Page 407
Lih Qingshu immediately fell silent, looking towards Lian Musu.
After a moment of silence, Lian Musu made up her mind, smiled faintly, and said to Divine Doctor Huang, "Many thanks, Divine Doctor. I have decided not to seek treatment."
A single sentence left Divine Doctor Huang perplexed at first, and then he flew into a rage.
The rising sun had just appeared, and the morning air was exceptionally fresh and pleasant.
Inside Canglan Court.
Lian Hua and a few others chatted and laughed as they prepared breakfast, and after a short wait, Pang Ya came in, supporting Nanny Qi, followed by a little Xiao Qing.
Lian Hua stood up and walked over with a beaming smile, taking hold of Nanny Qi’s hand, "Nanny, your timing is perfect. Today’s breakfast looks delicious."
Nanny Qi’s usually cursory smile softened, and she patted Lian Hua’s hand, "How come you’re up so early today?"
It was not yet the end of the Mao Hour, the sun had just begun to show its face, and the air was cool, calling for an extra layer of clothing.
Little girls usually got up at the earliest during the Chen Hour. As she was getting older, she woke up earlier, but usually, she would wait until it was almost time before coming over for a meal together.
So, at this hour, when that Little Palace Maid had come, she thought she had come to the wrong place.
"Nanny, I woke up early and couldn’t fall back asleep," said Lian Hua, escorting Nanny Qi to the table. "Please sit down, Nanny. Are you hungry? Let’s have breakfast."
Nanny Qi revealed a smiling face, seeing the little girl’s smiling face first thing in the morning was truly uplifting.
After the two had eaten until they were half-full, Lian Hua felt comfortable and warm all over.
She picked up a small soup bun and placed it in Nanny Qi’s bowl, her eyes curving into a smile, "Nanny, do you think my sewing has improved?"
Nanny Qi chuckled and chose her words carefully, "Yes, it has improved quite a bit, your stitching is no longer crooked."
As long as the little girl wasn’t distracted, her needlework could pass muster, but when she was distracted, it could go awry, all the way to the heavens.
Lian Hua’s eyes crinkled with delight, "Nanny, what do you think if I made a complete set of clothing for His Majesty, from the inside out? Socks, knee pads, and even the outer cape and such, a full set."
Nanny Qi’s hand, poised to pick up a soup bun, froze, and she gave Lian Hua a surprised glance, her expression becoming strange as she silently wondered where this idea had sprung from.
Surely the little girl didn’t think that just because her stitching was straight she could make anything else?
Wasn’t this a bit overconfident?
Before Nanny Qi could answer, Lian Hua took a sip of cow’s milk and spoke on her own accord, "It’s getting colder.
I want to make something warm from head to toe for His Majesty.
I know I am slow, Nanny, but it doesn’t matter if it takes time.
I’ll make it thick, and by the time it’s finished, it will be the coldest time of the year, perfect for His Majesty to wear. "
Nanny Qi looked down, thinking to herself that it might not necessarily be so.
She wondered where the little girl’s confidence came from. A single undergarment had already taken her so long to make and it still wasn’t finished yet—now she wanted to make other items? And each one more complicated than the last.
Nanny Qi didn’t want to be harsh, but she really didn’t have high hopes for the little girl’s sewing skills. The simplest undergarment took her this long, even with Nanny Qi’s hands-on teaching and constant supervision. When she was younger, she could have made four or five sets in that time.
If it was to make something else, aside from socks, who knew what year and month she would finish?
It would be more realistic to make them for the winter the year after next; there’s no hope of finishing them for this year or the next.
Nanny Qi felt it wasn’t appropriate to be too blunt, so she vaguely responded, "It’s the thought that counts.
His Majesty’s clothing is carefully managed by the Bureau of Palace Attendants.
The Weaving Bureau always prioritizes His Majesty’s clothing for each season. You shouldn’t tire yourself out."
Lian Hua tore off a piece of pancake and put it in her mouth, unconsciously voicing her thoughts, "Nanny, I’m not tired at all.
Right now, there’s no need to tend to the vegetable and melon patches; I have plenty of free time.
Making clothes for His Majesty not only passes the time but also allows me to do something for him. "
It was a win-win situation. She had already written and compiled her methods for raising children into a booklet, just waiting for the child in her womb to be born. If she had any other ideas later on, it wouldn’t be troublesome to add a bit more, considering how free she was.
Ever since Nanny Qi arrived, she didn’t go out much, fearing that Nanny Qi would worry. Besides, with the weather turning cold, it wasn’t good to go out. In previous years, this was her most active season.
She would wander around the Imperial Garden every day, bringing back whatever she found to store for winter.
