Royal Gold Magistrate

Zhang Chang looked at Fang Zheng in surprise.

How was this possible? Wasn’t this man just a reckless fool? He had so easily dispelled the hostility from most people.

It seemed he had underestimated this person…

Seeing Fang Zheng quickly walking back, Zhang Chang immediately greeted him with a smile.

He was just about to speak when Fang Zheng suddenly threw an arm around his shoulders.

Fang Zheng’s voice, filled with murderous intent, sounded by his ear: “If you want to get back at me for Jia Liang, you can clash with me anytime. But today… I’m not in the mood to play with you. Zhang Biao!”

Hearing this, Zhang Biao wordlessly pulled open half his robe, revealing a row of chillingly cold throwing knives…

Zhang Chang’s soul nearly left his body as cold sweat poured down.

What did Fang Zheng mean? He wanted to kill someone over a disagreement? And threatening me with weapons?

He stammered, “Lord… Lord Fang jests. I simply wanted to witness your grace and elegance.”

Fang Zheng let out a cold laugh. “Grace and elegance? …You’ll regret it if you really see it…”

“Heh… heh… I wouldn’t dare, wouldn’t dare…” Zhang Chang was now cowering like a quail, his eyes glued to the throwing knives under Zhang Biao’s robe.

He was terrified Zhang Biao would fling them out the next second.

Fang Zheng’s expression turned from gloomy to sunny as he patted Zhang Chang’s face with a grin. “If you provoke me again, there won’t be any good juice for you to drink! …Don’t say I didn’t warn you… Scram!”

Zhang Chang’s face was deathly pale as he repeatedly nodded. As soon as Fang Zheng let go, he immediately fled in panic.

Watching Zhang Chang’s miserable retreating figure, Fang Zheng was very disdainful.

Sure enough, these noble scions in the capital all grew up in honeypots, never having seen real blades and spears.

One scare and their balls shriveled up…

“Alright, put away your weapons. Come with me to see where Li Yuan ran off to!”

This scene was fully witnessed by Ning Hongyuan sitting not far away. He smiled faintly, then bid farewell to the others at his table and followed after the dejected Zhang Chang.

……………..

Inside the cabin, people were heatedly discussing poetry, but Fang Zheng had already crossed out the cabin door and was heading straight for the deck.

At one glance, he spotted Li Yuanzhao arguing with a servant boy.

Seeing this, Fang Zheng laughed and hurried over. “What’s going on? You’re fighting?”

The servant boy saw Fang Zheng’s lavish attire and hastily bowed. “Young master, he’s your bodyguard, right? I was just throwing leftovers into the river when he stopped me and started scolding me. Please uphold justice for me!”

“Hm?” Fang Zheng looked at Li Yuanzhao in puzzlement.

Li Yuanzhao complained, “Old Fang! You don’t know, there was still more than half of that dish left but this fool directly threw it all into the river!”

“Look, there are beggars on the other shore. Isn’t this a waste? I scolded him but he won’t listen!”

What a wise crown prince!

Fang Zheng instantly felt a solemn respect. He raised his hand and gave the servant boy a forceful slap!

“Who told you to casually throw things away? Wasting is shameful!”

After being slapped, the servant boy was momentarily stunned, tears nearly falling from his eyes.

He sobbed, “Young master, I’m being wronged! Those are all cold leftovers that no one will eat. We always dispose of them like this!”

Fang Zheng took out a small silver ingot from his robes and handed it to the servant boy. “No need to explain. From now on, keep all the leftover food for me. I’ll take it when I disembark. Remember, don’t include the soupy dishes!”

Seeing the silver, the servant boy immediately nodded and bowed. “Alright! Don’t worry!”

Turning around, the servant boy’s expression instantly changed as he muttered, “Cheapskate… ptui, dog-like thing!”

“Old Fang, he cursed you!” Li Yuanzhao’s sharp ears heard the servant’s mocking.

The servant boy ran off like a wisp of smoke.

Fang Zheng waved his hand. “Let him curse. Many people curse me. It’s not like a piece of my flesh will fall off. But why did you suddenly think of keeping these leftovers?”

