The Tyrant’s Drama Queen Empress

CHAPTER 55: Please Call Me a Master of Embroidery

　　Shen Ling looked at him. “Are you seriously picking a fight with me?”

　　“It’s smelly and black, but why can’t you look at stinky tofu for what it really is? At the end of the day, it’s just tofu! Its original form is soft, white, and tender. Why not say I’m nourishing that instead?”

　　Xie Yuanxun fell into thought. Then he ordered someone to bring over a block of tofu and place it in front of them. It was white, tender, slightly firm, and springy. Looking at it, he said, “Didn’t you say you want to ‘supplement’ based on that? Go ahead.”

　　Shen Ling, “……” She lowered her head and bonked it straight against his shoulder.

　　—What the hell do you mean by this?!

　　—Putting a block of white tofu in front of me… are you saying I’m not fair enough, not soft enough?!

　　Shen Ling lifted her chin, her expression cool and distant. “No need. I don’t eat things raw, it won't nourish me.”

　　Xie Yuanxun frowned, clearly displeased. “You don’t eat raw food? That’s not right. I’ve seen you eat raw things before. Fruits and vegetables are raw.”

　　At that moment, Shen Ling completely gave up arguing with him. Trying to reason with Xie Yuanxun only made things more chaotic. He was just being stubborn on purpose. What, was she supposed to cook fruits and vegetables before eating them?

　　Shen Ling surrendered, switching to the tone one would use to coax a childish brat. “Yes, yes, you’re right. I can eat raw food, but I just don’t feel like it today. Let’s have someone take it away, okay?”

　　After a few seconds, Xie Yuanxun finally nodded, a little reluctantly. “Fine, we’ll do as you say.”

　　Shen Ling’s lips twitched. She really wanted to ask him what exactly he was being reluctant about. If anything, she was the one making the compromise here.

　　Back in the Capital, even though Shen Ling didn’t want to be dramatic, she still felt like it had been ages since she last returned. Just before entering the Palace, she happened to catch sight of Shen Jinxiu and Xue Yunshi outside. Her gaze brushed past Shen Jinxiu briefly, then paused on Xue Yunshi instead.

　　Seeing that Xue Yunshi wasn’t accompanied by any imperial guards, Shen Ling asked, “Your Majesty, didn’t you send anyone to keep an eye on them?”

　　—If it were me, the moment I ran into someone eyeing the throne beneath me, I’d definitely have them watched. Otherwise I wouldn’t even sleep peacefully at night.

　　—If you don’t keep them under watch and they actually grow into something big, wouldn’t that be raising a tiger only to invite trouble later?

　　Xie Yuanxun replied, “No need. They’re not worth worrying about. I don’t have many amusements in my daily life. Since I’ve finally found something interesting, I might as well let them finish their little performance. Besides, if I ever feel like killing them, I can do it anytime.” His tone was casual, clearly not taking Shen Jinxiu and Xue Yunshi’s scheming seriously at all.

　　From his words, Shen Ling picked up two key points. First, Xie Yuanxun saw them as mere actors on a stage, completely under his control. Second, as the Emperor, he didn’t need a reason to kill. Everyone else had to tread carefully around him, constantly calculating and staying on edge. As for fear and anxiety? Xie Yuanxun didn’t have a trace of that.

　　Alright, if that’s still hard to grasp, then think of it this way. Aren’t piglets adorable? Of course they are. But their cutest moment is actually when they’ve been fattened up and are ready for slaughter. That’s the peak of their little pig lives.

　　In Xie Yuanxun’s eyes, Shen Jinxiu and Xue Yunshi were nothing more than pigs waiting to be slaughtered.

　　After parting ways with Xue Yunshi, Shen Jinxiu returned first to the Shen family’s carriage. “Mother, Father will return to the Manor later. I’ll take you and Xi’er back first.”

　　Madam Jiang spoke gently, “Jinxiu, you don’t need to trouble yourself to take care of me. Weren’t you keeping the Marquis company? Go and attend to your own matters. The Shen Manor isn’t far from here. It’s not like I can’t find my way back.” She didn’t want him delaying important matters just for her sake.

