The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

After having breakfast, Tang Xixue returned to the Palace of Eternal Life.

Si Xing stands on the highest terrace of Zheyue Palace, overlooking the entire city.

The morning mist had not yet dissipated, and a thin layer of white vapor floated on the surface of Xuanxing Lake, like a light veil, like a dream.

The distant mountains are like dark eyebrows, their layers of peaks appearing and disappearing in the morning mist.

The lake is shrouded in mist, and the small islands in the center of the lake look like fairy mountains floating in a sea of ​​clouds.

Amidst the shimmering lakes and verdant mountains, the city unfolds in layers upon layers.

He looked at it for a moment, then turned and walked down, his steps a little lighter than usual.

"Pass down the order: all lanterns in Xuanxing City must be replaced today. The most beautiful lanterns must be hung."

Qi Zhu looked at her master's nonchalant expression and wondered if she had misheard.

"My lord, replace them all? That's thousands of lamps, replace them all?"

"I won't repeat myself."

Si Xingxuan's tone was one of unquestionable certainty.

"No lamp can be neglected."

"Both sides of the long street should be lined with crabapple blossoms. If that's not enough, get some from outside."

Qi Zhu opened her mouth.

This is going too far.

How much manpower, financial resources, and material resources would this require?

But when he met his master's uncompromising eyes, he swallowed back all the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

"Yes, I will take care of it right away."

He turned and left, his steps quick and hurried, his mind racing as he calculated which people to allocate, which flower vendors to contact, and where to get so many crabapple blossoms.

Located atop a mountain, Xuanxing City has a cold climate and does not produce crabapple trees. If the entire city were to receive the required amount, it would likely strip all the crabapple blossoms within a hundred miles of the city bare.

"etc."

Si Xingxuan called him back again.

"Is there anything else you require, my lord?"

Qi Zhu turned around, his expression respectful.

Si Xingxuan's voice suddenly became serious, losing its previous decisive and forceful tone and instead becoming more solemn.

"I personally hung the lamp at the entrance of the Hall of Longevity."

Qi Zhu responded and turned to leave.

After walking a few steps, I couldn't help but look back again.

My lord is really crazy!

As dawn broke, Suspended Star City awoke from its slumber.

When the people opened their windows, they saw a scene completely different from what they had seen before.

Overnight, brand-new lanterns were hung under the eaves of the houses on both sides of the long street.

The begonia pattern, with its layered pink petals and silver outlines, makes each cup look as exquisite as if it had been taken out of a painting.

A small silver bell hangs from the lamp, tinkling softly in the wind like jade shattering on ice, its clear and melodious sound enveloping the entire street.

"What happened? How come everything changed overnight?"

An old woman tilted her head back, squinted at the lanterns under the eaves, and looked at them with disbelief.

"I heard it was His Highness Prince Xuan's order."

The woman selling tofu next to us lowered her voice and said mysteriously.

"The people from the Seven Generations Pavilion spent half a day changing the lamps from house to house, and then left without saying a word."

"Your Highness, Prince Xuan? What is he doing?"

The young man selling steamed buns scratched his head.

"Prince Xuan never used to participate in these kinds of festivities; he wouldn't even show his face during the Lantern Festival."

"Who knows? But look at those lanterns, they're so beautiful. I've lived this long and I've never seen such exquisite lanterns before."

The old woman's gaze lingered on the begonia lamp.

"Look at that lamp paper, it's as thin as a cicada's wing, and it's so translucent."

"And the crabapple blossoms all over the city, they really put a lot of thought into it."

A young woman nearby pointed to the neatly arranged pots of crabapple blossoms by the roadside and marveled at them.

"These crabapple blossoms can't be grown in our Xuanxing City. They have to be transported up from the foot of the mountain, pot by pot, right?"

The old man selling wontons on the street corner looked up at the lantern under the eaves, his cloudy eyes reflecting the pink light.

He wiped his hands with his apron and said slowly.

"This lamp is probably meant for someone very important."

"What distinguished guest is our Starry Sky City welcoming?"

As the sun rose higher, the hustle and bustle of Xuanxing City continued.

On the long street, dozens of craftsmen were busy at work.

