The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

Inside the Imperial Study, morning light streamed through the carved window frames, casting dappled shadows on the long table covered with bright yellow silk.

The incense burner was filled with ambergris, and the white smoke curled up, but it couldn't suppress the somber atmosphere in the room.

Tangxi paused slightly in the hand holding the vermilion brush at night.

"Crown Prince Menghua has escaped from prison!"

When Shen Cuo uttered these words, it was like a pebble thrown into a deep pool, creating ripples.

"Who saved them?"

He raised his eyes, his voice not loud, but every word was chilling:

"The Prince of Beichen?"

The gaze fell on Shen Cuo, heavy and chilling.

Shen Cuo stood with his head bowed in the hall, his silver armor gleaming coldly in the morning light.

A helpless smile tugged at the corner of his lips, a smile tinged with resignation:

"His Majesty--"

He paused, seemingly considering his words.

"Who knows? That Prince Menghua... is actually a ninth-rank martial artist."

For a moment, the air in the imperial study seemed to freeze even more.

The highest level in the Nine Provinces Continent is the tenth rank.

Xie Jinlian, the former Kunlun Sword Immortal, was at the peak of the tenth rank, the ceiling of combat power in the entire Nine Provinces, and looked down on all the heroes under heaven.

"I went to see the wall of the execution platform. The entire blue stone wall, more than three feet thick, was shattered into dust by his attack."

Shen Cuo raised his head, his usually composed face now showing genuine shock:

"Unless His Majesty intervenes personally, the Execution Platform truly cannot stop him."

Tang Xiye remained silent.

He simply leaned back on the dragon throne, his fingertips lightly tapping the long sandalwood table, one tap after another, unhurriedly.

The knocking sound fell into the silence of the room, yet it felt like a drumbeat pressing down on people's hearts.

"Meng Hua..." he began slowly, his voice revealing neither joy nor anger, "She's hidden it well."

Yan Ci stood beside the desk, sorting the selected military reports according to their importance and urgency.

Upon hearing this, he looked up, his long silver-gray hair gleaming like mithril in the morning light.

No wonder.

"Hua Rongshi has been engrossed in painting all these years, and everyone in the court and the public thinks he is just a good-for-nothing who lives off his status as crown prince. But his position as crown prince is as stable as Mount Tai, and no one has ever been able to shake it in the slightest."

He paused, then gently set down the stack of reports:

"So it wasn't that no one coveted it; it was that he simply didn't take those good-for-nothings seriously."

"Ninth-rank cultivation," Yan Ci sighed softly, "is indeed qualified to sit in that position."

As a crown prince, he didn't originally need to be that strong, but his strength added icing on the cake to his already noble status.

Tang Xiye paused her tapping of the table.

"He's trying to prevent us from taking advantage of Meng Hua."

The emperor's voice was deep and slow.

"So, they've revealed their hand directly."

Shen Cuo listened with his head down, secretly alarmed.

He had met the prince who was studying at Lintai.

He always wore splendid clothes, had a smiling face, and a harmless demeanor. He was pursued by countless people wherever he went, and his reputation was that of a playboy.

Who would have thought that beneath that handsome exterior lay the sharp edge of a ninth-rank expert?

"You do know how to make choices," Tang Xiye said calmly.

There was no praise in those words, only a faint scrutiny.

Yan Ci's tone now carried a hint of solemnity:

"This child will be a great enemy of Chenyao in the future."

Tangxi Ye did not respond.

He simply gazed at the old pine tree outside the window, which had remained green through the winter, and remained silent for a long time.

"His skill in concealing his true abilities is probably unknown even to the Prince of Beichen."

"Otherwise, the Prince of Beichen wouldn't have personally come to Chengtian Palace last night to test His Majesty's attitude."

"He truly believed that Hua Rongshi was in His Majesty's hands and her fate was uncertain."

Yan Ci shook his head:

"But little did he know that his cousin didn't need anyone's help at all."

Tang Xiye withdrew her gaze.

He lowered his eyes, gazing at the stack of unread memorials on the desk, and suddenly spoke, his voice as indifferent as if he were discussing the weather:

"Since this is a matter of the martial world, let it be resolved by the martial world."

He looked up at Yan Ci:

"Go to Yunjue and put up an exorbitant bounty."

He paused, then spoke slowly and deliberately:

"Let Yun Boyan do the killing."

Yan Ci paused slightly as he held the pen.

Immediately, a cryptic smile appeared on his lips.

"...Yes, Your Majesty."

He deserved respect, but sighed inwardly.

really.

His Majesty truly goes mad over anything related to the young prince.

If it were anyone else, he wouldn't care at all.

At most, they'll ask a few questions and give each other a way out.

But this time—

A bounty has been placed on his head for his capture.

Yan Ci lowered his eyes, concealing his complex emotions.

"Where's Zhizhi?"

Tang Xiye suddenly spoke.

The tone remained calm, but both Yan Ci and Shen Cuo could tell that something scalding hot was hidden beneath it.

"Can we return to the palace now?"

He glanced at Shen Cuo.

Shen Cuo's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately replied:

"Your Majesty, Princess Jing is already on her way to Qianqiu Palace."

He answered very quickly and fluently, as if he had rehearsed these words countless times before.

As the commander of the Imperial Guard, the thing he did most over the years was not to protect the palace or train the Imperial Guard, but to receive every message about Princess Mirror from the Hidden Dragon Guard.

Where did she go today? Who did she meet? Was anything unusual?

He needs to know everything, big or small.

Because the emperor, who sits high in his study, might ask questions at any time.

Shen Cuo sometimes thought that being the Grand Commander was really too difficult.

He has endless worries and has to keep an eye on Princess Mirror's every move.

They also had to be with the emperor every day as if walking on thin ice, constantly on edge and trembling with fear.

This day—

He lowered his eyes and sighed inwardly.

It's really too difficult.

If it weren't for His Majesty's kindness in recognizing his talent back then, he really wouldn't want to do these lousy things!

They earn such a meager salary, yet they work like their lives depend on it every day.

Tang Xiye ignored his complicated thoughts.

He simply stood up.

His black robe with gold patterns shimmered with a cold light in the morning glow. He strode toward the palace gate, his movements calm and unhurried.

But his pace was clearly three points faster than usual.

"Prepare the carriage for the Thousand Autumns Palace."

He said lightly.

Yan Ci gazed at the emperor's retreating figure, a faint, ambiguous smile playing on his lips.

His Majesty was just moments ago displaying an air of strategic brilliance and decisive victory.

But as soon as she heard the words "Princess Mirror," she couldn't sit still.

He said he was just the older brother.

He really isn't ambiguous.

He's just simple-minded—

My younger sister.

Yan Ci withdrew his gaze, looked down at the stack of memorials on the table, and sighed resignedly.

"Strategies and advice."

Tang Xiye's voice came from the palace gate, followed by a pause:

"Take care of these."

He pointed to the stack of memorials that had not yet been reviewed.

These trusted confidants weren't just there for show.

Yan Ci bowed respectfully, his tone humble.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Only after the figure in black gold disappeared outside the palace gate did he straighten up, revealing an expression of knowing this was coming.

His Majesty's obsession with his sister is probably incurable.

He resignedly sat down, picked up his vermilion brush, and began to handle the government affairs that did not require the emperor's personal seal.

Outside the window, the morning light was just beginning to break.

He lowered his eyes to review the memorials, but the smile on his lips never faded.

Your Majesty, just rely on the fact that we, your trusted confidants, are useful.

Anyway, I'm used to it.