Legend of the Embroiderer

Deep within the Tang Dynasty palace, in Li Zhao's study, Su Mengyao's steps were light and cautious. Her gaze wandered between the bookshelves, finally landing on a scroll.

The scroll was half-hidden among a pile of ancient books, seemingly not wanting to attract attention, but Su Mengyao's intuition told her that this was definitely not an ordinary thing.

Su Mengyao whispered to herself: "What is this?"

She carefully took out the scroll and unfolded it, only to see intricate patterns and symbols painted on it, interwoven together, as if hiding some profound secret. A strong curiosity welled up in her, but also a hint of unease.

Su Mengyao's eyebrows furrowed, her beautiful eyes fixed on the scroll in her hands. Her cherry lips parted slightly, her voice filled with confusion and uneasiness. "These patterns... they look like some kind of ancient ritual totem, but they don't resemble any style unique to any dynasty I'm familiar with."

Her slender fingers gently touched the mysterious lines and symbols, as if she wanted to explore the mysteries hidden in the paper through the surface.

At this moment, the tightly closed study door suddenly opened with a creaking sound. A slender figure appeared at the doorway, the sunlight casting a backlit silhouette from behind.

After seeing the face of the person clearly, Su Mengyao couldn't help but feel happy. It turned out to be Li Zhao.

Li Zhao's eyes quickly swept across the entire room, finally stopping on the scroll in Su Mengyao's hand. A hint of subtle surprise flashed in his eyes.

He walked quickly towards Su Mengyao and asked with concern: "Mengyao, why are you here? What are you looking at here?"

Su Mengyao raised her head, looked directly at Li Zhao with eyes as clear as water, and handed the scroll in her hand to him.

Curious, he asked, "Zhao, what on earth are these? I've never seen these strange patterns and symbols before. They seem to be hiding some unknown secret."

Li Zhao's expression changed slightly, his gentle demeanor becoming somewhat serious. He slowly approached Su Mengyao, reached out, and gently took the scroll from her hand, moving with extreme caution, fearing any damage.

Then, he slowly rolled up the scroll, whispering as he did so, "These are just some insignificant patterns from ancient books. You don't need to worry too much about them."

However, how could Su Mengyao be so easily convinced by Li Zhao's words? Her beautiful eyes, like the sharp eyes of a hawk, accurately captured the subtle changes in Li Zhao's expression, as well as his intentional and unintentional evasions and avoidances in his words.

Her two curved eyebrows were tightly furrowed again, as if they were about to be twisted into a rope. Then, she pressed forward step by step without flinching.

He pressed on, "Zhao, are you hiding something important from me? Is this really just an ordinary ancient book pattern? Or... is it actually hiding a profound secret related to the inner workings of the palace?"

Faced with Su Mengyao's sharp questioning, Li Zhao remained silent at first, as if he was secretly weighing something in his mind.

After a long while, a very complicated emotion suddenly flashed in the depths of his eyes, including confusion, worry, and even a bit of helplessness.

Because he knew very well in his heart that the woman in front of him named Su Mengyao was not an ordinary person who could be easily fooled.

Finally, Li Zhao slowly spoke, "Mengyao, there are some things where the less you know, the safer you will be. To be honest, the secret hidden in this scroll may bring you unexpected and great danger!"

But Su Mengyao didn't buy it. She straightened her chest and looked at Li Zhao with eyes as firm as a rock.

He responded decisively, "Zhao, if this matter concerns the future fate of both of us, then I absolutely have the right to know the truth! Besides, I've never been afraid of any danger. The only thing I fear is being kept in the dark like a fool, knowing nothing!"

Li Zhao looked into Su Mengyao's determined eyes, knowing that if he didn't reveal the truth, she would be hard to get over. So, he took a deep breath, as if he had made an extremely difficult decision.

Then he said, "Well, since you're so persistent, I'll reveal some information to you. This scroll records an ancient and mysterious power. This power is closely related to the future of the court, and even to the fate of each and every one of us. I can't tell you more now, because it involves the safety of the entire court. If it is leaked, the consequences will be unimaginable."

At this point, Li Zhao's originally somewhat relaxed expression suddenly became solemn and serious. His deep eyes were like a bottomless pool, fixed tightly on Su Mengyao, as if he wanted to convey all his inner thoughts to her through this gaze.

His lips were slightly pursed, revealing an indescribable nervousness, and it was obvious that he attached great importance to what he was about to say.

Su Mengyao couldn't help but frown upon seeing this. A hint of doubt flashed across her beautiful eyes, but it was quickly replaced by deep worry.

The worry was like a wisp of smoke, slowly lingering in her heart, making her feel a little heavy. She stared at Li Zhao quietly, as if trying to see more clues from his tense face.

Finally, she couldn't help but speak, breaking the silence. In a voice as gentle as the breeze across the lake, she said, "Zhao, if this matter is truly as important as you say, then we must handle it with extra care and caution. After all, the slightest mistake could lead to unexpected consequences."

She paused, then added, "But don't worry, no matter what, I will fully support and help you. Together, the two of us will be able to bravely face this huge challenge, okay?"

