Transmigrated Female Official

On her first day in office, Chu Qingluo changed into her magnificent yellow official robes, embroidered with subtle peony patterns on the shoulders and hem, while the lapels and wide waistband were purple. They fit her perfectly, one size fit all.

Once she put on this outfit, she realized that the fabric against her skin was much more comfortable and breathable than the executive officer's uniform. Only then did she truly understand the meaning of rank.

Chu Qingluo was filled with trepidation, and she waited on the platform outside Qingming Hall early in the morning. Golden phoenixes with outstretched wings perched on the red pillars on both sides, their tails slightly raised, looking lifelike.

Below the steps, carved blue bricks extend outwards to the Taihe Gate. Beyond that, a hundred-meter-long corridor leads to the palace gate. Previously, when passing by this place, Chu Qingluo had only admired the ancient site, marveling at its grandeur and magnificence. But now, she felt a greater sense of solemnity, filling her with awe.

About fifteen minutes later, the other female officials also arrived one after another.

Gongsun Ruyi spotted Chu Qingluo looking anxious at a glance and went up to greet her, saying, "Lord Chu, you're here so early."

"Lord Gongsun." Chu Qingluo quickly bowed.

Fortunately, I had one or two familiar tenth-rank female officials to talk to, otherwise I would have felt really awkward and embarrassed.

“Yesterday… I’m sorry to have troubled you, sir.” Chu Qingluo was referring to the congratulatory gift.

Gongsun Ruyi smiled knowingly: "Of course."

As they were talking, Chu Qingluo noticed that Li Ziyou had also arrived. She raised her hands and nodded, "Sister Ziyou..."

Li Ziyou frowned slightly, but quickly relaxed her brows and bowed, saying, "Lord Chu, please don't make me feel so uncomfortable."

Chu Qingluo's rank of sixth grade is several ranks higher than Li Ziyou's rank of ninth grade, so Li Ziyou should be the one to pay her respects.

"..." Hearing her say that, Chu Qingluo's embarrassment flared up again, and she didn't know how to react.

It's all because this sixth-rank official position came too suddenly, making her feel so guilty.

"Lord Chu, please don't take it to heart. Just call me by my name from now on." Li Ziyou was truly open-minded, after all, she had long anticipated that Chu Qingluo would rise to prominence today.

"Okay." Since Li Ziyou was always quick to speak her mind, Chu Qingluo stopped worrying about how to address her.

At this moment, the three princesses also arrived, making the platform even more lively.

The Eighth Princess went straight to Chu Qingluo: "Qingluo, I never thought that one day you would stand here, side by side with me."

These words clearly didn't sound very kind, but the Eighth Princess patted her shoulder affectionately, as if congratulating her.

The fourth and sixth princesses standing nearby couldn't help but glance at it sideways...

"Summon all officials to the palace—"

At the sound of that loud summons, Chu Qingluo's heart leaped into her throat. She took a deep breath and, prompted by Gongsun Ruyi, followed closely behind the fourth-rank official Yao Man into the Qingming Hall…

The vast, towering palace was empty and silent. Especially after stepping in from the sweltering heat outside, a chilling sensation pierced her body, causing Chu Qingluo to shiver involuntarily.

The Empress, dressed in a long black and gold robe that trailed on the ground, and wearing a golden crown with two phoenixes flying on her head, sat high on a phoenix chair inlaid with seven-colored gemstones, looking down at the court officials who had come to her.

The female officials stood in two rows on the red carpet in the hall, while the princesses stood at the very front, just steps away from the Empress, very close.

Chu Qingluo was seated in the left column. In front of her were Yao Man, a fourth-rank official; Yu Fei, a second-rank official; and the Eighth Princess. Behind her were Yu Yi, a second-eighth-rank official; and Jiang Hua, a second-tenth-rank official.

