The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

Hua Rongshi went out for a meal and left her bedroom for a short while. When she returned, she immediately sensed something was wrong as soon as she opened the door.

The painting on the wall that he gazed at every day had vanished without a trace.

"My wife!!!"

He almost lost his voice, and his eyes instantly reddened.

"Which heartless bastard stole my wife!"

In a moment of shock and anger, he suddenly noticed a note lying on the table.

The paper was ordinary white stationery, but the handwriting was extremely bold and powerful.

The sign simply read: "Payment received."

Hua Rong's pupils suddenly contracted, and her jaw clenched so tightly it cracked.

"The Star Master Plucks the Moon!"

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, and the more resentful he felt. He wished he could immediately rush over and fight that bastard to the death.

Meanwhile, a thousand miles away in Xingze Divine Medicine Valley, Si Xingxuan was leaning against the medicine furnace, his fingertips pinching a freshly baked Soul Nourishing Pill.

News arrived—the scroll had been acquired.

His lips curled up slightly, a faint smile that carried a hint of smugness.

"Thanks, bro."

He rarely spoke first, and the coldness in his tone had lessened somewhat.

Her resentment towards her brother for his previous failed attempt to steal her away from her had subsided a little.

After all, it was Si Xingzhou who personally sent people to help him get his consultation fee back.

Not only that, but they also specially invited Xingze, a reclusive master who had not appeared in public for a long time, to help.

That honored master had lived most of his life, possessing an air of otherworldly wisdom and holding a highly respected position.

I never imagined that I would one day be involved in the business of thievery.

"Ah Zhe, I came in with my right foot first today, you're not angry anymore, are you?"

Si Xingzhou coaxed her carefully.

"snort."

Si Xingxuan turned her head away, looking angry again.

"Brother, your breathing is disturbing me."

"..."

Si Xingzhou opened his mouth, but had no words to reply.

He was completely out of options.

This younger brother is someone I'll probably never be able to appease in my lifetime.

On the shore of Mirror Moon Lake, the Prince of Beichen's Mansion stands in the twilight.

It covers a vast area, with numerous pavilions and towers, their flying eaves and brackets hidden among the purple flowering trees, appearing and disappearing intermittently.

Those purple snowflakes bloom year after year without fading, their branches gnarled and vigorous, as if they were an endless obsession growing from this land.

Yuan Qi, the steward of Beichen Mansion, personally came out to greet them.

"Your Highness, this way please."

"Take me to see the young imperial uncle."

Tangxi Xue stepped onto the stone steps, her pearl-embroidered velvet shoes treading on the bluestone.

"His Highness instructed that if you arrive, there is no need to announce your arrival; you can simply go directly there. He is currently at Frost Snow Hall."

Yuanqi dared not delay and quickly led her through the many courtyards into the inner courtyard.

Unauthorized personnel are not allowed to enter the Beichen Prince's Mansion.

This is an ironclad rule established by Bei Chenji, and no one has dared to violate it for years.

Only Tang Xixue came in today.

If Yan Ci were to come, he would be turned away at the door.

Even the most powerful ministers in the court could not even dream of stepping through this door.

"I remember the road to Shuangxue Hall."

Tang Xixue said softly, her tone carrying a hint of nostalgia.

She visited the Prince of Beichen's residence when she was young.

At that time, all she remembered was that Shuangxue Hall was very warm, so warm that it made her want to sleep.

The young imperial uncle sat by the window reading a book, his eyes lowered, dressed in luxurious purple robes, looking so handsome that he seemed otherworldly.

She would paint at her desk or read books from the library.

The afternoon passed quickly, and before nightfall, the young prince sent him back to the palace.

Frost and Snow Hall is actually a heated room.

Despite its cold name, it is the warmest place in the Beichen Prince's Mansion.

The underground heating was burning brightly; walking in on a winter's day felt like stepping from a frozen wasteland into the warmth of spring.

At that time, she did not know that she was the only distinguished guest allowed to set foot in the Beichen Prince's mansion.

Even now, apart from Bei Chen Ji and his subordinates, only his cousin Hua Rongshi is allowed to visit the Bei Chen Prince's Mansion.

