Chapter 742

On the drill ground.

Wang Zhong was clad in armor, empty-handed, his aura shooting straight into the clouds. He bowed to Mr. Chen.

"Da Qian's General of the Broken Crossbow, Da Qian's Martial Top Scholar, the 'Hundred-Man Slayer' of the army, Wang Zhong, please enlighten me!"

At this moment, Mr. Chen's scalp went numb.

"Wait!"

"I, Chen, have one last sentence!"

Wang Zhong's expression was cold as he spoke, "What?"

"If General Wang Lao doesn't want me to assist, I will leave. But don't hit a person in the face; I rely on this face to eat while walking the world."

The next second.

Wang Zhong raised his sandbag-sized fist and threw a right hook directly toward Mr. Chen's face...

Imperial Garden.

Wu Zhao's faint voice sounded.

"I didn't expect that what Minister Gao did was a one-off deal, but aren't you afraid that General Wang Lao and Censor Yan will spread it far and wide?"

"If your reputation stinks, it won't be easy to collect money in the future."

Gao Yang looked serious and bowed, saying, "As the saying goes, a gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall."

"Corruption, in my heart, only has zero times and countless times. Once you take it once, it's hard to refuse a second time, and you even leave behind a handle for no reason. My self-control is not good, so I might as well make a haul, ruin my reputation, and be a loyal official!"

Wu Zhao's mouth twitched. She walked forward, placing herself among the hundred flowers, yet she was like the most gorgeous one in full bloom.

"For these corrupt officials of Da Qian, having you is truly their blessing. But hearing this, I am quite happy. Once this matter comes out, it gives many corrupt officials a path: take money without doing the work, and be corrupt without breaking the law!"

"Minister Gao, with your own strength, has lowered the bottom line for corrupt officials in the world. If all corrupt officials in the world take money without doing the work, are corrupt without breaking the law, and then turn around and prepare a list, who would dare to give gifts?"

Wu Zhao spoke slowly, then praised, "From this perspective, Minister Gao's capping ceremony has actually done me a great favor. Not only can I not punish you, but I must reward you!"

Gao Yang, while scanning from the bottom up without squinting, bowed to Wu Zhao and said, "Your Majesty's praise is excessive; I am truly ashamed to accept it."

"But if Your Majesty insists on rewarding me, I cannot disobey the order and can only accept it respectfully."

Wu Zhao laughed, her exquisite face looking at Gao Yang with extreme nobility, "Minister Gao is different from all the officials I have met, whether in conduct or in dealing with people, but what shocks me most is that your face is truly thick!"

Gao Yang: "..."

"But with your ability, making a big haul is enough. Your business methods and these inventions make earning money easy, so there's no need to take such risks!" Wu Zhao continued.

Gao Yang nodded with deep empathy, "Your Majesty's words are reasonable; that is indeed the logic. Now, my silver is indeed enough to spend."

"Life is just like this; I am not a greedy person. It's enough for my family to spend; why would I need so much silver?"

Gao Yang thought about the 500,000 taels from the Prince of Honor's mansion, the various gifts sent by officials in the treasury, and the silver earned from the eldest prince of Zhao, the Prince of Yan, the soap business, and the white sugar business, and said.

"I am very gratified that you have this realization."

Wu Zhao nodded, her heart breathing a sigh of relief. Gao Yang's importance was beyond doubt; if he were to engage in massive corruption, it would be difficult for her.

"How is the progress with Yan Wushuang?" Wu Zhao asked.

"Rebellion is a foregone conclusion; the Yan Kingdom will surely be in chaos. Now it depends on how to stir up the water and how to develop in a direction more favorable to our Da Qian!"

"Furthermore, I have set up a chain trap for the Prince of Yan!"

Gao Yang thought of Yan Wushuang, a gleam of light flashing in his eyes.

"A chain trap?"

Then, Gao Yang explained the strategy of selling offices and titles, including wholesale and retail sales, as well as opening up class privileges, which made Wu Zhao and Shangguan Wan'er look at Gao Yang from time to time.

This method was vicious!

"The Green Seedling Law combined with selling offices and titles—if Yan Wushuang cannot see through it, then even if he takes the throne, the Great Yan will surely suffer from it, and its national strength will be greatly damaged!"

"The Green Seedling Law has high concealment and is hard to predict, but this selling of offices and titles in a tiered manner is hard to say."

"I see that Yuan Xuanlin didn't see it, but whether anyone in the whole Great Yan will see through it, I don't know. However, it's not a big problem; it's just a matter of moving my lips. If they don't see through it, I make a big profit; if they do, I don't lose anything."

"On the contrary, I will be even happier."

Wu Zhao stopped and looked at Gao Yang curiously.

"Happier?"

"That would mean I finally have an opponent. Otherwise, the path of poison strategies is too lonely. In my heart, I still have many poison strategies that I haven't yet deployed."

Gao Yang said quietly.

Wu Zhao: "..."