The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

After Tang Xixue coaxed Xiyin into eating some freshly made porridge and lit some calming incense, watching her fall into a deep sleep, she gently got up and left her palace.

The sunlight fell, warm and cozy.

But her heart remained cold.

She walked along the crystal-paved corridor, past a cluster of blooming coral flowers, and saw the snow-white figure leaning against the railing.

Her long, silvery-white hair cascaded down like a waterfall, gleaming in the light with the clear glow of fresh snow and the cool luster of pearls.

Her hair fell gently, swaying slightly in the sea breeze, like tassels formed from moonlight.

Her skin was as white and translucent as a freshly peeled lotus seed, delicate and flawless, as if it had never been touched by the frost and snow of the world.

Her eyebrows and eyes were extremely delicate, and her silver-gray eyes were so clear that you could see right through them.

At that moment, those eyes were gazing at her, filled with a lingering tenderness.

Xie Jinlian.

He just leaned there quietly.

With just a slight glance, the shower of cherry blossoms seemed to shatter.

A small, silvery-white butterfly rests on the slender fingertip.

The butterfly fluttered its wings gently, but never flew away.

It seemed as if she, like him, was waiting for the gentle breeze, the bright moon, and the snow.

"Zhizhi, your teacher has been waiting for so long."

His voice was soft and gentle, with a hint of coquetry.

The voice touched her heart, as if something had been gently warmed.

Tang Xixue walked over and stood in front of him.

Sunlight filtered between them, casting two intertwined shadows on the ground.

"Little Lotus, you've been waiting a long time."

She curved her lips into a smile, and the frost in her eyes melted into a clear spring scene.

"I'll reward you tonight."

A single sentence, seemingly light and airy, yet like scalding hot oil poured into an icy lake.

Xie Jinlian's earlobes seemed to have been stained with the color of rubies.

"No reward can be given at this time."

He turned his face away, his voice low and tinged with a hint of sullen grievance.

"I haven't locked up Ayan and his little butterfly yet."

He had no intention of rewarding Ayan.

Ayan thought he had hidden his little thoughts well, and that no one knew about his fluttering heartbeats.

But what he didn't know was that Yun Boyan had no secrets from him whatsoever.

He felt every heartbeat with his own.

With each surge of emotion, he had nowhere to escape.

Lock them up.

They must be locked up.

They were neatly locked up.

"What are Guan Ayan's little butterflies for?"

Tang Xixue was a little puzzled, her gaze falling on the small silver butterfly on his fingertip.

The little butterfly was entirely silvery-white, with fine shimmering light floating on its wings; it was so beautiful in the sunlight that it seemed otherworldly.

She reached out her hand, and the silvery butterfly fluttered its wings and gently landed on her fingertips.

Its wings fluttered gently, as if greeting her affectionately.

"The little butterflies that Master raises are so beautiful."

She gazed at the butterfly on her fingertip, a rose blooming on her lips, and smiled slightly.

"He's as handsome as my master."

Xie Jinlian felt a surge of joy upon hearing this.

That sweetness spread from my heart, transforming into a gentle breeze and soft clouds in my eyes.

"Um."

He responded softly.

"Because if we're going to close them, we have to do it all neatly, without missing a single one."

His smiling eyes held a secret thought known only to himself.

He looked at the butterfly that had landed on her fingertip.

Those were his pets.

But now, it landed on her fingertip and affectionately fluttered its wings.

Just like Ayan's restless heart.

"Such a handsome master belongs only to Zhizhi."

Tang Xixue looked at him and suddenly spoke.

His name is a pair of intertwined branches that she created with her own pen.

Xie Jinlian was slightly taken aback.

Then he smiled.

That smile was so faint, yet it was enough to make the spring scenery pale in comparison.

Spring arrives with the seasons, and the cold winter is over.

Looking back, the landscape is filled with the beauty of spring.

"Um."

He replied.

He belongs exclusively to Zhizhi.

He liked hearing that.

"Wen Song just sent a message."

Xie Jinlian took out a secret letter from his sleeve and handed it to her.

"He obtained intelligence from the Cloud Dukes in the Weaving Moon Sea Kingdom. You can take a look."

His voice regained some of its coolness, yet it still held a gentle quality.

