When Ji Zhibai stepped down from his carriage in the white robes of a Metropolitan Graduate, Geng Ge, director of the Transport Office, got ahead of Fang Yun and strode forward to greet him. Ding Haosheng, general of the Northern Mang Army, quickened his pace as well.
Fang Yun walked forward slowly, leaving many of the officials behind him in a predicament.
With Fang Yun in front, they could not overtake him, but that also meant they would not leave a favorable impression on Ji Zhibai. After all, many of them had once attached themselves to him. However, the Left Prime Minister Faction had now completely abandoned Ning'an County. After Chief Clerk Shen was sentenced, Ji Zhibai had stopped sending letters to the county's officials altogether.
These officials hated Ji Zhibai and the others in the Left Prime Minister Faction for abandoning them, yet still hoped they would have a change of heart.
In their eyes, the Left Prime Minister Faction, which could mingle its light with the dust and wallow in the same mire, was the right choice. Fang Yun was practically the bane of officials. Ever since he had gained the upper hand, everyone had worked like cowed grandchildren to help him, terrified that the slightest problem would earn them a sentence.
Fang Yun's judgments were exceedingly strange. Some sentences were light, others heavy, and he had never subjected anyone to torture during interrogation. Only after conviction did he impose punishment according to the law.
Only a handful of young officials deliberately fell to the rear of the procession, keeping their distance from Ji Zhibai.
They had already expressed their stance with their feet.
Last year, these young officials had admired Ji Zhibai immensely, considering him a dragon among men. But after Fang Yun arrived in Ning'an, they