Chapter 24 Is this the ultimate fate of a corporate slave...?
Another day of getting up early to attend the morning court session.
Lin Yan, mingling among the officials, felt like a crooked scallion forcibly stuck into a pile of ceremonial objects, the kind that's been sitting out overnight.
I'm so sleepy, I want to hibernate.
The threshold of the Taiyi Hall was so high that it could trip a donkey to death. He carefully stepped over it, afraid that he would stumble and fall flat on his face, and tomorrow's headline in the capital would be "Newly Appointed Physician Lin Loses Etiquette Before the Emperor".
Lin Yan silently shrank into his own spot, trying to minimize his presence, wishing he could disappear on the spot.
However, the one on the dragon throne clearly has no intention of letting anyone have an easy time today.
Xiao Che didn't even wait for the daily routine to be completed. Before Li Defu's words "I have a report to submit" had even finished hanging in the rafters, he spoke.
"I have heard an interesting story that I would like to share with you all." Xiao Che lightly tapped the armrest of the dragon throne with his fingertip, and his gaze slowly swept over the silent ministers below, finally landing on the front of the nobles' line. "It is said that people appreciate chrysanthemums on the Double Ninth Festival, but some people are afraid that the delicate flowers are afraid of the cold and need to be surrounded by a silver wire charcoal brazier to warm them in order to show their national beauty and fragrance."
Several nobles standing in the front row instinctively shrank their necks.
Lin Yan lowered his head even further, but his heart instantly sprang to life.
[Here it comes! His Majesty is about to unleash his ultimate attack!]
[Quickly, scold them!]
Xiao Che's lips tightened for a moment, as if he was trying his best to suppress some kind of emotion.
His voice suddenly turned deep, carrying a sense of impending doom: "I had no idea that the noble families of my Great Yu had become so wealthy and extravagant. How much does silver thread charcoal cost? How much silver does an ordinary family spend on firewood and charcoal for a winter? Do you even know?!"
No one dared to speak; the air was so thick it seemed to freeze.
No one who uses silver wire charcoal would know how much charcoal used by ordinary households costs per kilogram.
"As the Zuo Zhuan says, 'Frugality is the foundation of virtue; extravagance is the root of evil.'" Xiao Che's voice echoed in the silent hall, quoting classical texts, each word like a knife. "Emperor Wen of Han spared no expense, halting the construction of the Lu Terrace, thus ushering in the reigns of Emperors Wen and Jing. Your ancestors followed Emperor Taizu in conquering the empire, earning their titles through bloodshed and life-or-death struggles, not to rest on their laurels and emulate Shi Chong and Wang Kai, competing in extravagance and ostentatious displays of wealth!"
An old marquis standing in the line of nobles began to turn pale, and his fingers trembled slightly.
Wow! His Majesty is incredibly knowledgeable! His rebuke is well-reasoned and supported by evidence!
[Shi Chong and Wang Kai have both appeared! This directly labels them as fools who flaunt their wealth! Brilliant!]
Xiao Che's gaze swept casually in the direction of Lin Yan, and he continued speaking, his tone becoming increasingly cold and stern: "The Book of Documents says, 'The people are the foundation of the state; when the foundation is firm, the state is at peace.' This year, the cold wave arrived early, and I have been worried day and night, fearing that the people would suffer from cold and hunger. I have repeatedly ordered all regions to be considerate of the people's strength and to monitor the prices of charcoal and firewood. And you all have done just that."
He slammed his hand on the armrest of the dragon throne. Though it didn't make a loud noise, the action sent a chill down everyone's spine: "You actually disregard my edicts, ignore the hardships of the people, disregard the laws of the court, and commit such an absurd and outrageous act! Do you even have any regard for the court? Do you even have any regard for me?"
[They're patting the chair! They're patting the chair! Even though there's no sound, the impact is there!]
[His Majesty is incredibly handsome! That imposing presence! That aura! Ahhh!]
That's right! All they care about is their own grand display! They don't care at all about the lives of ordinary people!
Lin Yan was deeply moved and wanted to applaud and cheer on the spot, but he had to keep a straight face and could only nod his head frantically to show his agreement.
With each nod, his inner praise surged forth like a mighty river.
Xiao Che seemed to be injected with energy from an invisible source, and he cursed even more vigorously, from the Book of Rites to the Analects, from the prosperous Han and Tang dynasties to the fall of the previous dynasty, elevating the trivial matters of the Marquis of Changping's mansion to the level of shaking the foundation of the country, betraying the emperor's grace, and disgracing the ancestors.
