Chapter 28 How did he end up sleeping on the dragon bed...?
Lin Yan slept very soundly. When he opened his eyes again, he felt that the bedding beneath him was unusually soft. The familiar scent of agarwood no longer lingered around his nose, but rather a very faint scent of ambergris.
Staring blankly at the bright yellow embroidered auspicious cloud patterned curtains above his head for a full three breaths, Lin Yan suddenly snapped out of his daze and came to his full awake.
This is not Qingyi Pavilion!
Lin Yan sat up as if he had risen from the dead and looked around.
The main hall here is more spacious and bright than the side hall of Qingyi Pavilion, but the furnishings are simple. All the objects are understated and exquisite, exuding a restrained authority.
On a sandalwood shelf not far away, a dark-colored casual robe was casually draped over the hem, with a dark dragon pattern subtly embroidered in gold thread.
This is... His Majesty's sleeping quarters?!
Holy crap?
Lin Yan's soul almost flew out of his skull.
How did he end up sleeping on the emperor's bed?!
Memories are like a videotape with broken clips; the last image is of myself struggling to divide the chapters, and then... and then there is nothing more.
Who moved him here? Li Lianshun? Or some audacious little eunuch?
No, what servant would dare to presume to put a subject on the emperor's bed? That's a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family!
Could it be... His Majesty's word?
This thought was even more terrifying than the previous one. Lin Yan felt a chill run from his tailbone to the top of his head, even more intense than the liquor he had drunk the night before.
Lin Yan scrambled out of bed, his feet landing on the cool, smooth gold brick floor. Only then did he realize that he was only wearing his inner garment, his outer robe nowhere to be seen.
That's even more dangerous.
Just as he was frantically searching for his clothes, the door to the bedchamber was gently pushed open. Li Lianshun, carrying a copper basin, quietly slipped in. Upon seeing Lin Yan standing barefoot on the ground, she was immediately terrified, her face turning pale. She lowered her shrill voice to a whisper, "Oh dear Lord Lin! Why are you up? Be careful, the ground is cold, the chill will seep into your bones!"
He hurriedly put down the copper basin and walked over quickly, as if handling a fragile glass vessel, carefully trying to help Lin Yan sit back on the bedside.
Lin Yan dared not touch the dragon bed again, stiffening as she dodged away, her voice trembling: "Eunuch Li, how...how did I get here? Where are my clothes?"
Li Lianshun's face displayed an extremely complex expression, a mixture of awe, flattery, and a subtle, indescribable feeling. He softened his voice further: "Your Excellency, you were tired yesterday and rested in His Majesty's bedchamber. It is His Majesty's boundless grace and compassion for his subjects. Your clothes are still kept by the palace servants."
He beckoned, and a young eunuch bowed his head and brought in a neatly folded set of scarlet official robes, which were Lin Yan's official robes.
Lin Yan was stunned. What was wrong with Li Lianshun? Was she treating him like a king?
He almost moved in haphazardly, and with the help of Li Lianshun and the eunuchs, he put on his new official robes. Throughout the process, he was absent-minded, his mind filled with thoughts of "I slept on the dragon bed" and "What does His Majesty want to do?"
Even after being led to have lunch with Xiao Che, Lin Yan was still lost in thought.
Xiao Che was already seated at the dining table, dressed in a dark blue casual robe that made his complexion appear even paler. He was holding a scroll and reading a memorial when he heard the noise. He glanced at him and said in a flat tone, "You've arrived? Sit down."
"Your Majesty, this humble subject pays his respects." Lin Yan knelt down with a thud, performing a grand salute more perfect than ever before.
Xiao Che put down the memorial, seemingly somewhat helpless: "Rise, there are no outsiders here, no need for such formalities."
Lin Yan: "???"
[Your Majesty, what are you saying! What do you mean there are no outsiders?]
Lin Yan stiffly got up and sat down.
The palace maids began serving the dishes.
All the dishes were seasonal delicacies. A plate was piled high with plump crabs, their orange-red roe almost overflowing. The braised chicken with chestnuts was glossy, with plump chestnuts and tender chicken. The steamed taro was soft, sweet, and steaming hot. There were also several stir-fried seasonal vegetables, their vibrant green color inviting.
The imperial kitchen's skills were impeccable, and the aroma was irresistible.
