The Don himself was backing Emilio.
Emilio reached into one of the chests and pulled out a thick roll of hundreds at random.
He tossed it at their feet:
"Take it. That's enough to cover several months of your wages.
"And if you don't get back to work and end up disrupting the compound's operations, don't be surprised when you end up in the ground!"
They had their money.
And the Don had made his position clear.
Everyone scrambled to bow their thanks and scattered.
Emilio surveyed the chests of gifts filling the courtyard.
A cold smile spread across his face:
"Just as I thought. My approach was right all along.
"If that bastard Angelo hadn't thrown so much money at these ungrateful wretches before, they'd never have developed such an insatiable greed."
His handmaid kneaded his shoulders. "The Don himself admires your integrity, signore.
"The Ferraro family has always been a house of consiglieri. That Angelo is a disgrace to the family name!"
Emilio adjusted his glasses with two fingers, the gesture slow, almost professorial:
"Starting today, one copper coin per month becomes one copper coin every two months."
The handmaid froze.