Royal Gold Magistrate

The next day, when Fang Zheng arrived at the Imperial Clan Court and saw the crown prince, his eyes started twitching uncontrollably.

The crown prince hopped over to him, limping. Fang Zheng hurried to greet him.

“Your Highness, what happened to your leg? Beaten again?”

Li Yuanzhao said with grief and indignation, “Yeah! Last night Imperial Father summoned me and for some inexplicable reason beat me again without a word!”

“Damn it! A muddle-headed ruler! I can’t stand staying in this palace any longer… Let’s go, you and me! I’ll hide out at your place for a few days. I really can’t take this life anymore!”

Fang Zheng quickly consoled him, “Your Highness, as they say, beating is affection and scolding is love… This is all fatherly love! I’d be grateful to experience it!”

Li Yuanzhao grimaced in pain. “Alright then! I’ll go tell Imperial Father right now to let you experience it too!”

“That won’t be necessary.”

Li Yuanzhao said dejectedly, “Old Fang, tell me, am I really Imperial Father’s biological son?”

Fang Zheng shuddered. “Your Highness, mind your words! How could you not be his biological son? You have to be for him to beat you like this. I was raised on beatings!”

“Then why don’t my sisters get beaten?”

You beast! Able to ask a question like that!

Fang Zheng choked on his words and said with a long face, “Your Highness is truly impressive!”

Hearing the mocking tone in Fang Zheng’s voice, Li Yuanzhao chuckled a few times and continued, “But I really do want to leave the palace. I just overheard some Hanlin scholars in the Imperial Clan Court chatting about some poetry debate…”

“I’ve never been to any poetry debates despite my age. Ever since returning from Taoyuan County last time, I’ve been wanting to go out and broaden my horizons, but haven’t had the chance.”

As he spoke, he kept hinting at Fang Zheng with his eyes.

Fang Zheng turned a blind eye. “In my opinion, lying at home is the most comfortable. No bed is as good as your own!”

Seeing his hints fail, Li Yuanzhao stamped his foot angrily. “Old Fang! I want to go to the poetry debate! You have that gold medallion from Imperial Father, right? Disguise me and take me out!”

Fang Zheng sighed helplessly. “Does Your Highness even know how to compose poetry?”

Li Yuanzhao raised his head proudly. “Of course I do! I’ll compose one on the spot right now. Born a martial emperor, I…”

“Ah! Enough, enough! I’ve already experienced Your Highness’s poetic talent!” Fang Zheng hurriedly stopped him.

Good grief, he hasn’t even ascended the throne and already gave himself the title of “martial emperor”. Fang Zheng was afraid his heart couldn’t take hearing any more.

“Old Fang! Give me a straight answer! Can we go or not?”

“No! First, if discovered we’ll get scolded. Second, we don’t have invitations. Third, I can’t take you out! Your Highness, tell me what to do?”

Li Yuanzhao said excitedly, “Those aren’t problems. Get the invitations right away. At night I’ll disguise myself as a guard and leave with you. We’ll be back quickly before anyone notices! How about it?”

Faced with Li Yuanzhao’s eager gaze, Fang Zheng hesitated a bit.

The crown prince was indeed a bit pitiful. He had been beaten quite a bit recently, which was sort of Fang Zheng’s fault.

Secondly, his leisure activities were far too lacking, not conducive to mental and physical health. Every day in the palace, if not studying then just waiting around, utterly joyless.

Even a professional slacker like Fang Zheng couldn’t adapt to this kind of life.

Let alone the crown prince who was still a teenager, at an age when it was normal to be restless and playful. Wanting to go out was only natural.

In the end, Fang Zheng’s heart softened under Li Yuanzhao’s expectant gaze.

He could only say, “We’re all brothers. If you want to go out, then let’s go out! But once outside, listen to me in everything. If something goes wrong, I can’t bear that responsibility.”

“Great! I knew you valued brotherhood! Liu Jin! Liu Jin! Hurry and get me some invitations to the poetry debate from those Hanlin scholars! And get me a set of casual clothes too!”

