"Thank you all for coming!"
The fat man dressed in pale blue stood at the entrance to the hall, cupped his hands toward the gathered townsfolk, and spoke with a smile.
The surrounding townsfolk were accustomed to the sight. Whenever the Heavenly Fragrance House released news, it was always Manager Liu who announced it to the commoners gathered on the ground floor. Everyone knew him well by now.
"Manager Liu, stop keeping us in suspense and hurry up with the news!"
A middle-aged man near the front of the crowd looked up and called out, drawing a chorus of agreement. But he said no more after that.
Hearing the middle-aged man's voice, Manager Liu smiled in his direction. "Hehe, since this friend has spoken up, and everyone wants to know, I won't keep you in suspense any longer."
Manager Liu gathered his broad cuffs, then turned serious before speaking. "The news we received this time concerns events within the Jia Ma Empire!"
Manager Liu's very first sentence stirred a towering wave of commotion among the crowd.
"The Jia Ma Empire? What news could warrant such a high appraisal from the Heavenly Fragrance House?"
"What news from the Jia Ma Empire could affect us? Could they be planning to start another war?"
"That must be it. Other than war, what news from the Jia Ma Empire could affect us here in the Chu Yun Empire?"
"Ah, all this fighting back and forth... aren't we ordinary folk the ones who suffer in the end?"
The moment Manager Liu finished speaking, the gathered commoners could no longer contain themselves. Given the relationship between the Jia Ma Empire and the Chu Yun Empire, everyone assumed the two empires were about to go to war again.
Hearing their complaints, Manager Liu did not immediately