Chapter 82. Lin Yan subconsciously closed his eyes...
On his first day as Vice Minister of Revenue, Lin Yan's main focus was on elegantly slacking off.
Zhang Houpu didn't assign him any specific tasks. Instead, he brought over a stack of Ministry of Revenue regulations, past account books, and explanations of each person's duties, and kindly told him to familiarize himself with them first.
This was exactly what Lin Yan wanted.
He nestled in his spacious and bright new duty room, sipping the freshly brewed tea bestowed by the palace, and perusing the tedious "Regulations of the Ministry of Revenue."
This is also the first time I've ever had a concrete understanding of how the economy operated in ancient times.
Lin Yan studied while leisurely making it to the end of the workday.
As soon as the bell rang, Lin Yan immediately closed the ledger, stood up, straightened his clothes, and left.
The movements were fluid and graceful, without any hesitation.
Zhang Houpu said that there was no need to stay at the Ministry of Revenue to work overtime unless there was something important to do. Besides, there was a curfew in Dayu, and it would be troublesome to go home late and be checked by the patrolling imperial guards.
He rode in a carriage, but instead of returning directly to the Lin residence, he instructed the driver to turn towards the palace.
Xiao Che's words yesterday, "Come to Qingyi Pavilion later," were not said in vain.
The announcement of the arrival at the palace went smoothly.
He was led by a palace attendant and arrived at Qingyi Pavilion with ease.
As soon as I entered the courtyard, I saw Xiao Che standing with his hands behind his back under a crabapple tree that had just sprouted new buds, seemingly admiring the scenery.
Hearing footsteps, Xiao Che turned around, his gaze falling on him. He looked him up and down, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Minister Lin, you're off duty?"
"Thanks to Your Majesty, today's official duties have been completed." Lin Yan bowed solemnly, but his eyes crinkled into a smile.
Xiao Che chuckled and walked forward naturally, taking his hand with ease: "Perfect timing, I've just finished my business, let's have a meal together."
Li Defu had already instructed the palace servants to set out dinner on the couch by the window in Qingyi Pavilion.
There weren't many dishes, but they were all to Lin Yan's liking.
The two sat down facing each other.
Xiao Che didn't touch his chopsticks. Instead, he ladled a bowl of ham and bamboo shoot soup and placed it in front of Lin Yan: "How was your first day at the Ministry of Revenue? Zhang Houpu didn't assign you any heavy work, did he?"
"Minister Zhang is very considerate of me, only letting me familiarize myself with the regulations first." Lin Yan took the soup bowl and blew on it to cool it down. "It's just that the regulations are a bit thick, making my eyes dizzy."
“Well, taking it step by step is good. The affairs of the Ministry of Revenue are complicated and cannot be accomplished in a day. If there is anything you don’t understand, ask Chu Ye. He is capable and well-versed in the affairs of the Ministry,” Xiao Che said.
"Yes, Your Majesty, I have noted it down." Lin Yan nodded, and Chu Ye thought it was indeed quite good.
The meal was relaxed and enjoyable.
Xiao Che didn't ask any more questions about official business, but instead chatted about some trivial matters, occasionally serving Lin Yan some food.
After the meal, the palace servants cleared away the bowls and plates and served tea.
Xiao Che naturally moved to sit next to Lin Yan, stretched out his arm, and pulled him into his arms.
Lin Yan was caught off guard when his back bumped into a warm chest, and his nose was instantly enveloped by that familiar scent of agarwood.
"Your Majesty?" In broad daylight... uh, under candlelight, isn't this hugging and cuddling a bit too much?
Xiao Che nuzzled the top of his head with his chin, his voice languid: "Don't move, let me hold you for a while. I've been reviewing memorials all afternoon, I'm exhausted."
The reason is valid and cannot be refused.
Lin Yan had no choice but to remain stiff and let him hold her.
Hug me if you want, but why are your hands still wandering around?
That warm, large hand gently caressed his waist, and through the fabric of his official robe, it tickled so much that Lin Yan almost jumped up.
