The old regulars at Seeking Friends Lodge would realize, the moment they saw this scene, that the entire lodge had begun discussing a single topic.
The newcomers, meanwhile, looked around curiously as they listened to the people in the innermost circle talk.
There were four round tables in the inner circle. Anyone who wished to express an opinion could sit at a table or stand along the edge.
None of them spoke loudly, but since almost everyone present was a scholar, even those far away could hear them clearly.
"As the Discourse Ranking says, the Ritual Chancellor Pavilion should merely be a stopgap measure. The Miscellaneous School alone has already left our Jing Kingdom hearing enemies in every gust of wind and cry of a crane. If the Ritual Hall supports the Miscellaneous School, with the Eastern Sage Pavilion's bias toward them already common knowledge, the Miscellaneous School may well impose Sacred Way Suppression outright and force Jing Kingdom to bow its head and admit defeat."
"I think so too. What a pity. If we admit defeat now, there is still room to negotiate on many points. If we surrender under Sacred Way Suppression, we may become puppets on the strings of Qing Kingdom and the Miscellaneous School, signing a treaty even more humiliating than the Ding Prefecture Treaty."
"I just don't understand why Void Sage Fang..."
"Stop there. We may discuss current affairs here, but without definite evidence, we must not accuse Void Sage Fang. We are not people of Qing Kingdom; we do not casually heap abuse on a Void Sage of the human race. Say whatever you like in his favor, but if it is negative, discuss the matter, not the person. For instance, we don't support people railing at the Qing Lord here either, though I've