Legend of the Embroiderer

At the imperial court, an unprecedented grand banquet was about to begin. Inside the resplendent palace, the lights were on, and the glazed tiles shone brightly in the setting sun. Aunt Wang navigated through the corridors until she finally found Su Mengyao, busy in the embroidery workshop. Her eyes gleamed with anticipation and trust, as if she saw the promise of this grand feast.

"Mengyao," Aunt Wang's voice echoed through the embroidery workshop, speaking with a touch of urgency and excitement. "This banquet is of great importance. All the nobles in the palace will be in attendance, including His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. We need to create the most exquisite gowns for this grand occasion, to showcase the majesty and splendor of our court."

Aunt Wang's words were filled with anticipation and nervousness, and her eyes revealed her importance to this feast. Su Mengyao nodded and said:

"Auntie, I will do my best to prepare." Su Mengyao said firmly, "Please tell me, do you have any special requirements for this banquet?"

Aunt Wang nodded and said slowly, "The theme of this banquet is 'Blooming Flowers and Prosperity'. All costumes and decorations must be designed around this theme. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince attaches great importance to this banquet and hopes that every guest can show their best side."

Su Mengyao listened attentively, and began to formulate a design plan in her mind. To stand out in such an occasion, not only exquisite clothing is needed, but also unique creativity and attention to detail.

"Auntie, what kind of design do you think can best fit the theme of 'Flowers Bloom and Prosperity Comes'?" Su Mengyao asked.

Aunt Wang pondered for a moment and said, "I think we can try incorporating various floral elements into clothing. For example, we can embroider delicate floral patterns with silk thread, or inlay gemstones and pearls on headdresses to create a luxurious and elegant feeling."

Su Mengyao nodded, a spark of inspiration flashing in her eyes. "Auntie, I have an idea. We could design a peony-themed dress. Peonies symbolize wealth and good fortune, making them perfect for this banquet. We could also embroider various other flowers on the hem, creating a vivid sea of ​​flowers."

After hearing this, Aunt Wang smiled with satisfaction. "What a great idea! Mengyao, I believe you can come up with a stunning design. Let's work together and make it a shining star at this banquet!"

Su Mengyao raised her head, a determined glint in her eyes. She put down her needlework and bowed respectfully, saying, "Auntie Wang, I will do my best to live up to your expectations."

Amidst the intense preparations, Su Mengyao couldn't help but recall the mysterious Taoist priest Wu Chen she'd met the previous day. His penetrating gaze and wise words brought her a sense of comfort. Wu Chen seemed to know the secret of Su Mengyao's time travel, and his presence gave her a glimmer of hope.

"Your arrival is not accidental, Su Mengyao," Wu Chen's voice echoed in her mind, "The wheel of fate has begun to turn, and your choice will affect the future."

Sunlight filtered through the delicate window lattices, dappling the embroidery studio. The vibrant colors of silk shimmered in the sunlight, as if the most vibrant hues of heaven and earth had converged here. In a corner of the studio, Su Mengyao sat at her frame, stitch by stitch, sketching a peony painting. Her fingers were slender and deft, each thread flowing effortlessly. Her mind flashed back to that mysterious Tang Dynasty garment, the medium through which she journeyed through time. A deep longing for modern life welled up within her. She missed her family, her friends, and the freedom and equality of that era. In this strange ancient world, she felt a loneliness she had never felt before.

When Su Mengyao was busiest, the door of the embroidery workshop opened gently, and Zhao Wan'er walked in with a gust of fragrant wind. She looked around, her eyes paused on the peony painting in Su Mengyao's hand, and a smile of unknown meaning appeared at the corner of her mouth.

"Sister Su is so elegant. The peony picture she embroidered is so lifelike that even the old embroiderer would feel ashamed of herself." Zhao Wan'er's voice was charming and pleasant, but there was a subtle sharpness in it.

Su Mengyao looked up at her calmly, a slight smile on her lips: "Sister Zhao, you are too kind. I just like to play with needlework. How dare I compare myself to the old embroiderers in the palace."

