Young Master Gao? Call me Little Grand Secretary!

This wasn't Gao Zhao's first meeting with Zhao Ji, but this time he was very nervous and apprehensive!

Even with his good temper, Emperor Huizong of Song could not tolerate anyone harassing his daughter!

Then I thought, the emperor's daughter is different from ordinary people. She is a political tool used to win over the powerful and wealthy. She probably wouldn't care about such trivial matters!

Wang Shen humiliated the princess so much, inviting her to play a multiplayer game, which angered her to death. Emperor Shenzong was heartbroken when his sister died, but he didn't kill him, did he?

In a few years, after Emperor Shenzong died, wouldn't he make a comeback? By the way, he also had a very good relationship with Zhao Ji!

Zhao Ji should be able to understand himself!

They might even admire themselves, thinking it's a display of their true nature and unrestrained spirit!

Hmm... a tyrannical ruler!

Perhaps that's what makes them so generous and tolerant!

That little girl, what a joke! Why did she actually tell her parents? Isn't that just asking for trouble?

They truly don't know what virtue and gentleness are!

As Gao Zhao walked along, lost in thought, he suddenly stopped when he approached the rear hall. He abruptly halted, glanced around, and seeing that the surrounding eunuchs were still far away, he gritted his teeth, clenched his fist, and punched himself hard in the cheek.

A muffled thud.

A searing pain shot through my cheekbone, and my lip was immediately broken, with streaks of blood trickling down my jaw. Half of my face quickly swelled up.

Gao Zhao gasped in pain, but he was secretly pleased with himself.

I've already punished myself, so you can't very well punish me too, can you?

You have to be mindful of social niceties!

Besides, it's not a big deal!

He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, lowered his head, and strode quickly toward the back hall.

Since they were all family, they didn't bother with the formalities of announcements and audiences. After giving a brief notification, they entered the hall.

"Your humble servant Gao Zhao pays respects to Your Majesty and wishes you good health!"

"Rise, no need for formalities!" Zhao Ji raised his head, looked at Gao Zhao below, straightened his back, and said with a leisurely smile, "I just wanted to chat with you. With the year drawing to a close, how are the people of the capital doing... Hey, what happened to your face?"

He stopped abruptly halfway through his sentence, Zhao Ji looking at Gao Zhao with surprise. After a pause, he teased, "Have you been fooling around again and angered your master?"

Upon hearing the first part of Zhao Ji's words, Gao Zhao felt relieved. It turned out that he was only trying to understand the situation among the common people. It seemed that the little girl hadn't complained. Then he secretly regretted that he had been too impulsive. That punch... was taken for nothing!

Sure enough, a tyrannical ruler is capricious and unpredictable, causing us loyal ministers to suffer innocently!

However, upon hearing Zhao Ji's subsequent teasing, a thought struck him, and he feigned grievance, saying, "Your Majesty, this injury was not caused by your punishment..."

"Oh, that's true. I've heard that Gao Qiu dotes on you, so I suppose he wouldn't bear to beat you!"

Zhao Ji laughed heartily, glanced at the eunuch beside him, then turned to Gao Zhao, and teased, "So, which hero or good man caused this injury to you?"

"Pfft!"

Our emperor is so witty and approachable!

Gao Zhao cursed under his breath, "This dog emperor doesn't look like a ruler at all!"

How dare they ridicule even one of their most trusted advisors!

"Your Majesty, I have not committed any illegal acts; this is an undeserved calamity!"

Gao Zhao remained calm, and amidst the jeers of the crowd, he said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Last night, on my way home, I was attacked by several bandits. I fought back fiercely and managed to escape, but I also took a few punches!"

"Hmm? Is that so!" Zhao Ji frowned, his expression turning serious. He turned to the eunuch beside him and asked, "I heard that others in the Imperial Guard have also been beaten by thugs?"

"That's true!" a eunuch beside him hurriedly replied. "A few days ago, Wei Xun, the Imperial Attendant of the Palace Gate, was attacked at home and severely beaten. His fate is currently unknown!"

"How outrageous!" Emperor Huizong slammed his fist on the table and roared, "What kind of work is the Kaifeng Prefecture doing! They're allowing these scoundrels to run rampant, completely lawless!"

The eunuch wore a pained expression and dared not reply.

