The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

The plum-lined path is deep, and the snow is ankle-deep.

The old plum trees by the roadside have gnarled and twisted branches, their tips piled high with jade-like snow. Occasionally, a bright red petal peeks out from under the snow, adding a stunning splash of color to this vast expanse of sky.

Tang Xixue, holding up her light blue silk skirt, carefully stepped across the snow-covered stone steps.

The shawl trailed behind her like a flowing stream, leaving faint traces on the snow.

She was in a good mood, with a faint smile playing on her lips.

Everything went more smoothly than expected.

The legendary, unfathomable Emperor Xingze actually fell for his trick.

By now, Yun Jue's letter must have been delivered to Si Xingxuan.

Given how much Si Xingxuan cherishes his elder brother, bringing that withered tree back to life... should be a piece of cake.

That elixir was useless to Si Xingxuan.

She had known all along that Si Xingxuan had been poisoned while still in the Empress's womb. In order to save his life, he was sent to the Ghost Doctor's place as a medicine man from a young age, where he was accompanied by hundreds of poisons every day.

Today, Si Xingxuan is a jade statue forged from countless poisons, long since beyond the reach of medicine and poison, and useless to any medicine.

She recalled those eyes, always shrouded in a sickly mist, and a faint ripple of emotion stirred within her.

"She's a poor little thing...it's a shame she's so vicious..."

"If he hands over the withered tree that has returned to life this time, I might consider extending his life to fulfill the karmic debt."

My fingertips brushed against the drooping plum branches by the roadside, startling a string of glistening white snowflakes down.

Snowflakes clung to her eyelashes, melting into tiny droplets that, reflecting the snow's light, resembled teardrops.

It's right at the corner of the artificial hill.

A sudden and unexpected change has occurred!

A hand with distinct joints, long and slender like jade, suddenly emerged from the shadow of the rugged rocks.

With an irresistible force, he suddenly grabbed her wrist!

The world spun around.

She was pulled into a narrow crevice deep inside the artificial hill by an extremely powerful force, her back slamming hard against the cold, hard stone wall.

The expected excruciating pain did not come.

A warm, broad hand had already silently rested between her thin spine and the rough rocks.

The strong scent of ambergris mixed with the cool aroma of cedarwood enveloped her completely, like an impenetrable net.

That aura was extremely domineering.

Tang Xixue suddenly looked up.

They met a pair of extremely dark eyes.

The depths of those eyes surged with a terrifying darkness, like the deep sea before a storm swallowing the last ray of light, or like the ashes left after the flames of hell have burned everything.

And in the deepest, most unsettling darkness, something is burning wildly, broken and intensely hot.

The black gold dragon-patterned cuffs pressed tightly against the stone wall beside her ear, the embroidery threads coldly brushing against her cheek skin.

The emperor's towering figure completely confined her to this small, shadowy space, the two so close that they could feel their breaths mingling.

His hot breath brushed against the stray hairs on her forehead, carrying a tremor that was suppressed to the extreme.

Tang Xiye's Adam's apple bobbed violently, her voice hoarse as if it had been repeatedly ground by sand:

"Weaving—"

He leaned closer, his high, straight nose almost touching her cold forehead.

Those deep, dark eyes were fixed on her, their depths churning with an almost manic emotion.

"Where did I do something wrong...?"

"You will be in charge of the stars and the night—"

He paused, and when he uttered the last word, it carried a broken, trembling quality:

"You don't want me?"

The wind howled past the artificial hill, stirring up thousands of piles of snow foam.

In this narrow space filled with ambergris, time seemed to stand still.

Tang Xixue looked up at the handsome, sharp face so close to her, and seeing the undercurrent of madness and vulnerability in his eyes, she suddenly smiled softly.

That smile was like the first crack in an ice lake, cool and aloof, yet with a breathtaking allure.

She slowly raised her free hand, her fingertips cool and smooth like jade, and gently placed them on his tightly pursed lips.

Those lips were bloodless, taut like a sharp blade, and trembled almost imperceptibly when she touched them.

"Brother Xuan Yin..."

Her voice was soft and gentle, like snowflakes falling into the palm of my hand, carrying a faint sigh:

Why would you think that?

Her fingertips traced the outline of his lips, as if trying to smooth over a scar.

"How can anyone else be compared to you?"

They were so close, their eyes met.

The thick darkness in his eyes and the clear light in hers fought silently, eroding each other, in the narrow, dimly lit gap of the artificial hill.

The air was filled with the crisp ambergris scent emanating from him, which mingled with the cool, lingering fragrance of begonia in her hair; their scents blended seamlessly.

