"An unusual life? You're overthinking it. I've simply read a lot of books," Fang Yun said.
Dong Wencong remained half-convinced, but he did not pursue the matter.
Fang Yun smiled. He had read far too many books over the years. The Strange Book World recorded countless historical events, and that vast store of information, coupled with a Grand Academician's powerful mind, allowed him to deduce innumerable possibilities from the slightest clue, then use his experience to identify the most likely outcomes.
Dong Wencong asked again, "My lord, you believe that mishandling this affair could plunge Xiang Prefecture into chaos. Aren't you taking it a little too seriously?"
Fang Yun said, "What was Xiang Prefecture's officialdom like before I arrived?"
Dong Wencong thought briefly, then said, "With the Qing Kingdom behind them, the Qing Officials were arrogant and domineering. Officials transferred from elsewhere were unfamiliar with Xiang Prefecture to begin with, and with Liu Shan there, their hands and feet were bound whenever they tried to act. The two sides were at odds and fought constantly. In many places, orders issued in the morning were changed by evening, leaving the common people at a loss and suffering beyond words."
"How do you think that should be resolved?" Fang Yun asked.
Dong Wencong immediately answered, "Back then, I believed we could resolve it by proceeding gradually. Only later did I realize that a gradual approach had a prerequisite: our Jing Kingdom had to surpass the Qing Kingdom in every respect and become a great power of the Human Race. Within a few years, the hearts of Xiang Prefecture's people would naturally turn toward us. Without the people's support, the Qing Officials would cease to exist. Looking back now, troubled times call for stern laws. Your approach-arresting all the Qing Officials directly at