Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

“Thank you, fellow countrymen, for gracing this Poetry Debate.”

“This Poetry Debate has no set topic. Today, besides the fine wine and food, and the usual Poetry Debate, we also have the beauties of the Treasure Fragrance Pavilion to accompany us.”

“Furthermore! There is also a prize!”

“If you can win first place! You will have the opportunity to spend a night with Miss Luo Ningxin, the most sought-after beauty of the Treasure Fragrance Pavilion!”

“Everyone, please enjoy the wine and show off your talents! If inspiration strikes, please write it down immediately and post it on the display wall behind me, for Miss Luo Ningxin to judge!”

As soon as Zhang Chang finished speaking, a graceful lady slowly walked out from the second floor, with maids arranging a zither on either side.

The woman wore a veil, revealing only her phoenix eyes, her eyes sparkling, her appearance ethereal.

Immediately, exclamations erupted from below: “It’s Miss Luo!”

Fang Zheng glanced at her once and lost interest. Whenever there's a brothel event, the star attraction wouldn't easily show herself, always engaging in ambiguous behavior with veils and mystery.

It's like opening a blind box; opening it always leads to disappointment.

Moreover, this woman was dressed so thickly, there was really nothing to see.

Fang Zheng glanced at her twice and then continued to bury himself in his food. Zhang Biao, on the other hand, hadn't stopped eating, not even glancing at her.

Li Yuanzhao said excitedly: “Lao Fang! Lao Fang, look! A beauty, and she’s wearing a veil.”

“Hey? Don’t you dislike real women?” Fang Zheng asked curiously.

“It’s just that I can’t see her clearly with the veil, I’m curious! Lao Fang, aren’t you curious?”

Tch! Young people are so simple.

Fang Zheng said disdainfully: “I’m not curious! I know all about Victoria's Secret, this... is so-so!”

“Vi... Victoria, what secret?”

“I’ll tell you later! I’m hungry, let’s eat!”

Luo Ningxin glanced at the floor below, her gaze lingering for a moment on the three figures engrossed in their food, then she lightly raised her jade hand.

The sound of a clear spring flowed down, initially gentle, then the sound became more intense, like mercury spilling onto the ground.

At this time, the young masters on the painted boat were all listening attentively. The originally noisy crowd became extremely quiet, immersed in the moving melody of the zither music, savoring it endlessly.

Even Li Yuanzhao couldn't help but look up at the second floor, revealing an expression of intoxication.

Looking to the side at the two people next to him, they were still devouring their food!

Li Yuanzhao felt out of place, then lowered his head to eat, but couldn't help but nudge Fang Zheng and say: “Lao Fang! It sounds so good, why aren’t you listening!”

“Huh?”

“The zither! The zither!” Li Yuanzhao was speechless, Lao Fang hadn't listened at all.

Fang Zheng raised his head and wiped his mouth: “What’s the point of this stuff!? I listen to 'Ji Ni Tai Mei'!”

When it comes to music, Fang Zheng is worse than a cow, completely lacking appreciation. Most of the time, he listens to the gongs and drums of the common people.

This zither solo sounds really uninteresting, and having listened to 'Ji Ni Tai Mei' so much in his previous life, it seems he's developed an immunity to music.......

Li Yuanzhao lowered his head and remained silent... Lao Fang was saying strange things that people couldn't understand again....

After the piece was finished, the commotion below resumed.

Some people kept shouting up: “Miss Luo, play another song!”

Luo Ningxin's eyebrows curved into a crescent moon, and she said娇声: “Thank you all for your support. The poems on the display wall will be copied and sent upstairs, and Ningxin will read them one by one.”

After speaking, she glanced at the feasting trio and turned to return to her boudoir, eliciting a chorus of wolf howls from below.

After that, the floor below returned to a state of exchanging toasts. The waitresses who had been serving food also changed into a new set of clothes, even more revealing and daring, moving among the guests.

If anyone took a fancy to someone, they would directly give some money and pull them into their arms.

For a time, the sounds of singing and poetry filled the air.

Perhaps because Zhang Biao was still frantically devouring his food, not a single prostitute came over to Fang Zheng's side, forming a vacuum zone.

