Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

East Suburb University Lakeside.

Fang Zheng Yi and Li Yuanzhao each held a fishing rod, angling by the lake.

Although this lake is artificial, its maintenance is quite meticulous. After Fang Zheng Yi established the school, he specially ordered people to release many large fish into it.

Including koi.

Normally, fishing is not allowed, but Principal Fang felt tired today and thought he could indulge in a little privilege.

The enthusiasm of the newly arrived female students in speaking up made him feel a little overwhelmed.

Originally, he had already stopped them from asking questions, or told them to directly ask other teachers, but the students' enthusiasm was too high, and they always directed questions to him.

Fang Zheng Yi could only flee.

After all, you're asking a university graduate middle school questions, isn't that making things difficult?!

So, to rest, he brought the太子 to fish here.

The afternoon was calm and windless, and there weren't many people by the lake. The two had been sitting quietly with their rods for forty minutes.

Li Yuanzhao seemed to have maggots on his body, twisting left and right: "I say, Lao Fang, are there any fish in this lake! Sitting here doing nothing is boring. Let's go back to the palace."

Fang Zheng Yi smiled disdainfully. You people, of course, don't understand the hobbies of a mature man.

"Your Highness, there are plenty of fish in here. I often fish, I can't be wrong."

"Oh ho, I didn't expect you to be a fishing master?"

"What master, I am a grandmaster!"

"Grandmaster, how come I haven't seen you catch a single fish?" Li Yuanzhao said with contempt.

"The equipment isn't suitable. To do a good job, one must first sharpen one's tools. The essence of fishing actually lies in preparing the fishing spot, and this broken bamboo pole... is affecting my performance," Fang Zheng Yi said casually.

"Hey! Got one!" Before Fang Zheng Yi finished speaking, Li Yuanzhao's fishing rod was suddenly pulled tight!

It looked like a good catch.

Li Yuanzhao got up, excitedly starting to battle the big fish in the lake.

"Good fellow, it's a big one!"

After the two sides contended for a while, a large black-gray fish weighing about ten pounds gradually emerged from the water.

Fang Zheng Yi's eyes were about to pop out...

"Your Highness, let me help you!" "Don't come over!"

Ignoring Li Yuanzhao's dissuasion, Fang Zheng Yi got up and grabbed the fishing rod in Li Yuanzhao's hand, shaking it randomly.

The big fish took the opportunity to shake... and escaped.

Li Yuanzhao stood on the shore dumbfounded. When he reacted, he immediately roared: "What are you doing?"

Fang Zheng Yi said regretfully: "I just wanted to help Your Highness. I didn't expect this fish to be so cunning. We also didn't bring a fish basket, there's no place to put it."

"It's okay, it's okay, I'll help Your Highness catch another one right away."

"Heh, despicable villain... I think you're just jealous of me," Li Yuanzhao sneered.

He bent down to pick up the bamboo pole, straightened the fishing line, and continued fishing.

Fang Zheng Yi smiled awkwardly, aimed at the spot where the big fish had disappeared, and cast the fishing rod...

"I got another one!"

In less than five minutes, Li Yuanzhao, with a look of wild joy, got up and started pulling the fishing rod again.

Fang Zheng Yi's eyes were about to pop out, and he quickly got up.

Li Yuanzhao had already anticipated his actions, and with a quick flash, dodged to the side.

The fishing grandmaster's conspiracy failed.

However... this time the movement was too large, and the big fish unfortunately escaped again.

Li Yuanzhao slammed the fishing rod down angrily: "You're ruthless! Find two small boats, let's each fish on our own!"

Fang Zheng Yi's eyes darted around.

No, this kid is in his newbie luck period, his luck is so good, wouldn't I be outdone by him?

Then where would my fishing grandmaster's face be?

While his luck is good, I have to stick close to him to have a harvest.

"Your Highness, speaking of boats, I wonder how our expedition fleet is doing? Is there any news?" Fang Zheng Yi began to change the subject.

Li Yuanzhao was stunned for a moment, and his attention was indeed diverted.

He sat down again and said: "Ah, right, the fleet has been gone for so long and there's still no news."

