The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

The news of the execution of the seven elders of Zonglan Terrace spread across every inch of the Zhiyue Sea Kingdom on the night wind.

Wherever the news reached, people were in an uproar.

Some were astonished, some were bewildered, and some could not believe it.

Zonglantai has been entrenched in the Sea Kingdom for thousands of years, and its roots are deep and its branches are lush. When its loyal followers heard the news, they were furious and believed that Xingyu was doing a bad job of eliminating dissidents.

Outside the Moon Weaving Palace, the night was deep.

The moonlight, like mercury, poured down upon the crystal-carved palace, refracting into countless shimmering rays.

The waves gently lapped against the rocks on the shore, creating a rhythmic sound.

But the sound of the tide could not drown out the commotion outside the palace gates.

Outside the palace gates, the crowd was in an uproar.

"The Seven Elders of Zonglan Terrace are the backbone of the Maritime Kingdom. You just kill them like that?"

"Xingyu, that tyrant, has finally shown his true colors. He just wants to seize power for himself!"

"It's pitiful that these seven elderly people, who devoted their lives to the country, ended up like this."

"We demand an explanation; we cannot let loyal ministers lose heart."

"Charge in and demand an explanation from the Sea Emperor!"

Some elderly officials with white hair knelt on the ground and wept bitterly, some young officials held their tablets and cursed angrily, and some who were secretly lurking were eager to make their move.

"We've tolerated his elimination of dissidents all these years. But now he's even killed the highly respected Seven Elders. Won't we be next?"

"This is outrageous! If we don't get an explanation today, we'll kneel and die outside the palace gates!"

"The Seven Elders have always treated us with immense kindness; how can we allow them to die without knowing why?"

A storm is brewing, and undercurrents are about to emerge.

"Please calm down, everyone. There might be something fishy about this."

"What's strange about it? The person was killed, the knife was stained with blood, and now you're telling me it's strange?"

"Just wait. If we don't get an explanation today, we will not rest until we have one."

Atop the high pavilion, a figure stood silently.

The person wore a long, ice-blue silk dress that was as vast as the sea, and her face was covered with a light veil, revealing only a pair of clear, moon-like eyes.

The night breeze lifted her clothes, and the veil fluttered slightly, revealing a vague outline beneath, but it was impossible to see clearly.

The moonlight was soft and gentle, its silvery glow faint.

Tang Xixue lowered her eyes and looked at the surging crowd outside the palace gate, her expression calm and composed, like a gentle breeze.

Standing beside her, Yue Zhongtian asked in a low voice, "Your Majesty, shall we step forward to explain?"

"No need."

Her voice was very soft, like the misty rain of Jiangnan.

Through the veil, the voice sounded even more ethereal, as if it came from a very distant place.

"Father will handle it."

"He has waited twenty years for this day. It is time for him to stand before his people and tell them that he has returned."

Amidst this chaos, the gates of the Moon Weaving Palace slowly opened.

A figure stepped out of the palace gate.

The man had a pine-like figure and exquisite features, and his silver-patterned moon-white robe fluttered gently in the sea breeze.

The moonlight fell on him, adorning him with tiny silver diamonds.

His presence there was like a pillar of strength, silencing all the noise.

It is Yuehao.

The Moon Emperor, who had been asleep for twenty years, has awakened.

Everyone stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

Those courtiers who had been cursing just moments before stood frozen in place, as if struck by lightning.

"Gentlemen."

His voice reached everyone's ears clearly.

The voice was as gentle as ever, yet it carried an undeniable authority.

"Those seven villains were the masterminds behind the murder of me back then."

His gaze swept over the indignant faces.

"Now, thanks to my princess for awakening me, I am able to tear off the disguises of those villains, layer by layer."

"Otherwise, no one will know how long they will be kept in the dark."

"Can they escape punishment for harming me and the eldest princess of the imperial family? No. Their crimes are unforgivable."

"They are traitors and should be executed."

After he finished speaking, the entire room fell silent.

Tang Xixue listened quietly to those words, and then gently waved to Xie Jinlian and He Lichen on the high pavilion not far away.

The moonlight fell on her, revealing a gentle glow through her veil.

The two smiled slightly at the same time, as if a spring breeze had left its mark on their lips.

Those courtiers who had just been cursing suddenly knelt down as they gazed at the figure they had only seen in portraits for the past twenty years, at the face that was exactly the same as the one in their memories.

"His Majesty--"

A sob woke everyone up.

Those loyal ministers who had been devoted to the legitimate rule of the Moon Clan, those loyal officials who had longed for the return of the Moon Emperor day and night, all knelt on the ground, tears streaming down their faces.

