Chapter 101 What's with all this talk about marriage? He...
Lin Yan stood at the entrance of his own storeroom, watching the servants continuously carrying boxes inside, and felt his eyelids twitch.
The early May sun already carried a hint of heat, shining on the heavy boxes and cages, reflecting the light so brightly it made him a little dizzy.
He knew that Xiao Che had confiscated many property from the imperial clan, and he also knew that the national treasury was now full, but he never expected it to be this full.
The benefits given to officials during the Dragon Boat Festival were ridiculously generous.
As the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, when he first saw the draft budget, he thought he had misread the figures because he had stayed up all night checking the accounts. He checked it three times before he was sure that the figures were true.
Lin Yan even went to ask Xiao Che about it. Xiao Che was reviewing memorials at the time. He looked up, smiled, and said, "We've confiscated a lot of money from the imperial clan. Let's give everyone a little more to make them happy."
Lin Yan thought to himself that this was probably another form of Robin Hood-style robbing the rich to help the poor.
Emperor Xiao Che was already generous to his ministers as his predecessor, but this year he was even more outrageously generous.
Lin Yan took the final distribution list and calculated that in previous years, only officials of the third rank and above in the central government and local governors were given Dragon Boat Festival clothes. This year, the distribution was expanded to officials of the fifth rank and above in the central government. The clothes were made of the lightest and thinnest summer cloth, which would feel cool and refreshing when worn in summer.
In Dayu, the Dragon Boat Festival is also called the "Fan Festival." The emperor would bestow exquisitely crafted fans, especially "summer-repelling fans" or "dragon fans" painted with the story of "relieving anger and enriching wealth" from the Book of Documents. These fans symbolize "fanning a cool breeze and relieving the heat," and it is hoped that officials can govern with the same integrity as Emperor Shun, bringing coolness and peace to the people.
This is a perk that all officials in Chongqing enjoy, even the lowest-ranking ones, only differing in the grade of the fan they receive.
Not to mention the festive decorations: zongzi piled high like small mountains, seasonal fruits like cherries, bright red and juicy, packaged in exquisite boxes, along with herbs to ward off evil and plague, intricate and elaborate ribbons, gold and silver ware gleaming with a soft light, and bronze mirrors that reflected light with unparalleled clarity...
All members of Lin Yan's family, except for his younger sister Lin Mo, hold official ranks.
Lin Chengji was a master craftsman, Lin Yan himself was a vice minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and even his mother Wen Yun was granted the title of Lady Renshou by Emperor Xiao Che's special decree. Therefore, the Dragon Boat Festival rewards bestowed upon the Lin family were so abundant that they made others envious.
Xiao Che gave Lin Yan extra gifts in addition to his regular allowance; those gifts were packed into boxes and boxes.
Just looking at the fans, the silk and painted fans within the grade are exquisite, while those outside the grade include the "King" character fan and the "Hundred-Rope" fan. Lin Yan suspects that Xiao Che may have moved half of the fans from the Imperial Treasury to the Lin family.
Xiao Che even considered that Wen Yun and Lin Mo, as women, had the custom of wearing flowers in their hair during the Dragon Boat Festival, and specially sent people to deliver the finest hollyhocks, jasmine, and magnolias, with elegant fragrances and delicate petals.
The other rewards were countless. The usual realgar wine, zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), and rice balls were all top-quality items from the imperial kitchen.
Lin Yan held a heavy fan with a golden nanmu handle and painted silk, watching his father, Lin Chengji, directing the servants to paste a Zhong Kui image on the door. The Zhong Kui image was also a gift from the palace, with exquisite painting skills. Zhong Kui glared and held a sword, looking very imposing.
Looking at the courtyard full of "the Emperor's boundless grace," and thinking about his relationship with Xiao Che, an absurd yet apt thought uncontrollably popped into Lin Yan's mind and lingered there.
Does this mean she married into a wealthy family?
