Chapter 43: Erlang Again Became Wind-Flowing

  Fang Yi Ai rode his horse back to Chang'an City, the southern street was still bustling with vendors' calls mixed with the crowd's laughter and scolding, what a lively scene.

  Fang Yu Ai led the horse along Nan Dajie, walking slowly. The sweltering Chang'an City in midsummer was hot, but the heat couldn't hide its prosperity. In the prosperous era of Zhenguan, one could see from the Hu people and horses on the streets that commerce is always a source of wealth for a country.

  Fang Yiai is now a truant student, but he doesn't have the guts to go home for dinner. As soon as he gets home, he'll be found out! Fang Yiai patted his flat belly and found an inn where he handed over his horse to the waiter. Sitting at the table, Fang Yiai comfortably ordered a small dish and a pine nut soup for himself, plus a pot of wine. Life is really wonderful!

  "Ah Niu, have you heard? Second Master Fang has made a move on Zheng's daughter again!"

  "Ah Kuan, is he the second son of the Fang family?"

  "That's right!"

  "Haha, I thought Fang Erlang had changed for the better, but it turns out he's still flirting with Zheng's daughter!"

  Ah Kuan whispered mysteriously on the table: "Ah Niu, you don't know, this time Zheng Liqian was miserable, I heard that she was even touched by Fang Er Lang!"

  "What? Ah Kuan, where did you touch?" Ah Niu muttered in surprise.

  Ah Niu looked around cautiously, making sure no one was paying attention. Then, with both hands on his chest, he muttered to himself: "See? It's right here!"

  "Good guy!" Ah Kuan's face was full of envy, he swallowed his saliva, now Fang Er Lang is enjoying himself, why doesn't he have the guts like Fang Er Lang?

  Ah Niu and Ah Kuan were whispering to each other, but they didn't realize that their words had already been overheard. Fang Yi Ai was tightly gripping his wine cup, his heart already churning with shock and anger. Who was this scoundrel spreading rumors? Didn't they want him to die? Fang Yi Ai had already anticipated the old man's dark face. How dare he flirt with Zheng Li Juan? This was truly a case of "dog guts wrapped in heaven". But the problem was, he hadn't done anything at all.

  "Was it Zheng Liwan who made up the rumor herself? No, no, that's absolutely impossible. How could a woman make fun of her own reputation? But if it wasn't Zheng Liwan, then who was it?" Fang Yiai thought hard but couldn't figure out what was going on. At the time, only Zheng Liwan and her little maid were present, and they didn't notice anyone else. Could it be that the other party really knew nothing and just made something up, coincidentally?

  "Haitang sister, have you heard? Zheng's daughter was harassed by someone!" Hua Mei excitedly told the gossip she had heard to the three beauties in the room.

  "Painting eyebrows, you said that Second Master Fang has teased Zheng's daughter again?" Qinsu shook her head in disbelief. This Zheng Liwan is not a child, how could she be so easily teased? Besides, who would dare to tease her now?

  "Qin Yu, don't be skeptical, someone saw it with their own eyes! It's said that Fang Er Lang even used both hands to touch!" Hua Mei was a bit disappointed when she saw Qin Yu didn't believe her.

  "Hmm!" Just as Hua Mei was about to say something else, she heard a humming noise.

  "Miss, you're back?" The four beauties quickly stood up and put away their smiles.

  "Hum, Hua Mei, you're talking nonsense again?" Lier said discontentedly from her seat.

  "I also heard it from others!" Huamei pouted.

  "That's it, don't listen to others' nonsense from now on. Second Master Fang wouldn't do such a thing, he's not the same person he was two years ago!"

  Lier leaned on the table with a thoughtful smile, Second Master would never do such a thing, his respect for women was not something that could be pretended.

  She raised an eyebrow, pouted her mouth and touched her own little brain, was this lady going crazy, why did she have so much confidence in Fang Er Lang?

