Chapter 10, Li Qingzhao's glance back
"What! You want to kick my head with a donkey? My father has ordered that anyone who touches my head shall be executed, don't you know?" Gao Fangping continued to ramble.
A group of thugs was swiftly beaten to the point of near death, their faces bruised and swollen, all of them were captured and made to kneel down
Then Gao Fangping instructed the two lackeys: "You two, lift Fu'an's feet and shake them a bit; you never know, money might just fall out."
Zhao Mingcheng observed the expressions of the common people in the marketplace, and indeed it was as he thought. He sighed softly, offered a slight bow to Gao Fangping as a gesture of courtesy, and departed with his beloved wife
Li Qingzhao leaned closer and said: "Husband, do not speak of it any further; if he does not show affection, then he is not the one. Moreover, is it not true that Qingzhao is also lovable? He merely spoke a few words and did nothing more. Husband, pay attention to the expressions of the common people in the market; they have already grown accustomed to Gao's dandyism, yet they are not quite used to your stinginess. This time, the distinction has been made; Brother Gao has garnered much popularity, while you have fallen short due to your wisdom and temperament. It is indeed Qingzhao who has made a miscalculation. Let us go."
After speaking, Gao Fangping raised his voice and said, "Drag this fool away and give him twenty strokes of the rod." He then leaned closer to the executor and whispered, "Don't hit too hard; he still needs to collect protection fees tomorrow."
Fu An secretly decided that not only would he no longer engage in corrupt practices himself, but he would also keep a close watch on those below him, ensuring that they did not embezzle money from the officials
Gao Fangping spread his hands and said: "Overall, I am unskilled and unlearned; I merely heard of your name before I met you in person. Thus, I have spoken as such, which may be inappropriate, but there is no need to get entangled in the details"
Zhao Mingcheng furrowed his brows and said, "Is this child out of his mind? Did he get kicked in the head by a donkey last night?"
Fu An was pressed down while howling, turned upside down, and shaken by someone holding his feet
Fu An was eager to fight, but he dared not strike this person or that one. However, encountering a local thug was just the right opportunity to practice his skills
Over there squatted a group of idle men who spent their days in leisure, similarly adorned with tattoos like Fu An, though they appeared less imposing than him
In the copper coins, there are sometimes mixed fragments of silver. Fu An, despite being beaten and having a head full of bumps, remains steadfastly loyal in protecting Gao Fangping from being killed by money.
The small stall has run out, and the shopkeepers around have also joined in to start throwing money.
If you dare to cause trouble here again, I will chop off your dog's legs, now get lost
It was that young woman selling beans who stepped a little closer, timidly asking: "Is it the magistrate?"
"You speak so well, I enjoy listening to you," Gao Fangping blinked and said, "I said I have developed feelings for you, I wonder if you would hit me?"
Li Qingzhao was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said: "Although the young man appears to speak in a coarse manner and behaves frivolously, his unintentional actions are quite clever and whimsical. He may not be meticulous in details or particularly eloquent, but he possesses a grand demeanor, truly a son of a military family. Perhaps the young man is indeed unlearned, yet being aware of one's own ignorance is a form of knowledge in itself"
The remaining individuals who had not fled looked at Gao Fangping with great embarrassment, pondering what kind of protection fee this was, as it seemed to be yet another attempt to seize money from the poor
Beat them like a lion rolling a brocade ball
Originally intending to mock this unscrupulous fool Li Qingzhao, I was taken aback, vaguely feeling that this person was unworthy of the reputation of the flamboyant Tai Sui, as the disparity seemed rather significant
Having said this, she adopted a masculine demeanor and clasped her hands, saying: "I wonder if Qingzhao has heard of this discussion?"
"For every hundred sold, you will give me two coins," Gao Fangping said with a chuckle.
Several commoners nearby also joined in the commotion, shouting: "The magistrate is mighty; as long as you do not come to bully us, you are indeed mighty!"
