Chapter 7 Could it be that the big boss really has something special...?
The sky was completely dark, as if splashed with thick ink, with only a few scattered stars peeking out from the gaps in the clouds.
Lin Yan dragged her legs, which felt like they were made of lead, back to her familiar alley.
He turned right at the back gate and went to the crooked old locust tree, moving as quickly as a well-trained thief.
He glanced around to make sure the alley was empty enough for a horse to run through, then quickly pulled out the neatly folded piece of paper with a dark pattern that recorded the "glorious deeds" of Zheng Jing and Wang Zhushi from his pocket and stuffed it into an inconspicuous crack in the stone under the tree roots.
After doing all this, Lin Yan instantly felt an invisible burden on his shoulders lighten, his steps became lighter, and he hummed an off-key tune as he slowly strolled into his home.
Dinner was a steaming bowl of millet porridge and his favorite braised pork, along with a few refreshing side dishes. Lin Yan was so hungry that his stomach was practically sticking to his back, and he devoured the food in a whirlwind.
Wen Yun looked at her son wolfing down his food, feeling both sorry for him and amused: "Eat slowly, there's still some left in the pot."
Lin Chengji slowly ate his porridge, then looked up at his son: "How did things go at the yamen today?"
"Sure, sure," Lin Yan replied vaguely.
Aside from almost getting a stroke from being so angry at Zheng Jing, that idiot.
Lin Yan quickly finished the last mouthful of porridge, put down his bowl and chopsticks, and said, "Dad, Mom, I'm done eating. I'm going back to my room to rest."
He desperately needed to return to his own little world, shed the double disguise of "Prince of Rites" and "Imperial Spy," and become a lazy bum who just wanted to lie down and relax.
I walked through the small courtyard and returned to my own little courtyard.
The night breeze was slightly cool, dispelling the last traces of the smell of food and cooking.
Lin Yan let out a long sigh of relief and reached out to push his creaking door.
Just as the door was about to close, making that familiar "click" of the latch—
"Tap!"
A dull thud suddenly rang out, and it got stuck in the crack of the door!
Lin Yan felt a chill run down his spine, his heart felt like it had been gripped tightly by an invisible hand and then thrown into ice water. His mind went blank, and all the tokens of Wu Haimin, Zheng Jing, Chief Wang, and the secret guards were blown away, leaving only a bloody character: Danger!
Who?! A home invasion robbery? A revenge attack?
Or...did the Emperor send someone to silence them?! Was the secret report too verbose and His Majesty found it annoying?!
His calves were cramping so badly he could barely support his weight, and he only managed to avoid falling flat on his face by clinging tightly to the door frame with both hands.
He stiffly and slowly twisted his seemingly rusty neck, his eyes wide with terror as he looked at the thing wedged in the door crack.
It's neither a knife nor a sword.
It is a scabbard.
It was dark and unadorned, its surface gleaming coldly and hard under the moonlight, like a piece of silent black iron.
Lin Yan's throat tightened, and he felt as if his breath was carrying icy shards. His mind went blank, and he even forgot to call for help.
Just as he was about to be overwhelmed by his fear and his knees buckled, a cold, hard sound, like the scraping of stone, suddenly rang out from under the door crack. The volume was low, but it was as clear as a whisper in his ear:
"Lord Lin, it's me, Kim Gu."
September?!
The breath that had been stuck in Lin Yan's throat suddenly escaped with a "poof," and he felt as if his bones had been removed, sliding limply down the door frame, barely managing to stay upright thanks to sheer willpower.
He was panting heavily, feeling the cold sweat on his back soaking through his undergarments.
Good heavens! That was terrifying!
Barely managing to calm himself, Lin Yan opened the door a crack just wide enough for one person to pass through.
Sure enough, standing in the shadows outside the door was that figure with such low profile that it was like a background character, with the same unremarkable face and emotionless eyes.
"Lord Jin...?" Lin Yan's voice was still trembling, carrying the exhaustion of someone who had just survived a disaster. "Please...please come in?" He stepped aside to make way for him.
Kim Gu didn't move, like a stone sculpture embedded in the night.
He silently pulled something out from behind him and handed it to Lin Yan.
