The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

After returning to his desk at night, Tangxi personally laid out a bright yellow silk cloth.

He picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and with a steady hand, lines of imperial edicts, written in bold and powerful strokes, appeared on the paper—the very edict announcing the dissolution of the marriage between Princess Tang Xixue and Shen Xian, the son of Prime Minister Shen.

As the brush touched the paper, the imperial seal, symbolizing supreme imperial power, pressed down heavily, producing a dull yet resolute sound.

"Didn't you say you'd retire after the New Year? Why did you change your mind?"

Tang Xixue looked at his decisive actions, a helpless smile appearing in her eyes, and asked softly.

"Shen Sinian is blind and ignorant, unable to recognize a gem, yet he dares to slight my Zhizhi—"

Tangxi put down her pen at night and looked up. The coldness and solemnity she had displayed while writing the imperial edict had turned into undisguised protectiveness and slight anger.

He has always shown unconditional favoritism towards Tang Xixue.

Now that it's confirmed that it's his Zhizhi who has returned, he can no longer tolerate the marriage agreement that already made him unhappy.

"Your Majesty, perhaps... we should stick to the original plan and discuss it again after the New Year? Wouldn't it be rather unseemly to annul the engagement now?"

Tang Xixue carefully chose her words, trying to persuade him to slow down.

"Respectable?" Tang Xiye interrupted her, a chilling smile curving his lips. "Does he deserve the respect I bestow upon him?"

"Since I dared to make you suffer, this marriage must be called off."

He turned to Shen Cuo, who was standing to the side, his tone leaving no room for argument:

"Send this decree to Prime Minister Shen's residence immediately."

Shen Cuo blankly accepted the imperial decree announcing the annulment of the engagement, still completely bewildered.

He originally thought that Tang Xixue would eventually become his sister-in-law because of her persistent pursuit.

But in the end, she actually came to break off the engagement herself.

Moreover, his elder brother Shen Xian, a gentleman as fine as jade, was the one who was disliked.

He was overwhelmed with mixed feelings.

"Zhizhi, weighing the pros and cons and considering the overall situation is what I should do for my court officials and outsiders."

Tang Xiye turned to look at her younger sister, her gaze softening again, carrying a rare show of protection from an emperor.

"I grant you the right to do as you please. If he doesn't cherish you, then he shouldn't even be qualified to be your nominal fiancé."

Tang Xixue's eyebrows curved into a smile, her eyes seemed to sparkle with starlight, her smile clear and bright.

"My elder brother is the best."

Tang Xiye gazed at her smiling face, his cold, hardened heart seemingly softened by spring water, and his tone grew gentler and deeper:

"As long as Zhizhi is happy, that's all that matters."

It was before dusk that day.

An imperial edict announcing the annulment of the engagement shattered the tranquility of the Shen family mansion like a thunderbolt, and then swept across the entire capital city of Yujing with the force of wildfire.

In every street and alley, in every grand mansion, everyone was talking about this sudden royal annulment of the engagement.

"Have you heard? Princess Jing and Young Master Shen have broken off their engagement."

"Really?"

"The imperial edict has been issued; how could it be false?"

"That's truly wonderful news! Young Master Shen is finally free from his misery."

"Yes! I really didn't expect them to break off the engagement, after all, Princess Jing likes Young Master Shen so much."

"In this way, the noble ladies who admire Young Master Shen will have another chance."

"..."

Shen Xian stood alone in the hall, the rolled-up bright yellow silk in his hand still carrying the scent of imperial ink and seal paste.

He read through those cold, hard letters of annulment word by word.

Suddenly, the image of Tang Xixue's eyes, cold and clear as a frozen pool, appearing under the plum blossom tree at Lintai today, flashes before his eyes.

"She did keep her word this time."

He had expected to feel a sense of relief, even a touch of liberation.

But when he held the bright yellow imperial edict firmly in his hand, heavy with an irresistible sense of finality, a sense of emptiness and bewilderment spread through his heart, like the sky after a snowfall, clear yet chillingly cold.

"Brother! Congratulations!"

Shen Cuo practically leaped into the study, his brows and eyes brimming with undisguised joy.

"You've finally gotten rid of that Mirror Princess! Your Majesty is wise!"

He had always felt that it was a waste of a pearl to associate his elder brother, such a virtuous and promising young man from a prominent family, with that eccentric and infamous princess.

Now that the engagement has been dissolved, he sees it as a great blessing.

