Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

They arrived at the room where the heads of the Sun and Wang families were being held.

As soon as they entered, Sun Jiacheng and Wang Qixun looked at Fang Zheng with terrified expressions.

Fang Zheng stepped forward, removed the cloths stuffed in their mouths, and untied the ropes.

Then, he stood up with a friendly expression and said, "Please rise, heads of the families."

Sun Jiacheng took a couple of deep breaths and said softly, "Thank you, Lord Fang."

Fang Zheng walked to the table, poured a cup of tea for each of them, and handed it to them.

They took the tea and thanked him repeatedly.

"You are both free now."

Surprise burst out in their eyes simultaneously: "Really?"

"Of course, it's true. I, this official, have always acted uprightly, and I don't mince words."

Fang Zheng changed the subject: "However... there are conditions to leaving."

The two men tensed up again upon hearing this.

"What conditions?"

Fang Zheng sneered: "Heh, it's not difficult. I've investigated, and you're just helping Liu Xun to fence stolen goods, merely a business relationship."

"This matter, I, this official, can let it pass! You can keep the silver you earned, just hand over the grain you exchanged from the granary."

"But from now on, you must be available at a moment's notice, and unconditionally cooperate with anything I, this official, ask you to do. Otherwise, don't blame me for being impolite."

"Are you asking us to die? Are we supposed to go and die too?"

"If you want all of our family property, what's the difference between that and killing us?"

Sun Jiacheng hesitated and said, "Lord, this...."

"What? You can do business with Liu Xun, but you can't do business with me, Fang Zheng?"

As he spoke, Fang Zheng walked towards the two men and patted them on the shoulders.

"Don't worry, I, this official, never force anyone to do anything against their will. If you honestly cooperate with me, not only will you not lose a single penny of your wealth, but you can even make a fortune. How about it?"

At this point, the great crime of having their families destroyed has been discovered, and they even signed and sealed the confession.

Their lifeline is in someone else's hands. It seems there's no other choice....

Sun and Wang exchanged glances and nodded in unison: "We are willing to serve you, Lord!"

"Very good. You may leave."

The two men were overjoyed and immediately walked towards the door.

Just as they reached the door, Fang Zheng's voice rang out: "Don't think about running away. The evidence of your crimes is still in my hands. If it's presented to His Majesty... you know the consequences."

"Thank you, Lord, for saving our lives!!"

"Heh heh, go on."

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

The next day, inside the public office of the government office.

Fang Zheng sat imposingly in Liu Xun's seat, with a group of minor officials standing in front of him.

Everyone was trembling with fear.

These people had been tormented on the ship for some time, and they hadn't recovered even after resting for one night.

Fang Zheng's swift and decisive methods still lingered in their memories, and many didn't even dare to look him in the eye.

Seeing this, Fang Zheng smiled slightly: "Everyone, there's no need to be nervous."

"I've summoned you here today just to briefly explain a few things."

"Liu Xun and his second-in-command are destined to lose their heads, it's a foregone conclusion."

"So, I want to tell you all that from today onwards, before the imperial court sends a new prefect, I, this official, will be in charge of all matters, big and small, in Jianjiang! Do you all understand!?"

"Understood..." A dozen or so officials shrank their heads and responded softly.

"Louder, I can't hear you! How dare you be officials of the imperial court with such a soft voice!?"

"Under! Stood!" The crowd shouted at the top of their lungs.

Fang Zheng smiled with satisfaction: "Very good."

As he spoke, he raised a book in his hand: "This contains all the evidence of your corruption. This item has not yet been reported to the higher-ups, and I, this official, am not in the mood to look through it."

"I'll give you three days to hand over all the embezzled silver to the government treasury. I, this official, will find someone to verify it."

"Within seven days, send yamen runners out to retrieve the dirty silver embezzled from the grain pavilions in each county!"

"If it doesn't match the amount on the register, or if I feel it's not enough, then your fates will no longer be in my hands......"

