High Rank and Handsome Salary 02

What was even more outrageous was that his eldest brother, Fang Yan, seeing him become the prefect, also had his own designs. He asked Fang Zhiyi to help him get into the Qingzhou garrison. Thinking it was no big deal, Fang Zhiyi agreed.

Fang Yan had no real ability whatsoever, but relying on his status as the prefect's eldest brother, he quickly became a commandant. He ran amok in the army, embezzling military pay, beating and scolding soldiers, and even indulging his subordinates in robbing the homes of commoners. The people dared to be angry but dared not speak out.

As Fang Zhiyi's official rank grew higher, the friends around him also multiplied.

Subordinate officials of all levels and the prominent families and wealthy gentry of the city constantly swarmed around him, flattering him until his head spun. However, Fang Zhiyi still remembered that he was supposed to be a good official, so he closed his doors and refused visitors. He was completely unaware that these people simply turned around and curried favor with his family instead. Over time, a bizarre phenomenon emerged: although Fang Zhiyi was the prefect, anyone with a discerning eye knew that the one who actually called the shots in Qingzhou was his father. He was nothing but a figurehead.

In the twenty-seventh year of Jinghe, a severe drought struck the northwest. The crops in the fields yielded nothing, and countless commoners were displaced, fleeing to Qingzhou in search of a bite to eat. However, the prominent families and merchants of Qingzhou colluded with local officials to drive grain prices up to astronomical levels. A single bowl of porridge cost a tael of silver. To survive, many commoners were forced into the tragic extremity of exchanging their children for food.

When Fang Zhiyi heard about the drought, he wanted to open the granaries to provide disaster relief. Upon hearing this, Fang Hongyuan praised him highly and told him to focus on his administrative duties with peace of mind, offering to arrange people to handle the relief work himself. Fang Zhiyi was deeply moved, thinking his father was so considerate of him. He did not see that the grain from the official granaries was being carted away to the Fang family's own storehouses, while the refugees were fed only stale rice mixed with sand and chaff. The water in the porridge pots was so clear that one could see their reflection in it.

Later, when some commoners truly could no longer survive and wanted to band together to flee south, Fang Yan feared they would speak recklessly on the road and leak what was happening in Qingzhou. Shockingly, he led troops to intercept them.

On the official road outside Qingzhou City, Fang Yan ordered his men to loose their arrows. Countless unarmed refugees fell in pools of blood, their cries and screams echoing to the heavens. Someone reported this to Fang Zhiyi, who was horrified and hurriedly went to question his eldest brother. Yet, Fang Yan lied, claiming that the refugees gathered to cause a riot, and I had no choice but to act. Incredibly, Fang Zhiyi believed him and even praised Fang Yan for his boldness.

In the winter of the twenty-eighth year of Jinghe, the old emperor passed away, and the new emperor, Xiao Jing, ascended the throne.

Unlike the lenient old emperor, the new emperor had long heard of the chaos in Qingzhou. He was also aware of Fang Zhiyi's massive influence and the numerous connections tied to him behind the scenes. Upon taking the throne, he secretly began deploying his forces, intending to eradicate this faction in one fell swoop.

But Fang Zhiyi noticed absolutely nothing. He continued to read and write every day, occasionally going out for spring outings to compose poetry. As for administrative affairs, his father had specially arranged people to handle them for him. This carefree, immortal-like life was simply too comfortable.

It was Fang Hongyuan, that old fox, who gradually grew panicked as he observed the new emperor's swift and decisive methods. He secretly gathered Madam Liu and his two sons to discuss leaving themselves a way out.

The day before the new emperor made his move, Fang Hongyuan suddenly took Fang Yan and Fang Heng to the capital to seek an audience with the emperor. He presented a stack of evidence detailing everything Fang Zhiyi had done over the years, along with the ledgers of the Fang family's illicit gains obtained through Fang Zhiyi. However, all parts involving Fang Hongyuan, Fang Yan, and Fang Heng had been tampered with, leaving only Fang Zhiyi's name. Some heinous incidents had also been downplayed into insignificant trifles.

