FRGNM -Chapter 254 Difficulties of Needlework

Everyone’s expressions froze as they turned to look at Silver Wolf and the three who were walking slowly toward them. She’s not dead?

What a joke! They had all heard that Bai He had taken poison to commit suicide. How could she be standing here alive?

“Everyone, I really am not dead,” Bai He said sweetly. “After swallowing the poison, I was saved by the young master beside me, which is why I am alive today. Over these past months, the young master and I have privately pledged our future to each other. I’ve returned now to hold our wedding. I am truly very sorry for worrying all of you.”

Her voice was sweet and soft, with none of the previous coldness. A gentle smile appeared at her lips, and her white dress fluttered with the wind, as if she had returned to the old days—the white dance gown swirling gracefully inside Danhuai Tower.

Really?

Under everyone’s gaze, Dongyang Ze reached out and pulled Shen Qing into his arms, speaking calmly: “Come on. There’s no need for further explanation. Once we return to the capital, I will have someone build a Danhuai Tower even better than this for you. And you… will sing and dance only for me. Play the flute and perform sword dances with me.”

“Yes. Absolutely,” Shen Qing nodded, linking her arm with Dongyang Ze’s. How could she not want this? But as Huang Ming had said, her status was lowly—could this man truly claim her? She was far from a princess of Jinqin Country. All her previous fantasies were illusions, and she had been completely mistaken.

Feeling a twinge of jealousy and envy, Luo Mingyu rested a hand on Ling Ruoxi’s shoulder and raised an eyebrow. “When will you make me a little sachet like that? I could use one too, to keep by my side as protection.”

“…Get lost!” Ling Ruoxi could hardly suppress the urge to kick him out. As for the sachet, there was nothing she could do—but other gifts, perhaps. That sachet… really…

“No matter. If it’s not a sachet, I don’t want it,” Luo Mingyu said childishly, rolling his eyes and walking off.

Ling Ruoxi, almost furious enough to spit blood, gritted her teeth. Fine, fine—it was just a sachet. She could handle it. She could lift weights as heavy as cauldrons, walk on beams, dive into the sea. She didn’t believe a tiny little sachet could defeat her!

By the N-th scream, even the crows flying overhead were startled.

Her fingertips were already pricked and blistered from all the needles. Shaking her hands fiercely, Ling Ruoxi glared at the sachet—or rather, what looked like a pile of droppings. She had intended to embroider something artistic: a lone eagle over the desert, or a sunset over a river. But in the end… it brought her to the verge of tears.

The room had long been sealed with a protective barrier, so no one outside could hear the chaos within. Otherwise, if Luo Mingyu knew she couldn’t do needlework, he would never have asked for it.

“Slow down. This isn’t like handling swords or qi techniques. Each stitch must be stable and aligned. Look here—you can’t embroider it this way; it should go toward this direction…” the helper guided Ling Ruoxi. But Ling Ruoxi had no talent for it. She could memorize every martial arts technique at once, yet embroidery seemed to be her nemesis.

Even with a genius like Luo Mingyu helping, her handiwork was still hopeless. When she touched the guqin, Silver Wolf and Green Robe immediately slipped away. Now, even she couldn’t bear to look at what she had stitched, let alone give it to Luo Mingyu. He would surely despise it.

Grabbing the sachet, Ling Ruoxi ignored everything else and, with Shen Qing’s help, began stitching it carefully, stitch by stitch.

Screams echoed again and again. The exasperated girl finally threw the sachet to the ground. “I’m done! What a mess! Only you people would appreciate this. You could buy a better one in the market!”

“That’s not true,” Shen Qing said, half laughing, half crying. “A hand-stitched gift carries the heart. Store-bought ones can’t compare. Keep trying. Needlework can’t be rushed. Let’s give it another try.”

Heartfelt, heartfelt! But seeing that thing that looked like… excrement, Ling Ruoxi had no courage to continue. She opened the door, frowned, and said, “I’m going out. I’m done with this. Let’s see what he can do.”

“Uh… you…” Shen Qing realized, dealing with a qi cultivator wasn’t so hard after all. She laughed, picked up the sachet, and put it in her arms. This would be given to Luo Mingyu—proof of her hard work through the night.

The compass in Ling Ruoxi’s hand remained. The moving figure inside could not be captured. Even if Luo Mingyu played the music, attracting everyone outside, the Purple Bamboo inside remained unaffected. The Demon-Slaying Qin was powerless to force it out—it was truly unpredictable.