Gongsun Ruyi was seated in the right row, next to Chu Qingluo. There was an empty seat in front of her, while Li Ziyou was two seats behind her, separated by Qin Mei, a rank less than seven.

Qin Mei was the first tenth-rank female official Chu Qingluo encountered when she first entered the palace, but given her current position, it was inappropriate for her to call her "Aunt Qin" anymore.

In other words, the female officials were arranged in the order of 1-3-5, 2-4-6. Therefore, the empty position must belong to Pan Yin, a third-rank official. Chu Qingluo was unaware that Pan Yin had been sent by the Empress to Biancheng for disaster relief, so she was a little surprised, but only secretly.

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

"My lords, you may rise. Where is the newly appointed sixth-rank female official?" This was the first question the Empress posed.

Chu Qingluo was taken aback, but steeling herself, she bowed and took two steps toward the center: "This humble official, Chu Qingluo, thanks Your Majesty for your boundless grace!"

The Empress silently scrutinized her... noticing that Chu Qingluo only had a minimalist beaded flower in her hair. Although she looked much cleaner than Ji Jie, who had stood in that position before, her deliberate low-key demeanor could not conceal her otherworldly气质 (qi zhi - a kind of refined elegance/aura).

Empress Yan Hong smiled slightly: "Very well. As a newly appointed official, if you encounter any difficulties, please feel free to speak up. My beloved ministers will certainly not shirk their responsibilities."

Suddenly, a powerful remark caused the female officials to exchange bewildered glances. Never before had a female official received such favor upon assuming office; it seemed the Empress truly admired Chu Qingluo.

Chu Qingluo was flattered and quickly thanked the Empress again. With a gentle wave of her hand, the Empress returned to her seat.

What brings you here today?

"Your Majesty, regarding the case of Ji Jie and Wu Lian selling official positions... I wonder when they should be exiled?" The Fourth Princess was the first to bring up the topic.

Even after Ji Jie fell into the well, the Fourth Princess continued to throw stones into it. The Eighth Princess's heart burned with intermittent flames, her gaze cold and distant.

The Empress frowned and decided, "Send out the order that the two of them set off at noon today." Ji Jie had been in charge of Guangrentang for ten years. If it weren't for her insatiable greed and greed, she wouldn't have ended up like this.

Chu Qingluo's mind conjured up Ji Jie's face with its prominent cheekbones, and her earnest expectations for Ji Qili...

You have to pay for the sins you've committed.

……

At the court meeting, Longkui was reporting to the Empress the memorials sent from various places.

With a "thud," the Sixth Princess suddenly fainted to the ground, much to everyone's astonishment. The Empress, startled, immediately stood up: "Quickly, summon the physician!"

Immediately, the attendants and physicians rushed over.

An experienced female physician first pressed the philtrum of the sixth princess twice, and she regained consciousness. The physician continued to take her pulse, and after a moment, reported to the Empress: "Your Majesty, great news! Princess Anyang is more than two months pregnant!"

"What?!" The Eighth Princess exclaimed first, losing her composure. The Fourth Princess also opened her mouth slightly, her face ashen.

The Empress was very happy and reproached her with concern, "Anyang, you've been a mother before, didn't you know you were pregnant?"

The Sixth Princess straightened up with the help of her attendants and replied, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. Anyang is already aware of the situation, but I wish to wait until three months have passed before reporting to Your Majesty."

"Since you are pregnant, I grant you permission to rest more in the future. If you feel unwell in the future, you do not need to come to court."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." The Sixth Princess gestured with her hands again.

At this moment, the Eighth Princess, who had not yet given birth, kept her eyes fixed on the Sixth Princess's flat belly, feeling very anxious... Even the Sixth Princess, who was as thin as a bone, was already pregnant with her third child, so why was her own belly so uncooperative? If this continued, when would she be able to give birth to a royal heir? If the Sixth Princess's pregnancy was a royal heir... wouldn't that make her the most competitive among the three? This was truly a very bad situation!