The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

A very soft cough broke the eerie silence of the room, like a delicate hand plucking the thinnest string of a musical instrument.

"Your Majesty, your tea."

Li Shuang entered carrying a freshly brewed teacup, her eyes lowered, her steps light and silent.

"Please enjoy your meal, esteemed guests."

Dressed in a pale yellow palace gown, she was like a ray of spring sunshine that had strayed into the dead of winter amidst the tense atmosphere.

She dared not look up, feeling as if those gazes were tangible, sending chills down her spine.

Her slender fingers held the tea tray steadily, placing the celadon teacups one by one on the table, her movements as gentle as if afraid of disturbing the snow on the branches.

Then, she quickly retreated, not daring to lift her head, her skirt catching a wisp of wind.

Behind the screen, several heads huddled together even closer, like sparrows clustered together on a branch.

Li Shuang clutched her chest, her round almond-shaped eyes brimming with barely suppressed excitement.

"My God, this scene is more exciting than anything on a theatrical stage! The way they look at me could roast me into a dried human!"

She lowered her voice, but couldn't suppress the excitement that was about to burst out of her throat.

"These are all His Highness's flowers! Each one is a celestial specimen! But why are these celestial specimens competing with each other for the best?"

"Shhh."

Qingdai gently tugged at her sleeve, signaling her to keep her voice down.

But she couldn't help but peek inside. Her calm eyes were now sparkling with gossip, like spring water rippling in the wind.

"His Majesty can't possibly be another of our Highness's beauties, can he? I thought only well-behaved girls like Young Master Pei were like that..."

"Pear Frost peeked out and spoke. Her earrings swayed gently with her slight movements, as if they were also watching the spectacle."

"Our Emperor seems to be very protective of his food. This is at least a royal flower, and the kind of tyrant that will pluck all the other flowers bare."

Wei Yu stood on the outermost side, her face composed, but her eyes never left the flower hall.

Her lips were slightly pursed, clearly suppressing a smile.

The smile was suppressed, yet it subtly slipped out from the corners of his eyes and brows.

"Our princess has done good deeds and accumulated merit throughout her life; this is what she deserves."

He stood upright, sword in hand, his posture as straight as a pine tree, like a sculpture.

But she raised the corners of her lips slightly and added, "It's just that this blessing is a bit too much; I'm afraid our prince can't handle it."

"Our Emperor is even more terrifying than usual today."

Li Shuang muttered softly, her voice low, but she couldn't hide her excitement at the prospect of a good show.

"But why is it that this terrible thing makes people want to watch it? It's like reading a storybook; you know the ending is good, but you still want to see what happens in the middle."

"Keep your voice down—"

Qingdai raised her index finger, lowered her voice, and looked both nervous and excited.

"If you're overheard, I'll send you to the laundry department and make you scrub clothes that've been soaked in vinegar jars every day."

Li Shuang stuck out her tongue, her pink little tongue flashing by playfully.

She agreed verbally, but showed no intention of leaving.

Instead of leaving, it moved even closer.

"I just want to see His Highness's harem; this is much more exciting than the imperial concubine selection."

"Should we make name tags for them so His Highness can choose one? In what order? By age? By appearance? Or by how jealous he is?"

"Will they start fighting? If they do, should we try to break it up or bring some stools to help them?"

"Anyway, they won't hit our prince... but I think our prince is pretty eager to run away right now."

"Nonsense, I think our prince clearly enjoys watching it."

Tang Xiye held Tang Xixue's hand tightly, refusing to let go.

That hand was fair and slender, and it was slightly curled in his palm.

He gently stroked the back of her hand with his fingertips, the movement extremely light and gentle, carrying a sense of pride and an unwavering certainty that no one could take away from him.

The warmth beneath his fingertips was proof of what he had lost and regained.

It is his most precious treasure in this life, and also the knife that is now stuck in someone else's heart.

Xingyu stared coldly at the clasped hands.

The gaze was so cold and sharp, as if it wanted to bore a hole through the object of the eye and freeze the hand in the process.

