Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

Li Yuanzhao led Fang Zheng to a secluded spot, dismissed the numerous serving eunuchs, and impatiently said, "I have many questions to ask you. Regarding your handling of the flood..."

"Your Highness, wait a moment! I have something to say..." Fang Zheng interrupted Li Yuanzhao.

"How did you get that injury on your face? Could it be that someone in the palace dared to hit you?"

This question had intrigued Fang Zheng from the moment he entered. The injury on the太子's face looked like it was from a whip. Who was ruthless enough to injure the太子's face?

As soon as he asked, Li Yuanzhao bared his teeth and said fiercely, "Who else could it be! Who else could it be!"

"Besides Father Emperor, who else in the palace would dare to hit me!"

"I don't know what Father Emperor ate, but yesterday when I went to see him to pay my respects, he had me hung up and beat me after only a few words. He accidentally struck my face!"

"I've been thinking about it for a long time, and I haven't done anything wrong! Hiss... it still hurts!"

"..." Fang Zheng immediately shut his mouth, acting like a quail.

"Uh... well! I must say, Your Highness was originally handsome, with delicate features, but now with the wound on your face, you look even more handsome and manly, just like someone returning from the battlefield! His Majesty's martial arts are unparalleled. Like father, like son,太子殿下 must be the same!"

Li Yuanzhao touched the wound on his cheek and grinned, "Really!?"

Fang Zheng thumped his chest, "Absolutely! I guarantee it with my character! Setting aside Your Highness's dragon aura, your face exudes a stern and awe-inspiring presence! It makes people want to bow down and worship you!"

Young people are most easily flattered, and even the太子 is no exception.

Li Yuanzhao immediately laughed, "Good, good! You're the only one in the palace who understands me, Fang Zheng. I am a natural-born general, but Father Emperor and those old ministers in the palace constantly belittle me! They are blind!"

Fang Zheng couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

It seemed that the太子 wasn't having a great time in the palace either. It was like he was being constantly pua'd by the Emperor and the ministers every day, and he didn't have a single friend. It was truly remarkable that he could maintain such a naive and optimistic personality.

"Ah... Your Highness, what did you want to ask me just now?"

"Thunder! I wanted to ask you how to summon thunder to control the floods?" Li Yuanzhao's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Your Highness is joking. There's no such thing as thunder... It's just a man-made tool, like a hammer or sickle. However, it was obtained by chance, and the quantity is limited. Once we can manufacture them, Your Highness can have as many as you want."

"Oh..." Li Yuanzhao's disappointment was visible, but he didn't give up. He continued to ask, "Then are all those sword immortals flying on swords in the books fake? Are there no ghosts or gods in this world?"

Fang Zheng hesitated at this moment. As a serious and progressive youth, he certainly didn't believe in ghosts and gods.

But the fact that he had transmigrated here was a bit awkward.

After thinking for a while, he said, "Ghosts and gods... I don't believe in them. They're just rumors spread by ignorant people! A useless person can only become a useless corpse after death. If they have some resentment, they think they can turn the tables and become evil ghosts? It's just a projection of the people's beautiful wishes!"

"And think about it, those peerless masters in novels are either blind or beggars, or weak scholars. These books are probably written by weak scholars who want to express their dissatisfaction with life."

"Oh... that makes sense..." Li Yuanzhao felt very disheartened. The spiritual world he had always fantasized about seemed to have shattered...

"As for flying on swords, it's just a fabrication in books!"

"Your Highness, if you read more, you'll know that overseas barbarians have sword immortals who fly on brooms! Does that make sense?"

Li Yuanzhao raised an eyebrow, "Fly on brooms? That's new, and it would be easier than standing. But come to think of it, it's not very aesthetically pleasing...."

"Easier for what? Wouldn't it hurt your balls?"

"..... I see, then it would be suitable for Liu Jin to ride one."

The conversation was getting more and more outrageous. This topic couldn't continue! Fang Zheng quickly interrupted him, "Your Highness, is there anything else you want to ask?"

