Young Master Gao? Call me Little Grand Secretary!

"Trying to outsmart me? You're still too green!"

"Did you think I sent you here to play the 'filial piety' card?"

"You bastard! You've become utterly lawless! Look at what you've been doing lately, assaulting and verbally abusing your superiors, do you think you're invincible...?"

Gao Qiu was furious when he thought about how he had almost been fooled by this kid. He summoned the man and gave him a thorough dressing-down!

Gao Zhao stood below the hall, head bowed and silent, his face sorrowful. He let Gao Zhao scold him, but in his heart he sighed. Life is like a dream, a bubble, a dew, or a flash of lightning, fleeting in an instant. Why take it so seriously?

Little did they know that the true meaning of life lies in knowing when to play dumb!

Gao Qiu clearly didn't understand this principle. He could have simply waited a few more breaths and walked out the door. They would have met again in the future and been as close as father and son, enjoying each other's company. Wouldn't that have been wonderful?

But he insisted on stopping me and even started cursing at me. Wouldn't that ruin our relationship?

Besides, what you said last time was so good. You knew that the path of a treacherous official was not suitable for an upright gentleman like me. I thought you had reformed!

Alas! I never expected... such a crude and uncouth brute!

What good will it do you to scold me?

It's not like it's the first time I've been scolded, as if I can change!

It serves no purpose other than to demonstrate your crudeness!

"Speak! Why aren't you saying anything now!" Gao Qiu became even angrier at his submissive appearance and roared, "Weren't you quite the talker back in the Hall of Preserving Harmony? You were so eloquent, daring to insult anyone and say anything!"

Gao Zhao raised her head and said weakly, "I dare not speak, for fear of saying the wrong thing and making you angry!"

"You're afraid of making me angry?" Gao Qiu was so angry he laughed. He pointed at him and said, "Now everyone knows that you, Marquis Gao, are the most powerful. You'll start a fight at the slightest disagreement. And you're still afraid!"

"That's different!" Gao Zhao feigned fear and trepidation, his eyes lowered, his tone tinged with grievance as he cautiously said, "I know who treats me well! People like Zhao Dunwen and Wei Xun bully me, of course I can't tolerate it; at most, we'll both perish!"

"You still dare to argue! And what about today!" Gao Qiu roared, "Do you think I didn't see that look in your eyes? If it weren't for the Imperial Censor's timely intervention, what were you planning to do? Were you going to beat up Chao Bingzhi too?!"

"He bullied me first!"

Gao Zhao, feeling greatly displeased by his repeated scolding, retorted defiantly, "How can you blame me for tonight's events? I didn't offend anyone, yet I'm being made to work overtime!"

"Even if it's overtime, I have no complaints. I was just standing there, perfectly fine, when I was called up to answer a question! Sir, I don't believe you don't know how dangerous that question was. It's one thing if you're too afraid to answer, but I took the risk and answered it, and then Chao Bingzhi suddenly started to sabotage me!"

"What do you think that old scoundrel is up to?"

Gao Zhao grew angrier and more aggrieved as he spoke, staring directly at Gao Qiu. Before he could answer, he continued indignantly:

"That old scoundrel is afraid of offending the officials, so he doesn't dare to speak frankly and offer advice. After I spoke up, he tried to show his integrity by putting me down!"

Gao Qiu remained silent. He could naturally see through Chao Bingzhi's thoughts. This was a small trick used by upright officials to offer sarcastic advice. However, they did not expect that Gao Zhao was so perceptive that he could see through it at a glance!

This surprised him a bit. This kid usually seemed silly, and all he thought about was playing around with women. He didn't expect him to react so quickly on this kind of issue!

"If that old scoundrel had directly confronted the officials, I might have respected him as a man! But trying to pull this stunt on me? Bah!"

Gao Zhao, exuding an aura of dominance, angrily rebuked, "Cai You also said flattering things, and so many people followed suit, praising him. Why didn't he dare to confront them? In the end, he's just a bully who picks on the weak and fears the strong!"

"Sir, think about it! Is he bullying me? He's even trampling on your dignity!"

As Gao Zhaoyue spoke, his thoughts became increasingly expansive. Suddenly, he slammed his hand on the table, expressing his deep sorrow and indignation:

"If he had only insulted me in that situation, I might have tolerated it. But he humiliated the entire Gao family. If I let this go today, who will respect the Gao family in the future?"

His words were passionate and impassioned. Gao Zhao's eyes were wide open, and his chest heaved, as if he had suffered a great injustice.

The study fell silent for a moment, with only the soft crackling of the candlelight.

Gao Qiu stood there with his hands behind his back, his brows furrowed, secretly weighing the situation in his mind. He hadn't really thought about this angle carefully.

This statement may seem like sophistry, but it is not entirely without merit!

He paced back and forth a couple of steps, then turned to look at Gao Zhao, his voice softening as he spoke earnestly:

"While Chao Bingzhi is indeed cunning and opportunistic, he is still the Vice Minister of the Imperial Household Department, and his status is undeniable. Your reckless actions are ultimately inappropriate. If you were to raise your fist in front of everyone, what would others think of you in the future? Would you still have a career ahead of you?"

"I cannot agree with what you say, sir!" Gao Zhao looked up and stared straight at him, saying solemnly, "In this situation, this is exactly what I should do! If I had used any other tactful means to evade the issue today, next time, someone would surely continue to bully me, perhaps even more aggressively, using the suppression of me to test your bottom line!"

"If I were to take action today, my career would indeed face difficulties, as you have said. But I will not only beat him, I will also expose his treacherous schemes and ruin his reputation!"

"He thinks I'd be afraid of my career and compromise with him, but he's sorely mistaken! I'm just a lowly palace attendant, while he's a high-ranking official. It's a matter of who cares more about their career prospects!"

The flickering candlelight illuminated Gao Zhao's face, making it appear red and bright. His words were resounding and forceful, a stark contrast to his previous timid and submissive demeanor.

Gao Qiu stared intently at the spirited young man before him, his gaze incredibly complex. After a long while, he shook his head and said, "You're applying the tactics of street ruffians—the barefoot aren't afraid of those wearing shoes—to the officialdom! That's not how you play the game in officialdom!"

"My lord, you are mistaken!" Gao Zhao stepped forward, his expression resolute. "Whether in officialdom or the marketplace, it all boils down to relationships between people; the fundamental principles remain the same! This isn't about having nothing to lose; it's about striking once to avoid a hundred blows!"

"You're oversimplifying things!" Gao Qiu sighed, wanting to tell Gao Zhao how deep the waters of officialdom were, far beyond what he imagined. But seeing Gao Zhao's youthful and spirited appearance, he ultimately didn't say it.

Some things you have to experience and understand for yourself. Telling him about the difficulties now, even if he listens, will only dampen his spirit!

"Chao Bingzhi's matter is unimportant!" Gao Qiu waved his hand, changing the subject, "The reason I summoned you today is to ask you who taught you the remarks you made in front of the Emperor?"

Gao Zhao's expression darkened, knowing that they were about to get down to business!