Royal Gold Magistrate

Clutching the banknotes to his chest, Wu Sheng followed the yamen runner, trembling all the way to the Taoyuan County yamen.

At this time, quite a few yamen runners were standing at attention on both sides of the hall.

Seeing this lineup, Wu Sheng grew even more flustered. Were they going to interrogate him? Was there a need for such a grand show of force?

Fang Zheng couldn’t help but find Wu Sheng’s appearance amusing. In the end, it was Emperor Jing himself who had come to Taoyuan County. Wu Sheng was just unlucky.

But he actually still had the guts to move to Taoyuan County. What a character!

Fang Zheng then forcefully slapped the bench and laughed. “Lord Wu… It’s been a long time. This official is quite delighted to see you.”

Seeing Fang Zheng’s smiling face, Wu Sheng’s whole body shuddered.

It was with this smile that this demon had pressed him in front of the phonograph back then and forced him to say those vulgar, humiliating things!

Wu Sheng didn’t reply. The rotten things that had happened before began to churn endlessly in his mind.

In shame and anger, Wu Sheng fell to his knees with a thud and shouted, “This commoner Wu Sheng pays his respects to Lord Fang!”

This move stupefied Fang Zheng. “Commoner? You were this official’s superior before. Why are you calling yourself a commoner?”

Wu Sheng didn’t even raise his head. “His Majesty demoted this commoner. Now I am just a common person. The past is like a floating cloud. Wu Sheng… has long forgotten it.”

Wu Sheng’s honesty was unexpected for Fang Zheng.

He had originally planned to listen to him quibble a bit and then put the screws on him… but now it wasn’t so easy.

This son of a turtle had learned to be crafty!

“Wu Sheng… This official repeatedly warned you not to speak of Taoyuan County, but this official doesn’t blame you. After all, His Majesty has perceptive eyes. It’s impossible to hide it from him. This official just wants to ask you now, what did you say to His Majesty?”

Wu Sheng answered honestly, one by one.

Fang Zheng thought for a long time but couldn’t find any faults.

But thinking about how this guy was eating and drinking in Taoyuan County on his dime, he felt a bit peeved. He slowly said, “Alright, this official won’t make things difficult for you. Since you’ve already settled in Taoyuan County, live in peace.”

Hearing this, Wu Sheng’s heart, which had been in his throat, fell back in place. At the same time, he secretly rejoiced. It seemed his money was still safe.

“We’ve had a few dealings before. In your days inspecting the counties… I’m afraid you scooped up quite a bit of oil and water, right? This official is the humble Junior Tutor of the Imperial Clan Court, bearing the responsibility of instructing the crown prince. I absolutely cannot tolerate such filth existing under heaven! Speak truthfully…”

“Reporting to my lord, all the illegal gains this commoner made in his years as an official are here, totaling seven thousand six hundred taels! Within this, there are also five hundred taels that my lord gave to this commoner. Please inspect it clearly, my lord!”

Before Fang Zheng could finish speaking, Wu Sheng took out that thick stack of banknotes from his bosom and placed it squarely on the ground.

He couldn’t help inwardly criticizing, “Fuck, it really wasn’t kept safe! Fang Zheng, I know exactly what kind of person you are. The kind to pluck a goose as it flies by!”

“…”

Fang Zheng awkwardly rubbed his nose. This dog thing had actually learned to jump the gun in answering!

He then waved his hand and the yamen runner presented the banknotes.

Fang Zheng picked up a five-hundred-tael note and tossed it back. “This money was the living expenses this official gave you. Don’t spread nonsense.”

“Yes, yes, yes, this lowly one took it by mistake…” Wu Sheng had a fawning smile, a look of having seen through everything long ago.

Fang Zheng narrowed his eyes and smiled. “What do you do for a living now?”

Crisis resolved, Wu Sheng also regained his confidence and laughed. “Many thanks to Lord Fang for your concern. This commoner lives in poverty, just drinking wine and composing poems every day. That’s all.”

