Silas paused in surprise at his lord's words.
"Does that mean we're going to leave it entirely alone?"
"Of course not." Ye Wei'an shook his head. "If we leave it alone, what happens if illegal transactions crop up?"
"As it happens, there's still plenty of room in this area." He rose, walked over to the sand table, and drew a circle around the intersection near the square's noticeboard and exchange shop. "We'll give them a dedicated trading area."
Then he laid out a simple set of trading rules:
Essentially, all transactions had to be voluntary, fraud was prohibited, and designated staff would handle disputes.
The market would also charge stall fees: one work point per day for small businesses. Transactions exceeding twenty work points would incur a five-percent transaction fee.
"Master, I noticed something interesting today, too," Lina suddenly mentioned. "While I was making my rounds as an adjudicator today, I noticed that many subjects would gather in groups of three or five while working. At first, I thought they were slacking off, but when I went closer, I discovered they were actually discussing their work—things like how to shovel earth with the least effort, or how to strip bark most easily. Experienced workers were always surrounded by people asking for advice."
"That's hardly surprising," Orin said with a chuckle. "When work efficiency directly affects income, anyone would want to look into improving it."
"If people are willing to pay someone to cover their shifts," Silas suddenly said, supporting his chin as he thought, "would anyone be willing to pay for techniques? I mean, hiring a teacher to show them how to work."
Without waiting for an answer, he offered his own analysis. "If it were me, I'd be willing to pay. After all, a small expense would increase my