The next day.

Guan Zhiyue woke up in the study. She had stayed up all night drawing those patterns, and as soon as she woke up, the entire study was filled with flying drawing paper.

She had lost count of how many designs of the vase from her past life she had drawn. She would finish one and then throw it on the ground, thinking she would tidy it up later. But she was so engrossed in drawing that she didn't even notice how many drawings were piled up on the ground.

When Bilian pushed open the door, she saw blueprints all over the floor. The papers had many beautiful patterns on them, and they were even in color.

Of course, the white paper was also modern drawing paper that Guan Zhiyue took out from her space, and the colorful ones were drawn with watercolor pens that she took out. They were simply too beautiful, lifelike, and simply too eye-catching.

"Oh, Your Majesty, what are all these blueprints in your room? Didn't you go back to your room to rest last night?"

Bilian tiptoed through the gaps and darted to Guan Zhiyue's bedside, looking at Guan Zhiyue who was still pretending to sleep.

Guan Zhiyue opened her slightly drowsy eyes, looked at Bilian who had entered, and said in a somewhat hoarse voice, "Bilian, could you bring me a glass of water?"

"My mouth is so dry, I'm dying of thirst."

Upon hearing Guan Zhiyue's words, Bilian assumed that her mistress had caught a cold and immediately reached out to touch her mistress's forehead.

"Oh dear, thank goodness, you don't have a fever. Your Highness, please wait here, I'll go get you some water right away." Bilian was relieved and tiptoed off again.

Guan Zhiyue sat up from the tatami mat, looked at the drawings all over the room, and couldn't help but laugh.

"Wow, this is insane, absolutely insane!"

Guan Zhiyue stood up from the couch, stretched, then rotated her strong arms and twisted her legs before bending down to pick up the various glass-like flower patterns she had frantically drawn the night before.

When Bilian brought in water from next door, she saw Guan Zhiyue squatting on the ground, starting to tidy up.

"Your Highness, please rest. I'll take care of these things for you."

Bilian handed the kettle and teacup she was holding to Guan Zhiyue, and then bent down to pick up the drawings on the ground.

"Oh, Your Highness, did you draw all of these? They are so beautiful! But how long have you been learning to paint? Why didn't I know?" Bilian asked curiously as she picked up the drawings from the ground.

Guan Zhiyue: "..."

Oh no, how could I forget? The original owner didn't know anything about music, chess, calligraphy, or painting, did she? Uh oh, is this the moment when she's about to be exposed?

After drinking a glass of water, Guan Zhiyue began to tell that white lie.

"Hey, Bilian, have you forgotten when I was sick? I went to many places while I was in a coma. Actually, I was taken away by a very powerful deity."

"Then they taught me all sorts of things, like playing the zither, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, art, tea ceremony, dancing, songs, and so on. So I learned all these skills in my dreams, so naturally you wouldn't know."

"In the future, if I show this to you, please don't be afraid. This is just normal for your empress, so don't be afraid, don't be afraid. You also have to tell them that your empress has been studying hard in the cold palace all these years, understand?"

"Besides, think about it. If I said I learned it in a dream and then became this good, do you think they would treat me like a monster? They would capture me and put me in a pig cage, or tie me to a tree stump and burn me. Do you think you could escape? They would say you are also a monster, that you are definitely aiding and abetting evil, and then capture you too, drown you in a pig cage, or tie you to a tree stump and burn you."

After hearing what Guan Zhiyue said, Bilian's eyes widened in shock as she stared at her mistress, muttering to herself.

"Your Majesty, is what you're saying true? Will you really capture us, tie us to tree stumps, and burn us?"

Guan Zhiyue sat on the couch, looking at Bilian who was terrified out of her wits, and nodded with satisfaction. Then she said, "This is still good. What if they were perverted enough to sacrifice us to the heavens? That kind of death is even more terrifying than burning. So you must keep this secret well."

"If I, Your Majesty, ever display any amazing skills in the future, you must tell others that it is the result of my self-study in the Cold Palace, understand?"

"Yes, Your Highness, I understand. I will protect you well."

"Yes! I will protect you well, Bilian. From now on, you should listen to me. I guarantee you will live a life of luxury and experience what it means to bully others with your power."

Bilian was speechless. Had her mistress lost her mind today? She was spouting nonsense about abusing her power. She didn't want to be a slave who abused her power; those kinds of people usually didn't end well.

"Your Majesty, let's stop abusing our power. As long as we stay safe in this deep palace, that's enough. Let's just avoid falling into the traps of those women."

Guan Zhiyue nodded in satisfaction as she looked at Bilian. Her principle was to avoid trouble and not be afraid of it.

"Alright, hurry up and put these away. I'm going to wash up. Take these blueprints with you, and we'll go find the Carefree King. I'll take you to a fun place later." Guan Zhiyue stood up and walked towards the door.

——

Chaoyang Palace.

"This servant greets Your Majesty the Empress." The little eunuch at the door quickly bowed respectfully.

Guan Zhiyue gently raised her hand and looked at the kneeling eunuch, saying, "Go and inform your prince immediately. I won't go in. Let's go quickly."

"yes."

The eunuch soon brought her out. Li Qishang looked at Guan Zhiyue, who was dressed in a plain dress with her hair held in place by a white jade hairpin. She looked noble and aloof. In the heavily made-up harem, she stood out and seemed unapproachable.

"Your Majesty, you've arrived. Would you like to come inside and have a seat?" Li Qishang was dressed in a royal blue brocade robe and held a fan in his hand.

"No need, let's go and come back quickly!"

"Bilian, take the blueprints to Prince Xiaoyao." Guan Zhiyue glanced at Bilian and instructed her to give the blueprints she had brought to Li Qishang.

Li Qishang took the blueprints from Bilian, opened one of them immediately, and his eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh my, sister-in-law, did you paint this? My goodness, it's so beautiful! This is the first time I've ever seen such a glass design."

Guan Zhiyue said with a smile, "When the actual product is made, it will definitely be even more beautiful. Let's go, you put these things away first, let's go to Liulichang, I'll take you to make glass blocks."

"good."

Li Qishang had all the paintings taken back to his palace, planning to admire them properly when he returned that evening.

The two arrived at Liulichang and saw the master craftsmen waiting there for this batch of glaze to be made.

Guan Zhiyue didn't stand on ceremony and joined Li Qishang in making glass blocks. At first, the master craftsmen were dismissive, but when they heard that the recipe was provided by the woman in front of them, their admiration grew. The group discussed making glass blocks first, and then making more complex designs after they were done.

So everyone experimented again and again by the scorching furnace, failing time and time again.