Young Master Gao? Call me Little Grand Secretary!

It was time for another day off, and Xiao Fan ran out early in the morning. He was going to rent a house today to prepare for settling Xiang Nu in!

After being woken up by him, Gao Zhao couldn't fall back asleep, but didn't want to get up, so he lay on the bed in a daze, his mind filled with thoughts.

I have been in the Song Dynasty for almost four months now, and although I have earned 90,000 strings of cash in that long time, I have only managed to get 10,000 strings in my hands.

After spending several months in the Imperial Academy, although he had studied some classics and historical texts and outshone many others in the debate on righteousness and profit, in reality, he was far inferior to people like Fan Tong and Qin Hui.

In terms of martial arts, although the world praises me as invincible with spears and staffs and I have twice defeated the spear and staff instructors of the Imperial Guards, my actual skill level is not even as good as Lin Chong and Lu Zhishen.

Alas, my months of hard work cannot compare to their decades of effort. How cruel Heaven is to me!

Such a person, neither good at academics nor at martial arts, is truly pitiful!

As Gao Zhao looked at the rising sun outside the window, he couldn't help but sigh. Time flies by like an arrow, and when he thought about how he had wasted his years, he felt even more disappointed and saddened!

Hearing Su Mian and another roommate getting up outside, Gao Zhao sighed and decided not to lie down anymore!

The sun rose higher and higher, and the temperature became hotter and hotter. His mat from Bazhou was no longer so cool. If he continued to lie on it, he would only get hotter and hotter!

I decided to get up and step out of my cubicle, muttering to myself, "They say July is scorching hot, but it's almost August and it's still this hot!"

"It's just the late summer heat! It'll be over in a couple of days!" Su Mian replied as he changed into a light shirt.

Gao Zhao asked curiously, "Are you going out?"

Su Mian replied nonchalantly, "Since I have nothing to do, I'll go stroll around Washizi in the South Market!"

Gao Zhao looked at him, then suddenly chuckled mischievously, "You didn't hear from that Xiangnu girl yesterday that she was cheated out of money and her virtue, and now you want to try your luck too, do you?"

"You...how dare you slander me like this!" Su Mian's face flushed red as he hurriedly explained, "I heard there's a used bookstore over there, and I wanted to go and browse for some books!"

Gao Zhao scoffed, "If it's not, it's not. Why are you in such a hurry?"

"Who...who's getting impatient!"

"You're not in a hurry, why are you blushing!"

"I...I didn't..."

"Okay, okay, you didn't!" Gao Zhao's words made Su Mian blush and feel great. He turned to look at his other roommate, who was already dressed and sitting upright reading a book.

Gao Zhao couldn't help but feel a sense of respect. He always held those who were diligent in high regard, and greeted them, "It's your day off today, aren't you going out to play?"

The man turned around, smiled gently, and said, "I'm preparing to participate in the imperial examination the year after next."

"Oh, what a fine ambition!" Gao Zhao responded, no longer disturbing him. Although nowadays, those who graduated from the upper class of the Imperial Academy have a higher status than those who graduated through the regular imperial examinations.

However, the number of students who could enter officialdom through the Imperial Academy each year was very limited, and the process was extremely time-consuming, far less convenient than taking the imperial examination directly.

Thinking about the year after next, the year of the grand competition, Gao Zhao couldn't help but feel melancholy. Everyone else had goals to strive for, but what about him?

Alas, I long to be an official! I must hurry to the south and establish a foothold there, for it is a place of utter debauchery!

He's too old now, and Gao Qiu isn't willing to petition for his future succession. He can't wait until he's dead to submit his will! That would be too late!

With a sigh, Gao Zhao stepped outside, deciding that it would be best to try and persuade Gao Qiu!

Upon exiting the Biyong Hall, Gao Zhao found Shi Qian already waiting there. As soon as Gao Zhao jumped onto the carriage shaft, Shi Qian turned around and asked with a smile, "Are you going to Lin Chong's house?"

Gao Zhao: "..."

"Back to the Commander's Mansion!" Gao Zhao remained silent for several breaths before speaking, "Old Shi, don't talk nonsense. My relationship with Lin Chong is just so-so. What's the meaning of me constantly going to his house?"