She was the only exception.

The only exception from beginning to end.

"The purple snowflakes have bloomed again."

Tang Xixue looked up and saw purple flowering trees swaying in the wind, their branches and leaves fluttering.

In early spring, snow covers the branches, weighing down the flowers and making them droop slightly. The purple flowers and white snow complement each other, creating an indescribably beautiful and ethereal scene.

"In the entire Baiyujing, only the Beichen Prince's Mansion has purple snowflake trees. I heard that the little prince's mother brought them from the Qimeng Flower Capital."

Occasionally, a gust of wind would startle the snow from the branches, causing it to fall in a soft, rustling sound like shattered jade.

The petals were as thin as cicada wings, and their color was between purple and blue, a color that could not be mixed in the world.

"Yes, Your Highness, this Purple Snow Flower was part of our Prince's mother's dowry. She came here as part of a political marriage. Beichen is too cold, and other flowers don't easily survive, but this Purple Snow Flower has the strongest vitality."

Yuan Qi said respectfully.

The purple snowflakes in the Beichen Prince's Mansion bloom unrestrained by the seasons, displaying their vibrant colors year after year.

Back then, Bei Chenji was named Tangxi Xue, hoping that her flowers would bloom year after year without fading.

"I see. I heard that the eldest princess of Huadu was originally supposed to marry the late emperor as a concubine in a political marriage."

"However, at that time no one had seen Princess Menghua's appearance. It was rumored that she was extremely ugly, so she was given to the then Prince Beichen."

Tang Xixue knew that Yuanqi had been staying in the Prince's mansion for a long time, and there were some secrets she couldn't ask the young prince about, as it would bring up his painful memories. Therefore, she asked Yuanqi if it was true or not.

"That's right. At that time, the Prince of Beichen was unmarried, and he was betrothed to a woman."

Yuanqi usually doesn't answer other people's questions. After all, as someone who works by the prince's side, one should keep one's mouth shut.

Even if Emperor Shengchen specifically asked him, he would not reveal Bei Chenji's information.

But in his eyes, Tang Xixue's status was equivalent to that of the mistress of the Beichen Prince's Mansion, so he tried his best to speak freely.

"Back then, everyone laughed at the Prince of Beichen for marrying an ugly woman, but the prince did not object and simply accepted the marriage decree calmly."

"The prince said that he could not disobey the emperor's command, but unexpectedly, it turned out to be a match made in heaven. The prince and princess are extremely loving."

"It's a pity that the late emperor regretted it after seeing Princess Menghua's true appearance."

"It was around that time that Princess Menghua's reputation for unparalleled beauty spread throughout the Nine Provinces."

Yuanqi knew that Tangxi Xue was curious, so he told her what he could as they walked.

Upon hearing Yuan Qi's reminder, Tang Xixue suddenly understood.

The late emperor regretted it back then and wanted to steal his beloved away.

Therefore, in the end, only the young imperial uncle remained of the Beichen clan, having escaped death.

Bei Chenji has a deep-seated grudge against the Tangxi royal family, and she suddenly felt as if she had hurt the feelings of the young royal uncle.

Because she sent her younger brother, the Imperial Uncle, to protect her elder brother.

This was asking too much of him.

"I really have no heart..."

She sighed silently to herself.

Turning past the moon gate, a bright and open space suddenly appeared before me.

Then came a spacious hall, nestled among purple flowers and white snow. Hanging in the center of the hall was a plaque with the three characters "Frost and Snow Hall" inscribed on it.

The brushstrokes are sharp and swift, like those of a knife or axe, each stroke carrying a fierce and ruthless air, yet revealing a touch of lonely tenderness at the turning points.

That was written by Bei Chenji himself.

"Then this old servant will see you off here."

Yuan Qi stopped outside the moon gate, bowed, took a step back, and did not move forward again.

Unlike that fool Qian Su, who only caused trouble for the prince.

That guy always thought the prince really liked Shen Yan, and he even secretly memorized a lot of Shen Yan's preferences, all in an effort to help the prince.

He's loyal, but unfortunately, he's not very bright and keeps dragging the prince down, almost tearing the prince's trousers off.