With a heavy frown on his face, another minor minister asked, "Could it be more to the issue with the slaves? Could it be the Emperor is also involved, and that is why the Emperor has remained silent?"

A high ranking minister threw a dubious look at the minor minister, shook his head, and said, "No, I think you are overthinking things a bit Minister. However, it can be said that the Emperor may have remained silent because the Lord of Liu Residence's actions are in alignment with the Emperor's agenda."

The minor minister's frown grew heavier as he replied, "It has to be more than just that, who has ever gotten the Grand Prince and Young General Wang to act on their behalf? Okay, the Grand Prince I could understand, but for Young General Wang to get involved and go wipe out a major crime organization, there must be more to this."

The high ranking minister threw the minor minister a look of annoyance, a wondered which rock the idiot crawl from under. Has he even been paying attention or sleeping during the meeting?

"Minister, have you forgotten that the Lord of Liu Residence is friends with Wang Royal Manor and the Heir of Wang Royal Manor? Have you forgotten the kind of person that the Heir of Wang Royal Manor is?" With a wave of his hand, the high ranking minister said, "The Heir of Wang Royal Manor probably got bored and used the event as an excuse to go kill people."

An elder looked over to Elder Lai, "We know that revenge was one of the birds, what was the second bird that Lord Liu killed with one stone? Would Elder Lai care to expound more on this matter?"

As if it was choreographed, the men all turned to look over at Elder Lai with great anticipation they waited to hear his answer.

After it grew completely quiet, Elder Lai began to speak once more. "It is unfortunate, but, indeed, the majority of the slaves in the Tolling Lands are not treated well. Even I stand guilty of looking away when slaves were mistreated in my home. Now here we have someone who came along who treats his slaves with great respect. He teaches them to read and write. This person pays his slaves wages, allow the slaves of his Residence to learn crafts, and ..."

"Allow them to learn crafts?!" A High Ranking Elder of the Imperial Court thundered, rudely cutting Elder Lai off. I have heard nothing of this! He is allowing his slaves to learn crafts?!"

An uproar tore through the Meeting Hall. In the Tolling Lands, although the crafts of artisans and craftspeople were heavily linked. They were also deeply divided. Many crafts were almost a class unto themselves. Guilds and several different organizations managed the many crafts.

Although it wasn't prohibited, however, in some crafts, it was rare to find someone of the working lower class, or the working poor class, much less a slave. These classes were dominated by the working middle class and the upper-middle class. There were some crafts, that for centuries, were dominated by only members of the upper class.

Yet, the Lord of Liu Residence was blindly running around, allowing his slaves to learn different crafts. Wouldn't that destabilize the convoluted, yet structured class system of the crafts that were akin to classes of its own.

"Is this allowed? Can Lord Liu do this?" A worried-looking young nobleman asked.

"If there is an influx of slaves into the classes of the crafts, wouldn't this destabilize things?" A minor official question.

A calm looking high official said, "I think this is a good thing. The understanding that I have gained so far is that sooner or later, the slaves would be freed. Wouldn't it be better to prepare the slaves from now, so by the time slavery is abolished, these slaves can support themselves?"

A scholar of noble birth vehemently disagreed, "If we allowed the slaves this privilege, wouldn't that cause a major protest and a possible uprising amongst the commoners of the poverty class and the working poor class? It will even affect the working lower class and the working middle class. If this affects and destabilize those class, the fallout will definitely affect the Upper class and the noble class. So what is this I am hearing? This must be stopped!"

A commander who was silently watching Elder Lai as the officials, ministers, and nobles were throwing their opinions around finally spoke. With a heavy voice full of censor and double meanings, the commander's voice cut through the clamor bring silence to the Meeting Hall.

"I believe Elder Lai was giving us his advice. Before everyone began forming opinions of their own, shouldn't we first hear the advice of the wise Elder Lai?"

The face of the High Ranking Elder who had cut Elder Lai off tinged pink in embarrassment as several people threw glances his way. After all, he was the one who cut Elder Lai off.

Elder Lai didn't wait for the High Ranking Elder to apologize. The moment it grew silent, he began to speak. "Since Lord Liu has close ties to Wang Royal Manor, after hearing of the privileges of the slaves of Liu Residence. I'd decided to shamelessly pester the Grand Prince until he agreed to meet with me. Although the Grand Prince refused to set up a meeting with Lord Liu and me, he was still kind enough to show me a bit of face. For over two hours, the Grand Prince and I spoke on the views and plans of Lord Liu. Also in attendance was one of my most promising students, Han Mín Yuè of the Han family and the wife of Jiang Tài Píng of the Jiang family."

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Silence blanketed the room as Elder Lai told the men gathered in the room of the Lord of Liu Residences' plans that were still in the works. He told them of the plans to build two massive Skills, Crafts, and Intellectual Attainment Universities. One would be built in the Imperial City, and one outside of the Imperial City. In these Universities, artisans and craftspeople of all kinds and classes would be hired to teach commoners of the poverty class, working poor class, working lower class, and freed slaves. Scholars would also be hired to teach classes for anyone who wished to learn to read, write, and learn sums.