　　Shen Jinxiu replied, “There’s no need to worry. I already informed Marquis Xue before coming over. He knows I’m filial. Besides, having servants escort you home can’t compare to me personally seeing you back.”

　　He only frowned slightly at how Madam Jiang had deliberately left Shen Xi out of her words, but he didn’t voice his displeasure. Their relationship had only just improved recently, and he didn’t want to stir up her dissatisfaction with Shen Xi again.

　　Madam Jiang smiled in satisfaction. As expected of mother and son, they were thinking along the same lines. She had intentionally avoided mentioning Shen Xi, and Shen Jinxiu didn’t rush to defend her like he used to. How could that not please her?

　　But when Shen Xi came to mind, the smile on Madam Jiang’s face faded a little.

　　Truth be told, she was still dissatisfied with Shen Xi. She resented how Shen Xi had overstepped her bounds by setting her sights on Shen Jinxiu, and she was even more displeased that Shen Xi had defied her, damaged her reputation, and stirred trouble between mother and son. Naturally, their relationship had grown strained. Still, it had recently begun to thaw and improve.

　　If you asked why, it was closely tied to Shen Ling. Since Shen Ling refused to give Madam Jiang and the Shen family any face, the officials and noble ladies who had traveled with them all started saying the two sides were on bad terms. It wouldn’t be long before the entire Capital knew.

　　Since Madam Jiang could no longer sell the image of a loving relationship between herself and Shen Ling, she had no choice but to settle for the next best thing and push the narrative of deep mother-daughter affection with Shen Xi. Even if it was fake, even if deep down she blamed Shen Xi for dragging her into a misunderstanding with Shen Ling, at this point, this was the only move she had left.

　　By drawing Shen Xi closer, Madam Jiang also wanted to subtly, yet stubbornly, send a message to outsiders: she was a good mother. Otherwise, how could she have such a close relationship with a daughter who wasn’t even born to her? As for her strained relationship with her biological daughter Shen Ling, that clearly wasn’t her fault. It must be that Shen Ling, now that she had risen to power, had become arrogant and blind to propriety.

　　If Shen Ling hadn’t made her lose so much face in front of others, Madam Jiang wouldn’t have gone this far. Just thinking about the strange looks those noble ladies gave her made her unable to bear it. Madam Jiang didn’t think she had done anything wrong. Shen Ling was a favored consort with Xie Yuanxun backing her, so she didn’t dare provoke her directly. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t vent her frustration in these petty ways.

　　After all, she had used this kind of tactic to disgust others before.

　　With Shen Ling’s influence running so high, this was already the limit of what Madam Jiang could do. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to do more, she simply didn’t dare. Shen Ling treated her so poorly, yet Xie Yuanxun said nothing. If even the Emperor didn’t intervene, what could a mere official’s wife like her possibly do?

　　At the gates of the Shen Manor, Madam Jiang was helped down from the carriage by Nanny Zheng. Shen Xi had already stepped down earlier and stood obediently to the side, moving forward to support Madam Jiang’s other arm. “Mother.”

　　Madam Jiang responded gently, “Xi’er, what are you doing? It’s not like I can’t walk. Why are you being so careful?”

　　Shen Xi bit down on her lip. Madam Jiang’s words sounded soft, but her grip was tight, painfully so. It felt like her nails were about to dig straight into Shen Xi’s flesh.

　　Shen Xi wanted to resist, but Madam Jiang didn’t loosen her hold at all. It was obvious she was confident Shen Xi wouldn’t dare to struggle at a moment like this. And in truth, Shen Xi really didn’t dare.

　　Over this period of time, Shen Xi had truly experienced what it meant to be sidelined. Shen Ling only needed to show the slightest hint of her attitude, and people outside would line up to exclude Shen Xi. No matter how scheming or capable Shen Xi was, she couldn’t compete with imperial power, nor could she stand against Shen Ling’s overwhelming influence.