"I heard the court discussing that the navy is still training, and the shipyards in the south are still researching shipbuilding. This expenditure of silver is huge. The Ministry of Revenue is anxious and wants to reduce the navy's and the new ship research expenses. The Ministry of War also intends to reduce them and transfer this part of the investment to firearms research."

Fang Zheng Yi's heart tightened: "When was this discussed? How come I didn't hear any news of this?"

"It was just two days after returning from the Jin Kingdom. Because the war expenditure exceeded expectations, this was proposed."

"But Father Emperor said that since it is an unknown world, exploration cannot be achieved overnight. If news of the fleet's failure returns, prepare to send the fleet out again. If there is still no hope after the second time, it will be decided not to support it anymore. Everyone agreed, and this matter was dropped later."

Fang Zheng Yi breathed a sigh of relief.

It seems that the Western legends he had woven had significantly lost their appeal to the court officials.

After all, when real money is invested and no returns are seen, everyone will be anxious and can't just watch.

Fortunately, my old father-in-law is still sensible.

Perhaps after the biggest enemy in the north was eliminated, his interest in exploring the outside world greatly increased.

However, the fleet hasn't returned by now, and the time is indeed a bit long. Who knows what risks they encountered in the vast sea.

"Lao Fang, do you think they might have been completely wiped out at sea?" Li Yuanzhao asked.

Fang Zheng Yi felt a burst of panic in his heart: "Your Highness, don't talk nonsense. The sea voyage was carefully prepared by the whole country, how could something happen? Those sailors are all experienced and strong, and there are also the supplies I carefully prepared, there will definitely be no problem."

"Maybe they discovered a new continent and are exploring outside."

"New continent? What is that?"

"It's an undeveloped continent, with only some primitive people, no formed civilization, a virgin land yet to be developed."

"Perhaps there are fertile lands everywhere, novel animals, and various mineral deposits..."

Novel animals? Li Yuanzhao fell into fantasy.

Fang Zheng Yi sighed constantly in his heart.

Who knows, if they're lucky, they might have discovered a new continent, or maybe they've already reached Fika, the hometown of those four Westerners.

Perhaps they are on their way back now.

However, the biggest possibility that he was unwilling to admit was that they were wiped out at sea.

After all, how big this world is and what risks there are at sea, he is completely ignorant of.

So many soldiers, and his poor beggar little brother Lai Gou'er, I wonder what the current situation is...

He finally managed to turn from a beggar into a promising young man, but he had to take this kind of risk.

Young people don't know how harsh the natural environment is. I should have tried my best to persuade him to stay in the first place...

Fang Zheng Yi was thinking absentmindedly.

Suddenly, he heard Li Yuanzhao shouting.

"I caught another fish!"

"I草!"

Fang Zheng Yi was about to take action, but when he turned his head, he saw Li Yuanzhao pulling the big fish to the shore.

Revealing two rows of big white teeth, he was grinning foolishly at himself.

The fish he was holding was a fat koi, as long as an arm.

Isn't this the treasure of the lake! He bought it at a great price!

Fang Zheng Yi gasped... This kid has learned to be cunning, he actually shouted after catching the fish?

"Your Highness, quickly put it back, this fish is..."

Before Fang Zheng Yi could finish speaking, Li Yuanzhao had already gotten up and patted the dust off his pants.

Then he grabbed the fishing line and swung it hard, and the giant koi slammed on his back, and he actually carried the fish on his back!

The koi was struggling on his back, and Li Yuanzhao said calmly: "There's nothing to do with the fish. It's boring to sit, let's take a stroll around the school and go back."

"......"

.....

The sky was getting late, and it was already a gray haze.

Fang Zheng Yi followed behind Li Yuanzhao with faltering steps, smelling the faint fishy smell.

The former was still enthusiastic, his legs churning quickly.

The poor koi had long given up struggling, bouncing on his back, its dead fish eyes silently accusing humanity of its crimes.

Fang Zheng Yi reached out his hand and said in a hoarse voice: "Let's go home... the fish is stinky."

"That's right, we haven't visited the women's academy yet! Let's go, let's see if they're studying hard at night!"

......