"Oh? Did Mr. Xiangli decide that Lei Shushan was first, or that Mo Shan was superior?" the leading Great Scholar of the Hall of Punishment asked.
That Hanlin Academician of the Hall of Punishment said, "Neither Lei Shushan nor Mo Shan."
"What?" Lei Shushan cried out in shock, staring at the Hanlin Academician of the Hall of Punishment in disbelief.
Mo Shan was also stunned, unable to make sense of it.
"Impossible!"
"How could this be!"
Whether they were from the Lei Family or the Mohist School, all of them boiled like water in a cauldron. The observing members of the Hall of Punishment were equally baffled.
"How did Mr. Xiangli put it? Do not omit a single word."
The Hanlin Academician of the Hall of Punishment replied, "Elder Xiangli said, 'It is no more than a trivial matter, let the Hall of Punishment render its judgment. This old man need not go.' When this student further asked why, Elder Xiangli said with great displeasure, 'Tell those two brats fighting for fame and profit to get out of the Arbitration Tribunal and properly study Void Sage Fang's Wooden Drum Cotton Fluffer and his drafting methods! Oh, and they must study the New Ginning Machine as well!' This subordinate then sought information from the Crafts Hall and other members of the Hall of Punishment, only to learn that Void Sage Fang had developed a New Ginning Machine with triple the efficiency many days ago, and had also made the Wooden Drum Cotton Fluffer. The people of the Crafts Hall said that the Box-Type Cotton-Fluffing Bow was a hundred years ahead of this era, but the Wooden Drum Cotton Fluffer was three hundred years ahead!"
Everyone present stood dumbfounded. Many simply could not believe the words of this Hanlin Academician of the