"Young Master is right!" Shi Qian humbly admitted his mistake, then added, "I heard that the Three Commanderies were going to select a group of instructors to inspect and guide the Imperial Guards in various parts of the capital region, and Lin Chong was among them. I thought you were going to see Instructor Lin off!"

"Uh... is that so?" Gao Zhao's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but think of his lonely and helpless sister-in-law, and his heart stirred slightly.

As Shi Qian drove, he glanced back at him discreetly and asked, seemingly casually, "Is young master going to see Instructor Lin off?"

"No need, let's go back to the manor first!" Gao Zhao hesitated for a moment, then shook his head.

What's the point of seeing Lin Chong off? All this drinking makes me look like Lu Zhishen and his drinking buddies.

You know, Lin Chong is my good brother!

The kind where someone entrusts their wife and children to another!

So let's wait until he leaves before we go to see him off!

The right thing to do right now is to go find Gao Qiu and persuade him properly. The official position belongs to the Zhao family, and there is absolutely no need for him to save money for the tyrannical emperor!

The carriage sped along and soon entered the inner city. As soon as they entered the palace general's mansion, Gao Zhao jumped down and, being quite adept at social etiquette, took out a piece of calligraphy he had written himself, intending to first please Gao Qiu and then take the opportunity to make his demands.

Arriving at the study but finding no one there, Gao Zhao was about to ask someone when he encountered the old steward. He quickly stepped forward, beaming, and asked, "Where is my master?"

The old steward chuckled and said, "Reporting to your young master, the Grand Commandant has entered the palace!"

"Go to the palace? Isn't today a day off? Why do we have to go to the palace at this time?" Gao Zhao was very dissatisfied, feeling that Emperor Huizong of Song was really cruel and ungrateful, forcing people to work overtime even on holidays.

"Young master, you misunderstand. Something has happened in the palace. The Grand Commandant is in charge of the Imperial Guards and therefore needs to go into the palace to handle some matters!"

The old steward explained for a moment, then, seeing Gao Zhao's eyes light up with a strong thirst for knowledge, he continued, "That Consort Liu in the palace is nearing her end; it'll only be a matter of the next day or two!"

Gao Zhao was stunned for a moment, not quite understanding. The old steward pointed towards the back courtyard again, and Gao Zhao suddenly realized: "That Liu Guojiu's sister?"

The old steward smiled and nodded.

Gao Zhao was overjoyed and couldn't help but rub his hands together in anticipation. He still remembered the humiliation that Liu Guojiu and Guo Weize had inflicted on him that day!

Now that his backer has fallen, it's my turn to finally hold my head high!

Although I scared him half to death that day, it was because he forced me to do it!

I never intended to go against him in the first place!

It's like someone slaps you on the street, and you slap them back. Can that be considered revenge?

Absolutely not!

Because you didn't intend to slap him, you were forced into it by him!

He not only hit you, but also incited your evil thoughts!

Therefore, true revenge should be tenfold or a hundredfold!

The old steward looked at him with a smile and said slowly, "That Lady Liu was once extremely favored by the Emperor. She was promoted seven times in six years, eventually rising to the position of the highest-ranking imperial concubine!"

"Back then?" Gao Zhao keenly grasped the key words.

The old steward nodded and said, "Several months ago, Empress Dowager Chong'en passed away, and His Majesty has not visited Consort Liu since, not even when she was ill. The noblewoman once planted a banana tree in the courtyard and told people that she would never see the tree grow up, and now it has indeed come true!"

Gao Zhao blinked, feeling that these words were quite profound, but he couldn't quite put his finger on them.

The old eunuch said, "His Majesty is a man of deep feelings and true character. With the passing of the Imperial Concubine, he will surely bestow upon her the highest honors, give her a grand funeral, and treat her family well. Therefore, young master, you will have to wait if you wish to take revenge on Liu Guojiu!"

Gao Zhao was taken aback when the man read his mind so clearly, and his face stiffened instantly. He then chuckled awkwardly, "What are you talking about? How could I possibly seek revenge on Liu Guojiu! I've long forgotten those little grudges from before!"

"Your Excellency is magnanimous; I admire you!"

"Not at all, not at all, that's how we scholars are! We're very magnanimous! Hehe..."