Chapter 40 His Majesty is indeed the kindest man in the world…

The weather in the capital was getting colder and colder. The gray sky pressed down on the rooftops, and thin icicles hung from the eaves, looking chilly.

Lin Yan had to be bundled up in thick layers every day before going out to work, which made it quite inconvenient for him to move around.

Of course, if you could stay indoors with a warm, cozy room, holding a hand warmer, that would be wonderful.

As winter approached, the cold was biting.

That day, he had just settled down in the outer room of the Imperial Study—behind the small desk where he often sat, holding a small hand warmer—when Xiao Che beckoned to him.

"Lin Qing, come here."

Lin Yan quickly put down the hand warmer and moved closer to the imperial desk.

Xiao Che handed him a letter from the state: "The Northern Rong have replied. Take a look."

Lin Yan perked up, took the item with both hands, returned to his seat, and, taking advantage of the warmth emanating from the blazing charcoal brazier beside him, began to examine it closely.

The letter was written by the Khan of the Northern Rong, and its wording was even softer than the previous peace offer.

As expected, the Northern Rong Khan rejected the suggestion to "investigate the accounts," sounding quite aggrieved. He said something like, "The old accounts are old, and times have changed. The leaders of the various tribes have changed, so it is difficult to verify them one by one." However, he also admitted that he had taken advantage of the situation in the past, and his words revealed a shameless attitude of "we know we were wrong, but we really don't have the money."

[Pah, trying to cheat, huh? I knew you wouldn't be willing to spit it out.]

Lin Yan sneered inwardly.

However, his intention in proposing to audit the accounts was not really to expect the Northern Rong to return the benefits they had swallowed, but rather to exert pressure and force them to reveal their true intentions.

In retrospect, the results are remarkable.

In the latter half of the letter, the Northern Rong Khan proposed a new plan, willing to "barter" with fine horses, furs, and medicinal herbs, which were special products of the Northern Rong, in exchange for grains, cotton cloth, and other goods from the Great Yu. He emphasized that all the goods offered were "top-quality" and "absolutely no inferior goods."

What made Lin Yan raise his eyebrows even more was that the Northern Rong Khan also said that, to show his sincerity, he would send his two children to the capital of Dayu to "pay homage to the Emperor and listen to his holy teachings," and that "these two sons are my most cherished treasures besides the Crown Prince, and their marriages are entirely up to His Majesty the Emperor of Dayu."

After reading the letter, Lin Yan gently placed it on his lap and concluded: "Your Majesty, the disaster situation in the Northern Rong is probably much more serious than we previously discovered. Otherwise, given the Khan's personality, he would never have been so humble, offering concessions and sending hostages... uh, sending his children here for marriage alliances."

This is not much different from sending the children over as hostages, and it also involves the children's right to choose their spouses.

Xiao Che hummed in agreement and tapped his fingertip on the imperial desk: "I think so too. Bartering is acceptable. The Ministry of Revenue and the border generals will discuss the details of the trade. As for his two children... it's good that they've come. I will have them treated well."

Lin Yan nodded, understanding the emperor's meaning.

Since the Northern Rong had made their stance clear, the Great Yu naturally wouldn't deliberately make things difficult for them. They would give them the respect they deserved, but they wouldn't lack the necessary vigilance and control.

"Your Majesty is wise," Lin Yan said, habitually offering a compliment.

The boss knows perfectly well what's going on; I don't need to waste my breath.

[The Northern Rong are definitely going to suffer this loss. It's just a pity for those two princes and princesses who were sent here. They were probably quite pampered at home, but their fathers sold them off right after.]

Oh, that wicked old society...

Xiao Che glanced at him as he listened to his sighs, but said nothing.

With the matter settled, Lin Yan was about to return to his seat to continue working on the document that he hadn't finished processing.

Just as he stood up, Xiao Che casually asked, "Is the heating in the house in Anxing Ward sufficient for winter? If the silver charcoal sent by the Imperial Household Department is not enough, just ask for more."

Lin Yan hurriedly replied, "It's enough, it's enough. The charcoal His Majesty bestowed is excellent; it produces little smoke and burns for a long time, making the room very warm."

