Chapter 642: Chapter 478: Chou Yifan
Zhang Hai waved his hand, "Youâre about to take a leave to visit your family, and by the time you return, the compilation of the code will have nearly begun. The Emperor is very keen on the matter of the code, and the officials participating in the compilation have already been decided; naturally, youâre among them."
Gu Chengyu bowed and listened, raising his head to glance at Zhang Hai upon hearing this.
"In the future, you should still focus your energy on the matter of the code. Our Hanlin Academy is always busy, with plenty of work to do. I hope you will be more diligent in the future and act cautiously."
If Gu Chengyu still didnât understand Zhang Haiâs meaning by now, then heâd be a fool.
This was telling him to meddle less in the affairs of other government offices and to simply do a good job with the Hanlin Academyâs matters. The Hanlin Academy has so much work every day, and yet you still have time to handle duties for the Ministry of Revenue; youâre stretching your reach too far.
Is this what Zhang Hai meant?
But was that work something he volunteered for? Wasnât it still pushed onto him by the Emperor? Didnât Zhang Hai know this?
"Yes! I will definitely bear this in mind! It is my honor to relieve the Emperor and you, Sir, of worries."
Gu Chengyu had no choice but to agree verbally; after all, when the time comes that the Emperor wants him to share the burden, could he refuse?
Zhang Hai had heard much of this kind of formal talk, so he just waved his hand and continued, "I wonât assign you any jobs these two days; take your time to prepare to return home!"
Gu Chengyu left Zhang Haiâs office, wondering when the Ministry of Personnelâs documents would arrive.
He also needed to replace his tooth card at the Ministry of Personnel, unsure if these two days would suffice.
The promotion document arrived the next day, and before leaving, Liu Zonghan and the others were all bidding farewell to Gu Chengyu.
"Mr. Gu! Donât forget tomorrow nightâs banquet." Now that Gu Chengyu had become their superior, Ren Ge could no longer address him by his courtesy name.
The Imperial Academy Attendants and Assistant Lecturers each had two people, so the room Gu Chengyu was headed to couldnât be a room for four people.
Qian led Gu Chengyu to the room of the Attendant, "Congratulations to Mr. Gu on your promotion!"
Gu Chengyu smiled, "Thank you!"
At this moment, Qian was even more certain that he hadnât been wrong initially; Mr. Gu was valued by the Emperor, had three senior brothers assisting him at court, so how could he remain anonymous in the future?
"Mr. Gu! You will be sharing the room with Mr. Qiu at that time. Mr. Qiu, like you, is an Attendant and is very kind. Working with him in the future will surely make things easier for you."
Qian did not mention Mr. Qiuâs full name or courtesy name, as it was inappropriate for someone in a lower position to call their superior by name. But he believed that Gu Chengyu should have already familiarized himself with Mr. Qiu beforehand.
Indeed, Gu Chengyu had done so, as they would be working together for the next few years.
The other Attendant named Chou Yifan should be thirty-five this year and had been in the Hanlin Academy for over ten years, becoming an Attendant only four years ago.
Whether this person had any skills or not, it hadnât been heard of, but Gu Chengyu found out that Chou Yifan had some background.
Although his family wasnât a prestigious one, he had a good father-in-law, who is the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, Bian Shengrong.
"From what you say, Mr. Qiu should be easy to get along with, so Iâm relieved. You know, Iâve just joined the Hanlin Academy, and will surely need Mr. Qiuâs guidance in the future."
Qian, being quick-minded, wasnât surprised that he would speak well of Chou Yifan, who had connections. But as for what Chou Yifanâs character truly was, that would only be revealed over time.
Upon hearing the friendliness in these words, Qianâs face showed an even more evident smile.
"Although you just joined the Hanlin Academy, you are meticulous and meticulous in your work, and the superior has praised you several times in front of me!"
Qian didnât lie about this; Zhang Hai indeed appreciated Gu Chengyuâs capability in handling matters.
The two chatted along the way, and when Qian met colleagues he was familiar with, he introduced them to Gu Chengyu.
"Mr. Gu! This is the place."
Gu Chengyu glanced at the surroundings, seeing that it was shaded by greenery and appeared quite tranquil. It wasnât in the same area as his previous office, but was closer to where the scholars stayed.
"Qian Yi greets Mr. Qiu!" Qian led Gu Chengyu to the door and stood there, calling out to announce their presence.
Gu Chengyu didnât hear a response and was about to enter the room when someone came out.
The person wore a blue robe with an official uniform embroidered with egrets, looking over at Gu Chengyu and the others. Gu Chengyu sized up his appearance, noticing he was quite slender and very proper-looking.
"Is this Mr. Qiu?" Gu Chengyu smiled and extended a greeting first.
"Indeed, it is I. You must be Mr. Gu?"
Chou Yifan knew that a new Attendant would be arriving today, so when he heard a voice, he came out to greet him personally.
Previously, he worked with Qiu Yixue, and the two got along well. Now that Qiu Yixue had been promoted and left, he wondered about the character of this Gu Chengyu.
After all, he had heard quite a few rumors about Gu Chengyu before, and this new figure was gaining momentum recently!
Seeing Chou Yifan come out, Qian quickly introduced the two, "Mr. Qiu! This is Mr. Gu, who has just been promoted to Attendant!"
The three exchanged courtesies, and then Qian took his leave.
Gu Chengyu followed Chou Yifan into the room, discovering that it was even more spacious than the previous one. Inside, there were two desks; one was stacked with several books, with more piled on the floor next to it, while the other desk was empty.
The windows faced the courtyard, letting in good light, with both desks placed near the windows. The environment here was far better than before, akin to the difference between a standard hotel room and a suite from a past life.
"Mr. Qiu, in the future, weâll be working together. I hope to have your guidance," Gu Chengyu said after surveying the room, then made small talk with Chou Yifan.
"No need for formalities, Mr. Gu! Iâve heard of your exceptional literary talent and skills before today, but never had the chance to meet you. I didnât expect to encounter you today and even more so to work alongside youâitâs truly a great fortune!"
Chou Yifan clasped his hands to Gu Chengyu, with such a sincere expression that Gu Chengyu almost took him for an admirer.
Gu Chengyu squinted slightly; it seemed this person was also quite shrewd! His words of flattery might just make another person float away in pride.
"Mr. Qiu, youâre too kind; itâs I who should say itâs an honor to meet with someone of your reputation."
Gu Chengyu smiled; if Mr. Qiu enjoyed such flattery, he would play along. Despite the sickly-sweet talk, this was how the officialdom worked. If you didnât flatter, others might think you looked down on them.
Chou Yifan gestured toward the empty desk, "Iâm afraid youâll have to settle for sitting there; it used to be Mr. Qiuâs spot. If you have any preferences, feel free to let me know; itâs all the same to me."