The audience below the stage showed little enthusiasm for applauding. After a few perfunctory claps, only a handful of waiters remained to keep things lively. Shopkeeper Song had even less popularity and charm than Hu Xiaotian, so naturally the applause was considerably weaker.
Hu Xiaotian said, "Tonight's banquet is held in the name of charity. You have all gathered here not out of regard for me, Hu Xiaotian, but for the word charity itself, for the benevolent heart within each of us. A month ago, Azure Cloud Bridge was washed away by a flood. It is the vital artery linking Azure Cloud to the heart of Western Sichuan, and its destruction has caused tremendous inconvenience to the people of Azure Cloud. As Azure Cloud County Deputy, I see their plight, and it pains me deeply. I dare not claim that a single term in office will let me bring prosperity to an entire region, but I will devote every ounce of my strength to the task, treating the people's urgent needs as my own and sharing their hardships. I have made the restoration of Azure Cloud Bridge the foremost priority of my term."
Xu Qinglian and Liu Baoju were still kneeling beside the Prince of Zhou, their knees already numb. At this, both cursed inwardly. Honeyed words! You've snatched all the credit for yourself. We were the ones who drew up the plan to repair Azure Cloud Bridge, weren't we? Suddenly, they felt that their earlier attempt to trap and harm him had instead handed him an enormous windfall for nothing.
Hu Xiaotian said, "Repairing a bridge sounds easy, but actually carrying it out is no simple matter. Azure Cloud County has suffered repeated natural disasters over the years, with poor harvests year after year. Not a single household has