As soon as Fang Zheng finished speaking, the officials’ expressions changed.

This, this was… a genuine bootlicker!

They were all educated scholars, used to having face. They preferred words that criticized the emperor and pointed out the ills of the times. Only that could show a scholar’s integrity and capability.

Officials throughout history all liked this! As a newcomer, is it appropriate for you to flatter like this right from the start?

Even saying things like divine civility, sagely martial prowess, civil achievements, military virtues, long long live… Even eunuchs probably couldn’t say such things!

The faces of Li Yansong and the other elder statesmen instantly turned green.

Earlier they had praised this Fang Zheng for having both virtue and talent, possessing the style of ancient great ministers. Now looking at him, where the hell was the so-called style of ancient great ministers.

He was clearly just a petty man skilled in flattery and fawning.

Even if he had some learning, having such a person teach the prince – the country would be in peril!

The more they had praised him before, the more their faces hurt now…

The Emperor’s expression froze for a moment, his mind unable to process it for a bit.

Fang Zheng… was talking about him?

The Emperor came back to his senses and saw the hundred officials all staring at Fang Zheng with gloomy faces. He also couldn’t help feeling awkward.

Then he angrily said, “Audacious Fang Zheng! Delaying government affairs, yet you dare use fancy words in the court!”

“Raise your head!”

Fang Zheng was sweating profusely. He slowly raised his head, “Your subject… uh…?”

“……………”

Li Long!? Guo Da!? Li Yuan!?

Fang Zheng opened his eyes wide, staring straight at the Emperor, his scalp instantly going numb!

The enemy he had been yearning to find for a day turned out to be the Emperor!?

And that damned eunuch beside him was Guo Da!

And that grinning brat to the side was the prince!?

The cold sweat on Fang Zheng’s forehead gradually converged into a small stream. At the same time, he kept thinking in his mind if he had said anything offensive.

After thinking it over, it seemed he had only offended that damned eunuch.

The Emperor and prince should be fine! Mm!

Seeing Fang Zheng half staring at him without moving for a long time, the Emperor couldn’t help feeling amused in his heart.

But he still kept a straight face and solemnly said, “What? Do you have something else to say?”

Fang Zheng shuddered and stammered, “Your subject, upon seeing Your Majesty, felt like a spring breeze on my face, unusually close.”

The officials covered their faces, unable to bear watching… Such a shameless person, they were embarrassed to even be in the same room with him!

“Silence! Don’t talk nonsense! I ask you, why are your clothes in disarray, and why are you wearing the robes of a seventh-rank official in the hall! Where are the court robes I bestowed upon you?!”

Looking at the disheveled Fang Zheng, the Emperor couldn’t help frowning.

In Taoyuan County, although this person had a bit of an unrestrained air, he at least had a dignified appearance. How come after entering the court, he was in this state, not putting me in his eyes at all!

Fang Zheng gritted his teeth, “Your subject… got lost when entering the palace for the first time. While running through the palace, a strong gust of wind blew, so the robes were blown open by the dragon aura.”

“As for the official robes… your subject only has this set!”

Fang Zheng inwardly kept cursing the damn eunuch who had initially delivered the decree. He had dropped off the decree and ran, actually taking the official robes with him too!

He himself didn’t know about this matter either… Fortunately it was the Emperor he was seeing.

He could sense that the Emperor had a good impression of him in Taoyuan County. If it were any other emperor, with all these holes in his story, he would have long been dragged out…

The Emperor said indifferently, “Is that so… In that case, it was my oversight then, granting you an official position but not providing robes?”

Fang Zheng chuckled dryly, “I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare. Your Majesty is wise, how could there be an oversight in such a small matter. It must be your subject’s problem.”

The high-ranking ministers led by Li Yansong had already started holding their chests and desperately taking deep breaths, afraid they would faint from lack of oxygen.

If they had a precious sword in hand, they probably would have rushed over on the spot and slain this fellow!

