"What, nothing to say?" Fang Yun suddenly turned a grim face toward the officials.
The officials' expressions changed sharply with fright, and they dared not meet Fang Yun's eyes.
"Prefect Yan, let's hear what you think," Fang Yun said.
Yan Xiao had served as an official for many years. Naturally, he knew that saying the wrong thing now was tantamount to choosing the wrong side. Agreeing with Fang Yun meant betraying his colleagues in Baling City; opposing Fang Yun meant his own official career would not last much longer.
"This humble official is slow-witted and does not know what to say..." Yan Xiao replied evasively.
"Why do you dare stake your head and your future on a guarantee, yet dare not live near the workshops like the common people?" After speaking, Fang Yun looked at the officials for a long time, profound disappointment on his face, then turned to leave.
"You have never walked among the common people, so you will never know how disappointed we are in you." As Fang Yun spoke, he disappeared into the night.
The officials present exchanged glances, but not one dared speak.
After a long silence, Yan Xiao said, "This matter... how should we handle it?"
Dong Wencong sighed. "Satisfying the Zhao Clan Trading Company is easy. Satisfying the common people is difficult. Satisfying Void Sage Fang is harder still."
"This matter... must be resolved eventually."
"I say we settle it once and for all. Since these people object, let them keep living with expensive paper."
"That sort of spiteful behavior might have worked before today. Now that the governor-general knows, if we do that again, aren't you afraid he'll rate all our performance reviews 'lowest of the low'? Once we receive that rating, we'll face demotion at best and an investigation into our