Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

Everyone laughed after hearing this.

This merchant is no ordinary person; he speaks eloquently.

Emperor Jing asked in surprise, "I know you are selling signed books, but what kind of books are you selling?"

"It's a business scripture written by this humble commoner. It's not worthy of your Majesty's attention," Liu Zhongshun said with shame.

"Hmm, interesting. It seems you are also a well-read person, able to write and publish books. What is the content? Are there any books left?"

Liu Zhongshun hesitated, "Books... This humble commoner has already sold and given away all of them, and the money earned is prepared to be... donated to the elderly and orphaned."

"As for the content, it's just some of my insights. In short, it's..."

"Businessmen must integrate their personal ideals and pursuits into the prosperity of the country. Excellent merchants must have a lofty sense of mission and a strong sense of responsibility towards the nation. This is the evergreen path to doing business."

The officials lowered their heads and whispered, praising him repeatedly.

This is a righteous merchant!

If the world were full of merchants like this, would there be any need to restrict merchants?

Yang Fan promptly said, "Your Majesty, you may not know, but many businesses in this city are actually brought by merchants from Taoyuan County."

"The merchants of Taoyuan County were the first merchants to settle in Pingwan County. They are diligent, trustworthy, and reliable, and are well-known in Pingwan County. Everyone calls the merchants of Taoyuan County the Taoyuan Merchant Group."

"The Taoyuan Merchant Group values reputation extremely. They haggle over every detail when discussing business, but once a deal is made, everything goes smoothly, and there has never been a case of delayed payment."

Fang Zheng was secretly pleased to hear this. Yang Fan's words were true. Many of the merchants in Taoyuan County were personally cultivated by him.

Everyone can deeply understand and practice the spirit of contract, and can also vigorously educate partners who do not abide by the contract, so that they can fully understand the consequences of not abiding by the contract from body to soul.

This group of merchants in Pingwan County was also sent here by him, and it seems they are doing well.

Yang Fan continued, "Moreover, their enthusiasm for paying taxes and the clarity of their accounts are also extremely rare. It can be said that the Taoyuan Merchant Group has greatly helped Pingwan County."

Emperor Jing sighed, "I never expected that merchants would have such sentiments. It really broadens my horizons."

"Liu Zhongshun, you have done a good job."

Liu Zhongshun was flattered, "This humble commoner just wants to do his part."

Emperor Jing smiled slightly, "No need to be modest, continue to do it."

After saying that, he waved to Yang Fan, signaling to continue forward.

Emperor Jing and others walked in front, and Fang Zheng pulled Liu Zhongshun at the end of the line and said, "How much money have you made here, kid?"

Liu Zhongshun smiled bitterly, "Sir, I really haven't made any money! I still owe the county a lot of debt!"

"Didn't I hear that there were business opportunities here? I borrowed a large sum of money to come here to acquire land... The money from selling books has all been exchanged for land."

"I am now a pauper. I'm just using this title to get by."

"You have a clever mind!" Fang Zheng smiled.

Liu Zhongshun chuckled and said, "But don't you know, it's much easier to make money here than in our county. The people are like leeks, cut one crop and another grows! Can't stop it. I'm thinking of going back to find a few more people to make a fortune here... and then hoard the land for a while and sell it at a high price."

Fang Zheng looked around, and when he saw that no one was paying attention, he put on a stern face, "What are you saying! What do you mean the people are like leeks? Be careful what you say outside!"

Comparing people to leeks, isn't that insulting leeks?

They are not leeks, they are leek sprouts, growing in cans all their lives, without the qualification to lie flat, unable to bask in the sun, never seen the world, and with poor physical fitness. The day the lid is lifted, they will be harvested.

Most importantly, they are not only simple but also like to engage in pornography! How are they like leeks in any way?

Leek sprouts are here!

It's really the greatest insult to leeks.

Liu Zhongshun laughed dryly and echoed a couple of times.

Fang Zheng said again, "There are indeed many business opportunities here, but outsiders are not stupid either. Your cost of hoarding land is too high. Go back to the county and find more people to hoard land in another place."

"Where to hoard?"

"Xinzhang County."

"Understood, sir, then I'll go back first..."

Liu Zhongshun left Fang Zheng excitedly, without thinking about why he should hoard land in Xinzhang County.

What's there to think about? Anyway, everyone will cheat him, but Master Fang will definitely not cheat him. Just listen!

.....

After walking for the time it takes to burn two incense sticks, the group arrived at the gate of the newly built academy. The idlers around had already been cleared in advance.

This academy occupies a large area, with a wide and magnificent gate. The signboard on the gate is covered with red cloth, and the places on the left and right plaques that should have been written with poems and couplets are still empty. As for the steps below, they are also built exceptionally grand.

Emperor Jing and Fang Zheng had already seen this place when they were wandering around Pingwan County, but they didn't know what kind of building it was.

The officials were amazed to see it. Regardless of what's inside, this school gate was built with care.

For a school built for children to have such specifications, it is enough to see the wealth of Pingwan County!

At this moment, outside the gate, yamen runners gathered and stood on both sides, with something similar to a small cannon barrel in front of them, pointing at the sky at a forty-five-degree angle.

Emperor Jing asked, "What are they doing?"

Yang Fan bowed slightly, "This is some of the heart I prepared. Originally, the academy was going to be officially unveiled in two days, but I didn't expect your Majesty to come today, so I boldly invited your Majesty to personally preside over the opening ceremony of the academy, which is also to seek good fortune for future students."

So that's how it is.

Emperor Jing raised his hand and smiled, "Good! Then I will personally preside over it, let's begin!"

Yang Fan was overjoyed, first giving Fang Zheng a grateful look, then raising his right hand high, "Start! Fire the cannons!"

As soon as the words 'fire the cannons' came out, Emperor Jing and the officials felt a sense of tension!

The row of tubes at the entrance of the academy were actually cannons?

However, since the muzzles were not aimed at people, everyone was not too alarmed.

Seeing the yamen runners lighting the paper flower cannons, the next second, they heard a series of bangs!

The colorful paper packets pre-buried in the cannon tubes were blown into the sky, and wisps of paper slowly fell.

A large and dense number of colorful pieces of paper swirled in the air....

The whole scene was novel and extraordinarily beautiful.

Emperor Jing couldn't help but grin, and the officials couldn't help but smile and reach out to catch them.

For a time, it was incomparably harmonious... except for Sun Sheng, who had a sad face.

He only felt that every piece of paper seemed to be mocking him.

When the paper flower rain completely fell, leaving the ground full of color, Emperor Jing exclaimed, "Yang Qing, you are truly ingenious. Who came up with this method?"

Before Yang Fan could speak, the eyes of the officials turned to Fang Zheng.

There is only one truth for being able to do this kind of flashy thing!!

Seeing that he had received the praise of the audience, Fang Zheng smiled shyly.

.....

(Because the computer has been returned to the factory, I don't have a computer to use. This tablet has big keyboard problems and always crashes... so it's a bit late, and there may be more typos. I'll try my best to modify them. Thank you for your understanding.)