Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

The next morning.

Fang Zheng was awakened by Xiao Tao, sleepily waiting for Xiao Tao to serve him with dressing.

Mumbling, he said, "What time is it that you're waking this young master?"

"It's noon! The two merchants from the capital are waiting to see you..."

Xiao Tao expertly helped him put on his official robe, and a cold, wet towel was pressed onto his face.

Fang Zheng was instantly jolted awake, much more alert.

"Oh, this young master hasn't slept well for days, couldn't you be a little gentler?"

Xiao Tao didn't speak, looking at him helplessly. Fang Zheng slept at least six hours a day, which she couldn't understand.

Wasn't he tired of sleeping for so long? If he lay down any longer, he might get bedsores!

Fang Zheng was suffering inwardly. What else could he do besides sleep when there was no entertainment?

Who could understand the pain in this young master's heart?

After changing his clothes, Fang Zheng swayed out of the bedroom.

For convenience, Fang Zheng's entire living quarters were built in the backyard of the yamen.

At the same time, the yamen had undergone a series of corresponding transformations to cope with the various new models of Taoyuan County.

There was a reception room, a mediation room, a document room, and so on, generally resembling a modern government agency.

At this moment, the room where Emperor Jing and the other man were located was a room that Fang Zheng had set up separately before the reconstruction of the yamen.

This room was located in a remote location with excellent soundproofing.

Inside the room, there was only a long table, a few chairs, and several cabinets.

The room had no windows, and oil lamps were lit all around. On the wall directly opposite the door was engraved a line of poetry: "Fiercely browed, I coolly face a thousand pointing fingers; Bowed, I willingly serve as an ox for the children."

Below the table was a strange device.

A huge speaker with a needle at the end, and below it was a crank and a copper pillar, the purpose of which was unknown.

The overall room exuded a simple but not simplistic meaning.

Emperor Jing stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the poem on the wall, and fell into silence for a moment.

.....

Not long after, Fang Zheng brought Zhang Biao into the room.

He greeted the two men.

Emperor Jing slowly turned around and said, "Magistrate Fang, did you write this poem?"

"No, it was obtained from fragments of ancient books. I thought it was well-written, so I had it engraved on this wall."

After all, Young Master Fang was a decent person, and he couldn't do such a thing as copying poems.

Emperor Jing sighed, "A good poem, it's a pity that I couldn't see the whole thing."

Oh! I didn't realize he was a patriotic merchant!

Fang Zheng thought to himself, but said, "Have the two of you decided to order tea?"

Emperor Jing nodded: "Thank you for Magistrate Fang's care, I hope we can cooperate smoothly in the future, and that this tea can make a name for itself in the capital."

"We will return to the capital immediately after the transaction is completed."

"Guo Da, get the bank notes!"

Guo Tianyang took out the bank notes and placed them in front of Fang Zheng.

"Magistrate Fang, where can we pick up the tea?"

"Hehe, I've already prepared it for you, Zhang Biao!"

Zhang Biao stepped forward and took out a package from behind, which contained 20 tea bricks and an iron plate.

"Here are twenty tea bricks, each weighing one pound, inspect the goods."

"Also, this peach blossom emblem, remember to stick it on the carriage when you come again, it will guarantee you unimpeded passage in Taoyuan County, and someone will come to you when you come to purchase goods again, there is no need to see me."

After speaking, Fang Zheng handed over two pieces of paper.

Emperor Jing took them over, one was a cooperation contract with Taoyuan County, and the other was a confidentiality agreement.

After carefully studying it, Emperor Jing felt that there was nothing wrong with the contract, and the content was generally the same as what was discussed at the dinner table.

However, there were some problems with the confidentiality agreement, so he opened his mouth and said: "Magistrate Fang, why can't Taoyuan County be mentioned to the outside world?"

Fang Zheng smiled slightly: "It's nothing, this is just a stage-specific confidentiality agreement. Taoyuan County has a small population and limited resources."

"But the specialties are very popular, and the production capacity is not enough, so we can only resort to this strategy."

"Secondly, it is also to protect your interests. Currently, you have the exclusive sales of tea in Taoyuan County."

"Moreover, the influx of foreign population may endanger local security. The people of Taoyuan County are pure and simple, and this official is afraid that they will be corrupted!"

"Then, can the following clause be changed: 'Those who violate the oath will have sores on their mouths and tongues, weak limbs, night sweats, dizziness...'￥#％@！... Drowned by the spittle of the people of Taoyuan County?"

"No."

"The right to interpret the above belongs to Taoyuan County, what does it mean?"

"Literal meaning."

Emperor Jing wiped a handful of sweat. This was a black-hearted contract! He didn't care about those poisonous curses, but what the hell was this final interpretation right!

After thinking for a moment, Emperor Jing gritted his teeth and directly pressed a red handprint on it.

Anyway, he was using a pseudonym, so just sign it!

Guo Tianyang was grinding his teeth while watching, and even looked at Fang Zheng with a bit of sympathy.

He was really a good material for being a eunuch, eating people without spitting out bones!

Seeing Emperor Jing press his handprint, Fang Zheng picked up the contract and looked at it with satisfaction.

"I still need to trouble the two of you to read this contract again."

"Zhang Biao! Prepare!"

Zhang Biao bypassed Emperor Jing and skillfully took out a roll of silver foil from the cabinet behind him, then walked to the speaker and turned the crank a few times, sticking the silver foil on the copper pillar.

"Magistrate Fang, what does this mean?"

Fang Zheng enthusiastically took Emperor Jing's hand and walked to the speaker.

"Come, come, come, you two come with me, please read the contents of this thing again as it is."

"To be honest, this is a unique custom in Taoyuan County. Speaking to this thing can prove the sincerity of the partners."

"Don't worry, this is just a small ceremony, I will count one, two, three, and you will start talking."

Emperor Jing was now full of question marks again.

But he had already pressed his handprint, so just say it.

After Fang Zheng finished shouting one, two, three, Emperor Jing began to pick up the confidentiality agreement and read it.

At the same time, Zhang Biao also began to turn the crank.

Emperor Jing observed while reading, and saw that when he spoke, the thin needle at the end of the speaker kept touching the silver foil, leaving a dense patch of small dots.

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the two of them finished reading, Zhang Biao took off the silver foil and turned and walked out of the room.

Emperor Jing's heart was itching like a cat scratching, eagerly wanting to know what the silver foil was.

But unfortunately, Fang Zheng didn't give him this opportunity.

After reading, he directly drove people away.

In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Emperor Jing and Guo Tianyang stood outside the yamen gate staring at each other, and fell into silence at the same time.....

Suddenly, a carriage drove out from behind, and the coachman enthusiastically shouted at the two: "Do you two masters want to take a ride back to the capital?"

"I am ordered by the county magistrate to send the two masters off!"

He's still a person! Emperor Jing was a little relieved.

Guo Tianyang was also a little happy. He didn't expect Fang Zheng to be so thoughtful, he even arranged a car, which saved him a lot of trouble.

So the two of them got directly into the car, ready to return to the capital.

As soon as they sat down, the coachman poked his head in from outside the car and said flatteringly: "Two masters, the fare is ten taels of silver."

Guo Tianyang: "..."

Emperor Jing: "..."