Royal Gold Magistrate

Seeing the madam limping away, Li Yuanzhao quietly sidled up to Zhang Biao and asked softly, “Brother Biao, can you teach me?”

Zhang Biao glanced at him. “Teach you what?”

“Kung fu! And how to have such a strong body?”

Fang Zheng grinned as he watched the two, thinking, “Now you know how awesome Brother Biao is? Before, you were so unwilling to accept it.”

Zhang Biao said calmly, “Oh, if you want to train your body, it’s quite simple. There’s nothing complicated. I just examine myself thrice daily, that’s all!”

Examine myself thrice daily…

Li Yuanzhao was surprised. For the crude-looking Brother Biao to say something so philosophical… He stammered, “What… What does that mean?”

“It means training your body three times a day. Then you can become as strong as him!”

Fang Zheng interjected. He had also wanted to learn from Zhang Biao, but normal people truly couldn’t do it… It was too brutal.

Zhang Biao was originally from Taoyuan County. He had been so starved he couldn’t get off the ground until Fang Zheng sent him three baskets of steamed buns to barely recover.

Later, upon inquiring, they found out this fellow had never eaten his fill since childhood.

After Fang Zheng became wealthy, he continuously treated Zhang Biao to meat and wine. Only then did Zhang Biao’s astonishing talent emerge.

Coupled with daily, unrelenting hard training, which Zhang Biao enjoyed, he developed the physique of a human beast.

Li Yuanzhao forcefully swallowed his saliva and whispered to Fang Zheng, “Has Brother Biao never met his match?”

“Confucius said: I have yet to meet one whose strength cannot be overcome~” Fang Zheng glanced at him. It seemed Brother Biao had gained another fanboy.

“What does that mean? Who is Confucius?” Li Yuanzhao was completely lost.

“Confucius was a nine-foot-six giant who excelled in both civil and martial arts and had seventy-two equally impressive followers by his side.”

“Even Confucius had never seen anyone with a body so tough that Biao couldn’t beat them up.”

“………..”

As they spoke, the madam limped back and said with difficulty, “No can do. Miss Luo still refuses. I’m truly sorry, Lord Fang.”

“Hmm!?” Zhang Biao abruptly stood up.

The madam immediately panicked. “Good sir, it’s not that I didn’t try to persuade her. It’s just that Miss Luo has a special status and isn’t under my authority. Please don’t be angry~”

Li Yuanzhao looked at Zhang Biao with admiration.

Fang Zheng frowned. “Oh? Then who is the boss behind Hidden Fragrance Pavilion?”

“That… It’s not my place to say…”

“Our Young Master asked you a question. Answer him!”

“Actually, it’s the property of King Wu…”

King Wu… It had been a long time since Fang Zheng heard that name. In his impression, King Wu had always been a useless dandy. His wine business wasn’t doing well, but his brothels were flourishing.

Although it felt a bit odd, Fang Zheng couldn’t be bothered with matters unrelated to him.

So he said, “I’ll write a poem. Please deliver it to Miss Luo for me. If it still doesn’t work, I’m leaving!”

The madam hurriedly nodded in agreement and ordered someone to bring paper and brush.

Fang Zheng picked up the brush and pondered for a moment before starting to write: “I especially love how the lotus rises from the mud unstained, cleansed by the clear ripples without being seductive, ——————-, one can admire from afar but cannot profane it.”

He only remembered these few lines from the Ode to the Lotus. The reason Miss Luo refused to see him was probably that he had left without notice.

And attending a poetry gathering meant she definitely had a deep appreciation for poetry.

Hmm, writing this made sense. Explaining it clearly should suffice. After all, it was just a brief meeting.

The madam took the blank paper and stared at the three lines written on it, her eyes glazing over. “This is a poem?”

“No need to mind so much. Just take it to her!”

The madam had no choice. She took the paper and laboriously climbed the stairs again.

She quickly returned, smiling. “Lord Fang! Miss Luo agreed. I’ll take you up.”

“However, only you alone can go up.”

Fang Zheng nodded and followed the madam upstairs.

Luo Ningxin’s room was on the third floor. After sending Fang Zheng into the room, the madam quietly closed the door.

She glanced downstairs at Zhang Biao, rubbed her hands together with a look of delight, and hurriedly went downstairs…

Entering the room, Fang Zheng instinctively looked around.

The decor of this room was completely different from the one on the riverboat last time. It was more refined, with many seemingly precious antiques on display.

There was a strong scholarly air, with books making up the majority of the room’s contents.

Also, there seemed to be a high-class fragrance permeating the room.

Fang Zheng slowly walked into the room. Luo Ningxin was still sitting on the embroidered bed, separated by a light curtain.

Just as he was about to speak, Luo Ningxin’s voice drifted out. “Lord Fang, why did you leave without a word last time? Was my delicate beauty that displeasing to you?”

Fang Zheng chuckled awkwardly. “Miss Luo jests. This official has yet to see Miss Luo’s true appearance, so how could I speak of displeasure?”

“At that time, something came up unexpectedly. Miss Luo’s outstanding grace is like a lotus flower, making one feel ashamed of their inadequacy and only able to admire from afar.”

Hearing this, Luo Ningxin rose from the bed. Her three-inch golden lotus feet, wearing embroidered shoes, took three steps in the space of two and stood vivaciously in front of Fang Zheng.

Her bewitching eyes stared intently at Fang Zheng.

Suddenly, she raised the rice paper in her hand. “Then can you complete this poem for me?”

Fang Zheng took a careful look. It was indeed the Ode to the Lotus he had just written.

He then twitched his mouth. “I can’t!”

“Why?”

“Because I can only write a little bit.”

Luo Ningxin covered her mouth and retreated two steps, laughing coquettishly. “No wonder the world says Lord Fang is a master of fragmentary poems. This principle of ‘all things are incomplete’ is truly embodied throughout.”

“…………..”

“Hehe, does Miss Luo know who started spreading that? I’ll go give that person a piece of my mind and let them know the meaning of ‘all things are incomplete’.”

Fang Zheng gritted his teeth in anger. What a crappy nickname… Wouldn’t it be embarrassing if it got out? Even The Poisonous Butcher sounded better.

“My lord jests. What noble purpose brings you to seek me today? Could it be… to fulfill the agreement we didn’t complete last time?” Luo Ningxin looked Fang Zheng up and down, feeling a bit disappointed in her heart.

In the end, no matter how impressive his poetry was, he was just an ordinary man, even if his poems were a bit better… But they were only fragments after all…

Fang Zheng thought for a bit. “No, that’s not it. I just want to exchange Miss Luo’s token for something else.”

“Exchange it for what? It seems I’m still not good enough to catch your eye after all.” Luo Ningxin’s curiosity was piqued.

The best things in life are free, but in Fang Zheng’s experience, free things often come with the highest price. This young master has never fallen for that trick in his travels! The most important thing is stability.

Moreover, this woman now had an unclear and dubious connection with King Wu. Fang Zheng didn’t dare to touch her even more.

If she hadn’t taken the initiative to come to him, Fang Zheng would be afraid of her breaking his back.

“Miss Luo thinks too much! This official’s heart already belongs to another. This time, I came to do business with Miss Luo.”

Hearing this, Luo Ningxin chuckled softly. “Does Lord Fang know, someone once offered one hundred and eighty taels just to speak three sentences with me, and I refused.”

“Now I’m offering myself to share a bed, and that still can’t compare to the business Lord Fang wants to do?”

“It can’t compare.”