Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

Fang Zheng shouted through the door, "Who is it?"

"Your humble servant, Sun Sheng, requests an audience with Lord Fang."

Fang Zheng responded with an 'Oh,' and got up to open the door.

Sun Sheng's arrival was certainly to express his gratitude, and his timing was perfect.

As the door opened, Sun Sheng's face, covered in bruises, came into Fang Zheng's view.

Once the door was closed, Sun Sheng immediately bowed: "Your humble servant, Sun Sheng, thanks Lord Fang for saving my life."

Fang Zheng poured two cups of tea, handed him one, and said, "Alright, get up. This was just official business, not really saving your life. If there's nothing else, you can go back."

Sun Sheng took the tea, opened his mouth, and hesitated, "Your humble servant... your humble servant wants to know why Lord Fang was willing to help me. His Majesty was already in a great rage at the time, and helping me wouldn't have brought you any benefits... Moreover, you should know that my appointment as magistrate of Xinzhang County was also to oppose the expansion of commerce."

The room was a bit warm. Fang Zheng pushed open the window, and a bright, full moon appeared in the sky.

Fang Zheng looked at the moon, stood with his hands behind his back, and said calmly, "I helped you entirely out of public-spiritedness. As for the reasoning, I've already explained it to His Majesty, and you should have heard it too."

"There are indeed many people in the court who oppose me, but so what? I've never cared."

"Although my opinions differ from those of the officials in the court, we ultimately share the same goal: to see the country prosper and the people live in peace."

"Only those with ulterior motives are my enemies, Fang Zheng. As for you, you just made a technical error. In my eyes, it's nothing."

"If people aren't allowed to make mistakes, they'll never improve."

Sun Sheng raised his head, looking at the figure standing by the window, deeply moved.

He had never seen such a magnanimous figure before...

Not one of the esteemed Confucian scholars in the court, who prided themselves on their integrity, had the breadth of mind of Fang Zheng.

Even he had spoken ill of Fang Zheng behind his back.

So much criticism and gossip in his heart, in Fang Zheng's heart, it was just a sentence... different paths, same destination.

What a difference in perspective!

Sun Sheng bowed deeply to Fang Zheng's back: "Sun Sheng is ashamed. Only today do I realize Lord Fang's magnanimity. You are truly a virtuous and honorable man!"

Fang Zheng, with his back to him, couldn't help but smile.

He's getting it!

"A virtuous man? I've never thought of myself as a virtuous man. I'm just walking on the path to becoming one."

Good! Well said!

Sun Sheng was excited all over: "Your humble servant actually has another matter to ask Lord Fang. In truth, your humble servant was worried on the streets during the day, so I was unable to carefully observe Pingwan County. After returning to Xinzhang, I must immediately implement reforms, but I'm apprehensive... so I would like to ask Lord Fang again, where should I start?"

Fang Zheng said, "Don't rush anything. Have confidence in everything you do. Your current state of mind is not suitable for work. I know you've been hit hard, but adjusting your mindset is the top priority."

Sun Sheng looked distressed: "Lord Fang is right. To be honest, your humble servant's life has been fairly smooth... I've never suffered such a setback. Now I'm flustered and don't know what to do."

Fang Zheng looked up at the bright moon and said, "The hardship of life is like a long, endless river. Although it aspires to reach the sea, its progress is slow and the journey is difficult. However, the river will eventually reach the sea, but the aspirations of life are often difficult to realize. This is human nature."

"But we don't need to strive for perfection. Every inch of progress brings an inch of joy. Just do your best and have a clear conscience."

"Your affairs are the affairs of the people. I will find someone to help you." Fang Zheng said, turning around, "The rise of Pingwan County depends on the merchants of my Taoyuan County. My Taoyuan County has many more merchants. Although Xinzhang County has a poor foundation and is very poor, if it can help the people become rich, I believe the people of my Taoyuan County can still take the big picture into consideration."

Sun Sheng looked at him with gratitude.

