Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

Fang Zheng turned around and saw that it was Yang Fengfan, and he put on a smiling face and said, "Little Yang, what's wrong?"

Yang Fengfan wanted to cry but had no tears.

What's wrong? What else could be wrong? If you hadn't brought this up today, nothing would have happened!

Yang Fengfan pleaded in a low voice, "Lord Fang, this humble official... doesn't want to go to Pingwan County to be a magistrate. Could you... could you please ask His Majesty to help me find someone else to go? I really don't have the ability."

"You see... during the New Year and holidays, I even sent gifts to your house... You must help me, I'll never be able to hold my head up high if I go, and I'll never be able to come back!"

Yang Fengfan began to cry and wail, gradually becoming unrestrained in his speech.

Fang Zheng patted him on the shoulder and comforted him, "It's precisely because you sent gifts to this official that you should go."

"There should be a return for your efforts. Isn't this return coming now? Do you know how much effort I put in to get the court to approve such a pilot project?"

"Huh?" Yang Fengfan's crying stopped abruptly.

He looked at Fang Zheng with teary eyes and stammered, "What? You arranged it? Weren't you against it?"

Fang Zheng smiled: "Do I have a reason to lie to you? You've been stuffing things into my house, if I were to harm you, who would dare to give me gifts in the future?"

"Then... then..."

"What then? With me here, Pingwan County will have Taoyuan County as its backing. How can it not flourish? I will also send people to assist you, and in a year or two, I guarantee you'll be promoted and make a fortune."

"Think about the diamonds, Grand Grade Celestial Immortal Tea, and penicillin from my Taoyuan County... and the compressed biscuits and canned food that have only recently appeared on the market. Which of these wouldn't enrich a large number of people? I won't say more. Come to my house sometime for a detailed discussion."

"Ah..." Yang Fengfan pinched his face, still not quite understanding.

Seeing this, Fang Zheng smiled and said, "Relax, what I said is true. If there's a lie in it, may my uncle be struck dead by lightning!"

Yang Fengfan's expression gradually changed from dullness to joy.

He's even betting Li Gong's life on it, how could it be a lie? Did I actually make a profit?

I'm rich! I'm rich!

"Thank you, Lord Fang! Thank you, Lord Fang! I will visit your house again tonight!"

With that, Yang Fengfan left with light steps.

No sooner had Yang Fengfan left than Guo Tianyang arrived, smiling and approaching Fang Zheng's side, saying, "Brother, well played."

Fang Zheng glanced at him, somewhat surprised, and spread his hands, saying, "Guo-ge, you understand me best."

Guo Tianyang chuckled, "Others may not know, but how could this old one not know? Just based on my and His Majesty's first visit to Taoyuan County and your attitude towards merchants, I knew you were acting. His Majesty summons you, please."

Heh heh, it seems my impression of valuing merchants was left on them long ago.

Fang Zheng nodded with a smile, and then followed Guo Tianyang to see Emperor Jing.

As soon as he arrived in front of Emperor Jing, Emperor Jing asked, "How did you convince Xu Qing?"

Fang Zheng said, "Your Majesty, how else could I have convinced him? Naturally, I persuaded him with emotion and reason. Lord Xu is a wise man and understands the greater good, and he felt that what I said was reasonable, so he agreed to help me."

"However, I also have a question. Judging from Your Majesty's meaning, it seems that you are not opposed to relaxing restrictions on merchants, but why was my memorial previously shelved...?"

Emperor Jing paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, pondering, "I don't know if it's right or wrong, but the court officials will certainly oppose it. Since I cannot make a judgment, then naturally, the fewer troubles, the better. I don't want to create more complications. There are already enough things to deal with on a daily basis."

"By the way, the articles in the recent newspapers about economic theory, were they all written by you?"

Fang Zheng smiled shyly: "Your Majesty has sharp eyes! I really can't hide anything from Your Majesty. However, those things can't be called articles. They are just some superficial views that I have summarized over the years, and they are not to be taken as truth."

Emperor Jing gave him a meaningful look: "Then tell me, what are your thoughts?"

"My thoughts are actually quite simple." Fang Zheng organized his thoughts, "Currently, merchants are the allocators of resources. Only through the hands of merchants can resources be better allocated."

"If the imperial court were to take the lead, I'm afraid it would be beyond its capabilities. Because the imperial court doesn't know whether the common people want to eat vegetables or meat tonight. It also doesn't know whether they want to buy cotton or hemp, let alone what color of cloth to buy. These things seem ordinary and insignificant, but the needs of countless people, when gathered together, form an extremely complex force."

"Only countless merchants can satisfy this incredibly complex demand. And in the process of satisfying demand and seeking profit, they will connect with production, thereby creating new wealth."

"Suppressing merchants now is suppressing the creation of wealth."

Emperor Jing slowly began to pace back and forth: "Hmm, continue."

"Secondly, I heard from foreigners... that they are not good at farming but are very good at doing business. Sooner or later, we will have to deal with foreigners, and countless overseas resources will have to be transferred back to Great Jing through trade. Now is the time to guide out some excellent and adventurous merchants in advance."

"Otherwise, in the future, when doing business with foreigners, relying solely on the imperial court will certainly not be able to earn all the money. Why not earn more through private merchants? The ones who will benefit are ultimately the people of our Great Jing."

Emperor Jing smiled, this touched his heart.

Putting aside everything else, earning the money of foreigners and fattening one's own wallet, no one would be unwilling to do such a business.

"Heh heh, I am very interested in earning the money of foreigners. However, everything depends on the subsequent effects of Pingwan County."

Fang Zheng said, "Your Majesty, I have a request."

"Speak."

"I plan to build a garrison in Pingwan County. The practice of petty officials exploiting merchants has been around for a long time, and I'm afraid it won't be eliminated in a short time. Yang Fengfan has been in the Hanlin Academy for a long time, and I'm afraid he will be unable to cope with local problems. The Embroidered Uniform Guard has been effective in cracking down on illegal activities in the capital, so I implore Your Majesty to allow the Embroidered Uniform Guard to build a garrison in Pingwan County."

"Hmm, I approve of this matter. The Embroidered Uniform Guard has been doing well in the capital, although it's a bit different from what I originally envisioned... You can go ahead and do it."

"Your Majesty is wise! Then I will go and get busy."

"Wait a moment, when you have time, let Miaohan and Chen Yu come to the palace to stay for a few more days. I haven't seen my grandson for several days."

"Uh... Your son understands."

Fang Zheng bid farewell to Emperor Jing and was still thinking on the road.

Regarding the relaxation of restrictions on merchants, there is actually one most important point that he didn't say... and that is the steam engine.

After Taoyuan County had surplus wealth, it began to vigorously organize manpower to study boiling water technology.

Now, several years have passed, and although there has been progress, it is still somewhat far from success, after all, he is an 'illiterate'.

He can only guide others to research based on his impressions, and the research level is approximately starting from scratch.

However, there have been many accumulations in these years....

Once the research is successful one day and can be put into use, it will be equivalent to stepping into the threshold of the industrial age.

At that time, social development will increase exponentially, capital will be born, and materials will begin to be greatly enriched.

But without success, saying it out loud will only be laughed at, and it can only be discussed after it is secure.

It's been a while since I've been to the Steam Institute, it's time to see how the progress is.

Countless silvers have been invested, it can't just end up with a pressure cooker!

......