"Mrs. Lin, it's not that we are unwilling to contribute; it's just that the amount is too great—we really can't afford it," President Jiang continued to say from the side.
Zixuan's expression remained unchanged as he spoke with a steady voice, "Gentlemen, this time the construction of the dike and the moat is a great deed that will benefit the people. The county office has not collected a single extra tax in the past few years, so funds are somewhat tight. I have no choice but to ask each of you to share in this burden. You should all understand that if something were to happen, I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to continue your businesses here either. This matter is equally beneficial to everyone." Zixuan looked around at the people in the room and smiled. "You are all intelligent men; there's no need for me to say more, is there?"
