Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

“Hey! Don't talk nonsense!” Fang Zheng sternly said, “I am now related to the imperial family, so don't randomly claim kinship with me. When did Duke Li become my uncle?”

“Huh? I seem to have heard you say it myself... Did I remember wrong?” Xu Wenshu looked confused.

Everyone else seemed to say so, but Fang Zheng personally denied it, so it couldn't be false, right?

“You remembered wrong. I am related to the imperial family, how could Duke Li be related to me?” Fang Zheng's face didn't blush, and his heart didn't beat faster.

“Ah... Then I remembered wrong, I'm sorry.”

“Lord Xu, just give me an answer, are you going to help with this favor or not?” Fang Zheng asked.

Xu Wenshu smiled faintly: “I won't help.”

“If you have the ability, spread these things out. The law does not punish the masses, what do I have to fear!”

Seeing him acting shamelessly, Fang Zheng was not annoyed, and smiled: “Lord Xu, don't you think what I said in my memorial is very reasonable? The importance of commerce and the abundance of its benefits may far exceed agriculture in the future. I have put in so much effort for the country, for the family, and for the good of the people. Are you really so unwilling?”

“Unwilling. In my opinion, this is making trouble out of nothing. It's good to keep everything as it is now. Moreover, you are a bit too confident. Why do you think commercial tax will far exceed agricultural tax? Could it be that you can predict the future?” Xu Wenshu said disdainfully.

Fang Zheng counted on his fingers: “Don't be anxious, look, Taoyuan County was originally a desolate place, and I personally transformed it into a prosperous city. After entering the capital, the Crown Prince and I also managed Banshan Ward with great success... Disaster relief... Opening the seas...”

“Later, gunpowder, guns, penicillin, which one wasn't a miraculous item that shocked the world? Moreover, there is now Dongjiao University and the Royal Academy of Sciences. I can guarantee that miraculous items like gunpowder will continue to emerge, spreading these things to the world, relying on the power of commerce. Even merchants themselves will cultivate more talents in order to compete.”

After Fang Zheng finished speaking one by one, he spread his hands: “I have already been so successful, and you still don't trust me?”

Xu Hongcai on the side listened with fascination, and his eyes even showed a trace of worship when he looked at Fang Zheng.

I didn't expect this Lord Fang to have such a rich life experience... A real man should be like this!

Xu Wenshu was much calmer, but he still clicked his tongue secretly.

Usually, he sees Fang Zheng often, but he didn't think much of him, only finding him annoying for being outspoken.

Therefore, he didn't take the things he had done before too seriously.

Now, recounting them one by one... it sounds like he's quite remarkable.

Xu Wenshu sighed softly: “Lord Fang is indeed remarkable, but don't blame me for being too direct. Who doesn't have a few glorious moments in their life? Listing them one by one sounds good, but failures are often unseen. What you just said doesn't prove anything. Why are you so radical at such a young age? Moreover, it's not even your business, so please go back. I've said all I have to say.”

Fang Zheng shook his head regretfully.

He knew that persuading someone wouldn't be easy, especially an old fogey like this.

Fortunately, he had made thorough preparations...

Fang Zheng lowered his head and rummaged through the cloth bag again. After a while, he found a few more documents and handed them to Xu Wenshu.

Xu Wenshu looked at him suspiciously and asked: “What is this again?”

“Just take a look.”

Xu Wenshu reluctantly took the documents, unfolded them, and was stunned.

He rubbed his eyes and looked at them twice more, panicking: “Lord Fang, when was this signed?”

Fang Zheng looked at the sky and said slowly: “Ah... probably a couple of days ago. Your nephew, Xu Ping, came to Taoyuan County, wanting to do business with our county.”

“He sells jade very well, but he also wants to get involved in the diamond business. You should know that the diamond business is now run by people from Taoyuan County. As soon as Xu Ping mentioned your name, Lord Xu, how could my subordinates dare not cooperate? He gets a share of the diamonds to sell, and he also has to pay them 100,000 taels for channel fees. This is really good business.”

“Lord Xu, your family is really good at making money.”

