The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

A gentle sea breeze blows, accompanied by the sound of the tide.

"Brother, what is the current condition of our father and mother?"

Tang Xixue spoke very softly.

She felt grateful to her relatives who had given her life.

They didn't abandon her intentionally—otherwise, she wouldn't have the sacred artifacts of the Sea Kingdom on her.

Who would lose their child and also throw away a national treasure along with them?

She knew they must have had their own unavoidable difficulties.

Xingyu gazed at her, and something stirred slightly in her deep, ocean-like eyes.

"You already know about the Empress Dowager's condition."

He paused.

"My father was too badly injured back then. When he was on the verge of death, the Moon Guard arrived, but they were powerless to save him. They could only freeze him in the temple and wait for a miracle."

"A miracle?"

Tang Xixue frowned slightly.

"Yes. According to the ancient scroll records of the Moon Clan, the Heart of Azure Snow possesses the power to bring the dead back to life. Even if a creature is completely devoid of life, as long as it retains its last breath, it can revive it."

Xingyu's voice was deep and resolute.

"Therefore, the Moon Guard has been guarding the temple all these years."

Tang Xixue remained silent for a moment, her fingertips gently tracing the slightly warm Cangxue Heart on her neck.

It turns out it has such power.

It turns out that it carries the hopes of so many people.

"Then—what will my status be when I go back?"

She suddenly looked up and gazed at Xingyu.

In those peach blossom eyes, a galaxy was silently flowing.

"My brother's little princess?"

She was testing the waters.

To test his attitude, to find out what he has been waiting for all these years.

For her, Xingyu was a foreign concept.

The gap of twenty years cannot be filled in just a few words.

But for Xingyu—

It was a year-long, warm anticipation, day and night.

It was the treasure that his father and mother, whom he was most grateful to, had risked their lives to protect.

It was his guilt over the past twenty years, and the darkness of pushing the boat into the sea that haunted his dreams on countless nights.

It was the reason he climbed the ladder for countless years, and the only thought in his mind when dealing with those old foxes.

They were family members he had long considered, even though they were not related by blood.

She is different.

Xingyu looked at her.

Looking into those eyes brimming with starlight, and at that pure and ethereal face, I noticed a deep-seated probing.

He suddenly chuckled softly.

The laughter was soft, yet it carried a hint of helplessness and a touch of indulgence.

"Oh, how could it be a little princess?"

He shook his head.

"Little Pearl—"

"Of course, it's our Empress of the Moon Weavers."

"My brother has waited all these years, just to wait for you to come back—"

He looked at her, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"My Empress."

In the Heavenly Star Palace, the Sea Emperor sat alone for twenty years.

His name is "He Who Has Received the Mandate of Heaven and Rules the Sea Kingdom".

In reality, he was all alone, waiting for twenty years.

He knew Zong Lantai was watching him, knew those people wanted to seize power from him, and knew that he was walking on a knife's edge with every step he took.

But he doesn't care.

What he was waiting for was never power.

He was waiting for the person who would make him call her "sister".

He has always guarded this spot for her.

The starlight of Tianxing Palace shone on him.

The Tide-Sound Weaving Moon Bell rang for him.

He sat there, like a star that would never fall, waiting for the little pearl that had been lost to return home.

Tang Xixue was stunned for a moment.

"no?"

She blinked, her peach blossom eyes sparkling like stars, filled with disbelief.

"How about we siblings fight each other? Maybe we can seize power or something?"

She spoke earnestly, but a sly glint was clearly in her eyes.

When long-lost siblings reunite, they always end up vying for the throne and engaging in power struggles, ultimately resulting in mutual destruction or one side admitting defeat.

As the saying goes, the victor is king and the loser is villain!

Xingyu looked at her.

Looking at her adorable appearance.

He suddenly burst out laughing.

"Hahaha--"

The laughter contained a sense of satisfaction that even he couldn't quite explain—a satisfaction that he had finally waited for this moment.

His handsome face, which had been expressionless, now broke into a smile.

She really is like a warm little sun.

"Here, this is a gift from your brother."

He suppressed his smile, took out an exquisite wooden box from his side, and handed it to her.

The box wasn't large, but it was carved from deep-sea driftwood, with patterns of waves and stars and the moon engraved on its surface, each cut exquisitely detailed.

Tang Xixue looked at the box but did not take it immediately.

"It's not one of those gifts that's dead on the spot, or one that comes with a hidden weapon, is it?"

She looked up at him, a hint of wariness in her eyes.

Xingyu just smiled and didn't answer.

Tang Xixue carefully took the box.

Sensing that Xingyu's gaze held no malice, she still opened it.

