Chapter 34 You are the brightest star in the night sky...

The sky was just before dawn.

Lin Yan stood in the courtyard of the Lin family mansion, watching the servants load the last few boxes of books onto the cart, and a strange feeling welled up in his heart.

From a minor official of the sixth rank to a fifth-rank Hanlin scholar, from living in a small rented courtyard in the east of the city to soon moving into a grand mansion bestowed by the emperor in Anxingfang... This speed of promotion, salary increase, and house change would be enough to get him listed as a "nepotism hire" on a modern workplace forum eight hundred times over.

"Young master, everything is set up." Old Zhang came over to report, rubbing his hands together, his face beaming with joy.

Lin Yan nodded and was about to give the order to set off when an unusual noise came from the alley entrance.

The sound of horses' hooves was light and steady, and the sound of cart tracks was deep and resonant; these were definitely not the vehicles of ordinary people.

The Lin family members were all taken aback and looked in the direction of the sound.

A blue-draped carriage, surrounded by several guards, quietly stopped at the entrance of the Lin family's somewhat cramped alley.

The carriage curtain was lifted, and first a whisk appeared, followed by Li Lianshun's fair, round, and smiling face.

"Oh my, Lord Lin! You really came early rather than late! I rushed as fast as I could, but thankfully I didn't miss your auspicious time for moving!" Li Lian landed smoothly and jumped off the carriage, her voice bright and clear, with the unique tone of someone from the palace, instantly breaking the morning's tranquility.

Lin Yan's eyelids twitched, and her heart skipped a beat.

Li Lianshun? What brings him here? What instructions does His Majesty have?

Lin Yan quickly stepped forward: "What brings you here, Eunuch Li?"

Li Lianshun flicked her whisk and bowed with a smile: "Congratulations to Lord Lin. His Majesty was thinking of your move today and specially ordered me to come and see if there is anything I can do to lend a hand."

He turned to the side and pointed to the carriage and the several large carts following behind: "His Majesty said that Lord Lin is honest and upright. Now that you have suddenly moved to a large mansion, you are probably lacking in many things. So I asked this servant to get some daily expenses from the Imperial Household Department to make up for it."

Lin Yan followed his finger and saw that the trucks behind were piled with brand-new tables, chairs, benches, chests, cabinets, and even screens and porcelain vases. Although they were not glittering, they were obviously made of sturdy and durable materials, and they showed exquisite craftsmanship.

Lin Yan was dumbfounded.

The boss even provided the furniture?

An ancient version of "move-in ready"?

"This... Your Majesty's kindness is too great, I am truly..." Lin Yan was at a loss for words and could only bow repeatedly in the direction of the palace.

Li Lianshun smiled and offered a helping hand: "Lord Lin, please don't be so polite. You are someone His Majesty values ​​highly. If His Majesty doesn't cherish you, who will he cherish?"

Then, he changed the subject, lowered his voice, and said with a hint of sincerity: "Besides, you know Anxingfang is a place where the neighbors are all rich and powerful. We can't be too simple in our presentation, can we? We can't embarrass His Majesty. His Majesty is doing this for your sake."

Lin Yan understood instantly.

Oh, the boss was afraid that I would embarrass him by coming in looking so poor.

I understand, the client's image is very important.

"Your Majesty's wisdom is comprehensive and your compassion is meticulous. I am deeply grateful and can only do my utmost to repay Your Majesty's grace." Lin Yan quickly expressed his loyalty.

Li Lianshun nodded in satisfaction and said, "This house is so big that we need more people to sweep the courtyard and guard the gate. According to the rules of our Dayu, you are now a fifth-rank Hanlin Academician and Lord Lin is a fourth-rank official. With two officials in one family, the quota for servants can be up to one hundred people."

When Lin Yan heard "one hundred people," he almost choked on his own saliva.

Do they need so many people to serve them?

Lin Yan quickly waved his hand: "Too many, too many. Our family really can't use so many people..."

