Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

Seeing Li Yuanzhao run away, Fang Zheng breathed a sigh of relief.

That extra person was finally gone.

He skillfully made his way to the back garden of the Mingluan Hall.

The reason for choosing the back garden was simple: while they could meet inside the hall, the garden had a better ambiance.

Notified by a maid, Li Miaohan trotted to the back door, barely stopping before stepping into the garden.

She took a nervous breath.

Then, with dainty steps and a dignified posture, she slowly emerged, accompanied by palace maids.

Fang Zheng, who had been watching, quickly stood up when he saw her.

She had changed quite a bit in the few months since they last met, a fact noticeable even through her dress.

Her figure was fuller, with shapely curves, long legs, and a slender waist... and her small face was flushed.

“Greetings, Your Highness!”

“Lord Fang, no need for formalities. Please, sit,” Li Miaohan said, lightly pursing her cherry lips, appearing somewhat reserved.

Fang Zheng grinned, channeling Zhang Biao.

Shamelessly, he moved the stone stool next to Li Miaohan and sat down.

Li Miaohan sat on the stool, her upper body straight, staring ahead, her whole body tense.

She was incredibly nervous.

Fang Zheng didn't speak, resting his elbow on the stone table, staring intently at Li Miaohan.

His expression was extremely irritating!

The little princess, who had lived in the depths of the palace for so long, couldn't handle this.

Shyly, she lowered her head and subtly turned half her body away.

Seeing this, Fang Zheng knew he couldn't tease her any further, or the little girl wouldn't be able to take it.

So, he sat up straight and asked, “Does Your Highness have something you wish to say to me?”

Wasn't it you who came looking for me!?

Li Miaohan vigorously shook her head, then nodded just as emphatically.

Realizing her mistake, she was completely mortified.

Her fair face turned as red as a ripe apple, and she was overwhelmed with shyness.

After a long while, she softly said, “Why did Lord Fang return so early?”

Fang Zheng immediately put on a bitter face, saying dejectedly:

“Ah! So Your Highness is嫌嫌 I returned too early. It seems I lack self-awareness and have disturbed Your Highness!”

With that, he prepared to get up and leave.

Li Miaohan was startled and immediately said, “No!”

Fang Zheng's buttocks, which had lifted two millimeters from the stool, settled back down.

He looked at Li Miaohan with a smile.

Li Miaohan hesitantly said, “Didn’t you say this trip would take... ten or eight years?”

Fang Zheng sighed to the heavens, “Yes... this trip, ten or eight years.”

“Moreover, the disaster in Jianjiang was severe, and various forces were deeply intertwined. I feared my efforts would be ineffective, and I was prepared to die in a foreign land.”

“But... but when I thought of Your Highness working hard alone in the palace, I felt a surge of fighting spirit in my heart.”

“Although disaster relief was difficult, and I had to take care of the constantly troublesome Crown Prince, I still persevered!”

“Unexpectedly, His Majesty, concerned about the disaster, personally visited Jianjiang. Fortunately, I did well, so he ordered me to return to the capital early.”

Li Miaohan felt somewhat moved.

In the palace, she foolishly promoted sanitary napkins, but only the palace maids around her were willing to try them.

The others didn't understand and even vented their anger on her.

Now, only Fang Zheng could understand her.

“Lord Fang is remarkable.”

Fang Zheng shamelessly said, “It's nothing. Without Your Highness's support in my heart, I might not have returned!”

Li Miaohan blushed again, hesitated for a moment, and asked, “But I heard from my royal brother... that he personally saved tens of thousands of disaster victims in Jianjiang. Is there such a thing?”

“Even if there is!”

Hearing this, Li Miaohan was immediately filled with righteous indignation, “I knew it! My royal brother is incompetent and has taken your credit for himself. It's too shameless!”

Fang Zheng quickly said, “Your Highness, please don't say that. The Crown Prince did contribute.”

“Think about it, with the Crown Prince personally visiting Jianjiang, wasn't the people's hearts stabilized?”

“It's nothing for me to be a little tired!”

I didn't tell a single lie! So that kid can slander me in front of the princess all day long!?

Fang Zheng carefully asked, “Your Highness, what else did the Crown Prince say to you?”

Li Miaohan immediately said, “He also told me that you only built a brothel in Jianjiang and did nothing else!”

“If I only built a brothel, would His Majesty have let me return to the capital? Does Your Highness believe that?”

“Of course not.”

Fang Zheng revealed a satisfied smile.

The Crown Prince is still too naive! He dares to make small moves behind my back?

What kind of person am I? Doesn't the princess know?

Little hater! You're still too green!

“Then did you build a brothel or not?”

Fang Zheng brazenly said, “Of course I did. I've already told Your Highness the reason, it's naturally the same as last time.”

“The women of Jianjiang... are suffering! Naturally, I will help as much as I can.”

“I don't take those criticisms to heart.”

Li Miaohan's beautiful eyes sparkled with admiration, “You're so kind.”

Seeing that the atmosphere was right, Fang Zheng grabbed Li Miaohan's small hand.

Immediately, she blushed crimson!

“During these months I've been away, I've been constantly thinking about Your Highness... Has Your Highness missed me?”

A group of palace maids silently turned around.

This shameless person has already started taking liberties.

Can't bear to watch, can't bear to watch!

Li Miaohan's voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz, “Missed... missed you...”

Fang Zheng's heart blossomed with joy, and he took out a hairpin from his chest.

A white jade hairpin with a phoenix design.

It was Liu Xun's stolen goods.

He had carefully selected it from the pile.

Perhaps it wasn't the most expensive, but it was certainly the best in his eyes.

“Your Highness, look, I brought you a pres... a gift! Do you like it?”

Li Miaohan looked closely, and a sense of joy arose in her heart.

She gently nodded twice.

“Come, let me put it on for you!”

Before Li Miaohan could react, Fang Zheng had already started.

However, he was clumsy, and after fiddling with it for a while, he finally straightened it.

“Thank... thank you...”

Seeing that everything was going smoothly, Fang Zheng looked directly into Li Miaohan's eyes, “Do you have a map? I'm lost in your eyes!”

“Meeting you is like it's raining carrots in the rabbit's world!”

“? ? ? ”

Li Miaohan was immediately confused.

Although she didn't quite understand what he was saying, it felt... quite awkward!

“Lord Fang... please stop saying that...”

Fang Zheng's mouth almost stretched to his ears.

Stop talking? I insist on talking!

“You have something on your face, my gaze!”

Li Miaohan closed her eyes and shook her head vigorously, “Please stop talking!”

Fang Zheng also stopped his smooth talk.

He smacked his lips, somewhat regretfully. I've only displayed half of my skill, and you can't take it anymore?

No hurry! I'll tell you slowly later.

Seeing that he had stopped talking, Li Miaohan breathed a sigh of relief and whispered, “Can you not touch... not touch my hand anymore?”

Fang Zheng looked down and saw that his thumb was unconsciously stroking the back of Li Miaohan's hand.

A sensation of delicate smoothness.

“Touching you is like touching myself!”

Fang Zheng couldn't help but say another line, and Li Miaohan instantly pulled her hand away!

She turned her head, not wanting to look at him anymore.....

Fang Zheng was also somewhat embarrassed and at a loss.

What's the situation? Is the princess too shy?

Did I use too much force? I've only said a few words, haven't I?!