The treacherous minister had long stated that the officials in the court only wished to see the debauchery of the Gao family, rather than the talents of the Gao family. However, what is interesting is that this perceptive talented woman has seen through it.
All of Fu An's sycophants fell to the ground, nearly wetting their pants, and they all felt that following the young master was too dangerous. Is it really appropriate to tease the daughter-in-law of the current Prime Minister in the marketplace?
The young lady was taken aback for a moment, realizing that by this calculation, she only needed to pay the young master one coin each day. Without hesitation, she paid the coin and asked, "Can I really receive protection? There are too many ruffians in Tokyo, and at least three to five groups come to harass me every day. Just their eating beans without paying incurs a loss of more than ten coins."
The people around began to wave their hands and throw coins, as if Gao Fangping and his companions were performing or begging. Although each person did not throw much, in the blink of an eye, it seemed that the entire street had come to throw money, an overwhelming amount.
After Gao Fangping left, a pair of beautiful eyes on the second floor, which had been gazing at the street scene, murmured: "Well, he doesn't seem to be an idiot..."
Puff puff puff
"Based on your revenue, voluntary contributions will be calculated. After paying the protection fee, safety will be the responsibility of this office. If someone bullies you, Fu'an will deal with them. If you bully others, Fu'an will still deal with them. What do you think?" Gao Fangping said in a serious manner.
The young lady hesitated for a moment, then mustered her courage to glance towards the street corner
The officials are benevolent, I understand. The lackey nodded
Before boarding the ox cart, Li Qingzhao glanced back at Gao Fangping, and then her graceful figure vanished into the ox cart. The ox cart slowly disappeared at the end of the long street
Fu An covered his head and retreated
Finally, I sourced materials directly from the market, bought a large bag, and carried home a full sack of money, estimating it to be at least over 10 guan, which amounts to 10,000 coins
Fu An fiercely slapped them on the head a few times, driving them away. Today, he finally had the opportunity to strike someone else's nape.
Good! He appears to be formidable, and the neighbors around are applauding and cheering.
Who can he kill? Could it be that he would even kill my father? Zhao Mingcheng was greatly enraged, feeling that the Gao family father and son were simply like rats, utterly detestable
"You cannot hold a private court in the yamen. Even if there is a mistake, it must be reported to the Kaifeng Prefecture. Stop hitting, we cannot endure it any longer," a local ruffian said with a tearful face.
Indeed, I acknowledge my mistake. A group of ruffians may be submissive, but while they are not afraid to go to the Kaifeng Prefecture, they do fear encountering even more unscrupulous individuals
Upon returning to the residence and organizing the funds, a total of 12 guan was deposited into the account under the name of Gao Fangping
Zhao Mingcheng nearly fainted, unable to believe that the extravagant Tai Sui was so incompetent, with flaws and roughness everywhere, leaving him at a loss for words on how to criticize him
Fu An felt a great sense of honor. Before moving forward, he rolled up his sleeves and took a deep breath, presenting himself as a tattooed muscular man, even turning around twice to show off.
However, shouting is of no use at all. Do you or do you not want to pay the protection fee?" Fu An imitated the language of the official.
Puff puff
Alright, I remembered it incorrectly... I thought your father was subordinate to my father, I got it wrong, didn't I?" Gao Fangping looked awkward.
Gao Fangping paused in surprise, stopped in his tracks, and turned to gaze at her
Splash
Gao Fangping, holding a fan, elegantly inquired: "What is it that you seek?"
Hearing this sentence was as if I saw the urban management officers; several individuals quickly packed up their stalls and fled.
Fu An pointed at the breach and shouted angrily: "This time you managed to escape quickly, but next time, don't let me see you here."
"I wonder what the protection fee rate is?" asked the curious young woman selling beans.
