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The Emperor released her hand with his right and said, "True strength in calligraphy doesn’t come from brute force.

Brute force is tight on the outside but loose inside, leading to an unstable grip on the brush and difficulty in turning the wrist; thus, you won’t write well.

You need to use your whole strength, clever strength, clever force, every stroke and line requires attention to the point of exertion.

You have already practiced quite well. With more practice over time and persistence, your wrist strength will naturally become stronger. "

Lian Hua nodded in agreement, trusting His Majesty’s words wholeheartedly. Thinking that His Majesty had gone through the same process, she became curious and asked, "Your Majesty, did you train the same way when you were a child?"

The Emperor smiled and released her completely, a touch of sentimentality in his voice as he said, "Back then, I practiced much harder than you.

Through wind and rain, not hindered by frost or cold, I had to practice every day for a full Shichen.

At first, my wrists were weak, and when I wrote, my hand would tremble so much that the characters made no sense.

No matter how much I practiced, it was always like that, and I was constantly scolded by the Grand Tutor. "

Listening to this, Lian Hua stuck out her tongue.

She understood well what it was like to be scolded by a teacher because she was often reprimanded in her childhood—for writing ugly characters, for not being able to answer questions during class, for not finishing assigned problems, for neglecting to do her homework, and so on.

If one day her teacher stopped scolding her, she would feel like something was missing and worry that he might be holding back a bigger punishment.

The Emperor ruffled her silky hair, which was smooth like top-quality satin. Seeing her expression, he knew that she must have been scolded frequently in her youth.

With a gentle smile, the Emperor spoke casually, "Later, I found a method. I tied a sandbag around my wrist, hidden under my sleeve so no one could see. I practiced every day with the sandbag, and eventually, when I took it off, my handwriting was steady."

Lian Hua gaped in surprise. She couldn’t imagine that His Majesty, such a powerful figure, had ever endured such hardships.

Suffering through a sandbag tied for a short while was bearable, but constantly wearing it must have been terribly uncomfortable.

Not to mention practicing calligraphy with it on would surely cause the wrist to swell.

His Majesty must have persevered for a long time; it was no easy feat, and she felt pained for him.

Sensing her emotion, the Emperor gave her a comforting smile and said, "It’s nothing; it’s all in the past. You just need to practice normally, not as I had to."

Recalling the past always brought a surge of emotions.

Back then, his experience was not just as lightly described.

Those days were the darkest of his life.

Young and with tender wings, he was constantly on edge in the palace, anxious about unexpected attacks coming from nowhere.

If he didn’t work hard, even the Former Empress Dowager might have given up on him.

Lian Hua felt the slightly somber emotions hidden beneath His Majesty’s surface. She stepped forward, hugged him, and patted his back, "Mmm, it’s all in the past. Don’t think about it anymore, Your Majesty. Now you are the Emperor. The Grand Tutor wouldn’t dare scold you anymore."

She had enjoyed good food, sound sleep, and fun in her childhood. Even the strict tutor her father hired didn’t turn her into a "top disciple." If someone had forced her to study so hard every day, she would surely have quit. Seeing His Majesty’s struggles, she found him quite pitiable.

The Emperor, amused, hugged her back, and his gloomy mood was lifted by her words. This Little Concubine was truly a treasure!

Agreeing with her, he said, "Hmm, the Grand Tutor now only reasons with me, he doesn’t scold me anymore."

Lifting her head with a smile, she said, "That’s good, Your Majesty. My teacher when I was young didn’t reason at all; he’d always find excuses to hit the palms of my hands."

The Emperor looked at her in surprise, somewhat doubtful of her story. After all, she often had such bizarre justifications that it made one want to give her a good thrashing to release frustration.

Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "Hmm? How did your teacher not reason?"

Lian Hua’s eyes began to dart about, and she started to stammer, "Well, he just... didn’t reason..."

Lowering his head to touch his forehead to hers, with a playful look in his eyes, he continued to inquire, "For example, in what way did he not reason?"

Feeling scrutinized by His Majesty, she became a bit guilty and uncomfortable before saying, "Hmm... like when I forgot to bring the homework assigned by the teacher, I... I would be punished by having my palms struck..."

The Emperor continued with a smile, "Did you forget to bring it?"

Lian Hua didn’t dare to look at His Majesty again. She wriggled out of his embrace and laughed it off, "Oh dear, everyone forgets things sometimes."

As for whether she forgot to bring her homework or forgot to do it, there was no need to tell His Majesty that.

She quickly changed the subject, "It’s late at night, Your Majesty, isn’t it time to retire for the night?"

She couldn’t continue discussing this topic with His Majesty any longer; otherwise, she would give herself away.

The Emperor saw through her little scheme at a glance but didn’t expose her, fearing that she would become angry out of embarrassment. So, he agreed, "Mmm, it is late. Let’s retire."

Lian Hua responded with a "Yes," feeling relieved. A smile bloomed on her face; she had managed to fool His Majesty again. Very good.

As they changed clothes and were about to blow out the candle and go to bed, Lian Hua suddenly remembered something and hurriedly asked His Majesty to wait.

The Emperor didn’t understand what she was up to but stood patiently waiting for her.

She quickly walked to the dressing table, pulled out the bottom layer of the jewelry box, and took out the Gold-threaded Eight-treasure Hairpin. Turning to him, she said, "Your Majesty, this is the prize from the flower-viewing banquet—the Gold-threaded Eight-treasure Hairpin."

The Emperor nodded. What did she mean by this? Was she trying to show off?

She continued, "I’ve looked it over, and the hairpin is made of pure gold with eight kinds of precious gemstones inlaid on it. The whole hairpin is made with generous materials, and it’s extremely valuable."

The Emperor nodded again. The Gold-threaded Eight-treasure Hairpin got its name from its craftsmanship and materials, but he still didn’t understand the purpose of her mentioning this.

At this point, she paused, her eyes shifting as if she had made up her mind about something.

She steeled herself and said, "Your Majesty, could I sell such a precious hairpin?

Xiao Jizi said that imperial items must not be damaged or sold, but if Your Majesty permits, it would surely be possible, right? "

She rattled off in one breath with a determined expression, then waited nervously for his reaction.

Finally understanding her intention, a vein on the Emperor’s forehead throbbed.

This Little Concubine was unbelievable; just when he thought she was doing better, she looked to stir up trouble. Now she had the audacity, the audacity to be so bold!!

To think about selling an imperial artifact from the palace and even asking for his permission; was she plucking a tiger’s whisker, wishing for a swift death???

His eyes narrowed, and his tone turned icy as he asked, "Isn’t it good to keep it? What made you think about selling?"

Lian Hua instinctively felt danger, her neck feeling a chill. She shrank her shoulders, her voice softening, "The expenses in the palace are great, and my Monthly Silver is hardly enough. I can’t save up much no matter how hard I try, and anyway, this hairpin is of no real use to me..."

The more she spoke, the quieter her voice became until the Emperor could barely make out what she was saying.

Her words weren’t without merit; everything in the palace was more expensive than outside. Ten taels of silver could last a long time outside, but it wouldn’t stretch far in the palace.