Some began pleading for mercy the moment they opened their mouths; others harbored wishful thinking, assuming that whatever gifts they offered would not match the tastes of the two lords, and so resorted to even more elaborate tricks.
Of course, there were also truly good officials among them, whose financial ledgers and case files had been meticulously kept for years.
Fortunately, they had not encountered any overly troublesome matters along the way.
Chapter 116