The sycophants of Fu'an are truly in tears this time, as it is said that such a domineering and imposing figure only emerges once in a thousand years
Is it that cheap
Gao Fangping chuckled and said: "It seems that one or two of these belong to you, while the other two belong to the black old man. Fool, these two were originally meant for you, yet you chose to blackmail me. I won't ask you to compensate, but you will inevitably suffer for it. Fu An, you have fallen this time, making a losing deal. The income is the same, yet you have to endure the punishment."
The authority of the yamen is formidable! The wisdom and might are divine!
Indeed, money has been found; some small silver coins have fallen to the ground, approximately three taels.
Gao Fangping seldom reads poetry, but he has heard of Li Qingzhao's name. After observing for a long time, he murmured, "Only you are worthy of this name"
"Forget it, my lord. Brother Gao is not as unpleasant as imagined; why be angry? Without tolerance, there can be no vision" Li Qingzhao suddenly spoke up
If Fu'an were to be sent under the command of the Western Army's young lord to fight against the barbarians, he would undoubtedly be considered a deserter. However, in Bianjing, when it comes to fighting with local ruffians for territory, it is likely that an average person would not be able to outmatch him
Gao Fangping could not help but feel furious: "How dare they act recklessly on my territory? Hurry up and tell me who it is!"
"If there is a next time, I will truly send you to fight against the Western army and the barbarians, and then let someone else take your place to deal with the ruffians. You are a smart person, so think it through yourself about what is more important." Gao Fangping patted Fu An on the head
Names are used to match people; how can people match names? Li Qingzhao has a somewhat instructive meaning
"But this scoundrel mocks me in the street, professing love for you; how can you expect me to remain calm in such a situation?" Zhao Mingcheng exclaimed, stamping his foot
Gao Fangping stood up and slapped Fu An on the head, saying: "If you want to perform, at least change your position; you're blocking my view. You don't even know how to be a good lackey."
Fu An was dragged down while howling. Although the beating he received was not particularly severe, he truly understood that following the young master would not lead to losses. There was no need to resort to petty tricks; otherwise, losing his job would be a significant loss.
Rushing over, a fierce battle broke out among the lackeys and thugs, causing chaos and disorder.
Gao Fangping laughed heartily and walked to the center, cupping his hands: "Thank you all for your support, but have you paid your protection fees?"
Fu An blinked his eyes and, kneeling on the ground, cried out loudly: "Please spare my life, sir, I was momentarily confused."
Xiao Zhao, do not be discontent. You are not foolish, yet it is of no use. In terms of intelligence, you are not merely three levels inferior to your wife. Gao Fangping adopted a debauched demeanor and chatted aimlessly with Zhao Mingcheng.
Zhao Mingcheng furrowed his brow and said, "My dear, have you perhaps praised this fellow too much?"
The officials are imposing their authority! The locals have begun to chant slogans, and the atmosphere is fervent
Gao Fangping furrowed his brows, feeling as if he had been stripped bare in public.
The dragonfly seller said, "I don't know what the protection fee is all about, is it expensive?"
Gao Fangping waved his hand, and the sycophant effortlessly brought a chair from the market, dusted it off, and served the young master to sit down
Li Qingzhao laughed heartily for a long time before saying: "The young master is indeed clever and quirky, while the frivolous playboy is a mere facade; the world has misjudged you. The playboy is just your exterior, but Qingzhao knows that the true you, with great wisdom, hides within unintentional moments of silliness, which is precisely the portrait of the young master. Magnanimous, straightforward, coarse yet not vulgar. Young master, is Qingzhao's assessment of you still appropriate?"
Fu An gave him a hard slap on the back of the head: "Court? Our magistrate is the court. You old fool, what if I were to kill you right here in the street? You old-timers, the Kaifeng Prefecture naturally cannot do anything to you, but our magistrate is the law. The rule of this market is that you must pay for what you buy. Haven't you seen our magistrate spend money even on beans? Damn it, how many heads do you have that dare to eat without paying?"