As one of the largest restaurants in Ning'an County, the Jade River Restaurant was usually packed with customers, but today it was deserted, with only a few scholars with out-of-town accents sitting in a few private rooms.
In the Heaven-grade upper room, twelve scholars were drinking and chatting. Among these people were one Hanlin Academician, seven Metropolitan Graduates, and four Provincial Graduates, wearing official garments styled after the Qi Kingdom.
"This time, Void Sage Fang is probably caught in an inescapable doom."
"If you want to blame someone, blame him for participating in the Contest of Sacred Ways too early, forcing the Zong Family and Liu Shan to block him with all their might."
"However, he clearly could have abandoned the two subjects of people's livelihood and agriculture, spending his own money to make the Dragon Race use Sea-Swallowing Shells to buy grain everywhere and provide disaster relief to the common people, but he still has no such intention. It can be seen that he doesn't care about the life or death of the common people at all."
"That words are mistaken. Until the very last moment, one must never jump to conclusions prematurely!"
"Fan Ming has praised Void Sage Fang many times, and naturally I also know that Void Sage Fang has Talent Equal to Eight Bushels. But if people really starve to death in Ning'an County, he will bear unshirkable blame! The reputation of lacking benevolence will be firmly pinned on him. Of course, everything is just a possibility. As for whether he wants benevolence or profit, let's see how he chooses."
"The rise in grain prices is not just a single problem, but the beginning of a series of problems. For instance, the workers of a private weaving workshop need to eat. Now that grain prices are