The Second World in Ancient Times

Ever since I uncovered the conspiracy that endangered the imperial family, my life has been transformed. The emperor's bounties have poured in like a tide, and my room is overflowing with gold, silver, treasures, and silks. The dazzling light and soft textures of these things leave me dazed, as if I were in a dream.

But what I treasured most was the imperial edict of promotion. When the eunuch read the edict before the crowd, appointing me as a court lady, I could feel the envy and awe of those around me. From a simple maidservant, I suddenly became a court lady with considerable power. This feeling was both wonderful and heavy.

"Sister Siqing, congratulations! You are really amazing now." A little palace maid congratulated me with a smile on her face.

I smiled and responded, "Thank you, sister. This is all the grace of the emperor."

After becoming a lady-in-waiting, I had my own office, an elegantly furnished room filled with files related to various palace affairs. My first responsibility was to manage the daily schedules and work assignments of the palace maids, which was not as simple as I had imagined.

On my first day, I called a meeting of the palace maids. Looking at the faces, some familiar and some unfamiliar, I cleared my throat and said, "Sisters, from today on, I will be responsible for managing our daily affairs. As you all know, the operation of the palace depends on the efforts of each of us. I hope that everyone will fulfill their responsibilities and do their work conscientiously."

A maid stood up and asked, "Sister Siqing, will our work become more?"

I shook my head. "No, I'll just make the arrangements more reasonable. If you have any questions, you can always come to me."

As time went by, I felt the impact of my change in status more and more. Walking in the corridors of the palace, the palace maids and eunuchs would bow respectfully when they saw me, their eyes full of respect.

"Hello, Lady-in-Chief of Love Affairs!" Their voices echoed in unison throughout the palace.

Many people also began to deliberately curry my favor. Once, when I was passing by the Imperial Garden, a young eunuch came running over with a plate of exquisite snacks.

"Lady of the Imperial Court, these are the latest snacks made by the imperial kitchen. Please try them." The young eunuch smiled flatteringly.

I declined, "No, keep it for yourself."

The young eunuch refused to give up: "Madam, your status is different now. Only you are worthy of enjoying this snack."

I smiled helplessly and took a piece of dessert. Only then did the little eunuch leave with satisfaction.

I knew this was a great opportunity to network. While preparing for a palace banquet, I met a maid who was in charge of court etiquette. She was quite prestigious within the palace and knew many of the rules and the stories behind them.

"Mammy, I'd like to ask for your guidance on the etiquette arrangements for this banquet," I said to her respectfully.

The maid looked me over and smiled. "You are a modest child, Lady of the Imperial Court. You have rendered great service to the court by exposing the conspiracy this time."

I quickly said, "Thank you for your praise, Ma'am. I still have a lot of things I don't understand, and I'll need your guidance again in the future."

Through communicating with Nanny, I learned a lot about etiquette and also established a good relationship with her.

There were other ladies-in-waiting in the palace. Some of them were friendly to me, while others were a little jealous of me, the newcomer who had suddenly been promoted.

Once, I was discussing banquet decorations with several ladies-in-waiting. One of them said sarcastically, "Lady Siqing, you're truly impressive. You've managed to rise above us so quickly. However, managing palace affairs isn't easy. You'd better not mess it up."

I looked at her and said calmly, "Sister, you're joking. I know I still have a lot of shortcomings, so I want to discuss this with everyone, hoping to get things done."

Another female official stepped forward to smooth things over: "Alright, alright, we are all for the palace, let's not damage the harmony. The female official in charge of love is capable, we should help each other."

Although I am now a little famous, I always remind myself to be cautious. In the palace, a single mistake can lead to disaster.

Wanqing also often reminds me: "Siqing, you have to be careful of those who are jealous of you now. They may try to trip you up behind your back."

I nodded: "I know, I won't give them a chance."

Once, while reviewing a list of palace supplies, I noticed some discrepancies. I kept quiet and investigated secretly. I knew it might be a deliberate setup to trick me into making a mistake.

After some investigation, I found that a young eunuch had tampered with the accounts at the behest of a jealous lady-in-waiting. I summoned the young eunuch and spoke to him alone.

"Why did you do this? You know it's against palace rules." I asked him seriously.