Shen Xian, however, did not respond with the same joy.

He kept his eyes downcast, staring at the words on the imperial edict, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the edge of the silk, his voice almost a whisper:

"Why is she so determined to break off the engagement? I clearly explained to her that Yunhua is just a younger sister, and I have no other intentions..."

He still couldn't understand it.

He thought that her various outrageous behaviors and those absurd actions of entanglement with other geniuses were nothing more than childish and clumsy means of attraction because she couldn't get his attention.

Although he disliked it, he had grown accustomed to her clingy behavior, with him at the center of her world.

He thought that, no matter what, she could never leave him.

Just as vines cannot live without trees, moths cannot avoid candlelight.

But this time, she even severed this last bond, which was forged by the royal decree, with her own hands.

"What else could it be?"

Shen Cuo scoffed dismissively, displaying the bluntness and arbitrariness typical of young people.

"Isn't that just her fickle, capricious nature? She'll cling to one guy after another, and then dump him when she gets bored. Brother, don't overthink it, this is a good thing! From now on, you're free, and you won't have to be implicated in her outrageous behavior and have your reputation tarnished anymore!"

Free?

Shen Xian slowly raised her head and looked out the window at the deepening twilight.

The lights of countless homes in Yujing City lit up one after another, but they could not penetrate the fog that suddenly spread in his heart.

The figure of that girl who once had him in her heart and eyes, who would be overjoyed by his gentle words and saddened by his cold avoidance, seems to have vanished with the arrival of this imperial decree.

It seems she... really doesn't want him anymore.

This realization did not bring the expected relief; instead, it was like a tiny ice spike, silently piercing my heart.

If Tang Xixue continues to pester him as before, he will only feel weary and burdened, like an indelible stain on a fine garment that he only wants to brush away.

But when she turned away so decisively, severing all ties, even discarding the marriage contract she once cherished as her life—a sudden and overwhelming sense of loss gripped him.

The person he thought would never leave, and whom he had never truly cared for, withdrew in the most thorough way. Instead, a heavy stone was thrown into the once calm lake of his heart, and the ripples that spread out carried an unfamiliar sense of stagnation, leaving him with a deep sense of unease.

Now, the entire capital knows that the illustrious and upright Young Master Shen has been abandoned by the infamous Princess Jing.

It's Tangxi Xue, I don't want him anymore.

"Yes, that's good."

Inside the Lintai Moon-Viewing Pavilion, He Lichen paused for a moment as he listened to the news whispered by his attendant Song Yun.

The cool moonlight outside the window shone on his snow-white robes, and on his ethereal face, which was as beautiful as if sculpted from ice and jade, the corner of his lips seemed to twitch slightly, so quickly that one might doubt it was just an illusion of light and shadow.

For some reason, the inexplicable sorrow that had been lingering in my heart seemed to dissipate quietly with this news, and I even felt that the scent of agarwood in the pavilion was now clearer and more refreshing.

"All the exam papers for today have been graded," he said, regaining his usual calm and composed demeanor as he placed his vermilion brush back on the jade pen mountain. "The list of successful candidates will be re-evaluated and reorganized, and will be posted for public review tomorrow at Chenshi (7-9 AM)."

"Yes, sir," Songjun replied with his head bowed, then added, "There is another answer sheet, which was sent directly back by His Majesty's study and has already been personally reviewed and approved by His Majesty."

"Oh?" He Lichen raised his eyes slightly, a hint of understanding flashing in his cold eyes. "His Majesty personally reviewed it... it must be Tang Xixue's."

"Exactly."

"Bring it here."

"Yes."

Songyun quickly presented the unusual dossier.

He Lichen took it and unfolded it.

My gaze swept over the familiar question, then fell on the handwriting of the answers.

After a long while, he finally raised his eyes and looked at Song Jun, a hint of confusion appearing on his usually calm face:

"This scroll...is it truly her own handwriting? Your Majesty...did not write it on her behalf?"

As soon as he said it, he realized it was inappropriate.

Based on his understanding of Emperor Tang Xiye, ghostwriting was definitely not his style.

Song Jun lowered his eyes: "His Majesty... should not be such a biased person. He is a wise ruler."

He Lichen remained silent for a moment.

"It seems that our Princess Mirror has given everyone quite a surprise without us even realizing it."

He spoke slowly, his voice clear and melodious like a spring.

"She really knows how to hide her talents; even I was fooled."