“Fang Zheng!” Xu Wenshu suddenly stood up, staring at Fang Zheng with his eyes, panting: “You are slandering! Xu Ping would never do such a thing!”

Fang Zheng smiled.

Xu Ping is a businessman and his business is quite large, so naturally he wouldn't be so stupid as to wave Xu Wenshu's name around outside.

The diamonds were something he had the county people actively negotiate, and it took a lot of persuasion to sign the cooperation.

Now that the contract has been signed, the mud is in his pants, Xu Wenshu can't say anything about it.

“Tsk, the law does not punish the masses, that's true. Lord Xu, but now you are the only one left. Do you think if I make a fuss to His Majesty, will His Majesty believe me or you?” Fang Zheng leisurely drank his tea.

“This is my nephew's business, and there is nothing wrong with this contract. Even if I make a fuss in front of His Majesty, I am not afraid. Do you think you can distort the truth just because His Majesty trusts you?”

“Hmph! You admit that he is your nephew? As the Minister of Revenue, you condone your relatives doing business and abuse your power. How do you explain that?”

Xu Wenshu stared at him coldly: “Lord Fang's methods are so despicable. Does the Embroidered Uniform Guard act like this? Do you still have the law in your eyes?”

Fang Zheng slowly said: “Lord Xu, let me tell you a story. A few days ago, our Embroidered Uniform Guard caught a minor official who bullied others, but there was only oral testimony from the people, no real evidence. My subordinates took the official to the oppressed people to verify, but the people were afraid and turned against him on the spot.”

“Seeing that there were no witnesses or evidence of guilt, the official began to shout, claiming that he was law-abiding. But in the end, do you know what happened to him?”

“What happened?” Xu Wenshu felt a burst of tension for no reason.

Fang Zheng smiled sinisterly: “I押入此人押入诏狱, and sentenced him to a crime of malicious law-abiding on the spot! Later, he couldn't bear the imprisonment and confessed everything, and was eventually stripped of his official skin.”

“I want to tell Lord Xu... this is how I do things!”

“You... you dare...” Xu Wenshu's pupils dilated, completely confused. He had lived his whole life and never thought there would be such a madman.

Damn it, he can be sentenced so harshly for abiding by the law, so fearless!

“Of course, we must use evil deeds against evil people. Lord Xu, you are highly respected, and I naturally wouldn't dare to offend you.”

“Although Xu Ping forced my subordinates to do business with him, that can be considered his ability. Let's just give him the 100,000 taels.”

“As for this favor...” Fang Zheng got up, took out the memorial from his sleeve, and put it on the table: “Lord Xu, if you are willing to help me, then help me. If you don't want to help, then forget it. It's nothing, after all, we see each other often.”

“I'm leaving, don't bother sending me off!”

After saying that, Fang Zheng picked up the cloth bag and turned to leave without looking back.

Xu Wenshu looked at Fang Zheng's gradually receding back with a complex expression. He was actually a little impressed.

Today, his impression of Fang Zheng was completely refreshed.

Broad-minded, determined, unscrupulous... just foul-mouthed and lacking in virtue.

After hesitating for a long time, Xu Wenshu finally put the memorial into his sleeve, shook his head, and muttered: “Madman!”

Xu Hongcai on the side was dumbfounded, and said timidly: “Dad, you just agreed to help him?”

Xu Wenshu smiled helplessly: “This matter is not a big deal for me, but it is too unpleasant and easily causes controversy, which is a taboo in the court.”

“But Fang Zheng will not give up until he achieves his goal... I can only agree to him. Hongcai, although this person is despicable, you must learn this from him, so that you can achieve something.”

Xu Hongcai nodded and said in a low voice: “Dad, I don't know why, but I feel that what he said is true, the times have changed... You see, since Dongjiao Academy appeared, there have been many problems in the market that no one had ever thought of before, and many people's ideas have also changed, could this be...”

Xu Wenshu frowned: “Enough, those are just clever tricks! How dare they claim that the times have changed based on the strange theories of the Academy of Sciences? After thousands of years, the emperor is still the emperor, the court is still the court, and the people are still the same people. It will never change!”

“Heh, arrogant child! I've eaten more salt than he's eaten rice in my life. What does he know!”

.....