　　Just when Shen Xi was feeling anxious and at a loss, Madam Jiang extended an olive branch. Even though Shen Xi knew Madam Jiang’s attitude toward her was no longer what it used to be, she had no choice but to cling to her for warmth.

　　Even so, Shen Xi still suffered quite a bit under Madam Jiang’s hand. The worst part was how subtle Madam Jiang was. She left no obvious fault for others to point out, so Shen Xi could only swallow the grievance in silence. She no longer dared to act as she did in the beginning, relying on Shen Jinxiu’s favor to oppose Madam Jiang.

　　After all, Madam Jiang no longer dealt with Shen Jinxiu through constant lecturing. She had started using both soft and hard tactics. Combined with Shen Kangzheng’s occasional warnings, whatever small rift existed between mother and son had already been smoothed over. If Shen Xi tried to hint at Madam Jiang’s faults to Shen Jinxiu now, he would simply shake his head and say she was misunderstanding things.

　　Shen Xi glanced at Shen Jinxiu, wanting to speak but holding back. Before he could say anything, Madam Jiang spoke first, “Xi’er, why did you stop? Is helping me too tiring? Ah, it’s my fault for not thinking it through. You’ve been sitting in the carriage for so long, it’s only natural you’d feel worn out.”

　　Shen Jinxiu called out in a firm voice, “Xi’er.”

　　Shen Xi clenched her teeth so hard they nearly cracked. From the corner of her eye, she caught the faint curl of Madam Jiang’s lips. A dark glint flashed through her gaze. Then she closed her eyes and let her body go limp, collapsing straight into Shen Jinxiu’s arms.

　　Startled, Shen Jinxiu immediately let go of Madam Jiang and caught Shen Xi, scooping her up. In his urgency, he kicked Shen Xi’s maid Caixia and ordered sharply, “Go get a physician!”

　　Madam Jiang stood there, her expression cold. Nanny Zheng called out worriedly, “Madam...”

　　Madam Jiang pressed a handkerchief to the corner of her lips. “I’m fine. There will be plenty of chances in the future for me to discipline her. What’s there to worry about? If Jinxiu won’t listen to me, there’s still his father.”

　　Shen Ling, of course, had no idea about the undercurrents between Madam Jiang and Shen Xi after they had “joined forces.” That day, she heard from Liu Yun that Xue Mi’er wanted to enter the Palace to pay her respects, so she had Liu Yun bring her in.

　　Xue Mi’er brought quite a lot of gifts for Shen Ling, all things she personally liked, and dumped them all into Shen Ling’s hands without hesitation. Shen Ling stuffed everything into a box. When she sorted through them at night, Xie Yuanxun happened to see them once. His expression was full of disdain. The fact that he didn’t outright call them trash was already him being unusually restrained.

　　Shen Ling wanted to send a return gift, but… this item from Chang Le Palace she liked too much to part with, that one she liked too much as well… after going back and forth, she realized she didn’t want to give away a single thing.

　　Shen Ling couldn’t help but wonder if she had the genes of a greedy dragon in her. If she didn’t blame it on something external, was she supposed to admit she was stingy? Even if that were the case, she absolutely refused to admit it.

　　Shen Ling thought about cooking a meal for Xue Mi’er as a return gift. For example, that chili pepper hadn’t been spread outside the Palace yet, but Shen Ling had already sent the seeds to the imperial estate to grow. So giving Xue Mi’er a super spicy classic dish wasn’t really a loss.

　　Shen Ling said, “It’s the thought that counts.” She wasn’t being stingy! Most of the things she had were gifts from Xie Yuanxun, so she really couldn’t part with them. She just had to make up for it in other ways.

　　When Xue Mi’er arrived, she was dressed in a neat riding outfit. Seeing Shen Ling, she took two long mallets and a small ball from her maid.

　　Xue Mi’er said, “Your Grace.”

　　Shen Ling asked, “What are you holding?”

　　Xue Mi’er replied, “Polo equipment. Have you ever played? If not, we can find a time to have a match.”

