The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Tang Xixue nodded slightly, a faint smile on her lips.

She observed the undercurrents between the men with remarkable composure, as if watching an entertaining play.

She turned to look at Yan Ci and Feng Zhuo.

"A-Ce, Ran-Zhi, His Majesty's hospitality is too much for us to refuse. The Palace of Longevity is probably more comfortable than the inns in the city, so you can rest a bit after your long journey."

"Alright, Your Highness."

Yan Ci lightly waved his folding fan, which was quite crisp and decisive.

"Wherever Ah Xue goes, I'll go!"

The wind scorched him even more decisively, its sound so loud that it could be heard throughout the entire street.

Si Xingxuan's face darkened even further.

"If that's the case..."

Si Xingzhou slightly raised his hand, and Chu Yi immediately stepped out from the shadows, his deep blue robe gleaming coldly under the lamplight.

"Chu Yi, escort these two distinguished guests to the Hall of Longevity on my behalf."

"Yes."

Chu Yi bowed and accepted the order. When he turned to Yan Ci and Feng Zhuo, a perfectly polite smile had already been put on his face.

"Military Advisor Yan, General Feng, please follow me."

Yan Ci glanced at him.

Two men, equally renowned in the Nine Provinces Military Advisors Alliance, met again on the long street of Xuanxing City.

The last time they clashed was three years ago during a major battle for a spirit mine.

"Thank you for your help, Military Advisor Chu."

Yan Ci nodded slightly, his tone as calm as a gentle breeze.

"I dare not. It is my honor to guide Military Advisor Yan."

Chu Yi's smile remained unchanged, but a turbulent undercurrent flowed in his sharp eyes.

"Strategist Yan has remained as shrewd and capable as ever over the years."

"Same to you."

Their eyes met, and a metallic clang seemed to resound in the air.

Feng Zhuo shivered beside him.

Why does it feel like the tension between these two strategists is even stronger than when they were rivals in love earlier?

"Zhizhi, let's get in the car."

Si Xingxuan ignored the undercurrents between the two strategists, grabbed Tang Xixue's sleeve, and led her to the magnificent carriage that was already waiting nearby.

The carriage was made of silver nanmu wood as its frame and silk gauze as its curtain, with thumb-sized luminous pearls hanging from the four corners, shimmering with a warm light.

Tang Xixue got into the carriage and sat upright on the soft couch.

Si Xingxuan followed closely behind and sat down beside her, their posture intimate yet respectful.

Yan Ci folded his fan and calmly boarded the carriage.

He chose a spot opposite Tang Xixue, not too close, not too far, just enough to see her every move.

Feng Zhuo was the last to jump into the car. He wanted to sit next to Tang Xixue, but Si Xingxuan blocked him with a well-timed sidestep, so he had no choice but to sit next to Yan Ci in a huff.

The carriage rumbled and headed towards the Hall of Longevity.

Inside the carriage, the four people each had their own thoughts.

Outside the carriage, Chu Yi and Qi Zhu drove side by side.

"This scene of carnage is terrifying! Will they start fighting at night?"

Qi Zhu muttered to himself.

You'll get used to it.

Chu Yi remained expressionless.

Inside the carriage, Tang Xixue held a teacup, looking at the three men in front of her each holding their own teacups, and the corners of her lips slightly turned up.

"Weaving."

Si Xingxuan spoke first, pushing a plate of delicate pastries in front of her.

Those were crabapple blossom pastries that he had specially ordered the imperial kitchen to prepare; the petals were layered and melted in your mouth.

"These are crabapple blossom pastries. I had them kept warm in the kitchen. Please try them."

"Ah Xue, are you thirsty? Let me pour you some tea!"

Not to be outdone, Feng Zhuo picked up the teapot and was about to pour her some tea.

But he forgot that he was in a carriage, and just then the wheel ran over a pebble, causing the carriage to sway and the water in the teapot to almost spill out.

