Royal Gold Magistrate

While Emperor Jing and Fang Zheng were praising each other atop the carriage, chaos erupted below.

Seeing that no one was stopping them, the citizens became increasingly aggressive, their fighting spirit off the charts.

In contrast, the Hanlin scholars, though not entirely helpless, had long since exhausted their strength.

If it was a woman, they could still put up some resistance, but if it was a man, they were immediately overturned into the water.

Those nearby watched in terror, not only failing to help but even backing away.

A dozen or so people had overturned more than a hundred kneeling scholars.

This scene naturally disappointed Emperor Jing immensely.

He never expected his officials to be such useless wineskins.

Yang Yingcai suffered the worst fate. The woman who had been biting and pinching his arms was now gradually working her way up to his shoulders.

The situation was about to spiral out of control.

Fang Zheng turned to Emperor Jing and said, “Your Majesty, please leave this matter to me. Allow me to say a few words.”

“Very well.”

Fang Zheng turned and shouted loudly.

“Everyone! Stop at once. Quick, someone come and escort these people away!”

Hearing the order, the guards hurriedly went down and pulled the angry citizens aside.

The Hanlin scholars remained silent, not uttering a word despite their severe pain, and returned to their original positions to kneel.

Their minds were in a daze…

Fang Zheng stood high above, speaking loudly: “I know you’re not convinced. You think I, Fang Zheng, am a despicable person!”

“But do you know why those citizens were beating you just now?”

“Let me tell you! Their relatives went missing in the rainstorm and are still unaccounted for, and the culprit is none other than Yan Guoan!”

“They were already barely clothed and fed, and now they’ve met such a fate because of a mere rainstorm.”

“I ask you, while they were searching day and night for their loved ones, what were you doing? I bet you were enjoying fine food and drink, surrounded by your wives and concubines!”

“You keep saying you love the people like your own children. Is this how you show your love?”

“Those citizens affected by the rainstorm, whose sons, husbands, and fathers are they?”

“Do you still think Yan Guoan did a good job managing the district?”

After saying this, Fang Zheng immediately glanced at Emperor Jing discreetly.

Seeing his expressionless face, he pulled out a scroll from his waist, unrolled it, and read aloud: “The rainstorm disaster in Dengjin District resulted in 24 deaths, 48 missing persons, and 79 collapsed houses!”

“Over a hundred households were robbed during the flood! These records were made before Yan Guoan’s death. The citizens were soaked for three days and nights! And what did Yan Guoan do? He did nothing, instead sending people to rescue the wealthy scholars in the district!”

“Those people already had many servants. Why waste manpower to rescue them? It’s utterly foolish!”

“And there’s more I haven’t mentioned. Yan Guoan always favored scholars in his judgments. There was a scholar named Zhang who beat a commoner. When the commoner went to complain, he received ten strokes of the cane and the case was hastily closed.”

“In the end, the case file simply recorded it as ‘a troublemaker’s false accusation.’ Ridiculous… truly ridiculous.”

As Fang Zheng looked at the case records, he felt his own anger rising. If he didn’t know better, he might have thought these were case files from Taoyuan County.

How dare Yan Guoan compare himself to me?

“So… does anyone have anything else to say?”

The citizens below all knelt down at once, calling out “Righteous Fang.”

Never had an official spoken up for them, the common people, like this before.

Thinking of their missing family members, they couldn’t help but weep, sobbing one after another.

Yang Yingcai and the others, hearing of Yan Guoan’s misdeeds and the citizens’ cries, swallowed bitterly and lowered their heads.

They regretted their actions to the extreme.

Originally, they thought that even if they failed, they could at least maintain their good reputation. Now, not only had they suffered greatly, but they had also become the villains…

Seeing no one speak up, Fang Zheng let out a sigh of relief.

Good! Everything was going according to plan. Now it was time to open up the game!

He adjusted his mood and put on a pained expression.

“Yan Guoan, the great Yan, is the pillar of the nation in your eyes!”

“His Majesty struggled to establish this empire, and yet even at the foot of the Imperial City, things have come to this! How much pain do you think His Majesty feels? Have you ever thought about it?”

“Yan Guoan has failed the country, failed our ancestors, failed heaven and earth!”

“And you lot, though you stand high and mighty on dry land, are you really so clean? I know that some of you even see Yan Guoan as a role model! Let me advise you, turn your hearts and guts inside out, air them out, wash them clean, and tidy them up!”

“Now that the four seas are settled, the greatest threat to our great Jing Dynasty is not at the borders but in the court. If we rot a little here, the whole of Jing will rot! Think about it carefully!”

“Alas~~”

With that, Fang Zheng turned his back, looking utterly pompous.

Sure enough, Emperor Jing was moved once again. His tiger-like eyes glistened with tears as he placed his hands heavily on Fang Zheng’s shoulders.

“Well said! Minister Fang, your words have touched my heart…”

Fang Zheng’s expression remained heavy as he pressed his lips tightly together.

Master Daoming is awesome!

“Your Majesty, I just couldn’t hold it in… As officials, we should uphold the principles of loyalty and benevolence. This is my duty.”

Emperor Jing let out a long sigh: “If all officials in the empire were like you, Minister Fang, how could Jing not prosper?”

Fang Zheng humbly replied: “Not at all. I am only able to spread my wings like a Peng bird because I have encountered an enlightened ruler.”

Emperor Jing smiled: “Indeed, Minister Fang’s talent is comparable to that of a Peng bird.”

“I wouldn’t dare. I am merely someone who admires the Peng…”

………………..

The Hanlin scholars kneeling in the water listened to Emperor Jing and Fang Zheng’s mutual flattery with hearts like dead ashes.

A bootlicking flatterer had claimed the moral high ground, while they, the “clear stream,” had become the polluted one.

They had lost… utterly and completely lost.

Without any face left, they were thoroughly defeated!

Voices of despair rose from the crowd: “Should we… continue kneeling?”

Hearing the discussions around him, Yang Yingcai’s heart bled.

Finally, he couldn’t help but speak up: “Your Majesty! Although Yan Guoan is guilty… who could have escaped such a natural disaster?”

“Dengjin District has always been low-lying and poorly situated. It’s always been full of petty criminals.”

“Does this justify executing Yan Guoan?”

“I object!”

“Silence!” This time, Emperor Jing was truly angered. With both witness testimony and physical evidence present, how dare you still argue!

Just as he was about to explode, Fang Zheng spoke up: “Your Majesty, why don’t we invite them to take a look at Banshan District? I… have already made arrangements.”

Emperor Jing looked at Fang Zheng with admiration.

Brilliant, truly brilliant. His words and actions could make anyone submit.

In comparison, Eunuch Guo was becoming increasingly useless!

The more Emperor Jing thought about it, the angrier he became. He couldn’t help but glare at Guo Tianyang beside him.

“???”

Guo Tianyang was completely bewildered.

“Granted. Prepare the imperial procession. To Banshan District!”