The Red Banquet -Part 1

"Why...are there so many people in the throne room?" Jin asked the mage and he proceeded to say that most of them were the ministers' lackeys. To help them take things, take notes, answer for them...which bewildered Jin.

"Then what does the Minister do?" He questioned and the mage proceeded to say that their positions were most hereditary. "So, it's not based on meritocracy?" 

"What's that about?" The mage asked and Jin explained that it was based on the merit of the person to take that position. "If you put it that way, their forefathers from 2000 years ago had done that. The children are now reaping the rewards."