Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

Tang Shou, listening to the laughter around him, sighed to the heavens and continued his story: "Later, when I saw that there was really no way to deal with the situation, I drove all the people of Taoyuan County away."

"But before long, Fang Zheng Yi sent back all the old, weak, women, and children he had taken away."

"Those people were well-fed and plump. After they returned, they sat on the streets every day, sighing... saying how good life was in Taoyuan County."

"So some of the people in the village left again.... Those old, weak, women, and children were originally from Jihua anyway, and I couldn't drive them away. It was a misery! !"

The laughter in the crowd grew louder.

Tang Shou finally couldn't hold it in anymore, and tears fell in large drops: "From that year on, Jihua Township was downgraded to Jihua... Village..."

"Pfft!" Guo Tianyang, who had been expressionless all along, also couldn't hold it in.

He thought to himself that Fang Zheng Yi, that dog, was too insidious... If he really took in such a godson, he would probably be raising a tiger to cause trouble later!

Tang Shou was still talking, but his heart seemed to return to the past, once again being shattered to pieces.

"Later... in the county, oh no... in the village, there were only a few dozen people left. I thought it would end there..."

"But I never expected! ! Fang Zheng Yi installed a pipe that led to the river in Jihua Village. At first, I didn't pay much attention, thinking that since things had already come to this, what else could he do."

"But I never imagined that before long, the pipe would start continuously flowing with sewage! ! The water in the river was undrinkable!"

"The people of Taoyuan County even carried water from Taoyuan County to sell! He's not human, Your Majesty! !"

The crowd watching the spectacle fell silent, and their eyes were filled with sympathy for Tang Shou.

Everyone could understand that life wouldn't be easy with such a neighbor...

"Later... Jihua Village was gone. I reported to Hengjiang Prefecture and was transferred to another county as a county clerk..."

After venting his grievances of the past few years, Tang Shou collapsed to the ground and began to sob uncontrollably, making people unable to help but shed tears for him....

Fang Zheng Yi couldn't help but sneer: "Then you should thank me. From village head to county clerk, isn't that great?"

"You! ..." Tang Shou glared at him immediately.

Fang Zheng Yi immediately said loudly: "Your Majesty! What this man is saying is simply nonsense!"

"Everyone has heard it. I didn't force anyone to come to my Taoyuan County, did I? They all came willingly! How can you say I forced them?"

Guo Tianyang's face began to turn colorful....

Zhang Shi said with a gloomy face: "How is it not forcing? The young people who go to Jihua County don't have to work but have meat to eat, and those women and children who were sent back promote Taoyuan County. Isn't this a trick of yours, Fang Zheng Yi?"

Fang Zheng Yi spread his hands: "Well, life in my Taoyuan County is just good! What's wrong with the families of those young people who left home sending them some food? What if I send back those women and children from Jihua County who miss their homes?"

Zhang Shi was already full of impatience and shouted angrily: "Then how do you explain dumping sewage into Jihua County!"

"What sewage! That's fertilizer, Lord Zhang, be careful with your words. These are all good things that others are fighting to get."

Tang Shou immediately jumped up from the ground upon hearing this and said angrily: "You dumped it all into the river, how can we use it!"

"Fang Zheng Yi! Don't think I don't know. Those few rotten fields in your county can't grow much grain at all. It's all bought from other places!"

"What do you mean, how to use it? Your village only has a few dozen people, so just scoop up some thin stuff. How much land can you cultivate? You guys come to Taoyuan County and complain without wanting to come over. Who's to blame?" Fang Zheng Yi raised his eyebrows.

Back then, when Taoyuan County was short of manpower, Fang Zheng Yi set his sights on the nearby Jihua County and could be said to have done everything he could for them.

He spent a lot of money to lure people over. Later, seeing that those who remained were waiting to die, Fang Shao, being kind-hearted, directly connected the sewage pipe over.

Tang Shou was so angry that he jumped up and down. Fang Zheng Yi was promoted three levels at once, but because of him, he directly became the village head, and he lost his official status. If it weren't for the help of the Hengjiang Prefecture inspector, he didn't know what situation he would have fallen into.

Today, he dared to be so arrogant and unreasonable in front of His Majesty!

Tang Shou immediately turned to Emperor Jing and complained: "Your Majesty! Fang Zheng Yi has expanded Taoyuan County privately. The area is immeasurable, but it is at least several times larger than before, far exceeding the scope of regulations! His intentions are sinister!"

Speaking of this issue, Emperor Jing became curious: "Fang Qing, explain it."

Fang Zheng Yi lowered his head and pondered, pacing back and forth in the hall, thinking about countermeasures.

Then he raised his head and said calmly: "Two years ago, the war had just ended, and the people's lives were a bit difficult, but life in Taoyuan County was still decent."

"Later, I accidentally learned about the situation in Jihua County and the surrounding small counties. The people were poorly clothed and couldn't even get a hot meal. I couldn't bear to see this, so I thought I could help as much as I could."

"Over time, more and more people gathered in Taoyuan County... and it became like this today."

"Taoyuan County was originally a lower county, but the population has already exceeded the capacity according to the regulations of a lower county, so we can only continue to expand."

"Please, gentlemen, think about it. If you were in my position, what decision would you make? Would you just wait for those people to starve to death for no reason?"

Zhang Shi snorted coldly: "Sophistry! If you want to offer help, you can directly provide money and food. Why do you have to bring people to Taoyuan County? What are your intentions after all! ?"

Fang Zheng Yi suddenly waved his hand and pointed at Tang Shou: "Please look, everyone! This man has a fat head and face and a bloated belly! But the people under his rule are skin and bones. How can I rest assured?"

Tang Shou: "..........."

"I was born fat! How can you slander me out of thin air!" Tang Shou was desperate. You can blame me for this? Is there something wrong with being fat? Did I eat your rice?

"Oh! Is that so! Is there such a strange thing? Please, Your Majesty, imprison this man and cut off his water and food for a month. If he is still fat by then, I am willing to plead guilty!"

Tang Shou was desperate... He shouldn't have come here. Fang Zheng Yi... He didn't expect that he would dare to be so arrogant even in the imperial court.

Emperor Jing tapped the imperial desk and said faintly: "Don't be ridiculous, continue!"

The courtiers shook their heads when they saw this. His Majesty wasn't like this before. Now, he was just short of writing the words "favoritism" on his face....

Fang Zheng Yi continued upon hearing this: "Thank you, Your Majesty, that's the situation."

"At that time, I looked around the surrounding counties and found none that could compare to Taoyuan."

"Compared to those county magistrates, not to brag, I am more handsome, young and strong, and capable. The fact that Taoyuan County's geographical location is so bad and yet I can still guarantee the lives of the people under my rule already says everything."

"If I send out money and food, I don't know how much will be deducted by those muddle-headed officials!"

As he spoke, Fang Zheng Yi's eyelids drooped, and his tone began to become somewhat impassioned.

"I didn't expect that after doing so much, I would still be impeached. Is the world's malice towards me so great! ?"

"As a scholar, I have nothing of value except for a pure heart. What I think about is to establish the heart for heaven and earth, to establish life for the people, to continue the lost learning for the past sages, and to create peace for all generations!"

"I also have a dream, and that is, common prosperity!"

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