“Forget it. No luck today,” Ling Ruoxi said, retracting the compass and frowning. “We’ll have to ask Bai He how she did it. The Purple Bamboo gave her its aura—even across a thousand miles, she could still do it.”

“That will require asking her,” Green Robe said. “I think she was unconsciously chosen by the Purple Bamboo. Otherwise, how could she know?”

The three of them blocked three directions but couldn’t locate where the Bamboo had gone. It seemed to deliberately hide from them.

Tapping the table, Luo Mingyu smiled thoughtfully. “Purple Bamboo is a divine object that loves music. It has consciousness. Those growing in bamboo forests, without the care of song, hear only the wind rustling the leaves. Playing music is enough to draw it out. But now, the Bamboo is surrounded by songstresses—it’s used to refined music. Ordinary tunes won’t attract it.”

“Your music isn’t ordinary,” Ling Ruoxi said, pouting. She fully admired Luo Mingyu’s skill. With his hands, even simple notes carried a rich, immersive essence.

Green Robe caught the key point in Luo Mingyu’s words. “You mean… Bai He can make the Purple Bamboo appear?”

“Strange… even Luo Mingyu couldn’t do it, yet Bai He can?” Silver Wolf scratched his head, completely baffled by the human world. It would take him a long time to adapt.

Luo Mingyu laughed and nodded. “Yes, Bai He. When she appears on stage, singing and dancing, I and Ruoxi play the Demon-Slaying Qin. The Bamboo will appear.”

“All things have spirit. During growth, those who influence them become their ‘mother’ in their consciousness. Even magical beasts are the same. Bai He was a songstress in Danhuai Tower for over ten years. Her singing and dancing influenced the Bamboo, so it gave her its aura. That’s why. Let Bai He return to the stage, with the Demon-Slaying Qin as accompaniment, and the Purple Bamboo will appear,” Green Robe said, resting his chin on his hand.

Ling Ruoxi frowned. “So the environment affects the Bamboo. A stage full of music makes it ignore ordinary Qin playing. In other environments, other influences may make it even harder to catch?”

“Exactly,” Green Robe nodded, smiling wryly. “Spirited things respond to their surroundings. This Bamboo gave its aura to Bai He. The next one might attach to a person and witness worldly events.”

“But isn’t Purple Bamboo supposed to absorb natural energy and grow from the ground?” Silver Wolf asked, rolling his eyes at Green Robe.

“Anyway, let’s find Bai He. We understand too little of this world. We must explore for ourselves,” Ling Ruoxi said, sighing, gripping the compass. Pain flared in his fingertips.

Damn it. After stitching a sachet all night and being exhausted from the search, he could barely keep going. Yawning, he lifted his legs to move. Luo Mingyu, however, wrapped a hand around his waist and whispered softly: “Tired?”

“Yes… a little. Let’s notify Bai He, then we…”

“Notify me? Haha. I’ve made some pastries for everyone—come and eat,” someone at the door said, holding a bamboo basket.

Dongyang Ze put some drinks on the table. “Did the Purple Bamboo appear?”

“Perfect timing. Little Bai He, go up and sing and dance. We’ll provide accompaniment!” Silver Wolf grabbed Bai He’s wrist, pulling her to the central stage.

Bai He, shy, nodded awkwardly. Her gaze fell on Dongyang Ze, blushing, then turned to Luo Mingyu. “Then, I’ll leave it to you, sir.”

“Please. I will play according to your steps and singing,” Luo Mingyu said, handing her the Demon-Slaying Qin. He helped Ling Ruoxi sit on his lap. “Can you still endure?”

Playing the Demon-Slaying Qin consumed mental energy. Seeing her exhaustion, he felt reluctant.

Shaking his head, Ling Ruoxi said, “It’s fine. The sooner we find the Bamboo, the sooner we can handle the other tasks Murong Ming assigned.”

“Don’t overexert yourself,” Luo Mingyu said, gently patting Ling Ruoxi’s head and holding her hand in his.

Quickly withdrawing, Ling Ruoxi touched the strings. Even a brush of her fingertips caused searing pain. She lowered her head, hiding her expression from Luo Mingyu.

Buzz! His long fingers rippled across the strings. The first note rang out. He shivered but lazily stood, stroking Ling Ruoxi’s head with affection. “Rest a bit first. Even with the Demon-Slaying Qin, the Bamboo might not appear. Let me try the plain Qin first.”