It didn't take long for the stunned silence to be replaced with a shower of protests. Voices raising higher than the last in red-faced fury.
Xiao Zai couldn't tell them all to shut up wholesale. So he gestured towards whoever seemed most in danger of bursting a blood vessel to allow them to go ahead and air their grievances.
The grievances were many and varied.
"Commoners in the civil service, his Majesty would condemn the fields to barrenness. Who will work the land?"
Rebutting stupid arguments was Chu Yun's speciality, so Xiao Zai left that up to him. From his place beside Xiao Zai he faced the angry ministers with an expression of complete neutrality.
"Maybe Minister Bin doesn't recall, but the civil servants exams will remain in place. Which means the number of posts will be the same. We won't be opening any extraordinary posts for the new students. Minister Bin can rest assured there will still be people to farm his land for him."
