Chapter 1873

"What have you understood?"

Chu Qingluan and Shangguan Wan'er were also stunned. Uncle Fu had grasped it just like that?

You must know, the two of them hadn't even grasped Gao Yang's intention yet!

Uncle Fu smiled, looking like a hippo peeing, revealing a mouthful of big yellow teeth, and said.

"In the past, if anyone came to visit the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, we naturally wouldn't make things difficult, let alone collect money."

"But since it's the Young Master, this old servant naturally understands. If someone comes to seek an audience as a commoner and is not an old acquaintance of the Young Master, we must naturally follow the old custom of presenting a gate-entry gift. This is also to screen them for the Young Master."

"Tomorrow, this old servant understands; we must collect a certain reporting fee and entry fee, otherwise, they may not enter."

"Otherwise, if some 'pure officials' or censors sneak in—these people don't have a few coins in their pockets, yet they have a lot of nonsense—wouldn't that be bringing trouble to the Young Master?"

"This charity auction is an elegant affair; how can too many people be allowed in?"

Upon hearing this, Gao Yang was instantly amused.

"Uncle Fu, you truly understand my heart!"

Just as Uncle Fu said, he, Gao Yang, had a bad reputation, and his name for greed was known throughout the world.

Apart from the important ministers of the court and old acquaintances, the lower-ranking officials, and even some of Changancheng's giant merchants, all wanted to come and visit him.

And for what purpose?

Even with one's backside, one could figure that out!

But his, Gao Yang's, time was precious; how could he see everyone?

If your financial strength couldn't even pass Uncle Fu's gate, then what the hell are you coming here for?

This 'Way of the Servant' was also unfathomably profound!

"Uncle Fu, there will be too many people tomorrow, and among them will be some important court ministers. Your usual method is fine, but for tomorrow night, it would be very unrefined."

"You do it like this, I'll teach you..."

Before long, Uncle Fu's old face was smiling like a crumpled piece of paper, and he said repeatedly.

"The Young Master's methods are brilliant; this old servant understands, this old servant will go and do it right away!"

Behind them.

Chu Qingluan and Shangguan Wan'er had strange expressions on their faces; they were completely numb.

Gao Yang, however, was in a great mood. In his eyes, a scam in this world didn't care whether it was brilliant or not.

The key actually lies in the target user!

He had seen too many scams, and even in his youth, when he saw scams that were obvious at a glance, he had once been puzzled.

Damn it, a scam that's obvious at a glance—and people still fall for this?

Are these people who fall for it idiots?

Actually, it's just because the target group for this scam isn't you.

You are screening the scam, but in reality, the scam is also screening you.

Just like art; do you think this piece of trash painting can also be sold for a sky-high price?

In reality, that's because the target group for this painting is not you at all.

You, you don't understand art!

Art is priceless!

Schemes in the world are never categorized by high or low; the 'Immortal Scheme' is specifically for those blinded by lust, the 'Loyalty Scheme' is specifically for those who fish for fame and reputation.

The scheme is dead, but the people who enter the scheme walk in of their own accord.

"In this way, those who come to participate in this charity auction of mine will all be precise users."

"How wonderful!"

"..."

Meanwhile.

When the Duke of Dingguo's mansion put up a wooden sign for the charity auction, a piece of news also spread at an astonishing speed.

Tomorrow night at the first quarter of the Hour of the Monkey, the Da Qian Champion Marquis, General of the Flying Cavalry, Da Qian Prime Minister, and the person most revered by all scholars in the world, is going to hold a charity auction.

"Have you heard?"

"I heard. The young widow at the east end of Changancheng is getting more and more wanton; she doesn't even close the windows properly when she bathes during the day!"

"Who said it was about that? I heard that Lord Gao is going to hold a charity auction, and all the money raised at the auction will be used for Da Qian's educational cause!"

"What? Really or fake?"

