12dz Chapter 383 Good Spring
Chapter 383 Good Spring
The spring breeze was gentle and full of life, and the Forbidden City seemed to have been dyed with brilliant colors overnight. The concubines shed their heavy winter clothes and changed into light and beautiful spring clothes. The colorful silk skirts danced in the wind, adding a touch of vitality and agility to the deep palace.
The Imperial Garden was already teeming with life. Tender green grass poked its head out of the soil, curiously gazing at this new world. Weeping willows sprouted new buds, their slender branches swaying gently in the breeze, as if in play with the spring air. Peach trees were laden with tender pink buds, like shy young girls about to bloom. And those unknown wildflowers, clustered here and there, blossomed unrestrainedly, adding a touch of liveliness and playfulness to the Imperial Garden.
In Yonghe Palace.
Caiyue came to An Lingrong and Shen Meizhuang, holding several rolls of brightly colored silk. "Your Majesty, please take another look at these. Steward Zhao said that if you're still not satisfied, he'll select another one and send it to you."
She gently placed the silk on the table and unfolded one of the pieces. The gorgeous red color instantly spread out before her eyes.
An Lingrong picked up the fabric, stroked it a few times, then held it up to the sunlight, squinting her eyes to examine the texture and color of the silk. After examining it for a moment, she nodded slightly, yet with a hint of criticism, she said, "This one looks okay. Sister, does the Imperial Household Department have anything better?"
Shen Meizhuang laughed: "Of course there are better ones, but Su Ye can't use more expensive kesi and phoenix feathers!"
The Qing dynasty had strict rules, with strict boundaries for the items used by people of different social status. Top-quality silks like kesi and phoenix feathers were mostly reserved for members of the royal family or high-ranking concubines. Su Ye, of ordinary status, naturally couldn't overstep his bounds.
"Okay then, let's take this one!" An Lingrong sighed helplessly. Although she felt a little regretful, she also understood that the rules could not be broken.
After selecting the fabric, An Lingrong and Shen Meizhuang began to cut it according to Su Ye's measurements, preparing to make a wedding dress for her.
An Lingrong held a pair of scissors and carefully cut the silk along the lines marked by Shen Meizhuang. The scissors opened and closed lightly in her hands, making a "clicking" sound. In a few moments, the outline of a dress began to take shape.
However, this is only the simplest step. The next embroidery process is the most time-consuming and energy-consuming.
From determining the embroidery pattern and selecting the embroidery thread to embroidering stitch by stitch, every step cannot tolerate any mistakes.
The design of the embroidery pattern alone required careful consideration based on the style of the wedding dress and Su Ye's preferences. The color of the embroidery thread also required repeated comparisons to ensure it blended perfectly with the base color of the silk, achieving a harmonious effect.
During the embroidery process, the needle techniques used are ever-changing, including flat stitch, random stitch, seed stitch... Each needle technique must be just right to embroider a lifelike pattern, adding unique charm and flavor to this wedding dress.
Shen Meizhuang and Juqing helped her organize the silk threads. An Lingrong was concentrating on sewing, and every stitch and thread carried their blessings for Su Ye.
The two were busy when they heard a sound coming from outside the palace. Before she could look up, Zhen Huan's voice rang out: "What are you busy with?"
She was dressed in a dark red spring gown, delicately embroidered with crabapple blossoms, which only hinted at her graceful figure and elegant demeanor. With graceful steps, she approached the two of them, gently stroking the fabric on the table with her scallion-white fingers. She softly said, "Are you making clothes? The texture and color of this fabric are both beautiful!"
Shen Meizhuang replied, "I'm embroidering a wedding dress for Su Ye!"
An Lingrong raised her head only after she had finished embroidering a peony and turned her aching neck.
Seeing this, Liu Zhu behind Zhen Huan immediately stepped forward and gave her a gentle massage.
Seeing that her job was taken away, Juqing glared at Liuzhu and said, "If I hadn't been busy organizing the silk threads and hadn't had my hands free, I would never have let you be so attentive to me."
Looking at her expression, Liu Zhu winked playfully, his hands moving non-stop.
When Zhen Huan heard this, a hint of surprise and curiosity flashed in her eyes: "Ah? You're starting to embroider your wedding dress already? Have you set a date?"
"Not yet, but I'm just preparing first!"
Zhen Huan looked around and asked with a smile, "Where's Su Ye? Does she know you're going to marry her off?"
An Lingrong gave a sly smile, "She's been very busy these days, leaving the palace every day. How could she have the time to care about these trivial matters?"
These days, Su Ye's name has quietly spread throughout the imperial mansions of the capital. Her ability to deliver babies through cesarean sections and keep both mother and child safe has been hailed as miraculous. The women of noble and privileged families, facing the prospect of a new life, are filled with both anticipation and trepidation. Hearing of Su Ye's fame, they grasp at straws, resorting to all sorts of connections just to invite Su Ye to their homes to examine their pulses and determine the fetus's condition.
Fortunately, Shen Meizhuang is now in charge of the harem. Su Ye only needs to take her warrant to leave the palace and say that she is leaving the palace to make purchases on the orders of the imperial concubine. Naturally, the guards dare not neglect her and respectfully send her out of the palace.
After talking for a while, An Lingrong felt her eyes a little sore, so she went with them to the Imperial Garden to appreciate the flowers.
It was afternoon, and the Imperial Garden was bustling with activity. Concubines walked in groups of two or three, admiring the flowers or chatting, their bright smiles sweeping away the gloom that had accumulated during the winter.
Zhen Huan gently stroked a peach blossom that was about to bloom and said softly, "This peach blossom is blooming so beautifully. In a few days, I'm afraid the whole garden will be filled with the fragrance of flowers."
An Lingrong was wearing a light green cheongsam with delicate daisies embroidered on the collar and cuffs, which made her look cute and lovely. She walked towards Zhen Huan with light steps and a smile, saying with a smile: "Yes, such a beautiful day and scenery must not be wasted!"
Shen Meizhuang was wearing a moon-white long dress with elegant orchids embroidered on the hem. As she walked, the orchids swayed gently in the wind, exuding a fresh and quiet scent.
She had a gentle and dignified demeanor, each step she took was steady and graceful, revealing the demeanor of a lady from a noble family. She came to the two of them and nodded slightly, "Rong'er is absolutely right. We are usually busy with trivial matters in the palace, and it is rare to have such leisure time. Today we must go for a good stroll."
A breeze blew by, and the buds on the peach branches trembled gently, and a few petals slowly fell. An Lingrong stretched out her hand, trying to catch the petals flying in the air, with a childlike innocent smile on her face.
The two of them looked at her actions, the corners of their mouths slightly raised, revealing a doting smile, and their eyes were full of tenderness.
The three of them continued walking along the winding path. After a while, An Lingrong felt a little tired and said, "Sister, there's a pavilion up ahead. Let's go and rest for a while!"
The two agreed and walked towards the pavilion. Before they got close, they saw a figure in the distance.