"If none of you object, then the matter of the lake fields is settled."
Puyang Xing's face was wreathed in smiles as he looked at the officials around him.
This was a court assembly of the Wu Kingdom.
Emperor Sun Xiu sat above them without a word, as though what was happening below had nothing to do with him.
The ministers, who had exchanged views with Zhang Bu beforehand, had no objections either. So long as they themselves were not being tormented, those lowborn commoners could be tormented however anyone pleased.
Besides, Zhang Bu had promised them a share of the meat once the lake fields were built. Then let them be built!
But Shi Ji, currently Senior Grand General and Left Grand Marshal, could no longer hold himself back.
Shi Ji's official rank had already reached the highest grade the Wu Kingdom could bestow on its officials.
It stood far above even an ordinary Grand General.
He had reached the point where no further honors could be granted.
Yet although Shi Ji held an exceedingly high office, he actually had little power in the imperial court.
This was chiefly because Shi Ji had no faction of his own at court and few supporters. Alone and weak, he could exert little influence on the court's many policies.
In history, too, Shi Ji had held the highest office while becoming all but invisible at court.
Shi Ji glared angrily at Puyang Xing, then looked around at the unmoved ministers.
"Absolutely not!"
Shi Ji spoke up, interrupting Puyang Xing.
Puyang Xing was not surprised in the slightest.
He asked with a smile, "Does the Grand General have any thoughts?"
Shi Ji said displeasedly, "How much trouble did these lake fields cause before? Jiaozhou rebelled, bandits swarmed everywhere, and we only just managed