Li Yuanzhao glared hatefully at the servant boy’s back. “What else could it be? On one hand people can’t eat their fill, on the other food is being thrown into the river!”

“I went to commoners’ homes and saw them eating spoiled gruel while here it’s all fish and meat that still gets tossed! Where is the justice in that?”

Fang Zheng patted Li Yuanzhao’s shoulder and sighed. “This is what they mean by ‘the stench of meat and wine behind vermilion gates, yet bones of the frozen dead lie by the roadside.’ The world is sometimes like this. Don’t be anxious, take it slowly.”

“In a bit after we disembark, I’ll go with you to give the leftovers to the beggars.”

“It’s cold outside. Come! Follow me back inside!”

Li Yuanzhao seemed a bit dejected but still obediently followed beside Fang Zheng.

Fang Zheng glanced at him. “What? You’re angry?”

“Yes! My hands are so itchy right now, I really want to beat someone up!”

“Hey, what a coincidence, I was thinking the same. How about we go back and beat up Liu Jin?”

“Great!”

……………..

The two returned to their original seats. By now, the main hall was abuzz with voices!

The poems posted on the exhibition wall had already covered who knows how many layers. There were servant girls below responsible for copying them and sending them to Luo Ningxin’s room. After she commented on them, the servant girls would bring back wooden plaques, basically dividing them into three grades of high, medium, and low.

Of course, the most important aspect was still the appraisal among the scholars themselves. No matter how beautiful the top courtesan was, the core of this poetry debate was still the poems.

Zhang Chang was still sitting in his chair, yet to recover from his fright. He only forced a smile when others spoke to him, then remained silent, his eyes occasionally darting around.

After observing for a while, Ning Hongyuan approached and whispered in Zhang Chang’s ear, “Young Master Zhang? Might we have a word outside?”

Zhang Chang mechanically turned his head and glanced at him, then continued spacing out.

Ning Hongyuan helplessly added in a low voice, “It’s about Fang Zheng…”

Zhang Chang’s spirit returned with a start. He looked at Ning Hongyuan again. “And you are?”

“Ning Hongyuan… Young Master Zhang, perhaps we could find a suitable place to chat?”

“Ah… yes yes yes, let’s go!”

The two found a secluded spot. Ning Hongyuan first bowed in greeting. “Hongyuan, at your service, Young Master Zhang!”

“I don’t know you. Who invited you?” Zhang Chang stared at Ning Hongyuan, racking his brain.

Ning Hongyuan smiled faintly. “Young Master, I obtained an invitation to the poetry debate by chance, but these details aren’t important.”

“What’s important is that I just saw Fang Zheng seemingly threatening you, Young Master Zhang. In a moment of righteous indignation, I dared to come disturb you!”

Zhang Chang’s face reddened a bit. He never thought this pretty boy had witnessed him in such an embarrassing state.

“What do you want?!”

“I want nothing. It’s just that Fang Zheng was truly too outrageous. Seeing that you were a bit flustered, Young Master… I specially came to give you a reminder…”

“Remind me of what?”

Ning Hongyuan frowned. “Did Fang Zheng threaten you with force just now, Young Master Zhang?”

Recalling what had just happened, Zhang Chang couldn’t help still feeling some panic. He painfully shut his eyes. “Yes! They had weapons, knives… many knives! Fang Zheng said if I provoked him again, I… I wouldn’t have any good juice to drink…”

Ning Hongyuan gave him a contemptuous look. He never imagined this Zhang Chang, who seemed so graceful and mannered, would show his true colors after a single scare. His courage was a bit too lacking.

So he said feelingly, “You’re confused, Young Master! How would Fang Zheng dare to lay a finger on you?”

“He is currently serving in the Eastern Palace, teaching the crown prince, and you are the son of a current high official. How stupid would Fang Zheng have to be to assault you?”

“If he really dared to make a move, I’m afraid the emperor would immediately strip him of his post and throw him in prison! How could such a person teach the crown prince?”

“Not to mention your esteemed father is also in the imperial court. Fang Zheng would have to think twice!”

“So I dare say Fang Zheng absolutely would not dare to touch a single hair on your head!”