Li Lianshun seemed to have anticipated his reaction, and chuckled, covering her mouth with her whisk: "Look how frightened you are. His Majesty had already foreseen this. His Majesty personally instructed that since you are new to the Hanlin Academy, it is not advisable to be too ostentatious. Therefore, he instructed me to send only half the usual number of honest, hardworking, and quick-witted men. These men are already waiting at the residence in Anxingfang."

Fifty?

Fifty is a lot!

and……

“Eunuch Li, with my father’s and my official positions, the number of people is reasonable, but the funds are not enough to support another fifty people.” Lin Yan was slightly embarrassed. Li Lianshun served the emperor in the palace and probably rarely saw him so stingy.

Li Lianshun smiled and leaned closer, his voice very low: "My Lord Lin, please put your mind at ease. His Majesty said that these people are on loan to you. Their monthly wages and rations will be paid by the Imperial Household Department. You won't have to pay a single penny."

Lin Yan was completely dumbfounded.

What kind of amazing boss is this?

If his stingy boss from before he transmigrated, who was always making empty promises and wishing employees would bring their own food to work, knew this, he would probably be green with envy.

Lin Yan was so stunned by the huge pie that he opened his mouth but couldn't make a sound.

Lin Chengji and Wen Yun, who were standing nearby, were also dumbfounded, looking at each other with shock on their faces.

Li Lianshun, having thoroughly enjoyed Lin Yan's silly appearance, straightened up contentedly and called out, "Lord Lin, shall we set off now? This servant can go to the new residence first to help with the arrangements, lest the servants, not knowing the rules, make a mess and cause you distress."

Lin Yan nodded dazedly and followed Li Lianshun into the carriage.

The convoy rumbled as it headed toward Anxingfang.

The further west you go, the wider and cleaner the streets become, the more magnificent the houses appear, and the more composed the pedestrians are.

Finally, the carriage slowly came to a stop in front of a mansion with a vermilion gate and two stone lions crouching in front of it.

A brand-new plaque hangs above the door, empty, clearly waiting for the owner to inscribe it himself.

Li Lianshun got out of the carriage first, and with a flick of his whisk, several eunuchs waiting at the door deftly pushed open the heavy gate.

"Lord Lin, Elder Lord Lin, Madam Lin, please." Li Lianshun stepped aside to let them pass, her face beaming.

Lin Yan took a deep breath and stepped over the high threshold.

Stepping inside, a breathtaking view unfolds before you.

Facing you is an exquisitely carved screen wall. Beyond the screen wall is a spacious courtyard with blue bricks paving the ground and covered corridors. The covered walkways connect several courtyards in front and behind.

The trees and rocks in the courtyard are arranged in a well-organized manner. Although there is no exaggerated luxury, it exudes elegance and cultural depth.

What's even more remarkable is that the entire house is spotless, with brand-new paint on the beams, pillars, doors, and windows, and the floor is so shiny it reflects your image. Not a speck of dust can be seen in the corners.

It was clearly the result of meticulous cleaning and preparation.

Dozens of servants dressed in blue cloth robes were already standing neatly in the open space in the front yard. There were men and women, old and young. They all bowed respectfully when they saw Lin Yan and his party enter. Their movements were uniform.

"Greetings to the master, madam, and young master."

The voice wasn't loud, but it conveyed a sense of order and discipline.

Li Lianshun smiled and introduced, "Lord Lin, look, these are all carefully selected from various departments under the Imperial Household Department, as ordered by His Majesty. They are honest and hardworking, each with their own skills. They are skilled in sweeping, cooking, needlework, laundry, guarding, running errands... You can use them with confidence. If any of them do not meet your expectations, just send them back and I will replace them with better ones for you."

Lin Yan was speechless at the sight of this scene.

He was like Grandma Liu visiting the Grand View Garden, being led around by Li Lianshun, looking at each place one by one.

The front hall, main hall, study, flower hall, back residence... all the furniture and items were complete, and none of them were perfunctory. The bed was made of sturdy and heavy rosewood, the table was made of smooth and flat beech wood, the chairs were covered with thick cotton cushions, and the curtains and drapes were all made of brand-new fine cloth. The kitchen was piled high with pots, pans, rice, flour, and cooking oil, and even the study was fully equipped with writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones.

