After Rebirth, I Married my Archenemy - Chapter 107
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- After Rebirth, I Married my Archenemy
- Chapter 107 - After the bell rang, the gates of the Baima Temple opened.
After the bell rang, the gates of the Baima Temple opened.
Forty weaving looms were carried in one by one by the young inner attendants.
At this hour, the priestesses had just finished their prayers and were on break. Those who had been drawing water, resting, or chatting now all gathered around, like a flock of white birds. They curiously examined the looms, and turning their gazes to Qun Qing and Ruo Chan.
Their eyes were clear black and white, yet dulled from years of seclusion and restraint—completely different from the palace maids or court officials outside.
Qun Qing had heard from Ruo Chan that most of the priestesses in Baima Temple had been recruited during the reign of the late Emperor of Chu from poor households across the land. They spent their entire lives within the temple, never permitted to leave, nor had they ever seen the emperor’s face. The abbot would teach them to embroider prayer banners to pass the endless days.
Prayer flags fluttered from the doorframe. Qun Qing lifted one and saw that the needlework on it was exquisite, every stitch fine—no less skilled than that of the palace seamstresses.
Ruo Chan presented half of the phoenix seal to the temple mistress. In the palace, the phoenix seal was akin to the authority of the empress. All the priestesses respectfully raised their hands in salute.
Qun Qing spoke, “I am Qun Qing, a Fourth-Rank Attendant Official of the Shangfu Bureau. I’ve come today to ask for your assistance. The kingdom of Gaochang has requested a special set of tribute embroidery. The Shangfu Bureau lacks sufficient hands, so I’ve thought to seek your help in weaving the tribute.”
Having priestesses contribute to tribute embroidery—this had never happened before.
A timid priestess asked, “My lady, we are merely temple attendants, our skills are rough and untested. How could we possibly manage work fit for the Six Department of Palace Services?”
“Aren’t these prayer banners embroidered by your hands?” Qun Qing glanced at the fluttering fabrics and said gently, “I believe your needlework is no worse than the seamstresses of the Shangfu Bureau.”
Ruo Chan added, “Helping with the tribute embroidery means increased stipends, time off, and if the work is good, you may have the opportunity to serve in the Shangfu Bureau.”
Upon hearing this, light returned to the priestesses’ eyes. They clutched each other’s sleeves and whispered with excitement,
“We can leave the temple!”
“Even if we can’t, at least we can send silver home to our families,” another said. Life in the temple was meager, and money was scarce. They longed for the rewards given by noble patrons, but such chances had never come.
Another priestess worked up the courage and asked, “My lady, does this mean we’ll work directly on the looms? But we’ve never seen embroidery done with looms before.”
The others quickly echoed her question upon seeing the unfamiliar machines.
“This kind of embroidery works similarly to weaving,” Qun Qing said. “With the loom, it’s much easier than working by hand. As long as you’re willing to learn, I’ll teach you. If you’re ready, take your seat at a loom now.”
Night fell. Ruo Chan brought young attendants to light several lanterns.
Under the warm yellow glow, the priestesses’ white fingers wound thread around the warp.
Qun Qing personally began instruction with the first girl. Azure-blue weft threads coiled around the cloud shuttle. Holding it in her hand, Qun Qing followed the pattern drawn beneath, guiding the shuttle to weave over the warp threads, dancing like a zither’s melody. With each completed row, she pressed the threads into place with a wooden brush, repeating the process again and again.
One by one, the priestesses began winding long threads around their own shuttles.
Countless zithers now played their soft, childlike tunes.
Qun Qing walked among the looms, her long sash trailing on the ground. Day by day, the shuttle weaving grew faster, the brushing tighter, and from the base of the cloth, the embroidered designs gradually took form.
Bao Shu received the news seven days later.
That day a light rain fell. Consort Meng’s carriage stopped outside the Baima Temple. Bao Shu stepped down quickly and, upon crossing the threshold, was stunned by the sight of forty priestesses busily working at the looms.
She slowly approached one of the looms and was shocked to see that on the square foot of embroidery cloth, half a hibiscus blossom had already been woven. Each petal stood out in dimensional clarity, made with ordinary silver thread, yet radiated a rich brilliance.
Another loom was weaving daffodils.
Bao Shu snatched the tracing paper underneath—it was a copy of the Ten Thousand Flowers painting by the imperial court artist. Ordinarily, to have the seamstresses of the Shangfu Bureau produce double-sided embroidery of such a level would take at least two months. Yet here, she was witnessing these untrained priestesses—women who’d never learned embroidery—quietly guiding their cloud shuttles and brushing the weft, producing the pattern stitch by stitch.
Double-sided embroidery typically required skilled hands and long training, even with peer instruction. But Bao Shu stared at the images forming before her eyes and felt a sudden chill and heat all at once—a deep unease.
