Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

Oh, there's something fishy going on here!

That's interesting. I didn't expect road repair to be just a smokescreen. I wonder what kind of benefits are hidden behind it?

The merchants began to feel anticipation.

Seeing that the atmosphere had changed, Fang Zheng smiled and said, "First of all, there are only two requirements for road repair!"

"Durability! Smoothness! That's all."

"Everyone is welcome to engrave anything you want on the bricks and stones used for the road surface. The government will definitely not pursue it!"

"Whether it's the goods you sell, your own slogans, or pictures, anything is fine."

"Imagine! The entire street is covered with messages left by your company... Will there still be your competitors on this street?"

"Moreover, the maintenance work for this road for the next fifty years will be entirely handed over to the successful bidder!"

"Of course, I haven't finished speaking yet. Just this one item alone contains profits and opportunities... Please, everyone, think about it."

Damn! This is amazing!

After Fang Zheng said this, and everyone thought about it, they immediately started discussing it noisily.

Wouldn't this mean that the entire street would become their own signboard?

If I sell jewelry, I can see my brand just by looking down. Who would know about other stores?

Suddenly, a sarcastic voice came from the crowd.

"Sir Fang, although we are all merchants and engaged in a lowly profession, we still care about our reputation to some extent."

"Who would be willing to put their own signboard on the ground for people to trample on? Wouldn't we be laughed at if word got out?"

"Besides, Jianjiang is not comparable to the capital city where Sir Fang is from. How many people here are literate?"

That's right, putting one's own signboard on the ground for people to trample on might backfire.

The discussion stopped abruptly, and everyone looked at Fang Zheng again.

Where did this dog come from? So talkative?

Fang Zheng glanced over and immediately knew who it was.

This person had a pointed mouth and a monkey-like face, looking mean and stingy. His name was Cheng Kui, a famous medicinal herb merchant in Jianjiang, with pharmacies all over Jianjiang.

Fang Zheng smiled and said, "Oh, this must be Boss Cheng. This is just a matter of perspective."

"However, what you said also makes some sense. Indeed, some ignorant people might think it's unlucky to have their signboard trampled on, but all of us here are doing long-term business!"

"Tell me, will those ignorant people think about stepping on other people's signboards every day?"

"I'm telling you, they won't think about it, they won't care, they'll just laugh it off. They only know one thing! When they want to buy medicine, only your pharmacy, Boss Cheng, is on this street!"

"If this street is built by the Zhang family pharmacy or the Li family pharmacy, will anyone know about your Cheng family with your signboard hung high?"

"Everyone is a businessman, with flexible minds and adaptable thinking."

"To do big business, you must cherish a good reputation, not fear a bad reputation, and be most afraid of having no reputation at all!"

Upon hearing this, Cheng Kui lowered his head and pondered. The people below began to discuss in low voices again.

"Sir Fang is right! Truly thought-provoking! The qualification to repair this street must belong to my Sun Jiacheng!"

Suddenly, Sun Jiacheng stood up and shouted.

Wang Qixun immediately followed suit, slamming the table and shouting angrily, "Why? It hasn't even been auctioned yet. Does having a loud voice mean it's yours?"

"Just because I'm faster than you!"

"You're talking nonsense!"

"Hey! Don't fight... Sir Fang is still here!"

The two of them started arguing loudly, and it looked like they were about to fight. The people around them hurriedly pulled them apart.

Fang Zheng looked at the two of them with admiration.

Wonderful! Good stooges! Good stooges!

"Ahem! Alright! Everyone, please don't make a fuss! Naturally, everyone wants good things. Let's talk with our financial strength later!"

Fang Zheng's rhythm was disrupted. He picked up the small wooden hammer and knocked on the table twice with force.

"Um... where were we just now?"

"Doing business is most afraid of having no reputation!"

"Oh, right, right, right! Let me continue. Just now, according to Boss Cheng, the vast majority of people in the city are illiterate, right?"

"Actually, this is not a problem! First, illiterate people themselves don't have much money, so it won't have a big impact on your business."

"Second! I have already ordered people to start building schools outside the city. Tuition is free for anyone under the age of twelve!"

"From now on, we will follow this rule. There are even schools that offer reduced tuition fees for older people!"

"You have a full fifty years to maintain the road! In fifty years, you will witness how many literate customers appear!"

"In fifty years, how many successful candidates in the imperial examinations will walk this street!"

"When they grow up and take office in various places, and you open branch stores there, those local officials will have feelings for you!"

"Over the decades, your branch stores can be opened all over the country, all over the world!"

"At that time, your family will be a chamber of commerce! A business group! No... we can't say that. You should be called a conglomerate!"

"With a massive amount of wealth, richer than... the government, even the slightest movement of your family will cause an earthquake in an industry."

"At that time, you will not only have wealth, but also responsibility! Providing services for countless people!"

"When that time comes, how should the officials in the court view merchants? At that time, no one would dare to say that merchants are a lowly profession. All the officials will look up to you!"

The audience below was already excited.

Fang Zheng closed his eyes, raised his head, and sighed deeply, "But what about now?"

"The status of merchants has still not been recognized. You don't even dare to wear brocade and silk on the streets."

"Those poor scholars, successful candidates in the imperial examinations, can swagger around and be admired, but we merchants can only wear brocade at night."

"Seeing such days, I feel pain in my heart!"

"To be honest, I grew up in a merchant family since I was a child, and I was despised and scorned since I was a child."

"But my parents still worked hard to raise me and send me to school."

Fang Zheng smiled inwardly, My family ran a small shop. I don't know how many people envied me when I was a child!

"I knew from that time that who are the most hardworking and dedicated people in the world? Merchants!"

"Who are the most beautiful people in the world? Merchants!"

"So I have had a dream since I was a child, that is, to change the status of merchants when I grow up!"

"The right to renovate and maintain the street for fifty years, do you know how much scolding I will bear in the court? But those are not important!"

"What's important is that I need an opportunity! Everyone also needs an opportunity! What is this opportunity? Who can tell me?"

Sun Jiacheng suddenly stood up and said, "To restore the reputation of merchants!"

"To restore the reputation of merchants!"

You son of a bitch, you're stealing my lines again! Wang Qixun looked at Sun Jiacheng through gritted teeth.

The merchants below were already stunned.

An official, in front of so many people, shouting to restore the reputation of merchants?

This... I wouldn't even dare to dream of it! Tears!

"Sir Fang is noble!!!"

........