"Naturally it's true. This matter was told by the son of the sixth uncle of the third uncle of the son of the second sister-in-law of my eldest cousin. He works as a servant in the Duke of Dingguo's mansion; how could this be fake?"

"I heard it too. It's tomorrow night, and even we Da Qian merchants can go. Lord Gao even prepared masks!"

"This is a great deed. Lord Gao is truly a model for scholars of our generation! A real man should be like this!"

The young scholar who had previously talked about the young widow not closing her windows sighed, filled with admiration.

But the next second.

He saw the other scholars all staring in his direction.

"Brother Wang, is what you said earlier about the young widow not closing her windows when bathing true?"

"It's true! I saw it with my own eyes; how could this be fake?"

"Unreasonable! In broad daylight, under the bright sky, there is actually such a morally corrupt act. Where is morality? Where is conscience? And where is the window?"

"Condemn! We must condemn it severely!"

For a time.

The vast Changancheng was all abuzz.

This matter swept in all directions at a terrifying speed.

Inside the Imperial Palace.

While Wu Zhao was correcting memorials, the news reached her ears.

Her jade hand holding the memorial paused, and then she said with a face full of surprise, "Lord Gao wants to hold a charity auction?"

Xiao Yuan nodded and replied, "It's tomorrow night. And for this charity auction, Prime Minister Gao specifically said that everyone in Changancheng can go, even if there were grudges in the past, they can still go."

"Prime Minister Gao claims that art is priceless!"

Upon hearing this, Wu Zhao was instantly amused. She shook her head and said, "What 'art is priceless'; it's clearly that he's short of money."

"But then again, the Chu Emperor used the world's unique colored glaze there, and he's still carrying a shortfall of tens of millions of taels of silver on his shoulders. I don't know if I will take action to help him, so this move is normal."

Xiao Yuan tentatively asked: "Your Majesty, do you want to go and take a look?"

"In this servant's view, if Prime Minister Gao is really just trying to rake in money, he definitely won't put out anything valuable. Tomorrow night should be quite entertaining."

Hearing this, Wu Zhao was somewhat tempted, but in the end, she shook her head and said, "I won't go."

She rubbed her throbbing temples and said, "There's a huge mess in Hexi, the rewards for the Prince of Zhenyue, as well as the post-war merit awards, the pensions for the soldiers, and matters all over the world."

"I went out of the palace yesterday and wasted several hours; now I have to hurry up."

Hearing this, Xiao Yuan also felt quite heartbroken.

She said worriedly, "Your Majesty, your Dragon Body is paramount! Since ascending the throne, you have been diligent every day, handling all matters of the world, doing everything yourself. You get up before dawn to read memorials and rest only late at night when all is silent. You sleep no more than two or three hours a day; how can this be?"

Wu Zhao sighed and said to Xiao Yuan, "Everyone says that being an emperor is good, waking up to hold the power of the world, getting drunk on the knees of beauties. But being an emperor is not that easy to be, especially when one is an anomaly among the seven kingdoms—a female emperor!"

"I know my own talent is average, and my ability cannot be called outstanding. If I want to be a good emperor, to make the people live and work in peace, and to make the world return to Qian, I can only be diligent!"

Speaking of this, Wu Zhao smiled again. This smile made Xiao Yuan, a woman herself, almost stare in a daze, as if the air in the Imperial Study had frozen.

"During this time, Prime Minister Gao has also been too bitter. Let Prime Minister Gao toss about; in any case, it's only five days of rest."

"Once the rest period is over," Wu Zhao snorted coldly, "Hmph! Does he think he can run then? He will obediently help me handle the memorials!"

"Once he helps me, I will be able to relax a little."

Xiao Yuan looked at Wu Zhao, who was talking to herself, the imperial aura around her body dissipating for the most part, and a rare touch of softness appearing on her face.

She was stunned for a moment; her own Majesty... seemed different from before.

"..." ===== CHAPTER 1875 =====