Resigning and Returning Home

Resigning and Returning Home

Over the past few days, Lin Yu had basically been talking about the lessons learned from this assassination, making him terribly nervous. Lin Yu glanced into the distance before continuing, "This was never something I should have been doing in the first place. Now, these matters really won't do." After giving him a look, Lin Yu said no more.

Just as he returned to the residence, threw himself onto the bed, and planned to sleep, a eunuch's voice came from outside the door. "General Lin, His Highness the Ancient Emperor has summoned you to the palace for a meal. He says he wishes to chat about family matters."

Hearing this, Lin Yu let out a long breath. With a grim face, he walked out and said, "What kind of nonsense is this? They won't even let me get a proper nap. Let's go, let's go."

The eunuch led the way while Lin Yu followed closely behind. Speaking of this inner palace, this was Lin Yu's first visit since arriving in the imperial city, and he was rather curious about the surroundings. He looked around and asked, "You usually work in this inner palace, don't you? Tell me, what exactly is there in here?"

"Ah, General Lin, then you don't understand. This inner palace has three thousand ladies of the household, and among them are no lack of peerless beauties. Take me, for instance—I work here, yet there aren't many benefits. Compared with running about on errands, I'd much rather serve at the sides of those noble consorts." As he spoke, the eunuch chuckled again. Lin Yu's question had struck straight at his heart.

Lin Yu laughed as well, then said, "Oh? And you think you could enjoy yourself at the sides of those noble consorts?" Lin Yu had merely been joking, but who would have thought that the little eunuch would giggle again?

"Oh, General Lin, you must be joking. With this body of mine, how could I possibly enjoy such things? It's just that when one stays by those noble consorts' sides, the rewards they give are never few." Lin Yu shook his head at this. How could he not know the gravity of the matter? It had only been a joke.

"Your Majesty Ancient Emperor, General Lin has arrived." He was soon summoned inside. The Ancient Emperor was reviewing documents. Seeing Lin Yu arrive, he did not say much, merely motioning for him to sit.

Lin Yu, however, did not stand on ceremony in the slightest and sat directly on the floor. Only then did he speak. "May I ask why Your Majesty Ancient Emperor has summoned this humble servant?" Lin Yu was truly growing impatient from sitting there, and afterward said nothing more.

The Ancient Emperor looked at the tea beside him, took a sip, and only then continued, "Oh, it's nothing much. You have served here as a general for some time now, haven't you? I wonder whether you have adapted to it?"

Lin Yu nodded upon hearing that. Over these past few days, he had more or less fully adapted to everything, though it was simply too exhausting.

"Mm, it's like this. Earlier, didn't I execute Mo Ce?" The moment Lin Yu heard those words, he wilted. This was no good news. He drew another deep breath and thought, It seems I truly made the wrong calculation back then.

Only then did Lin Yu realize that what the Ancient Emperor had wanted from the very beginning was not merely to save face, but to shamelessly keep Lin Yu here completely and utterly.

At this moment, Lin Yu rose to his feet and said calmly, "Your Majesty Ancient Emperor, we are both reasonable people. If you have something to say, you might as well say it plainly. As long as it lies within my capabilities, I will certainly do it."

"Ah, I do like straightforward people like you." Though the Ancient Emperor was over three hundred years old, he was not steady at all. Looking at him now, he resembled an old mischievous child even more. Then he continued, "Since no suitable military talent has been found, I wish to discuss having you temporarily serve as Grand General. Once a suitable person is found later, you will be replaced. What do you think?"

Lin Yu suddenly felt that he was truly too young, still no match for such an old fox. Standing there, Lin Yu continued, "Since Your Majesty has already made such a decision, what else can I say? I will temporarily take up the post of Grand General." As he spoke, his heart beat like a little drum.

"Haha, truly refreshing. You may leave for now. I still have official documents to review." The Ancient Emperor had settled his own matter and immediately issued an order to see him off. Lin Yu furrowed his brows and turned to leave. No eunuch came to guide him along the way this time. This was one face when asking favors, another face behind one's back.

Walking along the road, Lin Yu let out a long sigh and said, "I truly never expected that no matter how much I plotted, in the end I still could not outplot an old fellow. It seems I should return and resign from office." Before this, Lin Yu had never considered resigning, but now the thought had arisen. Still, there was no helping it.

Upon returning to Lin Residence, a servant came out and asked, "Master, what happened? Going in and out like this, you look much more downcast." He was Nu Sheng, and he was loyal to Lin Yu, but Lin Yu merely let out a long breath and told him to leave.

"Forget it." With that, Lin Yu returned directly to his room, collapsed onto the bed, and fell completely unconscious.

Just as he had fallen asleep, a voice rang out by his ear. "Linglong Princess has arrived..." Lin Yu showed no sign of getting up.

Nu Sheng began knocking on the door from outside and said to Lin Yu, "Master, Linglong Princess has arrived. You need to go greet her." Lin Yu lay face-down on the bed, now fully awake. He called out, "Send her away. I will not see her. Tell her to come visit another day."

"Oh my, the Grand General truly is different. This princess has already arrived at your door, and you still mean to shut this princess outside?" The moment Linglong Princess finished speaking, the door inside was opened.

"It's the middle of the night. What sort of visit is this, what sort of door are you entering? Go back and sleep." After saying this, Lin Yu went back inside. Linglong Princess had been served a closed door this time, but there was nothing she could do.

"Forget it, I won't lower myself to his level. I'll come again another day. I refuse to believe that with this princess's charms, you will not fall beneath this princess's pomegranate skirt." Hearing this, Lin Yu nearly vomited. He glanced over, then entered the land of dreams once more.

And so it continued until the fifteenth, the day of the grand court assembly. Civil and military officials alike entered the court, but Lin Yu did not wear court robes. Instead, dressed in plain white, he stepped into the hall and stood out rather conspicuously.

At this time, the Emperor had already arrived. Only then did Lin Yu speak again. "Your Highness, Lin Yu comes dressed in white to request Your Highness's permission to resign from office and return home."

All the ministers let out a long breath at this moment. This matter was not so simple; they knew that Lin Yu had always intended to return home...