The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

"I will be attending court later."

Tang Xiye glanced at the sky outside the window.

The morning light had broken through the thin mist of the red snow, casting a soft glow into the room.

"Yan Ce, you stay with Zhi Zhi."

He left behind Yan Ci to search for the soul of Tangxi Xue.

Yan Ci was right; this blanket of crimson snow surely concealed a momentous event.

He must return to the palace first to make arrangements.

"Zhizhi, I'll spend time with you after court later."

Tangxi Ye was a responsible monarch.

Only when the country is prosperous and the people are at peace can he provide her with a stable environment.

If the world is not at peace, how can he protect her?

"Yes, Brother Xuan Yin, please return to the palace soon."

Tang Xixue nodded.

He is outside the palace today, and it will take him some time to get back.

It's not exactly close to the palace from here, and the court assembly can't be delayed.

"Doesn't Zhizhi feel any reluctance at all? But I... am still reluctant to leave."

Tang Xiye picked up the comb from the dressing table.

It was an exquisite and gorgeous white jade comb adorned with begonia blossoms.

The comb handle is smooth and warm, carved with a crabapple bud about to bloom, its petals layered and lifelike.

He picked up the comb and personally combed her black hair.

Straighten each strand from the top of the hair to the ends.

Each touch was exceptionally gentle and attentive, like caressing a fine brocade, measuring a moment of tenderness.

"Of course Zhizhi wouldn't want to part with it."

"I... just want to lock up Brother Xuan Yin and keep him as a mistress."

Tang Xixue accidentally revealed her true feelings.

Those beautiful peach blossom eyes shone as if a whole galaxy had been shattered.

Yan Ci was greatly shocked upon hearing this.

As the saying goes, "A good reputation can be a good thing or a bad thing."

"The past is the past, now it's perverted!"

He was always worried that his emperor's possessiveness would lead him to lock the delicate little princess in a golden cage.

I am deeply worried about this and toss and turn day and night.

Good heavens!

Why did he feel that the young prince's words didn't sound like a joke?

So, the one who has always been in a precarious situation, and could be secretly kept at any moment—is actually their Emperor?

Fortunately, their emperor has always been upright and did not offend the young prince.

"Oh."

Tang Xiye was not annoyed at all upon hearing this; instead, her eyes lit up as if she had been pleased by some excellent idea.

He leaned down slightly, close to Tang Xixue's ear, with a slightly seductive smile.

"Then I want a larger golden house."

"I also need a very large bed."

"And, the one and only Orihime in the world."

Tang Xiye spoke with utmost seriousness, as if he were issuing an unalterable imperial edict.

Every word carried a burning heat, landing on her earlobe, sending a tingling sensation down to her heart.

For a moment, Tang Xixue had no idea whose obsession this golden house was fulfilling.

"Zhizhi, don't go back on your word. Your brother is waiting for your golden house."

Tang Xiye took out a white jade hairpin with a begonia flower from her sleeve and put it on her hair.

The hairpin and comb were equally exquisite and intricate, with intertwined floral branches and slightly curled petals, as if they had just been broken off from the branches.

"What a beautiful hairpin! It's in the same style as the jade comb."

Tang Xixue looked in the mirror and saw the beautiful hairpin; she loved it.

"Yes, they are the same."

Tang Xiye smiled and replied.

These two items were originally a pair, which he made for her by hand before she came of age.

But in the past, he only gave away the begonia-shaped white jade comb.

The jade hairpin was a token of love. At that time, he still kept his duty as an elder brother and silently hid the hairpin in a brocade box.

Thanks to the Drunken Immortal that night, he was able to cross that line.

He truly loved Zhizhi to the core.

It is precisely because the love is so deep that the restraint of the past becomes all the more heart-wrenching.

He was afraid that his burning passion would frighten and burn her.

Therefore, he chose the most difficult path.

Lift her up, fulfill her, give her boundless freedom, and let her come and go as she pleases.

This is a thousand times more difficult than trapping her in your arms and taking her by force.

One is indulgence, the other is self-control.

The person he wanted to trap was never her.

It was the trapped beast that roared day and night in his heart.

What needs to be locked away is not something coveted by others.

It was his own surging jealousy.

But after losing it and getting it back, he could no longer suppress his emotions.

The love that had been suppressed for so long burst forth like a flood, overwhelming and engulfing him.

That night of losing control, he had already become hers.