Liu Jin, who had been listening on the side, broke out in a cold sweat. He still had to go report to the emperor tonight.

What if the crown prince ran off?

But since Li Yuanzhao gave the order, he could only go timidly to ask the Hanlin scholars for invitations.

Before long, he returned with a few invitations and guard uniforms, crying, “Your Highness… This servant managed to get some unnamed invitations… Please come back early!”

“I know! If anyone asks, remember to cover for me… If anything happens, it’s on you!”

………………..

When his shift ended, Fang Zheng came to find the crown prince right on time.

As soon as they met, he fell silent.

Li Yuanzhao was wearing a guard uniform, his face painted in a messy hodgepodge.

After a moment of silence, Fang Zheng spoke up. “Your Highness, who did your makeup?”

Li Yuanzhao said smugly, “I did it myself. I couldn’t trust those clumsy servants. Take a look, how is it?”

“Great… Your Highness has more than enough skill to be a magistrate of Gotham with that handiwork!” Fang Zheng couldn’t help but flatter.

“Gotham? Where’s that? I’ve never heard of that place.”

“Oh, it’s the capital of a foreign country called Piaoliang!”

“Piaoliang Country? How novel! Old Fang, you really know a lot!”

“…………”

Without delay, Fang Zheng pulled Li Yuanzhao and left.

Fortunately, everything went smoothly. Although the guards were a bit puzzled seeing Li Yuanzhao’s clown-like face, Fang Zheng took out the gold medallion and they were let through without issue.

Taking a horse carriage, the two successfully arrived at the Fang estate.

As soon as they got off, Fang Zheng immediately called for Xiao Tao and pointed at Li Yuanzhao beside him. “Xiao Tao, this is my newly sworn little brother. Go wash his face and redo his makeup!”

Li Yuanzhao said unhappily, “Why wash my face and redo the makeup?”

Xiao Tao didn’t say anything, just gave Li Yuanzhao a pitying look.

In her heart, she thought the young master’s compassion was acting up again, even picking up mentally handicapped children to bring home in the capital.

So she directly grabbed Li Yuanzhao’s sleeve and pulled him inside.

Before long, the makeup was redone. A professional was a professional after all. After Xiao Tao’s handiwork, Li Yuanzhao was immediately transformed into a simple and unadorned youth.

His long hair was also styled like a model student’s.

Fang Zheng looked him over for a while and nodded in satisfaction. “Not bad! Later just say you’re my study companion! You have to call yourself ‘I’, got it?”

“I~! Got it.” Li Yuanzhao imitated.

Xiao Tao once again gave him a pitying look…

Afterwards, Fang Zheng called for Zhang Biao and gave him careful instructions. This time going out, he must bring guards to protect the crown prince well.

Hearing it was Zhang Biao, Li Yuanzhao’s eyes immediately lit up. He rolled up a sleeve and flexed his biceps.

He declared loudly, “You’re Zhang Biao? I… I want to spar with you!”

A hint of disdain flashed through Zhang Biao’s wise eyes. He said foolishly, “Forget it, it’s illegal to kill.”

He had just heard Xiao Tao say this was a mentally challenged child the young master had newly picked up. He wouldn’t stoop to his level!

Fang Zheng glanced at Li Yuanzhao out of the corner of his eye and curled his lip contemptuously.

Young people really didn’t know the immensity of heaven and earth. My Brother Biao was invincible under heaven!

Then he casually passed over an ingot of silver. Zhang Biao immediately understood and pressed it into a silver cake.

Fang Zheng handed the silver cake to Li Yuanzhao. “This is your pocket money. Use it sparingly when you’re out.”

Li Yuanzhao took the silver cake, still retaining some residual body heat… He glanced weakly at Zhang Biao and said timidly, “Your guard only has brute strength. If it was me…”

“Young Master, for going out this time, should I bring deadly poison, poison darts, knockout drugs, scissors…?”

Fang Zheng waved his hand. “Ah~ no need for deadly poison, we’re all scholars. Using poison is too dirty!”

“…………” Li Yuanzhao promptly shut his mouth and stood there obediently…