Palace Fighting Naive Concubines’ Ascent to Power
Chapter 203 Can’t Help but Fall

Chapter 203: Chapter 203 Can’t Help but Fall

I just got sidetracked. The young girl isn’t being modest; she’s being honest. There’s not a trace of exaggeration in her words.

What in the world is this? The stitching is all crooked; it’s unbearable to look at...

Nanny Qi sighed inwardly. Diligence and eagerness to learn are always good virtues. Given her dedication, no matter what, she definitely deserves to be properly taught and guided onto the right path with her needlework.

This morning was thus spent with Zhang Qing turning the soil while Nanny Qi taught Lian Hua to embroider a sachet.

Zhang Qing was in agony. He was not cut out for turning soil; it was better for him to use his mind since physical labor was just too exhausting.

Nanny Qi was also in agony. The young girl seemed so clever on normal days, so how come she became so clumsy with needle and thread, never having an epiphany?

Lian Hua wasn’t feeling the hardship herself, but the things she embroidered never looked right. Nanny Qi was so close to embroidering for her; her expression grew darker and darker, and several times she wanted to rap on the girl’s head, but she restrained herself.

It seemed like a return to the days when her own Suzhou embroidery master was teaching her, when she was oblivious, and the master was inexplicably frustrated to death...

She stuck out her tongue. It wasn’t on purpose, it’s just that her hands had their own mind, and she couldn’t control them...

Well... okay, so she knew the embroidery techniques and stitches; they were just a bit rigid. As she embroidered, her mind would wander off...

She didn’t want it to happen, but each time she picked up the needle, she would start daydreaming unconsciously, which was completely different from when she did other things.

Alas, she didn’t expect that even with Nanny Qi personally teaching her, she would still get distracted. Hmm, was this some sort of illness? Did it need to be treated?

Oh no, she certainly didn’t want to see Hei Tan. She was still taking medicine prescribed by him. This time it wasn’t her fault; it was because the land at Canglan Court was too vast!

That’s right. Her eyes inadvertently caught a glimpse of the ground that Steward Zhang was turning over, which made her wonder whether she should plant fruit trees next year. Right now, she had so much silver and wasn’t lacking food...

When she glanced at the open space not far away, she thought of setting up a grape arbor...

When she glanced at...

"Master Lian, it’s time for lunch; let’s have the meal first," Nanny Qi called out, bringing her back to reality.

Lian Hua replied with delight, "Ah, is it that time already? Nanny, then let’s go eat."

As she spoke, she revealed a sweet and obedient smile.

Secretly, she was pleased with herself; eating was indeed more interesting than doing needlework.

Nanny Qi’s face was expressionless, her patience completely drained, too tired to even bother responding.

If only the young girl could show a fraction of the enthusiasm for embroidery that she had for eating, Nanny Qi wouldn’t be so exhausted.

She was so active when it came to eating, but when it came to stitching, she was listless, as if her soul had wandered off. Nanny Qi had to remind her again and again, and still, she would repeat the same mistakes without fail on the second and third try.

Never had she taught such a foolish student. The lines were all marked out; all the girl had to do was follow them, but her hands simply would not cooperate, veering off course as she embroidered.

This young girl’s needlework... how should it be put? One could tell she had the basics down and must have learned them before, but it was just like mud unable to stick to a wall, which was very strange indeed.

And what she had tried to do just now was akin to forcibly throwing mud at the wall, only for it to fall off, and then throwing it again with the same result, over and over...

Over the years, she had honed her temperament very well, usually refraining from using her hands, convincing others with words and logic. But just now, she almost lost control; she came close to flicking the young girl’s forehead more than once.

Just now, watching Lian Hua’s stitching veer off again, Nanny Qi felt utterly powerless and had no choice but to call for a break for the meal.

Let the young girl’s sloppy needlework lay on the ground, for some children simply cannot be taught—it was truly impossible to continue teaching her.

After the afternoon rest, Nanny Qi did not come over; Lian Hua quietly fiddled with her needlework alone, determined to finish His Majesty’s sachet.

She had seen Steward Zhang turning over the soil all morning and was really too tired, so she took it upon herself to let Steward Zhang go back, no longer to turn the soil, saying she was satisfied.

Watching Xiao Linzi help the man back to rest, the young and the old made an interesting sight, walking somewhat similarly, both with a bit of a slant in their steps.

At this moment, Lian Hua felt extremely peaceful inside. When His Majesty was not around, she did not think of him when she was busy, but once she was at leisure, she started to miss him.

The thoughts of a young lady are indeed strange; in the past, she would never pine for someone so. She never knew simply sitting and thinking of someone could be so far from boring, just quietly waiting, feeling very good when thinking of him, feeling very settled in her heart.

With a smile in her eyes, she let her mind wander for a while before steadying her heart and starting to stitch, one stitch at a time.

She was self-aware; it was not that Nanny Qi was a poor teacher but that she herself could not settle down to do needlework.

Now, she owed His Majesty a sachet and had promised Nanny Qi a headscarf. Hmm... she must try hard.

Xiao Qing stood in the hallway, refusing to sit or come in; Lian Hua did not press the issue and let her be.

Outside, Xiao Linzi and Xiao Jizi stood guard. Ever since yesterday, they dared not stray far, staying nearby the doorway.

Stitch by stitch, stitch by stitch, Lian Hua completed one sachet after another, none of which satisfied her in the end.

Looking at the four or five neatly arranged sachet prototypes, Lian Hua felt worried—not because of poor stitching, but because the embroidery on top was subpar; it was such a waste, not fit to be presented.

She became frustrated with herself, wondering why her hands would not obey her. She pouted, feeling these sachets wasted the fabric, not good at all.

Then, an idea struck her—oh, she could make these little fabric bags into soft toys! That was something she should be able to do.

No sooner said than done, she began working on these little fabric bags, sewing on tiny whiskers and eyes, turning each into a comically quaint animal or figure, both ugly and adorable.

Upon completing the faces, Lian Hua thought for a moment and called Xiao Qing to bring some cotton. She wanted to stuff the little fabric bags until they were plump; in this way, the fabric bags transformed into lively toys.

After stuffing them with cotton, Xiao Qing exclaimed in delight, "Wow, Master, these toys are so cute—ugly, but cute." She wanted one too.

Lian Hua looked down and asked, "Ugly?"

To her, they seemed hilarious—look at this big-bearded little toy with its fierce expression, quite amusing indeed.

Xiao Qing quickly shook her head, saying, "No, no, the cuteness stands out, it’s ugly but appealing."

Lian Hua nodded, oh, so it’s considered cute then. She couldn’t help but laugh heartily as her confidence began to return.

Humming to herself, she may not know how to make conventional items, but these whimsical gadgets—she excelled without any instruction, unsurpassed by anyone. Hehe.

The more she looked at these toys, the more entertaining she found them. Lian Hua took out a chubby little rabbit she had made, with its tongue out and a wonky expression, and handed it to Xiao Qing, "Xiao Qing, take it, take it. It’s a gift for you."

Xiao Qing gratefully said, "Thank you, Master."

Clutching the little rabbit with affection, the more she looked at it, the more she adored it. She was just in her teens, still of a childlike nature. Although she was gradually outgrowing Xiao Jizi, she had absolutely no resistance to these little trinkets.