　　Shen Ling shook her head. “I’ve never played.” She took a mallet and swung it through the air. “Feels pretty sturdy.”

　　Xue Mi’er grinned, “Of course it has to be sturdy. If it breaks too easily during a match, that’s no good. One mistake could cost the whole game.”

　　Shen Ling felt a surge of excitement. She stared at Xue Mi’er and said, “Well, there’s still plenty of time. Will you teach me how to play?”

　　Xue Mi’er naturally didn’t refuse. “Sure.”

　　Shen Ling added, “Wait a sec, I’ll change into something similar to what you’re wearing.”

　　Even while changing, Shen Ling held onto a mallet, not letting go. She had never played polo before and didn’t even know the sport existed. Suddenly, she remembered something and asked Liu Zhu, “Does His Majesty know how to play?”

　　Liu Zhu nodded. “Yes, he does.”

　　Shen Ling frowned. “Then why have I never seen him play?”

　　Liu Zhu hesitated, but seeing Shen Ling’s genuine curiosity, she mumbled, “Before His Majesty ascended the throne, he played a few times. After that, he never played again. Maybe he just didn’t like it.”

　　She thought in a messy swirl—he used to play, now he doesn’t… Does Xie Yuanxun find killing more thrilling than polo?

　　Shen Ling asked, “Is His Majesty any good?”

　　Liu Zhu replied, “Very good.”

　　Shen Ling clicked her tongue. Whatever she could do, he could do too. Whatever she couldn’t, he could still do.

　　Still, Shen Ling was genuinely excited to try polo for the first time. Xue Mi’er taught fast, and Shen Ling picked it up quickly. Soon enough, they were leading riders across the field, splitting into teams to play. Shen Ling was a newbie, losing more than winning, and she noticed the palace attendants on her team were surprisingly skilled, hitting better than she could.

　　When Shen Ling got tired, she dismounted to rest. Liu Zhu wiped her sweat, and Xue Mi’er hadn’t stopped, so with one less player, Xue Mi’er and the others played even harder.

　　Shen Ling thought… when she was on the field, none of them were really letting loose, were they?

　　Honestly, compared to before, what felt like a kids’ play now felt like a full-blown, high-energy drama.

　　By the time Xue Mi’er dismounted, Shen Ling said, “You’re pretty good at this.” She knew just how skilled the people who served her could be, and the fact that Xue Mi’er could hold her own in polo against them made Shen Ling unable to resist giving her some praise.

　　Xue Mi’er shrugged, “I’m okay. Not really that good. There are… others who are better.”

　　Seeing her hesitate, Shen Ling pressed, “Who?”

　　Xue Mi’er’s eyes darted away, “Song Qiaochu from the Duke of Fuguo’s household. Every time she plays polo with us, she wins. She’s the best among the girls.”

　　Shen Ling glanced at her curiously. If she remembered correctly, this Song Qiaochu was somehow connected to Xue Yunshi.

　　Xue Mi’er’s cheeks flushed. “Your Grace, it was my cousin’s idea to marry her. I’m just pointing out her strengths. I’m not as good as her at polo, but that doesn’t mean I can’t say it. Honestly, among all the young ladies in the Capital, no one can beat her yet.”

　　Shen Ling nodded, “I see.” She didn’t know much about these matters, and if Xue Mi’er hadn’t mentioned it, she wouldn’t have known at all. Thinking about it, she realized she’d never seen any confidential reports from the Duke of Fuguo’s household. Seems like they were pretty clean, without all the messy scheming.

　　Shen Ling held a fresh polo ball between her fingers and asked, “You said among the girls Miss Song is the best. What about the boys? Who’s the strongest?”

　　Xue Mi’er hesitated for a moment, then leaned close to Shen Ling’s ear and whispered, “Your Grace, it’s… His Majesty. I’ve seen him play polo before…” She swallowed hard, “…and after that, I had nightmares.”

　　Shen Ling blinked, “….”

　　I thought you were going to say he looked charming or handsome while playing, but instead you’re telling me you had nightmares after seeing him?

　　Is he really that terrifying?

