Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

"Sir, the trade caravan has been arranged for you, but we don't have enough sweet potatoes. We had too little time, and only managed to cultivate less than three acres of sweet potatoes. We already harvested one batch, and the best plot was reserved for His Majesty."

"So, there definitely won't be enough sweet potatoes for the caravan's ship... Should we have them take the remaining ones from the county as well?"

"Also, the road construction, I'm afraid it won't be completed within half a year. The difficulty exceeded expectations... it will probably be delayed a bit longer."

Fang Zheng pondered for a good while.

The road construction being delayed was within expectations. According to Fang Zheng's habit, for tasks that would normally take a year, he would directly demand completion in half a year. Afterwards, no matter how much it was delayed, it could mostly be accomplished within a year, so this matter wasn't unexpected.

The news of the sweet potatoes' appearance should reach Hengjiang Prefecture within twenty days. According to the speed of information transmission in ancient times, everyone in Hengjiang Prefecture should know about it within two months.

By then, the grain prices should drop significantly, and by the time they react, a new batch of sweet potatoes should be harvested.

A slight delay shouldn't be a big problem.

"It doesn't matter, let them go and test the market first. Keep the county's sweet potatoes to continue planting, and the imperial farm will also plant them on a large scale. I will ask His Majesty for some later, and we'll make other arrangements when the new batch of sweet potatoes grows."

"Also, about those hundred people I asked you to select...."

What followed was a secret conversation between the two, about pressing three sheets into one... adding anti-counterfeiting lines in the middle... special ink... and so on.

When Fang Zheng finished talking and came out satisfied, he found Li Yuanzhao still squatting down, studying the microscope.

Fang Zheng found it amusing, not expecting the Crown Prince to have such a scientific spirit.

Hearing the footsteps behind him, Li Yuanzhao looked up and urged Fang Zheng: "Old Fang, come, come, let me show you something fun!"

He pulled him to the microscope.

Fang Zheng was confused. He looked down, and his face immediately lengthened.

I only left for a few minutes, and you're already messing around?!

Under the microscope, a mass of tadpoles were swimming happily...

Li Yuanzhao had a mysterious look on his face: "Guess what this is?"

"Uh.........."

Fang Zheng took a deep breath, forcing a smile: "Amazing! I see this thing is exceptionally lively, as if it emits golden light! And it faintly has the aura of the sea, so it must be a divine object!! Where did Your Highness get this from?"

Li Yuanzhao looked delighted: "Old Fang, you're worthy of your name! You have good eyes!"

"To tell you the truth, these are this prince's dragon sons and grandsons!" He raised his head with a smug look.

Fang Zheng: "...........".

"Alas! It's strange to say, this prince thought it would be a little person, but unexpectedly it's a group of tadpoles, and in such large numbers, it really startled this prince!"

"This prince is indeed of true dragon blood, I didn't expect dragons to look like tadpoles when they are young... but why are there so many? Wouldn't that woman be crushed to death with so many children? Also, since they are dragons, why did I grow into a human body? Do you know why, Old Fang?"

Fang Zheng looked at the roof, not wanting to pay attention to him.

Li Yuanzhao lowered his head and pondered: "I wonder what Father Emperor's looks like!"

He reached out to grab Fang Zheng's belt.

Fang Zheng was startled and quickly jumped away, shouting: "What are you doing?"

"Let me see yours."

"Your Highness, please behave yourself!!!"

............

Two days later, Fang Zheng set off with the Crown Prince and Princess to return to the capital.

On the way back to the capital, Li Yuanzhao happily carried the microscope. Fang Zheng thought it was dirty and didn't want it, so he gave it to him directly.

This thing was very useful, and it was good to bring it back to the capital, in case he committed a crime one day, he could use the microscope to ward off disaster.

The next day at court

Fang Zheng listened to the eunuch reading the imperial decree with a dark face.

He thought there would be a big reward, but in the end, he was only granted the title of County Earl, ten qing of Yongye land, and a hundred taels of gold.

He counted on his fingers for a long time and still felt that he had lost out this time.

However, the young officials looked at Fang Zheng with envy.

Although His Majesty did not promote his official position, it was obviously because Fang Zheng had been in the court for too short a time... after all, there was an unspoken rule everywhere.

