Royal Gold Magistrate

“The words on this are actually advertisements!”

“Advertisements?” Emperor Jing looked at Fang Zheng quizzically.

“It’s like signboards, promotions.”

Fang Zheng smiled slightly, “Actually, the treasury hasn’t spent a single coin on any of the city’s projects. Instead, these merchants have been enthusiastically building.”

“The exchange condition is that they can advertise on the road surface, plus the maintenance for the next fifty years will be handled by the merchants.”

Emperor Jing looked at the already paved section in the distance and murmured, “I see.”

Although there were many advertisements on the road, it didn’t look cluttered.

Before construction, Fang Zheng had held meetings to discuss this.

Even if they put advertisements on the road surface, it had to be done in an orderly manner, maintaining aesthetics as a prerequisite for construction.

Moreover, before construction, they had to submit drafts to the government office. All of these had been reviewed.

The road surface was still pretty, and not only did it not cost money, but it also made money.

Emperor Jing nodded repeatedly as he listened, naturally without any complaints.

After looking at the road, Emperor Jing turned his head towards the workers not far away and stepped forward.

He randomly picked a worker and asked, “What’s your name?”

Chen Siwu, who was working on the ground with his head down, heard someone asking and raised his head with an honest look.

Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of Fang Zheng beside Emperor Jing.

He exclaimed with joy, “Lord Fang!? This commoner is Chen Siwu, greetings to Lord Fang!”

Seeing that he still recognized him, Fang Zheng couldn’t help but smile, “Chen Siwu, this gentleman is an honored guest of mine. Answer whatever he asks! Don’t be afraid.”

Chen Siwu nodded, his eyes darting around, sizing up Emperor Jing.

This person was clearly of very high status, someone even Lord Fang respected. He had to perform well.

Emperor Jing thought of a question and asked, “You don’t need to be nervous. How much is your monthly wage?”

“Two silver coins.”

The surrounding workers glared angrily!

Everyone gets one coin! Just you get two silver coins? Do you have any shame left?

Chen Siwu wasn’t lying though. Workers generally weren’t allowed to discuss wages.

He really did get two coins per month because he was a premium laborer, so his wage was negotiated higher than others, even though the work was the same.

“Are you tired from working every day? How about rest? Tell the truth.”

Chen Siwu tensed up, “Tired! It’s killing us!”

Fang Zheng: “………”

“Hiss! Didn’t we set work hours for morning and evening, and vacation time? Haven’t your employers strictly implemented this?”

Chen Siwu said pitifully, “Yes! They have! But they say they’re giving us compensatory time off, letting us work first. The extra work will be calculated together, and we’ll get a long vacation all at once!”

Fang Zheng quickly asked, “Has that long vacation been given?”

“Soon, soon. The boss said we’ll get a vacation at the end of the month. If we work during the vacation, we can get ten extra coins per day. It’s all voluntary.”

Fang Zheng’s expression eased a bit.

That’s alright then, just that ten coins is a bit low.

But it’s all voluntary, how can we stop workers from earning overtime pay?

All he needed to do was to make sure the merchants weren’t deceiving the workers. The amount of wages couldn’t be forcibly stipulated now.

Emperor Jing continued to ask, “Where do you usually eat, and how’s the food?”

Chen Siwu hurriedly said, “We usually eat at the construction site. There’s a worker’s shed not far from here. They bring food over at mealtimes! The food is excellent!”

As he spoke, he ran to the side, took a wooden lunchbox, and opened the lid to show Emperor Jing, “Sir, look, this is the food I ate today.”

Emperor Jing took a look. Inside were many boiled green vegetables, two slices of half-fat half-lean meat, and a small chunk of pickled vegetable.

It looked good. During military campaigns, being able to eat this would be considered good.

Emperor Jing nodded with satisfaction.

Chen Siwu licked his lips, secretly glanced at Fang Zheng. He seemed to have said something wrong earlier that made the gentleman anxious. He should make up a lie to say something nice.

Then he pouted and said, “Aiya, it’s just that eating fatty meat every day makes us feel heated!”

“???”

