Fang Yun had been governor-general for only a few days. First he had composed a poem at Yueyang Tower, then chosen the Legal Office, Criminal Office, and Censorate as pilot sites, and afterward resolved the matter of the Paper-making Workshop. Whatever he did, it all pointed toward one word: stability.
Without stability in Xiang Prefecture, nothing could be accomplished.
The reason Fang Yun traveled incognito was to find the factors destabilizing Xiang Prefecture and resolve them, proceeding gradually. Once his position there was firmly established, he would pull out the great nails embedded in it, such as the Qing River Trading Company and the Qing Officials, one by one.
Thus, Fang Yun did not want to move against Ge Yiming yet. One could even say that dealing with Ge Yiming first was a county magistrate's job; uprooting the Qing River Trading Company from Xiang Prefecture was the governor-general's job.
But Fang Yun had never expected that, even though he had not gone looking for trouble with the Qing River Trading Company, its petty lackeys would come looking for trouble with him.
Seeing Fang Yun remain so composed, Qiu Academy Student grew even more furious. "A mere Licentiate, yet you dare spout such wild boasts! Today, I'll show you that this Xiang Prefecture belongs to our Qing River Trading Company! Get him! Cripple him, then make him dip his finger in his own blood and write a poem!"
Having said this, Qiu Academy Student charged toward Fang Yun with everyone else, fists swinging.
At the same time, Zhang Zongshi and his two friends appeared at the rear of the alley. His friends looked frightened, but Zhang Zongshi shouted, "Stop! In broad daylight, beneath a clear and open sky, you dare beat a Licentiate!" He rushed over to help Fang Yun.
Unfortunately,