Chapter 768 - 604: Taking on the Assignment

Chapter 768: Chapter 604: Taking on the Assignment

Ye Zhiqiu spoke of this with visible joy on his face.

"Don’t worry, my sister and the others are earnest people. They’ve been learning since they got back yesterday, and studied late into the night! Steward Chen from your residence found two shops, both in bustling locations; the spots are quite nice."

As Ye Zhiqiu said this, a look of hesitation appeared on his face.

"What’s wrong? Tight on funds? I can lend you some first."

Gu Chengyu thought Ye Zhiqiu was worried about money. Since the shops were just a step away from being leased, Gu Chengyu naturally had to help.

"Not at all, I still have some savings, and if it wasn’t enough, I wouldn’t hesitate to ask you. I’m just debating whether to rent the smaller one or the larger one. The larger location is better—it’s at the south end of a street, and there’s a small restaurant nearby. The smaller one is also nice, next to a cosmetics shop, but it’s a bit further in."

Gu Chengyu rolled his eyes, "Is there even a question? You should definitely rent the larger one. Don’t worry! This venture won’t end in a loss."

Seeing that Gu Chengyu had immediately discerned his true hesitation, Ye Zhiqiu felt a bit embarrassed.

"Get the shop open quickly; then, I’ll rally some colleagues to support you."

The prices for skewers are fairly common and should appeal to the townsfolk.

The two discussed the shop further, and finally, the carriage stopped at the palace gates.

"Send gifts from Jingyuan Prefecture to the various houses according to the list I made last night," Gu Chengyu instructed Ming Yan.

Not just the teacher and senior brothers, but also the colleagues and superiors he met recently received a gift.

This has been the norm in officialdom; every returning official does this.

So when Gu Chengyu returned, the gifts took up half of the luggage space.

After entering the Hanlin Academy, Gu Chengyu parted ways with Ye Zhiqiu. He had to check in since he wasn’t sure if Mr. Zhang had come in yet.

"This subordinate greets Mr. Gu! Did you return to the Capital yesterday?"

Qian, who had just arrived at the Hanlin Academy, appeared delighted upon seeing Gu Chengyu.

"Yes, I came back yesterday. Is Mr. Zhang here?" Gu Chengyu glanced towards the window but didn’t see Mr. Zhang.

"Mr. Zhang has been here for a while now. Let me notify him of your arrival."

After saying that, Qian performed a salute and headed inside.

It wasn’t long before Gu Chengyu heard Zhang Hai calling him in.

Entering the room, he found Zhang Hai atop a ladder seemingly searching for a book.

Zhang Hai’s room had many books, some for his daily use, others possibly historical texts to be revised.

"This subordinate greets Mr. Zhang!"

"You’re back? It’s been over two months since you went back home, hasn’t it?" Zhang Hai selected a book, slowly descended the ladder.

"Sir, it’s been two months and three days in total!" The journey back had taken an extra day or two, exceeding Gu Chengyu’s expectations.

"Hmm! The task of compiling the codex has already begun. I noticed before that you have a thorough understanding of the penal code, so start with the section for the Ministry of Justice!"

Zhang Hai was straightforward, assigning the task to Gu Chengyu without much small talk once he entered the room.

In the previous peaceful era known to Gu Chengyu, this would be considered a workaholic’s lifestyle.

The Ministry of Justice? Gu Chengyu thought briefly; the content didn’t seem too extensive.

Having studied the laws of the Dayan Dynasty before, he considered the task manageable. But compiling the codex allowed no mistakes.

Even though it would be proofread later, finding his mistakes afterward would inevitably bring trouble. Severe errors could lead to penalties.

At that point, being fined would be the least of his worries—the loss of face would be the bigger issue.

"What? Any objections?" Only when Zhang Hai didn’t hear a reply did he look away from the book to Gu Chengyu.

"No objections from this subordinate, sir!" Gu Chengyu quickly responded.

Hearing no specific deadline from Zhang Hai suited Gu Chengyu perfectly.

If a deadline had been set, it certainly wouldn’t be generous; he’d have to sacrifice sleep to meet it.

Gu Chengyu was imagining a more leisurely pace when Zhang Hai’s next comment dashed his hopes.

Zhang Hai nodded, pleased with Gu Chengyu’s respectful attitude.

"The codex content is quite complex, outlined by the roles of the Six Ministries, with other government offices as supplementary. You need to describe each office’s duties separately, citing examples when necessary. Speed up your work. Once you complete the Ministry of Justice, you’ll help with the Ministry of Rites too."

Gu Chengyu inwardly bemoaned; it wasn’t about being lazy but the sheer volume of research required for the codex.

A single mistake in compilation could bring serious consequences. Such projects were best avoided to prevent future troubles.

If others knew what Gu Chengyu was thinking, they’d want to beat him senseless.

Being part of the codex compilation was a great honor, something many aspired to but couldn’t attain. It wasn’t for the average person to partake in.

Those involved were recognized as meritorious officials, recorded in history books.

"Yes, sir!"

With orders from his superior, Gu Chengyu dared not show any dissatisfaction.

"Alright, you may leave!"

Zhang Hai didn’t set a deadline, and even if Gu Chengyu were highly capable, he couldn’t be burdened with everything.

After all, it was a task for the entire Hanlin Academy; letting other officials become complacent was undesirable.

Moreover, the Hanlin Academy required a diverse array of talents, and Gu Chengyu alone couldn’t dominate. Otherwise, it would make the other Hanlin officials appear incompetent.

Having accepted his assignment, Gu Chengyu returned to his office, and upon entering, was greeted by Chou Yifan, who worked in the same room.

"Did Mr. Gu return from the ancestral land yesterday?" Chou Yifan set down his pen, greeting him with a smile.

"Yes, I arrived yesterday evening." Gu Chengyu returned the smile.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Gu Chengyu sat down and began outlining the sections for the codex.

Chou Yifan glanced at Gu Chengyu, his eyes gleaming. "Did Mr. Zhang assign you work as soon as you returned?"

Gu Chengyu chuckled; he had noticed Chou Yifan’s vigorous writing when he first entered.

As an Imperial Academy Attendant, Chou Yifan was undoubtedly also involved in compiling the codex.

"Mr. Qiu, did you also receive a task for the codex?" Gu Chengyu casually unfolded some paper, responding with a question.

"Indeed! I am currently working on the section concerning the Ministry of Rites. Which department are you handling?"

As Gu Chengyu began outlining detailed sequences, it was essential to establish a small, detailed framework before drafting comprehensive content.

"For the Ministry of Justice!"

As Gu Chengyu started writing, Chou Yifan stood up and approached his desk.

Seeing Gu Chengyu begin detailing the first volume, Chou Yifan was slightly surprised.

"You’re starting already? Have you read through the laws and related historical texts so thoroughly that you don’t need references to outline them?"