"Zhizhi," his Adam's apple bobbed, his voice hoarse with suppressed emotion, "why...did you go to see him alone?"

All the rage and bloodlust were forcibly transformed into gentle tenderness the moment they met her gaze.

He would rather tear apart everyone in the world who dared to covet her than reveal even a trace of his hostility to her.

The string of reason was on the verge of snapping, entirely dependent on her every word and breath.

"Perhaps...it's just a coincidence?"

She tilted her head slightly, her eyes innocent and shimmering.

"I just wanted to enjoy the peace and quiet of the back mountain, so I went for a walk. As for that person... he looked completely unfamiliar to me, so he probably just wandered in by mistake."

She paused, feeling his body still tense as iron, and suddenly breathed softly on the side of his neck and ear, causing a slight shiver to run through her.

"But—" she drawled, as if sharing a secret, "I saw him being kidnapped."

These words were like a silver needle, gently piercing the extreme anxiety and fear of loss that had swelled in his heart.

"It's because of the Emperor... that you've misunderstood Zhizhi."

The terrifying storm in his eyes gradually subsided, replaced by a deep, unfathomable fear and longing. His arms, which had been gripping her waist, loosened their hold slightly, but he pulled her even closer, his chin resting against her cool hair.

"I believe... Zhizhi wants to leave, to leave forever."

Only she, so close to him, could detect the tremor in his voice.

"Yan Ce," the emperor's voice regained its usual composure, yet still carried a lingering chill, piercing through the cracks in the stone, "go and investigate Si Xingzhou's whereabouts."

Outside the artificial hill, the strategist Yan Ci, who had been holding his breath, heard the sound and immediately gestured to the Hidden Dragon Guards in the shadows, silently accepting the order.

He quietly breathed a sigh of relief and raised his hand to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead.

Just a moment ago, the emperor's uncontrollable possessiveness almost materialized; he truly believed that His Majesty would do something reckless in this dimly lit place.

The young prince has not yet been abducted, but His Majesty is already nearly driven mad.

If one day...

Yan Ci dared not think about it anymore.

The ray of sunlight seeping through the crack in the stone seemed to linger on her face for a long time, as if showing her special favor.

Light dust floated slowly among them, illuminating half of her jade-like profile and the trembling eyelashes that fluttered like butterfly wings when she lowered her head.

Tang Xiye gazed intently, and the last trace of icy gloom in her eyes finally melted into unfathomable gentle waves.

He reached out and gently ruffled the top of her hair, as if touching a fragile treasure.

The joy of finding what was lost was like a warm tide, gently washing over every inch of my heart.

He lowered his head, and the hand that had been rubbing her hair slowly fell down, with a barely perceptible tenderness. His knuckles gently brushed against her cheek, feeling its coolness and delicacy.

"Zhizhi..."

His sighing whispers were not the majesty of an emperor, but a complete revelation of his vulnerability and attachment.

"Don't... stray too far from your brother."

His voice was deep and earnest.

"The world is vast, and the nine-tiered palace stands separated from the mortal world by thousands of miles. I'm afraid... afraid that there might be a moment when I won't be able to get to your side."

This was not a king's command, but a man's most tender unease.

The person in his arms stirred, but instead of complying, stretched out their arms and wrapped them even tighter around his waist.

Tang Xixue pressed her cheek against his chest, listening to his steady and powerful heartbeat through the layers of clothing.

"Brother Xuan Yin, Zhi Zhi has grown up."

She tilted her head slightly, her clear eyes reflecting the soft light and his focused features.

"Zhizhi can protect herself... and she can protect you too."

"Brother Xuan Yin will always be the most important person in Zhi Zhi's heart."

Tang Xiye's heart suddenly trembled, as if it had been gently scratched by the softest feather, a feeling of soreness and burning.

He drew his arms around her, gently yet possessively encircling her in his own territory.

"Is it really... the most important thing?"

"Of course, absolutely true."

Her response was gentle yet firm.

Her embrace and her soft words were like the most effective antidote, instantly smoothing out all the wrinkles of his panic.

At this moment, all was silent.

He even conceived a near-greedy delusion—

May time stand still here, freezing this small space of warmth and tranquility into eternity.

Beyond the crevices of the rocks lies the vast world.

Inside the crevice of the rock, there were only him and her.

They could smell each other's breath and feel each other's body temperature.

Two souls, in the dim light, clung to each other, seeking warmth without reservation.

He gently rested his chin on her hair, inhaling the familiar, cool scent of begonia, and slowly closed his eyes.

At least for now, she is his Zhizhi, only his Zhizhi.

His eyes were deep and dark.

I really want Zhizhi to belong only to him.