Royal Gold Magistrate

Getting off work early feels great.

Fang Zheng left the palace early and found a carriage outside to hurry home.

On the way, Fang Zheng kept recalling his meeting with Emperor Jing today.

Although he had offended everyone, overall it was still quite smooth… The most unexpected thing was that Emperor Jing turned out to be Li Long.

Fortunately, the Emperor had a good impression of him.

It’s just that the task of instructing the Crown Prince was truly a bit of a headache. The Crown Prince was obviously going through a rebellious phase. Judging from the Emperor’s attitude, if he couldn’t teach him well, he feared he would be riding a tiger and find it hard to dismount…

While he was pondering the future education policy for the Crown Prince, the carriage had already stopped.

The coachman shouted from outside, “Sir, we’ve arrived.”

Fang Zheng then paid and got off the carriage. The first thing he saw was actually Bai Yi, looking around at the front gate, not knowing what she was doing.

Bai Yi also happened to see Fang Zheng. Seeing his disheveled clothes and ink stains all over his body, she almost laughed out loud.

She walked over with mincing steps to “enthusiastically” greet him, “Ah… Young Master, how come you’re back so early? These clothes are…?”

Fang Zheng had a dark face and pointed to the corner of the wall, “Go! Stand over there. Only come in for dinner tonight.”

“???”

Bai Yi instantly pulled a long face, pouted, and trudged over to the corner of the wall.

Whatever he says goes… I’m already used to it…

Fang Zheng then walked straight into the courtyard and quickly returned.

Seeing him come out, Bai Yi was delighted. Fang Zheng was always unpredictable. Was he going to let her go in again? Standing out here in the cold wasn’t pleasant.

“Where’s Xiao Tao?”

“……, She said she went out to look for someone.”

“Oh, when she comes back, tell her to see me. You go stand somewhere else, watch the front gate.”

“……………..”

After giving instructions, Fang Zheng returned to the reclining chair in the courtyard and gradually fell asleep as his eyelids grew heavier.

After a short while, he felt someone pushing him. Opening his eyes, he saw it was Xiao Tao.

Her face was full of fatigue.

“Young Master, you were looking for me?”

“Where did you go?” Fang Zheng rubbed his eyes and sat up.

Xiao Tao said impatiently, “Where else can I go! Didn’t you tell me to find that Li Long? And today I went out to find a few workers to come back and fix the latrine. Isn’t that what you instructed?”

Thinking of having Xiao Tao run around in vain for two days, Fang Zheng chuckled dryly a couple of times, “Good job. Well… no need to look for Li Long anymore. Just leave it at that.”

“Hey, where are the people fixing the latrine?”

“They’ll come tomorrow.”

Alright, Fang Zheng shook his head helplessly. To be honest, for him, the latrine was of the utmost importance.

Back when he first arrived in the State of Jing, this matter was Fang Zheng’s number one nemesis!

The common folk weren’t very particular about toilets. They would relieve themselves anywhere and some people would even just pull up their pants and leave after finishing their business! Fang Zheng found it utterly disgusting. Later, under his absolute authority, he ordered all the county residents to clean up. Only then was there some improvement.

Here in the capital, there were no pipes or flush toilets. Renovating would take some effort…

Thinking of not having flush toilets to use, Fang Zheng couldn’t help feeling a moment of melancholy. He didn’t know how the novel protagonists he read about in his previous life solved this problem…

“I say, Young Master… Did you get beaten up when you went to court? Why are your clothes all undone and covered in ink stains? Hurry and bring them over. I’ll go wash them for you.”

Fang Zheng glared, “Nonsense! Who dares to beat up this young master? These clothes can’t be washed. I brought new official robes. Take the old clothes and have them mounted! Use the best materials! Then hang them on the screen wall and inscribe a few words beside them!”

“Write what…” Xiao Tao muttered in her heart, not knowing what shenanigans Young Master was up to again. Can official robes even be mounted?

Fang Zheng thought for a bit, then said in a singsong voice, “Just write on the screen wall, ‘Where My Emperor Splashed Ink’!”

Xiao Tao was dumbfounded, “This… this… these ink stains were made by the Emperor? You angered the Emperor?!”

Fang Zheng lay down again and waved his hand, “Stop talking nonsense. Hurry and go. The Emperor and I get along like one person. When he eats, I pick out dishes for him!”

“I’m going to sleep first. Call me when it’s time for dinner. Oh, and Xiao Bai, she’s in charge of watching the front gate now. Only let her come in at mealtime!”

“………………” Xiao Tao helplessly glanced at the front gate.

Poor Xiao Bai, who knows how she offended Young Master again.

……………………………………

Inside the Ministry of Revenue, Minister of Revenue Zhang Shi and his son Zhang Chang were sitting across from each other at the table, chatting leisurely.

“Father, is that Fang Zheng as bold as you say?” Zhang Chang put down his chopsticks, looking surprised.

Zhang Shi nodded and chuckled, “This fellow… Hehe, he can truly be said to be outrageously daring. Upon first entering the court, he angered everyone, especially daring to openly talk back to Lord Zhang and His Majesty.”

“With such an unruly personality, it seems he will have a hard time lasting long. But His Majesty does value him to some extent.”

Zhang Chang mocked, “I didn’t expect such a fool could also stand in the imperial court with a straight face. How absurd. Then I…”

Zhang Shi saw through Zhang Chang’s thoughts and slowly said, “What are you anxious for? That Fang Zheng merely had the luck to be favored by His Majesty. Just because he was granted an insignificant title, he’s raising his tail to the sky.”

“Who cares about a penniless Taoyuan County? Chang’er, with your father here, are you still afraid your future official career won’t be smooth?”

“You don’t need to do anything else for now. Drinking and composing poetry with those talents every day isn’t bad. Get to know more people. It will always be convenient to have connections in the future. If you enter the court later, you’ll be busy then!”

“Don’t complain to your father then!”

Zhang Chang grinned and hurriedly poured a cup of wine for Zhang Shi, “Father, I’m not in a hurry. Drinking wine and writing poems every day is quite enjoyable. But suddenly hearing about this petty Fang Zheng, I do feel a bit indignant.”

“Useless! A mere seventh-rank minor official… is also worthy of your attention? Judging from the lords’ attitudes, he won’t last long as the Crown Prince’s study companion! Relying on a glib tongue, how much true talent and learning can he have? Heh.”

As father and son were laughing and talking, the steward suddenly walked in.

He bowed and said, “Master, there is a person outside looking for the young master. His name is Jia Liang and he is currently waiting in the courtyard.”

Jia Liang? Zhang Chang froze in place and thought for a while before remembering.

This person was the shopkeeper in charge of his Fulai Building. They rarely had dealings usually. Why did he come to see him at this time today?

“Father, I’ll go take a look.”

Zhang Chang walked to the courtyard and saw Jia Liang turning around nonstop. He frowned, “Jia Liang! What business do you have seeking this young master?”

Seeing the main character had come, Jia Liang’s face lit up with joy. He quickly knelt down, lowered his head, and tearfully pleaded, “Please, Young Master, uphold justice for me!!”