions(Rugoff 25).The Polos stayed on for seventeen years, another indication of howvalued they were in the khan's court. Marco, his father, and his uncle notonly survived-itself an achievement amid the political hazards of thetime-but also prospered(Great Lives from History 1678). Apparently, theelder Polos carried on their trading while Marco was performing hismissions; yet seventeen years is a long time to trade without returninghome to family and friends. According to Macro, because the khan held themin such high regard, he would not let them return home, but as the khanaged the Polos began to fear what would happen after his death(Hull 18).Finally an opportunity to leave presented itself when trustedemissaries were needed to accompany a Mongol princess on a wedding voyageby sea to Persia, where she was promised to the local khan. The Polossailed from Cathay with a fleet of fourteen ships and a wedding party ofsix hundred people, not counting the sailors. Only a few members of thewedding entourage survived the journey of almost two years, but luckilythe survivors included the Polos and the princess. Fortunately, too, thePolos duly delivered the princess not to the old khan of Persia, who hadmeanwhile died, but to his son(Li Man Kin 21).From Persia, the Polos made their way back to Venice...