Fang Zheng continued, "Moreover, you currently have two advantages. One is that it's adjacent to Pingwan County, so you can use Pingwan County's resources to develop yourself and vigorously attract investment. The second is your superior, Lord Yang Yingcai. You are his person. He sold you out today, shouldn't he give you some compensation? Go talk to him and have him lobby on your behalf. This shouldn't be a problem."

"Once you've achieved political success, it may not be impossible to return to the central government in the future, right?"

Mentioning Yang Yingcai, Sun Sheng's expression became tangled: "Your humble servant doesn't want to have any relationship with Lord Yang anymore."

He is a man who clearly distinguishes between love and hate. Fang Zheng admired this.

He admired him in his heart, but his face remained stern: "Absurd! Do you think this is just your business? This concerns the livelihood of all the people in Xinzhang. If you delay the people from living a good life because of face, what's the difference between being an official and not being an official?!"

Hearing this, Sun Sheng was extremely ashamed: "Your humble servant is ashamed..."

Fang Zheng nodded: "Yes, focus on serving the people and doing your job, and I will help you. You can come to me with any problems you have in the future."

"As for the merchants from my Taoyuan County who go to support Xinzhang... take care of them."

Xinzhang County has a more advantageous geographical location than Pingwan County. There's no reason why its development can't keep up.

It will take some time to fully open up the entire Hengjiang Prefecture, but Xinzhang can do it right away!

With so many advantages, it will definitely be another wave of profit.

The county's tax revenue this year should increase a bit... Fang Zheng's little abacus was clicking away in his mind.

"Your humble servant understands. Thank you, Lord Fang, for resolving my doubts. Then I won't disturb your rest."

"Yes, yes, yes, keep in touch!"

......

The returning convoy returned to Beijing. Fang Zheng sent Zhang Biao ahead of time to Taoyuan County to arrange the relevant matters for Xinzhang County.

This trip can be said to have been very rewarding, and everyone's eyes were opened.

Emperor Jing was even more satisfied.

Upon entering the city, Fang Zheng parted ways with Emperor Jing and the others.

He wasn't planning to enter the palace again, but to go home early to see his children.

But before he had gone far, he saw two unexpected people.

Zhang Biao was carrying Fang Chenyu and walking towards the city gate. Seeing Fang Zheng, he suddenly stopped: "Master!"

Fang Zheng blinked: "What are you doing here? Why did you bring him out here?"

Zhang Biao said, "I returned to Beijing from the county this morning. The madam heard news from the palace that you were coming back and asked me to meet you outside the city. When I was leaving, the young master insisted on seeing his father, so I brought him over."

Fang Zheng looked at Fang Chenyu and saw him stretching out his two small hands, constantly calling out 'Daddy', and his heart melted.

He hurriedly took the child, hugged him, and kissed him repeatedly, and a sense of shame couldn't help but well up in his heart.

He had been neglecting his child's growth for so long.

Now that he was home, he should specialize in studying children's education!

This was his first son, all his heart and soul, and all the educational philosophies he had learned in two lifetimes would be fully applied to him.

"Let's go, let's go home."

Fang Zheng said, and kissed Fang Chenyu's fair face again, feeling extremely proud in his heart.

This child was so sensible from a young age, and he believed that under his guidance, he would become a gentle and refined, treating everyone equally, un-discriminating and un-flattering, virtuous and honorable man!

The three of them were walking, passing by a restaurant, and a beggar was singing a 'rat-a-tat treasure' at the door, and a waiter was scolding him at the door.

Fang Chenyu pointed at the beggar and said in a childish voice, "Daddy, what's that?"

"Baby, that's a beggar."

"What's a beggar?"

Fang Zheng was momentarily speechless, looking at the beggar's attire, thought for a moment and smiled: "It's a rapper."

"What's a rapper?"

"A rapper is a rap singer. If you don't study hard in the future, you'll become a rap singer. If you're not cursing people, you'll be cursed every day, picking up other people's clothes to wear, and you won't even have a good piece of clothing without holes! Do you want to be a rap singer?"

Fang Chenyu burst into tears: "I don't want to be a rapper! I don't want to be a rap singer!"

"Good child! Listen to Daddy, go home and study hard, and you won't have to rap in the future."

......