  "Alright, Huamei, stop daydreaming and hurry up to bring the iced sour plum soup!" Haitang pushed Huamei, who was still in a daze. This girl is like this, not young anymore, but still loves excitement, and does things topsy-turvy. If Miss wasn't so kind, who knows how many times she would have been punished?

  Fang Yiai reluctantly walked to Zhuque Street after finishing dinner, and with this rumor, he couldn't hide his truancy anymore. Sure enough, as soon as he returned home, Fang Yiai was met with a storm.

  Fang Yuai stood in the study, enduring Old Master Fang's verbal abuse. Fang Xuanling, fed up with his son's behavior, kicked Fang Yuai's calf and demanded, "Tell me, is the rumor true? Did you really flirt with Zheng's daughter?"

  "Father, what's going on? Why are you hitting Second Brother?" Fang Yi Zhi saw that Old Master was resorting to violence again and quickly stood up to pull Fang Yi Ai away.

  "Jie'er, it's not that I'm being unreasonable as a father, and you're well aware of the situation with Zheng's daughter. If this scoundrel really did harass Zheng's daughter, how can we let him off?" Fang Xuanling pointed at Fang Yiai in anger, his hand shaking.

  "Father, do you think I'm that kind of person?" Fang Yiai was really afraid that Old Master would get angry and have a relapse, so she quickly told him everything that had happened today. "Father, now that you know the whole story, do you still think I flirted with Zheng's daughter?"

  "Hmph, as the saying goes, 'an empty hole doesn't invite wind', if you hadn't seen Zheng's daughter, how would these rumors have arisen?" Fang Xuanling also knew he had wrongly blamed Fang Yiai at this time, but still didn't give in and said: "Right, you said His Majesty told you to think of ways to make money?"

  "Yes, father, how dare I deceive you? I'm worried about this matter, and because of it, I didn't even go to school today." Fang Yilai cast a glance at his old man with downcast eyes, and finally managed to calm him down. Next, he would have to rely on his old man's wisdom.

  "Ah, it seems Your Majesty has also been thoughtful!" House Xuanling sighed and sat down in his chair.

  Fang Yi did not understand and asked: "Father, what does this mean?"

  "Jie Er, you don't know, our great Tang Dynasty looks strong and prosperous, but in fact, there are many problems. Take the national treasury for example, since the Yellow River flood and the drought in Luozhou, it has been emptying out. Now we can't even gather 500,000 taels of white silver." said Fang Xuanling, rubbing his forehead with a worried expression.

  "Father, has it come to this?!" Fang Yizhi never thought that the great Tang Dynasty's treasury would be so miserable, the great Tang Dynasty's treasury couldn't even gather 500,000 taels of silver, what a joke!

  "Heh heh, otherwise Your Majesty wouldn't have resorted to such a lowly trick, would you?"

  "But, Father, why did Your Majesty choose Second Brother?"

  "This is certainly for a reason, first of all, Jun Er's mind is quick-witted, and secondly, Jun Er is young in age. Even if the imperial censor were to impeach him, there would be no need to fear. At that time, as long as Your Majesty says something like 'youthful recklessness', it can be easily dealt with." After House Xuanling finished speaking, House Yiai nodded his head in admiration, this old man is indeed the prime minister, and he has actually guessed Li Shimin's thoughts thoroughly.

  Fang Xuanling thought for a moment and added: "Jun Er, although His Majesty is supporting you from behind, you should still be careful. Having this stain will be very unfavorable to your future career, and making too much money can also easily make people jealous."

  "Yes, Father, I know what to do now, but as for Zheng Liwan's matter, please enlighten me!"

  "You can handle this matter yourself!" After saying that, Fang Xuanling stretched his sore arm and slowly walked out of the study.

  Fang Yi stood up straight and patted Fang Yi Ai's shoulder, teasingly saying: "Second brother, actually if you can really win over Zheng Jia's daughter, it wouldn't be a bad choice, but she seems to be a bit old, haha!"

  "Big brother......, you're not a good person either!"

  The two brothers looked at each other and burst out laughing loudly in the study room.