My eunuch An is a yandere

Bai Ningwei tilted her head, wondering what was there about herself that was worthy of being spied on.

In her previous life, after the Empress's death and her own rise to prominence in the harem, many concubines and maids had quietly imitated her mannerisms, interests, and hobbies. But now, she hadn't even seen the Emperor, so she really shouldn't be paying attention to him.

Bai Ningwei's experience in palace fighting reminded her not to underestimate any strange places in the palace. However, she couldn't figure out the palace maid's purpose, and she had no one to investigate. She could only drag Gualv and carefully reconfigure her side hall inside and out.

"Check carefully. We can't have any extra or missing items."

At this time, Gualv had not experienced the cruel palace fighting, but seeing the serious expression of her master, she nodded immediately.

After the two of them went through a lot of trouble and found that everything was safe, they finally felt relieved.

After the palace maid Cui'er was caught by Gua Lu once, her behavior became more restrained. In short, Gua Lu never found anything wrong again.

Half a year had passed in a flash. During this time, Bai Ningwei had successfully distinguished herself from the empress's birthday gifts with her homemade little notebook. Furthermore, she had deliberately flattered and acted naive about the emperor and his methods of vying for favor, and she quickly gained the empress's approval.

Although she has not been promoted in rank, with the Queen's favor, at least her food and treatment are equivalent to those of a beauty.

Although the treatment has only increased a little, people who often travel through ancient times know that in a feudal society with strict hierarchy, such a small difference is enough to make people fight to the death.

Summer had just begun, and Bai Ningwei wiped her hands with satisfaction after munching on a chilled watermelon. In the scorching heat of summer, watermelon, a common fruit, was a privilege enjoyed only by beauties and above in the palace.

But to be honest, the watermelons in the palace were indeed much more delicious than those grown in the countryside. Both in taste and sweetness, they were comparable to modern watermelons.

It really is a good thing carefully selected by the Nine Clans.

Of course, if she hadn't traveled through time, Bai Ningwei wouldn't have to work so hard just to have a bite to eat.

Complaints aside, life must go on. Bai Ningwei stood up, straightened her clothes, and planned to clock in at the Queen's that afternoon.

Now everyone in the palace is saying she's the queen's flatterer. But what do those concubines know? The queen has the best provisions in the entire harem, with plenty of ice in the summer and charcoal in the winter. What's wrong with her flattering? If she flatters well, she'll have a good life.

So, seeking a cool afternoon, Bai Ningwei and her lover hurried to Fengyi Palace. This time of day had been carefully chosen by Bai Ningwei; the Empress usually had most of her work completed by then and was at ease. Would the Emperor easily show up at this time? With a bit of luck, the Empress might even invite her to dinner. As for the oral experience that evening, there was no need to elaborate further.

When Nanny Qin, the chief steward of Fengyi Palace, saw Bai Ningwei, a smile appeared on her face.

"Ms. Bai has arrived. Her Majesty was just talking about how you like to be cool and that you must like the mung bean ice cream for lunch. She asked me to bring it out for you, and it's still icy."

"Thank you so much, Your Majesty. Let me go and thank you first, and then I'll eat when I come back."

"Her Majesty has instructed that when Master Bai arrives, there is no need to thank her. Just have some cakes and then go to the study. Her Majesty is painting and waiting for you."

Nanny Qin's last sentence was specifically meant for Bai Ningwei, and Bai Ningwei naturally understood. The Empress Dowager's birthday was approaching, and as her only legitimate daughter-in-law, the Empress was under immense pressure. Since ancient times, the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law has been a major challenge, even for the most distinguished women in the world. When it came to gift-giving, the Empress would be lucky if she didn't make any mistakes, let alone excel.

Bai Ningwei entered the Queen's study and saw from a distance that the Queen was holding a paintbrush hesitantly.

After hearing Nanny Qin's report, the Queen put down her paintbrush and beckoned Bai Ningwei over.

"Xiaobai, come over here and help me take a look at this painting."

Although the Queen's tone was inquiring, Bai Ningwei knew very well that if the great painters of the entire Dazhen Dynasty were to be ranked, the Queen's level would definitely put her in the top 30.

In front of a real master, how can I, a person who can only draw simple sketches, offer any constructive suggestions?

When I took a closer look, I saw that there was indeed a completed line-drawing painting of Guanyin on the table, which only needed to be colored.

"Your Majesty's painting of Guanyin is so lifelike. I think it's wonderful. There's not a single flaw in it."

Bai Ningwei's flattery this time did not please the Empress. After all, the Empress Dowager's dislike of the Empress was a fact known to everyone in and outside the palace. Unless the Empress could invite Guanyin to appear on the Empress Dowager's birthday, even if she produced a life-sized gold and jade statue of Guanyin, the Empress Dowager would not respond favorably.

Bai Ningwei sighed inwardly. In her previous life, she had been a favored concubine and empress dowager for over a decade, a figure at the pinnacle of the harem. Now, having been relegated to the novice village, she had to go from being flattered to being a small figure flattering others. Occasionally, she still felt a psychological gap.

But the situation is stronger than people, and for the sake of quality of life, she has to continue.

"Your Majesty's paintings are amazing. If your works could not be circulated, I'm afraid the line of people who would ask you for paintings every day would stretch all the way to the gate of Chaoyang Palace."

After hearing this, the queen's face showed some joy.

"How dare you say that! It's just a painting, how could it be worth queuing outside the Chaoyang Palace?"

"Really. If you were a man, you would definitely be the greatest painter in the Great Qin Dynasty."

"It's a pity that I'm not a man."

The Queen gently stroked the Guanyin statue on the table, somewhat touched by Bai Ningwei's flattery. She was born into a noble family, and while she wasn't taught by renowned teachers and scholars like her brothers, she still received a good and comprehensive education. Knowing she had a talent for calligraphy and painting, her family made an exception and allowed her to attend a period of painting lessons alongside her brothers.

After entering the palace, she was free to freely access and admire the royal collection of paintings as the empress. The long, lonely nights in the deep palace significantly improved her painting skills. If she were a man, her current works would probably be priceless.

"Pity."

It is not clear whether the Queen’s words of pity mean that she felt sorry for her paintings being buried within the palace walls and unknown to anyone, or that she felt sorry for the Queen Mother’s lack of eyesight and inability to recognize their treasures.

Bai Ningwei could not feel the queen's melancholy, and was only concerned about how to deal with the current situation.

"Your painting of Guanyin is already perfect, Madam. You might as well put more effort into coloring it."

"how to say?"

Hearing that Bai Ningwei did have an idea, the Queen immediately asked.

"I think that since this is a painting of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, if gold powder can be added to the paint, the final effect will definitely be extraordinary."

"Gold dust?"

Nanny Qin exclaimed.

It’s no wonder that Qin Ma, as the queen’s chief steward, was surprised by the gold powder.

Gold jewelry was not uncommon in the Great Tang Dynasty, and there were many exquisite handicrafts made by stretching gold into silk and making clothes or combining it with various materials. However, using gold as a pigment was something that not only Qin Mama had never heard of before, but also the Empress had never heard of it before.

"Can gold be used as paint?"

Although it was just a question, the queen was obviously concerned.