Royal Gold Magistrate

Zhang Biao rushed back home, returning with his body puffed up from things hidden beneath his clothes. He also brought back a dozen or so house guards.

After receiving the items Zhang Biao brought back, Fang Zheng gave an order. The group then set off in a grand procession behind the messenger guard.

The three cabinet elders followed with anxious expressions.

Fang Zheng was really too unreliable. If they couldn’t personally witness the Crown Prince’s safe return as soon as possible, they would probably be too worried to eat or sleep.

The place where the kidnappers were located wasn’t actually too far, just two districts away in Tuansong District.

As they approached, Fang Zheng began dispatching the guards to scatter and keep watch around the perimeter, waiting for a signal.

With so many people, there was no way the other party would let him go in.

At the same time, he tried to persuade the three elders to go home first, but no matter what, they were unwilling. Left with no choice, Fang Zheng could only warn them to listen to his arrangements and not reveal the Crown Prince’s identity no matter what.

No matter how brazen the Feces Clan was, they wouldn’t dare to kidnap the Crown Prince. If his real identity was found out, they might act out of desperation.

The three elders naturally understood this and nodded in agreement.

Soon, Fang Zheng, Zhang Biao, and the three elders followed the guard to what seemed to be an abandoned warehouse. The guard knocked on the door.

Inside, two men holding torches opened the wooden door.

In the dark of night, the dilapidated wooden door emitted creaking sounds, appearing particularly eerie.

The two men who opened the door sized up Fang Zheng’s group with unfriendly expressions. Seeing it was only two young men and three old men, their faces relaxed slightly.

These five clearly posed no threat.

So they took two steps back, making way.

Fang Zheng took the lead and strode in. The others followed closely behind.

However, as soon as they entered, they immediately sensed something was off. The warehouse reeked to high heaven… It didn’t seem like a place fit for humans.

They immediately covered their mouths and noses, alertly surveying their surroundings.

There were quite a few people in the room. Many held torches and stared at Fang Zheng’s group like tigers eyeing their prey.

At the very back of the warehouse, a man stood with his hands behind his back in front of a table. One look at his bearing and it was clear he was the bandit leader.

Li Yuanzhao, tightly bound, was thrown on the ground beside him with rags stuffed in his mouth.

As soon as he saw Fang Zheng arrive, he immediately made muffled cries, trying to call for help.

The three elders were both excited and anxious upon seeing Li Yuanzhao. They were about to speak up but Fang Zheng stopped them with an outstretched hand.

Then he stared at the leader and said in a deep voice, “Who are you? Why did you kidnap my man?”

The man with his back turned slowly pivoted around. This person had a face full of bulging muscles and a scar an inch long on his forehead.

He looked at Fang Zheng with a sinister grin.

“Back then, you stole my business. Now you dare to steal it again. Fang Zheng, should I call you Mr. Sai or Boss Fang now?”

“No need for courtesy. Just call me daddy!”

As soon as Fang Zheng saw this man, he realized who he was.

This person was none other than Huang Shengrong, the boss of the Feces Clan in Hengjiang Prefecture back then. That scar on his forehead was from when they had a feces fight.

Most importantly, when the Beggar Clan was withdrawing from Hengjiang Prefecture, Fang Zheng had sent people to launch a night raid on the Feces Clan, dunking Huang Shengrong in a cesspit. Afterwards, he bribed the city gate guards to hang him on the city wall.

On the way here, Fang Zheng had recalled this matter. In his heart, he already more or less had an answer.

But before seeing him in person, he didn’t dare to be certain. He didn’t expect this fellow to have some ability, actually mixing quite well in the capital.

Upon hearing this, Huang Shengrong flew into a rage. “Fang Zheng! You’re courting death. You still dare to talk tough after entering my turf. Just what do you think you are?”

Fang Zheng picked his nose. “Me? A Taoyuan man, fourth-rank Junior Grand Tutor, boss of the Beggar Clan, Fragmented Verse Sage, the Poisonous Butcher… Huang Shengrong, has lard clogged your brain? If you dare to lay a finger on me, just you try!”

As soon as they heard the four words “the Poisonous Butcher”, everyone present took a step back in unison, their vigilance immediately rising.

They didn’t expect the young man before them to be the renowned…

The hearts of the three elders immediately seized up.

This… this Fang Zheng, did he have a death wish!? Surrounded by a group and still talking so arrogantly, with the Crown Prince still in their hands!

Huang Shengrong snorted coldly a couple of times. “I know, of course I know… The grudge from back then, I must settle it. No status can save you. Do you think you can walk out that door tonight?”

With that said, he fiercely kicked Li Yuanzhao’s butt.

“And you, little runt, must die too!”

Upon hearing this, Li Yuanzhao began struggling violently like he saw maggots in shit. He kept making muffled sounds through his gag, but they could roughly be made out as expletives in the Jing dialect.

Fang Zheng felt depressed. Back then, he had picked up many orphans in Hengjiang. The Feces Clan had started spreading rumors everywhere saying he had a taste for young boys and girls.

Especially since he was with Xiao Tao every day back then, he couldn’t wash himself clean even if he tried. He didn’t expect this dog turd to believe what he himself was saying.

However, Fang Zheng believed Huang Shengrong dared to kill. This kind of scum had their heads stuck in their belts, definitely no stranger to murder and robbery. Moreover, Fang Zheng had long provoked him to a murderous rage.

Although the disappearance of a fourth-rank official in the capital was a big deal, if a professional wanted to make it look like an accident and forge a scene, it would be too easy.

In this era, as long as the clean-up work was done meticulously enough, it would be extremely difficult to investigate, even if traces were revealed. They could just find a random scapegoat.

So Fang Zheng could understand Huang Shengrong daring to take this risk…

“Fang Zheng ah Fang Zheng, you’re really regressing the longer you live. You think bringing a dozen guards is enough to escape unscathed?”

“Hehe, and stupid enough to bring three old men in!”

Huang Shengrong looked at Fang Zheng with a mocking expression.

Fang Zheng said unhurriedly, “Don’t be in such a rush to kill me. Let me introduce them to you.”

He said this while pushing Zhang Biao a few steps towards Huang Shengrong.

“This is my younger cousin, seventeen years old, afraid of violence.”

Then he pointed at Li Yansong and the others.

“These three are my eldest, second, and third uncles. You can kill me, no problem, but don’t implicate my family. There have to be some underworld rules…”

Huang Shengrong looked at Zhang Biao with suspicion. “This motherfucker is seventeen?!”

“Family life was hard, he matured early. Cut him some slack.”

Huang Shengrong’s face alternated between shades of red and white. He angrily said, “No need to stall for time. I’ll send your whole family on their way together. Men!”

With that, the surrounding gang members immediately parted, bringing out the feces buckets they had prepared long ago.

Huang Shengrong grinned viciously. “Fang Zheng, this grand gift was prepared for you long in advance. How fitting, you and your family, along with this little runt, can slowly enjoy it together.”

The three elders behind them turned deathly pale. What did this bandit mean? Could it be he wanted to drown them in feces buckets?

Zhang Dongxiang couldn’t hold back and roared, “This old man is not his third uncle!”

“Hehe, your third uncle is quite afraid of death… Then let’s start with him!”

“………”

“Wait! Do you know who he is?!” Fang Zheng waved his arm and then pointed at Li Yuanzhao.

Everyone’s eyes turned to look at Li Yuanzhao in unison.

Taking advantage of this opening, Zhang Biao and Fang Zheng both took two steps forward at the same time.