Transmigrated Female Official

Guangrentang.

After the court session ended, Ji Jie returned to the inner hall and summoned Li Yan directly: "Have you entrusted all these matters concerning flowers and plants to Chu Qingluo?"

Li Yan replied, "Yes, it has been assigned."

Ji Jie nodded in satisfaction and sat down at the table. "Today, the Imperial Medical Academy has arranged its official examinations. You will come with me to supervise them." After saying that, she instructed, "You can go out now. I'll call you later. Also, call Chu Qingluo over."

"Yes." Li Yan responded and withdrew.

A short while later, Chu Qingluo appeared in the inner hall.

"Lord Ji." She couldn't explain why, even though Ji Jie wasn't that old, she just couldn't bring herself to call her "Sister Ji" or "Sister Jie" with such affection.

"Qingluo, come here." Ji Jie greeted her warmly and made her sit down facing her. "It's like this, I'd like you to design a set of clothes for me." She paused, glanced at Chu Qingluo, and continued, "Ideally... like the outfit Princess Fulin wore at the last celebration, something that would show off her charming and graceful figure."

"..." Ji Jie really treats her like a personal stylist...

Seeing Chu Qingluo hesitate, Ji Jie tapped the Xuan paper on the table with her fingertip: "Stay here today and help me think it over. I promise you won't be treated unfairly." After saying that, she stood up and gently patted Chu Qingluo's shoulder as she walked past her: "I'm leaving now." She gave a devilish smile that brooked no refusal.

Ji Jie's implication was that she had to produce the blueprints today, or she wouldn't be allowed to leave the palace.

Watching Ji Jie's carefree departure, she really wanted to cry.

Wouldn't this be considered a blatant form of house arrest?

"Sigh—" With utter helplessness, she picked up the brush from the inkstone and began to scribble aimlessly on the rice paper...

"Chu Qingluo!" A loud child's voice rang out from the doorway. Chu Qingluo didn't need to look to know who it was, and greeted, "Ninth Prince."

This little rascal was quiet for only a few days, and now he's out playing again. She asked with a stern face, "Instead of staying in Changhong Hall to study properly, you've sneaked out to play again?"

"I've already read my lessons today." Ji Qibo chuckled, subtly moving around to her side and asking, "What are you doing? Drawing?"

"..." She immediately recalled the 1:1 scale portrait of the ugly monster he had drawn, and couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat: "I'm... thinking!"

Seeing that he still looked puzzled, she said, "If you don't have anything else to do, go somewhere else to play. I have things to do." With him here, she was afraid that she would only be able to keep recalling that unprecedented portrait and would lose all inspiration.

"I'll just stay here for a little while." Seeing the obvious refusal on Chu Qingluo's face, she quickly added, "I promise I won't delay your thinking!" Her long eyelashes fluttered, and she looked pitiful.

Seeing his words, she softened a little: "...Alright then."

"Hehe." Ji Qibo looked around Ji Jie's inner room as if he were on a tour.

Seeing that he was behaving relatively well today, Chu Qingluo let him be. She rested her chin on her hand and continued to ponder...

Unexpectedly, after enjoying only fifteen minutes of peace... a soft 'click' sounded in my ear.

She turned her head at the sound and found that Ji Qibai had somehow acquired a small pair of scissors in his hand, and a strand of black hair was quietly lying on his other small hand...

What?! What's going on?!

How dare that brat cut her hair while her gaze was blocked by his arm?! What kind of fetish is that?!

Chu Qingluo was immediately completely flustered...

"Are you crazy?!" She rushed over to the bronze mirror on the other wooden shelf to examine the horrific scene. There, she saw a large section of her hair, which had been hanging down her left cheek, had been brutally cut off!

And the way she looks right now is... incredibly stupid!

Ji Qibo hurriedly threw down the scissors, stuffed his hair into his clothes, and cried out, "Chu Qingluo, don't get agitated, let me explain..."

This is absolutely unbearable!!!

Chu Qinglu grabbed him and, without saying a word, gave him two hard slaps on the buttocks: "Are you itching for a beating?"

Ji Qibai hadn't expected Chu Qingluo to suddenly go berserk. He screamed twice, struggled to break free from her clutches, and ran away...

Chu Qingluo didn't care about anything else and immediately chased after her.

Today she's going to show him what it means to be a pushover.

Whenever other executives passed by, she would pretend nothing was wrong and slow down, but once no one was around, she would continue running. But why did that brat Ji Qibai seem to be running towards the Changxuan Palace?

……

Inside the Changxuan Palace, the Sixth Princess was talking to Ji Qiran.