Gao Zhao disregarded all of this and took the initiative to say, "Your Majesty, I believe that this matter cannot be blamed on the Kaifeng Prefecture."

"Oh?" Zhao Ji was quite surprised that he had been beaten up yet still spoke up for Kaifeng Prefecture. He turned his gaze sideways and said, "Protecting the safety of the people of the capital is the duty of Kaifeng Prefecture. Now that your officials of the Gemensi Bureau have been attacked one after another, let alone ordinary people, this is clearly a dereliction of duty by Kaifeng Prefecture. How can you not blame them?"

"Your Majesty, please be wise! Those thieves who attacked me and Wei Sheren were from the Wuyou Cave!"

Gao Zhao's gaze was calm as he defended Kaifeng Prefecture:

"These people have been committing evil deeds in the capital for a long time, and have always acted recklessly. They live in underground water channels, their whereabouts are mysterious, and they have been repeatedly suppressed but never eradicated. They have even openly boasted that they have connections in higher places, and that if they are arrested today, they will be released tomorrow. Even the government can do nothing about them!"

"Therefore, I believe it is not that the Kaifeng Prefecture is incompetent, but rather that the bandits are too cunning! Nor is it that the Kaifeng Prefecture is negligent, but rather that it is incapable!"

After these words were spoken, the hall fell into a deathly silence!

The eunuchs stared at Gao Zhao as if he were a ghost!

Are you speaking on behalf of Kaifeng Prefecture?

You're clearly trying to sow discord among them!

What did Kaifeng Prefecture do to you? What grudge do they have against you?

Surprisingly, Zhao Ji did not get angry. Instead, his expression was very calm. He looked at Gao Zhao seriously and slowly asked, "When you were attacked, did they say anything to you?"

Gao Zhao thought for a moment and said, "They said if I need money, I just need to say so, and they'll give me any amount they want!"

Zhao Ji's eyes narrowed, and he said in a low voice, "Anything else?"

Gao Zhao dared not reveal the reason why Wuyou Cave was causing him trouble, so he casually made up a story: "Also, they told me to behave myself and not meddle in other people's business! As for what kind of business, I don't know!"

Zhao Ji reminded him, "Didn't they ask you to give any message to your father?"

Upon hearing this, Gao Zhao immediately thought it was a good angle, as it would make things even bigger. He quickly replied, "Yes! They told me to tell the magistrate to be careful, or else they'll punish him back to his original form!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ji's face immediately darkened. He looked at the eunuchs around him and said, "All of you, go out and bring Liang Shicheng here."

The eunuchs looked terrified and quickly retreated.

Seeing that the situation was getting serious, Gao Zhao was not afraid at all. On the contrary, he was very excited, thinking that he was awesome and had escalated the conflict with just a few words!

With these methods, which treacherous minister can compare... This is how loyal ministers are!

Otherwise, how could they possibly defeat treacherous officials!

With me in charge of the Song Dynasty, you can rest assured!

Once only the emperor and his minister remained in the hall, Zhao Ji looked at Gao Zhao with a deep gaze, and after a long while, he finally spoke: "Gao Zhao, are you afraid of those bandits?"

"Don't be afraid!" Gao Zhao straightened his back and said righteously, "Although those thieves have connections, and their protectors must be high-ranking officials, we have the government behind us. No matter how powerful they are, they can't compare to the government!"

"Haha...Good, well said!" Zhao Ji laughed loudly, but after a few laughs, his laughter stopped abruptly, and he said in a deep voice, "Gao Zhao, do you dare to go and wipe out those bandits for me!"

"Ah...me?" Gao Zhao's eyes widened in disbelief. How could this tyrant be so capricious?

However, this surprise was only momentary. The next second, Gao Zhao said with a serious expression, "Why wouldn't I dare! It's just that Your Majesty, my heart is willing but my strength is insufficient!"

Just then, Liang Shicheng trotted in. Before he could even bow, Zhao Ji said, "Liang Shicheng, I hereby issue a decree to the Privy Council, ordering the allocation of one thousand Imperial Guards to Gao Zhao's command. Furthermore, I instruct the Kaifeng Prefecture to fully cooperate with Gao Zhao's actions without fail!"

In an instant, Gao Zhao was dumbfounded. Was he serious? Was he really that casual?

No wonder Zhang Dun called you frivolous!