The Second World in Ancient Times

Ever since the king praised me, I knew I had to be more cautious in every step. That day, I went to the old nanny's residence, ready to ask her for advice on the more complex details of court etiquette.

"Mammy, I'm here. I'm really sorry to trouble you this time. I want to improve my etiquette. You have to teach me well." I said respectfully to the old nanny.

The old nanny smiled and nodded. "Si Qing, it's a good thing you're so thoughtful. You see, palace etiquette isn't just about superficial gestures; every gesture and expression carries a deeper meaning. Take greeting your master, for example. Different occasions and times require subtle variations in posture."

As she spoke, the old lady began to demonstrate. Her movements were graceful and smooth. I watched carefully, afraid of missing a single detail.

"Mammy, do you think I am doing the right thing?" I imitated the old mammy's actions and greeted her.

After a careful inspection, the old nanny pointed out my problem: "Your gestures are a little low, and your eyes should be more humble. You can't look directly at the master for too long, and you should lower your head slightly at the right time."

I practiced repeatedly until beads of sweat appeared on my forehead. The old lady patiently instructed me, "Yes, that's it, Si Qing. You are very perceptive. You must remember these details. You can't make mistakes in important situations."

After learning etiquette with the old nanny, I went to find the experienced female official Zhao to discuss with her the plan for managing large-scale events.

"Sister Zhao, there is an opportunity this time and I want to perform well. You are experienced in managing large-scale events, so you must tell me the ins and outs of it." I said sincerely to Ms. Zhao.

Lady Zhao took my hand and asked me to sit down. "Si Qing, the most important thing in managing a large-scale event is personnel arrangement and time control. You must know how many people are needed for each link and what these people will do. There must be no confusion. And the time for each link must be calculated accurately. The banquet or celebration cannot be dull or rushed."

I listened carefully and asked questions from time to time: "Sister, what should we do if an emergency occurs during the event, such as someone getting injured or props getting damaged?"

Officer Zhao thought for a moment and replied, "This requires preparing an emergency plan in advance. There must be dedicated personnel to handle emergencies, such as medical personnel on standby at all times, and backup props must be prepared. Furthermore, the event organizer must remain calm and not panic, so as to stabilize the situation."

We discussed various possible issues for a long time, and I felt that I gained a lot.

Besides etiquette and management, talent is also an important way to express oneself. I have had a natural talent for the qin since childhood, so I decided to devote myself to this art. I sought out a qin master in the palace and asked for his guidance.

"Master Luthier, I want to improve my music skills. Do you have any suggestions?" I asked the luthier.

The zither player looked at me and gently plucked the strings. "The sound of the zither lies in the state of mind. You must first understand the connotation of the song before you can play moving music. Take this piece of 'Qing Ping Yue' for example. It depicts the tranquility and peace of the palace. When you play, you must imagine yourself in that beautiful atmosphere, and control the strength and rhythm of your fingers."

I sat down at the piano and began to play. The pianist listened, interrupting me from time to time: "Here, your fingering is a bit stiff. It should be softer, like a spring breeze blowing across the lake. And here, the tempo is slow. Speed ​​it up a bit."

I followed the instructions of the pianist and practiced over and over again. My fingers were a little sore, but I didn't give up.

Besides practicing my piano, I also kept in mind my dancing skills. I trained with the court dancers and learned from them more graceful dance moves.

"Sisters, I want to make my dance more graceful, please help me." I said to the dancers.

A dancer smiled and said, "Si Qing, dance is all about the body's flexibility and coordination. When we dance, our bodies should be as flexible as willow branches, and our movements should be smooth and coherent. For example, this turn shouldn't be too stiff; we should use the strength of our waist to make the turn look light and natural."

I followed the dancers to practice turning, jumping and other movements, falling down again and again, and standing up again and again.

"Si Qing, you're making rapid progress. Look, this posture is much more graceful than before." The dancers encouraged me.

I responded with a smile: "Thanks to you, I will continue to work hard."

As I learned and practiced, I began to create a plan to showcase my talents to the King. I planned in detail the etiquette demonstration, management skills, and talent show.

I showed the plan to Wanqing: "Wanqing, what do you think of my plan? Is there anything that needs to be modified?"

After reading it carefully, Wanqing said, "Siqing, this plan is very good. However, you could add some special etiquette for meeting foreign envoys to the etiquette display. This will better demonstrate your comprehensiveness. As for the talent show, you could design some interactive segments to make the king feel more involved."