They spread bags of star sand evenly on the bluestone slabs, and then used a specially made roller to flatten and compact it.

The stardust is as fine as dust, silvery-blue in color, and shimmers with tiny sparkles in the sunlight. It feels soft underfoot, like walking on a path paved with starlight.

Each grain of stardust is a spiritual mineral produced by the Tianxing Pool. Ordinary people have never even seen it, let alone laid an entire street with it.

"This...this is stardust, isn't it?"

A young craftsman held a handful of fine sand that shimmered with a silvery-blue luster, his eyes wide, his voice stammering.

"Am I seeing things? Our mine only produces a few kilograms of this star sand a year, and we sell it by the grain!"

"Look at the luster and color—it's top-quality!"

The old craftsman next to him squinted and examined it for a long time, his hands trembling slightly.

"I've been mining for half my life, and this is the first time I've ever seen such pure star sand."

"My God, they paved an entire street? How many kilograms must that weigh?"

The young craftsman looked down at the long street that was mostly paved, then looked behind him at the several large bags of unopened star sand, and was completely dazed.

"Which distinguished guest has received such treatment from His Highness? This reception is even more grand than the one for His Majesty!"

"Is His Highness Prince Xuan getting married?"

Someone muttered something under their breath.

Those around him nodded in agreement.

If it weren't for a wedding, who would go through all this trouble?

In the Zheyue Palace, Si Xingxuan was standing in front of a bronze mirror, changing his robes again and again.

Qi Zhu held a stack of robes that he had rejected, completely numb.

With three pieces draped over her left arm, four over her right arm, and two more in her arms, she looked like a breathing clothes rack.

"This outfit is too plain, it's not pretty enough. Zhizhi looks so good in it, I can't just stand next to her like a piece of dry wood."

"This pattern is too intricate and overshadows the main subject. Zhizhi is the main character, and I'm just standing next to her; I can't steal her thunder."

"This color is too dark. I look like an assassin dressed like this. People who don't know me would think I'm going to commit an assassination."

Qi Zhu took a deep breath, trying to keep her voice steady.

"My lord, you've already changed nine outfits today. Why don't you wear that moon-white dress with light blue cloud patterns? It suits your temperament perfectly, making you look elegant, refined, and graceful."

Si Xingxuan paused for a moment.

He walked to the wardrobe, pulled out the robe from the back, and compared it to the bronze mirror.

The dress has a moon-white background, with very light blue cloud patterns embroidered on the collar and cuffs. The stitches are fine and dense, and each cloud is outlined with silver thread, making it appear and disappear in the light.

The fabric is cloud-like silk, light and thin like mist. When you walk, the hem flutters like flowing clouds or moonlight pouring down.

He looked at it for a while, then nodded in satisfaction.

"This one."

Qi Zhu breathed a sigh of relief and quickly sent away the stack of rejected robes, walking as fast as he could, afraid that his master would call him back to change to a tenth set.

After dressing up, Si Xingxuan arrived at the Hall of Longevity, carrying a long box made of sandalwood.

The box is engraved with delicate begonia flower patterns, with each petal outlined in gold powder.

The corners of the box are covered with silver sheets, on which are engraved fine intertwined floral patterns.

"Zhizhi, I've prepared your clothes for the Lantern Festival."

He opened the box, inside was a flowing, wide-sleeved fairy dress in begonia red, woven from the finest silk gauze.

The gauze was as thin as a cicada's wing, and it shimmered with a soft pearly sheen in the light.

The skirt is embroidered with layers of begonia flowers, each petal outlined with silver thread.

A silver tassel belt adorns the waist, with a jade pendant shaped like a budding begonia, carved from a single piece of red jade, its petals etched with extremely fine veins, making it incredibly lifelike.

Tang Xixue's gaze fell on the dress, and a look of surprise appeared on her face.

"This is?"

Si Xingxuan immediately replied:

"I drew the design and had the best embroiderers from the Seven Generations Pavilion make it. Zhizhi will definitely look beautiful in it."

"Thank you, Zheyue. It's beautiful!"

Tang Xixue reached out and accepted the gift, her eyes filled with a gentle and bright smile.

"Not as pretty as Zhizhi."

Si Xingxuan said in a low voice.