The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

The study returned to silence, with only the swaying bamboo shadows and rustling sounds outside the window.

"Your Highness, His Highness Prince Beichen is still waiting in the tea room."

Qingdai had been standing not far away for some time. Seeing Tang Xixue standing quietly for a long time, she whispered a reminder.

Tang Xixue paused, withdrew her hand from the window, and slowly subsided the almost sharp, calm aura that had been surrounding her.

She turned around, her face regaining its usual tranquility, but a trace of cold light still lingered deep in her eyes.

"Let's go," she said, straightening her sleeves, her tone calm and even, "to see what my little royal uncle intends to do by visiting so late at night."

"Shuang'er," she instructed as she walked out, "bring me my box of star sugar."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Li Shuang quickly agreed and hurried towards the inner room.

That star sugar was specially ordered by Emperor Shengchen Tangxi Ye to be purchased from the mysterious Zhiyue Sea Kingdom, which had traveled thousands of miles across the ocean.

Each one is as crystal clear as a pink star, sweet but not cloying, with a unique sea breeze and floral fragrance. It is Tangxi Xue's favorite snack.

Inside the tea room, the lights were bright, and the warm glow bathed the rosewood furniture in a soft, warm hue.

Bei Chenji sat alone in the same spot, the gardenia tea in his hand now cold, but he seemed oblivious, simply gazing quietly at the old room that had been given new life.

This was the last place his mother stayed in Baiyujing before her death. Later, it was abandoned and became his cold nest where he would lick his wounds alone when he fell ill.

Now, bright lights hang high, and warm incense wafts through the air.

The elegant and warm furnishings brought a long-lost, almost unfamiliar tranquility to his heart, which had been tormented by skin thirst and eroded by loneliness for many years.

"Yuan period."

He suddenly spoke, his deep, magnetic voice echoing in the quiet tea room.

The air seemed to distort slightly.

An almost invisible shadow appeared briefly beside him before fading away just as quickly, like a drop of water disappearing into a deep pool.

"Bring me the Thousand-Mechanism Box, made of black iron, from the secret treasury of my palace."

He gave the order, his tone carrying an unquestionable solemnity.

"Yes."

A low, hoarse reply followed.

Yuan Qi's shadow had completely disappeared, and he sped off towards the direction of the Beichen Prince's Mansion at a speed far exceeding that of ordinary light-footed skills.

When Tang Xixue was young, she left an old item somewhere else.

That was no ordinary ornament, but a sapphire woven tear necklace that was related to Tang Xixue's true background.

She was so young then, her face was exquisitely beautiful, and her eyes were so clear that they softened one's heart.

He only wanted her to be her carefree ninth princess, enjoying Tang Xiye's favor and staying away from all possible storms and dangers.

In his eyes, that woven tear necklace was an unknown hidden danger that could drag her into the vortex.

So he took it upon himself to detain it, seal it away properly, and never mentioned it again.

Now, she is an adult.

She was no longer the little Xue'er he had to carefully protect under his wings.

She is a young sword immortal who can amaze everyone with a single sword strike on the Shura Platform, a disciple personally taught by Xie Jinlian, and the extremely intelligent and clever Princess Jingyue.

She has enough strength and mental fortitude to face her destiny and explore the mysteries behind it.

More importantly, he suddenly realized that his previous self-righteous and almost arbitrary protection might not be what she needed.

"Xue'er, she's really grown up..."

The moment he learned that she was a little sword immortal, something solid shattered in his heart.

What followed was not a surge of desire for control, but a strange sense of relief and respect.

He decided to give her life back to her.

"Little Xue'er, this time, the path you choose in life is up to you."

Footsteps sounded softly from outside the corridor, approaching gradually.

Bei Chenji composed himself and looked up at the doorway.

Tang Xixue's figure appeared at the intersection of light and shadow, followed by Qingdai and Lishuang, who was holding a candy box.

She walked with ease, her skirt swaying slightly, a perfectly placed faint smile on her face, her gaze fixed on him.

"Young Imperial Uncle, you've kept me waiting."

Her voice was soft and clear, with a sweet and elegant quality.

"Xue'er..."

Bei Chenji watched her move gracefully and sit down peacefully on the soft couch by the window.

The lamplight cast a soft glow on her profile. She lowered her eyes slightly, her long eyelashes casting faint shadows beneath them, making her look quiet and well-behaved.

His aura was clean and refreshing, carrying a faint, elusive fragrance of crabapple blossoms.

All of this overlapped with the image that he found most comforting and soothing deep in his memory.

However, the little bundle of joy that used to stumble and tug at his clothes in his memory has now grown into a graceful young woman, almost reaching his shoulder.

He suddenly realized how long it had been since he had truly looked at her properly.

Time slipped by unnoticed, and amidst his stubborn biases and cold estrangement, she had long since grown up on her own.

"Um."

Tang Xixue responded and raised her eyes. Her gaze was like a cold mountain spring, devoid of any trace of the dependence and intimacy she had shown when she looked up at him as a child.

"Young Imperial Uncle, let's get straight to the point. Given our current relationship... it doesn't seem appropriate to sit around the fire and chat idly, do you agree?"

Her voice was still soft, but it carried an obvious sense of detachment.

She is like a crystal-clear mirror; she reflects back exactly how others treat her.

Warmth begets warmth, and ice can only reflect frost.

"Why... are we not a good match?"

Bei Chenji's deep, beautiful purple eyes narrowed slightly, revealing a hint of undisguised sadness, like dusty amethyst, its luster dimmed.

She used to love following behind him, calling him "Little Imperial Uncle" in her soft, sweet voice.

"Whether it's suitable or not, doesn't the young prince himself know best?"

Tang Xixue's lips curved into a very faint arc, carrying a hint of self-mockery and a sense of detached understanding.

She remembered it clearly: in their few meetings, the young imperial uncle always had a handsome but cold face.

His eyes were filled with impatience and annoyance, as if looking at her even once would be a defilement.

She is the most sensible person and knows when to advance and retreat. Why would she go and make a fool of herself by sitting on his cold, icy bench?

"You heartless little brat."

Bei Chenji said in a low voice, his tone complex, a mixture of anger and sigh, but mostly a sense of helplessness and despondency.

He said no more, and directly took off the black rhinoceros leather gloves he always wore, revealing his slender and well-defined hands.

Those hands, calloused from martial arts training, also appeared somewhat pale from being out of the light for so long.

He took the Xuan Tie Qianji Box that Yuan Qi had sent and, in front of her, used a unique technique to activate the mechanism.

With a soft "click," the lid slowly opened.

The box was lined with dark velvet, and a necklace lay quietly in the center.

The chain is woven with fine mithril threads, with an intricate and exquisite craftsmanship, and a teardrop-shaped sapphire hangs at the center.

The gemstone's interior is filled with a play of light and shadow, and upon closer inspection, it appears as if tiny snowflakes are undulating and settling within it, creating a dreamlike and ethereal effect.