Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

Wei Shan, his face a mask of dejection, hurried back to Liu Xun with the food box.

As soon as Liu Xun saw him, he urgently asked, "How did it go? Did he eat it? What did he say to you?"

"Didn't eat it!" Wei Shan opened the food box, revealing the braised beef and white rice again.

Liu Xun was surprised and said, "What! He didn't eat this? I thought the dish was delicious yesterday! Didn't he say he wanted to eat beef?"

"Could this person be faking it?"

Liu Xun couldn't help but start to speculate wildly.

Wei Shan immediately said dejectedly, "No, sir, he just thinks the braised beef is unappetizing."

"He only eats heifer that are three months old in the capital, and only the most tender sirloin!"

"Moreover, the noodles and eggplant he eats require more than a dozen chickens as seasoning, otherwise he simply won't touch it!"

Liu Xun looked at Wei Shan suspiciously: "Nonsense! Using a dozen chickens to season eggplant and noodles! I think he's just trying to trick you."

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Sir, rest assured, Wei Shan has been by your side for so many years! I've seen a lot of people."

"I can definitely tell whether what he says is true or false!"

"He not only said what he eats, but even explained the cooking methods clearly! It's obvious that he eats like that every day, otherwise, what wealthy and influential person would have the leisure to study food?"

Wei Shan looked confident, and Liu Xun couldn't help but believe him, muttering: "My heavens... Has the palace become so extravagant? I didn't notice it the last time I went to the capital."

"That's not right! It must be Fang Zheng Yi who led the Crown Prince astray, being extravagant and unrestrained! Truly extravagant and unrestrained!"

"Presumably, Fang Zheng Yi must be living a life of misery here, haha."

Wei Shan sighed: "Sir, what do you think a dozen chickens seasoning a single eggplant would taste like?"

Liu Xun awkwardly opened his mouth, thinking that he had never been so extravagant! He became angry out of embarrassment and said, "Shut up! You dog slave, all you know is eating! What else did Fang Zheng Yi say?"

Wei Shan thought for a moment and said, "Oh, he also said that he likes eating and silver in this life, and he's afraid he'll have to spend the rest of his life in Jianjiang, how bitter!"

Liu Xun was secretly pleased after hearing this, but his expression was disdainful: "Such an extravagant person, if he doesn't have silver to support him, I'm afraid he won't be able to live for a day."

"Alright, you're useless, go away!"

Wei Shan left, and Liu Xun was still thinking on the spot, after thinking it over, he decided to go and see Fang Zheng Yi in person.

Otherwise, he always felt uneasy about rashly trying to win him over.

While thinking, Liu Xun strode towards the Revenue Office.

At this time, Fang Zheng Yi was bored in the Revenue Office, flipping through the account books. Suddenly, he saw Liu Xun coming and immediately stood up and said, "This humble official greets Lord Liu."

"Good, good, good, sit down," Liu Xun waved his hand with a kind expression.

"Little Fang, why, didn't the food I sent you suit your taste?"

Call me 'Little Fang'! You old fart, you'll take an inch if I give you a foot, right!

Fang Zheng Yi smiled insincerely: "Thank you for your kindness, Lord Liu, it's just that this humble official isn't very hungry."

"Oh? Is that so? Then do you have any questions? You can ask me."

Liu Xun still stroked his beard, with a leisurely and complacent look.

"There's nothing to see. Under Lord Liu's management, Jianjiang Prefecture is well-organized. This humble official is almost out of things to do, haha."

"However... since this humble official has nothing to do, I was thinking of going outside the city to see how the disaster victims are doing."

"It is this humble official's duty both publicly and privately. If this humble official doesn't even take a look, it would be a bit too much!"

Fang Zheng Yi had long wanted to go out of the city to investigate. He only took a cursory glance when he entered the city last time, and didn't see any details.

Liu Xun said: "Good! Good, I have nothing to do right now, why don't we go together?"

"Then this humble official is very honored, let's go together! Let's go together!"

"Well, exactly, I can also introduce you to the current situation."

After speaking, Liu Xun stepped out the door one step ahead of Fang Zheng Yi. When Fang Zheng Yi arrived at the door of the government office, two horses were already prepared.

Fang Zheng Yi walked forward, didn't stand on ceremony, and directly jumped on the horse.

The two rode side by side, heading outside the city, with many soldiers following behind.

When they arrived outside the city, it was still the time for porridge distribution, and the scene was the same as last time.

The ground was full of disaster victims, with no order to speak of, crowding in front of the porridge distribution shed to queue up, and it was impossible to tell who was first.

Moreover, Fang Zheng Yi observed that many people dressed in rags were coming out of the city and joining the porridge-receiving queue.

Logically speaking, these people were definitely not disaster victims. According to inquiries from the clerks this morning, in order to prevent chaos in the city, all the disaster victims had been blocked outside the city.

It was obvious that these people had permits to enter and exit the city.

"Lord Fang, what are your thoughts on these disaster victims?" Liu Xun looked at Fang Zheng Yi sideways.

He saw Fang Zheng Yi take out a handkerchief from his arms, cover his mouth, and slightly raise his little finger.

He said with disgust: "The smell is unbearable... To be honest, this humble official is a little regretful."

Liu Xun was puzzled.

What is this gesture? Who is on top, him or the Crown Prince?

Fang Zheng Yi continued: "Alas! This place is messy and unbearable! Why don't these unruly people line up?"

Liu Xun said lightly: "Lord Fang, disaster victims are like this... Dirtiness, chaos, and poor conditions are the norm. You'll get used to it after you stay for a while."

Fang Zheng Yi said with some hesitation: "Get used to it? If I get used to it, wouldn't I become like these unruly people in the future?"

"In my opinion, the soldiers should still be found to restrain them properly."

Liu Xun chuckled: "Reasonable, come on! Go and manage the people below! Let them line up, what kind of system is this!"

As soon as the words fell, the soldiers behind him rushed into the crowd, hitting and smashing with their saber sheaths.

The wails of the starving people rose all around.

"Lord... this commoner was wrong, don't hit me... don't hit!"

"Cough... cough..."

The soldiers were extremely ruthless, many people had long lost all their strength, and let the soldiers beat them, even starting to cough up blood.

Damn it! The fire in Fang Zheng Yi's heart suddenly rose!

I told you to maintain order, is this how you maintain it?

Damn!

"Stop! Stop!" Fang Zheng Yi shouted twice.

Liu Xun looked at Fang Zheng Yi in confusion: "What? Is there a problem, Lord Fang?"

"Oh dear... this humble official can't stand seeing these things of hitting and killing, look, that person is still bleeding, I get dizzy as soon as I see blood!" Fang Zheng Yi covered his face with his hand, looking terrified.

Liu Xun smiled, as expected. This is the canary raised by the Crown Prince, a good-for-nothing!

Then he said regretfully: "Lord Fang is slightly unaware, this official doesn't want to make things difficult for the people, but it's useless to be gentle, and the people will have resentment in their hearts if I'm too heavy-handed, it's really difficult to deal with!"

"Don't worry, this humble official has a way."

Fang Zheng Yi jumped off his horse, walked to the porridge distribution shed, grabbed a handful of sand, and threw it into the porridge.

He shouted loudly: "You bunch of unruly people! Line up! Otherwise, if you continue to make trouble, this official will add another handful of sand to the porridge!"

The disaster victims immediately glared angrily, but they didn't have the courage to resist. In their sorrow, they could only slowly wriggle and adjust their formation.

Some people saw that there was sand in the porridge, cursed secretly, and quietly left.

Liu Xun was dumbfounded!

I'm just greedy, you're really a first-class bad seed!

.......