Transmigrated Female Official

Hearing the big-eyed woman's words, Chu Qingluo couldn't help but smile: "Thank you all for your kind words."

"You are too modest, sir." The woman with big eyes looked very interested and continued, "I had heard of Lord Chu's deeds when I was still outside the palace. It is truly an honor to meet you in person today!"

Being praised so lavishly made Chu Qingluo a little embarrassed, especially since it was in front of Qin Mei. "That's just a rumor, you can't believe it all."

"I know it's all true..."

"Child bell——!"

Seeing that the big-eyed woman was about to continue speaking, Qin Mei quickly called out her name with a dark face, indicating that she would make a mistake if she said too much.

Tong Ling had no choice but to swallow back what she was about to say, stick out her tongue, and obediently shut her mouth.

After she calmed down, Qin Mei bowed to Chu Qingluo and said, "Lord Chu, I still need to take them to other palaces, so I'll take my leave first."

Chu Qinglu nodded and extended her hand slightly, saying, "Please, Lord Qin."

Watching Qin Mei lead her group away, Chu Qingluo noticed the girl named Tong Ling walking at the very back. She even secretly turned back to give her a bow, looking quite mischievous and adorable. Chu Qingluo couldn't help but laugh…

Qin Mei then led the executives to the Music and Ritual Hall. Even before they entered, the sounds of zithers and lutes could be heard from within.

"With the main hall as the boundary, the east side hall contains countless books, while the west side hall is where people practice dancing and playing musical instruments. It can be said that this is both the quietest and the liveliest place in the entire palace." Qin Mei introduced as she walked in, with the group following closely behind.

“Apart from the summer festival, the various rituals and banquets on ordinary days are almost all performed by the people of the Ritual and Music Workshop.”

"Aunt Qin, I'm the only one selected for the Music and Etiquette Hall now, and I don't even have a foundation in it... What if I can't learn it?" Tong Ling couldn't help but feel worried about the unknown territory.

Qin Mei glanced at her coldly and said, "If you are dull-witted, I advise you to change your choice as soon as possible."

Tong Ling pouted, unwilling to admit defeat: "This is my interest. I can't all choose the lower seventh rank like them, can I?!"

Newly appointed executives can only choose from ranks between the seventh and tenth grades, so most people choose the higher seventh grade.

Now that Tong Ling had said this to their faces, the other women who had chosen the seventh rank were somewhat unhappy and shifted their bodies uncomfortably.

Qin Mei's gaze swept over everyone, and she continued with a serious expression, "Do you think shortcuts are so easy to take?! No matter whether you choose the seventh or tenth rank now, those who don't perform well will be reassigned to other ranks. ... And if that doesn't work, they'll be forced to do manual labor!" After saying that, she specifically looked at Tong Ling and emphasized, "Those without talent will be the same."

Speaking of talent, Tong Ling shrank back sheepishly... She really hadn't studied anything, and she had no idea if she had any talent at all...

After meeting Yu Yi, the female official in charge of the Ritual and Music Bureau, in the main hall, and then admiring the books in the east side hall, the group continued to walk into the west side hall.

This west wing hall was divided into many small courtyards. In the first courtyard, they finally saw the source of the zither music.

A group of executives were sitting together, plucking the strings of their instruments... Their postures were elegant, and the music they played was so unified that it seemed to come from the same person.

In each of the subsequent courtyards, a variety of musical instruments were displayed before them. There were also women practicing dance diligently, their every move graceful and affectionate.

"Wow—" Tong Ling exclaimed in surprise, but Qin Mei gave her a warning glare, forcing her to immediately cover her mouth with her hand to prevent herself from exclaiming again.

As we walked further in, we heard the sound of a flute.

As they drew nearer, the flute music abruptly stopped, and then they heard someone speaking—a man's voice, seemingly explaining something. This only fueled Tong Ling's curiosity.

"This is the end of the west wing hall." Qin Mei led them to pause at the entrance for only a few seconds before saying, "Let's go back."

Everyone obediently followed Qin Mei back, except for Tong Ling, who remained standing there in a daze. Her gaze was fixed on the man who was speaking intently, and her mouth involuntarily opened slightly...

Noticing that Tong Ling hadn't followed, Qin Mei called out to her impatiently, "Tong Ling! What's wrong with you now?!"

“He…” Tong Ling came to her senses in a daze and quickly followed, asking, “Aunt Qin, was that man who was playing the flute also from the Music and Music Workshop?”

"What, a man playing the flute?" Qin Mei hadn't paid any attention to it. "There are plenty of male musicians in the Ritual and Music Hall, you don't need to make such a fuss."

"Could it be that you've already taken a fancy to some man as soon as you arrive?" one of the women who had chosen the seventh rank retorted, and the other women who had also chosen the seventh rank joined in the mockery.

"Don't talk nonsense!" Tong Ling retorted.

"You all don't know the rules! You're all forbidden from eating tonight," Qin Mei scolded in a low voice. "I think you all need to learn the rules for a few more days before you can go to other palaces, otherwise the other officials will definitely say that I, Qin Mei, am not disciplining you properly."

After that, no one dared to speak recklessly for the rest of the trip...

Although there was no dinner to be had, Tong Ling was extremely excited. During her break, she made a special trip to the Liyuefang, only to learn that Wuyang had already left the palace.

But it doesn't matter. Now that she knows he's a musician who came to the palace to teach the flute, they'll meet again someday, and in just a few days. At that time, she will reunite with him in the Music and Ritual Hall as a newly appointed executive officer!

……

The spring sunlight shone into the small courtyard of the west side hall of the Ritual and Music Hall. There was no one else there except a man in a long robe who was carefully wiping the jade flute in his hand.

Tong Ling tiptoed over and suddenly jumped in front of him with a 'thud'!

"...Miss Tong Ling?" Wu Yang stared in astonishment at the woman in front of him, dressed in a light purple executive officer's uniform, and was truly startled.

I never expected it to be her.

Early this morning, Yu Yi came to inform him that a new executive had arrived at the Music and Etiquette Hall and insisted on learning the flute... At first, he was puzzled because most people would choose to learn dance or other popular instruments, and very few people would choose the flute...

"Greetings, sir. I'm a newcomer to the Music and Music Hall, and from now on I will be learning the flute from you." Tong Ling greeted him with a smile, then shook the flute in her hand. Seeing that he was still lost in thought, she simply moved closer to him and whispered, "Am I particularly destined to meet you, sir?"