Lin Dan was stunned when she saw Empress Du for the first time. She finally understood from whom Du Rushong and Du Ruyan inherited their good looks. Empress Du was very tall, but looked very thin and frail due to her seclusion. Her beautiful face exuded both heroism and charm, and her beautiful eyes were misty, making her look melancholy and calm.
In this dim and cramped room, she is the only light and the only color. Today, Lin Dan finally saw what it meant to "bring glory to a humble home". Unfortunately, there were several criss-crossing scars on Queen Du's forehead, which instantly destroyed her stunning beauty.
Lin Dan stared at the scars intently, which made Du Ruyan very embarrassed. She quietly pulled Lin Dan's sleeve, begging her with her eyes not to hurt her aunt. My aunt was such a perfect person, but now she has become like this. How can she bear it?
Queen Du did not show any resentment at all. Instead, she poured a cup of hot tea for Lin Dan and looked at her with a smile for a long time. She had actually received the news that her nephew was shot in the chest, but she just pretended not to know. Even if she knew, what could she do? She couldn't leave the Taoist temple, let alone offer them help. She could only stand by and watch helplessly.
It was this Miss Lin who saved her nephew from danger, and took good care of him, helping him recover. In consideration of her life-saving grace, Queen Du would not only not be disgusted with Lin Dan, but would also indulge her infinitely. Lin Dan saved his nephew and taught his niece carefully, doing everything she wanted to do but couldn't do. She was already extremely grateful to her, so how could she feel dissatisfied?
"This is the pea yellow I made myself. Miss Lin, please try it." Queen Du said softly.
"Thank you, Aunt Du." Lin Dan came back to her senses. She grabbed a piece of pea yellow and couldn't help looking at the scar on Queen Du's forehead.
Empress Du was amused by her address, and she touched her forehead and took the initiative to explain: "When I hit the pillar, there were some patterns carved on it. Later, I was careless when I treated it, and it became like this."
"So that's it!" Lin Dan suddenly realized, "No wonder these scars look so unique to me."
Queen Du couldn't help laughing, while Du Ruyan covered her face and moaned. What's wrong with Dandan today? If you don't know how to flatter, then don't do it. Why do you have to flatter in an awkward way? Doesn't she know that these scars are the pain that her aunt never wants to mention?
Queen Du rubbed Du Ruyan's head and said slowly: "Yan'er, don't feel sad for me. These scars are nothing to me. Whether he comes or not, I will be calm. In my eyes, only you and Rushong are the most important."
Empress Du was in charge of the six palaces for more than ten years and helped the young emperor to secure the throne. The ups and downs she experienced are unimaginable for ordinary people. She might be defeated, but she would never fall. She can pick up what others cannot pick up, and she can also put down what others cannot put down.
Du Ruyan immediately raised her head and called out "Auntie" with red eyes.
Lin Dan said at this time to spoil the mood: "Aunt Du is a person who practices asceticism. She can't wear anything too gorgeous and luxurious. And those Taoist robes are always made in the same style and color. It's better not to make them."
Du Ruyan couldn't stand it anymore and said aggrievedly: "Dandan, did you take the wrong medicine today? You keep saying these irritating words!"
Before Lin Dan could speak, Queen Du waved her hand and chuckled, "It's okay, Miss Lin is telling the truth. I didn't want to make any new clothes anyway." After making new clothes and dressing up, she would not appear more noble in front of that man. Instead, she looked timid and lowered her head, as if trying to please him. He had already died in her heart, and it was enough for her to just wear this black Taoist robe to bury their past.
Du Ruyan's eyes became even redder and she turned away to wipe away her tears.
Lin Dan looked at her helplessly, then put down the teacup and said seriously: "You don't need to embroider the clothes, but you can embroider the scars on your forehead."
Queen Du was stunned for a long time before she spoke hesitantly, "What does Miss Lin mean?"
"Others say that the scars on your forehead are ugly, but in my eyes, they are very unique. With a little touch-up, they can become a beautiful embroidery. Aunt Du, if you trust me, how about letting me have a try? I promise that after the embroidery is completed, you will be more beautiful than before the injury!"
Lin Dan is a person without a past or a future. The only thing she can grasp is the present. So her imagination is somewhat poor and she cannot paint a picture out of thin air, but at the same time, she is very good at discovering the beauty around her. Things that seem incomplete to others can always be seen as having some bright spots in her eyes. If she randomly sprinkles some ink on a piece of white paper, she can use these stains to create all kinds of beautiful things.
The saying "cherish what you have and live in the moment" may sound like empty words to others, but she practices it thoroughly.
"How to embroider?" Queen Du's stunned look gradually faded away, replaced by interest and anticipation.
"How about turning these scars into gorgeous flowers? How about completely letting go of the past and living a more beautiful life?" Lin Dan said as he traced Empress Du's scars on paper. He then dyed the tip of the pen with some cinnabar and outlined the criss-crossing lines, stroke by stroke, into a red spider lily. It is shaped like a blazing flame, its color is like blood, and its beauty is extremely conspicuous and alluring.
