Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

Fang Zheng personally came to visit? What major trouble has my grandson gotten into?

I remember asking someone to inquire at the school a couple of days ago. My grandson's grades seemed fine, and his behavior was good too, right?

Xu Wenshu asked cautiously, "My grandson... what's wrong? Is it a problem with his studies, or his character...?"

Fang Zheng grinned, "Good! Of course, it's good! I'm here specifically to deliver good news to you."

"This child has good grades, is good at uniting classmates and helping classmates, and his physical education scores are also exceptionally good. In short, he has comprehensive development in morality, intelligence, physical education, and aesthetics!"

I thought I was going to be scolded, but it turned out to be good news!?

Xu Wenshu was overjoyed: "Really?"

"Really, really!" Fang Zheng said with certainty, "Recently, the school is preparing to launch a 'Three Goods Student' evaluation. The so-called 'Three Goods Student' refers to good character, good studies, and good health. After a comprehensive evaluation, I think your grandson is a 'Three Goods Student'."

"My grandson is a 'Three Goods Student'?" Xu Wenshu felt pleased. "Then, Lord Marquis, your visit today is for...?"

"This 'Three Goods Student' is quite rare. The school's education is certainly important, but the family environment also greatly affects the child's own growth. I think your family has a long scholarly tradition, and your child has become a 'Three Goods Student'. Next month, Yucai Elementary School is preparing to hold a parents' meeting."

"Firstly, it's to summarize the learning situation of each student in the past so that parents can understand in detail. Secondly, we want to invite the parents of the 'Three Goods Students' to give a speech on stage as representatives, to personally explain their outstanding educational experience, so that other children can learn and grow."

Xu Wenshu beamed with joy: "This, this, this... There are many great Confucians in the court at the parents' meeting. Is it appropriate for this old man to go up and lead the speech?"

Fang Zheng got up, put his hands behind his back, and paced slowly, sighing, "How is it inappropriate? Everyone knows that I, Fang Zheng, founded Dongjiao University and Yucai Elementary School, and my students are all over the world, but my son is really... far from being a 'Three Goods Student'."

Saying that, he turned and pointed!

"And you! My Lord Xu, you are the real education expert!"

"The 'Three Goods Student' can absolutely not be cultivated solely by the school. It's more like Yucai Elementary School just happened to receive a 'Three Goods Student'. Gold shines wherever it goes, and this is obviously due to a good family education."

"I will not only invite you to talk about your educational experience, but also prepare to hold more sessions of the parents' meeting in the future, summarize the speeches of all outstanding parents, and publish them into a book, so as to educate the people. This is a great undertaking, and you will be one of the founders of this great undertaking."

Fang Zheng smiled and said, "Let's settle this matter. Everything is for the children!"

When this book comes out in the future, it will be called 'Fang Zi's Family Instructions'!

Xu Wenshu's face immediately turned red, and he was overjoyed.

"Good, good, good, everything is for the children. It's not that this old man is boasting, but my Xu family has had a lot of experience in education for three generations! Then this old man can also have a good chat with my colleagues at the parents' meeting." Xu Wenshu stroked his beard, looking pleased.

He was obviously getting carried away...

Seeing this, Fang Zheng felt that he had set the pace about right, and slowly said, "Lord Xu, actually, I have another matter to discuss with you on this late-night visit."

Xu Wenshu smiled, but the corners of his mouth gradually drooped.

His mind suddenly cleared!

This kid! Sure enough, he doesn't visit the temple unless he needs something. He first put a tall hat on me, and now he's finally going to show his fox tail?!

He's coming for him, no need to think about it, he must be here to ask for money!

"Lord Xu, in recent years, the situation of the Ministry of Revenue..."

"The situation of the Ministry of Revenue is indeed miserable!" Xu Wenshu said with great pain.

Before Fang Zheng could finish speaking, he quickly took over: "To say that these years, the country is peaceful and the people are safe, and tax revenue is steadily increasing, everything should be getting better. The world all thinks that my Ministry of Revenue's treasury is abundant, but who knows that it has been running at a deficit for years...."

Fang Zheng looked at Xu Wenshu complaining endlessly with a blank expression.

"Lord Fang should know that nowadays, my Great Jing has high-yield crops, which have alleviated the famine in the world. Secondly, the Jin Kingdom has submitted, and commercial exchanges between the two countries are frequent. In addition, the income from opening up merchant restrictions and commercial taxes has also increased year by year. But what others don't know is that the expenditure of my Ministry of Revenue is far exceeding its income!"

"The salaries of officials all over the world have increased by a lot in recent years! Floods, droughts, and locust plagues have never stopped all over the country, and the allocated funds are much more generous than in the past, but these are still small things!"

"Building ships and cannons, and now adding a train, each of these items is accounted for with tens of millions or hundreds of millions of taels of silver!"

"I won't even talk about Dongjiao University and the Royal Academy of Sciences. Now the Ministry of War comes to ask for silver every two or three days, throwing money into updating firearms regardless of cost."

"Today, the Ministry of Justice wants to renovate the prison, and tomorrow the Ministry of Rites wants to hold a grand ceremony, and the Internal Affairs Office also wants to increase its expenses."

"The Ministry of Works is even more outrageous! After going to Dongjiao University to learn a couple of things, they also want to engage in some science. What the hell do they know about science! A few days ago, Lord Jiang from the Ministry of Works came to find this old man and asked for one million taels of silver! One million taels!!!"

Xu Wenshu widened his eyes, raised his index finger, and kept shaking it in front of Fang Zheng's face...

"This money is enough for him to replace all the personnel under the Ministry of Revenue from beginning to end! Do you know what he wants to do? He just wants to take the opportunity to engage in science and open his mouth like a lion, just because he thinks that my Ministry of Revenue has become rich in recent years and has endless money on hand, so he dares to ask me for one million taels!"

"They're all crazy! I won't give him even two hundred thousand taels! Guess what, he cursed at me! Really damn it... Does he think I can just shake my ass and get money!"

Xu Wenshu felt a little excited as he spoke, paused, and sighed, "Lord Marquis, you don't know how difficult it is for me. You are a considerate person, and you don't ask this old man for silver too often. I remember it all in my heart, so I recognize that your Jinyiwei's clothing expenses are three times higher than others'!"

"Cough cough, this image is very important to the Jinyiwei...."

Xu Wenshu shook his head and complained, "So, everyone in the world thinks they have caught up with good times. At first, this old man thought so too, but now I realize that only others are happy. I am the stupidest Minister of Revenue in ancient and modern times. The richer the world, the more impoverished the Ministry of Revenue becomes..."

"Yes, every family has its own problems. Lord Xu is really hardworking..."

"Lord Marquis, it's not early, you should rest too. This old man is prone to drowsiness on weekdays, and my eyelids start to fight as soon as the time comes. I'll see you off. I will definitely go to the Yucai Elementary School parents' meeting in person." As Xu Wenshu said this, he grabbed Fang Zheng's hand and prepared to send him out.

He absolutely cannot give him any chance to speak!

Fang Zheng only speaks when he needs something, and when he speaks, it must be a big deal. It's better to send him away sooner rather than later!

Fang Zheng pulled his hand away, not knowing whether to laugh or cry: "I haven't finished speaking yet, does the Ministry of Revenue really have no money left?"

"Really no money! If this old man lies to you, may I be struck by lightning!" Xu Wenshu swore solemnly.

"That's good, I'm here to help you solve this problem!"

".... Ah?"