After moving, everything settled down.
Lin Yun sat in the study of her new house. The wisteria flowers outside the window swayed gently in the wind, and the sunlight shone through the curtains onto the desk, making the blueprints in her hands shine.
She was designing jewelry for the ladies in the palace, her fingertips lightly tapping the table, her gaze falling on the spread-out plain paper.
The empress's invitation lay to one side, its gilded peony design gleaming with a noble luster in the morning light.
The peony, the king of flowers, is a symbol of the queen.
But in this deep palace, who doesn't want to be the best? If the design is too outstanding, it might arouse the jealousy of the other concubines.
She dipped her brush in cinnabar, the tip hovering over the paper, yet hesitated to make a stroke.
"Miss, are you having some trouble?" Xiao Tao brought over a cup of jasmine tea, the rising steam blurring Lin Yun's features.
"Mm." Lin Yun chuckled softly, tapping the invitation with her fingertip.
"In this palace, when one peony blooms brightly, the others become mere foils."
But if everyone wanted to be a peony, the gardener would have a headache.
Xiao Tao blinked, seemingly understanding but not quite.
Lin Yun had already gotten up and pulled out a copy of "A Compendium of Flowers" from the bookshelf.
Turning to the section on "Peony," I pointed to a line of small print and read aloud: "'Wei Zi and Yao Huang, each has its own merits'... Got it!"
Her eyes suddenly lit up, and with a flourish of her brush, she sketched a half-open peony on the paper.
The petals are layered like clouds, but hidden in the stamen is a rotating jade ring, inlaid with tiny gemstones, which refracts a seven-colored halo when the sunlight shines on it.
"This design is unique, but not flashy," she murmured to herself.
He added a line of small print to the edge of the drawing: "The flower-shaped jade ring can be replaced, either inlaid with jadeite or adorned with coral, depending on the Empress's wishes."
This satisfies the Empress's wishes while also allowing others to make a choice.
To be considerate, one must save face for everyone.
——-
Three days later, at Linglong Pavilion.
Xie Yu leaned back in the rosewood armchair, lightly tapping his palm with the ribs of his fan, but his gaze fell on the brocade box in Lin Yun's hand: "Miss Lin only brought one design today?"
"Young Master Xie, please take a look first." Lin Yun pushed the brocade box forward, a smile playing on her lips.
"As for the rest... we can discuss them after you have seen them."
The moment the brocade box was opened, Xie Yu stopped fanning himself.
The peony on the drawing is elegant yet not overbearing, and the design of the jade ring in the center of the flower is even more ingenious.
This both preserved the dignity of the empress and left room for other dignitaries.
If the Empress asks, you can simply say that this hairpin was specially modified for her, and that others only received the "ordinary style".
"Excellent." Xie Yu closed the brocade box, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes. "Is Miss Lin trying to 'attract a hundred flowers with one flower'?"
Lin Yun lowered her eyes and sipped her tea, concealing the sharpness in her eyes: "Young Master Xie is joking. I was just thinking that if the ladies are all satisfied, Linglong Pavilion's business can last a long time."
“The three ladies in the palace are currently the most favored.” Lin Yun’s fingertips traced the rim of the cup, her voice like pearls falling onto a jade plate.
"Consort Qi loves peonies but has a fiery temper; Consort Xi loves orchids and often compares herself to a secluded orchid in a valley; Consort Nian only favors crabapple blossoms—if I only present peonies, wouldn't that be a slap in the face to the other two?"
In addition, there was also an empress in the inner palace.
Although the invitation was unsigned, she guessed that the person who wanted the peony hairpin must be Consort Qi.
She suddenly pulled two more rolls of blueprints from her sleeve.
The orchid hairpin is carved with leaves made of green jade, with silver threads hidden in the veins of the leaves, which roll like dewdrops when it moves.
The Begonia Bracelet features petals carved from pink tourmaline, with a South Sea pearl at its center that shimmers with a hazy iridescence under light.
Xie Yu unfolded the design, then suddenly chuckled softly, "What a clever 'transfer of flowers to trees'! These three pieces of jewelry seem different, but in reality—"
"In fact, there's a hidden secret," Lin Yun replied, pointing her finger to the underside of the peony hairpin's leaves. "Take a closer look here."
The back of the silver leaf is engraved with orchid patterns as fine as hair, while the pearl base of the begonia bracelet also has the shadow of a peony.
Xie Yu suddenly looked up and met her smiling eyes—like a deep pool reflecting the moon, clear yet concealing a thousand layers of thoughts.
"The three pieces of jewelry can be separated or combined." She laid out the drawings in a row.
"If Consort Qi asks, say that the orchid pattern is to complement the elegance of the peony."
If Consort Xi became suspicious, she would say that the peony's shadow was an auspicious omen of "wealth and longevity." Anyway…
"In any case, the ladies won't all be gathered together for comparison." Xie Yu clapped his hands and laughed. "Excellent! You've got the balance just right—"
A gust of wind suddenly blew past the window, and the copper bells on the eaves tinkled, making his voice sound even clearer.
Xie Yu stared at her for a moment, then suddenly chuckled: "I thought Miss Lin was good at scheming, but I didn't expect she's even better at winning people's hearts."
---
On the carriage ride home, Xiao Tao finally couldn't help but ask, "Miss, you clearly drew seven designs, why did you only show Young Master Xie three?"
Lin Yun lifted the carriage curtain, looked at the street vendors hawking their wares, and said leisurely, "Have you ever seen a star performer on stage? If they start by showing the whole script, how can they continue singing?"
She turned and pinched Xiao Tao's cheek. "Remember, in this world, sometimes 'hiding' is more important than 'revealing'."
As the wheels rolled over the bluestone slabs, Lin Yun took out the remaining drawings from her sleeve—the four peonies, some drooping with dew, others blooming in the wind, each one subtly reflecting the temperament of an empress.
"The inner palace is like a game of chess; every move must be made with utmost care."
Designing jewelry for the ladies of the palace is both an opportunity and a dangerous pitfall; one can easily fall into it if one is not careful.
Lin Yun didn't want to become someone else's cannon fodder without even realizing it.
This time, Lin Yun is confident that she can take this opportunity to take Linglong Pavilion's business to the next level.
"Miss, your designs are so good, why don't you open your own shop?" Xiao Tao asked, puzzled.
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