Chapter 321 - 315
"How is that possible!" Axin exclaimed as he looked at the embroidery painting, thinking his eyes were deceiving him, so he rubbed them and looked again.
Axin didn’t know how to describe it; it wasn’t an embroidery painting at all but rather it seemed as if living scenery had been captured on the canvas. When Lin Yue asked Zhao Erhu to flip the painting over, to everyone’s surprise, this was not the usual double-sided embroidery they had seen, where both sides display the same pattern. Instead, one side depicted the Queen Mother’s birthday celebration and the other side the Longevity Painting—two completely different designs.
Jiang Ziqi was aware of Lin Yue’s embroidery skills; otherwise, he would not have entrusted such an important task to her. Contrary to Axin’s assumption that it was merely for personal reasons—although he did indeed want to spend more time and develop a closer relationship with Lin Yue—he was, after all, the Family Head of the Jiang Family. Having taken this position, he was committed to upholding his responsibilities; he would spare no effort in considering the welfare of the Jiang Family.
Jiang Ziqi’s gaze lingered on the embroidery painting. While his expression did not betray the astonishment and admiration that Axin’s did, his face nonetheless could not hide his surprise and delight.
In fact, when Lin Yue had asked him for a portrait that day, she had already shared with him her general conception. Yet, seeing the actual embroidery, the impact was completely different. No wonder Lin Yue had been so careful and cautious; such craftsmanship could certainly arouse some people’s ambitions, prompting them to vie for and seek possession of this skill. Describing the painting in four words, it was nothing less than "transcendently ingenious"; it was perfect. Jiang Ziqi could imagine how overjoyed the Empress Dowager would be upon seeing this embroidery, which was definitely a significant and thoughtful gift for her.
"Excellent, truly excellent! Little Yueyue is indeed remarkable to possess such embroidery skills. She could be regarded as the top embroiderer of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Who else under the heavens could produce such a work? I really do have an eye for talent, to have identified such an extraordinary individual, haha." Jiang Ziqi clapped repeatedly and praised while his gaze never strayed from the embroidery. Had he not been worried about soiling or damaging it, he would have loved to touch it and feel the subjects depicted within, even though he knew full well it was merely a painting.
If Axin had previously looked down upon or underestimated Lin Yue, by now he had completely abandoned such ludicrous notions, even feeling somewhat ashamed. While he was not inherently arrogant, the difference in their social statuses led him to view people like Zhao Erhu and Lin Yue, who hailed from rural areas, with disdain, harboring a sense of superiority. Only in this moment did he realize the truth of the adage his young master cited: "Never judge a book by its cover, nor the sea by its breadth." Talents like Lin Yue could indeed be found in rural villages; though he knew little else about her, this single skill was enough to earn his respect.