Lin Yan ate with trepidation, chewing each bite slowly and carefully, as if tasting poison, always ready for His Majesty to ask him, "Did you sleep soundly on the dragon bed?"
However, Xiao Che ate his meal quietly, occasionally taking a bite of the steamed taro that was a little far away, and a clever eunuch would immediately move it closer. He didn't even look at Lin Yan much, as if he wasn't the one who carried Lin Yan back to his bedchamber yesterday.
This calm before the storm made Lin Yan even more uneasy.
He secretly glanced up, observing Xiao Che's expression.
His Majesty seems to be in a good mood today; there is no anger between his brows, and he even appears more relaxed than usual.
So... His Majesty doesn't intend to pursue the matter of sleeping on the dragon bed?
The meal ended amidst Lin Yan's absent-mindedness and Xiao Che's silence.
The palace servants cleared away the leftover food and served tea.
Xiao Che rinsed his mouth, washed his hands, picked up the memorial he had just read, and seemed to intend to continue dealing with government affairs. Then, as if he suddenly remembered that Lin Yan was still standing there, he casually said, "It's getting late. There must be a lot of backlog of official business at the Ministry of Rites. You should go back and deal with it."
Are you just going to let him go like that?
No reprimand? No punishment?
Lin Yan felt as if he had been granted a pardon and quickly stood up and bowed, saying, "Your humble servant obeys the decree and takes his leave."
He practically walked backwards out of the imperial study, and only after turning around and walking a short distance, feeling the afternoon autumn sun on his body, did he feel as if he had come back to life.
His Majesty is indeed a good person! An incredibly good person!
Although the method was a bit frightening, the result was good! No one lost their head! No one lost their job! And they were treated to good food and drink!
It was already past 1:00 PM when they returned to the office of the Minister of Rites.
As soon as he entered, several pairs of eyes quietly fell upon him, filled with inquiry and a hint of barely perceptible awe. Lin Yan was unaware that after he was taken away from the banquet by the Golden Shadow Guard yesterday, His Majesty had sent people to attack Lord Zhou and his gang, and the news had already spread.
Lin Yan ignored the strange looks and walked straight to his seat.
The pile of official documents on my desk was even higher than yesterday.
Taking a deep breath, Lin Yan resignedly sat down and began to bury himself in the task.
First came several reports on the follow-up matters of the Autumn Sacrifice, which Lin Yan quickly reviewed and approved.
Next came a request from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices regarding the date of a minor sacrifice in a certain place. He consulted the almanac and wrote a reply.
Everything seemed normal. Colleagues were busy with their own things, and occasionally a clerk would bring in documents, always with a respectful attitude.
Just as he finished dealing with the most urgent files and was about to get up to retrieve an old file from the warehouse, an unfamiliar official dressed in a blue official's robe approached him with a smile, holding several files in his hands.
"Lord Lin." The man's attitude was so humble it was almost obsequious. "I am Zhao, the official in charge of the Autumn Sacrifice expenses reimbursement sent by the Court of Imperial Sacrifices to liaise with your department. This is the preliminary verification list. Please take a look."
Lin Yan remembered this matter: all expenses for the autumn sacrifices required final review and confirmation from the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Sacrifices before they could be reported to the Ministry of Revenue for reimbursement.
In the past, when such connections were made, the other party would either make excuses or have ulterior motives, as if they wanted to peel off several layers of skin, and back-and-forth wrangling was common.
Lin Yan took the dossier, already prepared for a tough battle, and said calmly, "Thank you for your trouble, Steward Zhao. I will verify it as soon as possible."
To everyone's surprise, the clerk, Zhao, waved his hands repeatedly, his smile becoming even more earnest: "No, no, Lord Lin, please take your time and look carefully. If there is anything unclear, or if you feel that any expenditure is inappropriate, please point it out. I will immediately go back and have someone re-verify it! I will not dare to be ambiguous in the slightest!"
Lin Yan: "???"
His attitude was so kind that he felt a little uncomfortable.
Lin Yan opened the file and looked at it carefully.
The items were listed clearly and the amounts were all within a reasonable range, even more so than he had expected.
He glanced at Chief Zhao suspiciously, then tentatively pointed to an item titled "Miscellaneous Expenses for Purchasing Sacrificial Offerings": "This item seems to be slightly higher than in previous years?"