Every citation of classical texts and criticisms earned Lin Yan's even more surging applause.
[Your Majesty's eloquence is truly remarkable! Your ability to insult without using profanity is something even the most learned scholars in our Ministry of Rites would have to admit defeat for!]
[I've learned something! From now on, I'll use this method of quoting classical texts when criticizing people like Wu Haimin!]
[Your Majesty, continue! Don't stop! Let them know what the harsh realities of society and the iron fist of imperial power are like!]
The court officials were silent as cicadas in winter, their heads hanging lower than the last, their hearts filled with utter terror.
Since Your Majesty ascended the throne, although you have been swift and decisive, you have rarely shown such emotional outbursts in court assemblies, let alone reprimanded your ministers with such erudition and lengthy discourse.
What's going on today? Is it because the Marquis of Changping's residence was burning charcoal and roasting flowers?
Although this was a rather foolish thing, it shouldn't have made His Majesty so angry, right?
Is His Majesty perhaps using this as an excuse to severely reprimand all the nobles and officials, both civil and military?
In an instant, countless subtle gazes, filled with inquiry and fear, crisscrossed the air. Everyone was on edge, frantically calculating in their minds whether they had engaged in any extravagant or outrageous behavior that might give them a handle to use against them.
For a long time, only the emperor's cold and angry voice and Lin Yan's silent but intense inner support could be heard in the Taiyi Hall.
Finally, Xiao Che seemed to have run out of steam with his rant. He snorted coldly and ended the rant.
"The Changping Marquis's mansion is extravagant and unruly. I have already given it a small punishment as a warning, reducing its number by several thousand households and reclaiming some of its permanent land. I hope you will take this as a lesson. If such things happen again, I will not let you off lightly."
The phrase "a small punishment to serve as a warning" sent a chill down many people's spines.
This is already half of the fiefdom and you call it a minor punishment?
"Court adjourned!" Xiao Che rose and stood up, leaving behind a hall full of uneasy ministers.
The officials, like pardoned death row inmates, lowered their heads and walked out silently with stiff steps. No one dared to whisper to each other; the atmosphere was so heavy it could be squeezed out of water.
Lin Yan mingled in the crowd and slipped away, still savoring the spectacular "His Majesty's Solo Show of Insults" that had just taken place.
[Awesome! So awesome!]
[I hope Your Majesty will maintain this frequency and scold these parasites more often!]
[It would be best to create a dedicated channel for His Majesty to curse, so I can watch it every day!]
The two vice ministers walking in front of him were communicating in hushed tones.
"Your Majesty is in a very bad mood today."
"It's not just great, it's downright thunderous rage! This is the first time I've seen Your Majesty like this since you ascended the throne."
"The Marquis of Changping brought this upon themselves and ended up in the line of fire."
"It's probably not that simple. His Majesty is tightening the reins."
"From now on, we'll have to be even more careful..."
Lin Yan pricked up his ears to eavesdrop and wholeheartedly agreed.
Once outside the palace gates, a gust of cold wind brought Lin Yan back to his senses from the excitement of watching the spectacle.
Ah, I have to go to work at the Ministry of Rites again.
Lin Yan hung his head and resignedly climbed into the carriage that came to pick him up, and they swayed and wobbled towards the Ministry of Rites.
Although Xiao Che canceled the Double Ninth Festival ceremony, allowing him to take a short break, the work of the Ministry of Rites is never-ending.
The autumn sacrifice has come again.
The three sacrificial rites in the capital—the sacrifices to the gods of the land and grain, the sun and moon, and the mountains and rivers—were each more grand and elaborate than the last.
Choosing an auspicious day, drafting procedures, coordinating with the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, preparing sacrificial offerings, arranging ceremonial processions, writing sacrificial texts... every single task required the leadership of the Ministry of Rites.
As the newly appointed physician, Lin Yan had an even greater responsibility to "show his face" and deal with the seasoned veterans of various government offices.
Just thinking about the leisurely Junior Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, who seemed to live in another dimension of time, and the meticulous old Registrar of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, who wanted to squeeze every last drop out of the budget for the sacrificial offerings, made Lin Yan feel like he was about to have a headache.
He slumped in the carriage, staring at the swaying tassels on the roof, and let out a mournful cry of a corporate slave.
Good heavens, I wish for a balanced diet of meat and vegetables throughout my life, so that a world where I don't have to work and can still have money to spend will come soon.
The carriage stopped at the entrance of the Ministry of Rites.
