The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

"Your Highness, your senior brother has arrived."

Chao Han stood outside the door, head bowed, and reported.

The sound traveled through the half-closed bamboo door and into the alchemy room.

"Okay, I'm coming."

Tang Xixue turned around and looked at He Lichen, who was guarding the bedside.

She lowered her voice and carefully instructed:

"Brother Huaixian, I need to go check on Feiming. I'll leave Master Ling in your care. There are some fasting pills on the table; dissolve them in warm water and you can feed them to Master Ling."

As she finished speaking, she was about to step out the door when a force suddenly came from behind her.

That force carried an unwavering certainty.

Her wrist was gently grasped, and she was turned half a circle backward until her back pressed against the cool wall.

The golden sunlight in the alchemy room was hazy and dreamlike.

Before she could react, He Lichen's kiss landed on her lips.

It was a very short kiss, like a sudden rain falling on a crabapple tree.

"Well……"

Tang Xixue tilted her head back and accepted the unexpected kiss.

His lips were cool, carrying the scent of snow, plum blossoms, pine breeze, and moonlight, but when they touched her lips, they were scalding hot.

All the longing, anxiety, and concern are contained in this gentle kiss, unspoken yet self-evident.

Then he released her and took a half step back.

"Zhizhi, go ahead."

Tang Xixue leaned against the wall, blinked, but couldn't suppress the slight curve of her lips.

"This is... a reward? Who is it for?"

He Lichen raised an eyebrow slightly, a warm feeling spreading through her beautiful phoenix eyes.

Her eyes were slightly upturned at the corners, and her long eyelashes resembled raven feathers.

He was extremely handsome, with a refined and elegant appearance like snow-capped mountains or a lone crane under the moon, which she found very appealing.

"Of course it's for me."

His tone sounded confident and assertive, but a faint blush crept onto the tips of his ears.

"Refining soul lamps is incredibly tiring, so it's not unreasonable for Brother Huaixian to ask for a small reward, is it?"

"Pfft."

Tang Xixue couldn't help but laugh out loud; her previously heavy mood instantly melted away.

She tiptoed forward and returned his kiss on the lips.

That kiss was lighter than his, like a feather falling.

"It's not excessive. Brother Huaixian can have the reward that Zhizhi gives him."

She stepped back, straightened her slightly disheveled clothes, and her expression remained calm and clear.

"We have serious business to attend to now, so let's not be silly with Brother Huaixian."

As she spoke, she turned and walked towards the door, her steps light and nimble, her skirt brushing against the threshold and stirring up a gentle breeze.

He Lichen reached out and gently touched his lips; he did not follow.

Leaning against the door, his gaze followed her back.

The slender figure walked through the courtyard, across the white stone path, her clothes fluttering like butterflies in the sunlight, until she disappeared into the distance.

He felt a sense of unease and uncertainty.

This scene left Songjun, the book attendant in the corner, dumbfounded.

Songjun could hardly believe his eyes.

This impeccably clean and obsessive-compulsive national advisor just pinned someone against the wall and kissed them.

Is this really still his Imperial Advisor?

"grown ups."

Song Jun swallowed hard, lowered his voice, and spoke cautiously.

"Your senior brother is still unconscious on the bed... and you've already kissed him?"

He Lichen spoke casually, yet with an air of self-righteousness.

"What? Are you going to wait for my senior brother to wake up so he can kiss me?"

"no……"

Songjun was speechless for a moment, feeling that something was wrong with what he said, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He could only wipe the cold sweat from his forehead and offer advice from a different angle.

"What I mean is... shouldn't you first focus on when the Palace Master will wake up?"

He Lichen finally withdrew her gaze and glanced at Song Jun.

"My eldest brother loves sleeping the most."

His tone was nonchalant.

"Anyway, Zhizhi will definitely win, so Senior Brother will surely wake up!"

He turned and went back into the house, picked up the bottle of fasting pills from the table, and handed it to Songjun.

His slender fingers gripped the neck of the porcelain vase, his posture both noble and aloof.

"Songjun, give your senior brother some fasting pills. Let him get a good night's sleep."

Songjun blankly accepted the porcelain bottle.

"Huh? Shall I do it?"

He had assumed that He Lichen would personally take care of his senior brother.

After all, that's the senior brother!

They are brothers from the same sect, and their bond is deep.

Just now, the Imperial Preceptor was pleading with the Heavenly Physician Zhiming to save people with tears in his eyes. How come he's suddenly become a hands-off manager?

Upon hearing this, He Lichen lowered her eyes and glanced at the hem of her robe.

On that moon-white crane cloak, there were a few drops of dew brought from the grass and leaves of the mountain path, and a very thin and faint trace of green grass, which could not be seen at all if you did not look closely.

But He Lichen's brows furrowed, his expression as if he had seen something unbearable.

"Otherwise what?"

He looked up at Song Jun, his tone carrying an undisguised disdain.

"Do I really need to do it myself? What use are you then?"

"Can't you be a little more perceptive? Learn from Wen Song."

Songjun: "..."

He silently swallowed his rebuttal.

Okay, he was the one who talked too much.

Why is this Imperial Advisor putting others down?

Thank God's sword attendant Wen Song... He was only a tiny bit more considerate than himself.

I just secretly asked him for a qi-boosting formula so that I could help my sword immortal master recover.

He was afraid that his sword immortal might not perform well on the bed.

"You look after your senior brother for now."

He Lichen raised his hand and dusted off the corner of his robe, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"I'm going to bathe and change."

After saying that, he turned and walked towards the door. His moon-white crane cloak fluttered gently behind him. His steps were light, and his demeanor remained as noble and unapproachable as ever.

Songjun sighed resignedly, picked up the Bigu Pill, and dissolved it in clean water.

Then they found the medicine feeding utensils, carefully brought them to Ling Zixian's lips, and fed him the medicine little by little.

Ling Zixian remained unconscious on the bed, her face as pale as paper, her breathing shallow and long, oblivious to everything around her.

Songjun muttered to himself as he fed the medicine.

"Alright, the Imperial Advisor is still the same Imperial Advisor, as expected of a germaphobe."

"It's just that his germaphobia doesn't apply to Princess Mirror."

His Imperial Preceptor's robes must be scented three times, his hands must be washed with water several times, and he would rather burn any object touched by others with spiritual fire than be satisfied.

So high and mighty, like a proud crane soaring in the heavens, eating flowers and drinking dew, untouched by the world's mortal affairs.

But by chance, it fell into that patch of crabapple blossoms.

Willingly, even in utter defeat.

Tang Xixue had already arrived at the courtyard gate.

A warm spring breeze, carrying peach petals, swept towards her. Amidst the shower of blossoms, she caught sight of that tall, slender figure.

Jiu Fangzhi wore a long black robe embroidered with intricate and bizarre patterns in dark gold thread.

A beautiful little ice snake was coiled around his wrist.

The snake was entirely ice-blue, its scales crystal clear like the finest aquamarine.

It was holding its little head high, its vertical pupils cold and aloof.

Jiu Fangzhi looked up and saw Tang Xixue, then turned out from under the peach tree and walked towards her with a leisurely gait.

"Junior Sister".

He called out, his voice deep and pleasant, carrying a hint of wickedness and languor.

"Senior brother."

Tangxi Xue stepped forward a few paces to greet her.

"I have a friend who has been poisoned by a Gu curse. Could you please take a look at him, senior brother?"

"Since my junior sister has spoken, how can I refuse?"

Jiu Fangzhi nodded slightly, her tone filled with doting affection.

"Come on, take me to see it."

The old medicine god's dying wish was something that he and his fellow disciples had all personally agreed to.