In the past, the other party would have come up with a bunch of reasons, such as the increase in material prices this year and the high cost of labor.
To everyone's surprise, Chief Clerk Zhao immediately bowed and said in an extremely sincere tone, "Your Excellency is wise! It is indeed our oversight that we did not check carefully enough. There may be redundancy in this item. I will go back and reduce it immediately, and I will present the revised list to you for review tomorrow!"
Lin Yan was stunned.
So easy to talk to?
He then casually pointed to two unimportant places, and Zhao, the head of the department, readily agreed, his attitude outrageously kind, as if Lin Yan wasn't nitpicking but giving some kind of divine guidance.
Finally, Chief Zhao practically carried the files with him, thanking everyone profusely as he left. Before leaving, he repeatedly assured Lord Lin that he would not cause him any trouble.
Lin Yan sat in the chair, watching the disappearing figure of Manager Zhao, and the strange feeling in his heart grew stronger.
Did the sun rise in the west?
Then, throughout the afternoon, two or three more groups of officials from other government departments came to handle official business. Whether discussing procedures or verifying documents, their attitudes were all polite to the point of humility, and their efficiency was astonishing. They made Lin Yan hardly have to say a word, and things proceeded smoothly.
Even within the Ministry of Rites, when Wang Jian came to report on official business, he bent his waist lower than usual, and spoke cautiously with obvious flattery.
While handling official business, Lin Yan couldn't help but feel uneasy.
Strange things happen every year, but this year there seem to be more than usual.
Did all these people take the wrong medication today? Or was I just too drunk yesterday? Actually, several years have passed, and the world has become such a wonderful place?
As the gong signaling the end of the shift at dusk sounded, Lin Yan looked at his desk, which had been remarkably cleared out, and still felt a sense of unreality.
He packed his things, walked out of the Ministry of Rites gate, and let out a long sigh of relief as the evening breeze cooled him.
Although the process was a bit scary, the result seemed pretty good.
The various tasks of the autumn sacrifice were progressing steadily in this strange and unprecedentedly smooth manner.
The days slipped by in Lin Yan's extremes of "serving the emperor with trepidation" and "being flattered and overwhelmed while working."
As autumn deepens, the ginkgo trees in the courtyard are turning golden.
Within the Temple Department, preparations for the autumn sacrifice proceeded unexpectedly smoothly under Lin Yan's leadership.
In the past, those processes involving shirking responsibility and hidden agendas have now become smooth and unimpeded.
The officials from various government departments were all all smiles and incredibly efficient, as if they had suddenly become model colleagues who were dedicated to their work and put the overall situation first.
Lin Yan went from initial surprise and uncertainty to gradually becoming numb.
That afternoon, Lin Yan was checking the last batch of sacrificial artifacts when Wang Jian entered with a hunched back and light steps, a broad smile on his face, and respectfully presented a document stamped with the gold seals of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs.
"Your Excellency, the auspicious day has been set! The Court of Imperial Sacrifices and Zong□□ have jointly consulted the oracle and selected the 23rd of September, declaring that the sky will be clear and bright, and all the gods will be in their favor, making it the most suitable day for the Autumn Sacrifice Ceremony. This is the final report; please review it and make your decision."
Lin Yan took the document and glanced at the bright red ink on the date—September 23.
A huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders.
The autumn sacrifice, a major event that had troubled him and the entire Ministry of Rites for a long time, finally had a definite date.
Lin Yan picked up his pen and neatly wrote the two characters "Approved" on the document, then added his official title and name, and affixed the seal of the Director of the Ministry of Rites.
"Immediately send copies to the relevant ministries and departments, and report to the Cabinet and the Emperor." Lin Yan handed the document back to Wang Jian, looking somewhat tired.
"Yes, yes, I'll take care of it right away!" Wang Jian accepted the gift with both hands, responded repeatedly, and backed out.
Lin Yan leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh of relief.
Outside the window, the afterglow of the setting sun dyed the sky a warm orange, casting long shadows through the window frame onto the desk piled with files.
The date for the autumn sacrifice has finally been set.
A note from the author:
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I'll be posting three chapters tomorrow (it's a paid chapter release), so remember to scroll down! Also, please don't let me build up my chapters too much! [shy][shy][shy]
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