Fang Zheng shook his head. “That won’t do… This county doesn’t support idlers. You were this official’s superior before. How can such talent be wasted? Besides, this bit of money is hardly enough to support a whole family. This official will help you find a livelihood. Go help interrogate prisoners in the county yamen’s prison.”

Wu Sheng’s heart was lifted into his throat again. He hurriedly said, “My lord, I… I don’t know how…”

“It’s nothing. Just sing a few songs. Very simple!”

“Ah ba ah ba! Ah ba! Ah ba!”

As soon as Fang Zheng finished speaking, a string of “ah ba ah ba” sounds came from the side. Everyone turned to look at the same time.

They saw an honest-looking middle-aged man shouting excitedly.

Fang Zheng furrowed his brows and pointed at the man. “I’ve never seen this person in the county yamen before. Why did you find a mute to be on duty?”

Not far from him, Lu Fa hurried out of the ranks. “My lord! He’s the boss of the milk tea shop, Old Liu!”

“His throat was ruined from singing. It hasn’t healed yet!”

Looking at Old Liu, Wu Sheng shuddered. Then he looked at Fang Zheng in shock and anger.

Fuck, this Fang Zheng still doesn’t want to let me off… Singing can make you mute!

“Oh? If he can’t speak anymore, how can he still run the milk tea shop?”

“It went under long ago, so the county arranged for him to have a position as compensation.”

Fang Zheng cast a sympathetic gaze at Old Liu and sighed. “You’ve worked hard, Old Liu. In the future, this kind of secret weapon mustn’t be used lightly!”

“Ah ba! Ah ba ah ba!”

“What’s he saying?”

Lu Fa said, “He says he’s very happy to have the master’s appreciation. Just now he also said if Wu Sheng doesn’t know how to sing, he can teach him.”

*Hiss*~! Fang Zheng’s gaze urgently shifted to Lu Fa.

To think he hadn’t discovered such a linguistic genius… He had really been derelict in his duties…

Fang Zheng stared at Lu Fa. “You can understand what he’s saying?”

Lu Fa scratched his head and gave a shy smile. “I can pretty much understand it… My lord, there’s something you don’t know. I can guess the general meaning from listening to the sound and looking at the expression. I can even understand a bit of the meowing and barking of cats and dogs I see every day.”

“I’ve been able to do this since I was little!”

“Is that so?”

“It’s true! Last month, the case of Old Liu from the county raping his own sheep was handled by this lowly one.”

Fang Zheng gasped. This was a special ability! Such talent must be taken away!

Those foreign merchants had accidentally arrived at Jiangling Port, and they all spoke languages that weren’t mutually intelligible. Wouldn’t it be much easier to do business if there were talents like Lu Fa?

He then thought about how after studying English for over ten years, the word he was most familiar with was still “abandon”. He couldn’t help feeling a bit sad.

So there really were people who were born with foreign language abilities… and damn, it was even cross-species.

“Lu Fa, you’re a talent! Are you willing to follow this official to the capital? This master has important matters for you to handle.”

As soon as he finished speaking, all the yamen runners in the county yamen cast envious gazes at Lu Fa.

Lu Fa was overjoyed. He knelt on the ground and kowtowed three times. “Thank you, Master! I’m willing, I’m willing!”

“Good! Since that’s the case, come over directly in a few days after this official departs. If you still have family, this official can help settle them.”

Lu Fa’s face turned slightly red. He mumbled, “Thank you, Master. But this lowly one’s parents have already passed away, and I haven’t had children these years, so there’s only a wife at home.”

“I can go with the master alone. The wife isn’t needed…”

“Got it. Bring your wife along too.”

“…”

Wu Sheng knelt on the ground, stammering, “My lord… um, can I not go…”

“What do you think?”

Wu Sheng was prostrate on the ground, covered in sweat. Thinking about singing in the dark prison, he felt his heart had died.

He really couldn’t escape Fang Zheng’s demonic clutches after all.

Wait! Prison?

*Hiss*~ It seemed no one had written about this kind of topic before…