As soon as she finished speaking, she stretched out a slender white jade hand and gently held Li Zhao's slightly rough big hand.

At that moment, her eyes were extremely firm and full of warmth, like the warmest sunshine in spring, shining straight into Li Zhao's heart which was a little cold due to worry.

A flicker of gratitude flashed in Li Zhao's eyes. He knew Su Mengyao was a trustworthy partner. He nodded, and their eyes met at this moment, each filled with uncertainty about the future and trust in each other.

Because of the scroll, the relationship between Su Mengyao and Crown Prince Li Zhao has become increasingly tense. Ever since Su Mengyao stumbled upon the mysterious scroll in Li Zhao's study, her heart has been filled with questions.

She always thought that the patterns and symbols on the scroll seemed to hide unknown secrets, but Li Zhao always avoided answering and just smiled mysteriously.

One day, Su Mengyao finally couldn't hold back her doubts, so she found Li Zhao, determined to get to the bottom of it.

Su Mengyao stared at Li Zhao closely, her eyes full of confusion and puzzlement, and her voice was filled with a hint of resentment.

She whispered, "Zhao, why do you always refuse to tell me the secret on the scroll? Is there anything between us that cannot be told? We are the closest people!" After saying that, she lowered her head slightly, her heart full of loss.

Li Zhao stood quietly in front of the window, his figure tall and slender, like a steady mountain. His eyes gazed into the distance, as if he was deep in thought about something important.

After a moment, he slowly turned around and looked at Su Mengyao with a faint smile on his face, but that smile hid deep worry.

His voice was calm, yet held a hint of unfathomable meaning. He spoke slowly, "Mengyao, there are some things that the less you know, the better. This scroll concerns the safety of the court, so I cannot reveal it lightly. If one day, the time is right, I will tell you everything. But now, it is not the time."

After saying that, he sighed softly, with a hint of helplessness in his eyes.

Su Mengyao was puzzled. "Safety? Zhao, do you really think I'm so fragile that I don't even deserve to know the truth? Do you really trust me?"

Li Zhao turned around and faced Su Mengyao. A complex emotion flashed in his eyes as he said, "Mengyao, I naturally trust you, but this matter involves too much. If it is leaked, the consequences will be disastrous. And I am also doing this to protect you."

Su Mengyao said: "Zhao, if this concerns our fate, I have the right to know. I am willing to take the risk and face it with you."

Li Zhao remained silent. He knew Su Mengyao's determination should not be underestimated. He sighed and finally spoke, "Mengyao, this scroll records an ancient power that concerns the future of the palace and our fate. But I can't say too much now, as this involves the safety of the entire court."

Su Meng said: "Zhao, if this is really so important, we must act with caution. I will help you, and we will face this secret together."

At this moment, a palace maid hurried in and reported in a panic, "Your Highness, this is bad! Someone in the palace is plotting a coup, and it's said to be related to this scroll!"

Su Mengyao and Li Zhao's expressions changed at the same time. They knew that this incident had dragged them into a bigger conspiracy. Su Mengyao's heart was filled with uneasiness. She began to realize that this coup might be much more complicated than she had imagined.

After hearing this, Li Zhao said solemnly: "Mengyao, this matter is of no trivial importance. We must act immediately to find the traitor and protect this secret." His voice was low and powerful, revealing an unquestionable determination.

Su Mengyao stood beside him, her eyes flashing with determination. She nodded gently and said, "I'm with you, Zhao. No matter what the road ahead holds, we will face it together." Her voice was soft, but full of determination and strength.

Li Zhao looked at her, a hint of relief in his eyes. He knew that Su Mengyao was his most capable assistant and the person he trusted the most. However, he had a secret in his heart that he had never told her. It was about the mysterious scroll.

Su Mengyao was filled with curiosity and doubts about the scroll. She had tried to ask Li Zhao many times, but Li Zhao always refused to reveal any information, citing his need to protect her. This made her even more determined to uncover the secret.

So, she began her secret investigation, quietly flipping through ancient books in her study, searching for every possible clue with sharp eyes.

Her fingers slid lightly across the pages, her mind racing with thoughts. She seemed to feel the mysterious power of the scroll calling her.

However, her actions did not escape the eyes of Li Zhao's confidant Xiao Dezi, who had been secretly following Su Mengyao's every move.

He noticed that Su Mengyao had been acting strangely recently, as if she was looking for something. He immediately reported the matter to Li Zhao.

Li Zhao frowned after hearing this. He asked, "Is she looking for the scroll?" Xiao Dezi nodded.

Li Zhao was silent for a moment, then ordered: "Pay attention to protecting her, but don't act rashly."

He knew that Su Mengyao was an extremely intelligent woman. If she really wanted to know something, no one would be able to stop her. All he could do was to try his best to protect her and let her uncover the secret within a safe range.

Xiao Dezi retreated. He knew that the Crown Prince's deep affection for Miss Su was irreplaceable. He would do his utmost to protect Miss Su's safety.

In the study, Su Mengyao continued to leaf through ancient books. Her face was filled with determination and perseverance, as if she had found the key to unlocking a secret. Meanwhile, Li Zhao stood by the window, gazing deeply into the distance.