The moment the thought crossed his mind, Lin Yan felt a bit embarrassed. He quickly shook his head, trying to shake off this absurd idea.
Why are you thinking about marriage? He's not desperate to get married.
But such immense wealth and meticulous care made it hard for him not to have such strange associations.
"Yan'er, what are you standing there for?" Lin Chengji finished pasting up the Zhong Kui image, turned around and saw his son staring blankly at the rewards filling the courtyard, and called out, "Come and help tidy up, the storeroom is almost overflowing, His Majesty's rewards are too generous."
Even Lin Chengji, who had spent half his life in officialdom, felt that this year's rewards were a bit excessive.
Everyone knows that his son is favored by the emperor, but just how much favor does the emperor actually have?
Lin Yan said "Oh" and went over to help with the counting.
He picked up a string of five-colored silk threads woven together and adorned with gold and silver ornaments at the bottom. These were worn by children during the Dragon Boat Festival to ward off evil spirits. Xiao Che had sent quite a few of these, probably thinking that they could be given to the children of his relatives and friends.
The steward had already led his men to roughly inventory the items in the storeroom. He showed the booklet to Lin Chengji, who was completely stunned by what he saw.
"Your Majesty's kindness is truly immense," Lin Chengji said, stroking his beard.
"It's a good thing that Your Majesty treats your subjects well," Lin Yan said as he tidied up the ropes. "It shows that the national treasury is full and that Your Majesty cares about everyone."
"That's the truth, but... never mind, both thunder and rain are the Emperor's grace, so just accept them well. Now that you're in the Ministry of Revenue and have His Majesty's trust, you must be careful with your words and actions and not betray His Majesty's heart." Lin Chengji couldn't help but nag again.
"I understand, son." Lin Yan obediently replied, but in his heart he was thinking that he could never let down Xiao Che, who was his boyfriend.
At this moment, Wen Yun and Lin Mo also walked out of the inner courtyard with smiles.
Wen Yun had already adorned her hair with a fresh jasmine flower, which made her appear even more gentle and graceful. Lin Mo, on the other hand, held two small and exquisite round fans, one embroidered with lotus blossoms and the other with gourds and melons, which he cherished dearly.
"Mother, look at this fan, it's so beautiful." Lin Mo handed the fan to Wen Yun. "And these flowers, they smell so good. His Majesty is so thoughtful."
Wen Yun took the fan and looked at it, her eyes filled with undisguised joy, but more so with consideration as the mistress of the house: "Yes, Your Majesty's grace is truly appreciated. Mo'er, pick out some fruits and pastries that don't keep well and send them to a few familiar households so they can share in the joy. As for the rest, we can't possibly eat them all ourselves, so we can share some with the servants so everyone can have a good holiday."
"Okay, I'll go right away." Lin Mo happily agreed and led the maid to sort the items.
Wen Yun then looked at Lin Yan and Lin Chengji: "You two should also keep in touch with your colleagues in the government office and those with whom you have good relationships. Don't let people think that our Lin family has become arrogant after receiving a reward."
Lin Chengji and Lin Yan naturally nodded in agreement.
The family was busy when the gatekeeper came to report that Eunuch Li Lianshun from the palace had brought several baskets of freshly picked lotus roots and water chestnuts, saying that His Majesty had specially ordered them to be sent to the Lin family to cleanse their palates.
Looking at the fresh lotus roots and water chestnuts, Lin Yan felt that "marrying into a wealthy family" feeling welled up again, mixed with a subtle sense of being "fed".
He couldn't help but start taking stock in his mind: the house was a royal gift, the carriage was his own, but Xiao Che had completely changed the furnishings inside, making it much more comfortable than an ordinary carriage, the money was countless rewards, and now even fresh fruits and vegetables were being delivered directly to his door...
As for the things that are not in the Lin residence, but in the palace or the Dan Garden, there is a huge pile of food, clothing and other necessities for Lin Yan. Lin Yan is no longer considered part of their family's salary, since they are very wealthy.