"Your Majesty..." Lin Yan's ears burned as he tried to struggle.
"Hmm?" Xiao Che's voice was low and deep, sounding sleepy. "Stop fooling around, just for a little while."
Lin Yan: "..." Who exactly is causing trouble?
He felt like a human-shaped pillow and a calming sachet.
Fortunately, it seems that Xiao Che really only hugged her and did not take any further action.
The candlelight crackled, and the room was quiet, save for the two people's soft breathing.
Lin Yan was initially tense, but gradually relaxed and even became a little drowsy.
After an unknown amount of time, Xiao Che finally released his arm, his voice becoming clearer: "It's getting late. I'll have Li Defu prepare a carriage to take you back."
Lin Yan straightened his crumpled robes: "Oh, okay."
Actually, he was quite reluctant to part with Xiao Che.
Back at the Lin residence, after washing up and lying down, Lin Yan still had the feeling of being used as a pillow by Xiao Che lingering in his mind.
Tsk, an emperor body pillow.
The next day, Lin Yan officially began his work at the Ministry of Revenue.
He had only read one-tenth of the half-person-high regulations, but he couldn't keep looking at the regulations without handling official business.
Zhang Houpu invited him to the duty room and asked in a friendly tone, "Minister Lin, how well have you studied the regulations? Is there anything you don't understand?"
Lin Yan honestly replied, "Reporting to the Ministry, I have a general understanding of the format, but I still need some time to digest the specific details."
“It’s alright, it’s alright.” Zhang Houpu waved his hand and then handed over a stack of documents. “These are the spring tax estimates that have just been sent from various places, as well as the budget for the first half of the year’s inner court expenses reported by the Taifu Temple. Take a look and try to verify whether the data is reasonable and make a preliminary judgment. If there is anything you are not sure about, then go and consult Vice Minister Chu.”
"Yes." Lin Yan took the stack of documents, feeling a heavy sense of responsibility weighing down on him.
Back in his duty room, Lin Yan looked at the dense numbers and entries and took a deep breath.
Okay, let's get started.
Lin Yanxian picked up the budget for the inner court expenses of the Imperial Treasury.
Good heavens, the purchase of silk alone costs 30,000 taels of silver? Is the palace planning to use silk as wallpaper?
There were also purchases made by the imperial kitchen, with an astonishingly complete list of chicken, duck, fish, meat, and delicacies from land and sea.
Could Xiao Che finish all that food by himself? No, this must have included the allowances for the entire harem and the Imperial Household Department.
Even so, isn't this number a bit exaggerated?
Lin Yan frowned as he looked at it.
He had never worked in the Ministry of Revenue before, and he was not entirely clear about the specific standards and shady dealings involved in the use of funds in the palace, so he dared not make a hasty judgment.
After thinking about it, he decided to go find Chu Ye.
Chu Ye's duty room was diagonally opposite his.
Lin Yan took the budget and knocked on the door.
"Please come in." Chu Ye's clear voice came from inside.
Lin Yan pushed open the door and entered. Chu Ye was writing something at his desk. Upon seeing him come in, he immediately put down his pen, stood up, and smiled, "Lord Lin, is there something you need?"
Lin Yan was a little embarrassed: "Lord Chu, I apologize for bothering you. Minister Zhang asked me to verify the budget for the inner court's expenses. I have read the report from the Taifu Temple, but I am not sure about the amounts for a few items, so I came to ask for your advice."
Upon hearing this, Chu Ye said, "Lord Lin, you are too kind. It is only right that we discuss things together. Please have a seat."
The two sat down at the tea table next to them, and Lin Yan pointed out the budget to Chu Ye: "Lord Chu, do you think that the purchase of silk, for example, is 30,000 taels too extravagant? And the purchase of the imperial kitchen, is the amount of chicken, duck, fish and meat inflated according to past practice?"