"Your Majesty, is it really Your Majesty?"

"His Majesty has awakened. His Majesty has returned."

"Am I seeing things? That figure, that bearing, it's clearly His Majesty."

"Heaven has eyes. Heaven has eyes. Twenty years, a full twenty years."

"Waaah, this old minister thought he would never see His Majesty again in this lifetime."

"Heaven will not forsake my Moon Clan. Heaven will not forsake my Moon Clan."

Cries, shouts, and laughter mingled together, echoing through the sky.

The sound drowned out the waves and the tides, soaring straight into the night sky.

The place was bustling with noise, and flowers were falling like rain.

The Moon Emperor dealt with the situation calmly. Despite being such a gentle person, she was never afraid of the wind and rain.

High above, Tang Xixue gazed at this scene, a glimmer of tears welling up in her eyes beneath her veil.

She recalled her father's frozen face in the cold pool of the temple, slumbering silently for twenty years.

And at this moment, he stands there, alive and well, ready to shield her from the wind and rain.

Her father, the emperor.

came back.

As for those seven old thieves?

Those who betray their country shall be executed.

It's not a pity to die.

"Those seven old thieves, all these years we've actually worshipped them as the most loyal ministers."

"They deceived me so badly. And I even felt sorry for them. I was so stupid."

"I was just speaking up for them, and now I'm ashamed of myself. Where do I put my face?"

"Good riddance. They got off too easily."

"He deserves to die. He deserves to die. This kind of scourge to the country and its people deserves to be torn to pieces."

The Seven Elders never imagined that their years of brainwashing the factions, which led them to claim they wanted to support the Moon Clan, would actually produce a group of loyal and die-hard Moon Clan followers.

Those who were cultivated by them, those who were misled by them, those who thought they were fighting for the legitimacy of the Moon Clan.

The moment Yue Hao appeared, they all turned their attention to him.

They cursed more harshly than anyone else.

They hated him more than anyone else.

Because those seven old thieves tricked them so badly.

The figures of the seven elders have long since turned to dust, drifting away in the night.

But those who were deceived by them are still alive.

All that anger, all that betrayed trust, all that shame and regret—there must be a place for it.

Yuehao stood there, watching this scene, a silent sigh rising in his eyes.

People are like those who look at the moon in the water; they only see the swaying reflection of the moon, but they don't know where the wind comes from.

But though those eyes gazing at the moon are easily deceived by the shimmering light, the bright moon in their hearts never sinks.

This is the will of the people.

Easily moved, yet not easily swayed. Easily confused, yet not easily lost.

When the wind rises, all the trees sway in unison. When the wind stops, the pine trees stand upright on their own.

The hearts of people are often swayed by the wind.

Among the people of this world, there are those whose bones do not break.

The Yuezhi people have been a nation for a thousand years, and what they rely on is precisely this unyielding spirit.

The Moon Emperor of the Zhiyue Sea Kingdom, who loved his people like his own children, had already deeply impressed the hearts of the people without being spoken of.

His very presence is a banner.

Where the flag flies, the hearts of the people follow.

Those years, those deeply hidden loyalty, those suppressed expectations, those unspoken longings—all awaken at this moment, converging into a vast ocean.

Yuehao raised his hand, silencing all the noise.

He stood there, his gaze slowly sweeping over the kneeling courtiers, their tears still wet on their faces, before finally settling on a spot behind him.

High on the pavilion, Tang Xixue's eyes met his.

She knew it was her turn to step in.

She slowly walked down from the high pavilion.

The moonlight followed closely, landing on that elegant figure.

The veil fluttered gently in the sea breeze, and the heart of the vast ocean around her neck reflected the ripples of a thousand rivers.

She walked slowly and steadily, each step treading on the shimmering moonlight.

When she appeared before the palace gates and the high platform, the entire place fell silent once again.

"this--"

Yuehao's voice rang out as he looked at his beloved daughter beside him, each word spoken with conviction.

"She is my legitimate princess, the only true descendant of the Yuezhi royal family. The current Empress Zhiyue!"

"Moon Weaving Snow".

The moment those three words were uttered, everyone held their breath.

She came stepping on the moon, her robes billowing like waves of snow.

Beneath the veil, a fleeting glimpse was enough to make the entire moonlit sea pale in comparison.

"The Heart of Azure Snow".

Someone whispered.

"That is a sacred object of the Yuezhi, the Heart of the Ocean."

"When a sacred object recognizes its master, it is destined by Heaven."

"Your Majesty the Empress. It really is Your Majesty the Empress."

Yuehao's voice continued, each word carrying the weight of twenty years of waiting.

