Inside the main hall of the Prefecture Lord, three middle-aged men stood with a pensive expression on their faces.
Patriarch Yu, Patriarch Xu, and Patriarch Fang, leaders of influential factions within the city, exchanged worried glances.
Previously, they had thought the lockdown would be a temporary inconvenience, lasting perhaps only a day or two.
However, as the days stretched into three, then four, it became increasingly evident that the lockdown would not end easily.
The situation was dire, not just for their city, but for every city within the prefecture.
With commerce halted, travel restricted, and uncertainty looming over the land, their carefully laid plans had crumbled to dust.
To compound their troubles, the recent mandate for the compulsory registration of all merchants in the Celestial Heavenly Store had dealt them a heavy blow.
It seemed as though every pillar of their influence was being shaken to its core.