You've only been here for less than a year and you've already been promoted three levels, and you still want to climb higher?

In another two years, wouldn't you be replacing Li Gong?

Fang Zheng certainly understood this principle, but he still scoffed at it. He had drawn big cakes for several years, would he like to eat other people's cakes?

What the future holds depends entirely on the emperor's words. If he's in a bad mood one day, he might just forget about it.

After all, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

No one can say for sure what will happen in the future!

Finally, it was time to leave the court, and many officials congratulated Fang Zheng.

Fang Zheng returned the greetings one by one. This time, he had brushed up his presence in front of the officials, which was okay, not too much of a loss!

Walking outside the hall, Fang Zheng was still thinking about the renovation of Banshan Workshop.

A sneaky-looking person leaned over and bowed to Fang Zheng.

Fang Zheng turned his head and looked, feeling a little familiar, but he couldn't remember, and hesitated: "May I ask who you are?"

"This humble one, Yang Fanfan, a compiler of the Hanlin Academy, greets Master Fang!"

Yang Fanfan raised his head, and Fang Zheng suddenly realized that this was the prickly head he had seen on his first day in the palace.

So, he said indifferently: "What is it? Speak."

Yang Fanfan smiled and complimented: "There's nothing really, this official is here to congratulate Master Fang. Master Fang's favor with the Emperor is growing day by day, it's truly gratifying..."

Heh heh, flatterer! I despise this kind of person the most!

"He ~ tui!" Fang Zheng spat a mouthful of phlegm on Yang Fanfan's boots.

Yang Fanfan was dumbfounded, looking at his boots, then at Fang Zheng.

For a moment, his face turned from red to white, and he said in shame and anger: "Master Fang! This official is only here to congratulate Master Fang! Why insult me?"

"What? What? Do you have a problem with that?" Fang Zheng put on a look of being asking for a beating.

He was already in a bad mood, and seeing a flatterer made him even more unhappy!

Do you understand literary snobbery?

Yang Fanfan looked bewildered, having never seen such a rule-breaking person.

It is said that one should not hit a smiling face, but you are too much! I see that you have a bright future and want to get close to you, but you spit on me?

Yang Fanfan gritted his teeth and said: "Is Master Fang not afraid of being criticized for insulting this official like this?"

Fang Zheng smiled: "Criticized? You should ask around about who I am."

He pointed to Li Yansong, who hadn't gone far yet, and said: "Do you know what he is to me?"

Yang Fanfan looked in the direction he was pointing, blinking hard.

That person... isn't that Li Gong?

Could it be that besides having a relationship with Guo Tianyang, he also has a relationship with Li Gong?

Yang Fanfan looked at Fang Zheng suspiciously, wondering if he was deceiving him. How could Li Gong, who is mature and steady, associate with someone like Fang Zheng?

Fang Zheng smiled slightly and cupped his hands into a trumpet shape, shouting loudly in the direction of Li Yansong: "Uncle!"

The shout was extremely loud, and many people turned their heads to look at Fang Zheng.

Li Yansong naturally heard it too, his eyes widened, his whole body shook! He accelerated away from the scene without looking back.

Yang Fanfan also looked straight, his heart was shocked.

There really is a relationship! And a relative, Li Gong's performance clearly shows that he's afraid of being recognized!

Unfathomable... Fang Zheng is truly unfathomable, unexpectedly with such a deep foundation, one must not offend him!

Fang Zheng looked smug: "See?"

"You just need to know, don't make a fuss in the palace in the future, it's not good for people to hear, understand?"

He stretched out three fingers and rubbed them.

Yang Fanfan immediately understood, looked around, and took out a silver note from his sleeve.

Fang Zheng naturally took the silver note, wiped it with his finger, and curled his lips in disdain.

Poor ghost!

But the habitual offender still habitually showed a bright smile when he got the money, and patted Yang Fanfan on the shoulder.

"Little Yang, I think you have a promising future. Come to my house for dinner when you have time. I'll go first!"

"Okay! Master Fang, take your time."

Standing outside the hall, Yang Fanfan looked at Fang Zheng's departing back, revealing a meaningful smile.

Our, future is promising!

........