The moment the box was opened, her eyes lit up.

It wasn't some kind of hidden weapon.

It wasn't some malicious scheme.

Inside lies a string of exquisite seashell and pearl wind chimes.

Each shell is polished to a smooth, jade-like finish, gleaming with a pearly luster under the light.

Each pearl is carefully selected, round and full, and uniform in size.

Shells and pearls are strung together with delicate chains, arranged in a staggered and orderly fashion.

Girly heart.

Very sufficient.

Tang Xixue stared at the string of wind chimes, unsure of what to say.

"Is the gift not valuable enough?"

Xingyu's voice suddenly lowered.

He stared at the wind chimes, at the gift in her hand that was twenty years overdue, and the light in his eyes suddenly dimmed.

"Sending it now... seems a bit inappropriate."

This is a gift he made by hand when he was seven years old.

From the thousands of seashells brought by the tide, each one is carefully selected, leaving only the most complete and beautiful ones.

Pearls harvested from deep within the coral reefs are compared one by one, and only the roundest and most lustrous ones are selected.

Then, with their tender hands, they polished the shells smooth and strung the pearls together.

I carefully made this wind chime.

That string of wind chimes, as he was placed on the throne and as he dealt with the wolves over the years, was kept hidden in the most secret corner.

This wait lasted for twenty years.

Now, he finally has the opportunity to give it a try.

But she grew up.

It's no longer that baby that needs to be hung in a cradle.

Is this wind chime suitable?

Tang Xixue looked at him.

Looking at the fleeting sadness in his eyes.

She suddenly smiled.

The smile spread from the depths of his eyes, reaching the corners of his lips and transforming into a gentle curve.

"How could it be inappropriate?"

Her voice was soft and gentle.

"I really like it."

She picked up the wind chimes.

"It's so beautiful!"

A sea breeze wafts through the window, causing the wind chimes to sway gently and produce a clear, melodious sound.

"jingle--"

"jingle--"

The voice was soft, yet it seemed to have traveled through twenty years, landing in the hearts of the two people.

She smiled sweetly.

Those peach blossom eyes sparkled like a galaxy.

She was beautiful in a way that even she herself didn't realize.

He looked at her.

Looking at her holding that string of wind chimes, her eyes crinkled with laughter.

The bitterness in my heart was instantly healed.

It's like a heart that has been hanging in the air for twenty years has finally returned to its original place.

Like a leaf that has been drifting for twenty years, it has finally fallen into the soil.

He spoke softly.

The voice was very soft, so soft it was as if the speaker was talking to himself.

"If Little Pearl likes it, then it's worth it."

Just as his sacrifice was worthwhile if it ensured her safety, it was all worth it.

"Why does my brother call me Little Pearl?"

Tang Xixue carefully hung the string of seashell wind chimes in front of the window.

Xingyu looked at her, at the swaying wind chimes, and a warm feeling welled up in his eyes.

"because--"

"Thirty thousand stars in the sky cannot compare to a pearl in the palm of your hand."

Xingyu is a quiet and reserved person.

Over the years, he has dealt with wolves, played games with powerful ministers, and clashed with unseen enemies.

He spoke less and less, sometimes not even a few words all day.

But only to her.

They answer almost every question.

Even the words she uttered made Bai Duo, who was accompanying her outside, feel numb.

Bai Duo stood outside the imperial carriage and was stunned when she heard these words.

This—this is something his cold and aloof Sea Emperor could say?

Although it was just a brother's way of cherishing his sister, to him it was sweeter than any love confession.

Is this still the same emperor who kills without shedding blood and is as cold as the deep sea?

"My mother once said that from now on I will call you Little Pearl."

Xingyu paused, then spoke softly.

Those sapphire-blue eyes were looking at her.

"Little sister, okay?"

Tang Xixue met his eyes.

Gazing into the unfathomable sea, she saw only her reflection.

Looking into those eyes, I saw the trepidation, the cautious anticipation, and the unease of being rejected.

She suddenly felt a little soft-hearted.

He was only seven years old when he ascended the throne.

A seven-year-old child was put in that position.

These years must have been very difficult.

It must have been very tough.

There must have been many nights when someone carried all the darkness alone.

It's just a name.

She doesn't care about so much.

All are family.

"Go ahead and call out if you want."

She spoke softly.

Her voice was soft, carrying a hint of helplessness, indulgence, and tenderness.

Xingyu looked at her.

Looking into her bright, sparkling eyes, at the faint smile on her lips, at her seemingly indifferent attitude despite her indulgence of him.

He suddenly realized.

My own little sister is so cute.