In her mind flashed that “Siamese Butterfly Play” fan—perhaps it truly wasn’t double-sided embroidery, but instead this unfamiliar technique woven on looms.
“Who allowed you to do this embroidery?” Bao Shu demanded.
The consort of the crown prince had arrived. The priestesses set down their shuttles and bowed to her.
The temple mistress replied, “The looms were sent by Attendant Qun Qing of the Shangfu Bureau, and the embroidery technique was taught personally by her.”
“Absurd! The temples within the palace fall under the jurisdiction of Bureau of Astronomy, under His Majesty’s direct command. She is but a mere Fourth-Rank Attendant Official—how dare she use His Majesty’s people for her work? If you’re all embroidering, who’s left to offer prayers?”
“We haven’t missed any prayers,” a voice came from the crowd. “Besides, Attendant Qun Qing has the phoenix seal.”
Princess Consort Yan was already struggling to protect herself, and now she’d even handed over the phoenix seal to her?
Bao Shu was momentarily stunned, her face paling with fury.
Consort Meng flew into a rage. The priestesses, startled, couldn’t help but feel nervous as she shouted,
“If the Consort refuses to let us handle the tribute embroidery, then—then what about the promised rewards and leave days that Attendant Qun Qing guaranteed us?”
Bao Shu paced twice between the looms. Thinking of the double-sided embroidery, which was now half complete and impossible to finish at once, she bit her lip. When she turned back, her expression had already softened:
“You’re only halfway through the work, yet you’re already asking for the reward? Continue your work. Once it is complete, you’ll naturally be credited. It’s just that His Highness the Crown Prince has already decreed this be delivered to the Shangfu Bureau before tomorrow morning. Whether you listen or not, I’m taking it there.”
That same day, Qun Qing received the news and rushed over, only to find Bao Shu, resplendent in brocade, already present in the temple along with a court lady and several palace attendants.
Qun Qing’s heart sank. She looked and saw that the priestesses were still busily working, but they all had their heads lowered.
Bao Shu said with a smile, “Since His Highness the Crown Prince entrusted me with this embroidery batch, naturally, I’m here to oversee its progress.”
Qun Qing raised her eyes, her voice icy. “What did you say?”
Bao Shu’s grin deepened. She turned toward the attendants and said cheerfully, “Why don’t you go ahead and read the decree to Official Qun Qing?”
The eunuch stepped forward and announced, “By handwritten order of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince: Qun Qing, fourth-rank attendant embroidery officer, is hereby transferred to the Shangqin Bureau and appointed as fourth-rank official in charge of palace lamps.”
Before he even finished, Qun Qing had already taken the decree and read it herself. The words “official of lamps” stood out starkly—almost laughably.
She had always known how powerful Li Xuan was, and that she, Qun Qing, was just a pawn to be moved at will. But in that moment, with the cold wind brushing past her cheeks and the damp air pressing against her bones, she still felt the sting of it.
She looked at Bao Shu and said quietly, “There were things I didn’t know how to bring to a close… but since you’ve taken them, I hope you can hold on tight.”
Her gaze flicked toward the looms. A faint smile curled at her lips, but the darkness in her eyes made Bao Shu feel a chill down her spine.
“You want to steal what I had? Go ahead. But what you snatched—is it really yours? My brother, His Highness, Zhu Shangyi… the Six Department of Palace Services… That should’ve been mine.”
With that, Qun Qing opened her umbrella and turned away. She had fought hard for her position, all just to exchange it for her mother’s release. Whether she served in the Shangfu Bureau or the Shangqin Bureau—it didn’t matter anymore.
Bao Shu called after her, flustered, “What do you mean by that?”
But Qun Qing didn’t reply, and Bao Shu grew increasingly anxious. Worried that something had gone wrong with the looms, she ordered the palace maid.
“Go to the Shangfu Bureau and summon two embroiderers with over ten years of experience.”
Instead, the palace maid brought more urgent news.
“Consort Meng, Princess Consort Yan, may go into labor tonight!”
The golden ornaments in Bao Shu’s hair swayed slightly, and her expression turned tense.
“If we miss this opportunity, how could I face His Highness and my father? Let’s go!”
Qun Qing had been summoned back by Jian Su from the chaotic accounts of the Shangqin Bureau.
Xiao Yunru had been experiencing abdominal pain since dusk and was still in labor by midnight. The brightly lit chamber reflected the worried faces of the eunuchs and palace maids.
Cui Yu, the maidservant of Princess Yan, greeted her at the door.
“Madam Qing, you’re back.”
Cui Yu’s eyes were slightly red, and her whole body was trembling. She told the situation in the palace. She suddenly whispered:
“Madam Qing, have you heard the rumors outside?”
