Royal Gold Magistrate

Seeing Li Yuanzhao run off, Fang Zheng breathed a sigh of relief.

The extra person was finally gone.

He made his way to the back garden of the Mingluan Palace with practiced ease.

There was a reason for choosing the back garden. They could meet inside the palace, of course, but the garden provided a better atmosphere.

Notified by her maids, Li Miaohan hurried to the back door. She barely managed to stop herself just before entering the garden.

She took a deep breath to calm her nerves.

Then, with graceful steps and a dignified posture, she slowly entered, accompanied by her palace maids.

Fang Zheng had been looking out for her and quickly stood up when he saw her approach.

After not seeing her for several months, there were noticeable changes, visible even through her dress.

Curvaceous figure, long legs, slim waist… and her little face was flushed pink.

“Greetings, Princess!”

“Lord Fang, there’s no need for formalities. Please, sit.” Li Miaohan lightly bit her cherry lips, appearing somewhat nervous.

Fang Zheng grinned widely, as if possessed by Zhang Biao.

Shamelessly, he moved the stone bench next to Li Miaohan and sat down.

Li Miaohan sat on the stone bench, her back straight, staring forward, her whole body tense.

She was visibly nervous.

Fang Zheng said nothing, resting his elbow on the stone table, staring intently at Li Miaohan.

His expression was incredibly punchable!

The little princess, having lived in the deep palace for so long, couldn’t handle this.

She lowered her head shyly, quietly turning half her body to the side.

Seeing this, Fang Zheng knew he couldn’t tease her anymore. If he continued, the young girl might not be able to take it.

So he sat up straight and asked, “Does the Princess have anything she wishes to say to this official?”

Weren’t you the one who came to find me!?

Li Miaohan shook her head vigorously, then nodded just as hard.

Realizing something was off, she became incredibly embarrassed.

Her pretty face turned as red as a ripe apple, her heart overflowing with shame.

After a long while, she finally spoke softly, “Why did Lord Fang return so early?”

Fang Zheng immediately put on a bitter expression, saying dejectedly:

“Alas! So the Princess thinks I’ve returned too early. It’s this official’s lack of self-awareness that has disturbed you!”

With that, he prepared to stand up and leave.

Li Miaohan’s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly said, “No!”

Fang Zheng’s bottom, which had already lifted two millimeters off the bench, sat back down.

He smiled at Li Miaohan.

Li Miaohan stammered, “Didn’t you say you’d be gone… for eight to ten years?”

Fang Zheng sighed dramatically: “Indeed… gone for eight to ten years.”

“Moreover, the disaster in Jianjiang was severe, with various forces deeply entangled. This official feared he might not serve effectively and had even prepared to die in a foreign land.”

“But… but when this official thought of the Princess working hard alone in the palace, it rekindled my fighting spirit.”

“Although disaster relief was difficult, and I had to look after the troublesome Crown Prince, this official still persevered!”

“Unexpectedly, His Majesty, concerned about the disaster, personally visited Jianjiang. Fortunately, this official did well, so he ordered me to return to the capital early.”

Li Miaohan felt somewhat moved.

In the palace, she had been foolishly promoting sanitary napkins, with only the palace maids willing to try them.

Everyone else didn’t understand and even got angry with her.

Now, only Fang Zheng could understand her.

“Lord Fang is remarkable.”

Fang Zheng shamelessly continued: “It’s nothing. Without the Princess supporting me in my heart, this official might not have made it back!”

Li Miaohan blushed again, hesitating for a moment before asking, “But I heard my Royal Brother say… he personally saved tens of thousands of disaster victims in Jianjiang. Is that true?”

“Let’s say it is!”

Hearing this, Li Miaohan immediately became indignant: “I knew it! Royal Brother is ignorant and useless, and he’s even taking credit for your achievements. How shameless!”

Fang Zheng hurriedly said, “Princess, please don’t say that. The Crown Prince did contribute.”

“Think about it, with the Crown Prince personally visiting Jianjiang, wouldn’t that stabilize public sentiment?”

“This official’s exhaustion is nothing!”

I haven’t told a single lie! You think you can badmouth me to the Princess all day!?

Fang Zheng carefully asked, “Princess, what else did the Crown Prince tell you?”

Li Miaohan immediately replied, “He also told me that you only built a brothel in Jianjiang and did nothing else!”

“If I had only built a brothel, would His Majesty have let me return to the capital? Does the Princess believe that?”

“Of course not.”

Fang Zheng smiled with satisfaction.

Ah, the Crown Prince is still too naive! You dare to make small moves behind my back?

Doesn’t the Princess know what kind of person I am?

Little hater! You’re still too green!

“So, did you build a brothel or not?”

Fang Zheng brazenly replied, “Of course I did. This official has already explained the reasons to the Princess. It’s the same as last time.”

“The women of Jianjiang… they suffer! This official naturally wants to help as much as possible.”

“I don’t care about those criticisms.”

Li Miaohan’s beautiful eyes sparkled with admiration: “You’re so good.”

Seeing the atmosphere was right, Fang Zheng grabbed Li Miaohan’s small hand.

It immediately made her blush furiously!

“This official has been thinking about the Princess these past few months… Has the Princess missed this official?”

A group of palace maids silently turned their backs.

This shameless person was already getting too bold.

They couldn’t bear to watch!

Li Miaohan’s voice was as faint as a mosquito: “I… I did…”

Fang Zheng was overjoyed inside. He then took out a hairpin from his bosom.

It was a white jade hairpin with a phoenix pattern.

It was part of Liu Xun’s ill-gotten goods.

He had carefully selected it from among them.

Perhaps it wasn’t the most expensive, but it was definitely the best in his eyes.

“Princess, look. This official brought back an enga… a gift for you! Do you like it?”

Li Miaohan took a close look, feeling a surge of joy in her heart.

She nodded gently twice.

“Let me put it on for you!”

Before Li Miaohan could react, Fang Zheng had already started.

However, he was clumsy and took a while to get it straight.

“Th-thank you…”

Seeing that everything was going smoothly so far, Fang Zheng looked directly into Li Miaohan’s eyes: “Do you have a map? I’m lost in your eyes!”

“Meeting you is like carrot rain in a rabbit’s world!”

“???”

Li Miaohan was suddenly confused.

Although she didn’t quite understand what he was saying, it… just felt really awkward!

“Lord Fang… please stop…”

Fang Zheng’s smile stretched from ear to ear.

Stop? I’ll keep going!

“There’s something on your face. My gaze!”

Li Miaohan closed her eyes and shook her head vigorously: “Please stop!”

Fang Zheng also stopped his flirtatious talk.

He smacked his lips, feeling a bit disappointed. You can’t handle it when I’ve only used half my power?

No rush! We’ll take it slow in the future.

Seeing that he had stopped, Li Miaohan sighed in relief and said softly, “Can you stop… stop touching my hand?”

Fang Zheng looked down and saw that his thumb was unconsciously caressing the back of Li Miaohan’s hand.

A smooth and delicate sensation.

“Touching you is like touching myself!”

Fang Zheng couldn’t help but add another line. Li Miaohan instantly pulled her hand away!

She turned her head away, not wanting to look at him anymore…

Fang Zheng also felt awkward and at a loss.

What’s going on? Is the Princess too shy?

Did I come on too strong? I barely said anything!