[It's more than enough; you could practically jump around indoors in just a shirt!]

[Thank you so much, boss! You saved my life!]

[It's so dry it's made my nose bleed a bit... I need my mom to make me some pear water.]

A faint smile flickered in Xiao Che's eyes, but his tone remained calm: "That's good."

Lin Yan sat back down in his seat, picked up his pen again, but his gaze involuntarily drifted toward the person behind the imperial desk.

His Majesty the Emperor was dressed in a black robe with silver patterns today, which made his face look handsome, but also gave off a cold aura that kept strangers at bay.

However, when he was reviewing memorials, he would occasionally move his neck slightly due to the heat from the charcoal brazier, and his brow would furrow almost imperceptibly.

Lin Yanfu suddenly had a flash of inspiration and knew what to give!

Your Majesty is busy with countless affairs of state and sits at your desk for long periods of time. Even with a charcoal brazier burning in the palace during this cold winter, the back of your neck and shoulders are still susceptible to cold and must feel sore and uncomfortable.

How about gifting a neck and shoulder warmer? It's practical, not too expensive, and shows thoughtfulness without being obsequious!

Most importantly—he can do it himself! That shows more sincerity!

I learned this skill when my family was struggling financially in my early years.

At that time, his father's salary was meager, and his mother worked day and night. He wanted to share the burden of the family. Seeing that his younger sister envied other girls' new clothes, he secretly learned embroidery. After he became skilled, he even pretended to be his mother and made some exquisite embroidery work, secretly asking someone to take it and sell it to get money to buy cloth for his younger sister to make new clothes and to buy his mother a plain silver hairpin.

Later, when his family's financial situation improved, he never touched it again. His mother thought it was just a child's hobby, but she didn't know that the occasional improvement in the family's meals during that period was all thanks to his embroidery, which he did late into the night.

Let's do it!

After finishing his shift and returning home, Lin Yan skillfully made his way into the storeroom. Among a pile of imperial gifts, he precisely selected a piece of dark brocade with a subtle cloud pattern. It was crisp yet soft, and the lining was made of a skin-friendly soft silk. The filling was made of the finest silk cotton, which was light, breathable, and warm.

Lin Yan gestured to indicate the dimensions, recalling the ergonomic curves, striving for both aesthetics and comfort.

Cutting, sewing, stuffing, finishing... the movements were so practiced that it was as if they had never been unfamiliar with them before.

They even embroidered a small, delicate "御" (Yu) character pattern in an inconspicuous place on the inside of the neck brace with silver thread, which was neither presumptuous nor lacking in attention to detail.

A few days later, a warm neck pad with fine, even stitches, an elegant and fitting design, and a soft and comfortable feel was completed.

Lin Yan placed it in a flat sandalwood box and brought it into the palace.

Xiao Che seemed to be in a good mood that day. After reviewing a batch of important memorials, he had a rare moment of leisure and picked up his teacup to rest.

Lin Yan seized the opportunity, carrying the small wooden box, and sidled up to the imperial desk, his face displaying just the right amount of respect and sincerity: "Your Majesty's great kindness in bestowing this residence upon us, and your thoughtful consideration, have deeply moved my family. We have no way to repay you. Recently, the weather has been cold, and I have seen Your Majesty sitting for long periods of time and feeling tired. So I have taken the liberty of making this small item, hoping it can help Your Majesty dispel some of the chill and relieve some of your fatigue."

Xiao Che was somewhat surprised, raising an eyebrow at him and the rather elegant-looking wooden box in his hand.

Look! I honed my skills back in the day!

[Your Majesty, you should try it, I guarantee it will feel good!]

Hearing the confident yet expectant murmur in his ear, Xiao Che reached out and took the box, carefully opening it.

Inside, there was a dark-colored neck warmer with cloud patterns. The stitching was so fine and neat that it resembled a fine brush painting. The shape was smooth and fit perfectly. It was clear at a glance that it had been made with great care. It was not an ordinary item that could be bought on the market, nor could it be made by a novice.

A hint of surprise flashed in Xiao Che's eyes.

