Because the merchant faction yielded and compromised once again, the final outcome of the negotiations was relatively unfavorable to the merchants.
Although taxes had been reduced, the noble lords could send people to directly participate in managing the merchants' associations.
In the noble faction's words, this was called the right of supervision. As lords, they had to ensure that they could monitor every force within their territories; no truly uncontrolled power could be allowed to exist. But everyone knew that this meant the merchants' associations in every territory had more or less fallen entirely under the control of the local lords.
They might be able to conduct business and make money peacefully in ordinary times, but the moment a lord turned hostile, he could wipe them out root and branch. They would not even have a chance to escape.
By rights, this was absolutely unacceptable in Sui Xiong's view—what kind of world allowed an enemy to move into your home carrying a knife? Had their brains been flooded or something?!
But to the merchants, as long as taxes were lowered and their ability to make money was not affected, everything else was negotiable.
At the end of the day, what merchants cared about most was money. Money was all they cared about.
Once the negotiation results came out, Sui Xiong swept his tentacles and released those people, who had become so foul they practically seemed to be rotting, then left directly and returned to his divine kingdom.
"What a hopeless lump of mud!" The moment he returned to the council hall, that was what he said. "Manis, the merchant faction truly can't be saved!"
The Goddess of Wealth was somewhat puzzled. "Isn't this outcome pretty good? There's no need for war."
Sui Xiong was rendered speechless for a moment, before