Kneeling on the ground, Fang Hongyuan said tearfully, Your Majesty, this humble commoner has failed in raising his son, allowing that rebellious child Zhiyi to commit such acts of perverting the law for bribes and brutalizing the people. He has gone further and further astray, and this humble commoner truly can no longer bear to watch. Today, I have come specially to expose him. I am willing to place righteousness above family loyalty to uphold the laws of the state!

The new emperor looked at Fang Hongyuan with profound meaning and ultimately pardoned their crimes.

Meanwhile, the prominent families, wealthy gentry, and local officials in Qingzhou also received word from Fang Hongyuan. These people were already cowardly and afraid of death. Seeing that even Fang Hongyuan had turned his coat, they immediately submitted memorials one after another, accusing Fang Zhiyi of taking bribes, abusing his power, and brutalizing the people, with irrefutable evidence for every single charge.

Fang Zhiyi was still waiting in the prefectural office for his father and brothers to return, never expecting that what awaited him would be the imperial guards from the palace. When the cold iron chains were slipped around his neck, he still looked utterly bewildered: You must have made a mistake, right? I am Fang Zhiyi, the Prefect of Qingzhou. I haven't done anything wrong!

It wasn't until he was in the imperial court, seeing Fang Hongyuan, Fang Yan, and Fang Heng standing beside the new emperor, looking at him with eyes full of disdain and relief, and hearing the courtiers pointing at him one by one, cursing him as a corrupt official and a treacherous minister, that he faintly realized something was wrong.

But he still couldn't understand. He hadn't done anything at all, so how did he become a corrupt official? Wasn't this pure nonsense?

Because almost everyone's testimonies mentioned Fang Zhiyi, he was unable to defend himself against the multitude of accusations. In truth, he couldn't articulate anything anyway, having been so muddleheaded all along.

In the end, the new emperor sentenced Fang Zhiyi to immediate execution.

On the execution ground, the cold wind howled. Fang Zhiyi looked at his father and brothers below the platform. There was not a trace of sorrow on their faces, only the relief of having a heavy burden lifted. The familiar look reappeared in his two brothers' eyes, a look of contempt and disdain.

Reading up to this point, Fang Zhiyi suddenly asked, What happened next?

Little Hei replied, I knew you would ask. This new emperor is not stupid; he's a good emperor, and he's also the male lead. After he killed you, he gradually began to dismantle the colluding factions in Qingzhou. After wringing out all the money those guys had embezzled, he rooted out the parasites in the court and sent them all into exile in the army. Unfortunately, your father had already died by then, so only your two brothers suffered a bit.

So it's just a story about an absolute fool and a bunch of villains.

Little Hei nodded. This kind of thing should be easy for you, right? Do you have any plans to kick the male lead off the throne and become the emperor yourself for the thrill of it?

Am I crazy? Asking for trouble like that. Fang Zhiyi stretched lazily. That fight with the puppet in the last world nearly killed me from exhaustion. Do you know what that kind of almost tangible pressure feels like? It was more tiring than when I was running around doing odd jobs before. Being the emperor... whoever wants to be it can be it. I just want to rest for a while.

After saying that, he lay back down.

But just as he lay down, a voice came from outside: Lord Prefect, the master has sent this humble servant to invite you to dine.

Eat? Sure. Fang Zhiyi immediately sat up. Only an idiot would turn down a meal!

Sitting at the dining table, Fang Zhiyi saw Fang Hongyuan, Fang Yan, and Fang Heng. When they saw him arrive, their faces were wreathed in smiles. With just one glance, Fang Zhiyi understood that these three were full of schemes.

Only a muddleheaded fool like the original owner would have failed to notice.

If he had arrived a bit earlier, he would have definitely taught them a harsh lesson.

Yi'er, hurry up and sit down to eat, Fang Hongyuan said with a smile. He had just reached an agreement with the prominent families in the city and was currently filled with joy.