She wouldn’t even leave behind dried branches or shrubs and even needed to prepare pickled vegetables, pop corn, calculate the silver to buy meat for curing, fluff blankets, collect firewood from deserted gardens to replenish supplies, and so on.
There were so many tasks to do; she wasn’t idle then.
Now, staying in and doing some needlework every day seemed a piece of cake compared to that time, and it made her feel sluggish and uncomfortable with how idle she was.
Nanny Qi thought to herself, she’s tired, watching the little girl do needlework is more exhausting than doing it herself.
Where did this idea come from? It was clear that the little girl didn’t enjoy needlework. These days, she had been confined to making undergarments, and Nanny Qi thought she would grow tired of it. But unexpectedly, she had even grander ambitions and wanted to make the Emperor’s outer garments too.
What should be done about this?
Although it was better to stay in every day than to go out and make trouble, the Emperor’s clothing was extremely intricate.
Even the seemingly ordinary everyday attire was not ordinary and was beyond the capabilities of ordinary people.
If she were to really make it, wouldn’t it exhaust the little girl to no end?
With this thought in mind, Nanny Qi felt it was inappropriate and spoke frankly, "My dear girl, consider it carefully. His Majesty’s outer clothing is not so easy to make.
The material, the color matching, the patterns and directions of the embroidered dragons, every stitch and thread, every little detail matters. Are you sure you want to do it?"
Undergarments are one thing, as they are worn underneath and out of sight, so no one can say much about them.
But outer garments are a major issue; many courtiers are watching closely. The little girl’s thinking is too simplistic.
If the clothes made don’t conform to the rules, I’m afraid it won’t turn out well for the little girl.
"Ah?" Lian Hua was munching on a pancake, which became more fragrant the more she chewed. Upon hearing this, she suddenly froze.
Her mouth slightly opened, she remembered the pancake was still there and, seeing it unseemly, closed her mouth again.
She obviously hadn’t considered the complexity, having decided on it on a whim.
Oh, His Majesty is the Emperor. She stayed with His Majesty every day, living as common people do, almost forgetting these details. Oh dear...
Let alone embroidery, just thinking about the materials could make her dizzy, not to mention if she was required to embroider a dragon – that was beyond her capabilities.
Things had been going too well lately, causing her confidence to inflate...
Lian Hua suddenly found the pancake in her mouth less appetizing. Her face showing difficulties, she chewed hesitantly on the pancake, frowning and pondering.
Seeing that she seemed to have understood, Nanny Qi gently persuaded her, "Why not focus on finishing the work you have at hand first? Weren’t you planning on embroidering a small lotus flower?
You need to choose a pattern, make a sample, and from then on, it will become your signature.
You can embroider it wherever you want."
Lian Hua swallowed the pancake and nodded her head, "That’s right." This was an important matter, and she needed to learn properly.
But her eyebrows remained furrowed; she wanted to do something nice for His Majesty, and it seemed like she didn’t have any outlet for her efforts now.
Nanny Qi saw through her thoughts and said, "His Majesty won’t miss one or two pieces of clothing from you. As long as you’re happy every day, eating well, drinking well, and having fun, that will please His Majesty. If you tire yourself out, His Majesty will feel distressed instead."
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 131
- Page 132
- Page 133
- Page 134
- Page 135
- Page 136
- Page 137
- Page 138
- Page 139
- Page 140
- Page 141
- Page 142
- Page 143
- Page 144
- Page 145
- Page 146
- Page 147
- Page 148
- Page 149
- Page 150
- Page 151
- Page 152
- Page 153
- Page 154
- Page 155
- Page 156
- Page 157
- Page 158
- Page 159
