Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

However, judging from Xu Wenshu's attitude, it's unlikely he'll help. Most people think so too.

Fang Zheng stood up, cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Master Xu, for your explanation today. I won't disturb you while you're busy. I'll treat you to dinner another day."

Xu Wenshu also stood up and returned the greeting.

Fang Zheng was about to turn and leave when his eyes caught sight of the book on the table. He chuckled.

"Master Xu, are you reading 'Journey to the West'? To be honest, I wrote it. But don't tell anyone."

"Ah?" Xu Wenshu, who was originally a little embarrassed, was greatly surprised to hear Fang Zheng's words. He picked up the book and said, "You wrote 'Journey to the West'?"

"Yes, yes, yes. Just keep it to yourself. It's not a good thing to be too famous."

Xu Wenshu gave a thumbs up: "Admirable! Truly admirable! But I have a question. Why does the eighty-one tribulations of the pilgrimage end in the Women's Kingdom? Shouldn't there be more after that?"

"What do you mean? It's already reached the Western Paradise."

"Ah! I see!"

Both of them simultaneously revealed smiles that men understand.

...

After Fang Zheng left, Xu Wenshu showed a pensive expression.

Even after getting off work and returning home, he still vaguely felt that something was wrong.

But he couldn't quite put his finger on what the problem was.

After dinner, Xu Wenshu leaned back in his chair in the hall. His son, Xu Hongcai, came forward to offer tea.

Seeing that his expression was a little off, he asked, "Father, what's wrong with you today? You seem a little absent-minded. Did something happen?"

Xu Wenshu said "Oh" and picked up the teacup: "There was indeed a strange thing today. Fang Zheng came to the Ministry of Revenue to find me. Tsk... he said some nice things, which is not like him at all. The more I think about it, the more I feel something is wrong."

Xu Hongcai became interested: "Is that the troublemaker you mentioned, Fang Zheng?"

"Heh, there's only one such figure in the capital, who else could it be? By the way, he wrote that 'Journey to the West.' Don't read it in the future."

"Ah? This person is actually the author of 'Journey to the West'!"

"Hmm... it is indeed a bit unexpected. And he writes quite well." Xu Wenshu was still pondering.

Seeing this, Xu Hongcai asked, "Father, since he only said nice things, what's there to ponder? Maybe nothing's wrong."

"Impossible!" Xu Wenshu put down the teacup heavily and instructed, "Hongcai, when serving in the court, you must always be cautious."

"Especially when dealing with someone like Fang Zheng, who doesn't play by the rules, you must be a hundred times more careful, or you might be hurt by a hidden arrow one day."

"But he's still alright. Although he wields great power in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, I haven't heard of him killing anyone."

"The people in the court originally thought he was a dog that bites indiscriminately, but now they realize he's a hedgehog. As long as you don't provoke him, you'll be fine."

"But now that the hedgehog is actively approaching, there must be something fishy!"

Xu Hongcai hesitated for a moment and said tentatively, "Father, I think you're overthinking it."

Xu Wenshu chuckled: "Overthinking? I've been in the officialdom for half my life. Some things can't be judged by common sense, but by intuition!"

"Do you know that animals will show abnormal behavior before an earthquake? Rats move in groups, and ducks and geese are unwilling to go into the water."

"Today, a dog spoke human language. This is an ominous sign!"

Xu Hongcai: "Uh...."

...

Inside the Zhen撫司, Fang Zheng still hadn't returned home.

Xu Wenshu seemed unwilling to cooperate, so it seemed that he would have to use some tricks to get him to move.

Qian Desheng was still accompanying him. Seeing that he hadn't spoken for a long time, he couldn't help but ask, "Sir, did you manage to find a helper today?"

Fang Zheng shook his head: "No."

"Who are you talking about? Let me see if I can think of a way. Our Embroidered Uniform Guard has always been collecting news from all over the capital. Maybe it will be useful."

"The Minister of Revenue, Xu Wenshu."

Qian Desheng fell into deep thought. He remembered the name Xu Wenshu.

Before long, a flash of inspiration crossed his mind: "Sir, please wait a moment, I'll go get something."

After speaking, he hurriedly ran out of the office. After a while, he returned with a stack of documents and placed them on Fang Zheng's table.

"Sir, these are the news about the Minister of Revenue. His family members, as well as his businesses in the capital, and who he usually contacts are all recorded in detail."

Fang Zheng frowned: "Did you send people to his house? Didn't I tell you not to be so excessive?"

Qian Desheng waved his hands repeatedly: "No, sir. As you requested, they were all collected publicly from the market. Anyone who wants to can find them. Our Embroidered Uniform Guard and the newspapers and common people have close ties, so it couldn't be easier to find out these things."

Fang Zheng nodded and then began to look through the documents.

After reading for a long time, Fang Zheng revealed a smile and handed the documents to Qian Desheng.

Qian Desheng read: "Xu Ping, Xu Wenshu's nephew, runs a jade shop in the capital called Qingguang Pavilion. He has a lot of business dealings with officials and merchants."

"Sir, do you want to start with this person?"

Fang Zheng said: "That's right, no one is more suitable than him. Tomorrow, you take Zhang Biao to discuss a deal with him, give him some benefits, sign a contract, and then bring it back to me."

"By the way, where's Zhang Biao? Why hasn't he been home lately? Where did he go?"

Qian Desheng smiled: "Where else could he have gone? He went to the Taoyuan Medical Center. Didn't that Wang Meng dissect criminals? He's been studying muscles with him, and he even published a book last month called 'Prisoner Fitness.' His son is already several months old, isn't he? He said he'll use it to train his son in the future. Sir, didn't you know?"

"Damn! Is that so?" Fang Zheng was speechless.

He had been busy taking care of his wife during this time and didn't have the heart to think about anything else.

Brother Biao had a son several months ago, named Zhang Xiaobiao.

He was taking care of him at home earlier, but then Zhang Biao disappeared. I didn't expect... his educational philosophy is so advanced that he actually published a book for his son!

However, his son is a fitness potential stock. He was born looking like a little rock golem. If he trains, he might surpass Zhang Biao's achievements.

"My God, his son is still training. When he grows to be three years old, he can jump up and break my leg." Fang Zheng sighed.

"Who says no? His son looks like a stone pier. What will he look like after he trains?" Qian Desheng sighed.

"I didn't expect it, I really didn't expect it. Hey, how are his book sales?"

"Prisoner Fitness,' who would buy it when it sounds so unlucky? He printed a batch and sent it to the garrison, where they're all piled up in the latrine. There's enough paper to use this time."

Fang Zheng clicked his tongue. Poor Brother Biao, his first, and perhaps last, book publication is facing such an embarrassing situation.

It seems that only I can step in to save him!

Fang Zheng picked up a writing brush and quickly wrote a line on the paper, handing it to Qian Desheng: "Tomorrow, go to the printing shop and have them change the title of the book and reprint a batch."

Qian Desheng unfolded the paper and fell silent.

[Learn from me, and you too can become a muscle monster.]

"Ahem, sir. You're getting off topic. You haven't said how to do business with that Xu Ping yet?"

"Tomorrow you take Zhang Biao, and just do it like this... and like that..."

....