How can we continue to deceive ourselves like this?

He no longer wanted to be a respectable elder brother.

Don't talk about fulfilling someone's wishes or letting go.

He only wants her.

No matter what, she had to take responsibility for him to the end.

"If Brother Xuan Yin doesn't leave soon, he'll be late for court."

Tang Xixue said with a smile, her voice carrying a hint of reproach, but her eyes couldn't hide the sweetness.

"Well, it's my court, I'm in charge. It may be late, but it's late."

Tang Xiye now practically wants to be a tyrannical ruler who doesn't hold court in the morning.

"If Brother Xuan Yin becomes a tyrannical ruler, wouldn't Zhi Zhi become a femme fatale?"

Tang Xixue got up and took a cloak from the sandalwood shelf next to the dressing table.

That was a black cape with gold tassels that had been prepared for Tangxi Ye before the New Year.

It is made of the finest Yun brocade, with a thin layer of mink fur sewn into the lining, which is soft and warm to the touch.

The collar and lapel are embroidered with cloud patterns in gold thread.

The hem is adorned with a row of fine, gilded tassels, each tassel ending in a tiny jade bead the size of a grain of rice.

She had been keeping it, but hadn't had a chance to give it to him yet.

"It is my own folly that has led to this; how can you blame Zhizhi? Who dares to say you are a source of trouble?"

Tang Xiye watched as she tied the ties of her cloak for him, and a gentle look appeared in his eyes.

She tiptoed and deftly tied the ribbon into a delicate knot with her fingers.

Her fingertips brushed against his chin unintentionally, eliciting a slight smile from him.

"Is this a gift from Zhizhi to me?"

He asked in a low voice, looking down at her.

"Otherwise what?"

Tang Xixue tilted her head and asked in return.

"Could it be that Brother Xuan Yin thought this was prepared for someone else?"

"No, I am simply overjoyed."

Tangxi Ye's voice was like a spring breeze in March, her eyes filled with gentle ripples.

"Shuang'er, bring your brother a breakfast to eat on the way."

Tang Xixue turned her head and gave the instructions.

"Yes, Your Highness."

Li Shuang responded and left, returning shortly afterward with a food box.

The food box was made of sandalwood, its entire surface jet black and glossy, with engraved silver pieces inlaid on the edges.

The lid of the box is inlaid with mother-of-pearl depicting a sparse and crooked begonia branch, its petals as thin as cicada wings, shimmering with a faint pearly luster under the light.

She handed the food box to Shen Cuo and gave him a few more instructions.

"Commander Shen, be careful not to shake it. This is breakfast that His Highness asked His Majesty to take on the road."

"Oh well."

Shen Cuo took it and felt that it was slightly heavy in his hand.

A faint fragrance could be smelled at the tip of my nose, like osmanthus and glutinous rice mixed together, steaming out in wisps.

For a moment, he couldn't tell whether he was the Grand Commander of the Imperial Guards or His Majesty's Chief Eunuch.

I'll take any job!

My salary hasn't increased at all!

He inwardly groaned, but dared not show it on his face.

He strongly requested a transfer, wanting to be assigned to Princess Mirror's side.

Look at how cold it is in the morning and how cool it is in the evening; I'm actually fortunate enough to be with Your Highness every day.

Is this something he could even think of?

He used to sympathize with those two unfortunate men.

Now he dreams about it every day: What have they done to deserve this?

"Zhizhi, I'm leaving."

Tang Xiye spoke softly to Tang Xixue.

"Brother Xuan Yin, Zhi Zhi will miss you."

Tang Xixue's eyes were filled with affection for him.

"I'm already missing you even before I've left, Zhizhi."

Tang Xiye silently said to himself that he had to use all his self-control to keep himself from pulling her into his arms.

He was afraid that if he held her, he wouldn't be able to let go.

I really want to keep her by my side.

"Yan Ce, I believe you are a smart man."

Tang Xiye lowered her eyes and glanced at Yan Ci, who sat upright like a statue to the side.

That gaze was indifferent, yet it was like an invisible knife.

"Your Majesty, please wait. I will certainly do my duty."

Yan Ci lowered his head innocently, looking down at his nose, as if he wanted to shrink himself into a ball of air.

It's all about having the strongest will to survive.

His Majesty has gone mad with killing, okay?

He was just sitting there, doing nothing, yet he had already been scrutinized by that gaze several times over.