Lin Yan directed the servants to move the lotus roots and water chestnuts to the kitchen, thinking that it would be appropriate to have the kitchen make sweet and sour lotus roots and water chestnut soup.
After a busy morning, all the rewards were finally put away properly.
The Lin family's storeroom was crammed full, and even the servants had smiles on their faces because they had also received some good stuff from the palace, enough to make them proud in front of their families and neighbors when they returned home.
As expected, sweet and sour lotus root and water chestnut soup were added to the table at lunchtime.
As the family sat around the table for dinner, the conversation naturally turned to the generous gifts they had received that day.
Lin Mo chattered on about how delighted a lady was when she received the cherries she sent, and how a young lady envied the round fan she received.
Wen Yun listened with a smile, occasionally adding a few words.
Lin Chengji chatted with Lin Yan about matters of state, remarking that after His Majesty cleansed the imperial clan, the national treasury was indeed much fuller, and even the salaries of officials had risen accordingly.
Besides the extra gifts Xiao Che gave to the Lin family, other officials also received more generous rewards than in previous years, and they all sincerely praised Emperor Xiao Che.
Lin Yan picked up a piece of sweet and sour lotus root, making a crunchy sound as she bit into it; it was refreshingly sweet.
Lunch ended in a harmonious and joyful atmosphere.
Lin Mo was excitedly planning which gifts to exchange with her girlfriends that afternoon, while Wen Yun began arranging for servants to deliver the distributed gifts to each household. Lin Chengji, enjoying a rare moment of leisure, decided to take a short rest.
Lin Yan was preoccupied with his promise to Xiao Che. After chatting with his family for a while, he stood up and said, "Father, Mother, I have an appointment with my colleagues for a spring outing this afternoon, so I may be back later."
Wen Yun had no suspicions and assumed it was just her son's social engagement with the yamen officials. She carefully instructed him, "Go ahead. It's a festival today, so it's lively outside. Be careful and come back early."
Lin Chengji nodded in agreement: "Yes, since we are colleagues, we should not be impolite."
Lin Yan agreed and turned to return to his own courtyard.
He hadn't made plans with any colleagues; he was waiting for his "wealthy" boyfriend to pick him up for a date.
Back in his room, Lin Yan took out a carefully wrapped brocade box from deep inside the cabinet.
Inside was a Dragon Boat Festival gift he had prepared for a long time—a mutton-fat white jade pendant with a design he personally created and carved by the best jade craftsmen in the capital.
The jade pendant is oval-shaped, with beautiful patterns carved in relief on the front and smooth lines, while the back is engraved with two characters in extremely fine craftsmanship: Zhaolin.
Xiao Che's courtesy name.
The Book of Rites, in the chapter "Yuzao", says: "In ancient times, gentlemen always wore jade... A gentleman never parted with his jade without good reason, and he compared his virtues to jade."
Lin Yan felt that Xiao Che was the most gentlemanly person. If Xiao Che didn't wear jade, who would?
Moreover, in order to design the jade pendant well, he studied painting for a long time. In the past, he was only focused on studying for the imperial examinations and had never learned to play the piano or paint. In his previous life, he had only attended tutoring classes, and this was his first time painting.
Lin Yan carefully tucked the brocade box into his bosom, and began to feel restless.
She would tidy her clothes in front of the bronze mirror for a while, and then walk to the window to look out, just like a girl waiting to be married and for her sweetheart to come and fetch her.
Pshaw, pshaw, pshaw! What do you mean by a girl waiting to be married? He's not desperate to get married!
Lin Yan quickly interrupted his thoughts; he was just... a little looking forward to the date.
He didn't have to wait long. Around the beginning of the afternoon, Jin Jiu's perpetually expressionless face appeared outside Lin Yan's courtyard gate.
"My lord, the carriages and horses are ready." Jin Jiu said succinctly.
Lin Yan's heart skipped a beat, but she forced herself to remain calm and nodded, "Understood."