Zhao Wan'er walked over to her, pretending to admire the embroidery in her hands, but took the opportunity to whisper, "Sister Su, why are you so modest? Your talent and beauty are obvious to everyone. However, sometimes being too showy is not a good thing."

Su Mengyao frowned slightly. She heard the hidden meaning in Zhao Wan'er's words, but she didn't show any displeasure. She gently put down her needlework and looked up at Zhao Wan'er. "Sister Zhao, what do you mean by that? I don't quite understand."

Zhao Wan'er chuckled, a hint of pride flashing in her eyes. "Sister Su is a smart person, how could she not understand what I mean? I just want to remind you that a tree that stands out in the forest will be destroyed by the wind."

With that, she turned and left the workshop, leaving Su Mengyao alone before her frame, lost in thought. Sunlight streamed through the window lattice, illuminating her, but unable to penetrate the darkness within. She knew Zhao Wan'er's intentions were ill-intentioned, but she also knew her position and position; no matter what, she couldn't let her succeed. So she picked up her needle and thread again and resumed embroidering the peony painting, as if she wanted to weave all her worries into the vibrant colors.

Late one night, Zhao Wan'er secretly sent someone to sneak into the embroidery workshop and replaced the precious materials Su Mengyao had carefully selected with inferior ones. She planned to make Su Mengyao's designs look unsightly at the banquet because of the poor materials, thus ruining her image in front of the Crown Prince and the nobles in the palace.

Su Mengyao discovered the problem during her final inspection, and anger and anxiety welled up in her. However, she knew time was running out and she had to find a way to remedy the situation immediately. Any mistakes could cost her life, so she decided not to disclose the matter to Aunt Wang, lest it cause further panic.

So she secretly comforted herself: "You must stay calm. You are the smart Su Mengyao. No difficulty can defeat you." After thinking for a while, she came up with the idea of ​​using her knowledge of modern materials to cleverly transform the inferior materials into a new design style, making it look more unique and fashionable. She added unique elements and patterns to the dress, making it look more unique and fashionable. Her design not only cleverly concealed the material's flaws, but also gave the dress new life and soul.

That evening, the moon shone like water, a dazzling array of stars. Su Mengyao's designs were slowly displayed, gleaming like a dazzling pearl in the banquet hall. The garments, shimmering under the lights, seemed to illuminate the entire night sky. Every stitch and thread embodied Su Mengyao's painstaking effort and sweat, revealing her unique pursuit of beauty and ingenuity.

The guests' gazes were riveted, and their exclamations of praise surged like waves. Crown Prince Li Zhao stood in the crowd, his gaze deep and bright, shining like stars. He looked at Su Mengyao with undisguised admiration and admiration.

Zhao Wan'er, irritated, dared not speak. As she watched Su Mengyao's scheme unfold, jealousy and malice surged within her. She had once tried to stop Su Mengyao's rise, but now her scheme was completely thwarted, leaving her nowhere to hide.

Crown Prince Li Zhao walked over to Su Mengyao. His voice was firm and powerful, as if it held a magical power that moved everyone present. "Su Mengyao, your talent and design have made tonight's banquet even more wonderful. You showcased not only your design, but also your character and soul."

Su Mengyao stood there, her heart filled with mixed emotions. Her design had been recognized, her talent had been showcased—this was the moment she had longed for. She recalled Zhao Wan'er's repeated attempts to frame her, and she felt deeply the cruelty and ruthlessness of palace struggle.

After the banquet, Su Mengyao walked alone along the corridor. The moonlight shone on her, as if she were covered in a layer of silver gauze. Her shadow stretched far and wide along the long corridor, as if telling her that the road ahead was still very long.

She looked up at the starry sky, and Wu Chen's words echoed again: "No matter where you are, you must stick to your original heart and never forget your original aspiration." These words brought her a sense of mysterious power and endless courage. Although she was full of nostalgia and reluctance for modern life, she had to find her own path and destination in this unfamiliar era.