Of course, these were all unwritten rules; on the surface, everything was still cordial.
It was understandable that Matthew felt a bit insecure.
Fang Zhen saw this and made a decision.
'Matthew is a good man,' he thought. 'He's intelligent, and rarer still, he's upright and kind. You can tell from his daily conduct and conversation that it isn't an act—he's genuinely good-hearted.'
It was just that Matthew had likely spent too long in the church. He had little experience with conflict and didn't quite grasp the cruel nature of competition. Furthermore, as the illegitimate son of a noble, he had probably harbored a bit of an inferiority complex from a young age and lacked confidence.
Still, he was a good man—upright and kind—and that was enough.
Fang Zhen decided to give Matthew a leg up when the opportunity arose.
At the very least, he would ensure Matthew had a firm foothold in the territories under his control.