He followed Jin Jiu out of the Lin residence through a side gate. Outside the gate was a small, seemingly ordinary blue-draped carriage, driven by a man with an ordinary face but a reserved demeanor, who should be one of the Jin Shadow Guards.
Li Defu didn't come along, and it's unknown what Xiao Che ordered him to do.
Lin Yan climbed into the carriage. The interior was not large, but it was comfortably furnished. There was even an ice chest in the corner, emitting a cool breeze that dispelled the afternoon heat.
Xiao Che wasn't in the car. Was she trying to surprise him?
The carriage slowly started moving and passed through the bustling street.
Lin Yan lifted a corner of the carriage curtain and looked outside at the bustling crowd. Vendors were hawking mugwort, calamus, and all sorts of sachets, and children with five-colored silk threads tied around their wrists were running around, creating a festive atmosphere.
After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the carriage stopped at a secluded riverbank. Far from the market, the area was shaded by green willows and had a babbling brook, making it exceptionally tranquil.
"My lord, we've arrived," Jin Jiu whispered from outside.
Lin Yan got out of the car and immediately saw the figure standing with his hands behind his back under the willow tree.
Xiao Che was not wearing his dragon robe today, but only a pomegranate-colored casual dress of excellent quality, which was quite eye-catching. He was looking at the shimmering river surface.
Hearing footsteps, Xiao Che turned around, his gaze falling on Lin Yan. A smile naturally appeared on his lips as he extended his hand to him: "You're here."
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the willow leaves, casting dappled shadows on his handsome profile. His eyes clearly reflected Lin Yan's figure, exuding an unbelievable gentleness.
Lin Yan's heart skipped a beat. She quickened her pace and naturally placed her hand in his warm palm: "Have you been waiting long?"
"Just arrived." Xiao Che gripped his hand and led him slowly along the riverbank.
Kim Gu and the Kim Shadow Guard driving the car had already tacitly disappeared into the distance, leaving this peaceful world to the two of them.
The river water is clear, and occasionally a fish leaps out of the water, creating ripples.
A gentle breeze swept by, bringing the moist scent of grass and river water, and also fluttering Lin Yan's clothes and Xiao Che's sleeves.
The two of them didn't say much, just walked hand in hand quietly, enjoying this rare moment of tranquility. Occasionally their eyes would meet, and they would smile at each other, everything understood without words.
After walking for a while, I found a flat grassy area to sit down. The shade of the trees blocked most of the sunlight, leaving only dappled light spots dancing in the air.
Lin Yan took out the brocade box from his pocket and handed it to Xiao Che: "This is for you, a Dragon Boat Festival gift."
Xiao Che took the brocade box and opened it. When he saw the warm, smooth white jade pendant, his eyes flickered slightly.
He picked up the jade pendant and ran his fingertips over the two tiny engraved characters "Zhao Lin" on the back.
He took off the nine-dragon jade pendant he was wearing at his waist and carefully tied the white jade pendant on top, adjusting its position so that the simple cloud pattern and the two characters "Zhao Lin" were close to him.
“I understand Hanzhang’s intentions. From now on, I will wear it every day.” Xiao Che looked at Lin Yan and said solemnly.
Lin Yan watched as he unhesitatingly changed out of the nine-dragon pendant that symbolized his imperial status and put on the jade pendant she had given him. An irrepressible smile appeared on his lips as he muttered softly, "I'm glad you like it."
“I also have a gift for you.” Xiao Che took out two items from his bosom—a dark blue sachet with fine stitches and simple orchid patterns, and a bracelet carefully woven with five colors of silk: blue, red, white, black, and yellow.
"This is..." Lin Yan's eyes widened slightly.
Xiao Che did not answer immediately, but instead took Lin Yan's left hand and carefully tied the five-colored silk bracelet around Lin Yan's wrist.
His movements were very gentle, his fingertips occasionally brushing against Lin Yan's skin, causing a slight itch.