　　Shen Ling cleared her throat softly and lowered her voice to match Xue Mi’er’s. “Why would you have nightmares? Did he do something… unstoppable at that time?”

　　“Like someone recklessly put themselves in danger and he had no choice but to kill them?”

　　Xue Mi’er opened her mouth, “Your Grace, if you saw it yourself, you’d understand. Even if I try to explain, I couldn’t….”

　　“Alright then.”

　　“Some things can only be understood, not explained. I get it.”

　　Shen Ling decided it was finally time to see Xie Yuanxun’s real skill. She wanted to watch him play polo with her own eyes, not just hear about it from someone else.

　　She said, “Let’s head back to the Chang Le Palace, change our clothes, and then have someone prepare the meal. I promise it’ll be something you’ve never tasted before.”

　　“Something I’ve never had?” Xue Mi’er’s eyes lit up. “Like the ‘Beauty Tofu’ that spread from Your Grace’s palace?”

　　Shen Ling chuckled at that. Seeing Xue Mi’er perk up just at the mention of stinky tofu, Shen Ling knew she really loved food.

　　Shen Ling smacked her lips playfully. “Even better than that.”

　　Hearing that, Xue Mi’er got even more excited.

　　Xue Mi’er’s etiquette was flawless, not a single mistake. In front of Xie Yuanxun, she looked like a timid little quail, but around Shen Ling, she was much more open, almost like a peacock.

　　Xue Mi’er sat down and asked, “Your Grace, could you give me a little hint? Since the meal hasn’t been served yet.”

　　Shen Ling thought for a moment and said, “It’s delicious. Really, really delicious.”

　　Xue Mi’er frowned. “Even with that, I still can’t guess.”

　　Shen Ling smirked. “All I can say is that once you taste it, it’ll leave a special, unforgettable impression. You might find yourself thinking about it all night, tossing and turning.”

　　—First time eating something this spicy, your stomach will be on fire, burning and tingling, so naturally you’ll be tossing and turning all night. 

　　The meal arrived, and Xue Mi’er immediately caught a strong, spicy aroma. It wasn’t unpleasant—actually, the more she sniffed, the more tempting it became, especially the thick, glistening slices of meat blanketed in chili, swimming in the fiery red broth.

　　Seeing her so eager, Shen Ling felt instantly satisfied. Looks like she’d found another friend who could handle spicy food.

　　“Go ahead,” Shen Ling said. “Eat as much as you want.”

　　Xue Mi’er gracefully but enthusiastically scooped up the meat. By the time she reached the later bites, her lips and nose were flushed red, yet she didn’t put her chopsticks down. Shen Ling, already full, couldn’t help but pick up her own chopsticks again just from watching her eat so happily. If Xue Mi’er ever did a food livestream, she’d definitely be a top-tier sensation—she ate with such gusto.

　　“Your Grace, why aren’t you eating anymore? I’m having such a delicious time! You should try it too!”

　　Shen Ling waved her off, “No, no, I’m fine.”

　　—I’m almost too embarrassed to say it, but I’ve already puffed out a little belly.

　　—If I keep eating with you, I’m afraid I won’t be able to sleep tonight from being too full.

　　Shen Ling felt even more certain that if she really did get too stuffed to sleep, and Xie Yuanxun found out… With her around, he wouldn’t scream or punish Xue Mi’er outright, but he might very well order someone to make her spit out everything she had eaten rather than just forbid her from ever eating in front of her again. The first option was way harsher than the second.

　　Xie Yuanxun would never blame Shen Ling. Everyone else was always at fault. Even if it was her “mistake,” in his eyes it was just others corrupting her. His arrogance, stubbornness, and refusal to let anyone argue with him were frighteningly real.

　　Before leaving, Xue Mi’er looked extremely reluctant to go, turning back every few steps like she couldn’t bear to leave. Shen Ling stared silently.

　　Shen Ling said, “How about I have Liu Zhu get some chili seasoning from the imperial kitchen for you, and I’ll write down a few recipes too? You can take them back and have your chef try them at your residence.”　

