The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

"Ah Lin just said... these Crimson Snows are alive?"

Upon hearing this, Tang Xixue's eyes flashed with surprise, and her voice rose slightly.

"right."

Pei Yanchuan climbed the steps and gently placed the stack of books he was carrying on the table beside him.

His slender fingers brushed across the spine of the book, and he took out the top book, "Yun Ting Gu Jing," which smelled of old ink.

The pages are yellowed and the edges are slightly curled, it's unclear when or how it was passed down.

The pages turned between his fingers, making a soft rustling sound.

"Your Highness, please look at the records here."

Pei Yanchuan lowered his eyes, his voice clear and gentle, and pointed to a certain page in the book.

"This thing is not snow, but the Crimson Dust Gu. Crimson is red, and dust is its shape. This Gu is like dust, drifting with the wind, wherever it lands, it stains everything crimson."

"Huh? This Crimson Snow is indeed extremely similar to this Gu."

Tang Xixue leaned closer to take a look at the name of the ancient book, "Yun Ting Gu Jing".

This was a secret Gu book of the Qi clan of the Beichuan Yunting royal family, which she had heard of before, but today was the first time she had seen it with her own eyes.

"I've long heard that the Qi clan is skilled in using Gu poison, and it seems the rumors are true."

Yan Ci glanced at the "Gu Scripture" in Pei Yanchuan's hand, then gently twirled his folding fan in his palm.

It is said that every member of the Qi royal family is an extremely powerful Gu master.

Especially the regent, Qi Si, whose methods were unpredictable and instilled fear in all who heard of him.

There's also the God of War, Qi Wang, whose Gu techniques are far superior to his swordsmanship. He's decisive and ruthless, and has never been defeated in Beichuan.

The Qi clan single-handedly supported half of Beichuan Yunting's territory.

"I had never studied Gu magic before, but my father asked me to raise my own Gu, so I happened to have some knowledge of it."

Pei Yanchuan spoke in a gentle and unhurried manner.

The young man was dressed in a clean and simple blue and white robe. He was neither competitive nor greedy, yet he possessed a refined and noble air that was impossible to look away from.

The image of the person before her was reflected in those clear eyes.

"Could it be... the Kitagawa royal family's 'thread-binding curse' that only true love deserves?"

Tang Xixue asked a question, her eyes flickering slightly.

"Um."

Pei Yanchuan nodded gently in response, a faint blush creeping onto the tips of his ears.

Let's not talk about that now.

He quickly changed the subject, as if afraid of being pressed for more information.

"Although the Crimson Dust Gu is recorded in the book, the details are not clear, and I'm afraid only my father and the others know about it. However, they returned to Beichuan yesterday, and I have already sent a message to my father. I will inform Your Highness of the results later."

The Nine Extremes Alliance has concluded, and it is inconvenient for the emperors of the various countries to linger in Baiyujing.

Not to mention the mountains of government affairs piled up in various countries, just consider the emperors who are stranded in the capitals of other countries... are they hostages or hostages?

The peace in the Nine Provinces is only superficial and temporary; beneath the surface, undercurrents are turbulent, and there has never been true tranquility.

There are only temporary alliances of interest; there are no such things as lasting covenants.

"Could I take a look at this book?"

Tang Xixue asked, her gaze falling on the yellowed Gu scripture.

"OK."

Pei Yanchuan remembered his father's instructions that this book was a royal secret and should not be circulated outside the royal family.

But how can His Highness be considered an outsider?

This can only be considered an insider's transmission.

"Thank you, Ah Lin. This news is timely and important."

Tang Xixue took the "Yun Ting Gu Jing" and quickly flipped through the pages with her fingertips.

Her gaze lingered on each page for only a moment, yet she had already taken in all the contents.

Those densely packed ancient characters, intricate diagrams of Gu techniques, and profound methods of raising Gu flowed into my heart like a gentle stream, leaving not a single word out.

A moment later, she closed the book and handed it back to Pei Yanchuan.

"I've finished reading it, here you go."

"Your Highness... you've memorized it already? Would you like to take another look?"

Pei Yanchuan paused for a moment, his hand holding the book slightly hesitant.

