Ying Lili went to the workshop with the court lady Xu and two other maidservants where the workers were sewing the dresses. Seeing the crown princess, the workers stood up and bowed their heads. "Your highness, this room is specifically for the sewing and hand embroidery. The yarn is made in the other rooms which are closed as it is nighttime." Court Lady Xu politely told Ying Lili.

"Then, why is this workshop is still opened?" Ying Lili queried.

"After two days his highness birthday is coming so, dresses are being prepared for the regal people of the palace. The workers have to work till late," Court Lady Xu answered. An-Ying Lili told the workers to continue their works.

Bao Ling came towards the crown princess and bowed her head. "Your highness, this is Bao Ling. I will give her highness help with needlework." Bao Ling softly said.

"You may raise your head. I have only two nights to make the tiger pattern on the back of the overcoat. So, we shall start without further delay" Ying Lili pronounced.

"Yes, your highness." Bao Ling conformed with the crown princess and bowed her head. Ying Lili sat on the mattress on the ground. Court Lady Xu handed Ying Lili the blue-colored overcoat. She adjusted the embroidery hoop to keep the fabric taut where the embroidery had to be made by her.

Bao Ling had another piece of cloth in her hand, which already had an embroidery hoop on it. "Your highness, you shall first draw the pattern of the tiger using the chalk. Then we will do the needlework over it. Her highness shall watch me first," Bao Ling politely spoke. Ying Lili nodded and kept her gaze intact on the fabric.

Bao Ling smoothly drew the pattern, which amused Ying Lili. "You draw so fast," Ying Lili praised Bao Ling.

"Your highness, I took 7 years to master this," Bao Ling stated. Ying Lili hummed and started following Bao Ling's hand moves. Ying Lili took an hour to make the tiger pattern on the overcoat. Court Lady Xu told a maidservant to bring water for the crown princess. "My wrist is aching. I wonder how do you people design so many patterns?" Ying Lili astonishingly said.

Bao Ling gave a tiny smile to the crown princess. The water glass was handed to Ying Lili who drank the water and asked the Court lady if she could water to Bao Ling as well. "Yes, your highness." Court Lady Xu gestured to the maidservant who walked out from there.

"Your highness, we shall start," Bao Ling stated after she drank the water. Ying Lili found it difficult to put the thread in the needle when Court Lady Xu helped her. She thanked the court lady and did the same as Bao Ling told her. "Ahh," Ying Lili screamed as the needle pricked her index finger.

"I do not want to do this. It is more difficult than the swordsmanship," Ying Lili annoyingly spoke as she looked at her finger.

"Your highness, you cannot lose hope this soon. Do not be annoyed," Court lady Xu said and encouraged the crown princess at the same time.

"Court lady, can Bao Ling make this for me? It is not like anyone is going to find this," Ying Lili suggested. "Why am I even taking pain for him? He is sleeping soundly in his chamber and here I am doing this hand embroidery for him," muttered Ying Lili under her breath.

"Your highness, this pattern you have to make yourself. It is more auspicious," Court Lady Xu opined. Ying Lili twitched her lips and again started doing the needlework.

~~~~

Sheng Li and General Xiao were conversing with each other in the crown prince's resting chamber. "Your highness, General Wang will soon be in the Southern Province. He will send the message soon regarding the uprisings there," Xiao Zhan spoke.

"Any other message that Wang Hao has sent?" Sheng Li sought and sipped the wine.

"General Wang said that one spy was behind him as soon as he left the palace. General Wang had caught him and it was sent by the prime minister," Xiao Zhan informed the crown prince.

Sheng Li chuckled. "The Prime Minister has lost his mind with age. Sending a spy after Wang Hao?"

"The Crown Princess will be alone, which can be risky for her highness once you will leave the capital," Xiao Zhan expressed his concern.

"I have thought something about that as well," Sheng Li replied. Xiao Zhan shook his head agreement.

"Your highness, after two days your birthday is coming. The people will also come to give you their wishes from the capital. I have to plan for that so, I shall take my leave," Xiao Zhan humbly said and stood up from the stool. He bowed his head before the crown prince before leaving the chamber.

Sheng Li drank the remaining wine from the glass and put it on the table there. Eunuch Xing-Fu came over there and bowed his head. "Your highness, the crown princess is still in the hand embroidery workshop. Her highness is..."

Sheng Li lifted his hand slightly and Xing-Fu stopped speaking. "Why are you giving me that worthless information? Does it concern me in any way?" Sheng Li asked Xing-Fu in a fit of rage.

"Forgive this petty servant, your highness." Xing-Fu, with an apologetic look, said. He found that the crown prince was sad and why he would not be? The crown prince had lost his mother on his fourth birthday. It was the day for celebration for everyone, but it was nothing more than a horrendous day for him. Xing-Fu took his leave from there while Sheng Li grabbed the jar and poured the wine into the silver glass. There was a disappointment in Sheng Li's eyes. He gulped the wine in a go and then went to his study room.

As he checked the third shelf, he took out a notebook which was of his mother. He moved his hand above that notebook and sat on the floor there, resting his back against the bookshelf.

Flipping the pages, he stopped at the last page on which her mother had written something, a day before her death. Tears formed in Sheng Li's eyes reading the lines but he did not let them fall. "I will avenge for your death, mother. Soon a bloody palace war will start," Sheng Li muttered as he closed the notebook.

~~~~

Hello Dear Readers!

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HAPPY READING

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