Young Master Gao? Call me Little Grand Secretary!

At this moment, Gao Zhao truly wondered if Emperor Huizong of Song, this foolish ruler, really had a system that could eavesdrop on other people's thoughts.

Otherwise, with all the treacherous officials and sycophants gathered here, why would he specifically call upon a lowly gatekeeper like himself to give a reply?

Especially myself, who was recently fined by him.

Upon hearing this, all the civil and military officials in the hall turned their heads in unison, their gazes falling on Gao Zhao, who was standing in the corner.

This made Gao Zhao feel even more uneasy, his scalp tingling!

Facing the gazes of everyone present, he could only slowly step forward, sighing inwardly. He felt utterly out of place among such a group of treacherous officials, a man of such integrity as himself.

The noisy banquet in the hall fell silent instantly.

The courtiers, who had just been making a ruckus and vying to echo Cai You's sentiments at the banquet, suddenly fell silent.

All the officials remained silent, standing by and watching with cold, amused eyes as they observed how this lowly official would handle this dilemma.

Some of Gao Zhao's close advisors, such as Wang Fu, watched him with great interest.

They were all impressed by Gao Zhao's performance at the last Mid-Autumn Festival banquet. They all knew that this kid was a cunning fellow, and they wondered what tricks he would pull this time.

Gao Qiu hesitated for a moment, then looked at Gao Zhao with concern.

Standing among the ranks of the Gatekeepers, Wei Xun's hand, hidden beneath his sleeve, clenched secretly, a hint of schadenfreude flashing in his eyes.

That's not a good question!

If one were to learn from the loyal ministers' advice and inadvertently offend the emperor, the consequences would be dire!

Even if the officials don't punish you on the spot, it will still affect your career!

But if you were to say flattering words, well, to be honest, there are requirements to becoming a sycophantic minister!

Look how well Cai You spoke just now, quoting classics and speaking in a grand and dignified manner. Yet, even so, the Emperor was not entirely satisfied, which shows how high his standards are.

If one's words are unsatisfactory or the flattery misses the mark, leaving only shallow and vulgar praise, it will only annoy the officials and earn one a vulgar and unappealing evaluation.

Even if the praise is good, people will still regard you as a sycophantic villain and despise you!

Haha, being singled out by the authorities this time seems like a great opportunity to show off, but in reality, it's a dilemma!

Glancing again at Gao Zhao's flustered expression, Wei Xun became even more certain of his thoughts.

Gao Zhao was indeed very flustered and nervous. He didn't think as much as Wei Xun. He only knew that he was a loyal minister and couldn't say those flattering words to please the emperor. He really couldn't do it!

While he was pondering, he arrived at the front of the hall and bowed in respect.

The surroundings were completely silent, except for the occasional crackling of the charcoal fire in the bronze incense burner in the hall.

Eyes were fixed on him. Some were waiting to see him speak frankly and be punished, some were waiting to see him flatter and fawn, and some were simply there to watch the show and wait for the ending.

On his throne, Emperor Huizong leaned slightly forward, his gaze fixed on Gao Zhao. Without urging or pressuring him, he smiled gently and said, "Don't be nervous. Just speak your mind freely. I won't blame you!"

Gao Zhao completely disregarded those words, not believing them at all. "You put it nicely, but if I said something unpleasant, you'd probably get angry again!"

"I believe the Hall of Preserving Harmony is exceptionally well-built! Its significance cannot be measured in monetary terms!"

Gao Zhao spoke directly, defining the nature of the matter before discussing anything else; this was crucial.

The Hall of Preserving Harmony was not just a palace where the emperor lived; more importantly, the person in charge of building this palace was Cai Jing!

This is also why Cai You was the first to flatter; if he didn't take the lead in praising the palace his father built, who would?

It is precisely for this reason that no matter how much he praises someone, no one will say he is flattering or fawning. On the contrary, if he doesn't do it, people will scold him for being unfilial!

"Oh? It shouldn't be measured in money, what do you mean?" Zhao Ji was intrigued by this and nodded slightly to signal him to continue.

Gao Zhao's mind was racing. As he pondered, he replied, "Your Majesty, I am but a humble subject with shallow knowledge. I dare not presume to discuss grand principles of governance. I only dare to speak the truth based on what I have seen and what I have thought."

"Your Majesty possesses wealth throughout the land, and the imperial treasury holds countless riches. It is time to spend money; not only should this Hall of Preserving Harmony be built, but I believe we should continue large-scale construction and build numerous palaces as well!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire hall was shocked, and the assembled officials were in an uproar.

Everyone was instantly stunned!

Even with the most effusive praise, Cai You only dared to say that the Hall of Preserving Harmony was a magnificent and awe-inspiring sight, and that it did not harm the emperor's virtue.

No one expected that this lowly palace gatekeeper would utter such outrageous words, urging the emperor to continue his massive construction projects and build more palaces!

This is pushing extravagance to its extreme!

This is all for the sake of currying favor with the emperor; they've even lost all sense of shame!

What a treacherous villain!

By saying this openly, aren't you cutting yourself off from the court?

Wang Fu raised an eyebrow, all the amusement he had shown earlier vanished, and he stared intently at Gao Zhao in the hall.

He had always thought this boy was clever and knew how to weigh the pros and cons. But his words today were unlike his usual behavior. Could it be that he had really been blinded by fame and fortune and wanted to become a sycophant?

Among the ranks of the gatekeepers, Wei Xun was overjoyed and could hardly contain himself. His fists clenched tightly under his sleeves, his knuckles turning white.

Become!

This idiot is just walking right into a knife!

The charge of "leading the ruler into extravagance" would be enough to dismiss even a low-ranking official, let alone a mere palace attendant, or even someone of a higher rank.

The humiliation of having his hair pulled that day could finally be avenged! He suppressed the upward curve of his lips, stood with his head bowed in the ranks, and waited for the official to punish him.

A buzz of discussion arose inside the hall. Many officials whispered among themselves, their eyes filled with disdain, regret, and schadenfreude.

On his throne, Zhao Ji was also slightly taken aback.

He had expected Gao Zhao to say something extremely flattering, but he never expected the other party to say something like this.

He leaned back on the dragon throne, his gaze falling on Gao Zhao, who stood bowing, his tone carrying a hint of inquiry:

"Oh? All of you gentlemen have advised me to be frugal and thrifty, but you alone are advising me to embark on large-scale construction projects? Such treasonous words have surprised me. Explain your reasoning in detail."

As soon as he finished speaking, the room fell silent again. Everyone turned to look at Gao Zhao, their expressions varied, waiting for his answer.

"Your Majesty, I urge you to undertake large-scale construction projects; the purpose is to spend money!"

After Gao Zhaofang finished speaking, he was no longer so nervous. He calmed down and continued to talk eloquently:

"The government's money is stagnant when it's kept in the inner treasury; it only becomes active money when it's spent."

"Building a palace requires money to purchase various materials, and hiring craftsmen also costs money. Once this money is spent, it ends up in the hands of merchants and craftsmen!"

"With money, they will continue to spend it, purchasing all sorts of goods, which will revitalize the Song Dynasty's economy, making it even more prosperous!"

"When the Song Dynasty prospers, the imperial court can collect more taxes, which can then be used to benefit the people. This cycle continues endlessly, ensuring the Song Dynasty's long-term stability and prosperity!"

"Therefore, I believe that the mere Hall of Preserving Harmony is not only not extravagant, but rather extremely frugal!"

The entire Hall of Preserving Harmony fell into a deathly silence for a moment.

Zhao Ji: "..."

The courtiers: "..."