I thought Wanqing's suggestion was very good, so I modified the plan: "Wanqing, you are really my lucky star. With your suggestion, this plan will definitely be more perfect."

After the plan was finalized, I began preparing the props needed for the display. For the ceremonial display, I prepared court costumes for different occasions, as well as corresponding accessories.

I told the maid in charge of the costumes, "These costumes must be clean and tidy, and the accessories cannot be damaged. They are very important in the display."

The maid replied: "Don't worry, Madam, we will check it carefully."

For the talent show, I selected the best pianos, dance ribbons and other props, and personally inspected their quality.

After everything was ready, I began to practice the mock presentation. I performed the entire etiquette demonstration, management skills introduction, and talent show, just as if I were really performing before the king.

Wanqing watched from the side like a stern examiner: "Si Qing, for the etiquette demonstration, you could change your clothes a little faster so it's more compact. When introducing your management skills, you could give more practical examples to make it more convincing."

I adjusted my practice according to Wanqing's suggestion: "Wanqing, you're right, this is indeed better. I hope there won't be any problems when I actually present it."

In order to make the presentation more meaningful, I also consulted the palace scholars about palace culture.

"Grand Secretary, I would like to incorporate more court culture into the display. Can you tell me about it?" I asked.

The Grand Secretary stroked his beard. "Siqing, the palace culture is extensive and profound. For example, behind palace etiquette lies our country's traditional ideas, such as respect for elders and the etiquette between the monarch and his subjects. When introducing management skills, you can mention how the ancient palace managed materials and personnel, and draw wisdom from them. As for talents, the arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting all have their own unique developmental history within the palace. You can incorporate these into your performance to showcase the inheritance of palace culture."

I listened carefully and incorporated these cultural elements into my plan.

During my careful preparation, I also heard some doubts.

"Does Si Qing really think that he can gain the king's favor with all this? He is so naive." A palace maid whispered.

"That's right, she's trying so hard, she might end up making a fool of herself," another maid echoed.

Wanqing was very angry when she heard these words: "Don't talk nonsense, can't you see Siqing's efforts?"

I held Wanqing close and said, "Don't bother with them. We just need to be ourselves. I want to prove myself with my actions."

As I gained a deeper understanding of palace culture, I refined the presentation plan. I added a more detailed explanation of the cultural connotations of etiquette to the etiquette presentation, analyzed the implications of ancient palace management models for the present in the management skills section, and incorporated more stories related to palace culture into the talent show.

I practiced the presentation again, feeling more confident and fluent. I told Wanqing, "I feel more prepared now and hope to present my best to His Majesty."

Wanqing smiled and said, "Siqing, you will definitely succeed. Your efforts will definitely be rewarded."

I knew there were other people in the palace who wanted to be favored by the king, and there was an invisible competition between us. Once, when I was practicing, I found someone peeking.

I walked over and asked, "What are you doing here?"

The maid was a little flustered: "I... I was passing by and came to see what was going on when I heard some noise."

I knew she wasn't telling the truth, but I didn't expose her: "Don't peek at other people practicing in the future. It's rude."

I knew in my heart that I had to be more careful and not let others ruin my plans.

In order to make my presentation more to the king's liking, I also asked the eunuchs around the king about his preferences.

"Eunuch, you serve the king, so you must know what the king likes. Can you tell me?" I asked the eunuch quietly.

The eunuch looked around and whispered, "Si Qing, the king likes things that are innovative yet traditional. You can lean towards this when you present."

After receiving this news, I made some adjustments to the plan, giving the etiquette display a new form and adding innovative elements to the talent show.

As the presentation day drew closer, I entered the final sprint of preparation. Every day, I woke up early and went to bed late, practicing repeatedly, checking props, and refining the plan.

I said to myself, "This is my chance. I must give it my all and not make any mistakes. I want the king to see my worth and earn a place for myself at court."

During the intense preparation process, I also focused on my mental state. I knew that when it came time to present, my mindset was crucial. If I was too nervous, I might not perform well.

I took a walk in the garden to relax. Wanqing stayed by my side: "Siqing, don't be too nervous. You've prepared well. Believe in yourself, you can do it."

I took a deep breath and said, "Wanqing, thank you. I will adjust my mindset and not let all my previous efforts go to waste."

Finally, everything was ready. Standing in the arena where the performance was to begin, I gazed upon the meticulously arranged scene and prepared props, my heart filled with anticipation. I longed for the moment when I would present myself to the king. I was confident that my meticulous preparation would be rewarded, and I would take a significant step forward in my career at court.