No matter what, this person… absolutely cannot enter the Imperial Clan Court!!

At this time, the attitudes of the hundred officials were all taken in by the Emperor’s eyes. Snorting coldly, he said to the crowd, “My beloved officials, tell me, how should this Fang Zheng be punished!?”

Zhang Dongxiang, with the most fiery temper, couldn’t hold back. He parted the crowd and walked out.

He said loudly, “Your Majesty! This person’s behavior is improper. I fear he is unfit to teach the prince! I implore Your Majesty to retract the order!”

As soon as these words came out, whispers started below.

“Indeed, indeed. This person is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He only has a good-looking face, who would have thought he has the manner of a treacherous official.”

“If the prince associates with such a person, I’m afraid it will damage the imperial family’s prestige.”

“Lord Zhang is truly the first to dare. Later I must also submit a memorial against him…”

The hundred officials were whispering. The Emperor was far away and couldn’t hear at all. But Fang Zheng, who was in the center of the hall, heard it loud and clear!

He was used to throwing his weight around in Taoyuan County. How many years had it been since anyone dared to speak with sarcasm in his ears.

Now these old fogeys were making snide remarks. Fang Zheng’s temper also flared up.

So he stood up and said to Zhang Dongxiang, “May I ask who this sir is..?”

Zhang Dongxiang flicked his sleeve and said arrogantly, “I am Zhang Dongxiang! Grand Scholar of the Eastern Court.”

“Then may I ask, Lord Zhang, has this lowly official ever offended Lord Zhang?”

“No!”

“Then why does Lord Zhang want His Majesty to remove this lowly official’s position? This lowly official is meeting the Emperor for the first time. Before even taking office, you want to dismiss me. What’s the reason for that?”

“This lowly official lost propriety before the Emperor. The crime doesn’t warrant this, right?”

Zhang Dongxiang said coldly, “Indeed the crime doesn’t warrant this. But one should know their place. From the moment you entered the hall, you’ve been using fancy words and fawning. With your character, you still dare to dream of teaching the prince? Simply the greatest absurdity under the Heavens!”

Fang Zheng smiled, “Lord Zhang, watch your words. From the moment this lowly official entered the hall, I’ve been talking to His Majesty!”

“Who did this lowly official use fancy words on, and who did I fawn over!?”

“In Lord Zhang’s eyes, are His Majesty’s accomplishments today not worthy of his subjects’ praise? Is His Majesty’s brilliance not worthy of his subjects’ exaltation?!”

“This lowly official, due to the Jianjiang flood matter, received the Emperor’s grace. But this lowly official knows in his heart, if not for His Majesty and the Crown Prince, this lowly official would still just be a minor seventh-rank county magistrate in an obscure corner!”

“If we talk about the merit of flood control, His Majesty and the Crown Prince are the ones who truly deserve credit!”

“But His Majesty and the Crown Prince don’t dare to take credit. Instead, they gave all the honor to this lowly official! Shouldn’t this lowly official be grateful and indebted?!”

“This lowly official also thought, His Majesty and the Crown Prince, despite being in the highest halls, don’t forget to worry about the people, personally going out to painstakingly seek flood control methods. But what about the esteemed lords in the hall! Is there anyone willing to personally take action?!”

“Lord Zhang! If you want to dismiss this lowly official, you can! But you absolutely cannot deny His Majesty and the Crown Prince’s achievements. Otherwise, I, Fang Zheng, will be the first to disagree!”

The Emperor’s face reddened, even feeling so awkward he had trouble sitting still.

He thought, this fellow really is relentless… He can make black seem white…

The Prince’s face also reddened, with excitement. At this moment, his sense of agreement with Fang Zheng had reached its peak.

Not bad! This Prince is precisely this kind of person. It seems the court officials are all muddleheaded and incompetent. Only Fang Zheng can see the excellent qualities in this Prince!