Qun Qing frowned slightly as they walked.
“What rumors?”
“A few days ago, palace maids were whispering that the Bureau of Astronomy calculated the little heir of Prince Yan to have an ominous fate. They say it’s because Prince Yan has committed too much killing, and the Princess Consort lacks virtue…”
Cui Yu broke off mid-sentence, overcome with emotion, and began to sob.
“Lacks virtue?” Qun Qing’s steps halted. The malice behind the rumor struck her as bizarre.
Everyone knew Xiao Yunru came from an old noble family and was well-known for her virtue and character. Wouldn’t this slander seem too absurd to believe?
But clearly, whoever started it had done so with intent and precision.
Just then, a sharp scream came from inside
“The Princess Consort has fainted!”
Cuiyu panicked.
“The Princess Consort specifically asked you ro leave, Madam Qing.”
Shrugging off Cui Yu’s attempt to hold her back, Qun Qing rushed into the birthing room. She brushed past two midwives holding basins of bloodied water and caught part of their murmuring.
“The mother’s body is far too weak. If this keeps up, it’ll become dangerous.”
Then she saw Xiao Yunru’s deathly pale face. Though Qun Qing had grown accustomed to the sight of bl00d, the thick scent of it in the air made her knees go weak and her palms sweat.
“Princess Consort.” She gently called out, “Don’t be afraid. Try not to sleep. I’ll have my master perform acupuncture for you.”
Xiao Yunru’s unfocused gaze slowly settled on Qun Qing’s face. A flicker of recognition appeared in her eyes, and her lips parted, as though she wanted to say something.
“You mustn’t use needles!” someone shouted. “The Princess Consort has no strength left. One more needle, and her energy might reverse course—it could kill her! Who knows where this charlatan came from, trying to harm Her Highness!”
Qun Qing turned to see the palace physician Xu tied to a pillar, still shouting hoarsely.
“Your Highness, believe me! I’m the official palace physician. That man will get you killed!”
Physician Li inserted a needle, and Xiao Yunru’s brows furrowed in pain. Cold sweat drenched her face. Physician Xu screamed louder, filling the tent with fear and confusion.
“Gag him. Blindfold him,” Qun Qing said coldly.
At last, silence returned.
The midwives cleansed their hands with hot water and returned to help Xiao Yunru.
“Princess Consort, this child is quite large—you’ll need to push hard.”
Xiao Yunru, upon hearing this, suddenly gripped Qun Qing’s hand tightly. Gritting her teeth through the pain, she said.
“You must leave immediately. I’ve already instructed Cui Yu to tell them that someone from the Six Department of Palace Services is looking for you. As for your master, he doesn’t need to administer any more needles. Leave through the back door.”
Qun Qing hadn’t expected her to say such a thing and gripped her hand in return.
“Princess Consort, if we don’t use acupuncture, your life may be in danger. I would never harm you.”
“I know,” Xiao Yunru said softly.
“Both His Highness and the Advisor aren’t here. If they want to strike a deadly blow at Prince Yan Residence, what better way is there? I schemed too much and brought this upon myself. You’ve been good to me, and I, Xiao Yunru, am not ungrateful. The best I can do now is protect you for the Advisor’s sake. Go.”
Before she could finish, a wave of pain crashed over her, distorting her expression.
“I see it! I see the baby!” the midwives cried with joy.
Physician Li paused the acupuncture briefly, pulled Qun Qing aside, and whispered gravely,
“Madam, this child is indeed quite large.”
Qun Qing’s expression turned sharp.
“What do you mean?”
“There may be something… unusual about the child’s appearance.”
A chill surged through Qun Qing’s mind. She suddenly recalled the rumor.
Physician Li said,
“I’m a doctor—I don’t care if the baby comes out looking like a cat or dog. My duty is to save lives. But how the palace chooses to handle it… that’s your decision.”
From outside came pounding at the door. Cuiyu rushed in, flustered.
“Madam Qing, Consort Meng is outside, knocking at the door with five officials from the Bureau of Astronomy!”
Qun Qing’s face turned pale. After a moment’s pause, she drew the ceremonial sword from the tent wall with a loud clang and gripped it tightly.
“Master, don’t worry about anything else. Keep going. I’ll handle them.”
I made an account just to comment on this fic. It is one of the best I’ve ever read, the translation is amazing ,the writing and world is so immersive. I am a sucker for enemies to lovers and this is done so so well ,I love the slowburn and that there’s actual plot. The characters are well fleshed out. It’s just incredibly and I really recommend reading this novel. Please let me know if the author has other novels,I need something to get me through waiting for the next update..
Thank you! You should try reading “The Guide to Capturing a Black Lotus”, it’s good and it is written by the same author.