He was surrounded by a deep-sea chill, as if he might unleash a raging storm at any moment and sweep away the man holding his sister's hand.

"Brother-in-law?"

Xingyu gave a cold laugh, the smile not reaching his eyes, but only floating on the corner of his lips, like frost flowers frozen on ice, which would shatter at the slightest touch.

"It's not your place to call me that."

His gaze swept over Xie Jinlian.

"Xie Jianxian called out much earlier, but no one acknowledged it."

Xie Jinlian's knuckles were slightly white as she gripped the sword hilt.

The force was astonishing, as if it could crush the sword hilt.

He looked at Tang Xiye, at the hand he was holding, and at his self-righteous demeanor, and felt a surge of anger.

"So what if you're number one?"

His voice was so cold it was almost freezing; every word was like a icy wind blowing from the far north.

"I have a long future with Zhizhi. In the future, I will surely be able to ask her to stop attending court in the morning."

"Oh? Aren't you Zhizhi's good master?"

Tang Xiye raised an eyebrow slightly, her smile deepening. Like a fox that had just stolen some fish, she deliberately licked her paws.

"What's wrong? You can't even hold your sword anymore? Should I find you a rope to tie it tighter, so you don't cut your hand?"

"Our affairs as master and disciple are none of your business. Some people are calling me 'brother,' don't they feel ashamed now?"

Xie Jinlian truly lived up to his reputation as a sword immortal; his sword was incredibly lethal, its blade aimed directly at vital points.

"You two used to be such a loving brother and sister, and now you're even holding hands? What's with this brother of yours? Are you working as a husband on the side?"

"Why did you stop pretending?"

"Yes, how can one give up halfway?"

He Lichen gently stroked the astrolabe in her hand.

His gaze fell on Tang Xiye, and he looked her up and down.

"I heard that once a man is over twenty-five, you can just have a chat."

"Xuan Yin, you're twenty-five, aren't you? According to astrological calculations, a man's yang energy begins to decline at this age."

He Lichen's words were like the pointer on a star chart, piercing straight into Tang Xiye's heart.

"Is this not working? Can you still make Zhizhi happy? Are you just forcing yourself?"

Tangxi was unhurried at night.

He lowered his eyes and glanced at his collar.

Then, he raised his hand and gently tidied it up.

The movements were extremely slow and unhurried, as if deliberately letting people see clearly, or as if afraid that people wouldn't see clearly, so he deliberately pulled down his collar.

The moment her collar opened slightly, the hickey was revealed without any attempt to conceal it.

The red marks, varying in shade, were all evidence of his being pampered, shining brightly like medals hanging around his neck.

"Oh? If Zhizhi isn't happy, then I don't know why my body is like this."

Tang Xiye's voice was soft, yet it carried a hint of satiated laziness and a touch of irritation.

That satisfaction is more deadly than any ostentation, like a pinch of salt, precisely sprinkled on everyone's wounds.

He added another sentence, his tone so innocent it was infuriating.

"Tsk, that's strange."

There was a moment of silence in the flower hall.

Xie Jinlian's expression changed.

He Lichen's gaze darkened.

Xingyu's gaze grew even colder.

Pei Yanchuan's eyes darkened.

The group, whose vinegar jars were already full, were kicked over.

It was turned to shreds, so shattered it couldn't be pieced back together; vinegar flowed like a river, enough to flood the entire flower hall.

"Stop joking, he's not good enough? He's way too good..."

Tang Xixue sat to the side and secretly glanced at them.

She suddenly felt as if she had a group of cats vying for her attention.

One of them had a cold face, but couldn't suppress his sword intent, ready to draw his sword and kill someone at any moment.

Aloof and ethereal, yet every word she utters is heart-wrenching, and she even carries a curse from astrological divination.

One was as cold as the deep sea, wishing it could freeze everyone to death with its gaze.

There was another one, holding her hand and provoking them one by one.

And she was that dried fish.

No, it's even more sought-after than dried fish.

These cats not only wanted to pick her up, but they also wanted to scratch each other's faces.