It truly delivers on the promise of "move-in ready with just your bags".

Li Lianshun even led them to the storeroom, where there were piles of imperial gifts of silk, satin, leather, and wool, as well as several boxes of gold and silver ingots.

"His Majesty said that you can use these for now. If there is any shortage, just write a list and I will go to the Imperial Household Department to get the rest," Li Lianshun said casually.

Lin Yan nodded numbly.

He had lost count of how many times he had been shocked by the emperor's arrogance.

Before time travel, I worked hard for many years but couldn't save enough money to buy a bathroom. I never expected to live in a mansion in ancient times.

In other words, Lin Yan didn't say what he was thinking, otherwise Li Lianshun would definitely have argued with him that this house couldn't be considered a luxury mansion.

After walking around for a while, they returned to the main hall. Li Lianshun handed over a thick booklet with a smile: "Lord Lin, this is the roster of the servants in the manor and their respective duties. Please take a look."

Lin Yan accepted the heavy roster.

"Eunuch Li, His Majesty's favor is so great, I..." Lin Yan, who could usually say all sorts of flattering things, was at a loss for words at this moment.

Li Lianshun smiled and said, "Lord Lin, His Majesty is naturally aware of your loyalty. From now on, you can just focus on serving His Majesty. All the trivial matters at home will be taken care of by these people. You don't need to worry about them anymore."

Just then, a young eunuch brought over a food box.

Li Lianshun opened it personally, revealing several delicate and small pastries inside: "You've been busy since early morning, you probably haven't had breakfast yet, right? These are brought from the palace, you and the elders can have a little something to eat first."

Looking at the pastries, Lin Yan suddenly recalled his miserable life as a corporate slave before he transmigrated.

That leader who always says "You should be grateful to the company for giving you this platform" but in reality relentlessly exploits you and stings on year-end bonuses like a joke;

That idiot who keeps yelling that "young people should make sacrifices" and even proposed the concept of "paid work"...

Let's look at it now.

The emperor-like boss directly provides houses, cars, and a team of nannies!

No empty promises, just solid, practical information!

Comparing people is a recipe for disaster; comparing goods is a recipe for discarding them.

Xiao Che!

You are the brightest star in the night sky!

God of the working class!

Lin Yan's affection for Xiao Che exceeded the threshold at this moment, going off the charts.

He held the imperial pastry, took a bite, and found it sweet, fragrant, soft, and chewy, a sweetness that went straight to his heart.

Seeing his silly grin, Li Lianshun knew that His Majesty would be satisfied with the mission. After giving him a few more instructions, he left with his men to report back to the palace.

After seeing Li Lianshun off, Lin Yan stood in the spacious and bright house, looking at the unfamiliar servants in the courtyard who were silently and busily performing their duties, and felt a strong sense of unreality.

Good days come too fast, like a tornado.

Wen Yun touched the smooth tabletop in the hall, feeling both happy and at a loss: "This is too big and too comprehensive. Yan'er, how will we manage this house in the future? I'm really worried."

Lin Chengji remained calmer, stroking his beard as he said, "Since it is His Majesty's grace, we should accept it with peace of mind. However, Yan'er, the greater the imperial favor, the more cautious you must be in your words and deeds, and work diligently. You must never fail His Majesty's expectations."

Lin Yan gave a heavy "hmm".

He walked to the porch and looked at the old tree in the courtyard with its branches and leaves spread out, sunlight filtering through the gaps and casting dappled spots of light.

Take a deep breath; the air is filled with the scent of freedom… no, it’s the scent of imperial grace.

This new home is wonderful.

This boss is fantastic!

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The author's note: The idea that we're being paid to work isn't fiction; some managers have actually said this [crying emoji].

As some of you might have guessed, this post is indeed a product of my work troubles. My boss is far worse than Wu Haimin, and my colleagues are even worse. So, there might be quite a few typos and other mistakes in my writing. Please point them out if you see any. Jinjiang now has a function to receive bug reports; if I click to receive it, it will automatically send me a small red envelope. When it turns into a flower, it means I've caught it [shy].

Wishing everyone a happy Mid-Autumn Festival, and good health! [heart emoji]