- Page 160
- Page 161
- Page 162
- Page 163
- Page 164
- Page 165
- Page 166
- Page 167
- Page 168
- Page 169
- Page 170
- Page 171
- Page 172
- Page 173
- Page 174
- Page 175
- Page 176
- Page 177
- Page 178
- Page 179
- Page 180
- Page 181
- Page 182
- Page 183
- Page 184
- Page 185
- Page 186
- Page 187
- Page 188
- Page 189
- Page 190
- Page 191
- Page 192
- Page 193
- Page 194
- Page 195
- Page 196
- Page 197
- Page 198
- Page 199
- Page 200
- Page 201
- Page 202
- Page 203
- Page 204
- Page 205
- Page 206
- Page 207
- Page 208
- Page 209
- Page 210
- Page 211
- Page 212
- Page 213
- Page 214
- Page 215
- Page 216
- Page 217
- Page 218
- Page 219
- Page 220
- Page 221
- Page 222
- Page 223
- Page 224
- Page 225
- Page 226
- Page 227
- Page 228
- Page 229
- Page 230
- Page 231
- Page 232
- Page 233
- Page 234
- Page 235
- Page 236
- Page 237
- Page 238
- Page 239
- Page 240
- Page 241
- Page 242
- Page 243
- Page 244
- Page 245
- Page 246
- Page 247
- Page 248
- Page 249
- Page 250
- Page 251
- Page 252
- Page 253
- Page 254
- Page 255
- Page 256
- Page 257
- Page 258
- Page 259
- Page 260
- Page 261
- Page 262
- Page 263
- Page 264
- Page 265
- Page 266
- Page 267
- Page 268
- Page 269
- Page 270
- Page 271
- Page 272
- Page 273
- Page 274
- Page 275
- Page 276
- Page 277
- Page 278
- Page 279
- Page 280
- Page 281
- Page 282
- Page 283
- Page 284
- Page 285
- Page 286
- Page 287
- Page 288
- Page 289
- Page 290
- Page 291
- Page 292
- Page 293
- Page 294
- Page 295
- Page 296
- Page 297
- Page 298
- Page 299
- Page 300
- Page 301
- Page 302
- Page 303
- Page 304
- Page 305
- Page 306
- Page 307
- Page 308
- Page 309
- Page 310
- Page 311
- Page 312
- Page 313
- Page 314
- Page 315
- Page 316
- Page 317
- Page 318
- Page 319
- Page 320
- Page 321
- Page 322
- Page 323
- Page 324
- Page 325
- Page 326
- Page 327
- Page 328
- Page 329
- Page 330
- Page 331
- Page 332
- Page 333
- Page 334
- Page 335
- Page 336
- Page 337
- Page 338
- Page 339
- Page 340
- Page 341
- Page 342
- Page 343
- Page 344
- Page 345
- Page 346
- Page 347
- Page 348
- Page 349
- Page 350
- Page 351
- Page 352
- Page 353
- Page 354
- Page 355
- Page 356
- Page 357
- Page 358
- Page 359
- Page 360
- Page 361
- Page 362
- Page 363
- Page 364
- Page 365
- Page 366
- Page 367
- Page 368
- Page 369
- Page 370
- Page 371
- Page 372
- Page 373
- Page 374
- Page 375
- Page 376
- Page 377
- Page 378
- Page 379
- Page 380
- Page 381
- Page 382
- Page 383
- Page 384
- Page 385
- Page 386
- Page 387
- Page 388
- Page 389
- Page 390
- Page 391
- Page 392
- Page 393
- Page 394
- Page 395
- Page 396
- Page 397
- Page 398
- Page 399
- Page 400
- Page 401
- Page 402
- Page 403
- Page 404
- Page 405
- Page 406
- Page 407 (Reading here)
- Page 408
- Page 409
- Page 410
- Page 411
- Page 412
- Page 413
- Page 414
- Page 415
- Page 416
- Page 417
- Page 418
- Page 419
- Page 420
- Page 421
- Page 422
- Page 423
- Page 424
- Page 425
- Page 426
- Page 427
- Page 428
- Page 429
- Page 430
- Page 431
- Page 432
- Page 433
- Page 434
- Page 435
- Page 436
- Page 437
- Page 438
- Page 439
- Page 440
- Page 441
- Page 442
- Page 443
- Page 444
- Page 445
- Page 446
- Page 447
- Page 448
- Page 449
- Page 450
- Page 451
- Page 452
- Page 453
- Page 454
- Page 455
- Page 456
- Page 457
- Page 458
- Page 459
- Page 460
- Page 461
- Page 462
- Page 463
- Page 464
- Page 465
- Page 466
- Page 467
- Page 468
- Page 469
- Page 470
- Page 471
- Page 472
- Page 473
- Page 474
- Page 475
- Page 476
- Page 477
- Page 478
- Page 479
- Page 480
- Page 481
- Page 482
- Page 483
- Page 484
- Page 485
- Page 486
- Page 487
- Page 488
- Page 489
- Page 490
- Page 491
- Page 492
- Page 493
- Page 494
- Page 495
- Page 496
- Page 497
- Page 498
- Page 499
- Page 500
- Page 501
- Page 502
- Page 503
- Page 504
- Page 505
- Page 506
- Page 507
- Page 508
- Page 509
- Page 510
- Page 511
- Page 512
- Page 513
- Page 514
- Page 515
- Page 516
- Page 517
- Page 518
- Page 519
- Page 520
- Page 521
- Page 522
- Page 523
- Page 524
- Page 525
- Page 526
- Page 527
- Page 528