Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Another act of disrespect.
Lin Yan lay paralyzed in bed for two more days, feeling like he was about to grow mushrooms, when finally, Dr. Chen granted him a pardon and declared him completely cured.
He looked at himself in the bronze mirror and saw that his complexion was rosy. He felt like he was a good man who could go to work again.
"Dad, Mom, I'm all better, really." Lin Yan swung his arms, trying to show off his boundless energy. "Look at me, full of life!"
Wen Yun slapped his arm away: "You're already acting so improperly as soon as you're feeling better. Now that you're better, you should go to the palace to express your gratitude tomorrow. His Majesty has shown you such great favor, how can you shirk your duty?"
Lin Yan immediately wilted.
Thank you.
Yes, there's that too.
The thought of facing Xiao Che sent chills down Lin Yan's spine.
His parents didn't mention it when he was delirious from illness, and they only found out later that Xiao Che had come to visit him, and he even held onto Xiao Che's hand tightly.
This is yet another act of blasphemy.
Lin Yan no longer dared to count how many times he had committed such a grave offense.
The pressure is immense.
But Mother is right. The big boss sent a judge and bestowed gifts, and even personally visited him in his illness. If he didn't go to express his gratitude, he would truly be ungrateful.
The next day, Lin Yan got up very early, changed into his fifth-rank scarlet official robe, and practiced his "tears of gratitude" expression eight hundred times in front of the mirror before heading to the palace with a heavy heart.
They were informed, waited, and led into the side hall of the Taiyi Hall.
The whole process felt so familiar it was heartbreaking.
Xiao Che was reviewing memorials when he heard the sound and looked up.
Today he was dressed in a dark blue casual suit, which made his face look handsome. However, there was a faint trace of weariness between his brows. When he saw Lin Yan, that weariness seemed to fade a little, and the corners of his lips curved slightly.
"Your Majesty, I am sorry to have been ill for some time. I am grateful for Your Majesty's kindness." Lin Yan knelt down with a thud, kowtowed, his voice was loud and clear, his lines were fluent, and his expressions were on point—all basic skills honed through his work.
"Rise." Xiao Che put down his pen and glanced at his face. "You look much better."
"Thanks to Your Majesty's great blessing, I have fully recovered." Lin Yan stood up and stood respectfully with his hands at his sides.
"Yes, it's good that you're fully recovered." Xiao Che pointed to the embroidered stool next to him. "Sit down."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Lin Yan sat down cautiously.
Xiao Che said casually, "After this illness, have you taken care of yourself? No matter how busy you are with official duties in the future, you must not exhaust yourself like this."
Lin Yan quickly nodded: "Your Majesty's teachings are correct. I will remember them and never repeat them." But in his heart, he thought, "The work is piling up, and it's not like I can just stop working on it whenever I want."
[Unless Your Majesty were to delegate half of the duties of the Ministry of Rites.]
Xiao Che picked up his teacup, blew away the foam, and instead of responding to the conversation, asked about his health, diet, and sleep in great detail.
Lin Yan answered each question one by one, and the slight unease in her heart was gradually replaced by the illusion that "the boss seems unusually kind today."
Just as the atmosphere in the hall was peaceful, Li Defu bowed and entered silently, approaching Xiao Che and whispering, "Your Majesty, Scholar Wei is outside requesting an audience."
The gentleness on Xiao Che's face vanished instantly, his brows furrowed, revealing obvious impatience. He even gently tapped the teacup on the table, making a subtle yet clear clinking sound.
"I won't see him." Xiao Che's voice turned cold, carrying an undisguised annoyance. "Let him submit his report if he has something to say. I don't have time to listen to his rambling."
Li Defu seemed to have expected this, and dared not say a word. He replied "Yes" and quietly withdrew.
Lin Yan sat below, taking in the whole scene, and his inner antennae suddenly stood up.
Wei Hongwen?
This name sounds familiar.
He seems to be a Hanlin Academician?
His Majesty's reaction is quite intriguing.
It seems that this Scholar Wei is not well-liked.
Lin Yan's damned curiosity began to stir.
He glanced at Xiao Che's expression and sensed that although the emperor was impatient, he didn't seem to be really angry.
