The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

Tang Xixue didn't spare even a glance for the Shen siblings.

Those whispers and rumors about legitimate and illegitimate children, deliberately stirring up trouble, were nothing more than a passing breeze to her, not worth paying attention to.

She stood up abruptly, her crimson skirt rippling like still water, and amidst the interplay of gazes, some bright and some dim, she walked with composure towards the raised platform at the front of the lecture hall.

Sunlight streamed through the high window, landing precisely on the edge of the rosewood podium, illuminating the slightly worn celadon brush washer, the Duan inkstone with ink stains seeping into its texture, and the two slightly rough but clean mixed-hair Huzhou brushes.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, she reached out her hand, her fingertips steady, without the slightest hesitation, and naturally picked up the entire set of the scholar's usual writing implements, along with the heavy old inkstone.

Her movements were so fluid that it was as if she were simply retrieving an item she had temporarily placed there.

"What—what is she doing?"

The room fell silent; even the sound of breathing seemed to have been cut off by this unexpected scene.

"Has Princess Mirror gone mad?"

"She even dares to take the teacher's things."

Shen Nian's mouth was agape, her expression of anticipation turning to astonishment; the others either stared wide-eyed, frowned, or exchanged incredulous glances.

Tang Xixue seemed oblivious, carrying her spoils, she turned around, stepped down the low steps of the podium, and under the scorching gazes of countless people, walked back to Pei Yanchuan's somewhat shabby desk in the corner.

Use this.

She gently placed the object in her hand on the old table in front of him, her voice calm and even.

This set of writing brush, ink, and inkstone has clearly accompanied the Master for many years. The edges have a warm luster from daily rubbing, the inkstone still has faint traces of ink that cannot be washed away, and the brush handle is also marked with the subtle scratches of time.

However, even these old items, in terms of texture, craftsmanship, and the refined scholarly air they exude, far surpass the simple, almost rough, stationery on Pei Yanchuan's desk.

"Your Highness, Your Highness..."

Pei Yanchuan was so shocked that he almost jumped up from his seat, but he forced himself to remain calm, his voice low and trembling with disbelief.

"This...this is what the Master uses..."

He looked up at Tangxi Xue, his eyes filled with shock and helplessness.

His Highness... is truly the number one troublemaker in Lintai!

There's nothing she wouldn't dare to do, only things that others wouldn't think of.

But this... this is too much...

She dared to take it so openly, yet even reaching out to touch it made his fingertips burn, as if it were imbued with an inviolable majesty.

"If I tell you to use it, then use it."

Tang Xixue lowered her eyes, her gaze falling on his hands, which were clenched into fists and his knuckles were white from embarrassment.

"If the items on the lectern are gone, the scribe will replenish them."

"rest assured."

"Master...is busy with countless affairs of state and reads countless papers. He simply wouldn't remember such trivial matters."

"But……"

Pei Yanchuan's Adam's apple bobbed, as if he wanted to say something more.

Just then—

A commotion and whispers arose at the entrance of the lecture hall.

A chilling, serene aura, reminiscent of snow-covered pines, seemed to silently permeate the air with each step.

Someone murmured in awe, "The Imperial Preceptor... has arrived."

The room's clamor vanished into silence in that instant.

Even the most unwilling Shen Nian could only glare fiercely at Tang Xixue, swallow her dissatisfaction, and shut her mouth sullenly.

As the morning light grew brighter, it cast neat grids of light and shadow on the smooth floor of the lecture hall through the carved windows.

"Tap—tap—"

Clear and steady footsteps echoed from outside the corridor.

Shen Xian and Shen Yan appeared at the door one after the other.

The moment the two appeared, they naturally attracted a lot of attention, especially Shen Yan, who was met with admiring glances wherever she went.

At the same time, the side door on the other side of the lecture hall was also pushed open somewhat roughly.

A dazzling figure, yet clearly impatient, was practically pushed and shoved into the room—it was none other than Feng Zhuo, the renowned young general of the Duke of Zhenbei's mansion, whose name resonated throughout the capital.

He wasn't wearing armor today, only his Lintai school uniform, which outlined the beautiful lines of his broad shoulders and narrow waist. However, there was an obvious restlessness and unruliness between his brows, like a wild horse that had been forcibly saddled and bridled.

