Extra 3-4: Daily Work Life After Marriage (Part 1)

Before returning to work, Tao Sheng was nervous about adjusting after her honeymoon. But when she got back to the Taile Office, she found all her worries were unnecessary.

The Taiyue Bureau had shown its advantage. Here, everyone focused on music and academics, with little interest in gossip. No one asked about her private life, which saved her from embarrassment.

The real problem was her health. Recently, she couldn’t sit for long periods without feeling pain in her waist and back.

Tao Sheng worried she was getting old or calcium-deficient, but she was young, just out of college.

In ancient times, there were no calcium tablets or vitamin D. People had to rely on food like milk, dried shrimp, and fish soup for nutrition.

Tao Sheng tried these remedies, but they didn’t help. It wasn’t until Ji Yanming was away on business for several months that Tao Sheng realized what was really going on.

She wasn’t old or deficient in calcium.

It was just the result of being overworked.

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The friends at the Taiyue Bureau showed little interest in Tao Sheng’s married life, and they were busy with work, so no one commented much on Ji Yanming’s marriage.

But the emperor, who enjoyed gossip, couldn’t resist.

One day, after Tao Sheng played the zither for the emperor, Ji Yanming and Luo Ming came to report their work.

The emperor waved his hand and said, “Why are you both here? Lord Ji, stay. Luo Ming, go back.”

Ji Yanming could handle the report by himself. Luo Ming didn’t need to be involved. He left, leaving the work to his nephew-in-law: “Your Majesty is right. I will leave now.”

Tao Sheng played another song on the zither while Ji Yanming finished his report.

Afterward, the emperor called for dried fruit instead of tea and began his favorite pastime: gossip.

“I heard from elder brother that after your marriage, you still live in the same house in the inner city. Why not move to a bigger house?”

Ji Yanming replied, “This house was given by Your Majesty, and I am very comfortable here.”

The emperor remembered the house had been a gift many years ago, given to Ji Yanming to make it easier for both parties to work together. He had forgotten about it, but now he realized that Ji Yanming was probably grateful for the emperor’s kindness and didn’t want to move.

The emperor, feeling touched, said, “Many houses in the capital are empty because of officials’ recent dismissals. I see a nice one in Minghua Lane. Why don’t you move there when you’re rested?”

The emperor quickly corrected himself. “This house was occupied by Lord Song, then General Su and Minister Chen. They all said it had good feng shui ^[1]refers to the ancient Chinese practice of arranging living spaces to harmonize with the environment.. The previous owners retired, not because of any problems.”

Ji Yanming: …

As always, the emperor thought of everything.

After rewarding Tao Sheng with the house, the emperor began to ask her for favors.

“Princess Deqing wrote to me saying she heard you play the zither at the New Year banquet and has been thinking about it ever since. She asked if the Imperial Music Bureau has the zither score written by Lord Luo.”

Princess Deqing, the emperor’s sister, was married to Taiyuan, and the siblings had a good relationship.

“The Governor of Huguang also praised your zither playing in his greeting letter. After hearing it at the New Year banquet, he said he couldn’t enjoy ordinary music anymore. He hopes to hear a similar piece in the future.”

“The Imperial College said your music textbook is excellent. It’s a shame it’s only available in official schools. Why don’t you release some of your songs and scores for the people to see and play? This way, people who want to learn will have a way.”

Li Sheng added, “The adults on duty yesterday said they were lucky to hear Lord Luo’s music. When they retire, they might have nowhere else to hear it. But if you release the scores, even when they’re older, they can still enjoy your music.”

Tao Sheng gave Eunuch Li an inner thumbs-up.

His business skills and conversation abilities were top-notch. It was clear he would succeed.

During a recent audience with the emperor, Tao Sheng met Ji Yanming. The emperor had assigned two important tasks after their marriage. 

One was to write and publish music scores, and the other was to move to a new house.

The emperor had ordered these tasks, so they couldn’t be ignored.

Tao Sheng decided to first work on sorting the music scores with the Imperial College, then print and sell them. For the house, Ji Yanming, with his good taste and energy, should handle it.

The emperor, being fair, gave Ji Yanming one of the best houses in the inner city.

When Tao Sheng saw the house, she was surprised: “Is it really right for us to live in such a big and nice house at our age?”

Ji Yanming didn’t mind: “You’ve always said that those who are capable should work harder. Those who work harder get more.”

Soon, Luo Xin, Tao Sheng’s mother, heard about the house. She came over to check it out. After talking to the supervisor, she found that Ji Yanming was in charge of the house, while Tao Sheng barely showed up. She immediately felt bad for Ji Yanming.

One day when Tao Sheng was off, Luo Xin came early and said with concern: “Xiao Ji is busy in the government office. He has to come home and take care of you and Su Jia. He can’t manage this alone. If you trust me, I’ll keep an eye on it.”

Princess He’en, who came with Luo Xin, added: “You’re young and busy with many things in the court. We can handle this.”

Princess He’en, a big garden enthusiast, had managed her garden, her husband’s family farm, and houses for her children. She was happy to help with this project.

Tao Sheng remembered how Su Wan had looked after Ji Yanming, saying he had lost weight from the stress at work. This must be how a mother-in-law feels for her son-in-law.

