The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

The room was quiet, with only the soft rustling of pen on paper, like silkworms eating leaves, continuous and gentle.

The attendant Songyun returned silently and gently placed a brand-new set of writing brushes, ink, and inkstones on the polished lectern.

The jade brush and wolf-hair brush, along with the bluestone inkstone, gleamed with a warm luster in the morning light streaming through the window.

The Imperial Preceptor, He Lichen, remained silent and showed no intention of pursuing the matter.

He was a virtuous and upright gentleman, like a lone pine tree on a snowy peak, possessing an unshakable integrity and cultivation.

In the inkstone, fresh ink dissolves upon contact with water, releasing a subtle fragrance.

Below, Pei Yanchuan was already engrossed in answering the questions.

His handwriting gradually became more steady and fluent, with neat rows and columns, and even and bright ink.

He Lichen observed for a moment, his gaze lingering for a fleeting instant on the somewhat familiar old-fashioned inkstone.

He recalled that this student from a poor family was extremely hardworking and conscientious in his memory.

In this extravagant Lintai, he is a rare breath of fresh air, always keeping to himself and never causing trouble.

He vaguely remembered that this student seemed to be the attendant of the Ninth Princess Tang Xixue.

Thus, the reason why the old items that had vanished from the podium were now safely placed on Pei Yanchuan's desk becomes self-evident.

His gaze involuntarily fell upon Tang Xixue.

The morning light gilded her with a soft golden edge.

She wore no makeup, yet her features were naturally beautiful, her lips were naturally red, and her expression was focused.

Unlike its usual bright and dazzling appearance, it is more like a peach blossom that has strayed into the snow and ice, its blazing brilliance restrained, leaving only the tranquility of its silent bloom.

"It's rare to see her so well-behaved."

A hint of surprise flashed through his mind.

Her rosy, moist lips would sometimes purse slightly, sometimes part slightly, depending on the rhythm of her thoughts.

The memory of her soft, moist lips, along with the cool fragrance of crabapple blossoms, unexpectedly flooded his mind in the snowy night of the Eternal Life Palace yesterday.

He Lichen's heart suddenly tightened, as if he had been burned by that invisible memory.

He looked away in a panic, forcibly cutting off his gaze and thoughts.

Unnoticed deep within her earlobes, a faint blush crept in, the heat almost scorching her icy skin.

His thin lips were pressed into a restrained straight line, only his fingers, which were quietly tightening on his knees and hidden in his wide sleeves, betrayed a hint of excitement.

Today, he should have sought her out to confront her.

The morning light was sharp and biting, yet it couldn't cut through the tangled mess in his heart.

She was Shen Xian's betrothed.

The marriage was arranged long ago, and the betrothal was recorded in the imperial genealogy; this was a fact known to everyone in the capital.

But last night, inside the Hall of Eternal Life, the snow fell silently, and the curtains hung low.

The inappropriate touching between him and her, their intertwined breaths, and even the utterly absurd method of finding a cure, all made him feel utterly ashamed.

If... if she weren't so frivolous; if there were even a trace of seriousness in her eyes.

He would shed his aloofness and say the word "take responsibility" to her.

But then she thought of the Divine Physician Zheyue under the bed last night, General Fengzhuo in the bathtub, and her betrothed Shen Xian...

She is absolutely... utterly despicable.

There are too many people they've offended.

So much so that his sense of responsibility seemed so ridiculous, so self-deprecating.

And so, that faint spark of pity and remorse was instantly swallowed up by a more surging anger and self-loathing.

"I've already done more than enough by not causing trouble for that lecherous woman."

At this moment, the sunlight shone like gold foil, pouring down upon the snow-covered palace.

The magnificent buildings were all draped in white gauze, with the flying eaves and ridge beasts silently supporting the shimmering white.

The bamboo in the courtyard was bent low by the night snow, its green and white leaves intertwined. Occasionally, a few snowflakes would slip from the tips of the leaves, blooming into a fleeting mist flower in the silence.

Inside Chengtian Hall, the scent of ambergris and the warmth of the earthen floor flowed silently.

Emperor Tang Xi had already changed his clothes that night, and the dark gold patterns on his black dragon robe shimmered faintly under the palace lanterns.

He stood in the hall, a eunuch tying a heavy cloak with a collar of black fox fur around his neck. The dark fur made his profile appear even more profound and aloof, as if carved from cold jade.

"His Majesty."

A deep, magnetic voice rang out from his side, and his trusted advisor Shen Cuo stood with his hands at his sides.

"Shangqing Shen sent a message early this morning. Last night, Princess Jing forcibly broke into the execution platform without prior notice or request, and took away the guard commander Chao Han, who was still being punished in the water dungeon."

"Your Majesty, I have already sent someone to verify that after Her Highness returned to the palace, she summoned the Imperial Physician Liu, who was on duty at the Imperial Hospital, to the Hall of Longevity in Qixue Palace overnight to personally examine and treat her."

