Royal Gold Magistrate

“Alright, go and make the arrangements. Don’t ask about anything else. First, solve their food problem.”

“Oh, and have someone stand on the second floor of the newspaper office to clock them in. Follow the county rules, deduct five qian for each late arrival.”

Xie Xian looked puzzled: “Master, you haven’t told them about this yet.”

“What’s there to tell? They’ll figure it out after being deducted twice.”

“Also, I’ve heard that some people are oversleeping in the newspaper office. Put a rooster in a cage there, and have the timekeeper poke it when it’s time to work!”

Xie Xian wiped away cold sweat: “Wouldn’t it be easier to just have the timekeeper wake people up?”

Fang Zheng glared: “What do you know! The rooster’s crow means the sun is up, symbolizing the rising of the morning sun.”

“Work should have a sense of ceremony.”

“After getting up, don’t rush to work. Go out to the street and do some exercises, shout some slogans to boost morale.”

“Without rules, there can be no square! Before the newspaper turns a profit, they’ll have to endure some hardship for now.”

“During this time, have people go out to pull in some advertisements. Once we can make money, everything will be fine!”

“What’s wrong with young people experiencing some hardship? If you’re afraid of hardship, you’ll suffer for a lifetime. If you’re not afraid, you’ll only suffer for half a lifetime! Go on now!”

After Xie Xian left, Li Yuanzhao put away his notebook and came over.

He looked at Fang Zheng with a troubled expression: “Old Fang, I don’t think the bonus is insufficient. A hundred taels seems a bit much! That’s several years’ worth of wages.”

“And if you’re going to give it, just say a hundred taels. Why say one tael first? Is it fun to tease people?”

Fang Zheng glanced at him sideways.

Not bad, he’s thinking about saving money for me!

Then he said seriously: “Your Highness, this is the art of management.”

“If we give them one tael, they’ll be unhappy, and their expectations will be lowered.”

“Then when you say you’re giving them a hundred taels, won’t everyone be much happier?”

“Saying you’re giving a hundred taels right away is good, but the effect is ordinary!”

“If you lower their expectations first, then say you’re giving a hundred taels, you’re spending the same money but achieving a better effect.”

“This is called expectation management! Do you understand?”

Li Yuanzhao scratched his head.

“I understand, but not completely.”

Seeing his naive look, Fang Zheng couldn’t help but think of himself in the past.

When he first graduated and started an internship at a company, as an intern, he was eager to prove himself.

He even actively asked for work when there was none.

As a result, he ended up doing more and more work, but influenced by years of motivational speeches, he still felt great every day.

He worked frantically, thinking the leaders would surely notice and he would reach the pinnacle of his career!

But this state obviously couldn’t last long.

After six months of hanging out with old employees, he quickly evolved into the company’s number one slacker.

As long as the leader didn’t assign work, he wouldn’t lift a finger.

When the leader assigned work, he would first frantically make excuses, citing various difficulties, then reluctantly agree.

Then he would drag his feet, only submitting the complete work at the very last moment.

With this approach, not only did he do little work, but he even appeared to perform better in the leader’s eyes.

Soon after, the company went bankrupt, and Fang Zheng gained a lot of experience.

But there’s always a higher mountain, and even slackers have their day of reckoning.

When he changed to a new company, because the leader was so skilled at making flatbreads, the aroma was irresistible!

He couldn’t help but take a bite, and as a result, he couldn’t stop, eventually giving his life for it.

…….

So-called expectation management applies to both superiors and subordinates.

He always treated Emperor Jing this way too.

Sweet potatoes yielding a thousand jin per mu was a foregone conclusion.

Ah! I’ll just say it’s eight hundred jin per mu.

Just play it like this! Maybe one day the chairman of Great Jing will be happy enough to marry his daughter to me?

Seeing Li Yuanzhao still looking at him curiously, Fang Zheng thought for a moment and said:

“Your Highness, let me give you an example.”

“Let’s talk about memorizing texts. You’ve been away for so long, when you return to the palace, His Majesty will surely ask about your studies, right?”

Li Yuanzhao nodded vigorously: “Yes, yes, yes! I’ve been worrying about this!”

“I haven’t completely neglected my studies. I’ve memorized ten essays, planning to muddle through with those.”

“Hiss… but only ten essays in several months… doesn’t seem like enough, does it?”

“Old Fang, do you have any good ideas?”

Fang Zheng nodded with a smile: “When you see His Majesty, just say that due to being busy with disaster relief, you only memorized three essays.”

“When His Majesty tests you, recite eight! Keep the remaining two to ensure your safety.”