"Twenty years ago, those seven villains nearly killed me, forcing my precious pearl to wander abroad and suffer countless hardships."

"Twenty years later, it was she who awakened me, personally executed the traitors, and restored the glory of the Yuezhi to this sea frontier."

He looked at Tang Xixue, his eyes glistening with tears, but they did not fall.

"Weaving Snow Returns, Restoring Order to the Past."

"From the past to the present, her name has been recorded in the imperial genealogy. She is the rightful empress of our Weaving Moon Sea Kingdom. We will choose an auspicious day to ascend the throne."

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire room erupted in uproar.

Some were pleasantly surprised, some were excited, and some were moved to tears.

Yuehao's voice rang out again, overwhelming all the ripples.

"As for the Star Encounter Sea Emperor."

He looked at Xingyu, who was standing not far away, his gaze filled with heartache, but also with deep pride.

"Over the years, he has single-handedly supported this shattered land, protecting me and Zhiyue without ever leaving our side."

His voice was deep and powerful, piercing through the night and reaching everyone's ears.

"From this day forward, the Star Encounter Sea Emperor will remain in the position of Sea Emperor, wielding the power of regent, and assisting Her Majesty the Empress."

"The stars and moon shine together, illuminating the moon."

Xingyu was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.

He looked at his father, then at his sister.

Through the veil, he saw her gently smile at him.

That one glance was worth a thousand words.

He stepped forward and walked to her side. Her long blue and white floral silk robe fluttered lightly in the wind.

The silvery light fell on the two of them, on his long, silvery-blue hair, and on her lightly veiled face.

A being as serene as the moon, and as gentle as snow.

A woman of striking beauty, graceful and elegant.

Xingyu turned slightly to the side and reached out his hand to her.

Tang Xixue lowered her eyes, gazing at that slender and warm hand, the curve of her lips resembling a crescent moon.

Without hesitation, she placed her hand in his palm.

The pearl and silver bracelet on her fair wrist made her hands look exceptionally beautiful.

In that instant, the two stood side by side, facing the kneeling officials and subjects.

The moonlight is my crown, the sea breeze my garments, my sleeves flutter as the night gently shifts.

It's as beautiful as a painting.

A painting titled "Stars and Moon Shining Together".

Someone in the crowd was the first to shout.

"Long live the Empress!"

"The Star Emperor is mighty!"

"The stars and moon shine together, illuminating the moonlit night!"

The shouts rose, grew louder, and faded into the distance, tearing a hole in the night.

The call startled the seabirds resting among the coral reefs, which took flight and circled over the water.

Tang Xixue gently tilted her head, her face veiled.

Moonlight slipped from her shoulders and fell into her eyes, shimmering like a galaxy.

Xingyu seemed to sense something and turned to look at her as well.

The moment our eyes met, the wind died down and the sound of the tide faded away.

Through her veil, she gently curved her eyes into a smile.

"From now on, I'll trouble you to guide me on this journey."

She raised her hand and placed it on his palm.

The hand was small and cold, but it covered her very steadily.

Xingyu looked down at her.

The corners of her lips turned up slightly.

All the wind and snow, all the swords and spears, all the lonely nights and dawns over the years, were all for this moment, to have my wish fulfilled.

"You have experienced hardship and displacement, while I am now covered in snow and wind."

"For the rest of my life, the wind and snow will be mine, and the sunshine and warmth will be yours."

He gripped her hand tighter.

"Little Pearl, I'll hold your hand as you walk the path ahead."

Xie Jinlian and He Lichen stood side by side not far away.

"Competition is the norm, winning is destiny."

Xie Jinlian spoke in a flat tone.

"Not arguing is—forget it, I can't do it."

Upon hearing this, He Lichen chuckled softly.

"Ah, in the end, the winner may not necessarily win, and the loser may not necessarily lose."

He paused, looking at the figure in the distance.

"Because the real winners are never us."

The two of them looked at Tang Xixue at the same time.

She was completely unaware.

She tilted her head slightly, looking at her older brother beside her, and said something, her eyes curving into a beautiful arc.

Xie Jinlian sighed softly.

He Lichen also sighed softly.

The sigh was very soft, as soft as if it had been blown away by the sea breeze.

"So what are we arguing about?"

Xie Jinlian asked.

He Lichen remained silent for a moment, then shook his head.

"have no idea."

"But we still have to fight for it."

Why?

Xie Jinlian gazed at the figure in the distance, her eyes filled with light, but also with helplessness.

"Because if you don't fight, you don't even have the right to stand here."

"How about we join forces?"

"You severed the past with a single sword, I divined the rest of my life with a single divination."

"The peach blossoms elsewhere should go their separate ways as soon as possible."

"make a deal."