Transmigrated Female Official

If there's one thing that's most beneficial about transitioning from a lowly subordinate to a proper leader, it's that you can leave the palace at noon. Chu Qingluo was eager to return home; she was practically jumping for joy.

She carried a bundle containing clothes given to Chu Yilin by the Eighth Princess, and walked briskly along the long corridor that was the only way out of the palace. She encountered some palace servants coming and going, who all bowed to her.

The weather is sunny, and I'm in a great mood.

"Lord Chu—"

Just as she was enjoying herself, a pleasant male voice suddenly rang out behind her, and she instinctively turned around...

“Young Master Wu Yang!” Chu Qingluo saw his sunny and handsome face again and smiled, “What are you doing here?” Then she remembered that he was teaching the flute at the Liyuefang and changed her words, “I mean… it’s really rare to meet you.”

Wu Yang immediately recognized that Chu Qingluo wasn't wearing the official uniform of an executive officer. He smiled slightly, "My lord, I usually leave the palace around this time... but I'm especially lucky today to meet you at this hour." His ears flushed slightly as he spoke. Staring at the bundle in her hands, he said softly, "Let me help you carry it..." and silently extended his hand...

Chu Qingluo couldn't help but laugh at his shyness; he was just too adorable. She really wanted to reach out and pinch his cheek, then tell him, "Don't be afraid, I won't eat you!" Hahaha!

"No need, it's not heavy." The more she thought about it, the happier she became. She winked at him and teased, "Let's go together."

At this moment, Wu Yang's ears were completely red, and she nodded obediently.

The two walked side by side, but there was still a considerable distance between them. Chu Qingluo, worried he might feel awkward, started a conversation: "I remember the first time I saw you, you were a student at a private school. Do you still go there? How do you manage so much?"

Private school, Miaoyin Pavilion, the imperial palace... Does he have the ability to create clones?

Meeting her curious gaze, Wu Yang smiled shyly: "I didn't go to the private school this year. That day I just went back with a friend to visit my mentor. The palace only comes every few days and stays for two hours, so I can still manage."

It was such a coincidence that I ran into Chu Qingluo on the day I returned to the private school for her coming-of-age ceremony… I still remember how radiant she was, smiling like a flower in the sedan chair that day. I truly didn't want our meeting to be just a fleeting encounter, destined to be nothing more than strangers. But she never went to Miaoyin Pavilion again…

"At what age did you start playing the flute?"

Chu Qingluo's words interrupted his thoughts. He collected his attention and replied, "Three years old."

"When did you go to Miaoyin Pavilion?"

"Eight years old."

"So you're a child prodigy!"

"……what?"

Chu Qinglu smiled and said, "I was praising you."

……

Wu Yang didn't bring up Chu Qingluo's promotion, fearing she might misunderstand that he was trying to curry favor with her because of her power. He also didn't dare ask her why she hadn't been going to Miaoyin Pavilion anymore, afraid she would find him annoying... In short, he had many concerns, so he just answered her questions cautiously.

Normally, when he walked along this long corridor, he always felt the palace was incredibly deep and the gates were far away. But now, with her by his side, the corridor suddenly seemed so short, and they were almost at the end...

The two were engrossed in their conversation when a clear, cold voice suddenly came from behind them: "Lord Chu, you're both blocking the way."

Looking back, Ji Qiran's deep eyes held a hint of coldness. He sat in the sedan chair carried by four men, staring coldly at her...

Chu Qingluo's heart tightened, and she suddenly felt a strange sense of guilt...

"Seventh Prince..." the two bowed.

Ji Qiran sneered, turning her gaze back to the front, looking completely arrogant. "Lord Chu, you are too polite. Your official robes, befitting a sixth-rank female official, are sufficient to warrant your further bowing."

"..." That's true. She and he were practically equals; there was no need for her to be subservient anymore... What was she even feeling guilty about just now? She must have been out of her mind. Besides, this Ji Qiran is truly an unpredictable and eccentric character!

Thinking of this, Chu Qingluo raised her head and replied, "Seventh Prince is right. Next time, Wuyang and I will try to stay closer and will never block the way again." After saying that, she reached out and pulled Wuyang close to her arm.

Caught off guard, Wu Yang found himself pressed against her, his heart pounding wildly, a bead of sweat trickling down his fair cheek.

Seeing this out of the corner of his eye, Ji Qiran's gaze grew even colder. He frowned, ignoring her completely, and instead barked at the sedan chair bearers, "Hurry up and leave!"

Chu Qinglu rolled her eyes at Ji Qiran's retreating figure and muttered under her breath, "Tch, so ridiculous." Then she smiled at Wu Yang as if nothing had happened and said, "Let's go."

Wu Yang: "Okay."

After walking a short distance, they reached the palace gate. Chu Qingluo caught a glimpse of Ji Qiran changing carriages, seemingly also heading out of the palace... Perhaps he was off to find Chu Yilin to go gallivanting somewhere again.

She pursed her lips, pointed to a carriage not far from the palace gate, and said to Wu Yang, "My carriage is over there. How are you going to get back? Do you want me to give you a ride?"

"No..." Wu Yang wanted to postpone, but then wanted to spend more time with her, so he changed his mind and said, "If it's not too much trouble, then thank you, sir."

"No trouble."

When Nine-Tails and Kirito saw that Chu Qingluo was followed by a handsome man, they exchanged a surprised glance.

She simply introduced them: "This is Young Master Wuyang."

Just as they were about to get into the carriage, they saw several people walking out of the palace gate. Two female officials were riding tall horses, followed by several male attendants, and... Ji Jie and Wu Lian, dressed in tattered clothes... They were wearing wooden shackles on their hands and leg irons, staggering and struggling to walk.

Ji Jie's disheveled face no longer bore the spirited look of the past, and her limbs were covered only with painful marks from being caned. Every few steps she took, she would turn back to look towards the palace gate, as if she was still expecting something... or rather, expecting someone.

Chu Qingluo just watched from afar. Ji Jie's fate today was entirely due to her own greed, and she didn't deserve any sympathy. But seeing her obsession with Ji Qili, she felt a strange... pity.

Ji Jie could never witness Ji Qili's miracle.

Seeing that Chu Qingluo was staring blankly at the two exiled criminals, Wu Yang asked softly, "What's wrong?"

Chu Qinglu smiled faintly and shook her head: "It's nothing, get in the carriage." With that, she stepped into the carriage with the help of Jiuwei.

Wu Yang felt a pang of regret at that moment... because Gongsun Yu was also in the car. For a moment, the atmosphere inside the car became slightly awkward.

"This is Gongsun Yu, you've all met him before," Chu Qingluo introduced him, seemingly unconcerned.

"Young Master, how have you been?" Gongsun Yu suppressed his surprise, nodded to him, and remained poised and generous.

Just as Wu Yang was about to reply, he heard Chu Qingluo chuckle beside him: "Young Master Wu Yang is naturally fine."

Seeing her laughing, Wu Yang relaxed a lot and joined in with a silly grin.