Extra 3-5: Daily Work Life After Marriage (Part 2)

Leisurely days are all the same, but busy days are unique.

After Ji Yanming finished his daily tasks, it was Tao Sheng’s turn to be busy.

This year marked the 200th anniversary of the founding of the country. Several vassal states that had recently surrendered would come to Beijing to pay homage.

The Ministry of Rites worked overnight to prepare for this. They even moved some officials from the Imperial Music Bureau to help with the tasks, and the rest of the work was given to the Music Bureau.

After Tao Sheng became the Minister of Music, the position of Music Minister she had once held was taken over by Shangguan Da, the former Director of the Music Bureau.

Though Shangguan Da lacked some professional knowledge, he managed the Taiyue Bureau well. He took care of all the trivial matters, making Tao Sheng appreciate him.

When Lord Shangguan first started, Tao Sheng’s workload dropped dramatically. She felt very relaxed at work and always praised Shangguan Da.

Recently, Ji Yanming had heard this name often, but said little about it. One day, when Ji Yanming finished work early, he invited Shangguan Da for a simple meal.

It’s unknown if Shangguan Da was a bit biased, but his appearance and figure were better than his emotional intelligence. After Ji Yanming met him in person, he didn’t want to hear Tao Sheng mention his name again.

Shangguan Da, the third-in-command of the Taiyue Bureau, was in charge of personnel and political matters. He had expressed his dissatisfaction when the Ministry of Rites transferred officials from the Bureau. Now, with more tasks being passed to the Taiyue Bureau, he grew upset.

Shangguan Da, waving his arms in frustration, talked about how powerful departments like the Ministry of Rites always suppress them. Tao Sheng, as his superior, tried to calm him down, saying, “This has always been the case. The powerful departments tend to suppress us. You’ve been an official for many years, so you should know why.”

Lord Shangguan, thinking for a moment, had an idea: “Which government office is more powerful than the cabinet these days? We also have someone in the cabinet. Why don’t you ask Lord Ji to help us fight the Ministry of Rites?”

Even when Tao Sheng wasn’t married to Ji Yanming and was just his cousin, she never thought about asking him for help with small matters. Now that they were married, it felt even more wrong to ask. She had to handle things herself.

Tao Sheng cleared her throat and said, “Sir Shangguan, you can’t say that.”

Lord Shangguan pretended to listen carefully and said, “Lord Luo, please speak.”

“Even though the officials in the cabinet are powerful right now, that power is temporary. After many years, people may not remember what the cabinet did for the court and the Great Zhou. But the Imperial Music Bureau is different. Our music will be passed down for generations, performed and studied by future generations. It’s also important to the lives of the people. Do you think we, the Imperial Music Bureau, should rely on their power?”

Lord Shangguan was moved by Tao Sheng’s passionate words and said, “You’re right. But we are really short of staff right now. To be honest, Tao Zhangle, who usually handles your clerk work, has been temporarily sent to the Ministry of Rites. I can’t even find a good clerk for you. It’s a problem.”

“It’s just a small matter. There’s no need to hire anyone extra,” Tao Sheng replied. “I can handle it myself. Plus, everyone is busy with the New Year’s affairs, and the cabinet isn’t. We can borrow someone from them when we need to.”

Who would dare borrow someone from the cabinet these days? Lord Shangguan agreed but thought Tao Sheng was just bragging. But the next day, Tao Sheng really borrowed someone—Ji Yanming, who had just finished his work at the cabinet.

Ji Yanming had always been curious about the atmosphere in the Taiyue Bureau, where Tao Sheng worked. After seeing it firsthand, he realized how much everyone respected and admired her.

The officials at the Imperial Music Bureau believed no one was better at music and managing the Bureau than Tao Sheng. She was not only great at music but also at handling official matters.

Ji Yanming didn’t understand what “good at being an official” meant, so he asked Lord Shangguan.

Lord Shangguan explained, “Lord Luo is favored by the Emperor and has a close relationship with His Majesty the Prince of Chu. No other chief is as close to His Majesty. If that’s not being good at something, what is?”

He continued, “Lord Luo doesn’t just care about her own glory. She always thinks about us and has secured many benefits for the Imperial Music Bureau. Thanks to her, the Bureau is in the best position it’s ever been, and we are very grateful.”

Everyone felt lucky to have such a capable leader in Tao Sheng.

_

The workers in the Taiyue Bureau had mixed opinions about Ji Yanming joining them. Most felt it was a waste of talent to have him do these tasks. It felt like “using a butcher’s knife to kill a chicken^[1]means using something too powerful or skilled for a simple task..”

Tao Sheng thought Ji Yanming was smart but couldn’t quickly master an unfamiliar field. He was only here for odd jobs and would be less capable than her in this area.

Ji Yanming had worked in the Ministry of Rites before. When he arrived at the Imperial Music Bureau, he got to work right away. He not only did his job well but also took over much of Tao Sheng’s work.

Soon, everyone realized Ji Yanming was more helpful than they thought. If he could do this well in a field he didn’t know, he would be even better in areas where he had experience.

Tao Sheng also realized she had been wrong about Ji Yanming and had unfairly judged his abilities.

She was so moved by how well Ji Yanming did the work that she cried. She had always dreamed of having a husband who could help her with her work, and she was very lucky to have found such a person.

When the Minister of Revenue, Mr. Qi, heard about Ji Yanming’s hard work, he was deeply impressed. Mr. Ji only received one salary but was doing the work of three people. If all officials were as dedicated as Ji Yanming, the country could save a lot of money on salaries. He was truly a pillar of the nation.