Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

"Alright! I'll go with Your Highness, but let me tell you, you're selling this melon yourself. I'm not helping."

Fang Zheng Yi gritted his teeth.

Go! If I don't, this kid will run to the princess and stir up trouble, playing with fire.

He's learning to be bad! Who knows what lies he'll spin to the princess? I have to be wary!

Li Yuanzhao's face lit up with joy upon hearing this.

"Don't worry! I'll sell it, but do you think we can sell this melon for ten taels?"

Fang Zheng Yi turned around, walked to the door, and called Liu Jin to bring in a melon.

He placed it on the stone table in the courtyard, then called for a servant to bring a knife to cut the melon.

As soon as the watermelon was cut open, Fang Zheng Yi shook his head.

It was still the same old story, a hollow watermelon, mostly white flesh, looking anything but sweet!

"Your Highness, do you like eating this winter melon?"

Li Yuanzhao looked at the watermelon: "I don't really like it. The taste is average, but it's huge!"

Very good, a powerful reason!

Big is good!

"That's the thing. A winter melon is still just a regular winter melon. It just looks big and lasts longer. Compared to ordinary fruits, it doesn't have any outstanding qualities."

"The only advantage is that it's appearing in a season when it shouldn't. Is that alone worth ten taels of silver? Obviously not!"

"Moreover, if Your Highness openly sets up a stall in the palace, in my experience, the ministers won't buy it. It would be good if they didn't impeach you! So, selling it for ten taels is very difficult!"

"So, if you want to make it worth the price, you have to create a gimmick, make it worth ten taels!"

"For example, if it's not sweet, you have to find a way to make it sweet!"

Li Yuanzhao was confused: "It's already like this, already picked. How can it become sweet?"

"I don't know, Your Highness. You're the one selling the melon, not me."

"Also, the most important thing is, you can't cheat people when selling things. If you can't make it sweet, then don't say it's sweet. Buyers aren't stupid. You won't be able to do business in the future if you do."

Fang Zheng Yi said seriously.

A strange smile appeared on Li Yuanzhao's face: "Old Fang, stop pretending! How little have you cheated?"

Fang Zheng Yi also smiled disdainfully: "When I do business, although I use some linguistic artistry, both parties usually benefit from it, and that creates the basis for continued cooperation."

"Secondly, if you cheat too much, it'll definitely be a one-time deal. There will be no future cooperation!"

"Thirdly, if you want to cheat, then cheat for a lifetime, or be able to cover up the lie. Otherwise, don't do it if you don't have the confidence!"

"Your Highness is the Crown Prince. A man without trustworthiness cannot stand! Business has always been mutually beneficial. False advertising is just a technique; honest operation is the way! And it's the way to last! Does Your Highness understand?"

Li Yuanzhao pondered: "Hmm... I'll think about it."

.........

The next day.

Liu Jin brought people early in the morning to pull two carts of watermelons to the square in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

After the morning court session ended, the ministers filed out of the hall and immediately saw the two eye-catching carts of watermelons.

Then they saw Fang Zheng Yi and Li Yuanzhao running to the carts.

Li Yuanzhao picked up a sign from the cart and stood it up, facing the ministers!

Fang Zheng Yi sat on the watermelon cart and couldn't help but cover his face.

Sure enough... this place is too empty. Selling watermelons looks particularly strange!

The ministers who hadn't yet stepped down from the steps saw the Crown Prince set up a sign and flocked over.

Although many ministers were wearing glasses at this time, they were still too far away to see what was written on the sign.

When they got closer, they saw that the sign Li Yuanzhao was holding read: [Winter Melon, No Sweetness, No Money Back]

Seeing more and more people coming, Li Yuanzhao shouted loudly: "Selling melons! Selling melons!"

Fang Zheng Yi quickly turned his body to the side to indicate that he didn't know him.

Unexpectedly, Li Yuanzhao reached out and poked him twice: "Old Fang! Help me shout!"

"Didn't you say you didn't need my help!"

"This doesn't count as helping!"

Fang Zheng Yi had no choice but to turn his body back and shout weakly: "Selling melons! Selling melons!"

At this time, more and more people gathered, finally surrounding the watermelon stall.

"Come, come, everyone, come and see the melons I'm selling! No sweetness, no money back!" Seeing that there were more people, Li Yuanzhao couldn't help but get excited.

A group of ministers looked at Fang Zheng Yi with cold faces.

Suddenly, Li Yansong stepped out from the crowd, looked at the melon stall, then at Fang Zheng Yi, and scolded: "Fang Zheng Yi! How dare you! You actually dared to instigate His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to sell melons in the palace! What kind of system is this!"

The crowd immediately echoed: "This Fang Zheng Yi is starting to stir up trouble again."

"Yes, why can't he ever settle down?"

"Lord Li is really selfless..."

Fang Zheng Yi was about to explain when Li Yuanzhao spoke first: "It has nothing to do with him! These are the melons I want to sell!"

"Since everyone is here, come and taste how my melons taste. If you think they're delicious, buy one and take it back!"

Having said that, he picked up the knife next to him and chopped a melon into a dozen pieces with a few strokes.

A large pool of juice burst out of the melon instantly, flowing onto the ground.

Li Yansong was immediately shocked: "Your Highness, why is so much water flowing from your melon? Is this a rotten melon!"

Li Yuanzhao was unhappy: "What water? What water? That's juice!"

"Master Li, how does it taste? This is called a Honeycomb Melon!"

A slice of watermelon was handed to Li Yansong, but he didn't take it, looking at Li Yuanzhao with a cold face: "Your Highness, don't mess around."

"This is the palace. Your Highness, as the Crown Prince, how can you sell melons here?"

"I sold the glasses last time too! Didn't you buy them too? Why is it not okay to sell melons today?" Li Yuanzhao asked innocently.

"That... that's different!" Li Yansong's face turned red.

Logically, there was really no way to argue. He couldn't say that he could sell glasses because he could use them, right?

The Crown Prince has really learned to be bad with Fang Zheng Yi!

"Hey! Where did these melons come from at this time! It's already out of season!"

Someone in the crowd suddenly interjected, and everyone's attention was instantly diverted.

That's right! Where are there any melons on the market now?

Li Yansong also realized that something was wrong, and his eyes couldn't help but wander to the melons.

Li Yuanzhao then handed the melon forward again at the right time.

Fang Zheng Yi's voice came slowly: "Everyone, feel free to taste, feel free to buy. His Highness is naturally not selling melons for profit."

"This is a charity sale. The money from selling melons will be donated to the poor people..."

Since he wants to sell them, that's all he can say. Otherwise, judging by the ministers' attitudes, these melons won't be sold today!

Sure enough, the opposition was much smaller after mentioning the charity sale.

Seeing that the Crown Prince's hand was still raised, Li Yansong couldn't help but take the watermelon.

"Master Li, quickly taste how it tastes?"

Li Yansong smiled bitterly, took a small bite, and suddenly his eyes lit up, praising: "Sweet! Really sweet! I haven't eaten such a sweet melon before. It's worthy of being called a Honeycomb Melon. There is indeed a fragrance of honey inside. It's really extraordinary!"