This sudden statement from Chen Siwu left Emperor Jing and Guo Tianyang stunned.

Had the disaster victims in Jianjiang Prefecture all become like this? Feeling heated from eating?

The surrounding workers who heard Chen Siwu speak glared angrily again.

Damn it! There’s a traitor among us. You’ve just eaten some meat for two days, and you’re getting cocky in front of the officials?

That dog Chen Siwu, we’ll teach him a lesson when we get back to the dormitory!

All of this naturally didn’t escape Emperor Jing’s eyes, but his expression remained calm.

Fang Zheng was beaming, and couldn’t help but give a thumbs up.

What a talent! Even in this small construction site, there’s a hidden dragon!

Remarkable, remarkable! Without being given a script, you still performed well on your own!

Sensing the atmosphere was off, Chen Siwu lowered his head in shame.

Emperor Jing then asked, “Is this lunchbox given out for free?”

“Yes, yes, it’s free, two meals a day.”

Emperor Jing turned to Fang Zheng and said in a low voice, “Prepare one for me. Hehe, I want to taste the lunchbox that can make people feel heated.”

Fang Zheng laughed awkwardly.

He bent down to take Chen Siwu’s lunchbox and asked, “Is there still food at the worker’s shed?”

“Yes, but… the second serving costs money.” Chen Siwu felt this wasn’t quite right after saying it, and quickly added, “But it’s not expensive! If you want it, sir, just take it. I’ll go buy another one.”

Fang Zheng swiftly pulled out a large silver note from his sleeve and stuffed it into Chen Siwu’s sleeve.

He whispered in his ear, “Keep the silver note, don’t make a fuss!”

Then he stood up and walked to Emperor Jing’s side.

Chen Siwu felt the silver note in his sleeve and was stunned for a moment, his mind racing.

Seeing Fang Zheng take Chen Siwu’s lunchbox, Emperor Jing frowned, “What will he eat if you take it? Give it back.”

“Don’t worry, Your Majesty. I’ve already given him money, and there’s still food in the worker’s shed.”

Hearing this, Emperor Jing nodded, then left the construction site.

The three of them found a tea stall directly in the city.

Emperor Jing sat at the tea stall and opened the lunchbox, smiling at Fang Zheng, “I haven’t had breakfast today. I’m quite hungry now, so this meal comes at the right time.”

“Are you two hungry?”

Fang Zheng and Guo Tianyang both shook their heads, then ordered a pot of tea, waiting for Emperor Jing to eat.

They saw Emperor Jing eating without any sign of disdain, picking up the chopsticks and tasting each dish.

He held up a piece of fatty meat in front of his eyes and sighed, “When I was in difficult times during military campaigns, even the soldiers under my command might not have been able to eat such meals.”

“Although it’s a bit bland, it’s enough to fill the stomach.”

“However, can the disaster victims really eat like this every day?”

Hehe, Your Majesty is testing me.

Fang Zheng smiled slightly, “Of course not.”

“This is all because Your Majesty came. I asked someone to temporarily add extra food for them.”

“Usually, they might only occasionally get some meat crumbs in their meals. How could they eat fatty meat?”

“That Chen Siwu earlier was quite clever, even trying to cover for me.”

!!?

Emperor Jing and Guo Tianyang stared at Fang Zheng with wide eyes, not expecting this young man to be so honest! He confessed everything just like that?

After being stunned for a while, Emperor Jing suddenly burst into laughter, attracting the attention of people on the street!

“Haha! Minister Fang, I really didn’t expect you to be so frank, not hiding anything at all.”

Fang Zheng said, “Your subject has always been straightforward, saying whatever comes to mind. Naturally, I wouldn’t deceive Your Majesty.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Emperor Jing laughed heartily again.

Suddenly, a great sense of resentment and jealousy enveloped Fang Zheng.

Guo Tianyang lowered his head, full of resentment, almost grinding his back teeth to pieces.

Damn it!! It’s fine that you like the way he handles things, he really can get things done!

He puts on an act, tells lies, and you like that too. How are you so hard to please??!

I really *@#%&…