Zhang Fang woke up, relieving everyone around him.
The Third Prince immediately rushed to the Eastern Palace, wanting Zhang Fang to stand up for him and clear the insults aimed at him. However, the Crown Prince blocked his way outside the Eastern Palace, not allowing him to approach Zhang Fang.
Zhang Fang, just awakening, was very weak and inattentively listened to the Crown Prince cursing the Third Prince.
This time, Zhang Fang was prepared. He had previously taken an exotic drug that, when combined with alcohol, could knock someone out for several days, and the doctors within the realm could not identify it at all. Knowing that the Third Prince was going to act against him in the Eastern Palace, Zhang Fang preemptively self-administered the drug, using the situation to pin down the Third Prince severely.
After this incident, the Third Prince’s reputation was utterly ruined. Losing the people’s support and prestige, he found himself further from the throne. After putting in so much effort, it was all for nothing, and the Third Prince would undoubtedly be unable to accept it. Zhang Fang was forcing his hand, compelling the Third Prince to rebel and accelerating the pace of this power struggle.
Upon hearing the news of Zhang Fang’s awakening, the Second Prince eagerly came to the palace to visit him. With many suppressed feelings, he looked at Zhang Fang, and although he did not speak, tears streamed down his face.
On the second day after Zhang Fang woke up, despite the Crown Prince’s attempts to retain him, Zhang Fang insisted on leaving the palace.
Seeing how weak Zhang Fang was, Shopkeeper Wang and Yuan Chuan set aside all their duties and stayed by his side to care for him.
Zhang Fang made some revisions to a manuscript he had prepared beforehand and handed it to Yuan Chuan.
“Zhang talented scholar, your health has not yet recovered; how can you be writing a manuscript?” Yuan Chuan was taken aback by Zhang Fang’s dedication, feeling as if the manuscript in his hands bore a thousand pounds.
“I have been in the capital for quite some time, and it’s time I produced new content.” The manuscript was something Zhang Fang had written earlier, but he modified part of it.
Studying the manuscript seriously, Yuan Chuan was shocked and pointed to the content, saying with a complex expression, “Young Master Zhang, wouldn’t the story about the Wang family be inappropriate to publish?”
In this section of the plot, Zhang Fang specifically wrote about the intrigue within the Wang family. It detailed how the two young masters of the Wang family fought openly and covertly for their inheritance, even resorting to harming others and framing each other.
Any sensible person could easily associate this with the royal struggles!
Zhang Fang reflected reality and had no intention of changing it; he aimed to ruin the Third Prince’s reputation and draw public attention to this royal infighting.
Shopkeeper Wang snatched the manuscript to read it. After finishing, he had a complicated expression and wanted to persuade Zhang Fang to revise that part, but Zhang Fang refused to change it.
The two of them were at a loss with Zhang Fang. Yuan Chuan pondered for three days but ultimately chose to proceed with printing this manuscript.
Since Zhang Fang’s books were pre-ordered, the new release quickly reached his fans far and wide.
The Third Prince learned that Zhang Fang had written about him in the new chapter and sent someone to buy a copy, only to be enraged and tear the book to shreds after reading it.
“This bastard deserves to die!” The Third Prince never expected Zhang Fang to be so daring as to write about royal matters! He immediately sent people to seal all the bookstores under the Changsheng Commerce.
The Third Prince’s actions further confirmed the fact that he attempted to harm Zhang Fang in his bid for the throne against the Crown Prince!
Many people reported this to the authorities and even gathered outside the royal city to demand that the emperor restrain the Third Prince from abusing his power and seeking revenge by sealing the bookstores, burning the books written by Zhang Fang!
“Fools!” the emperor shouted angrily, ordering the seals on the bookstores to be lifted first. He summoned the Third Prince into the palace and gave him a severe reprimand, punishing him to reflect in isolation for a month.
The Third Prince hated Zhang Fang to the core. His advisors suggested that no matter how much he loathed Zhang Fang, he had to find a way to win him over. Only by doing so could the Third Prince salvage his reputation.
The Third Prince sent people to visit Zhang Fang numerous times, bringing lavish gifts, even rare treasures, but Zhang Fang looked down on these! He even ridiculed the Third Prince’s actions in the next chapter!
“Zhang Fang! I will surely kill you!” The Third Prince’s murderous intent against Zhang Fang grew stronger with each provocation.
After Xu Chang was investigated thoroughly, the position of the governor of Jiangzhou became vacant, allowing Lin Zheng to sneak in and temporarily take the position.
Once Zhang Fang regained his health, he prepared to return to Jiangzhou to take part in the Imperial Examination. He needed to participate in both the provincial and the palace examinations.
Upon seeing Zhang Fang at the exam site, all the other candidates paid their respects and honored him as ‘Master Zhang.’
Only those who admired him to a certain extent would call another ‘Master.’ While previously Zhang Fang gained fame from writing a good story, some scholars still looked down on him. However, after Zhang Fang made a sensational report in front of the emperor, advocating for fair examination opportunities for scholars from Jiangzhou, no scholar from Jiangzhou could deny Zhang Fang’s bravery and integrity. They even erected a stone statue of Zhang Fang in front of the Imperial Academy in the state capital.
After consecutive examinations lasting ten days, Zhang Fang appeared weak as he exited the academy, and after taking just a few steps, he collapsed.
Though Lin Zheng, as the temporary governor of Jiangzhou, wished to express concern for Zhang Fang, the current atmosphere was tense, and he dared not approach him openly. He could only send someone to inform Zhang Fang’s family to come and take care of him.
Old Master Zhang, accompanied by his three sons, traveled far for the first time to the state capital. Initially anxious, upon seeing Zhang Fang in such a weak state, all their worries vanished.
Before Old Master Zhang could say anything, Zhang Dalang and the others began to take care of Zhang Fang willingly.
Old Master Zhang stood vigil by the bed, looking at Zhang Fang’s emaciated face, feeling a wave of heartache. With tears in his eyes, he choked out, “Fourth Young Master, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have relied on you to pass the examinations.”
Passing the examinations was not an easy feat. Yet, he had previously clung to the delusion that Fourth Young Master Zhang would succeed in attaining honors and support the Zhang family towards a better life!
Recently, Old Madam Zhang often whispered in Old Master Zhang’s ear that it would have been better not to send Fourth Young Master Zhang to school and let him be a farmer, where life would be stable, without complications or disasters.
Now, Zhang Fang had reached this point, feeling completely out of control. Even the Zhang family did not know what the future would hold.
That night, Zhang Fang woke up to see a shadow by the bedside. The room was dark, and he couldn’t make out the person’s features. In a hoarse and weak voice, he asked, “Who is taking care of me?”