Chu Ye took it and examined it carefully before patiently explaining, "Lord Lin is meticulous and has asked the right question. The inner court's expenses are very complicated. The figures reported by the Taifu Temple are often inflated by 10% or 20%, or even more. This is a common practice."
"As for the 30,000 taels of silk..." Chu Ye lowered his voice, "part of it is indeed part of the palace allowance, but it is often mixed with private requests from some eunuchs or female officials who take the opportunity to make a profit. The same is true for the purchase of imperial food. False reporting, deductions, and the use of inferior goods are common occurrences."
Lin Yan suddenly realized: "I see." Indeed, there are gray areas everywhere.
If there were an empress or other concubines in Xiao Che's palace, there would naturally be someone to manage and keep an eye on them. However, since Xiao Che's harem was empty, it gave more people an opportunity to take advantage of him.
In addition, the late emperor always believed that "if the water is too clear, there will be no fish," which has probably contributed to this situation over the years.
"Then, in Lord Chu's opinion, how should this budget be reduced?" Lin Yan humbly asked for advice.
Chu Ye was clearly experienced in this matter. He picked up a pen and wrote on the paper as he spoke: "For silk, we can reduce the expenditure by 5,000 taels based on the actual expenditure in previous years and taking into account the slight increase in prices this year. For the purchase of imperial food, we should focus on reducing the obviously excessive amount of poultry and expensive mountain delicacies, which can be reduced by about 3,000 taels. In addition, there is room for reduction in the expenditure on candles, charcoal, ice, and the repair of utensils in the palace..."
He spoke in detail, with clear logic and solid data, clearly demonstrating his thorough understanding of the Ministry of Revenue's work.
Lin Yan nodded repeatedly, her opinion of this colleague rising even higher.
After leaving my useless colleagues, going to work isn't so painful anymore.
After Chu Ye finished explaining, he looked up at Lin Yan and asked, "What does Lord Lin think?"
Lin Yan sincerely cupped his hands in greeting: "Listening to Lord Chu's words is better than reading the Ministry of Revenue's regulations for ten years!"
Chu Ye was amused by his analogy: "Lord Lin, you flatter me. If you have any questions in the future, please feel free to ask."
"Definitely!" Lin Yan returned to her duty room with the budget sheet, which was covered with notes by Chu Ye, feeling quite satisfied.
He spent the entire morning consulting, learning, and conducting preliminary verification.
When it was lunchtime, the Ministry of Revenue's canteen opened for lunch.
Lin Yan went to have a meal with his colleagues.
The Ministry of Revenue's meal allowance was higher than that of the Ministry of Rites.
Four dishes and one soup, two meat dishes and two vegetable dishes, unlimited rice, and even fruit after the meal.
Lin Yan ate with great satisfaction.
After eating and drinking my fill, a wave of fatigue washed over me.
Lin Yan returned to the duty room, looked at the warm sunshine outside the window, and decided to take a short nap.
Lin Yan pushed several chairs together, took off his official robe and covered himself with it, and curled up like that, drifting off to sleep.
I didn't sleep soundly. In my half-awake state, I seemed to hear the faint sounds of my colleagues moving around and talking outside.
But no one bothered him.
After sleeping for about half an hour, Lin Yan woke up on his own.
I rubbed my eyes, got up and stretched my slightly numb arms and legs, washed my face with cold water, and immediately felt refreshed.
In the afternoon, official business commenced.
First, following Chu Ye's instructions, I carefully wrote down the verification opinion on the inner court's expenditure budget, along with the reasons for the reduction and the amount.
Then they began processing documents sent from other places.
When a request came in for payment of funds for a water conservancy project, Lin Yan carefully reviewed the project budget and drawings. He felt that the labor costs were estimated too high, so he wrote down a portion of them.
There were reports of local granaries exchanging old grain for new grain. Lin Yan checked the prices and loss rates of the old and new grains and felt that the exchange ratio could be further optimized. He then wrote a note requesting a recalculation.
