Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

"You bunch of bastards only found me now? Your master is working as a page for someone else!" Fang Zheng Yi said with a sigh, pointing downstairs: "Take a look, where else can you find such a pretty maid? You guys have no money, do you think I have money?!"

The three of them stuck their heads out at the same time, looking in the direction Fang Zheng Yi pointed.

They saw a pretty little girl with a sad face eating noodles.

"Your master serves the second young lady every day, what kind of life is this!"

Serve?

Question marks popped up above the heads of the three of them.

Is this serving someone? You're eating big fish and big meat here, while the master is eating noodles downstairs?

Xie Xian said with an embarrassed face: "Master, if you don't have money, how are you going to get money? Does the second young lady still need a page? Is being a page very profitable?"

"She dresses up as a man to go to school. I get two taels a day, just enough to get by."

"Two taels! Good heavens! This is truly a wealthy family! What kind of page can get two taels a day, are they still hiring? I want to go too!" Zhou Tie's eyes almost popped out, drooling from his mouth.

Fang Zheng Yi looked at him with disdain: "Two taels, that's the second young lady's expenses, but I borrow it from her when I'm short of money."

Borrow? Is that borrowing? Judging by master's personality, it's probably swindled!

A little girl wouldn't be easily fooled by him, right?

The three of them had stiff faces: "What does that second young lady spend money on?"

Fang Zheng Yi took a sip of wine and said lightly: "I leave her a budget of ten copper coins a day. She eats at home in the morning and evening, three copper coins are enough for lunch, and she still has seven copper coins for pocket money. If she can't spend it, I'll save it for her."

Xie Xian: "...."

Zhao Lie: "...."

Zhou Tie: "...."

Zhao Lie, with his thin skin, couldn't help but ask with a red face: "Master, isn't this a bit immoral?"

"I told you it's borrowing! We won't stay for many days anyway, and we'll pay her back ten or a hundred times later." Fang Zheng Yi sighed: "Zhao Lie, don't carry too much of a moral burden. Look at Xie Xian and Zhou Tie, these two people have skin as thick as anything, they might be even more excessive than me."

Xie Xian, Zhou Tie: "? ? ?"

"You don't need to worry too much about the money, I'll find a way. Send two more people to protect the second young lady, she wanders around the streets when she's free. I'm going out to make money and don't have time to watch her," Fang Zheng Yi said.

Zhou Tie smiled slyly: "Master cares so much, are you interested in her? Why don't we take her back with us when we leave?"

"Nonsense! Do I look like a stallion?" Fang Zheng Yi glared: "Your master is going back to be a驸马 (imperial son-in-law)! You still want to forcibly seize a civilian girl?"

"驸..驸马?" Zhou Tie was dumbfounded: "Master is going to be a 驸马, didn't they say that 驸马 can't be an official? What's so good about that, you can't marry more wives either!"

Zhou Tie and Zhao Lie simultaneously showed shocked expressions, only Xie Xian, who knew the inside story, remained calm.

"Tch! Can't be an official? I dare say that if I go back and marry the princess and continue to be an official, not a single official above the fourth rank will have any objections!" Fang Zheng Yi showed a disdainful expression: "You're all so old, don't be so naive. The rules and morality in this world are set by those above. As long as it benefits those above, they can be changed at any time."

"Only those ignorant commoners think that this world is operating according to established rules. How many commoners have died using the law as a shield? You've been following your master for so long and haven't made any progress!"

"Alright, enough talk. Just do as I arranged. If you don't have enough silver in a few days, just come to me and ask for it." Fang Zheng Yi looked down at the table that had been swept clean by the three of them and said loudly: "Waiter! Add a few more dishes!"

The four of them continued to drink, and after waiting for a long time, the waiter hurried upstairs, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and said: "Master Fang, what dishes would you like to add?"

Fang Zheng Yi looked at him unhappily and said: "Why are you so late? A plate of sliced white chicken, vegetable heart mutton, and stir-fried three shreds."

As soon as the waiter heard this, he immediately cried out in grievance: "Master Fang, you don't know, a large group of beggars came downstairs, and our shopkeeper is stopping them from coming in!"

Zhou Tie and Xie Xian and the others looked at each other: "Master, could it be that our people have arrived?"

"Waiter, go downstairs and ask if they're looking for Master Fang. If they are, let them all in! I'm covering the place today, clear out the other guests, and I'll pay for it all," Fang Zheng Yi said.

The waiter slapped his thigh: "Oh, Master Fang! Those are all beggars, you must be mistaken!"

"Stop talking nonsense, go quickly!"

Before long, the shopkeeper, covered in sweat, led dozens of people upstairs with a hubbub. The diners who were staying on the second floor turned and left with a look of displeasure when they saw the crowd.