How about... we gossip a bit?
He mustered his courage and spoke cautiously, his voice carrying just the right amount of probing and a hint of flattery: "Your Majesty seems to dislike this Scholar Wei quite a bit?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Che glanced at him, his eyes seeming to say, "You certainly know how to read people's expressions."
He exhaled a heavy breath, as if he had been holding it in for a long time and had finally found a safe haven to pour out his grievances.
"It's more than just dislike." Xiao Che's tone carried an indescribable disgust and weariness. "I get a headache just looking at his memorials! A simple matter like checking the funds for river works, I ask him to write a summary, and he can ramble on about the rule of the three dynasties and the teachings of the sages, going on and on for thousands of words, without a single crucial word! When I ask him for the specific amount, he stammers and the report he submits is even more cryptic, harder to understand than a book written in heaven!"
Xiao Che grew angrier as he spoke: "He was asked to draft an imperial edict for the special imperial examination, and he even made mistakes in the format. When I pointed out his oversights, he just quoted classical texts and said that this was the way it was done in such and such dynasties throughout history! He's so pedantic! So rigid! And he won't listen to anyone!"
Lin Yan was stunned.
Good heavens!
Isn't this an ancient version of "PPT Master"?
That familiar taste, that tangy sensation...
Lin Yan instantly empathized!
He thought of the fear of being dominated by Wu Haimin, the helplessness of being scapegoated by Zheng Jing, and the frustration of being passed around by various government departments!
Turns out, he wasn't the only one with incompetent teammates! Even the emperor had them!
And the emperor's teammates... seem to be even worse, huh?
A strange sense of sympathy mixed with the realization that "Your Majesty has it tough too" arose spontaneously.
Lin Yan's gaze towards Xiao Che was instantly filled with the understanding and heartache of a revolutionary comrade-in-arms.
Your Majesty! I understand you! You've worked so hard!
Just as Xiao Che was about to drink his tea, he heard this thought and a tiny smile appeared on the corner of his lips behind the rim of the cup.
That's right, he really worked hard.
Just as Lin Yan was still immersed in feeling sorry for his boss, Xiao Che suddenly put down his teacup and looked at him intently. His usually deep and unfathomable phoenix eyes were now shining brightly, as if he had suddenly thought of a brilliant idea.
“Speaking of which,” Xiao Che’s voice carried a hint of barely concealed interest, “Minister Lin, you are quite capable and efficient in the Ministry of Rites, both in terms of official documents and practical matters.”
Lin Yan was a little stunned by the sudden praise, and subconsciously replied modestly, "Your Majesty flatters me. I was merely doing my duty..."
“What I lack by my side is a pragmatic and decisive person like you.” Xiao Che interrupted his modesty, leaning forward slightly and fixing his gaze on Lin Yan. “Minister Lin, I intend to appoint you as a Hanlin Academician. What do you say?”
Lin Yan: "!!!"
A Hanlin Academician?!
That was an extremely prestigious position, a close advisor to the emperor, in charge of drafting imperial edicts and decrees, and involved in confidential matters. It was a promotion ladder that countless civil officials dreamed of!
Moreover, and most importantly—it sounds like we won't have to fight to the death with those ridiculous sacrificial budgets and auspicious omen reports from the Ministry of Rites every day!
My heart is fluttering!
My heart is pounding!
but……
Lin Yan's last shred of rationality pulled him back.
"Your Majesty's favor is deeply appreciated!" He first expressed his gratitude as usual, then his face showed reluctance. "However, if I were to leave my post, the position of Director of the Ministry of Rites..."
He's gone. Who will take over the mess that's left at the Ministry of Rites? Xie Mingyuan is still relatively inexperienced and probably won't be able to handle things. What if another Wu Haimin 2.0 appears? Wouldn't all his previous efforts be in vain?
Xiao Che seemed to have anticipated his concerns: "There is no need to worry about this matter. I already have someone in mind. Bai Che, the former Sima of Lizhou, is a diligent official who is quite knowledgeable in practical matters. He will be transferred back to the capital soon, and I intend to appoint him as the Director of the Ministry of Rites."