Ji Yanming’s house problem was solved easily, but Tao Sheng’s challenge was more complicated.

She realized that publishing the music scores wasn’t the issue, but selling them in stores properly was difficult.

At this point, she had to rely on Su Jia. She worked late, managing customers and coordinating production. She was so busy that she almost forgot her own birthday.

It wasn’t easy doing business. Su Jia took care of everything, giving Tao Sheng a break.

It was clear that her aunt and mother-in-law loved Tao Sheng, and everyone was harmonious.

But married life wasn’t always smooth. There were unexpected challenges.

News came that there was a drought in the south, and the court ordered grain and funds for relief.

A special inspector was needed to oversee the distribution. Ji Yanming, trusted by the emperor, was chosen.

Even though Ji Yanming agreed, he felt sad thinking about Tao Sheng waiting for him at home.

The deputy envoy suggested bringing his wife along, which made Ji Yanming even more reluctant.

Tao Sheng stayed at home, taking care of things, but she couldn’t follow Ji Yanming on the trip. She had her own duties in the court.

This is the downside of both parents working.

But distance makes the heart grow fonder. A short absence could even strengthen their relationship.

Ji Yanming and Tao Sheng had been together for many years. Time apart only deepened their bond.

Ji Yanming went on the trip in midsummer and returned in late autumn.

While the emperor stayed in the garden for the summer, the King of Chu became regent, overseeing the capital.

This was the King of Chu’s first time as regent, and without the emperor’s guidance, he was unsure about many things. Many officials took advantage of this, leading to chaos in the ministries.

When Ji Yanming returned to the capital, he was furious about the disorganization in the government.

The King of Chu’s first time as regent was messy, and it would be difficult for him to establish authority later.

Ji Yanming didn’t go back to his cabinet office but went directly to handle the mess at the Ministry of Personnel and the Censorate.

Ji Yanming was angry, which made the officials uneasy.

Tao Sheng heard Ji Yanming was stressed about his work. When he came home late, she knew he had to work overtime. She prepared snacks and brought them to him as a gesture of love.

Everyone was tired from working overtime with Ji Yanming. When Tao Sheng arrived, it was like a breath of fresh air.

One of the younger officials, who had worked with Tao Sheng before, quickly got a cushioned chair and a tea set for her. But the Minister of Personnel scolded him, saying, “You should be more thoughtful. How can you use such simple tea sets for Lord Luo? I just brought a set of Twelve Months Flower God Cups. They’re unopened and perfect for Lord Luo. Lord Zhang is a tea enthusiast. He has top-quality Mengding Ganlu tea. Quickly prepare it.”

Ji Yanming, busy reviewing documents, barely noticed. Tao Sheng sat near him, handed him a cup of tea, and said, “Don’t tire yourself too much. Lord Zhang’s tea is good. I like it. You should try it.”

Ji Yanming sipped the tea Tao Sheng offered. Immediately, the coldness he felt eased.

The other officials nearby let out a sigh of relief. When Tao Sheng left that night, they invited her to come again for overtime—offering her a warm welcome.

In the following days, everyone showed their appreciation for Tao Sheng through gifts, kind words, and thank-you letters.

Tao Sheng visited many times to bring Ji Yanming midnight snacks. After seeing his workload, she realized he was a hard worker. He had earned his position through results, not favoritism.

Tao Sheng didn’t fully agree with Ji Yanming’s overworked style. She thought it would be better if she stayed with him. While she couldn’t help with the workload, she could at least help him relax and remind him to take breaks.

As a court official, Tao Sheng could enter and leave the Ministry of Personnel freely, and it also gave her the privilege to spend time with Ji Yanming, something no other official had.

As the saying goes, “Every gain comes with a loss,” and she appreciated the benefits of their dual-income life.

Tao Sheng couldn’t help much with Ji Yanming’s work, so she decided to read the most popular serialized story of the time.

It was about a heroine who disguised herself as a man to study in the Imperial College. After the initial awkward period, their feelings grew, but their love had to stay secret because they were in the academy. It felt like a forbidden love story.

After more than half a month of overtime, the chaos in the court was finally resolved, and the King of Chu’s rule was back on track.

The only thing troubling Tao Sheng was the serialized story she was reading—it was at a cliffhanger, and she couldn’t wait for the next chapter.

One day, Ji Yanming finished early—two hours earlier than usual.

Tao Sheng was engrossed in her book when she heard Ji Yanming’s voice whispering in her ear, “What are you reading? Are you so absorbed in it?”

She was in the middle of an intense part of the story and saw the words “Stay tuned for the next chapter,” making her frustrated. Since no one else was around, she decided to imitate the heroine from the story. She pulled Ji Yanming’s collar, bit him gently below his collarbone, and slowly lifted his collar, just enough to hide her embarrassment.

Ji Yanming hadn’t done anything inappropriate at the Ministry of Personnel. The only issue was that the carriage he was riding home in was broken, and he had been waiting in the courtyard for half an hour when the hostess—dressed in a man’s coat—finally got out of the carriage, slightly stumbling as she entered the main courtyard.