Tuesday, mid-September, 9:00 AM.
Li Banjia took a deep breath and straightened his tie one last time. Although he usually preferred casual attire, he felt that today’s "audience with the Emperor" required a certain level of formality. In his hand was the *New Media Innovation Department Annual Development Strategic Plan V1.0*, a document that represented the heart and soul of both his efforts and those of the Hanlin Academy.
"The butcher has entered the palace—it's time to show what I'm really made of," he told himself, though his lips habitually curled into a self-deprecating smirk. "I just hope Director Zhao doesn't interrogate me like a prisoner. At the very least, I’m a P8 manager holding a 'provisional' title, with four hungry subordinates waiting for me to lead the way."
Chapter 52