The Second World in Ancient Times

I sat quietly in the courtyard, looking at the familiar palace scenery before me, my heart filled with endless emotion. Wanqing combed my hair beside me, our eyes a little blurry, as if we were reminiscing about the past.

"Wanqing, do you still remember when I first entered the palace? At that time, I was just a little palace maid with dreams, full of fear and expectation for everything in the palace." I said softly.

Wanqing smiled and replied, "Of course I remember. Back then, you were always so careful and serious about your work. Everyone liked you very much."

I frowned slightly, recalling those difficult times. "But the road in the palace is not so easy. I have experienced being framed, being envied, and countless conspiracies and intrigues."

"Yes, but you survived and became stronger and stronger." Wanqing's eyes were full of admiration.

I nodded. "Yes, those difficult experiences were like a whetstone, sharpening me and making me tougher. Now that I think about it, every setback was a step in my growth."

"Look, from handling banquet affairs to receiving foreign envoys, from dealing with court struggles to preparing sacrificial activities, I have learned so much." I said to Wanqing excitedly.

Wanqing put down her comb and sat next to me. "Yes, you've become more adept at interpersonal relationships. You know who's sincere and who's fake. And when dealing with crises, you always stay calm and find solutions to problems."

"And my abilities, whether it's court etiquette, management skills, or talent performances, have all improved greatly. These gains make me feel that all the previous hard work is worth it." I smiled confidently.

"Besides, your reputation in the palace is growing. Everyone knows that the Court Lady Emotions is a capable person." Wanqing said with a smile.

"Wanqing, I am full of expectations for the future. I know there are more opportunities waiting for me in the palace." There was a gleam in my eyes.

Wanqing asked curiously, "What kind of opportunities are you looking forward to? More important missions, or something else?"

I stood up and walked to the center of the courtyard. "I hope to have the opportunity to participate in more important court decisions and use my wisdom to advise the court and the country. I don't want to be limited to banquets and receptions. I want to do something bigger."

"That will definitely be challenging, but I believe you can do it." Wanqing also stood up and walked to my side.

"Well, I believe in myself too. I look forward to encountering some new problems so that I can continue to break through myself." I clenched my fists, full of fighting spirit.

“Maybe there will be more in-depth exchanges with other countries, such as cultural exchanges, trade negotiations and so on.” I began to imagine future opportunities.

Wanqing's eyes lit up. "That's fantastic! You performed so well when you were hosting foreign envoys. If it were a more in-depth exchange, you'd definitely shine."

I smiled and nodded. "Yes, if it's cultural exchange, I can better spread our country's culture while also learning about the excellent cultures of other countries. If it's trade negotiations, I can also understand the needs and interests of each country and gain more benefits for the court."

"There may also be reforms within the palace. You can put forward your ideas to make the palace better," Wanqing added.

"Yes, some old systems and customs in the palace do need to be changed. If I have the opportunity to participate in the reform, I will definitely do my best." I said seriously.

"However, these opportunities will definitely be accompanied by many challenges. Aren't you afraid?" Wanqing asked with some concern.

I looked at her firmly. "Don't be afraid. Look at the challenges I've faced before. Which one was easy? I overcame them all. I believe that as long as I work hard enough and use my wisdom, there is no difficulty that cannot be overcome."

"But future challenges may be more complicated, such as involving more interest groups or power struggles at higher levels," Wanqing said with a frown.

"I know, but I won't back down. I will be more cautious and prepare in advance. Just like how we dealt with Su Wanrou's conspiracy before, as long as we stay vigilant, we can always find a way to deal with it." I patted Wanqing's shoulder to comfort her.

A few days later, I got together with some good friends and talked about the future.

Xiao Zhu said excitedly: "Sister Si Qing, I heard that there may be new big moves in the palace. You will definitely have another chance to show your abilities."

I smiled and said, "I hope so. But whether there is an opportunity or not, we must continue to improve ourselves."

Shunzi also said: "Yes, Siqing, you are our role model now, we all need to learn from you."

I felt a little embarrassed: "Don't say that, everyone. We grew up together. If there are any difficulties in the future, we must face them together."

Cuiyu said: "Of course, we are a team. No matter what the future holds, we must stick together."

I decided to visit some of the elders in the palace to hear their views on the future.

I first went to the old maid's residence. "Mammy, I'd like to ask you, what kind of changes do you think will happen to the palace in the future?"

