Royal Gold Magistrate - Chapter 242

The next evening.

Fang Zheng was about to depart from the pleasure boat when Li Yuanzhao grabbed his official robe from behind.

With a face full of resentment, he said, “Didn’t you say you’d have time to take me to Fenghua Tower to play? I haven’t experienced anything yet!”

“Three days! I’ve stayed on this boat for three days! Do you know how I’ve spent these three days?”

“Every day, I’ve just been helping you deal with those useless official documents! Stamping! Signing!”

“I want to go to Fenghua Club and have a good time!”

Fang Zheng looked at Li Yuanzhao speechlessly.

These past few days had indeed been too busy, busy eating, busy listening to music, exhausting!

To train Li Yuanzhao a bit, he had dumped all the unimportant miscellaneous tasks from the government office on him.

Who would have thought that at this crucial moment tonight, he’d be entangled with this overgrown child, and he couldn’t just ignore him.

Fang Zheng sighed and said, “Your Highness, no matter how fun and tempting Fenghua Club is, it’s all fake, not real.”

“So don’t be greedy and obsessed!”

“To achieve big dreams, first set yourself a small goal, like reading five hundred books.”

“If there’s nothing else, this subject will leave first. I’m still busy tonight!”

Li Yuanzhao’s eyes widened as he shouted, “Old Fang, you’ve changed!”

“This Prince just wants to go out and have some fun! I’ve heard from people on the boat! Fenghua Club has some love story scenarios, super exciting!”

“I just want to try it! So you go out whoring every day but won’t take me? Is this what you call being brothers?”

Who the f*ck is whoring?

Fang Zheng closed his eyes and took a deep breath, forcing a smile, “Your Highness, we’re here on official business! Not to whore!”

“I’m not in the mood to listen to any damn romantic love stories right now, I just want to make money!”

“We need to take action! Get the money from their hands, then go and help the disaster victims!”

Li Yuanzhao sheepishly let go of his hand and said awkwardly, “Then I’ll go tonight too, go with you to see what it’s about.”

It seems these three days really had pent him up.

Fang Zheng could only nod and agree, “Alright, if Your Highness wishes to go, that’s fine, but don’t speak and don’t leave Zhang Biao’s side!”

“Okay!”

………..

Fang Zheng, Li Yuanzhao, and Zhang Biao rode horses all the way to Fenghua Club.

Li Yuanzhao dismounted and immediately entered.

Fang Zheng followed behind him and said in a low voice to Zhang Biao, “I’ll tell you again, keep a close eye on Little Li. As long as we’re still in Jianjiang territory, he absolutely cannot leave your sight.”

“Especially in crowded places! Don’t let the Crown Prince face any danger, understand?”

Hearing this, Zhang Biao looked around and asked, “Crown Prince? Where?”

“It’s Little Li! How the hell don’t you know after all this time?” Fang Zheng looked exasperated.

“What?!” Zhang Biao felt as if lightning had struck him from head to toe. His eyes went blank, and he stood there with his mouth agape!

That idiot Li Yuan is the Crown Prince?!

“Did you hear me? I’m talking to you!” Fang Zheng added when he saw no reaction.

Zhang Biao swallowed and leaned close to Fang Zheng’s ear, whispering, “Young Master, why don’t we… rebel…”

“???”

“Shut the f*ck up! Say that nonsense again and I’ll have someone slap you!”

Fang Zheng felt as if Zhang Biao had kicked him hard in the chest. He glared at him hatefully, then quickly walked into Fenghua Club.

Zhang Biao stood there, scratching his head and muttering, “Forget it! The world will be in chaos sooner or later, we’ll talk about it later!”

By the time Fang Zheng entered Fenghua Tower, everyone had already arrived.

Li Yuanzhao very conscientiously found an inconspicuous corner and sat down quietly.

Under everyone’s gaze, Fang Zheng walked casually onto the stage, saying, “This official is late, keeping you all waiting. Let’s start right away!”

The stage had some new tricks.

Many candles were placed around the edges, with small mirrors behind them. Someone stood below controlling the angles of the mirrors.

Clearly, they were trying to create a simple spotlight effect.

On the stage, there was now a small table with a wooden gavel on it.

The backdrop was still the same as yesterday, covered with a red cloth.

When Fang Zheng reached the table, he immediately waved to both sides, and maids came forward to unveil the curtains.

Behind the curtains was a city map enlarged by who knows how many times.

“This official won’t waste everyone’s time! Let’s get straight to the point!”

“Everyone, please look. This map is a topographical map of Jianjiang City, and today’s auction project is on this map!”

“The rules are simple. Each of you will receive a number plate. Each time you raise your plate, the price increases by 100 taels!”

As he finished speaking, he pulled out a long, thin rod from under the table and pointed it at the street in the middle of the map!

As Fang Zheng pointed, the maids below quickly adjusted the small mirrors, illuminating the area of the street he was indicating.

“The first item for auction is the main street of Jianjiang City. The project content is to completely renovate this road!”

Below, there was immediate silence. Everyone looked at the map with bewildered expressions.

Sun Jiacheng silently raised his number plate and called out, “One thousand taels!”

Wang Qixun glared hatefully at Sun Jiacheng and also raised his plate, shouting, “I bid one thousand one hundred taels!”

“I bid one thousand two hundred.”

“I bid one thousand three hundred!”

“…….”

The others all looked at the two with long faces. Are you both sick? Too much money burned your brains?!

Wasn’t it supposed to be a bidding process? How did it turn into an auction?!

Oh! I provide the manpower and money to fix the road! And then I have to pay you money!

So yesterday’s talk about being worth thousands of gold meant we give you thousands of gold?

This is completely outrageous! Fang Zheng, is your appetite this big? There’s bullying people and then there’s this!

Finally, someone couldn’t hold back anymore and stood up, shouting, “Lord Fang! Wasn’t it supposed to be competitive bidding? How did it turn into an auction!”

“Where’s the logic in paying our own money to help the government fix roads and then having to pay the government?”

“That’s right! There’s no reason for this!”

“Lord Fang, you must have made a mistake!”

Fang Zheng glanced at him and calmly said, “Sit down, please sit.”

“Everyone, please calm down! Let this official explain it to you properly.”

Then he smiled slightly and tapped the map with his small rod.

“That’s right, it’s an auction. There was never any bidding, and this official never mentioned bidding, did I? It has always been an auction!”

The crowd below looked at Fang Zheng with heaving chests.

Their gazes could almost tear him apart alive.

This guy really isn’t a good person. It looks like we can’t leave today without leaving something behind.

“Of course! You are all great merchants! Since it’s an auction, it must be worth the price!”

“We can’t let you make money, but at the very least, you absolutely shouldn’t lose money.”

“The road indeed needs to be fixed, and you indeed need to pay.”

“However… this official guarantees that what comes with winning the contract for road construction is absolutely worth more than the price!”

Everyone’s eyes lit up again…….