Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

Inside Xin Zhang County, Guo Tianyang was in a state of frantic anxiety.

Several old ministers were staring at him with fierce eyes.

Li Yansong was already glaring at him: "Eunuch Guo! Where exactly is His Majesty? This is not a child's play, but a matter concerning the safety of the nation!"

"Yesterday, Sun Sheng already sent people to search all the residences outside the city, but they didn't find any trace of His Majesty. Do you know His Majesty's whereabouts? Tell us quickly!"

Guo Tianyang felt extremely bitter in his heart, not knowing whether he should speak or not.

What if he spoke too soon... he would be scolded again.

But if he didn't speak, these few people in front of him might tear him apart!

After hesitating for a while, he opened his mouth and said: "His Majesty... he went to Ping Wan County, and should be in the county right now."

What?!

The ministers were in an uproar.

A group of people were worried and panicked, thinking that the Emperor was lost, but after all that, he ran to Ping Wan County on his own.

Li Yansong slapped his thigh in anger: "Eunuch Guo, isn't this child's play! How can you let His Majesty run around like that?"

"If anything untoward happens, can you take responsibility?"

Guo Tianyang smiled awkwardly: "His Majesty's decision was also made on a whim, and this servant was only following His Majesty's decree, there was nothing I could do."

"Enough with the idle talk, hurry, hurry to Ping Wan County!"

......

A mighty procession began to head towards Ping Wan County, and everyone was already anxious and on edge.

They rushed madly towards Ping Wan County.

Once they arrived, the many courtiers attending the Emperor didn't care about the surrounding environment or their fatigue, and went straight to the Ping Wan County government office.

Inside the Ping Wan County government office, Yang Fanfan, who had just finished dealing with official business, was studying the red box in front of him.

In the past two days, a strange thing had happened in the city.

The 'Peace Apples,' a special fruit for internal supply to the Embroidered Uniform Guard in the capital, had flowed into the market, and were rumored to be miraculous, already being priced at ten taels of silver per box.

But after inquiring with the Embroidered Uniform Guards around him, they all said they had never heard of it, and some people guessed that it might be a new perk for the Embroidered Uniform Guards in the capital.

They hadn't enjoyed it in Ping Wan County.

Therefore, Yang Fanfan spent a lot of money to get a box to try.

With no one around, he rubbed his hands, opened the lid, and picked up an apple to examine it carefully.

He took another bite, and his expression froze.

This familiar taste, this familiar flavor....

Unwilling to accept it, he took another bite, and Yang Fanfan's face changed drastically.

Isn't this just an apple? A full ten taels of silver! Two months of his salary... gone?!

"Someone come!"

Two constables hurriedly ran into the office: "Your Honor, what are your orders?"

Yang Fanfan angrily grabbed the apple box and slammed it down: "Someone is using the name of the Embroidered Uniform Guard in the city to deceive the people with fake goods! Such an absurd thing is happening in Ping Wan County, how are you doing your jobs?! Investigate, and quickly bring this swindler back!"

Just as the two constables ran out, Li Yansong had already led a crowd in, bursting in with great momentum.

Seeing Yang Fanfan alone inside, he immediately questioned loudly: "Yang Fanfan, where is His Majesty?"

Seeing a group of old acquaintances, Yang Fanfan's mind went blank.

Eunuch Guo, Lord Li, and...

"Speak!" Seeing him dazed, Li Yansong's anger surged. He hadn't closed his eyes for two days and two nights, and was mentally exhausted.

Seeing everyone staring at him fiercely, Yang Fanfan swallowed and said: "I don't know... Why have you all come to Ping Wan County?"

With the words 'I don't know', everyone's hearts were clenched again.

Yang Yingcai stepped forward and shouted: "Then hurry up and send people to find him! His Majesty is in Ping Wan County!"

"Impossible..." Yang Fanfan muttered.

If His Majesty were coming, then Lord Fang would definitely have sent him a message, after all, the salutes and fireworks were all prepared.

"Enough nonsense! Hurry, mobilize everyone in the county to find His Majesty!"

"His Majesty is wearing a cyan robe, Fang Zheng is right next to him wearing white, and Zhang Biao is also there and is very conspicuous. I'll give you an hour to find them immediately, otherwise you can wait to lose your head!"

"Yes, this official will go and arrange it." Yang Fanfan broke out in a cold sweat and quickly ran out of the office.

The crowd gathered silently in the office, each with their own thoughts.

Yang Yingcai said: "Since His Majesty didn't come to the yamen to look for Yang Fanfan, he must have had the idea of traveling in disguise. This must have been Fang Zheng's instigation."

"Yes, yes, yes, it must be him, no one else could do such a thing."

"If something happens to His Majesty, who will take responsibility for it?"

Li Yansong's head hurt from listening, and he couldn't help but frown: "Stop arguing, let's talk about it after we find His Majesty!"

The crowd fell silent, only Guo Tianyang knew what was going on, blinking his small eyes without saying a word.

After about half an hour, Yang Fanfan ran back in a panic: "This official has urged people to investigate again."

"But it will take more time... There are too many people in Ping Wan County right now..."

Before he could finish speaking, a shout came from outside the office: "Lord Yang, the person you were looking for has been caught!"

The people inside the room were overjoyed, but soon frowned again, tacitly judging Yang Fanfan with their eyes.

Damn it, how could His Majesty be caught back? Do you even know how to do things?

But when the person entered the room, everyone was disappointed again.

It wasn't His Majesty, but an honest farmer, looking around in a panic.

"I didn't break the law! I didn't break the law! Please, speak nicely!" Wang Erzhu kept shouting injustice.

The constable escorting him pressed him down hard: "Shut up! You swindler, the donkey and cart have already been recognized, and you still dare to pretend?"

Yang Fanfan was extremely embarrassed and shouted angrily: "You are the swindler who sells Peace Apples? Corrupting customs and deceiving the people, this official will exile you to the army!"

Wang Erzhu's soul almost left his body: "I didn't sell Peace Apples! It's a injustice, Your Honor!"

Li Yansong said impatiently: "Yang Fanfan! You have more important things to do now, put this petty thief aside for now. There's still half an hour left, if you can't find the person, don't blame this old man for being impolite."

Yang Fanfan said with a mournful face: "Lord Li... there are too many people wearing cyan and white clothes in the city, and there are quite a few who are tall like Zhang Biao, please give me some more time."

As Yang Fanfan was complaining, hope arose in Wang Erzhu's eyes, and he immediately shouted: "I know the three people you are talking about!"