There were also applications for additional funds to repair local government offices. When Lin Yan saw that the repair project even included adding artificial mountains and bonsai to the magistrate's residence, he immediately rejected it with a stroke of his pen, adding a note: "Due to tight funds, non-official expenses will not be reimbursed."
After processing several documents, Lin Yan encountered another petition regarding adjustments to the military grain transportation subsidies for a certain border prefecture.
Given the unique circumstances at the border and the enormous losses in transportation, Lin Yan had no idea how much the subsidy should be.
After thinking for a moment, he did not act on his own initiative, but picked up the documents and went to find Zhang Houpu.
Zhang Houpu was reading an urgent report when he saw him come in and looked up questioningly.
Lin Yan handed over the document: "Minister, regarding this memorial concerning subsidies for the transportation of military rations in Liangzhou, I am unsure about the loss rate of border transportation and dare not make a decision on my own. Please give your instructions."
Zhang Houpu took it and looked at it, his eyes showing approval: "Hmm, this matter does need to be handled with caution. Border transportation is complicated by road conditions and unpredictable losses. Here, you can leave it here for now, and I will check the specific cases from Liangzhou in previous years before making a decision."
"Yes." Lin Yan put down the document, feeling much more at ease.
It's always better to be cautious.
I spent the whole afternoon here reading documents, checking data, writing annotations, and occasionally asking for instructions.
Just as the clock struck midnight again, Lin Yan finished processing the last document on his desk.
He let out a long sigh of relief and twisted his slightly sore neck.
My first day at work went pretty well.
Although I'm busy, I'm doing real work, and my colleagues and superiors are reliable.
He packed his things, walked out of the duty room in a good mood, and prepared to go home after get off work.
Just as Lin Yan arrived at the entrance of the Ministry of Revenue and was about to board the carriage, a dark figure appeared silently beside the carriage like a ghost, startling him.
Upon closer inspection, it was Kim Jong-un.
"Jin Jiu? What are you doing here?" Lin Yan patted his chest. "You scared me to death."
Jin Jiu remained expressionless: "My lord, His Majesty requests your presence at the Dan Garden."
Danyuan? What place is that? I've never heard of it.
Lin Yan was taken aback: "Now? Is His Majesty in the palace?"
"His Majesty is already waiting for you at the Dan Garden," Jin Jiu said succinctly.
Not in the palace? Could this Dan Garden be some kind of date spot her boyfriend found?
Lin Yan immediately told the coachman, "Turn around, we're not going to the Lin residence, we're going to Dan Garden." He then told the servant who was following him, "Go back to the residence and tell them that His Majesty has summoned us, and we don't need to wait for me for dinner."
"Yes," the servant replied and left.
The carriage wheels, guided by Jin Jiu, turned in a direction that Lin Yan was not very familiar with.
He discovered that the Dan Garden was actually closer to the palace than the Six Ministries' offices, situated in a secluded place, surrounded by what seemed to be grand mansions and villas.
The carriage stopped in front of a seemingly unremarkable mansion.
Above the door hangs a plaque with the two characters "Dan Yuan" in an ancient and simple style.
As soon as Lin Yan stepped off the carriage, the vermilion gate opened from the inside.
Xiao Che actually stood inside the door. When he saw Lin Yan arrive, he smiled slightly, quickly walked down the steps, and reached out to help Lin Yan, who had just stepped onto the footrest.
"Be careful," Xiao Che said with a smile.
Lin Yan exclaimed in surprise, "Your Majesty, why did you come out?"
"I reckon you'll be here soon." Xiao Che naturally took his hand and pulled him into the garden. "Dinner is all ready, we're just waiting for you."
Lin Yan was led by him, and curiously looked around the garden.
It doesn't look big from the outside, but once you go inside, you'll find it's a hidden gem.
The pavilions, towers, bridges, and flowing water are arranged with exquisite elegance, offering a picturesque view at every turn. It is clear that a great deal of effort has been put into the design and maintenance, and it is exceptionally quiet, as if it were isolated from the world.
"Your Majesty, what is this Dan Garden?" Lin Yan couldn't help but ask curiously.