"Minister Shen said that although the Court of Judicial Review has its laws, it... has no right to punish Her Highness the Princess. What is Your Majesty's opinion on this matter?"

The question is about how to handle the situation and how to punish offenders.

Shen Cuo spoke respectfully, but in reality, he presented both the problem and his attitude to the emperor.

Upon hearing this, Tang Xiye remained unmoved, only raising her hand to straighten the collar of her cloak.

He strode toward the council hall, his steps steady, the hem of his black robes brushing against the smooth, mirror-like floor, exuding a silent majesty.

Just as he was about to step out of the threshold of Chengtian Hall, he finally spoke. His voice was unreadable, but it made Shen Cuo pause slightly.

"She has... learned to care about her own people."

It was not to condemn the audacity of forcibly entering the courthouse, nor to inquire about the reasons and details of the rescue in the dead of night.

A casual "I feel sorry for her" seems to be just a comment that the younger sister has finally grown up a bit more humane.

Tang Xiye continued walking without stopping, then ordered, "Send someone to deliver a portion of Blazing Flame Grass to her palace. After all, Chao Han is her usual guard; if he really develops some kind of chronic cold-related illness, how can he wholeheartedly protect her in the future?"

Shen Cuo was completely stunned, and even hesitated for a second.

Flame Grass?

That was a rare and precious medicine in the palace for healing cold poison and internal injuries. How could His Majesty just give it away so casually?

No... His Majesty just said yesterday that he would never care about her again?

So you're just going to ignore it?

This is clearly—she has caused a huge mess, and even His Majesty thinks the hole isn't big enough, so he wants to tear it even bigger for her!

Even if she removed the plaque from the execution platform, His Majesty would probably only ask if her hand had been pricked by a splinter.

Shen Cuo felt a surge of helplessness mixed with absurdity rushing to his head, almost making it impossible for him to suppress the words in his throat.

Your Majesty, this is not a matter of ignoring the problem.

This clearly only cares whether she was wronged, and doesn't care what mistake she made... that's not important.

"Shen Sinian is not wrong. He has no right to punish my Zhizhi."

Tang Xiye's words were nothing more than an almost domineering and unquestionable defense.

"Your Majesty, do you dote on Princess Jing so much?"

Shen Cuo finally couldn't hold back and stepped forward, his voice low but clearly showing his disapproval.

Upon hearing this, Tang Xiye paused slightly and turned her head to the side.

The faint morning light outside the hall perfectly outlined his sharply defined jawline, and his eyes, like the deep sea, were now rippling with gentle waves.

"If I don't pamper Zhizhi, who will?"

His weaving.

If he doesn't protect and pamper his precious child, who has been cherished and watched grow up, how can he expect those men with different intentions to show him any affection?

Shen Cuo was speechless at this confident retort. After a long while, he shook his head with a wry smile:

"Your Highness merely sent a scroll of landscape painting, and His Majesty has already forgotten all her past willful and reckless behavior?"

Shen Cuo's words did not reveal the usual trepidation of a courtier.

He had followed Tang Xiye since the time he was a prince, all the way from the crown prince to the emperor. There were some things that only he dared to say so frankly.

"Shen Cuo. Zhizhi is the most noble imperial princess of Chenyao. As long as I am alive, she has the right to be presumptuous."

Tang Xi interrupted him at night, then suddenly remembered something and left without turning her head.

"Today is the grand examination at the Imperial Academy. Zhizhi's answer sheet was sealed immediately and presented directly to the Emperor. I will review it personally."

He paused, then emphasized:

"Don't let He Lichen handle it."

Shen Cuo was genuinely startled this time, raising his head to look at the emperor's straight, pine-like back, and blurted out:

"Your Majesty! You...you're personally showing favoritism towards His Highness!"

The Imperial Preceptor He Lichen personally presided over the examination to prevent the sons of noble families from finding someone to write for them and cheat.

Now that's bad, since Her Highness the Princess can't cheat, His Majesty has to take matters into his own hands.

This is outrageous!

Tang Xiye finally turned around and glanced at him.

That gaze wasn't harsh, and it didn't even show much emotion, yet it sent a chill down Shen Cuo's spine, freezing all his unspoken advice on the tip of his tongue.

"Shen Cuo," the emperor's voice was indifferent, revealing neither joy nor anger, "you've been talking too much lately."

Shen Cuo immediately bowed, his expression completely composed: "Your subject... misspoke."

"Alright," he sighed inwardly, lowering his eyes to suppress the bittersweet feeling. "I will make the arrangements now."

See through it, but don't say it out loud.

His Majesty is simply spoiling his children.

Tang Xiye stepped into the Golden Palace, which determined the fate of the world, amidst the radiant dawn and the solemn gazes of the officials.

A dark cloak unfurled behind him, like wings hanging from the sky.