　　Xue Mi’er exclaimed, “Yes, yes!” answering super fast.

　　Shen Ling gave her a blank look. “So it’s really not me that you’re reluctant to part with, huh?”

　　Xue Mi’er looked a little embarrassed. Had she really been that obvious? “Well… not exactly. I just can’t bear to leave you, Your Grace…”

　　Shen Ling’s face went serious. “In that case, I won’t give you the chili seasoning or the recipes. You can leave.”

　　Xue Mi’er, “......” What do you even call a bolt from the blue? This is it!

　　She quickly tried to talk her way out. “Your Grace, you know what you say carries weight, I promise, when I go back I’ll make sure the chef recreates today’s flavors exactly. I won’t ever embarrass you!”

　　Shen Ling gave her a sidelong glance, one that basically said, You are extremely, extremely, extremely clueless. If you’re going to flatter me, why stop now? Keep going.

　　Finally, Xue Mi’er left Chang Le Palace, her throat dry from talking, but when she saw the goodies in the maid’s hands, she couldn’t help but smile. If she weren’t in the Palace and couldn’t act freely, she might have just jumped around for joy.

　　After night fell, the palace lanterns in Chang Le Palace were lit. It was already winter, and Shen Ling stood at the doorway in a cloak, looking up at the hanging lanterns. Seeing her interest, Liu Zhu had someone fetch a handheld lantern from the storage room. It was exquisitely made, with delicate carvings and beautiful depictions of elegant ladies painted on it.

　　Shen Ling had originally planned to go to Taiji Hall to find Xie Yuanshun, but the lanterns had captured her attention, so she wandered back to the hall to play with them. Of course, there was another, deeper reason—the wind outside the Chang Le Palace was fierce! It hit her face full on, waking her up better than any menthol balm ever could.

　　Listening to the wind rustle through the treetops, Shen Ling decided she’d had enough. Maybe it was best to obediently wait in Chang Le Palace for Xie Yuanshun to come.

　　The palanquin she could ride in was nothing like Xie Yuanshun’s grand dragon palanquin. It couldn’t block the wind at all. Sitting in it was pleasant in summer, but winter made it painfully cold.

　　Shen Ling set the lantern on the table and began spinning it absentmindedly. As it turned, the painted patterns seemed to come alive, a little magical effect that was surprisingly well done.

　　She was having the time of her life, completely absorbed, while Liu Zhu and Liu Yun worked quietly nearby, sewing Shen Ling’s undergarments. When her fingers got tired from spinning the lantern, she paused and stole a glance at them, noticing them busy making her sleeping clothes.　

　　After just a few glances, Shen Ling realized her hands were on a completely different level from Liu Zhu and Liu Yun’s. Liu Zhu and the others could embroider all sorts of lively patterns, but if Shen Ling tried, she could turn a pair of mandarin ducks into a wild pheasant. And that was on a good day—on a bad day, her embroidery looked more like stick figures.

　　Suddenly, Shen Ling asked, “Who makes His Majesty’s sleeping clothes?” If she compared herself to Xie Yuanshun, then Liu Zhu and Liu Yun were kind of like the equivalent of Senior Eunuch Feng at his side. Could it be that Senior Eunuch Feng made them by hand?

　　Cough cough… Shen Ling was just using a metaphor. She wasn’t actually putting Liu Zhu and Liu Yun in the same position as Senior Eunuch Feng. It wasn’t her trying to belittle them or herself—it was just that Senior Eunuch Feng’s skill level was on a whole different tier.

　　Shen Ling could list a whole string of impressions about Eunuch Feng: acrobat, smiling Buddha, sycophant… hmm, maybe she accidentally revealed a little too much of her inner thoughts.

　　Liu Zhu explained, “It’s handled by the Department of Imperial Wardrobe. Some make sleeping clothes, some make regular garments, and some make ceremonial robes. Each type is assigned a large group of skilled embroiderers who serve it exclusively.”

　　Shen Ling let out an “oh” and asked casually, “Has anyone in the Palace ever made sleeping clothes for His Majesty?”

