Early the next morning, He Gaofei and his companions arrived at the Prefect's Office.
They were eager to see how this new official, Ancient Wen Heng, planned to shake things up.
Anticipating a good show, they all arrived at the main hall of the government office bright and early, despite their lingering fatigue. They settled in their seats, poised and ready for the drama to unfold.
Ancient Wen Heng surveyed the still-empty main hall. "Magistrate Wang," he said, "did you not send someone to notify them?"
"My lord, I've already sent someone to inform them," Wang Ping replied. "The other gentlemen may have been delayed. I'll send someone to hurry them along right away." He had suspected all along that things wouldn't go so smoothly today.
Vice General Wang had promised yesterday that he would come this morning. But the other officials, who were injured, had all hemmed and hawed, claiming their wounds hadn't healed and that they feared they would only cause delays.
