Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

"I'll strangle you!!"

Seeing Fang Zheng Yi's face full of a cheap smile, Li Yuan Zhao finally couldn't hold back, pouncing forward to grab Fang Zheng Yi's neck.

Then, a large-denomination silver note was stuck to his forehead, freezing him in place.

Li Yuan Zhao sullenly peeled off the silver note, tucked it into his sleeve, and said resentfully, "Look at you, so rich! How can you be short of the sanitation team's money?"

Fang Zheng Yi reached into his sleeve and pulled the silver note back out.

Li Yuan Zhao immediately bared his teeth and wanted to pounce again, but Fang Zheng Yi hurriedly said, "Alright, alright."

Seeing this, the Crown Prince seemed unable to come up with any ideas. If they kept fooling around, the little bit of silver he had would not be enough.

"I've calculated it. Adding the workload of five more wards will achieve balance."

"Look at the people under your command, what kind of carts are they using, what kind of horses and tools are they using? How is the work schedule arranged?"

"Also, when trading with those who collect manure, can you think of ways to increase the price a bit more?"

"Your Highness, this is how we do things. Blindly rushing forward is useless. We must change from the bottom up, find ways to optimize the work process... The same effort can accomplish more."

"Alright, I'll stop here. Your Highness can take the rest and handle it yourself."

Hearing this, Li Yuan Zhao calmed down, revealing a thoughtful expression, feeling like he had grasped something, but it wasn't quite clear.

After thinking for a while, he felt a little irritable and turned to ask Fang Zheng Yi.

"I understand. Then... do you have any ideas about the gambling match with Yan Guo An?"

"Yes, we only have three months. If Ban Shan Ward wants to make huge changes, it will inevitably require a large investment of money to be possible."

"I have an idea to quickly raise money, but it will still take some time."

"For now, we should continue doing what we are doing. The sanitation issue has already been partially resolved, and the number of crimes in Ban Shan Ward has also decreased."

"The second step is to continue to delve deeper and completely solve the crime problem. Only when the people have a safe living environment can the subsequent matters be handled well."

The crime problem had long been on Fang Zheng Yi's agenda.

As the environment in Ban Shan Ward improved, the crime rate also showed a significant decline, but the reduction was mainly in petty theft.

Fang Zheng Yi, of course, could not be satisfied with such minor changes.

In an environment like Ban Shan Ward, there must still be many small underground gang organizations that collect protection fees from civilian shops.

Such organizations are indispensable everywhere.

The difference is whether they have a background or not.

The closer to the center of the capital, the deeper the background. Perhaps they are even thugs of aristocratic families.

Fortunately, Ban Shan Ward is too poor, and those with backgrounds can't get any benefits here.

But also because it is poor, business is not good here, and the little silver earned has to be squeezed out, making life even harder.

Originally, the petty officials of the Bing Ma Si also squeezed merchants, but under Fang Zheng Yi's heavy-handed management, it has been greatly reduced.

Although these people have rarely emerged recently due to the huge changes in the ward, it is certain that these people will jump out sooner or later!

The current task is to eliminate the scattered small organizations in Ban Shan Ward and provide the people with a stable living environment.

In the current situation, only a few people have private property. If even the simple property safety of these people cannot be guaranteed, then there is no point in continuing.

If Ban Shan Ward must have a mafia, then it must be me, Fang Zheng Yi!

Li Yuan Zhao scratched his head: "Crime problem? How do we solve that? How do we know who committed a crime?"

Fang Zheng Yi smiled slightly: "Wouldn't we know if we ask someone?"

...............

Afterwards, the two walked to the street and picked a shop that looked moderately sized.

The shop sold groceries, but business was not good. Several shop assistants leaned against the door chatting with each other, and some were squatting on the ground counting ants.

Fang Zheng Yi shook his head when he saw this.

There was simply no management or publicity. It was too rough. Ban Shan Ward deserved to be poor.

Several shop assistants immediately got up and ran back into the house when they saw someone coming.

Fang Zheng Yi and Li Yuan Zhao also entered.

The shopkeeper was also in the house, and he was immediately surprised when he saw the two.

"Oh! Mr. Sai and Young Master Li have actually come. What honored guests, honored guests!"

"I wonder what things the two esteemed guests need?"

During this time in Ban Shan Ward, many people knew Fang Zheng Yi and the Crown Prince, although everyone did not know their identities.

But they could all see that the ward's officials and petty officials were under the management of the two, at least they were not small officials.

Especially Young Master Li, who swaggered around the street with a group of people every day, supervising everywhere with a fierce look.

He was ruthless and talkative, but fortunately, he was kind-hearted and never lost his temper with the people, and there had never been any incidents of bullying the people.

So Li Yuan Zhao could be considered prestigious.

Fang Zheng Yi smiled and said, "It's nothing. I just came to inquire with the shopkeeper about how the income has been recently?"

The shopkeeper smiled and repeatedly bowed: "Thanks to you two, business has been very good recently! Especially at night, it's even better than during the day, which is really strange!"

"The monthly income is now about thirty taels of silver, which was not so much in the past, probably less than half."

Fang Zheng Yi continued: "Then, after deducting all sorts of miscellaneous things from the thirty taels, how much silver is left?"

Hearing this, the shopkeeper suddenly smiled bitterly twice: "Less than twenty taels...."

"What!" Li Yuan Zhao immediately exclaimed.

Usually it's not so much, let's calculate it at fifteen taels, then wouldn't only five taels be left?

With so many employees and a large family to support, earning only five taels a month, what's the point of running such a big shop?

"Where did the deducted ten taels go?"

The shopkeeper stood in place, afraid to speak.

Li Yuan Zhao's face hardened: "Speak quickly!"

Seeing Li Yuan Zhao's unkind expression, the shopkeeper began to stammer: "The government takes away five taels for taxes... The other five taels... were given away!"

"Given away? To whom?" Li Yuan Zhao felt a little puzzled.

"Uh... a friend..."

"Friend?" Li Yuan Zhao sneered, slamming the counter. "What kind of friend needs you to give him five taels every month?"

"Tell the truth! Otherwise, I'll bring people and smash your shop!"

As soon as these words came out, the shopkeeper knelt on the ground with a thud.

Shouting grievances: "Injustice, Young Master Li, it really was given to a friend! My friend is quite poor, so I have to send it every month...."

Fang Zheng Yi narrowed his eyes, thinking in his mind.

He didn't expect a group of local ruffians to be so bold, charging as much as the government.

It seemed more serious than he had imagined.

Such things did not happen in Tao Yuan County, so Fang Zheng Yi naturally thought inaccurately.

If anyone dared to collect protection fees in Tao Yuan County, they would definitely be arrested and have their legs broken in the street.

Can that be called collecting protection fees? That's robbing my Fang Zheng Yi's money!

........