Du Ruyan stared at the flowers on the paper and was speechless for a long time.
Queen Du looked straight at Lin Dan, then slowly smiled. She felt that her heart, which was like a stagnant pool of water, was being stirred up by this magical little girl. It turns out that scars can grow into flowers and heartbreak can make one strong, just like the phoenix rising from the ashes.
"Okay," Queen Du said word by word, "Then I'll trouble Miss Lin." Before she got married, she had the title of the most beautiful woman in the Great Zhou Kingdom. Now she wanted to see what she would look like if she were even more beautiful than she was before.
Lin Dan rubbed his hands, feeling a little excited. Ever since she learned embroidery, she has always paid special attention to beautiful things. The first time she saw Empress Du, she was fascinated by the well-arranged scars between her eyebrows. Others said that Empress Du was disfigured, but she thought that with a little modification, Empress Du could be even more beautiful! And this beauty was fortunately born in her hands. Just thinking about it made her excited.
She had no idea that she was transforming from an embroiderer who supported her family to an artist.
After preparing the sterilized silver needles and dye, Lin Dan said solemnly, "Aunt Du, I'm going to start. It may be a little painful, please bear with it."
Queen Du, lying on the couch with her eyes closed, chuckled nonchalantly: "It's okay, I'm not afraid of the pain." She had endured the heart-wrenching pain, so what other pain could she not endure?
In order to avoid disturbing Lin Dan, Du Ruyan was kicked out long ago.
Empress Du needed her clothes tailored to her body, so Du Rushong naturally couldn't wait in the room. He sent his sister and his lover to the Taoist temple and went to the pavilion on the back mountain to enjoy the view. The brother and sister met in the pavilion, both looking worried.
"Dan'er wants to get a tattoo for her aunt?" Du Rushong couldn't believe his ears. He had no idea that his sweetheart had such skills.
"Yes, she tattooed the scars on her forehead into a red spider lily." Du Ruyan covered her chest with her hands, looking like she was having a heart attack. "Brother, you always said that Dandan was a little fierce, but I didn't think so. Today I finally found out. How dare she give acupuncture to my aunt? My aunt's skin is not embroidery cloth. If it's damaged, you can just remove the stitches and start over. If she doesn't do it well and makes my aunt look even worse, who should I protect?"
Du Rushong chuckled, "Auntie dared to agree, so she must be prepared to bear all the consequences. Dan'er dared to speak up, so she must be confident and have everything under control. Don't worry about them."
"Brother, how can you still laugh? Aren't you too confident in Dandan?" Du Ruyan said nervously.
"I don't know why it is so, but I just believe her inexplicably." Du Rushong looked towards the quiet room with an indescribably gentle look.
Du Ruyan lay on the table and wailed twice before falling silent. She really had no way to deal with these people. Each of them was so opinionated and courageous!
After waiting for about an hour, the door of the quiet room finally opened, and Lin Dan walked out slowly with no expression on her face, as if she had just completed an ordinary embroidery. Du Rushong and Du Ruyan immediately walked over and looked at her with burning eyes.
"Aunt Du is in there, you guys go in and take a look. The wound is bleeding a little, just rinse it with warm water and wipe it dry, don't eat spicy food, it will be healed in two or three days."
Du Ruyan ran into the inner room in a hurry. She didn't go back home these days, but stayed in the Taoist temple to take care of her aunt.
Du Rushong stood beside Lin Dan and said softly, "Thank you, Dan'er."
Lin Dan touched her earlobe, feeling uncomfortable: "Nothing, go in and see Aunt Du."
"I'll wait until my aunt is dressed before going in." Du Rushong stood at the door with Lin Dan for a while. When he heard his aunt calling someone from inside, he went in. As soon as he walked around the screen, he was stunned, his eyes full of disbelief.
Empress Du held a bronze mirror in her hand, her voice revealing a sense of ease and satisfaction: "What's wrong? Can't you recognize your aunt?"
"Brother must have been frightened! I was so scared that I almost screamed when I first came in. Oh my, who is this peerless beauty? Could she be a fairy transformed from Lycoris radiata?" Du Ruyan hugged Queen Du's neck and acted coquettishly, her eyes full of amazement.
Empress Du pinched her nose lovingly, then looked into the bronze mirror and murmured in an inaudible voice: "Manjusaka is also known as the flower of the other shore, and it only blooms on the road to the underworld. The former Empress Du is dead, and now I am the flower of evil that bloomed from hell."
After her appearance was ruined, even if she wanted revenge, she no longer had the capital to go back. But now it’s different. If used properly, this appearance will become her most advantageous weapon. The suffering she and her two children have endured will one day be repaid a hundredfold or a thousandfold!
Seeing the fire burning in his aunt's eyes, Du Rushong actually felt a little uneasy. He turned to look at Lin Dan, who was washing his hands seriously with a calm expression, and slowly smiled again. Forget it, no matter whether there are swords and spears or flowers ahead, he will always give it a try for this person.
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