　　Liu Zhu smiled. As soon as Shen Ling opened the topic, Liu Zhu could tell exactly where she was going and replied, “No, they haven’t.”

　　Liu Zhu offered a suggestion, “Your Grace, why not have Liu Yun go to the Department of Imperial Wardrobe and get the fabric for His Majesty’s sleeping clothes? You’ve never made anything for him yourself. If His Majesty received something made by your own hands, he would be very pleased.”

　　Shen Ling hesitated, “...Mm.” Suddenly, she felt a weight pressing down on her shoulders. Had she just volunteered herself for a difficult task?

　　She hadn’t even made her own sleeping clothes yet, and now she was going to make some for Xie Yuanshun. What if it turned out ugly? Shen Ling covered her face. Well, she could already imagine what the finished product might look like, so she decided to keep it simple: just embroider a single dragon. A single dragon shouldn’t be too hard, right? Shen Ling nervously tried to psych herself up.

　　Once she had the fabric, she took the threaded needles Liu Zhu handed her. She lifted her fingers delicately, hovering over the fabric, sometimes on the upper left, sometimes on the upper right, sometimes… well, she was basically just holding the needle in midair, not knowing where to start.

　　Liu Zhu wasn’t the least bit surprised by the situation. She spoke softly from the side, “Your Grace, you want to embroider a dragon on it, right? Skilled embroiderers can do it without even marking the fabric first.”

　　Shen Ling nodded, trying to sound confident. “So… I need to draw a dragon first before I start embroidering, right?”

　　Liu Zhu froze.

　　Liu Yun and the other palace maids froze.

　　In that heavy silence, Shen Ling realized she’d just said something silly. But following her personal motto of ‘as long as I’m not embarrassed, everyone else can be,’ she kept her face calm. Liu Zhu and the others pretended they hadn’t heard a thing.

　　Liu Yun grabbed a dragon template and placed it under the sleeping-clothes fabric. Liu Zhu explained, “Your Grace, now you can embroider following this.”

　　Shen Ling listened while starting to work. As she stitched, a grimace of pain slowly settled onto her face. Liu Zhu and Liu Yun, watching her struggle, couldn’t help but wear matching grimaces themselves.

　　Shen Ling picked up the sleeping clothes and studied the dragon she had embroidered, her expression serious, but the more she looked at it, the more it felt… fake.

　　The dragon on the template had been so majestic, roaring across the nine skies, awe-inspiring at first glance. So why did hers look like a skinny little worm possessed by a stick figure?

　　Liu Zhu, being a professional, rarely laughed unless she couldn’t help it. She forced herself to find something worthy of praise. “Your Grace, you stitched very carefully, and your hands are very steady…”

　　As for Shen Ling’s technique and the final result, Liu Zhu didn’t comment. Everyone already knew the truth. It wasn’t so much praise as it was a consolation award.

　　Shen Ling muttered dryly, “Maybe I’ll embroider a few more dragons. If the quality isn’t enough, the quantity should make up for it. With more dragons, it might look better. After all, His Majesty will only wear it to sleep, not out in public.”

　　Liu Zhu twitched at her forehead. “Uh…”

　　“What do you expect me to wear at night?” Xie Yuanxun stepped in from the doorway. His eyes immediately fixed on the dragon Shen Ling was holding, but his expression didn’t change at all. You really could say that every Emperor has a mind as crooked as a maze.

　　Xie Yuanxun walked up beside her, lowering his gaze, calm and unreadable. She was really planning to give him this sleeping garment?

　　Forget it, maybe he should just turn around and pretend he’d seen such a thing before.

　　Having spent so much time together, Xie Yuanxun knew Shen Ling, and Shen Ling knew him. She looked at his expression and, feeling a bit pitiful, tugged at his sleeve. “Your Majesty, I made this sleeping garment for you. Look, my hands even got swollen from all the embroidery.”

　　—So now let’s see if you still want to call it ugly and refuse to wear it.

　　Xie Yuanxun, “......”

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