Elder looked around at the dazed men who gawked and gape at him in shock, for the next ten minutes, it was absolutely silent as the men attentively listened to the Elder explain the plans of the Lord of Liu Residence that he learned from Wang Royal Manor.

"What I found most admirable about Lord Liu was that although he started this agenda with the intention to punish those who were seeking to harm him first, he understood how farreaching his actions would be. Therefore he pushed further to make sure his actions didn't bring harm to the Tolling Lands. From my perspective, many adjustments will need to be made to Lord Liu's plans. Even though with the plans of Lord Liu, the various craft classes would grow substantially, I do believe that the balance would be maintained. From what I've learned, things are currently in the planning phase. Within the next couple of years, I was told that Lord Liu would begin putting his plans in motion using his own money. "

A chorus of "Ah!?" echoed throughout the Meeting Hall. The astonishment of everyone was not small. The Lord of Liu Residence was going to use his own money to build Universities to train and educate commoners and slaves of the Tolling Land!? Why?! Is he that rich that he's going around looking for ways to squander his gold?! Not even the Four Martial Families built Universities to teach slaves and the poor! For Lord Liu to do this, he must be of the Imperial Family! Why else would he do this using his own money?! These were the thoughts of many of the men gathered in the Meeting Hall.

"I consider the period we are in now to be the beginning of the transitioning period. Therefore my advice to everyone gathered here remains the same. Bind your slaves and servants to your house using gratitude and contracts. From what I was able to learn, the slaves that Lord Liu is allowing to learn crafts must sign a seven-year contract. Once a year, an annual review will be given in Liu Residence, and servants that were loyal and performed well throughout the year would be allowed to buy their freedom. However, since the slaves that are learning crafts signed a seven-year contract, using this seven-year contract, Lord Liu bound the slaves that learned crafts to his house for seven years."

"Ha ha ha" the same commander that admired Liu Tián Qǔ couldn't help but burst into laughter, "That is brilliant! So although the slaves that learned crafts may buy their freedom, they are still bound to Liu Residence until the contract is up! There is much to be gained from having skilled craftsmen bound to your house."

"That is correct commander," Elder Lai said. "The contracted freed slaves could also be used to teach other slaves in your manor as well."

Elder Lai smiled inwardly as the atmosphere in the Meeting Hall changed, "Offer your servants and slaves better treatment and decent wages. If possible, hire artisans and craftsmen to teach your slaves whatever crafts you feel are suited for them. If you can do so, then I suggest you teach them to read and write so that they don't get left behind during the transitioning period."

Elder Lai couldn't contain the faint smile that ghosted across his lips as he continued to advised the men gathered in the Meeting Hall. As Elder Lai counsel the men, he saw the glitter of gold in the eyes of many of the officials, ministers, and nobles as they thought of ways they could make money with the skilled contracted slaves that would bound to their houses using gratitude and contracts.

"Now that I have given my advice to everyone, I will also give a warning. No interference or schemes will be tolerated during this movement. Those with the thought to interfere with the planning and building of the Universities. Or to interfere with the running of the Universities, I suggest you cease and desist with those thoughts." A severe look came over Elder Lai's face as he looked around at the men gathered in the Meeting Hall. Elder Lai made sure to meet the gaze of many of the known schemers that were also in attendance.

"My student Han Mín Yuè has become fascinated with the movement of bettering the country through the abolition of slavery. The first step to do so is the transition period. She informed me that she would speak to Lord Liu so she would be able to actively get involved in the planning, building, and running of the Universities. She also promised to speak to him on my behalf so I too may become actively involved in this movement," the Elder informed all the men in the Meeting Hall.

"I am already this old, but I was blessed to come across this movement. I plan to dedicate the final years of my life to the building and running of the Universities. As well as the educating of commoners and freed slaves, I desire to use the final years of my life to help build a better Tolling Lands. I think it is a worthy cause. Being that the agenda of Lord Liu aligns with His Majesty's agenda, I doubt if the Emperor will sit quietly in the Imperial Palace while Lord Liu began a movement that with change and strengthen the foundation of the Tolling Lands."

Many of the schemers had already begun plotting. However, their schemes died quick deaths. Not only will Elder Lai be heavily involved in the movement of the transitioning of slaves, but so would the wife of Jiang Tài Píng. The Emperor will most likely get involved if he wished to begin the movement to abolish slavery. Not one schemer that was present was that tired of living.

The debate and talks of the Ministers, Elders, Officials, and Nobles continued long into the night. They all were awakened to the silent smothering volcano that lingered beneath the surface of the Tolling Lands. As the guardians of the Tolling Lands, they refused to be caught unaware if the volcano decided to blow up on their watch. Since the movement had already quietly begun, change had already arrived.