"Now that you're new here, you should learn more about who the enemies are and who your own people are, so you don't get tricked."

Tang Xixue took the secret letter, unfolded it, and read it carefully.

Xie Jinlian stood beside her and added calmly.

"Furthermore, according to Yun Jue's intelligence, the Fengxiao Pavilion in the Zhiyue Sea Kingdom was completely eradicated by the Tianxing Guard of the Xingyu Sea Emperor."

"Furthermore, I heard that the seven elders of Zonglan Terrace were so angry upon hearing the news that they vomited blood."

"Those few are probably not good people."

He immediately briefed his young apprentice on the situation in the Zhiyue Sea Kingdom.

It seems that the Sea Emperor in Star Encounters should be her biggest rival, but the venomous snake behind him must also be guarded against.

He never says much.

But everything he did was paving the way for her.

Avoid the hidden reefs for her, and shield her from the arrows she cannot see.

"Little Lotus is truly my wonderful wife."

Tang Xixue put away the secret letter, looked up at him, her eyes full of smiles.

Xie Jinlian's ears turned even redder.

"By the way, can Yun Jue help me send a message?"

She suddenly remembered the important matter.

"I need to find my senior brother to come over."

"sure."

Xie Jinlian replied.

"Why bother looking for Yun Jue? Kunlun Ruins also has its own intelligence system. It's just that Yun Jue has more shady information, so Wen Song specially transferred him over."

Kunlun Ruins, the number one power in the Nine Provinces.

He is the foremost swordsman in the world.

Being detached from worldly affairs does not mean lacking power.

But in the past, there was no one worth him using those powers for.

Now, we have it.

"Then I'll write the letter, and Master will help me send it over."

As she spoke, she seemed to remember something else.

Empress Dowager Bai Yining.

My elder brother, Tangxi Night.

And the people from the Hall of Longevity...

She wanted to let them know she was safe.

But now, where can she report her safety?

She could only sense that a wisp of a lost soul was in the Weaving Moon Sea Kingdom.

But where is it?

she does not know.

But her time is running out.

At this moment, Baiyujing was already in a state of panic, with everyone on edge.

Inside the Shen Prime Minister's residence, the maid Li'er carried a meal and tiptoed into the room.

"I don't know what's happening outside. The young master said we shouldn't go out these next few days unless it's absolutely necessary."

She placed the food on the table, muttering to herself.

Her young lady ordered twice as much food as usual today.

"Okay, Li'er, put the things away and then go out to keep watch. Don't let anyone disturb me."

Shen Yan's voice came from the inner room.

"Yes, Miss."

Li'er put down her things, turned around and left, gently closing the door behind her.

The room fell silent.

Shen Yan sat in front of the mirror, gazing at her reflection in the bronze mirror.

Both involve tracing one's ancestry and returning to one's roots.

But the Beichen Empire has never lacked princes and princesses.

Therefore, although she obtained the status of a royal princess, she did not receive the same imperial favor as Princess Jing.

She still lives in the Shen residence.

Tang Xiye is now solely focused on avenging Tang Xixue, and has not even granted her a princess's residence.

It was as if her title of princess was nothing more than a hollow honor that could be discarded at will.

She lowered her eyelashes, her fingertips lightly tracing the cuffs of her sleeves, revealing a hint of resentment.

Suddenly, a gentle breeze swept by.

A figure dressed in a black cloak appeared silently behind her.

"Thank you for taking me in, cousin Yunhua."

The voice was low and deep, carrying a hint of relief at surviving a close call.

"Otherwise, my cousin would surely be hunted down and killed by the Prince of Beichen and the Emperor Shengchen."

"I don't know what's gotten into Shan Hai and Qi Shi Ge. They never dared to offend us before... but now they're like two mad dogs..."

"Thank goodness, with my cousin's help, you're truly my soulmate!"

Shen Yan did not turn around.

She simply gazed at the blurry reflection in the mirror, a slight smile curving her lips.

"Royalty is so heartless."

She spoke softly, her voice so faint it sounded like she was talking to herself.

"Once they've used the Sang family, they'll wipe them out completely..."

"Cousin, am I truly...the one destined for me?"

A breeze was blowing outside the window.

The leaves rustled.

It's as if something is quietly growing in the shadows.