Dongshan City, Prefecture Bureau.
Prefect Pei Jian's study.
"Mr. Dong, this year's fundraising for the Lantern Festival in Dongshan City amounted to 180,000 silver taels from donations by local merchants and wealthy families..."
"Mr. Zhuo, this year's lantern festival should be the first one I've hosted since taking office, right?" Pei Jian asked.
"Yes, Mr. Dong." His aide, Zhuo Qingfeng, who he brought from Li Jing and is one of his trusted confidantes, replied.
"How much silver coins did my predecessor raise for the last Lantern Festival?"
"About 350,000 taels!"
"Even a Prefect who is about to retire could raise 350,000 silver taels to organize this Lantern Festival, and in my first year of term, it's less than 200,000. Is this meant to humiliate me?" Pei Jian said.
This was a topic Zhuo Qingfeng found difficult to respond to.
"Who donated the most in previous years?"