"Do you understand?"

"Under! Stood!"

Fang Zheng stepped down from his seat and walked around the crowd. Every time he walked next to someone, that person would deeply lower their head.

"From now on, if I, this official, tell you to go east, you cannot go west."

"If you fully cooperate, everyone will be safe and sound, and you can all enjoy good fruits."

"You don't need to be too nervous."

"I'm actually a very easygoing person, but if you step into my trap, I'm telling you, I'm very difficult to deal with!"

"Don't think I'm a Mr. Nice Guy. If you provoke me..."

Fang Zheng suddenly drew the Shangfang Sword with a *swoosh*, his face twisted with ferocity: "Then there can only be bloodshed!"

The crowd shuddered and shouted in unison: "Under! Stood!"

Seeing the psychological manipulation succeed, Fang Zheng gestured a few times with the scabbard before sheathing the sword.

"Now, everyone, return to your positions and perform your duties!"

"Yes!"

Just as the crowd was about to disperse, they heard someone shouting from afar.

"Imperial decree! Imperial decree! Prefect Liu Xun of Jianjiang, come and receive the decree!!"

Upon hearing this, Fang Zheng suddenly jolted and stood up, anxiously saying: "Quick! Quickly, invite the person in!!"

Immediately, a yamen runner ran out.

Everyone present instantly felt their hair stand on end, looking at Fang Zheng in fear.

You only got arrested a few days ago, and you've already invited the imperial decree? Didn't you say you were going to let us live?

Before long, a thin and scrawny figure ran in. His malnourished and disheveled appearance didn't look like he was there to deliver an imperial decree at all.

Upon entering the room, he immediately shrieked again: "The imperial decree is here! Prefect Liu Xun of Jianjiang, receive the decree!!"

As soon as Fang Zheng saw him, he exclaimed in surprise: "Oh, my Jinjin, why are you here!"

Upon hearing the familiar voice, Liu Jin immediately stopped shrieking and looked at Fang Zheng.

His eyes were also filled with surprise: "Lord Fang!"

Fang Zheng stepped down from his seat and went to greet Liu Jin. Liu Jin was already extremely exhausted at this time. Seeing a familiar face, he was overjoyed and unconsciously opened his arms.

As a result, before he could react, Fang Zheng snatched the imperial decree from his hand.

He unfolded it and carefully studied it.

"This... this is... it has nothing to do with you, everyone, leave!"

Upon hearing this, everyone was immediately relieved and scattered in an instant.

Only Liu Jin and Fang Zheng were left in the public office.

Holding the imperial decree, Fang Zheng asked: "Did His Majesty issue this imperial decree?"

"Yes... yes!"

"Tell the truth!"

Liu Jin trembled in his heart when he was scolded and said softly with a grievance: "It's the Crown Prince..."

Fang Zheng clenched the imperial decree, his heart filled with excitement.

As expected, his hint back then... with the Crown Prince's personality, he actually did it.

Right now, he can only try his best to make things perfect, otherwise, this black pot will bring a lot of trouble to Li Yuanzhao.

Liu Jin looked at Fang Zheng pitifully: "Liu Xun, where is Lord Liu?"

"Hmm, he's about to be beheaded by me."

Upon hearing this, Liu Jin's eyes widened immediately, and he knelt on the ground, hugging Fang Zheng's thigh and making chicken-like sounds: "My Lord Fang! Don't kill him! Don't kill him!"

"Why can't you stay quiet wherever you go? If you die, what am I going to do!"

Liu Jin was already exhausted to the limit at this moment, and his heart was bleeding. The Crown Prince is no longer the Crown Prince he used to be!

Before, I could tease him with tigers and leopards, but now you've made his appetite bigger and bigger, and he's insatiable. I can't satisfy him anymore.

You just left, and he immediately asked me to falsely transmit the imperial decree. If you die, how am I going to live?!

"............"