The Virtuous Concubine

Malu sat beside the embroidery frame, sewing and listening to Bai Xia talk about how she communicated with Doctor Lin. She looked up and praised until the last stitch fell, "I didn't realize that you have some acting skills, Bai Xia!"

Malu's tone was full of teasing and recognition, and she didn't stop working. She tied a knot lightly and wiped the needle on her bun before putting it away. "Looking at your carefree attitude, it's really hard for you to do something like this."

Bai Xia was still a little unconvinced when he heard this: "He is also a rough but meticulous person!"

Malu nodded. She felt that being straightforward and innocent was a rare quality in the palace, and it was also the reason why Bai Xia could make people relax their guard. "It is precisely because you are usually not scheming that your words are more believable. Come on, help me stand up this embroidery and see how the overall effect is."

Malu gently tapped the embroidery beside her, signaling Bai Xia to come over and help. Bai Xia immediately stepped forward, carefully took the embroidery off the embroidery frame, and pushed the mounting frame that had been prepared long ago over to carefully fix the four corners of the "A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains" so that Malu could appreciate his work from different angles.

The mountains and rivers on the embroidery are shrouded in mist, and every stitch and thread embodies Malu's hard work and ingenuity. Bai Xia stood aside, her eyes full of admiration for Malu's skills.

Malu walked around the embroidery, carefully observing every detail, and nodded with satisfaction: "Very good, this embroidery is almost perfect. Bai Xia, go call Bai Fu and Jing Yi over, and help see if there is anything else that needs to be modified."

Bai Xia responded, turned around and walked out of the embroidery room quickly. After a while, she returned to the embroidery room with Bai Fu and Jing Yi. When the two saw the nearly completed "A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains", they both showed admiration in their eyes.

"My lady, this embroidery is so beautiful. The mountains and rivers are magnificent, and the details are soft and freehand." Bai Fu praised, her eyes wandering over the embroidery, looking for areas that may need improvement. "But..." She paused, as if looking for the right words, "It seems that the mountains over there can be added with some more layers to make the mountains more three-dimensional."

Jingyi also nodded in agreement: "That's right, it looks just right on paper, but such a large embroidery still needs some adjustments." She then pointed out a few places that could be changed.

Malu listened carefully to their opinions. She knew that one more pair of eyes would bring more perfection. She smiled and said, "Then follow Jingyi's suggestions and make some adjustments. But first you should close the windows and turn on a few more lights."

Several people followed the instructions and closed the windows and turned on the lights. They did not think there was anything wrong with doing so in the afternoon. Past experience has proved that they only need to follow the master's instructions. Under the light, every detail of the embroidery was reflected more clearly. Seeing that the lighting environment of the gift presentation on the night of the Wanshou Festival was almost restored, Ma Lu nodded with satisfaction: "Now, walk from left to right and make a circle."

Bai Xia, Bai Fu and Jing Yi started to walk around and discovered the wonders of this embroidery! They were surprised to find that this was not just an ordinary embroidery, but a double-sided embroidery, and even a double-sided embroidery with a different scene at every step! As they walked, the sun on the embroidery seemed to rise slowly from the eastern horizon and then gradually sink in the western sky. The changes in light and shadow of the day were perfectly captured and reproduced on this embroidery cloth.

"My lady, this embroidery... this embroidery is actually double-sided!" Bai Xia exclaimed, her voice full of admiration for Malu's skills. Bai Fu also couldn't help but admire: "It's really ingenious, each side is a perfect painting, and... and they echo each other!"

Jingyi added: "This embroidery is not only exquisitely crafted, but also contains profound artistic conception. The rising and setting of the sun symbolizes the cycle of life and the flow of time, and also has the meaning of splendid rivers and mountains. Every stitch and every thread not only embroiders the scenery, but also embroiders poems and paintings."

Listening to their praise, Malu felt a surge of pride and satisfaction. She gently stroked the embroidery, feeling every subtle ups and downs, and said, "Yes, I am a little reluctant to part with it."

Bai Xia, Bai Fu and Jing Yi stood beside Malu, and they could all feel Malu's deep affection for the embroidery. "Your Majesty, your work will shine at the Wanshou Festival." Bai Xia said softly. Bai Fu also nodded in agreement: "Yes, Your Majesty, this embroidery will become a legend in the palace and will be passed down through the ages."

Jingyi asked softly, "Is there still time for you to add some details?" She suggested carefully, "Perhaps, you can embroider some people in a corner of the embroidery, such as... the emperor as a viewer, or a silhouette of yourself. It doesn't need to be too obvious, but it can be discovered by chance."

Malu was slightly startled, and then a gleam of light flashed in her eyes. She immediately understood Jingyi's meaning: "Your suggestion is very insightful, Jingyi." She stared at her work for a moment and said: "Then on the top of the mountain, embroider a figure covered in the morning glow, as if overlooking everything. And where the water meets the sky, can you embroider a woman embroidering?"

Bai Xia and Bai Fu smiled knowingly after hearing this. They knew that these details would surely make their master's favor even higher. At the same time, they also looked at Jing Yi with new eyes. They admired her insight and delicate mind. Bai Fu also nodded in agreement: "Yes, your majesty's ingenuity will surely move the emperor and everyone who sees this embroidery. Your majesty's embroidery is already extraordinary, and with these profound details, it will surely become a masterpiece that will be handed down from generation to generation."

Malu immediately began to implement these ideas, urging the system to recompose and adjust the colors according to their suggestions and ideas. After the system finished doing this, Malu personally selected the silk thread, estimated the amount of work, and decided to just bite the bullet and get it done today.

The system advised her to rest: "You still have two in your belly!"

Malu laughed: "If you can't even stay up for two hours, then what do I need you for?"

The system was very upset, but it could only observe the status of Malu and the child diligently, fearing that something might happen to Malu. Fortunately, it was completed smoothly in the end. The embroidery was shining brightly under the light, which was really beautiful.

Unfortunately, before Malu could appreciate it carefully, Bai Xia and others urged him to go to bed. The system also issued a reminder: "You have been working for several hours today. To ensure the health of you and your baby, please go to bed immediately."

Although Malu was reluctant to leave, she could only go to see the sleeping Fourth Prince in the crowd before lying back on the bed in the main hall and closing her eyes, her heart filled with satisfaction and peace. She was made a concubine just because of this painting "A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains"! On this quiet night, Malu's dream was full of beautiful mountains and rivers and brilliant morning glow. She seemed to be walking in the beautiful world she painted with needle and thread again in her dream.

It would be great if I could travel around the mountains and rivers freely... Malu thought so.