After tying it, his slender fingers did not immediately leave, but gently stroked the brightly colored bracelet. He looked up at Lin Yan and slowly recited: "May our auspicious day last five days, and may we grow old together for a thousand years."
Xiao Che's words fell clearly into Lin Yan's ears; they were vows, carrying the weight of a thousand pounds.
Growing old together... a thousand years... Lin Yan's heart seemed to be suddenly struck by this straightforward and ancient blessing, her cheeks instantly flushed, and the five-colored silk on her wrist seemed to carry a scorching temperature.
Before Lin Yan could recover from the shock, Xiao Che picked up the dark blue sachet again, leaned slightly forward, and carefully tied the sachet to the crimson belt around Lin Yan's waist, just behind his elbow within easy reach.
As he tied the sachet, his breath brushed past Lin Yan's ear, bringing a slight tingling sensation.
After tying it securely, Xiao Che's fingers gently brushed over the seemingly casual yet elegant orchid embroidery on the sachet. His gaze fell on Lin Yan's slightly flushed face, and a faint yet captivating smile curved his lips. He said softly, "Why the knock? The sachet is tied behind my elbow."
This line of poetry has a more tender and lingering sentiment than the previous one.
"Knock knock" means sincere and earnest.
How can I express the sincere feelings in my heart? Only by tying this handmade sachet behind your elbow, so that it may always be with you, its fragrance lingering around you.
Lin Yan felt a surge of heat rush from the bottom of her heart to the top of her head, and the tips of her ears turned bright red.
He subconsciously touched the sachet behind his elbow, which still carried the warmth of Xiao Che's body and fingertips, and then looked down at the five-colored silk on his wrist, a symbol of longevity and protection against evil.
Xiao Che said sweet words to him, it really was... really...
He really likes it so much!
"Xiao Zhaolin, I understand your feelings." Lin Yan rushed towards Xiao Che, but was caught by him.
Lin Yan leaned against his shoulder, the familiar scent of agarwood lingering around his nose, mixed with the freshness of grass and river water, making him feel incredibly at ease.
"Not holding a palace banquet today is actually a boon for us," Xiao Che said slowly, toying with Lin Yan's fingers.
"Yes, stealing half a day of leisure from a busy life." Lin Yan squinted his eyes contentedly. "What do you want to do today?"
"We'll celebrate the festival the same way ordinary people do," Xiao Che said. "I've heard there's a dragon boat race in the south of the city. Hanzhang, would you like to come with me to watch?"
Lin Yan tilted her head back, not caring whether anyone would see, and kissed Xiao Che on the lips: "Okay."
The two got up, still holding hands, and walked along the riverbank towards the bustling area to the south, like an ordinary couple in love.
The sun shines brightly, a gentle breeze blows, willow branches sway softly, and the river flows gently.
Lin Yan looked at the profile of the person beside him, feeling the warmth from his palm, and then at the jade pendant at his waist that swayed gently with his steps. The five-colored silk on his wrist and the sachet behind his elbow were also surprisingly prominent.
Sunlight filtered through the intertwined willow leaves, casting dappled golden spots that fell on their clasped hands, on the warm, white jade pendant at Xiao Che's waist, and on the brightly colored five-colored silk on Lin Yan's wrist and the orchid sachet with its subtle fragrance wafting from his elbow.
The river breeze is gentle, and the willows sway in the breeze as orioles sing. This scene is enough to soothe countless ordinary or noisy mornings and evenings to come.
Silk on the wrist, fragrance on the elbow, and the person beside you—this is the most perfect scenery in the world at this moment.
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The author's note: The practice of giving gifts such as clothes and fans during the Dragon Boat Festival is based on the Tang Dynasty.
On this auspicious day of the fifth day, may we grow old together and live a thousand years. —Quan Deyu, "Responding to the Gift of Colorful Clothes from the Ministry of Rites on the Dragon Boat Festival"
Why this knock? A fragrant sachet is tied to the back of my elbow. — Fan Qin, "Poem of Betrothal"
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