After Deputy Prefect Guan took a break, more than half of the officials scheduled to work that day applied for leave, with even the bailiffs making only sporadic appearances. Despite the disruption, three groups of people showed up to file lawsuits on the same day.
Before heading to court for the trial, Shao Yunduan had someone leave the necessary documents for him to review.
These individuals had all been influenced by Deputy Prefect Guan's bribes, making them reluctant to simply leave without causing a commotion. However, Shao Yunduan, being the Prefect, was not bound by any rule that mandated immediate interrogation upon receiving legal documents, even with a promotion looming in the next ten days or half a month.