Xiao Che first sat him down at the table, which was already set with delicious food, and then sat down next to him. He explained, "This is a private residence outside the palace when I was still the Crown Prince. At that time, I lived in the Eastern Palace, but I often had disagreements with the late Emperor. When the arguments got too heated, I didn't want to go back to the Eastern Palace. I would occasionally come to this residence to be alone and have some peace and quiet."
Lin Yan understood instantly.
Oh, the "safe house" during the crown prince's time, the calming base after arguments, and the secret stronghold of the emperor's version of "Men can cry, it's not a sin."
He looked at Xiao Che, his eyes showing a hint of understanding.
I also felt sorry for her.
Despite disagreements with the late emperor on political matters and frequent arguments, Xiao Che was able to remain firmly in the position of crown prince. The late emperor must have loved Xiao Che. However, this father and son were destined to be the rulers of a country. Their differing ideas had a far greater impact than those between ordinary fathers and sons.
Xiao Che felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze, so he picked up a piece of meat with his chopsticks and put it in his bowl: "Eat your food, try this, it should taste good."
Lin Yan readily agreed and lowered his head to eat.
The two ate their meal quietly, occasionally exchanging a few words in hushed tones, creating a warm and peaceful atmosphere.
After dinner, the palace servants quietly removed the cups and plates, and then served hot tea and several delicate snacks.
The garden grew quieter, with only the rustling of bamboo leaves in the evening breeze and the faint chirping of insects in the distance.
The candlelight cast a warm and hazy glow in the room, casting soft shadows on Xiao Che's sharply defined profile.
Lin Yan held the teacup, sipping it slowly, and thought this place was really a good place, quiet and comfortable, and most importantly, without so many rules and eyes like in the palace.
As he was lost in thought, the seat next to him suddenly sank, and Xiao Che sat down again, naturally placing his arm on the back of the chair behind him, forming a semi-encircling posture.
"How did things go at the Ministry of Revenue today?" Xiao Che's voice was lower and more relaxed than usual, with the languor that comes with a meal.
"It went quite smoothly." Lin Yan leaned back in his chair, almost feeling the warmth from Xiao Che's arm. "Chu Ye is a good person and taught me a lot. Minister Zhang is also very amiable."
"That's good." Xiao Che seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, twirling a strand of Lin Yan's hair that fell behind his shoulder with his fingertips. "I was worried that you wouldn't be used to it."
"What's there to be uncomfortable about? It's much better than dealing with Wu Haimin and Zheng Jing at the shrine." Lin Yan subconsciously complained, then realized his mistake and secretly glanced at Xiao Che.
Xiao Che chuckled softly, his chest trembling slightly: "It seems Wu Haimin has left quite a shadow on you."
"Of course..." Lin Yan muttered softly, feeling Xiao Che's fingers, which were playing with his hair, touch his earlobe. It was a little itchy, so he shrank his neck.
This subtle movement of dodging seemed to have stirred something in Xiao Che's mind. He let down that strand of hair and gently pinched Lin Yan's earlobe with his fingers.
The cool fingertips touched Lin Yan's sensitive earlobe, and Lin Yan trembled violently, as if struck by a tiny electric current, her cheeks instantly burning hot.
“Your Majesty…” Lin Yan turned his head, wanting to protest, but met Xiao Che’s deep gaze.
The flickering candlelight reflected in it, along with a tiny image of myself.
Xiao Che didn't speak, he just looked at him, his fingers sliding down from his earlobe, carrying a burning heat, gently stroking his side of his neck, his thumb slowly caressing the slightly reddened skin.
One after another.
Lin Yan's heartbeat suddenly became erratic, and she held her breath.
The touch was too intimate, so blatantly intrusive, that it made his scalp tingle and his limbs feel weak.
Lin Yan wanted to say something, but his throat felt blocked.
Xiao Che's gaze slowly shifted from Lin Yan's eyes to Lin Yan's slightly pursed lips, his eyes growing increasingly deep.
