Young Master Gao? Call me Little Grand Secretary!

As dusk approached, Gao Zhao figured that the singers and dancers should have rested by now!

Now is the time for him to go and help them!

They are all citizens of the Great Song Dynasty, so saving one of them doesn't matter!

Moreover, since it concerned the girls' basic needs for food and clothing, Gao Zhao felt that this kind of assistance was even more noble! After all, it's better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish!

It's just that his health isn't quite good right now, otherwise he would definitely go to a brothel, where the women are even more pitiful!

He had just gotten up and was about to invite Lu Qian to go with him when Qian Bao'er arrived, accompanied by a timid little maid.

Gao Zhao looked at the person in surprise. He had been so busy these past few days that he had almost forgotten about her!

"What's up? Speak quickly! I'm busy!"

"I've come to borrow money from you!" Qian Bao'er was very direct.

"Ah!" Gao Zhao was stunned. It was the first time he had ever seen someone talk about borrowing money so confidently. Usually, this kind of situation would happen when it came to repaying the money!

Seeing his expression, Qian Bao'er assumed he had changed his mind and immediately became anxious, "Didn't you ask me to help you find poor...people who need help? I've found them for you!"

She then waved behind her, pulled the timid-looking girl over, and introduced her: "Her name is Li Qiaoniang. Her family is in trouble and desperately needs money!"

Gao Zhao looked Li Qiaoniang up and down. She was about fifteen or sixteen years old, with delicate features, not particularly beautiful, but her figure was anything but...

Standing next to Qian Bao'er, he was a full fist's width ahead of her!

This isn't just a protruding distance; it's clearly a closer connection to one's heart!

Seeing Gao Zhao looking at her like that, Li Qiaoniang hurriedly lowered her head and bowed, saying, "This servant greets the young official!"

"Hmm!" Gao Zhao wasn't in a hurry to leave. He turned around, sat down in a chair, and raised his chin, saying, "What do you need money for?"

"Didn't I just say? Her family..."

"I didn't ask you to speak!" Gao Zhao interrupted Qian Bao'er impatiently, tapping the table as he said, "I was asking her!"

Qian Bao'er paused, glared at him fiercely, snorted, and turned away.

Seeing her like this, Gao Zhao was full of disdain. Even anger couldn't stir up the slightest ripple in her eyes. A mere A-level, how laughable!

Then he turned to Li Qiaoniang and said, "Tell me! What happened to your family? How much money do you need?"

"My...my father lost money gambling and owes someone five strings of cash..."

"No!"

Gao Zhao refused outright before Li Qiaoniang could finish speaking.

Qian Bao'er immediately shouted, "How can you not lend it! Didn't you ask me to help you find someone? Now that the person is here, you're not lending it to us. Are you deliberately playing us for fools?!"

"Watch your attitude!" Gao Zhao said disapprovingly, "Young master, I am indeed kind-hearted and willing to help people, but gambling addicts are not included! If you give him the money today, he won't be thinking about paying off his debts, but rather about playing another round to win back his losses!"

"You...you're wrong!" Qian Bao'er continued to argue for her best friend, "Her father was deceived!"

"Tch!" Gao Zhao scoffed. "Isn't that what every gambler who loses says? Was someone holding a knife to his neck and forcing him to sit at the gambling table? Then he should report it to the Kaifeng Prefecture!"

Qian Bao'er was speechless for a moment. Turning to look at Li Qiaoniang, who was weeping, she could only plead, "Young master, please help Qiaoniang! If you don't help, her whole family will be ruined..."

"Hey! Don't try to morally blackmail me!" Gao Zhao waved his hand and said, "Her family is ruined because her dad is a gambling addict, what does that have to do with me!"

"You...you really have the heart to just stand by and watch her family be destroyed!"

"Why wouldn't you have the heart to help? I'm not related to her at all!" Gao Zhao turned slightly, shifting his posture as he looked at the two of them, and said with extreme frivolity, "Look at her relatives, friends, and neighbors—none of them are willing to lend a hand to her family. What does that mean? It means her father is truly beyond redemption!"

"Waaah..." Li Qiaoniang burst into tears.

Qian Bao'er looked on with pity, but seeing that Gao Zhao was unmoved, she knew that he was heartless and that further pleading would be useless. She could only step forward to support Li Qiaoniang and comfort her, "Qiaoniang, don't cry. Let's think of other ways."

Gao Zhao found it amusing to see her like this. This girl seemed to have forgotten who was the one who had been hiding behind the rockery and crying a few days ago because she couldn't afford to treat her mother's illness!

Now they have the audacity to offer to help others.

However, it wasn't that he was truly unwilling to give them money; what did it matter to him whether they were gambling addicts or not? What he wanted was gratitude!

This person is despicable; they will never cherish things that are easily obtained!

Only by cutting off their hope and plunging them into despair, and then giving them even the slightest bit of light, will they be eternally grateful!

Gao Zhao watched coldly as Qian Bao'er comforted Li Qiaoniang, as Qian Bao'er shed tears with her, and as the two silently left.

He only spoke when the two reached the door: "Wait!"

"What are you doing?" Qian Bao'er turned around, her hand unconsciously reaching for the button.

"Sigh, never mind!" Gao Zhao stood up and sighed softly, "I'm only helping her out of respect for you!"

"Ah! Really?" The two women felt as if they had found a new path after a long and difficult journey.

Gao Zhao stepped forward, took out a few money notes, and almost instinctively tried to stuff them into Li Qiaoniang's collar. It wasn't until he saw the two of them looking surprised that he realized the situation was a bit inappropriate!

"Take it!" Gao Zhao drew an arc with his hand and slapped the money into Qian Bao'er's hand.

"Ah! Thank you so much, sir!" Seeing that he had actually taken out money and was not teasing them, Li Qiaoniang was overjoyed and thanked him repeatedly.

Qian Bao'er stared blankly at the money in her hand, recalling his words, "For your sake!"

[Gratitude points from Li Qiaoniang +1]

[Gratitude points from Qian Bao'er +1]

Gao Zhao smiled slightly as he looked at the message that flashed in the pop-up window. Sure enough, there are ways and methods to bestow favors!

I was in a bad mood and wanted to go to Fanlou to relax, but now that I'm in a great mood, I'm going to celebrate!

"Alright, go back now! I have important business to attend to, young master!" Gao Zhao waved his hand, dismissing the two men.

The two women thanked them again and then left.

As they walked out of the courtyard, the old woman, who was used to doing odd jobs, watched the two figures and clicked her tongue in amazement: "These young people nowadays... they really know how to have fun. Three people, tsk tsk tsk... I never even tried that when I was young!"

Gao Zhao led Lu Qian out the door, and walking through the brightly lit and bustling city of Bianjing, one couldn't help but feel a sense of disorientation. The nightlife at this time was even more lively than that of a thousand years later!

As the two arrived at Fanlou and were about to go inside, a beggar suddenly bumped into Gao Zhao.

Lu Qian immediately stepped in front of Gao Zhao and angrily shouted, "You blind fool, are you looking for death?!"

Gao Zhao, however, recognized the newcomer's face, raised his hand to stop Lu Qian, and chuckled softly, "Brother Shi, why are you dressed like this?"

That beggar was none other than Shi Qian!