He hurriedly tried to help, but Yan Ci calmly reached out and steadyed the teapot.

"Burn it."

Yan Ci took the teapot from his hands and placed it steadily on the table.

"Be careful, lest someone uses this as an excuse to make trouble."

"Ce, what do you mean by that?"

Si Xingxuan narrowed his eyes.

"Literal meaning."

Yan Ci unfolded his folding fan and slowly waved it.

"Ce, thank you for your concern for our young prince, Your Highness. However, there is something I don't understand. When was the imperial decree bestowed upon him for this marriage? Why have I never seen any related documents in the archives of the Imperial Study?"

"No matter how much strategist Yan meddles, he can't interfere in the marriage agreement between our two countries, can he?"

Si Xingxuan sneered.

"I don't care about the marriage agreement between the two countries; I only care about the young prince's affairs."

Yan Ci gently waved his folding fan.

"As long as it concerns the young prince's life, I will naturally be involved."

The instant their eyes met, it was as if an invisible blade gently grazed the air, scattering a few silent sparks.

"Words are meaningless; anyone can claim to be the prince consort. If someone randomly grabbed someone on the street today and said they were his son-in-law, would Your Highness consider that evidence?"

"The strategist is indeed cautious."

Si Xingxuan met his gaze, a smile playing on her lips.

"However, you are right about one thing—empty words are meaningless. I have never liked empty talk."

He immediately pulled out a bright yellow imperial edict from his bosom, unfurled it with a swift, fluid motion.

The bright yellow silk shimmered softly under the lamplight, and the imperial seal's vermilion hue was clearly visible.

"This is an imperial decree personally issued by your Holy Emperor."

He showed it off from a distance.

He glanced at it once, then quickly withdrew it, his movements as swift as lightning, as if afraid someone would rush up and snatch it away.

He flipped the imperial edict into his storage ring and carefully patted it.

"It's all in black and white, the national seal is the proof. No deception, no fakes."

His gaze slowly shifted from Yan Ci's face to Feng Zhuo, the smile on his lips so radiant it could melt the entire starlight and snow of Xuanxing City.

"Is there anything else you two would like to say?"

Yan Ci saw it.

The imperial seal is genuine.

In that instant, it was as if a string in his mind snapped with a sharp sound.

Your Majesty...when did you issue such an edict?

Their emperor wished he could hold Tang Xixue in his arms and take her everywhere he went.

The emperor, whose possessiveness was so strong that he would be jealous even if someone else looked at her, personally issued an edict to bestow a marriage upon the Prince of Xuan.

"this……"

Yan Ci took a deep breath.

"This is completely out of line with the original."

His voice remained steady, but the knuckles of his fingers, which were gripping the folding fan, had turned white.

"If Your Highness is not guilty, you might as well unfold that imperial edict again and let Ce Hao take a good look at it to see which imperial seal it is."

Si Xingxuan's expression changed slightly.

"What do you mean?"

"I didn't mean anything by it. I just remember that His Majesty the Emperor had a habit in his handwriting that was extremely difficult for others to imitate. Just now, when His Highness Prince Xuan unfolded the imperial edict, I caught a glimpse of it from afar."

He paused, then a slight smile played on his lips.

"The handwriting seems somewhat unfamiliar."

Si Xingxuan: "..."

Qi Zhu, who was listening outside, was terrified.

Is the strategist implying that his son-in-law used a fake imperial edict to deceive people?

No, the imperial edict from the Lord is real!

But the strategist has a silver tongue; he can make the dead seem alive and the truth seem false.

"Weaving."

Si Xingxuan turned his head and looked at Tang Xixue.

The cold expression she had just given Yan Ci instantly transformed into a pitiful look of being bullied the moment she turned to her.

He lowered his eyes slightly, his long eyelashes casting a soft shadow under the light, his voice carrying three parts grievance, three parts innocence, and four parts coquettishness.

"Say something! They're all bullying me."