Chapter 209 - 154: Assuming Office
"Heh. Fang Cheng, is it? I think that name of yours is all wrong."
Wang Gui wasn’t angry when he saw Fang Cheng fuming and telling him to leave. In fact, he just kept smirking.
"You’re all failure and no success. You should be called Fang Failure. I can still speak to you civilly today. It’s best for everyone if you sign this document. Otherwise, the Government Office will have to start investigating the Fang Family for illegal activities."
’If you want to condemn a man, you can always find a crime. When the Government Office wants to take someone down, will they ever lack a pretext?’
’A county magistrate can ruin a family; a commander-in-chief can wipe out a clan.’
This wasn’t just talk. A family like the Fang Family had risen solely on the back of one man—the Martial Scholar, Fang Yue.
Their foundations were too shallow. They had amassed wealth far beyond their station, like a child carrying gold through the market. They didn’t know when to compromise or back down, and their sharp-edged arrogance had offended several major families in Xiahe County Town.
Taking their family down would be all too easy.
"When that time comes, it won’t be pretty. Our Lord County Magistrate despises corrupt merchants. Just last month, Landlord Zhu from the east side of town was sentenced to death by hanging, and the rest of his family was exiled."
Wang Gui smiled faintly. His expression was pleasant, but his tone was so cold it could chill one to the bone.
"You... you... you son of a bitch...!"
The man’s threats were so blatant, so utterly shameless, that Fang Cheng couldn’t help but point at him and start cursing.
"Men! Rough up Fang Cheng a bit. Does this country bumpkin really think wearing silk makes him a gentleman? Go on, beat him. Just don’t kill him. I’ll take full responsibility!"
As Liu Zheng’s right-hand man, Wang Gui was treated with courtesy wherever he went. Few in Xiahe County Town dared to curse him!
This Fang Cheng, from a family doomed to ruin, actually dared to insult him. He was simply courting death.
At Wang Gui’s command, the two government constables by his side cracked their knuckles and stepped forward with malicious grins, ready to teach Fang Cheng a lesson.
But at that very moment.
"Stop! What do you think you’re doing? Who gave you the gall to cause trouble in Martial Scholar Fang’s home!"
The scolding voice was all too familiar.
It was none other than the County Magistrate of Xiahe County, Liu Zheng, striding over quickly.
Before Wang Gui could even process why Lord Liu had come, let alone why he was speaking like that, Liu Zheng was already beside him and slapped him hard across the face.
Wang Gui stumbled and fell to the ground, utterly stunned.
It wasn’t just Wang Gui; the other government constables and even Fang Cheng were completely dumbfounded.
’How could this be happening?’
’Did the County Magistrate, Liu Zheng, just strike his own personal steward?’
"Heh, my subordinates are ignorant. Landlord Fang must have been frightened. Rest assured, I will discipline them thoroughly when I get back." Ignoring the others, Liu Zheng walked up to Fang Cheng and spoke with great warmth.
This scene left Wang Gui, who was just struggling to his feet, utterly baffled.
’That’s not what he said before! How much time has even passed?’
’How did things turn out like this?’
However, Wang Gui knew that County Magistrate Liu Zheng was a pragmatist who never acted without self-interest. For him to be so inconsistent, it must mean that Fang Yue had become someone they couldn’t afford to offend.
’Could Fang Yue have struck it big again?’
Sure enough, at that exact moment.
A string of firecrackers suddenly exploded—CRACKLE-POP!—followed by the deafening CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! of gongs.
It was followed by a clamor of drums and blaring suonas.
Then, several government constables in bright red uniforms appeared, marching down the alley while playing their instruments.
Wang Gui froze. His men also stopped in their tracks, and they all stared at the unfamiliar government constables.
’Where did these constables come from?’
’I don’t recognize any of them.’
Wang Gui didn’t suspect they were impostors. The laws of the Great Wei Dynasty were strict; few would dare to impersonate an Official within the city walls.
’So where are they from? And what are they here for?’
Even from a distance, the announcer’s happy proclamation could be heard.
"Congratulations! Congratulations to Master Fang on placing fifth in the Prefecture Examination!" announced a smiling government constable holding a red paper scroll.
The moment the announcement was made, everyone present—aside from County Magistrate Liu Zheng—was left completely stunned.
Wang Gui, ever the experienced steward, was the first one to recover from the shock, aside from Liu Zheng himself.
’So that’s it. No wonder Lord Liu acted the way he did.’
’But how could Fang Yue have possibly passed the Prefecture Examination?!’
’It makes no sense! Is his Talent really that incredible?’
As the commotion grew, so did the crowd of onlookers.
After all, this was a major event for Xiahe County Town. It had been many years since anyone from Xiahe had passed the Prefecture Examination.
The local residents didn’t understand the specifics of the Prefecture Examination. All they knew was that passing it meant becoming an official—perhaps someone even more distinguished than their own County Magistrate.
Just look—hadn’t the Lord County Magistrate Liu himself come? And he was being so polite to the Fang Family, too.
More and more people heard the news and flocked to the scene. The massive crowd completely clogged the narrow alley in front of the Fang Family’s home.
The air buzzed with discussion, a mix of envious and admiring chatter.
Soon after, Father Fang and Ms. Chen were also drawn out by the commotion.
What followed was a flurry of thanks, as well as a generous reward for the Official who had delivered the good news.
They had actually been through this same situation twice before; the only difference this time was that it was happening in the city, and on a much grander scale.