Lin Yan took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the resentment in her mind that she "didn't want to go to work," and put on a hypocritical face that said "I love my job," before slowly getting out of the car.
The atmosphere in the Ministry of Rites' office was not much better than when the court session ended at the Taiyi Hall.
Everyone's face seemed to scream "be careful what you say and do," and even their breathing was done with extreme caution.
It seems that news of Xiao Che's handling of the Changping Marquis's mansion yesterday has spread far and wide, and everyone is keeping a low profile, not daring to provoke Xiao Che.
Wang Jian was holding a document, his brows furrowed so deeply they could trap a fly. When he saw Lin Yan enter, he immediately hurried over, his posture extremely humble: "Lord Lin, you've finally arrived."
"Master Wang, what is it?" Lin Yan took the document and glanced at it. It was a preliminary draft of the autumn sacrifice procedures sent by the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. It was filled with details that required the cooperation of the Ministry of Rites.
"The Court of Imperial Sacrifices is pressing us hard, saying the autumn sacrifice is approaching and many details urgently need to be finalized." Wang Jian rubbed his hands together, his voice low. "The Court of Imperial Sacrifices has also sent word, asking when the budget for the purchase of sacrificial offerings can be approved..."
Lin Yan felt a throbbing sensation in his temples.
He knew it.
The autumn sacrifice is a hundred times more troublesome than a modern company's annual audit.
The various departments are passing the buck to each other; everyone is afraid of doing more work and everyone wants to take less responsibility.
He, the newly appointed doctor, is the center of that ball that's been kicked around.
When Wu Haimin was in office, his father was the Minister of Personnel, so naturally no one dared to pass the buck to Wu Haimin.
It's true what they say, when you're away from home, you still have to rely on your parents.
"Alright, I understand." Lin Yan waved his hand, picked up the thick stack of documents, and walked towards his "single room" separated by a screen.
He resignedly opened the draft procedures of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.
The first rule alone made him want to flip the table.
"It is suggested that a welcoming dance segment be added, in which thirty-six boys and thirty-six girls should be selected to practice the newly choreographed 'Cloud Gate' dance, to demonstrate His Majesty's benevolence and to inspire the gods..."
Lin Yan picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote a note beside it: "Rejected. The reasons are that time is too short, rehearsals are not enough, the newly composed music and dance have not been approved by the Ministry of Rites and do not conform to the old system, and the young boys and girls may not be able to withstand the autumn chill. If they catch a cold, it will be unsightly."
Why can't these people work according to the previous regulations? Why do they have to come up with innovations at the last minute?
It's a real shame that there were no innovation and entrepreneurship competitions in ancient times.
After approving this one, he continued reading.
The budget list of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices was even more substantial.
"The three sacrificial animals must be nine uncastrated black-haired pigs, nine blue oxen with prominent horns, and nine pure white lambs, for selection..."
Excuse me, have you not received any news about His Majesty's plans for dealing with the Marquis of Changping's estate?
Lin Yan's lips twitched.
With a stroke of his pen, he wrote: "The scale is too large and the expenses are excessive. It shall be changed to three animals of each kind, selected from the best. The remaining funds shall be verified and reported to the Ministry of Revenue for a decision on whether to include them in the charcoal and firewood subsidy."
Lin Yan spent the entire morning amidst all sorts of bizarre documents and her inner rant.
He felt like an emotionless rejection machine, either rejecting unreasonable suggestions or on his way to reject them.
During this period, they also had to deal with people sent by various government departments to "communicate and coordinate."
The official from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices was a registrar who spoke as slowly as a sloth, repeatedly emphasizing the importance of the "Yunmen" dance in highlighting the solemnity of the sacrificial ceremony.
Lin Yan patiently listened to his rambling for a long time, and finally asked only one question: "If the rehearsal of this dance delays the sacrificial ceremony, or if children fall ill from the cold, is your temple willing to bear the full responsibility?"
The registrar was immediately stumped, stammered for a long time, and then slunk away.
The one from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices was a cunning old fox, who tried to subtly inquire whether the budget cuts could be offset by other projects.
Lin Yan kept making "uh-huhs" and "ah-ahs" sounds throughout, but wouldn't budge. In the end, the old fox had no choice but to leave dejectedly.
After dealing with these groups of people, Lin Yan felt utterly exhausted.
Lin Yan slumped in the chair, his eyes vacant, and began to contemplate life.
Why can't we escape the fate of being treated like a client, a service provider, and being passed around like a hot potato even after time travel?
Is this the ultimate fate of corporate slaves?
A note from the author:
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