“Think about it. When His Majesty hears you only memorized three essays, his expectation of you will be just that amount.”

“When His Majesty tests you, and you rattle off eight essays at once, how do you think His Majesty will feel!”

“Won’t he be overjoyed? If he continues to test you, you can recite the remaining two.”

“If he tests you further, just say you’re tired! His Majesty definitely won’t pursue it.”

“Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, three times is enough!”

Li Yuanzhao’s eyes lit up, his mouth stretched into a wide grin, and he exclaimed delightedly: “That’s right! Why didn’t I think of that!”

“But what if Father Emperor doesn’t test me on the latter eight essays?”

“Then you recite them voluntarily. Read the room! See if His Majesty seems inclined to test you. If not, don’t stop after reciting three essays, keep going until the eighth!”

Li Yuanzhao couldn’t help but clap his hands, saying happily: “Brilliant! Brilliant! Brilliant! Old Fang, you’re really something!”

“Tonight, I can return to the palace with peace of mind!”

Fang Zheng thought carefully and then said: “This is not enough! Your Highness, you still need to study when you should. You can’t always muddle through!”

“His Majesty has always been sharp-eyed. You can only deceive him for a while.”

“If you’re discovered after a few days, you’ll still get beaten.”

Li Yuanzhao immediately asked anxiously: “Then what should I do?”

“It’s simple!” Saying this, Fang Zheng walked back to the reporters.

He raised his hand and said loudly: “Everyone, listen up. There’s one more thing to say.”

“The reporters who just returned from Jianjiang should have accumulated quite a few articles, right?”

“Within two days, publish a special issue on Jianjiang disaster relief. Besides focusing on promoting the Jianjiang model,”

“You should also emphasize the Crown Prince’s disaster relief experience, along with His Majesty’s personal visit to Jianjiang and his concern for the people’s various affairs.”

“Roughly write about how the Crown Prince tirelessly helped arrange for the disaster victims, and how His Majesty personally went to the disaster area to comfort the people’s lives, eating with the people!”

“Of course, the difficulties of the Jianjiang people should also be emphasized. Besides Jianjiang, the other two prefectures still need money for disaster relief, so make many appeals for donations.”

“Don’t write about the disaster victims in broad, empty terms. Focus on individuals for me. Pick out a Zhang San or Li Si and write about how terribly they’re suffering!”

“This way, people will be more sympathetic.”

“Write it well! Ensure it’s truthful and genuine. No one is allowed to pad the word count for me!”

Shen Yi looked up and asked: “Then what about the things you did, Lord Fang?”

Fang Zheng smiled slyly: “I’m fine with whatever!”

Shen Yi understood and couldn’t help but take a deep breath.

Lord Fang is truly indifferent to fame and fortune. We must write extensively about him!

Fang Zheng laughed inwardly.

Once the newspaper is published, not only will it solve the Crown Prince’s problem of getting beaten, but I’ll also be protected by merit. I’d like to see who dares to oppose me in the future!

…………

That night, Li Yuanzhao entered the Imperial Study.

First, he paid his respects, then sat before Emperor Jing.

Emperor Jing put down his imperial brush, raised his eyes to look at Li Yuanzhao, and said softly: “This is the first time you’ve been away for so long since you were born. Have you fallen behind in your studies?”

“Don’t spend all day indulging in play. I’m going to test you.”

“Tell me.”

Li Yuanzhao, full of confidence, smiled slightly and held up three fingers: “This son only memorized three essays!”

Instantly! Emperor Jing’s face turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

Then he silently stood up and walked to the bookshelf behind him.

Li Yuanzhao still looked at Emperor Jing expectantly.

Test me! Hurry and test me!

“Guards! Seize this unfilial creature for me!!”

Emperor Jing shouted furiously! Then he took out a thick and long stick from the bookshelf.

Li Yuanzhao’s brain hadn’t fully processed what was happening, but he had already been seized and held in place.

When he saw that familiar stick, his whole body shuddered!

He shouted: “Imperial Father! Test me!!”

Emperor Jing, with a black face, sneered coldly: “Test you? You unfilial creature! You’ve been gone for months and only memorized three essays, yet you have the nerve to stand before me!”

“I should beat you! Press him against the wall!”

As soon as the words fell, Li Yuanzhao was pressed against the wall by the guards, facing away.

He was already on the verge of tears, desperately crying out: “Imperial Father, you’re not playing fair!!”

Emperor Jing’s anger grew even more: “Play? I’ll show you play!!”

With that, the hard and black reinforced big stick swung down on Li Yuanzhao’s backside.

“Ah!!!”

The wail echoed far… reverberating endlessly within the palace….