Da Ming: The system granted me immortality; I clock in every day.

"Add to the spirit."

Gu Yannian's mind stirred slightly.

A cool and refreshing feeling rose from the mind and instantly spread throughout the body.

After twenty years of time, his attributes have long since crossed that terrifying threshold with unwavering stability.

At this moment, his five senses were so acute that he could perceive even the slightest detail without deliberately emitting them.

Every flutter of an insect's wings and every drift of dust within this pavilion can be vividly recalled in my mind.

He pushed open the carved wooden window, letting the early spring breeze caress his face.

"The spring breeze of the Hongxi reign is much gentler than that of the Yongle reign."

Gu Yannian picked up his teacup, took a small sip of this year's new tea, and looked serene.

He knew that Zhu Gaochi was able to stabilize the situation so smoothly thanks in no small part to his planning in the library that night.

But he remained uncompetitive and content to stay hidden in the pile of old papers, a carefree and uninvolved official.

The tranquility of the pavilion was broken by a series of heavy and slightly unsteady footsteps in the afternoon.

"You are all waiting downstairs. I... I will go up myself."

Accompanied by a slightly breathless command.

Emperor Hongxi, Zhu Gaochi, dragged his obese body and climbed the wooden stairs to the second floor alone.

He was not wearing a dragon robe today, but only a bright yellow casual dress.

But the exhaustion from being overworked with paperwork was even greater than when he was in the Crown Prince's Palace.

Gu Yannian immediately stood up and bowed deeply, saying, "Your humble servant Gu Yannian greets Your Majesty, long live the Emperor."

"Alright, Yan Nian, there are no outsiders here, please rise."

Zhu Gaochi stepped forward and grabbed Gu Yannian's arm, then sat down on the armchair next to him, panting heavily.

Gu Yannian got up, skillfully picked up the pottery pot from the red clay stove, and poured a warm cup of tangerine peel tea for the new emperor.

"Your Majesty has just ascended the throne and is extremely busy with state affairs. How could you possibly have time to come to this desolate library?"

Gu Yannian offered the teacup, his tone gentle.

Zhu Gaochi picked up the teacup and drank it all in one gulp, then smiled bitterly.

"Quiet? I'd love to find a quiet place to hide away these days. You have no idea how thoroughly the late Emperor has emptied the Ming Dynasty's coffers, leaving it even more bare than my own face!"

"Xia Yuanji was released from prison and reinstated. The first thing he did was cling to my leg and cry poverty. The military pay for the nine border regions needs to be paid, disaster relief is needed for the severe drought in Shandong and Henan, and the salaries of all officials are still 30% in arrears."

"My reign as emperor is more like that of a shopkeeper constantly on the run from debt collectors!"

Gu Yannian stood silently to one side.

A new broom sweeps clean, and a new emperor's ascension to the throne is naturally a time of many complexities.

Zhu Gaochi raised his head, staring intently at Gu Yannian, a glimmer of hope flashing in his eyes.

"Yan Nian, you have always been resourceful and wise, and your mathematical skills are unparalleled. I have come today to invite you to serve in the government."

"I intend to establish the position of Assistant Grand Secretary, specifically responsible for the accounting of the nation's finances. You will be in charge of this for me, what do you say?"

Associate Minister of the Cabinet!

This was tantamount to directly elevating Gu Yannian to the top, placing him in the most central power structure of the Ming Dynasty and making him a high-ranking official.

If it were anyone else, they would have been so moved that they would have kowtowed in gratitude and offered their lives for the emperor.

Gu Yannian simply smiled slightly, took a half step back unhurriedly, and bowed deeply to the ground.

"Your Majesty's favor is too great for me to bear. However, I have been dull-witted and carefree since childhood. All I know is to look through old documents in this pavilion and memorize them by rote."

"If I were truly entrusted with managing the nation's finances, I fear that within half a month, I would miscalculate the accounts and jeopardize important matters of the court."

"This humble subject is too slow-witted to shoulder such a heavy responsibility. I beg Your Majesty to rescind your decree."

Gu Yannian used this rhetoric with consummate skill.

Zhu Gaochi was furious, and pointing at Gu Yannian, he laughed and cursed:

"You scoundrel! You used these same words to fool me when the late emperor was alive, and now that I'm on the throne, you still use such clichés to fob me off? If you're a blockhead, then the entire court is nothing but clay sculptures and wooden statues!"

"I know you don't want to cause trouble, but this world is now mine. With me protecting you, what are you afraid of?"

Gu Yannian kept his head down, his tone calm and even.

"Your Majesty is wise. It is not that I am afraid of trouble, but that I am simply not up to the task. Most of the ancient books and rare editions in this library have not yet been proofread. I only wish to spend the rest of my life here and look after this library for Your Majesty."

Seeing his stubbornness, Zhu Gaochi sighed helplessly.

He knew Gu Yannian's temperament well; a forced relationship would never be happy.

If you push too hard, it won't be good.

"Fine, I won't force you today. Think it over carefully."

Zhu Gaochi stood up and dragged his heavy steps downstairs.

"This mess that is the Ming Dynasty is really too much for me to handle alone."

Watching the new emperor's departing figure, Gu Yannian sat back down at his desk and opened a copy of the Book of Han.

His gaze lingered on the words for a long time.

He was an immortal being who had long since become indifferent to worldly riches and glory.

Entering the imperial court as an official meant endless factional struggles, infighting, and mental and physical exhaustion.

This goes against his original intention of pursuing tranquility and longevity.

Three days later, night fell.

A gentle spring rain began to fall in Shuntian Prefecture.

Gu Yannian returned to his small courtyard in Xuanwu Ward after finishing his official duties. He had just lit an oil lamp when someone gently knocked on the gate.

Upon opening the door, two palace guards dressed in straw raincoats stood outside, each carrying an exquisitely crafted food box.

"Lord Gu, His Majesty has decreed that you be granted a royal meal. Please enjoy it while it's hot."

The guard handed over the food box, bowed respectfully, and turned to leave.

Gu Yannian carried the food box back into the house, opened the lid, and a domineering and spicy aroma immediately filled the air.

The food box has two layers.

On the top layer were several slices of mutton, cut as thin as cicada wings, and on the bottom layer was an exquisite little copper stove.

The charcoal inside the stove glowed faintly red, and a small pot sat on top, bubbling with a bright red and spicy broth.

At the bottom of the food box was a bright yellow letter.

The handwriting is slightly messy, clearly written by Zhu Gaochi himself.

"Master Huang has been feeling hungry lately, and none of the delicacies served at court suit his taste. He longs for that spicy hot pot he had on a snowy night years ago. But alas, the national treasury is empty, and he has to be very careful with the money he spends on even two ounces of mutton."

"Since you possess such skill in cooking delicious food, why hesitate to cure the chronic illnesses of a great nation?"

Looking at the letter, Gu Yannian couldn't help but chuckle.

This Emperor Hongxi actually abandoned his imperial status and used the pseudonym "Master Huang" from his incognito visits to appeal to emotions.

This hot pot is not just about the taste, but also about the friendship between the two people when they first met.

Gu Yannian picked up a piece of mutton, dipped it in the red broth, and put it in his mouth.

The spicy flavor stimulated his taste buds, bringing him a touch of warmth on this slightly chilly spring night.

He possessed an endless lifespan and had witnessed countless deaths and separations; his heart had long since hardened like a rock.

But Zhu Gaochi's undisguised sincerity and trust were like a drop of water quietly falling onto a rock.

"This fat emperor is quite sentimental."

Gu Yannian put down his chopsticks, looked at the bubbling red soup, and fell into deep thought.