Royal Gold Magistrate - Chapter 269

The convoy returning to the capital set off.

The sending-off citizens’ cheers were deafening, surging to the roadside and accompanying them for quite a distance.

Many people were still shouting things like “Take care on your journey, Lord Fang.”

Fang Zheng couldn’t bear to watch this and directly hid in the carriage.

Only after they had gone far did he finally breathe a sigh of relief.

He got out of the carriage and switched to horseback.

The carriage was really not comfortable, and if he could ride a horse, it was better to ride.

The convoy was divided into two groups.

One group was from Taoyuan County, while Emperor Jing’s dragon carriage was at the rear.

Perhaps missing his son,

As soon as the citizens gradually disappeared from view, the beaming Crown Prince was called into the dragon carriage. Who knows what father and son were talking about.

On Fang Zheng’s side, Xie Xian was accompanying him, still continuing to report on the situation in Jianjiang.

“Master, we brought 100,000 taels when we left, and we’ve spent quite a bit this time.”

“What should go into the prefecture treasury has already been deposited.”

“After deducting the expenses for helping those elderly, weak, widowed, and orphaned, there are now 150,000 taels in the account, plus 2,000 mu of good farmland, one pleasure boat, the Fenghua Tower club, and two sets of good houses.”

“Before leaving, people have already been arranged to manage everything.”

“Mainly merchant consulting fees and a portion of worker referral fees, plus advertising design fees, Fenghua Tower membership fees…”

“The 2,000 mu of land has already been arranged for farmers to plant sweet potatoes, with five years of rent exemption.”

“And these are the jewels you had deducted from Liu Xun.”

As Xie Xian spoke, he took out the bundle he was carrying on his back, opened it, and inside were many beautiful pieces of jewelry, things like hairpins and bracelets.

Fang Zheng nodded with satisfaction: “Not bad! This trip wasn’t for nothing!”

“Leave me 1,000 taels to get some benefits for the newspaper office, 100,000 taels go back to the county treasury. The rest, you brothers divide it up.”

“This is your labor fee, it wasn’t easy doing this trip.”

Xie Xian smiled happily, one person could get nearly 2,000 taels! This trip was so worth it!

The master is indeed generous!

“Helping the master with affairs is what we should do!”

“Then give me back the money.”

Taking advantage and still trying to act cute, Fang Zheng rolled his eyes and rode his horse to the front.

Seeing Old Qi in front of him, he moved closer and asked, “Old Qi! What’s going on with the shock-absorbing stick I asked you to customize? It had no effect!”

Old Qi looked puzzled: “That can’t be! I carefully crafted it for two days and even tested it.”

“It definitely absorbs shock!”

Fang Zheng was also confused, it didn’t make sense, Old Qi’s craftsmanship was indeed impeccable.

“How did you test it?”

“After making it, I used it to hit the wall, hit it for a day and my hand didn’t even go numb! I even carved anti-slip patterns on the handle, the feel is especially good. Master, don’t you trust my craftsmanship?”

“………..”

……………..

After more than ten days of traveling, they finally returned to the capital.

After bidding farewell to Emperor Jing, Fang Zheng rushed to Taoyuan County without stopping.

Along the way, Fang Zheng was extremely attentive to the Crown Prince, almost moving him to tears.

This time, returning to the county, besides the people from Taoyuan County, Li Yuanzhao was also brought along.

After returning from Jianjiang, Emperor Jing was also unusually generous to the Crown Prince.

He agreed to the leave request without even thinking, and Li Yuanzhao naturally happily followed along.

Not far out of the city gate, they saw the road built by Taoyuan County.

The straight, wide road was dazzling to the eye.

Another section and it would connect to the official road, but Fang Zheng had arranged in advance not to get too close to the capital, so this was considered the end of the entire construction.

Walking on the newly built road, the horses’ steps also became a bit lighter.

Even the fatigue from the journey seemed to dissipate quite a bit.

However, the emptiness of the road raised some doubts in Fang Zheng’s mind.

It didn’t make sense… This road was already built, openly placed here, yet no one was using it?

But they were almost at the county, so Fang Zheng didn’t think too much about it.

Riding his horse, feeling the breeze, he took out the remaining snacks from his package and handed them to Li Yuanzhao.

“Your Highness, eat! It’s the last bit of beef jerky.”

Li Yuanzhao, riding on his horse, had been staring blankly at the ground, lost in thought about something.

Only when he heard Fang Zheng call him did he come back to his senses, took the beef jerky, and said emotionally: “Old Fang, you’re so good to me.”

“We must have been brothers in our past life.”

“Of course!”

Li Yuanzhao looked deeply troubled:

“Sigh, Old Fang, you don’t know, I’ve been too embarrassed to tell you all the way, last time Imperial Father got some broken stick from somewhere to beat me! He even treasured it and brought it along on the journey.”

“I really… you don’t know how much that stick hurts when it hits you! I get scared just seeing it in the carriage.”

“Tsk, how mean, there are only one or two people around His Majesty, who could be so mean as to find a stick for His Majesty!”

Fang Zheng smiled broadly, quickly changing the subject.

“Hey! What were you thinking about just now, Your Highness?”

Hearing this, Li Yuanzhao lowered his head and continued to look at the road.

He licked his lips and hesitated: “Don’t laugh at me if I tell you.”

“Of course I won’t!” Fang Zheng patted his chest in guarantee.

“You say, the road is so flat, if we put some small wheels on shoes, wouldn’t we be able to run really fast?”

“………”

Hearing no response from Fang Zheng, Li Yuanzhao turned his head and asked, “Don’t you think so, Old Fang!?”

He saw Fang Zheng smiling at him: “Imperial Jade Liquor!”

“???” Li Yuanzhao was completely confused.

“What are you talking about, Old Fang? Is there such wine in the palace? Never mind that, tell me, can we run super fast with wheels on shoes!?”

Fang Zheng became emotional.

Ignoring Li Yuanzhao, he said to himself: “Your Highness, be sure to remember to tell the court historian that I, Fang Zheng, invented the telephone!”

“Do you still have that bank note? When we get back, I’ll draw a few more for you!”

Li Yuanzhao became anxious and persisted: “What are you talking about? I’m asking you, can we run fast with wheels on shoes?”

“Yes! Yes! Yes! Please don’t ask anymore, Your Highness!”

Seeing his perfunctory attitude, Li Yuanzhao looked disdainful: “If you don’t believe me, forget it! I’ll find someone to make one myself when we get back, it’ll definitely work!”

Fang Zheng was completely depressed.

Bringing shame to time travelers! Roller skates? Has someone else rushed ahead of me to patent it again?!

He was troubled by this all the way to the city gate.

The city gate guards were immediately delighted when they saw Fang Zheng, wanting to run into the city, but Fang Zheng quickly stopped them.

“Let me ask you, the road is already built, why is no one using it? Aren’t there any outsiders coming to Taoyuan County?”

The guard thought for a moment: “Ah! Master, you don’t know, before there were occasionally some people coming to our place.”

“Now that the road is built, aren’t we afraid too many people will come? We don’t let them enter the city, and after a while, no one comes anymore!”

So that’s how it is.

Fang Zheng nodded and rode into the city.

Along the way, people kept greeting Fang Zheng, and many even followed behind him.

The Taoyuan citizens looked quite like crazy fans chasing a star.

Fang Zheng naturally had a face full of smiles, returning each greeting.

It’s good to be home, the whole person became more confident!