The Silver Blood Council proceeded unexpectedly quickly.
There was none of the usual polite boasting and idle chatter, nor any hidden barbs and schemes. The entire Silver Blood Council had only two steps: Acting President Ting Jiu raised an issue, and everyone raised their hands to approve or reject it.
Not raising your hand defaulted to rejection.
More than half in favor meant the issue passed.
The president had 1.5 votes when voting.
This nearly ruleless democracy had raised the Silver Blood Council's efficiency to a level that even Le Yu found astonishing.
After being persuaded by the "fair-minded Silver Blood members," Ting Jiu took the opportunity to propose a "punishment" for the six squad leaders and deputy squad leaders: confiscating their patrol wages for the past few months.
Patrol Team members received wages, and naturally, so did their leaders and deputies. However, those wages were practically ceremonial. To the heirs of the Six Merchant Associations, they were not even enough to count as pocket money. This punishment was equivalent to no punishment at all—it would have been more effective to punish themselves by drinking three cups.
Le Yu had thought there would be many people who would refuse to raise their hands in opposition, using collective democracy to pressure the Six Merchant Associations. After all, in a certain sense, democracy was an internal adjustment mechanism in which the weak banded together to force the strong.
But when the vote began, his surging Mental Sea made his thoughts incomparably clear, almost forcing him to make a decision:
--The attack was not the six people's fault.
--Pursuing the matter against the six would only cause internal strife within the Silver Blood Society.
--I will benefit from this issue.
--For myself, and for the Silver Blood Society.
--Approve.
"Sixty-eight in favor. Passed."