"As you know, Yao Man's feelings for you have been brewing for a long time. As long as you make your stance clear, you two can be together... Just consider it helping Sixth Sister out."

"Sixth Sister, I know. But..." Ji Qiran frowned slightly, sighed softly, and then said, "I will try my best to help you keep her calm."

“I think it’s only a matter of time before you two get together, so why bother…” The Sixth Princess couldn’t understand why Ji Qiran kept making excuses; he still wanted to go through with it all… but in the end, she didn’t try to persuade him any further. “Alright, I’ll go back to the palace first, and you can think about it some more.”

The Sixth Princess had just stepped outside the Changxuan Palace when she bumped into Ji Qibai, who was running towards her. She stopped him, saying, "Ninth Brother, why are you running in such a hurry?!"

Without saying a word, Ji Qibo immediately darted behind her and looked around.

Upon seeing this, Chu Qingluo, who had been chasing after him, immediately darted into the bushes to the side.

Not seeing the furious figure, Ji Qibai breathed a sigh of relief: "It's nothing, I came to find Seventh Brother. Sixth Sister, I'll go in first." With that, he skipped and hopped into the hall.

“This child—” The Sixth Princess shook her head and smiled, then left with her entourage.

Whew...that was close! Chu Qingluo wiped the sweat from her brow and emerged from the bushes.

That brat actually came to ask Ji Qiran for help! It made her hesitate, pacing back and forth outside the hall...

First, go in. To confront them, but there are two of them, both princes, and Ji Qiran is a ticking time bomb; second, don't go in. That would be a disservice to my chewed-up hairstyle!

Why don't you try counting the petals? ...

Just as Chu Qingluo was still hesitating, the two people came out of the hall instead. Ji Qibai, that little devil, hid behind Ji Qiran like a well-behaved kitten.

Ji Qiran stood on the steps, looking down at her. "Lord Chu—I heard you just slapped the prince's buttocks?!" Though his words were accusatory, the ever-growing corners of his mouth betrayed him. Coupled with witnessing Chu Qingluo's asymmetrical hairstyle, with a fresh leaf brazenly stuck in it… he almost burst into laughter.

But he had to hold back!

Chu Qinglu was furious and not afraid of Ji Qiran at all. She glared at him, picked up the short strand of hair with her finger, and said righteously, "Then we should ask him why he did such a bad thing?!"

Ji Qibai peeked out from behind Ji Qiran: "It's because if you cut off the hair of the person you love and make a purse, you can communicate with her heart!"

"Pah!" Chu Qingluo was furious. "Where did you hear this from?! This is utter nonsense! ...Fine, even if it's true, you can just ask me for it, and I'll cut off a few for you! Why do you have to do it yourself?"

Ji Qibo frowned, looking quite serious: "No! It only works if it's cut without you noticing!"

Such far-fetched legends can only fool children!

"Which bastard said that? Tell me, and I promise I won't kill him!"

Ji Qibo looked up and glanced at Ji Qiran...

Ji Qiran was met with that innocent look from him, and a hint of panic flashed across her face. She quickly replied, "It's just a rumor! Besides, it's no big deal that Ninth Brother cut off a lock of your hair. How could you hit him?"

This bad idea was indeed given to Ninth Brother a few days ago. Originally, I just wanted Ninth Brother to cut off a few strands of her hair for fun and to make her angry. Who knew that Ninth Brother would be so heavy-handed? With one stroke, he cut off a large bunch of her hair.

What was even more unexpected was Chu Qingluo's reaction... It was truly astonishing!

"..." Ji Qiran used his status to pressure her? Chu Qinglu rolled her eyes helplessly and could only grit her teeth in resentment.

Seeing that she remained silent, he pretended to be merciful and tried to smooth things over: "Ninth Brother was in the wrong for cutting your hair, but you also hit him, so we're even. I'll discipline him properly in the future, and this matter is over."

Ha! Ha! What could she say? She let out a huff and replied, "I hope the Seventh Prince will put in more effort!" After saying that, she stretched out her five fingers towards Ji Qibai behind her, twirled them in the air, clenched them into a fist, and squeezed them hard! Finally, she snorted coldly and left.

"Seventh Brother... what does she mean by this?" Ji Qibai asked weakly.

"Perhaps... she's saying you can't escape her grasp..." Seeing Ji Qibo swallow hard in fear, she put her arm around his shoulder to comfort him, "Now that you've got her hair, you can make a sachet. Don't bother her for the time being, the sachet will work anyway..."

Even Seventh Brother said so, Ji Qibai knew he had caused trouble, and Chu Qingluo probably wouldn't forgive him anytime soon. For the sake of his bottom, he had no choice but to behave himself for a while.