The old maid looked at me and said kindly, "My child, the changes in the palace are like the wind and clouds, unpredictable. But you must remember that no matter how things change, loyalty, wisdom, and ability will never become obsolete. As long as you maintain these, you will be able to cope with any changes."

I nodded. "Thank you for your advice, Madam. I will definitely remember it. So, what areas do you think I should improve on?"

The old nanny thought for a moment and said, "You could learn more about the affairs of the court. After all, the palace and the court are closely related. Also, you should cultivate your leadership skills. You may be given more important tasks in the future."

After returning from the old lady's, I made a new plan for self-improvement.

I said to Wanqing, "Wanqing, I plan to start studying the political situation in the court and understand the power and opinions of the various ministers."

Wanqing asked, "Then how are you going to learn? This isn't easy."

I replied, "I can look for documents that record court affairs and talk to officials who are familiar with court affairs. Also, I want to attend more important court meetings. Even if I just listen, I can learn a lot."

"What about leadership? How do you want to cultivate it?" Wanqing asked again.

"I will take the initiative to undertake some team tasks and exercise my leadership skills in practice. For example, when preparing for the next event, I will organize everyone better and give full play to everyone's strengths." I said confidently.

As I worked hard to improve myself, the atmosphere in the palace seemed to be subtly changing. I sensed that new challenges were quietly approaching.

Once, I heard two palace maids whispering in the palace corridor.

"Have you heard? There may be a large-scale personnel reshuffle in the palace soon, and many positions will be changed."

"Really? That would definitely cause a lot of unrest. I wonder how many people would be affected."

I wondered if this might be a new challenge, so I decided to keep a close eye on it.

I told Wanqing about my concerns: "Wanqing, we don't know what kind of changes this personnel adjustment will bring. We must be prepared."

Wanqing asked nervously, "Then what should we do?"

I thought for a moment and decided, "We need to ensure our work is flawless and that everyone sees our value. At the same time, we need to maintain good communication with other departments and understand their situations. If opportunities arise, we can strive for more advantageous positions to lay the foundation for future development."

"Okay, I'll listen to you. We must be prepared and not be affected by this change." Wanqing said firmly.

Despite the possible changes and challenges, I maintain a positive attitude.

I told my friends, "Don't be afraid of change. This may be our opportunity. We should embrace it with optimism and believe in our abilities."

Xiao Zhu smiled and said, "Sister Si Qing is right. We can't panic first."

Shunzi also said: "That's right, no matter what, we have to look forward."

I looked at everyone, and my heart was filled with warmth: "Yes, let's work together. No matter what difficulties we face in the future, we can overcome them."

Not long after, I received news that the palace was going to hold a large-scale cultural feast, inviting literati and nobles from all over the world to participate, with the aim of showcasing our country's cultural soft power and international influence.

I realized that this might be a new opportunity, and I would try my best to participate in the preparation of this event.

I approached the head steward of the Imperial Household Department and said, "Sir, I've heard about the cultural feast and I'd like to be involved in the preparations. I have experience hosting foreign envoys and organizing cultural events, and I believe I can do a good job."

The chief steward looked at me and said, "Si Qing, this event is very important. Are you really confident?"

I answered firmly, "Sir, I have confidence. I will do my best to bring honor to the court."

The steward agreed to my request, and I immediately began to prepare for the cultural feast.

I called together my former colleagues and said, "This cultural event is both a new challenge and an opportunity for us. We must make it the most exciting cultural event ever."

Everyone was full of fighting spirit: "Madam, we listen to you and we will definitely work hard!"

I began to assign tasks: "We need to design unique banquet elements based on the cultural characteristics of each country. We also need to prepare a rich cultural display, such as ancient Chinese books, calligraphy and painting, music, dance, and so on. At the same time, we must arrange the reception of guests from various countries very well, and there must be no mistakes."

During the preparation process, we encountered many difficulties as expected.

I told everyone, "This feast is large in scale, involving many countries. We may encounter language barriers, cultural conflicts, and material shortages. But we cannot let these problems discourage us. We must prepare in advance."

We began to organize a translation team, learn about the cultural taboos of various countries, and actively prepare supplies.

Despite the numerous difficulties, I was full of confidence. I knew this was another chance for me to write a palace legend.

I said to myself, "Si Qing, you have to cheer up. No matter how many difficulties lie ahead, you must move towards higher goals and create your own glory." With this belief, I devoted myself to the preparations for the cultural feast, looking forward to that day.