He saw her scan each page, and that was it...?

"No need, I've already memorized everything."

Tang Xixue shook her head.

"Is this really that difficult?"

Pei Yanchuan could say, "Is this really that difficult?"

But recalling that His Highness caught up on the five years of missed studies at Lintai in just one night, it's clear that geniuses cannot be judged by conventional standards.

"You little bookworm, you're so ignorant!"

Feng Zhuo immediately raised his chin, his tone full of pride, his tail practically wagging in the air.

"My daughter, Xue, has had a photographic memory since she was little."

He used to be a terrible student, and he would get a headache whenever he saw a book, but his daughter, Xue, has always been incredibly talented!

"Genius is merely the threshold to her."

Feng Zhuo wished he could tell him all the good things about Tang Xixue.

"Back then, the Grand Tutor of Wenhua Hall and Minister Shen both said that she was not very learned and had nothing to teach her."

He was utterly impressed.

He used to be her study companion, at best a playmate. If you really wanted to say who could keep up with her thoughts, it was only Yan Ci.

Over the past five years, his daughter Xue has only lacked knowledge of current events, but no one has ever questioned her talent.

"Everyone knows that Young Master Yinglin is renowned in the literary world of the Nine Provinces, and his literary talent is unparalleled in his time."

Yan Ci spoke slowly and deliberately.

"But little did they know that our young prince, even in his youth, had already displayed astonishing talent with his brushstrokes in the Wenhua Hall."

His gaze fell on Tang Xixue, filled with reminiscence.

"Her policy essays have long been included in the 'Essays and Strategies Compendium,' every word of which is precious. Those essays are still required reading for students of Lintai University, and the questions in your exams are drawn from them."

"Women of Beichen can serve as officials, attend school, and stand in the imperial court... This is also a decree personally drafted by His Highness."

Yan Ci's voice deepened, carrying a solemn respect.

Even though the Empress Dowager ruled from behind the curtain and held immense power, she could not change the fact that women in Beichen were subject to control.

Those deeply ingrained rules and conventional prejudices could not be shaken even by an empress dowager.

But later, it was the young prince.

It was with her decree that she personally paved a new path for countless women in Beichen.

This would free them from being confined to their chambers and forced to submit to fate, allowing them to stand proudly in the imperial court and speak out for themselves and for the world.

That year, she was just a young girl who had not yet reached marriageable age.

That single decree, however, rewrote the fate of an entire generation of women.

Emperor Shengchen doted on her, respected her, and wholeheartedly supported her.

Despite strong opposition, this plan was adopted.

The emperor's word, with its immense power, slammed open the door that had been tightly shut for thousands of years for her.

"At the same time, women of Beichen can also establish households, inherit property, and become heads of families. They can stand on their own between heaven and earth. This is a plan personally devised by His Highness."

Every word in Yan Ci is powerful and resounding.

"There is also the Ever-Normal Granary Policy—purchasing grain in years of plenty and storing it in granaries, and selling it to the people at a fair price in years of famine. This policy balances abundance and scarcity, ensuring there will never be famine. When the people's granaries are full, the country is at peace. This policy is still in effect today, benefiting all people."

Yan Ci was the one who knew best how outstanding his young prince was.

The students of Lintai were unaware that the textbooks included policy essays that Tang Xixue had helped compile.

He wasn't surprised at all that she would get first place; he just thought it was only natural.

In those years, he watched helplessly as her name was smeared and her reputation was trampled into the mud.

He was heartbroken, but powerless to do anything about it.

Because that person is not his little prince.

Yan Ci looked at the shocked Pei Yanchuan.

"Every single thing was written into the laws by her, stroke by stroke, and implemented step by step throughout the land."

"She is not in the court, yet her laws govern the court; she does not speak of politics, yet the people benefit from her grace year after year."

Yan Ci was a chosen one of heaven.

He was exceptionally intelligent from a young age and had a very high standard of vision.

Of all the officials in the court, only a handful could catch his eye; those who could win his heart were even rarer.

Throughout his life, the only person who could truly capture his attention and heart was someone smarter than him.