"Oh, there's also the phonograph..." "It's already been presented to His Majesty."

"Then I heard that there's a person in Peach Blossom Village called a sketch artist, whose paintings are amazing, so lifelike that they look real. I want to see it."

Fang Zheng smiled, "Your Highness, sketching is a painting technique. If Your Highness is interested, I'll immediately find a painter and have him teach you."

Li Yuanzhao said, "That's not necessary. I just want to see it. I can also paint, but I often wonder what it takes to make a painting worthy of the word 'lifelike.'"

"The painters in the palace don't seem to paint very realistically.... Look, this is a painting I did this morning. What do you think?"

As he spoke, Li Yuanzhao took out a piece of Xuan paper from his chest and unfolded it. It seemed to be a drawing of some kind of animal, composed of black and white lines...

Fang Zheng took one look and immediately exclaimed, "Oh! I didn't expect Your Highness to be able to draw penguins! And you drew them so realistically!"

Li Yuanzhao was confused, "What is a penguin? This is a kingfisher!"

"......."

Fang Zheng said without changing his expression, "That's right! In my hometown, we call kingfishers penguins. It's a dialect."

"Really! It seems that I do have some talent in this area." Li Yuanzhao exclaimed.

The corners of Fang Zheng's eyes twitched violently.

"Yes! I didn't expect Your Highness to be both scholarly and martial.... It's just that this kind of art is still too early for humanity. In a thousand or eight hundred years, it will definitely become a national treasure. Put it away quickly!"

"Hahaha! You have good taste. Then I'll give you this painting!"

"...... Thank you, Your Highness."

Fang Zheng took the painting with a blank expression and stuffed it into his arms. Then, he took out a thick stack of book-like things from his arms and whispered, "Your Highness, I feel like I've known you for a long time. I've prepared a gift for you, since I'm new here!"

Li Yuanzhao looked at the thick stack of silver notes that Fang Zheng handed over and was immediately startled. He took a step back and exclaimed in surprise, "What is this!? Silver notes?"

These silver notes were specially exchanged by Fang Zheng for small denominations, totaling ten thousand taels. The thick stack looked even bigger than the one he gave to Emperor Jing at the beginning!

Seeing him dodge, Fang Zheng said with displeasure, "What does Your Highness mean by this? Are you looking down on me, Fang Zheng?"

"These ten thousand taels of silver are just a small token of my appreciation. I consider the太子 a close friend. What does a mere amount of silver matter?"

Li Yuanzhao was surprised, "There are ten thousand taels here!?"

"Exactly!"

Li Yuanzhao's eyes immediately revealed a greedy look. The monthly allowance that Emperor Jing gave to the Eastern Palace was generally around four or five hundred taels. This ten thousand taels was a huge sum for him.

However, he still hesitated, "Is it appropriate for me to take your money...?"

Fang Zheng said sadly, "Brothers are like limbs, money is like dirt. If you don't accept this silver, Your Highness is looking down on me and doesn't consider me, Fang Zheng, a friend!"

"I, Fang Zheng, have nothing of value. My family has nothing but silver. Does Your Highness despise my money-grubbing nature?!"

Li Yuanzhao quickly waved his hand, panicking, "No, no! I consider you a friend. Don't think that way!"

As he spoke, he happily snatched the money from Fang Zheng's hand and stuffed it into his sleeve, saying with emotion, "I've recognized you as my brother! If anyone in the palace bullies you in the future, just come to me!"

"Your Highness is too kind! Don't mention it. In the future, Your Highness can just call me Old Fang! Just tell me if you need anything!"

Soon, the two of them became enthusiastic, talking and laughing, a perfect picture of collusion.

At this time, the little eunuch Liu Jin ran over in a panic. When he saw the太子 and Fang Zheng with their arms around each other's shoulders, he opened his mouth wide and stammered, "太子殿下! Grand Tutor Yan is here!"