The young eunuch was so frightened that he knelt down and begged for mercy: "Madam, I was also forced to do this. The lady-in-waiting said that if I didn't do it, she would kick me out of the palace."

I sighed. "You should know that doing something wrong will be punished. But I can give you a chance. Go tell the truth to that lady-in-waiting and let her explain it to me."

The young eunuch nodded quickly and ran to find the female official.

Not long after, the lady-in-waiting came to see me. She said somewhat awkwardly, "Lady-in-waiting, this time it's my fault. I shouldn't have been jealous of you, and I shouldn't have ordered the young eunuch to do such a thing."

I looked at her and said, "Sister, it's not easy for us in the palace. There's no need to make things unpleasant over these things. I hope this is the last time. We should get along well from now on."

The female official said gratefully, "Thank you, Si Qing. I will never do this again."

Through this incident, I neutralized a potential enemy and also let others know that I am not easy to mess with, but I will not make enemies easily.

In the process of managing palace affairs, it is inevitable to encounter some difficulties. On one occasion, there was a problem with the palace's flower supply. The flowers originally ordered did not arrive on time, and they were about to be used for a banquet.

I remembered the gardener I had met in the Imperial Garden before, so I found him and explained the situation.

"Master, can you think of a solution? This banquet cannot be held without floral decorations." I said anxiously.

The master gardener thought for a moment and said, "Madam, we have some spare flowers in the Imperial Garden. Although the quantity may not be enough, it can be used as an emergency measure. I will go to other gardens to see if I can allocate some."

With the help of the florist, the problem of flower supply was solved and the banquet was held smoothly.

My deeds became more and more popular in the palace. Not only the palace maids and eunuchs knew about it, but even some concubines had heard of me.

Once, when I was delivering something to a concubine, she smiled and said to me, "Lady of Love, you are truly a clever and brave child. I have heard about your story. If you have any interesting news in the future, don't forget to tell me."

I replied respectfully, "Yes, Your Majesty, I will definitely live up to your expectations."

I know that while my fame brings me opportunities, it also makes me the focus of everyone's attention, and I must be more cautious.

I also used my influence to help some capable palace maids and eunuchs improve their reputations. There was a palace maid who had very good embroidery skills, but she never had the opportunity to show them off.

When I was planning a palace event, I recommended her: "Your Majesty, this palace maid's embroidery skills are unparalleled. We can use her embroidery works to decorate the venue."

The palace maid looked at me with gratitude. After the event, her embroidery was appreciated by everyone, and she got more opportunities because of it.

However, there were still some people who were jealous of me and were secretly plotting something. A few palace maids spread rumors behind my back, saying that my promotion was due to improper means.

Instead of confronting them directly, I found an old eunuch who was very prestigious in the palace and told him the situation. The old eunuch stepped in to stop the spread of the rumors and punished the palace maids.

I said to Wanqing, "Sometimes, we don't have to do it ourselves. We can solve problems with the help of others."

Wanqing smiled and said, "Siqing, you are getting smarter and smarter."

As my fame within the palace grew, I began to expand my network. I attended various palace gatherings and events, meeting people from various fields, including musicians skilled in dance, imperial physicians proficient in medicine, and craftsmen responsible for maintaining the palace buildings.

At a party, I chatted with a royal physician about the health preservation methods in the palace.

"Doctor, how can the masters in this palace better maintain their health?" I asked humbly.

The imperial physician smiled and said, "Madam, the way to maintain good health is to pay equal attention to both body and mind. You must eat in moderation, have a regular sleep schedule, and maintain a good mood."

Through communication with the imperial physician, I learned a lot of health knowledge and laid the foundation for handling related matters in the future.

I knew that status and connections alone were not enough; I needed to constantly improve my abilities. In my spare time, I studied court etiquette, history, and management.

Once, I was learning court etiquette with an old lady, and she admired my serious attitude.

"Lady in charge of love affairs, you are so diligent and studious, you will become a great person in the future," said the old nanny.

I smiled and replied, "Mammy, I just don't want to betray the emperor's trust and want to better serve the court."

Although I've gained a certain reputation within this palace, possessing a certain status and connections, I know this is only the beginning. I still have a long way to go, and many more challenges await me. But I am confident that with my wisdom, courage, and prudence, I can continue to write my own legend within this palace.