As he stepped inside, his burning eyes swept across the room, finally settling unabashedly on Tang Xixue's face, his expression complex and unreadable.

At the very front of the lecture hall, next to the main seat, a figure had already silently taken his seat.

Crane Dust.

He was still dressed in a pristine white robe, his crane-feather cloak cascading down like flowing clouds. His ink-black hair was half-tied up, secured only by a plain white jade hairpin, with a few stray strands brushing against his exquisite profile, as refined as if sculpted from ice and snow.

He sat there quietly, naturally exuding an air of otherworldly grace, as if he were far removed from the hustle and bustle of the world and looking down upon humanity. Yet, his deep, penetrating eyes, which seemed to see right through people, also gave him an awe-inspiring mystery and majesty.

"Everyone, calm down."

He spoke, his voice like ice and jade striking each other, clear and calm, instantly soothing all the subtle restlessness.

"Prepare to receive the exam papers and begin today's Xuanke Grand Examination."

The young scribe Songyun, who stood beside him with an equally aloof and refined demeanor, moved at the sound of the voice. He picked up a stack of slightly yellowed, heavy-textured scrolls and began to distribute them silently and precisely along the rows of desks.

The soft sound of the exam paper hitting the desk was exceptionally clear in the silence, tugging at every taut nerve.

He Lichen waited quietly until all the test papers were distributed before slightly raising his eyes, which had lost all their starlight.

His long, slender, jade-like fingers habitually reached out towards the spot on the podium where the writing brush, ink, and inkstone should have been placed—

Then, it stopped.

The Imperial Preceptor, with his ethereal beauty and jade-like complexion, had a rare moment of stillness on his usually calm and undisturbed face, as if unconcerned by anything.

He tilted his head slightly, his cool gaze falling on the empty, smooth rosewood-colored lectern. He then slowly raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the students sitting upright below with a hint of bewildered inquiry.

Pen and ink... inkstone...

It's all gone.

Most of the students in the room had managed to calm themselves down and were focused on the exam papers they had just received.

Only a few bold individuals, catching a glimpse of the Grand Preceptor's subtle pause and the empty podium, couldn't help but twitch their lips before quickly burying their heads again, their shoulders trembling almost imperceptibly.

After Song Jun finished distributing the test papers, he returned to He Lichen's side and noticed the abnormality. A hint of surprise flashed across his handsome face, but he quickly regained his composure and silently questioned her with his eyes.

He Lichen remained silent for a moment.

The empty podium, in stark contrast to his aloof and detached demeanor, created a breathtaking effect.

Finally, he slowly withdrew his hand, his wide sleeves sweeping across the empty tabletop like clouds. The subtle ripples on his face had vanished without a trace, replaced by an ancient, glacial calm.

He didn't ask any questions or investigate, as if the missing set of writing brushes, ink, and inkstones had never existed.

He simply spoke:

"Begin answering the questions."

These four words set the stage for this profound and mysterious examination.

By the window, where the sunlight is strongest.

Tang Xixue had already picked up her purple-tipped brush, the tip of which was fully dipped in the thick, even ink in her own small Duan inkstone. On the slightly yellowed exam paper, she steadily and firmly wrote the first stroke of her brush.

Behind her, Pei Yanchuan took a deep breath, finally no longer hesitating, and gripped the warm, smooth brush that once belonged to the Master.

The ink spread in the inkstone, and he bent down to write his answer with all his might.

In fact, it was not Tang Xixue who wanted to cause trouble.

All she knew was what this grand imperial examination at Lintai meant to Pei Yanchuan.

She knew the original trajectory: Pei Yanchuan's use of that worn-out stationery set, which leaked ink and had a forked pen tip, caused the ink on the exam paper to become blurred and the words to be difficult to decipher.

The stained exam paper not only tarnished his carefully prepared answers, but also nearly ruined his already precarious future.

The evaluation results were naturally worrying, and he became a laughing stock for others who criticized him for "not even being able to use a pen properly," causing him to waste several more years on his path to officialdom.

Time is like gold, but fate is stingy.

Now that she knew about this, she would never allow such a trivial external thing to become a stumbling block for him again, delaying his path to success that should have been soaring high.

The pen and ink may seem insignificant, but they are the sword and shield he holds in his hands, and also the foundation that may quietly crumble.