Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

After finishing a glass of juice, King Wu said softly, "If I had taken the initiative to find you, to see you back then... would everything be different today?"

"Perhaps," Fang Zheng Yi said with a slight smile, looking down. "But life has no 'what ifs'. Everything that has happened is inevitable."

"In your eyes, am I so unbearable, so inferior to the Emperor?" King Wu asked, looking directly at him. "Back then, when I took you aboard the ship, promising you high status and wealth, didn't you feel even a little tempted?"

"No, my family is here."

A look of sadness flashed in King Wu's eyes, and he pressed on: "I've spent so many years in the West, built up such a large foundation. Even the Church is just a plaything in my eyes. I should be a successful emperor."

"If I had your help, I could have possessed the same firearms as Da Jing today, and could have ruled the entire Western continent. Putting aside family, are you unwilling to follow someone like me? Or do you simply not think I'm a qualified emperor at all?"

"No, in my heart you are intelligent, powerful, and resilient. In terms of wisdom, I am far inferior to you..."

As Fang Zheng Yi slowly spoke, a long-lost joy gradually welled up in King Wu's heart.

"If you were emperor, you could very likely achieve lasting fame." At this point, Fang Zheng Yi paused, then changed the subject, saying, "But the future does not belong to you."

"I could be a wise ruler, so why doesn't the future belong to me?" King Wu waited anxiously for his answer.

Fang Zheng Yi smiled contemptuously: "You admire me, and I am very happy about that. But from beginning to end, you have only valued my ability, and have not cared about my character. And when I look at you, I can only see your ability, and never any character."

"Everything serves your purpose, and everything you do is for yourself. You still have a son in Da Jing. We've known each other for so long, and he risked his life for you, his fate unknown. Have you ever asked about him?"

"He must have been captured by Da Jing. According to the law, it's impossible for him to still be alive. It's precisely because I'm clear about this in my heart..."

"No! He is still alive. I saved his life." Fang Zheng Yi directly interrupted King Wu's argument. "No matter how you explain it, it's just an excuse."

"The weapons used on the battlefield this time were initially being secretly researched in Peach Blossom County, unknown to anyone in the court."

"You should understand that with such weapons, two thousand men would be enough to take down the capital and slaughter the entire court."

"But later, His Majesty learned that I was secretly developing such weapons, yet he never worried about it. Could you have done that if you were in his position?"

King Wu was speechless. If it were him, his first reaction would have been to find a way to kill such a person immediately.

This was no different than having a sword constantly hanging over his head.

"The relationship between me and the two emperors is no longer just a relationship between ruler and subject." Fang Zheng Yi had a look of reminiscence on his face: "I've gone from youth to the present. Many things have changed, and my mentality has changed a lot, but some things have remained the same. You and I are ultimately not the same kind of people. Even if we started together, in the end, we would only go our separate ways."

After listening, King Wu gritted his teeth: "Even if everything you say is right, how many great emperors in history have been cold and ruthless? Just because of emotion, do you think the future lies with the Emperor, with Li Yuan Zhao?"

"Yes, precisely because of this." Fang Zheng Yi said with absolute certainty, "His Majesty has a pure heart. I believe that this emotion can overwhelm the desire for power and break all shackles."

"Da Jing will repeat history, create history, and will have a chance to surpass history in the future."

"Nonsense." King Wu waved his hand in embarrassment, "I don't understand what you're talking about."

Fang Zheng Yi didn't deny it, only revealing a smile.

Just then, Li Yuan Zhao walked out of the cabin, carrying two fishing rods in his hand, and walked towards Fang Zheng Yi.

"Old Fang, it's boring to just sit around, let's go fishing."

Fang Zheng Yi took the fishing rod and casually threw it into the water.

Li Yuan Zhao glanced at King Wu and handed him a fishing rod: "Do you want to fish?"

King Wu was stunned for a moment, then hesitantly took the fishing rod.

"There are only two rods, if you give it to him, what will you use to fish?"

Li Yuan Zhao took out a submachine gun from behind his waist, the corners of his mouth curving into a grin, revealing two rows of white teeth.

"I'll use this!"

......

The fleet was still sailing, already approaching Jiangling Port.

Li Yuan Zhao stood at the bow of the ship, looking ahead expectantly.

Fang Zheng Yi couldn't help but feel excited as well.

This trip had taken too long, more than a year already.

He had done what he promised Emperor Jing. It took less than five months to defeat King Wu, but the journey back and forth, plus handling other matters, took a lot of time.

Having been away from Da Jing for more than a year, he wondered what the capital had become.

The changes of the industrial age were evolving exponentially. Changes that might have taken hundreds or thousands of years could happen in a year or a few years in the industrial age. It was no exaggeration to call it rapid progress.

He wondered how many major events had occurred in the capital now.

"Old Fang, the air is terrible! I didn't notice it before, but this time when I came back, I feel like the sky is a bit gray?"

"It seems a bit so." Fang Zheng Yi looked solemn, making calculations in his mind.

Air pollution had indeed appeared, but it wasn't that serious yet. He could clearly feel it, but he had to take precautions in advance.

He had to transfer these polluting factories away sooner rather than later, otherwise, sooner or later, people would get sick from breathing this air.

Half an hour later, the fleet began to enter the port.

The port had already received the news in advance.

Officials of all sizes had already set up the scene, standing in a line, ready to welcome the triumphant return of the king.

When Li Yuan Zhao took the lead in walking off the ship, a group of officials shouted in unison: "Long live His Majesty! Welcome His Majesty's triumphant return!"

"Yes, yes, yes, rise, rise!"

Li Yuan Zhao was overjoyed. Being back at his doorstep made him feel extraordinarily happy.

After sitting on the train for a while, he would return to the capital.

The Westerners were so backward, and the sea was so boring. It was really enough.

The officials rose, and the leading one stepped forward, cautiously saying: "Your Majesty has had a tiring journey. Your subject has specially prepared a welcoming banquet for Your Majesty, and requests Your Majesty..."

"There's no need for that!" Li Yuan Zhao waved his sleeve. "I'm going to take the train back to the capital."

After speaking, he walked forward.

Fang Zheng Yi followed behind him, glaring at the official.

"A advance ship was sent to notify you about the welcoming party, and you were told to return directly to the capital. Who told you to prepare a banquet? Whose money was spent? Wait for the audit!"

"This... Marquis, I..."

Li Yuan Zhao led the crowd towards the train station.

The train station was not far from the port.

Soon, the group arrived together.

The train was already prepared, and Li Yuan Zhao took the lead in boarding the carriage.

......