With the two matters linked, even the "street-corner grand secretaries" who debated the world over tea and after meals could guess that the selection of Council Scholars and the Anti-Thug Office's disciplinary regulations were aimed at the Lineages stirring up trouble.
After the news was released, Lineage heads throughout the Jing Kingdom studied it carefully and were delighted to discover that the word "governance" in this so-called Council of Governance was merely a façade. A more accurate name for the institution would have been the "Council of Participation in Governance."
The major Lineages and scholars had long lamented their lack of any formal standing to deliberate on or participate in government. Now that this opportunity had arrived, they had to use every means at their disposal to secure it.
And so, the first group of Lineages with entirely clean records suddenly began publishing declarations locally and on the Discourse Ranking.
The declarations were remarkably similar in substance, generally covering four points.
Support the court's reforms.
Support Fang Yun's appointment as Left Prime Minister.
Support the Anti-Thug Office's crackdown on local tyrants and corrupt gentry.
Oppose any Lineage surrounding the imperial palace or government offices.
In just one day, the number of Lineages supporting Fang Yun and the Anti-Thug Office exceeded the number surrounding government offices and the imperial palace.
That very evening, the Fang Household held a family banquet in Spring Garden, with just six tables in all.
Five tables hosted the Five Great Families respectively, while Fang Yun and several guests sat at the sixth.
The guests included Right Prime Minister Cao Dean, Assistant Prime Minister Yang Xuwen, Gao Mo of the Hall of Punishment, Xiangli Yuan of the Crafts Hall, Xu Shi of the Agriculture Hall, and Zhang Zangxiang of the Medical Hall.
The heads of the Five