The First Old Master Fan was perspiring profusely under Shao Yunduan's penetrating gaze, his heart pounding with anxiety. "I confess! I'll pay the tax immediately, and for the 40,000 mu of fertile land I overlooked, I'll settle the tax for that too. Please forgive me, Lord," he blurted out.
The Second Old Master Fan chimed in hastily, "Yes, yes, Lord Shao, spare me. I won't dare to repeat this mistake!"
Though they anticipated their mother's inevitable objections and the ensuing chaos, they couldn't afford to be concerned about it now.
But would Lord Shao be appeased without a hefty sum of money? Without it, they wouldn't leave the state office unscathed.
What recourse did they have? Despair gnawed at them.
