Legend of the Embroiderer

Chapter 169 A New Beginning 2

The path of advancing reform is as difficult as rowing a boat upstream in a turbulent river.

The difficulties encountered by Li Zhao and Su Mengyao were like huge waves, one higher than the other, piling up layer by layer, rushing towards them with overwhelming force.

In the deep inner palace, many palace servants, in order to escape the sharp eyes and strict scrutiny of the inspectors, once again secretly resorted to trickery and deliberately created all kinds of new rumors.

They hid in the corners and whispered to each other, discussing the reform in low voices, claiming that it was just an initiative promoted by Li Zhao and Su Mengyao out of their own selfish desires, with the aim of solely controlling all power in the palace.

These groundless and absurd remarks, like poisonous snakes hiding in the dark, spread rapidly and silently to every corner of the palace, attempting to hinder the progress of reform and plunge it into a quagmire where it could not move forward.

As the wave of reform continues to hit, the original power structure in the palace is also undergoing subtle and profound changes without anyone noticing.

There used to be a group of people who raised their hands without hesitation to express their approval and support for this reform, but now they seem to be upset and uneasy because of the sudden strong resistance and rumors flying around.

Deep down, they began to have their own little plans, and their initially unwavering faith gradually wavered. Some people would choose to whisper furtively with their colleagues in the long corridors of the palace.

Others took advantage of the watery moonlight to pace back and forth in the courtyard alone, their hearts full of entanglement and struggle.

Su Mengyao took in everything, feeling extremely anxious. She knew very well that if she couldn't quickly calm the hearts of the people in the palace, then this carefully planned reform would be in vain.

Thinking of this, she threw herself into the busy affairs without hesitation, transforming herself into a hurried figure shuttling around the palace.

She took the trouble to find the palace maids one by one and had long and cordial conversations with them.

Sometimes, she would sit quietly on the edge of the palace maids' beds; sometimes, she would sit with them around the warm charcoal fire.

No matter where she is, she always maintains her patience and listens attentively to everyone's voice.

She silently kept in mind all the concerns expressed by the palace maids - the fear of losing their freedom and the panic when they were accused without reason.

"Sisters, please believe me! The reform measures we are vigorously promoting are definitely not intended to deliberately make things difficult for everyone.

You see, the only purpose of this new supervisory system is to completely correct the unhealthy practices in the palace.

In this way, each of us can serve our master wholeheartedly and peacefully here."

Su Mengyao spoke softly while slowly sweeping her gentle yet firm gaze over every palace maid present.

Her voice was like a gentle spring breeze or a gurgling clear mountain spring, flowing gently into the hearts of the palace maids.

In order to further dispel the various concerns and worries hidden deep in the hearts of the palace maids, Su Mengyao took the trouble to patiently list a series of vivid examples to illustrate their points.

In a vivid and fascinating way, she described and outlined in detail to the palace ladies a beautiful scene and picture of the orderly and peaceful life that would appear in the entire palace after the reform was completed.

Although the palace maids were somewhat moved and touched by what she said, the doubts hidden deep in their eyes were still like thick dark clouds, lingering in their hearts and difficult to completely dispel no matter what.

At the same time, rumors in the palace spread rapidly like wild horses.

They seemed to have life, grew wings, and spread to every corner of the palace at an astonishing speed.

Those groundless accusations and malicious speculations poured down like dense raindrops, forming a powerful public opinion pressure that ruthlessly impacted the reform path promoted by Li Zhao and Su Mengyao.

The pace of reform was originally steady and powerful, but now it seems to be strangled by an invisible and huge hand, unable to move forward at all.

The whole situation has fallen into a suffocating deadlock, making people feel desperate and helpless.

Li Zhao stood quietly in front of the window of the bedroom, staring at the dim and swaying lights outside the window.

His brows were furrowed, and his heart was filled with endless anxiety and uneasiness.

He knew better than anyone what this reform meant for the court - it was the only way to peace, prosperity and stability.

The reality before us is so cruel that their efforts have come to a standstill because of these nonsense.

Li Zhao unconsciously clenched his fists, and his joints turned slightly white due to excessive force.

There was a glimmer of unwavering determination in his eyes, like a star in the dark night, faint but shining.

"Yao'er, we must not give up so easily! These rumors are just temporary obstacles. We must defeat them one by one!" His voice was low and firm, revealing an indomitable determination.

Su Mengyao walked slowly to his side, stretched out her jade hand and gently grasped his slightly rough palm, and said softly:

"I am certainly aware of this. We must ensure that everyone in the court can witness the benefits of this reform.

As for those rumors circulating, they're nothing more than clown-like gossip. There's no need to take them to heart, let alone fear them. "After saying this, she raised her head slightly, her gaze firmly fixed on the distance.

Then, the two of them smiled at each other, as if conveying a kind of unspoken understanding and strength. Then, they once again held hands tightly and resolutely embarked on this difficult and dangerous road of reform.

They know very well that the road ahead is still long and endless, and the difficulties waiting for them to overcome are countless.

Even so, they still firmly believed in their hearts that as long as the two of them continued to work together and stick together, peace and tranquility in this palace would one day be truly realized.

The bright moon hanging high in the sky outside the palace wall was like a huge bronze mirror emitting silver light, hanging quietly in the night sky, as if silently waving flags and cheering for them, illuminating their way forward with its soft and bright light.