Chen Kaishan smiled, pleased by Cheng Zongyang's frankness and lack of evasion. After all, such matters were quite common at the Da Yi Commerce Association.
It was precisely because the procurement department was so lucrative that it wasn't given decision-making authority. This was to prevent major corruption from leading to the acceptance of substandard goods.
Of course, they weren't too worried about substandard goods being passed off as quality ones. The Commerce Association had its own "quality control," and if a spot check revealed any issues, not only would the contract be canceled, but the procurement department and the deciding Steward would, at best, receive a warning and disciplinary action. At worst, they would be removed from their position.
Therefore, when weighing their positions against the potential punishments, anyone who managed to become a Steward knew how to prioritize.
