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墨書 Inktalez
The next morning, I woke up early and carefully chose a simple yet elegant Official Robe.
Dressed neatly, I smiled slightly at my reflection in the bronze mirror.
Today, there would be a good show to watch.
I arrived at the Ministry of Works, taking my time to enjoy lunch.
The sunlight streamed through the window, warming my face.
The urging voices of the Imperial Merchants outside seemed irrelevant to me.
At two o'clock in the afternoon, I returned to the Ministry of Works punctually.
However, I found the desk in disarray.
Brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones were scattered all over the floor.
I frowned slightly.
"How can one paint in such chaos?"
"I'll take a short rest in the side room and return once everything is tidied up."
In the side room, I leisurely sipped tea while flipping through the book " Miscellaneous Discourses on Construction " that my father had given me.
Ignoring the chaos that might have driven Liu Jun outside to the brink of madness, he stormed into the Clean Room, his tone sharp.
"Lu Shanyun! Do you know what time it is?"
"The Imperial Merchant is pressing for results, and you still have the leisure to slack off here!"
Liu Jun's imposing presence filled the room as he confronted me.
I set down my teacup and replied nonchalantly, "Lord Liu, it is not that I am slacking off."
"It’s just that the writing supplies have yet to be prepared. A skilled artisan cannot work without materials."
Frustrated, Liu Jun ordered the Clerk to assist in organizing the writing tools.
However, I calmly declined, saying, "Thank you for your kindness, Lord Liu."
"It’s just that I prefer to use my own stationery; using someone else's always feels awkward."
Seeing my stubbornness, Liu Jun had no choice but to command the Clerk to revise the designs.
Yet the Clerk hesitated, mumbling that he lacked the ability and found it difficult to manage.
Liu Jun suddenly realized that in the entire Ministry of Works, it seemed that only I, Lu Shanyun, could meet the requirements of the Imperial Merchant.
Unwilling to back down, he decided to personally revise the blueprints, only to discover that he had no knowledge of construction techniques.
He could only stare blankly at the drawings.
Liu Jun could only give verbal instructions to the Clerk for modifications, but progress was exceptionally slow.
The revisions were a chaotic mess, full of flaws.
Liu Jun was at his wit's end and had no choice but to apologize to the Imperial Merchant.
He explained that the blueprints would require more time to complete.
Naturally, the Imperial Merchant was dissatisfied, and his tone grew stern.
As the hour approached, I stood up to take my leave:
"Lord Liu, this official takes his leave and will return tomorrow."
I left Liu Jun alone, bewildered in the wind.
Just as I stepped out of the Ministry of Works, a Clerk came to deliver a message.
"Lord Lu, the Chief Inspector wishes to see you."
I followed the Clerk into the Chief Inspector's study.
"Lord Lu, the Chief Inspector is waiting for you," the Clerk said respectfully.
I pushed the door open and saw the Chief Inspector sitting behind his desk with a sullen expression.
"Lu Shanyun, do you know your crime?" the Chief Inspector's tone was icy.
"This Official does not know," I replied calmly, neither humble nor arrogant.
"The Imperial Merchant is pressing hard, yet you deliberately delay and neglect them. Do you realize this is a capital offense?" the Chief Inspector scolded angrily.
"This Official has no intention of neglecting. Lord Liu has already handled this matter, and it would be inappropriate for me to interfere," I explained lightly.
"Lord Liu? What does he understand! The designs he modified are full of flaws, and the Imperial Merchant is furious!" The Chief Inspector slammed his hand on the table.
"If that is the case, why did you not inform this Official sooner?" I countered.
The Chief Inspector was at a loss for words; he had intended to use this opportunity to suppress me but found himself outmaneuvered instead.
"At this point, only you can remedy the situation. Quickly revise and perfect the designs; there must be no errors!" the Chief Inspector commanded, suppressing his anger.
"This Official obeys," I nodded slightly, but inwardly I couldn't help but smirk.
"This matter is of great importance. You must work through the night to prepare it and present it to the Imperial Merchant first thing tomorrow!" Chief Inspector insisted.
I frowned, "This official has important matters to attend to today and may not be able to complete it overnight."
Chief Inspector's eyes widened in anger, "What could be more important than the Imperial Merchant's affairs?"
"I have an appointment with a friend to enjoy the moon and drink wine. I cannot comply," I replied firmly.
Chief Inspector trembled with rage but found himself powerless against me.
I turned and left the study, feeling an immense sense of satisfaction.
Changing into a light-colored dress, I made my way to the lakeside outside the city.
My friend Mo Shu was already waiting for me there.
The moonlight shimmered on the lake, and a gentle breeze brushed against us as we raised our cups to toast under the moon, feeling utterly content.
"Shan Yun, your actions today were rather bold," Mo Shu said with a hint of concern.
"I merely did what I had to do," I replied with a faint smile.
" Chief Inspector and Liu Jun, relying on their power to oppress their subordinates—how could I tolerate that?" My tone carried a hint of coldness.
"Are you not afraid of their retaliation?" Mo Shu asked.
"Soldiers come to meet soldiers, and water comes to cover the earth," I said firmly.
"Shan Yun, you've changed," Mo Shu looked at me with a complex expression.
"I just don't want to be submissive anymore," I replied, raising my gaze to the bright moon, determination filling my eyes.
I confided in Mo Shu about my experiences at the Construction Bureau and my frustrations with Liu Jun and his ilk.
Mo Shu listened quietly, offering me comfort from time to time.
As the night grew late, I bid a reluctant farewell to Mo Shu.
The next morning, I arrived punctually at the Construction Bureau.
Many colleagues were exhausted from working late into the night on their drawings.
I couldn't help but sneer inwardly; it was truly pathetic how these people willingly allowed themselves to be manipulated by Liu Jun for a mere pittance.
I initiated a conversation with a weary colleague, "You must have had a tough night."
"Don't even mention it; I'm completely worn out," the colleague complained.
"I heard Lord Liu also worked hard last night," I said casually.
"That's right! I heard he was busy revising the designs until midnight," the colleague agreed.
At that moment, Liu Jun walked in with an air of triumph. "I have persuaded the Imperial Merchant; they have agreed to adopt my design."
I couldn't help but scoff inwardly; Liu Jun really knew how to boast.
"Lord Liu is truly capable," I replied calmly, without a hint of emotion.
The Chief Inspector approached as well. "Lord Liu has accomplished a great feat this time. I will certainly reward him well."
Then, the Chief Inspector shifted his tone. "Lu Shanyun, you need to continue working on the designs for any unforeseen circumstances."
My anger boiled within me, but I could only respond respectfully, "This Official obeys."
"I want to see the designs by tomorrow morning," the Chief Inspector emphasized again.
"Tomorrow morning?" I feigned surprise. "This Official has important matters to attend to today..."
The Chief Inspector's expression darkened. "What could be more important than the matter of the Imperial Merchant?"
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