He picked up the neck guard; it was soft and delicate to the touch. The workmanship was excellent, though not as good as that of the Imperial Wardrobe. Upon closer inspection, he even found a small, exquisite "御" (Imperial) character embroidered in silver thread on the inside.

Lin Yan actually has such skills?

It turns out that his inner cursing was only one side of him.

Lin Yan explained at the right moment: "Your Majesty, it is filled with silk cotton, which is breathable and warm. If your neck is sore when you are reviewing memorials, you can use this to support yourself, which may make you more comfortable."

Xiao Che's fingers traced the delicate and neat stitches, then he looked at the young man's seemingly calm yet subtly proud eyes.

He put the neck brace back in the box, closed the lid, and handed it to Li Defu next to him. His tone was calm but slightly gentler than usual: "Hmm, good craftsmanship, thank you for your thoughtfulness."

Lin Yan was secretly delighted; back then, he had used this to get Mo'er new clothes.

Xiao Che then instructed Li Defu: "Go and bring the newly presented box of honey-preserved ginseng slices and the black fox fur coat to Minister Lin."

Lin Yan: "!!!"

[Another reward?]

[And the reward is so generous!]

"Your Majesty, you're too kind! I can't possibly accept this... Of course, I didn't mean to say I didn't want the black fox fur coat."

Xiao Che looked at his wide eyes and the corners of his mouth that he tried to suppress, and suppressed the smile on his lips: "It's freezing cold. Lin Qing needs to keep warm when going in and out of the palace. That black fox fur coat is warm and just right."

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your generous reward!" Lin Yan felt his heart beat faster as he thought about the heavy reward.

[A huge profit!]

[His Majesty is truly the best boss in the world!]

Xiao Che listened to the joyful, almost jumping-up-with-a-jump sentiment and lowered his eyes.

Holding the box of honey-preserved ginseng slices and the warm, glossy black fox fur coat, Lin Yan staggered out of the imperial study.

He was delighted, thinking about how he would wear the new fur coat and parade through the streets the next day, while pondering whether to soak the honey-preserved ginseng slices in water or stew them with chicken.

Just as he stepped onto the corridor, Li Lianshun blocked his way.

"Scholar Lin, His Majesty has instructed that you try on this fur coat to see if it fits. If it is not suitable, have the Imperial Wardrobe Bureau make alterations immediately," Li Lianshun said with a fawning smile.

Lin Yan was taken aback, then remembered that His Majesty had just said "just right". Could it be that he was to try it now?

He subconsciously looked at the fur coat in his arms. The dark fur gleamed with a faint blue luster in the dim winter light, exuding an air of nobility.

Try it now? Here?

His Majesty wouldn't be wanting to see what he looks like in that outfit, would he?

How does it resemble buying new clothes and being eager to show them off to friends?

Lin Yan's mind was filled with random thoughts, but he didn't dare to be careless. He quickly handed over what he was holding; Li Lianshun held it and carefully unfolded the fur coat.

It feels heavy and substantial when you hold it; the fur is as soft and smooth as a handful of warm snow.

He took a deep breath and draped it over himself.

Instantly, a warm feeling enveloped him, shielding him from the surrounding chill.

Surprisingly, the fur coat fit him perfectly, as if it had been made to his exact measurements. The shoulder width and sleeve length were just right, and a thick band of black fox fur around the collar brushed against his chin, soft and warm.

This fits so perfectly, could His Majesty have originally prepared it for himself?

The thought startled Lin Yan, and he quickly shook his head.

Impossible, impossible, it must be a coincidence.

While Lin Yan was enjoying the warm touch of the fur, Xiao Che, through the half-open window, caught a glimpse of the figure wrapped in a black fox fur coat in the corridor.

The young man stood tall and straight, and the deep black of his clothes made his handsome face stand out even more. In the gray winter courtyard, he was like a black pine tree that had suddenly come to life.

Xiao Che's gaze lingered for a moment on the well-fitting fur coat.

Yes, it fits perfectly.

He withdrew his gaze and returned it to the memorial, his fingertips unconsciously brushing against the wooden box containing the neck brace.

Inside the box, the dark-colored cloud-patterned neck warmer lay quietly, the silver-embroidered "御" (Yu) character shimmering subtly in the shadows.