Bai Che?
I've never heard of that name before.
However, since it was personally selected by His Majesty, it should be reliable.
Lin Yan pondered in his heart that the biggest obstacle seemed to have been resolved.
But then he thought about it again and felt a little uneasy.
"Then, the current Scholar Wei?" he asked hesitantly.
If he takes Wei Hongwen's place, where will Wei Hongwen go? Although that person doesn't seem very smart, he's still a colleague. Isn't it a bit unfair to just squeeze him out?
Upon hearing the name "Wei Hongwen," Xiao Che's relaxed expression vanished instantly. He snorted coldly, making no attempt to hide his disdain: "Wei Hongwen? He holds a position but does nothing, a mere figurehead. What use is he? I have decided to transfer him to the position of Education Commissioner of Jiangzhou State School. Since he enjoys quoting classical texts so much, he should go and teach properly, so he won't be an eyesore in front of me!"
Lin Yan understood instantly.
He was directly demoted, kicked from the central core government agencies to the local education bureau.
His Majesty's dislike for Wei Hongwen has reached its limit, and he can no longer tolerate it.
Sigh, it's normal for the boss to get angry when he has such a colleague who drags the team down.
He understands, he understands everything.
Lin Yan thought about it. The position of Hanlin Academician was high-ranking and powerful, with a bright future. It would also keep him away from the drudgery of the Ministry of Rites. More importantly, he would be under the boss's watchful eye every day. Although the pressure would be a bit high, clinging to this powerful figure would definitely bring many benefits.
Such immense wealth seems to offer no reason to refuse.
Lin Yan took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement, stood up, and solemnly bowed: "Your Majesty's trust and favor are so great that I am willing to take on this responsibility and will do my utmost to share Your Majesty's burdens."
Looking at Lin Yan's appearance, Xiao Che's smile deepened, and he nodded in satisfaction: "Very good."
That's how it was settled.
Lin Yan walked out of Taiyi Hall in a daze, feeling the gold bricks under her feet were soft and yielding.
So... he got promoted?
Or was he a Hanlin Academician?
Lin Yan looked up at the sky, which was gray and hazy, but in his eyes it was a clear blue sky.
Lin Yan couldn't help but grin upwards, and he almost burst into silent laughter on the spot.
He quickly lowered his head, using a cough to cover up his overflowing joy, and hurried out of the palace, afraid that if he slowed down even a step, His Majesty would change his mind.
The carriage stopped in front of the Lin residence. Lin Yan practically jumped down and rushed into the house with light steps.
"Father! Mother! I'm back!" The joy in her voice was impossible to hide.
Wen Yun and Lin Chengji were talking in the room when they saw their son's beaming face, a stark contrast to his fearless demeanor when he left home that morning. They were both taken aback.
"Yan'er, what's wrong?" Wen Yun looked at him in confusion.
Lin Yan grinned from ear to ear, first taking a big gulp of water before suppressing his excitement and saying, "His Majesty promoted me!"
"Promotion?" Lin Chengji put down his teacup, looking surprised. "What promotion? Didn't you just get promoted to a senior official in the Ministry of Rites?" Isn't this promotion a bit too fast?
“Not the Ministry of Rites.” Lin Yan straightened his back, trying to appear reserved, but the upturned corners of his mouth betrayed him. “His Majesty appointed me as a Hanlin Academician!”
"A Hanlin Academician?" Wen Yun exclaimed in surprise.
Lin Chengji stood up abruptly, his face filled with shock and disbelief: "His Majesty said it himself? He's appointing you as a Hanlin Academician? What about Academician Wei?"
"His Majesty said that he... well, he's not quite suited for a position at the Hanlin Academy, so he's been transferred to Jiangzhou to serve as the provincial education commissioner," Lin Yan whispered.
The room fell silent for a moment.
Lin Chengji and Wen Yun looked at each other, both stunned by the sudden news.
Hanlin Academician! That's a prestigious position that countless people would fight tooth and nail for, and His Majesty just casually gave it to their son?
This favor is simply too outrageous.
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Author's Note: His Majesty has brought Kobayashi to his side!
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