A food box.
It wasn't the fancy vermilion food box from yesterday; it was just an ordinary dark wooden box, without any markings, as plain as a box used to pack leftovers on the street.
"His Majesty sent it here." Jin Jiu's voice was flat and emotionless, concise and to the point, without even a superfluous pause.
Lin Yan subconsciously reached out and took it; it felt heavy and slightly warm.
"Your Majesty?" He was even more bewildered, and subconsciously asked, "Why, Your Majesty..."
Before he could finish speaking, Kim Gu had already decisively withdrawn his hand, stepped back, and instantly disappeared into the deeper darkness, leaving only the lingering words: "The goods have been delivered. Farewell."
Before the words were even finished, the person had vanished, so quickly that Lin Yan wondered if he had just hallucinated. The courtyard was empty, with only the rustling of leaves in the night wind.
Lin Yan stood at his bedroom door, holding the food box, looking like an Earthling who had just been given a gift by aliens, completely bewildered and confused.
What's going on?
Has His Majesty distributed employee benefits?
Lin Yan was full of questions. He carried the food box into the house, bolted the door behind him, placed the food box on the table, and carefully opened the lid.
A fragrance that blends sweetness and the refreshing aroma of tea wafts over you.
The food box has two layers.
The top layer consists of several small, exquisite, and crystal-clear pastries in various shapes, such as flower shapes and jade rabbit shapes. They look so delicate that they don't seem like ordinary items, and they also exude a faint aroma of milk and fruit.
The lower layer is a flat celadon jar, with an elegant body and no patterns. There is only a small piece of plain paper with two neat characters written on it: Xueya (Snow Bud).
Lin Yan recognized the name; it was tribute tea, the finest kind!
It is said that only a few kilograms are produced each year, and its price is higher than gold. He has only ever smelled a faint fragrance from the tea brewed by others at tea parties in the homes of some top-level nobles.
Was Xueya just given to him like that?
Could this be... the legendary compensation for emotional distress? Because I have to endure Wu Haimin's mental pollution and Zheng Jing's intellectual assaults every day?
Lin Yan looked at the expensive jar of snow buds, and then at the delicious-looking pastries next to it. The questions in his mind did not decrease, but instead grew bigger and bigger like a snowball.
Something's not right.
Something is very wrong.
Could it be that the big boss really has some kind of special fetish?
For example... he enjoys seeing his subordinates flattered and grateful, and then continue to be exploited to the death.
Hmm... A new type of workplace PUA?
The warm pavilion in the side hall of the Taiyi Hall in the Imperial Palace.
Xiao Che had just finished reviewing a stack of memorials and was leaning back on the soft couch, resting with his eyes closed.
Li Defu quietly served a freshly brewed cup of hot tea.
The moment the teacup was placed on the small table, Xiao Che's lips suddenly curved upwards into a distinct arc, and a short, low hum, as if he had been amused, escaped from his throat.
"Pfft..." Then, as if he had choked on something, he suddenly opened his eyes, clenched his fist and pressed it to his lips, his shoulders trembling slightly, as if he was trying his best to suppress something.
Li Defu was startled and almost dropped the tea tray: "Your Majesty... Your Majesty? What's wrong? Is the tea too hot? Or is the Emperor unwell?"
He nervously leaned closer, looking at His Majesty's expression of trying not to laugh but also seemingly choking, completely bewildered.
Xiao Che waved his hand, barely managing to stop the laughter and coughing. He picked up the hot tea that Li Defu had just put down, took a slow sip, and looked out at the deep night outside the window, his gaze seemingly penetrating through the palace walls and landing on a young official who was staring at a food box, questioning his existence.
"It's nothing." Xiao Che's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible laughter, sounding relaxed and cheerful. "I'm happy."
Li Defu: "..."
Your Majesty, your joy seems a bit sudden.
Looking at His Majesty's obviously delighted yet somewhat mischievous expression, the question mark in his mind was even bigger than the food box Lin Yan was holding.
What is it that Your Majesty is so happy about?
A note from the author:
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The complaint has been reported to the central government. [doge emoji]
By the way, did I turn on the paragraph comments? I don't think I've received any of your comments yet.
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