He slowly leaned closer.
Lin Yan could almost count Xiao Che's lowered eyelashes and feel his warm breath brushing against her cheek, carrying a faint tea fragrance and his unique masculine scent.
The close proximity fostered an atmosphere of ambiguity.
Lin Yan subconsciously closed her eyes.
The expected kiss did not come.
Xiao Che's forehead gently pressed against Lin Yan's forehead, their noses brushing against each other, their breaths mingling, their breaths hot.
"Hanzhang," Xiao Che called out in a very low voice, hoarse and filled with an indescribable longing.
Lin Yan's heart trembled.
The sound, the distance, the aura that almost enveloped his entire being...
That's terrible.
Lin Yan couldn't help but tilt her head slightly, as if making a silent invitation.
Xiao Che seemed to chuckle softly, and without further hesitation, he lowered his head and kissed Lin Yan's lips.
The kiss began gently and tenderly, like savoring a delicacy, carefully tracing the shape of Lin Yan's lips, patiently coaxing him to open his teeth.
Lin Yan responded awkwardly, his hand unconsciously tightening around Xiao Che's collar.
Sensing his submission, Xiao Che's kiss deepened, becoming forceful and intense, as if trying to capture all his breath and thoughts.
Lin Yan was so overwhelmed by the kisses that he felt weak all over and could only rely on Xiao Che's arm around his waist for support.
After an unknown amount of time, until Lin Yan felt he was about to suffocate, Xiao Che moved away slightly. Their foreheads were still touching, their breathing rapid and hot.
Xiao Che looked at his lips, which were glistening, swollen, and alluring from being kissed, his eyes darkening. He couldn't help but lean in and peck them a few more times before saying in a hoarse voice, "I really want to keep you here."
Lin Yan's cheeks were burning hot. She buried her dizzy head in his shoulder and muttered softly, "I have to work tomorrow."
Xiao Che chuckled softly, hugged him tightly, and sighed, "Yes, Minister Lin is now a pillar of the Ministry of Revenue, and I cannot delay your duties."
The two snuggled together and talked for a while. Xiao Che did most of the questions, and Lin Yan answered. The conversation was trivial, consisting of daily life, food preferences, and so on. But the atmosphere was so warm and inviting that it was intoxicating.
Only when the faint sound of the night watchman striking the gong came from outside the window did Xiao Che reluctantly let go of him.
"It's getting late, I'll take you back."
Lin Yan nodded. Although she cherished this tender moment, she knew it was time to go back.
Xiao Che personally straightened his slightly disheveled clothes and hair, then picked up his own cloak and carefully tied it for him: "It's chilly at night, be careful not to catch a cold."
The two walked out of Dan Garden side by side, where a carriage was already waiting.
Before boarding the carriage, Xiao Che held Lin Yan's hand and whispered, "If I have time in the future, I will come to Dan Garden to wait for you. It's quiet here and more comfortable than in the palace." It's also much closer to meet you than in the palace.
Xiao Che was telling him that this was a place where they could meet often.
Lin Yan looked at Xiao Che's features, which were exceptionally clear in the night, and the tenderness and reluctance within them were almost overflowing.
He tiptoed and quickly kissed Xiao Che on the lips.
“Okay.” Lin Yan’s eyes sparkled, with a smile and a hint of shyness. “Then I will wait for His Majesty to meet me.”
After saying that, before Xiao Che could react, Lin Yan turned around and got into the carriage, her heart pounding like a drum.
Xiao Che stood there, stunned. His fingertips unconsciously traced the lips that still retained their soft touch and warmth. He watched as the carriage curtain swayed, obscuring the figure that had flirted and run away. After a long while, he shook his head and chuckled.
Sometimes she really does resemble Ah Man.
The carriage slowly started moving and drove away from the tranquil Dan Garden.
Lin Yan leaned against the car wall, clutching her still wildly beating heart, but couldn't help but smile.
Dan Garden, a safe house, a perfect dating spot.
Yes, this place is really nice.
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