Li Yuanzhao watched as everyone else had a girl in their arms, while he was awkwardly twisting and turning with two rough men.

Fang Zheng, who had just finished eating, picked his teeth and said: “Didn’t you want to write a poem? I’ll have someone bring pen and ink, just write it here! When we’re done having fun, let’s go home quickly, that Heavenly Martial Emperor thing can be forgotten, let’s change to something new.”

Li Yuanzhao nodded shyly, causing Fang Zheng to secretly laugh in his heart. The second-dimensional guy was indeed socially awkward, awesome in the palace, but falling apart when there were many people!

Pen and ink arrived! Li Yuanzhao held the brush, his expression solemn.... But after an incense stick's worth of time, he squeezed out three words.

Seeing Fang Zheng's teasing eyes, he angrily threw the pen away: “I’m not doing it! I can’t get any inspiration today!”

“Oh~”

“I’m going out for some air!” After saying that, Li Yuanzhao quickly walked out of the cabin.

No sooner had he left than Zhang Chang followed closely behind, stopping in front of Fang Zheng and bowing: “I am Zhang Chang, son of the Minister of Revenue, I greet Master Fang!”

Fang Zheng wanted to call Li Yuanzhao back, but was suddenly interrupted by Zhang Chang and couldn't help but look up and size him up.

The visitor had a smiling face, thin lips, and slender eyebrows and eyes. He was Zhang Chang? But, he seemed quite polite.

“Alright, what does Young Master Zhang want to say to this official?”

Zhang Chang raised his head and glanced at Zhang Biao, who was silently eating, a trace of disdain flashing in his eyes, then smiled and said: “It is truly an honor for the painted boat that Master Fang could come to this gathering. To be able to enter the East Palace at such a young age is the envy of all scholars in the world. Why not invite Master to say a few words on stage?”

Immediately afterward, without waiting for Fang Zheng to answer, Zhang Chang said loudly: “Everyone! Everyone! I have something to say, please listen quietly!”

“This is the current Junior Tutor of the Crown Prince, the Baron of Taoyuan County, Fang Zheng, Master Fang!”

“It is an honor for us to attend this Poetry Debate today. Master Fang has something to say to everyone below, please be quiet!”

Upon hearing this, the crowd fell silent in an instant, their eyes immediately focused on Fang Zheng, and then many people began to whisper, with contempt in their eyes.

“Oh, so this person is Fang Zheng... I once heard my father say that this person is extremely shameless and has corrupted the Crown Prince in the palace...”

“Brother Chen, have you heard about it too? This person is a treacherous minister... I never thought that he would be in the same room with us, truly a disgrace!”

“Heh, this kind of scum is only able to rise to power through flattery. The Emperor must have been deceived.”

“..............”

At the moment of silence, Zhang Biao licked his lips, his hand immediately reaching to his waist, looking at Fang Zheng.

Considering that Li Yuanzhao was still around, Fang Zheng didn't want to cause trouble.

So he pressed down on Zhang Biao's hand under the table, shook his head, and then smiled: “Alright! Since everyone wants to listen, this official will just say a few words!”

Then, facing the contemptuous gazes of the crowd, he leisurely walked to the front.

“I am very happy to be drinking with you all in the same room today. On this occasion, this official also has a prize to give to everyone, as a token of appreciation.”

“This official and the Crown Prince can be said to be as close as brothers, and I know that the Crown Prince is very interested in poetry.”

“Since today's champion has a beauty to accompany him, then this official might as well add another bonus.”

“Today's champion! This official will truthfully recommend him to the Crown Prince. In this way... you have a beauty in your arms, and you also have the opportunity to show your talents in front of the Crown Prince, wouldn't that be wonderful?”

“I have finished speaking, everyone, please enjoy yourselves!”

As soon as the words fell, the eyes of the crowd looking at Fang Zheng became eager.

An opportunity to be with the Crown Prince was much rarer than sleeping with a courtesan!

Now that they could sleep with a courtesan and have the opportunity to meet the Crown Prince, wouldn't that be a double win for both beauty and career!?

Even a good-for-nothing like Fang Zheng could thrive, why couldn't they!?

......