The soaring granite pillars of the Jiangnan Provincial Hall gleamed under bright morning sunlight.
Inside the grand assembly auditorium, five hundred delegates filled the tiered mahogany seats.
They were not corrupt oligarchs or luxury socialites.
They were honest small factory owners, independent hardware makers, rural school principals, and local craft guild masters.
At the front of the hall stood Provincial Governor Zhou Weimin in his sharp charcoal suit.
Governor Zhou raised both hands, quieting the excited murmurs of the gathered delegates.
“For thirty years,” Governor Zhou’s voice boomed through the speakers, “the old Jiangnan Chamber of Commerce was a private cartel run by the Song, Murong, and Ouyang Clans. They extorted exorbitant membership fees, choked honest competitors with artificial boycotts, and hoarded bank credit for their own shell companies.”
Governor Zhou swept his hand toward the executive council table on the stage.