Everyone who came was dirty, but their eyes were shining when they looked at Fang Zheng Yi.

A strange atmosphere filled the air.

After a moment of silence, everyone shouted in unison: "Master!"

Fang Zheng Yi grinned and said quickly: "Good! Good! Brothers, you've all worked hard! Sit down and eat first! We'll talk after we've eaten, shopkeeper, arrange seats!"

The leaders, Qian Desheng and Shui Yibai, approached Fang Zheng Yi with grievance.

Fang Zheng Yi looked at Shui Yibai's dirty little face and couldn't help but complain to Zhou Tie: "What did you call them to the mountains for! Letting an old man and a little girl suffer with you in the mountains?"

Qian Desheng was moved: "Master, my physical strength is still okay..."

"Young master, I wanted to go..." Shui Yibai said pitifully: "I heard that you were missing, and I thought that more people would mean more strength."

Fang Zheng Yi sighed lightly, got up and pressed her into the seat: "Sit down, it just so happens that I have something to tell you."

"Did your father have someone named Chen Jian by his side before he died?"

Shui Yibai, who was originally staring at the leftovers on the table and swallowing her saliva, trembled when she heard the name Chen Jian, and even Qian Desheng, who was beside her, perked up.

"Yes, there was such a person, he was always responsible for father..."

"Alright, there are many people here, don't say too much. What I want to tell you is that he personally poisoned your father in order to join Wu Wang. He has already escaped. After returning to the capital with me, relax your heart and don't have any other thoughts. I will find a way to help you get revenge later, do you understand?"

Shui Yibai was immediately stunned in place, her eyes filled with disbelief.

Qian Desheng also hurriedly looked at Fang Zheng Yi and said anxiously: "Master! Are you sure?"

Fang Zheng Yi nodded: "Of course I'm sure, I saw him with my own eyes. Otherwise, how would I know about Chen Jian?"

Mist gradually filled Shui Yibai's eyes, and she remained silent.

At this moment, the shopkeeper approached Fang Zheng Yi with a flattering expression: "Master Fang, everything has been arranged for you, all the best food has been arranged. Counting the guests at the other tables, this silver must be fifty taels...."

Fang Zheng Yi didn't care about being taken advantage of and took out two taels of silver and handed it over: "Two taels, I didn't bring so much cash today, the rest is on credit."

"Master Fang... it's fine to put it on credit for you alone, but there are so many people today, it's really a bit... please understand." The shopkeeper looked embarrassed.

Helpless, Fang Zheng Yi turned to look at Xie Xian.

Xie Xian shook his head.

He still had some money in his hand, but not fifty taels. The brothers would still need money for lodging and food for the next few days, so he couldn't spend the money now.

Fang Zheng Yi was about to speak when Shui Yibai wiped away her tears, stepped forward, took off the ring on her hand, and placed it in her palm, asking: "Is this enough for the meal?"

"Enough! Enough! More than enough!" A trace of greed flashed in the shopkeeper's eyes.

If he wasn't mistaken, this was a diamond ring, and such a big one! It's worth a lot, more than enough to cover fifty taels!

Fang Zheng Yi frowned, grabbed Shui Yibai's hand, and looked at the shopkeeper seriously: "Put it on credit! Master Fang, even my maid has a diamond ring, do you think I'm short of that little bit of silver?"

Seeing that the diamond ring was gone, the shopkeeper said in disappointment: "Then how are they dressed..."

"There are tigers in the mountains, Master Fang asked someone to hunt tigers, and they just came back from the mountains!"

The shopkeeper revealed a look of sudden understanding, and then became suspicious again: "Are there tigers in the mountains here?"

"Would I lie to you for fifty taels? Get lost!" Fang Zheng Yi shouted angrily.

Seeing the diamond ring, the shopkeeper felt more confident. Naturally, he couldn't offend such a generous customer, who had a name and a surname and couldn't run away in the city. He apologized and hurried downstairs.

Looking at Shui Yibai, who still had tears in her eyes, Fang Zheng Yi couldn't help but touch her head with pity, and then rubbed her back a few times.

Oily hair! It looks like she hasn't washed it for several days, and it's a bit matted!

Putting Shui Yibai back in her seat, Fang Zheng Yi pulled Qian Desheng to a deserted corner and said in a low voice: "Take good care of Yibai these few days, it's understandable that she's feeling bad. She should be at peace after returning to the capital."

Qian Desheng asked in a low voice: "Master, is what you said true? Did you really see Chen Jian?"

"Yeah, your Qian country's eunuchs are really something! Some are fleeing, some are rebelling... tsk tsk tsk."

"Master! I am loyal to you!"

.....

I see some book friends saying that the protagonist is a holy mother... what exactly is the standard for a holy mother o(╥﹏╥)o?