The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

The outline of the Hall of Longevity was hidden behind the swirling snow curtain, with only strings of icicles hanging from the eaves, reflecting the warm yellow light shining from inside the hall, forming a crystal-clear and still beaded curtain.

The halo refracted and flowed in the ice crystals, like stars about to shatter, suspended in the deep snowy night.

"I heard that you single-handedly shot and killed a tiger today, winning the title of champion in archery."

Tang Xiye led her to sit on the warm couch, his deep, mellow voice filled with pride.

"My Zhizhi, how can you be so amazing?"

"It's because my elder brother taught me well."

When Tang Xixue looked up, her eyes sparkled like stars, and she smiled broadly.

Her archery and horsemanship skills were taught to her by Tang Xiye.

Since she was frail from childhood, he personally prepared medicinal meals for her and urged her to practice martial arts to strengthen her body.

Whether in the dead of winter or the sweltering heat of summer, there is always a figure dressed in black on the training ground, accompanying the little princess as she draws, aims, and releases the bowstring again and again.

"Zhizhi has completed her apprenticeship."

Tang Xi stared at her intently at night, then belatedly felt a wave of fear wash over her—

Fortunately, he didn't relax his demands because he felt sorry for her back then, and fortunately, his daughter was a martial arts prodigy, a gift from heaven.

Otherwise, today's hunting grounds...

"I wonder if I can still defeat my elder brother now?"

Tang Xixue suddenly asked, a sly glint in her eyes.

Upon hearing this, Tang Xiye chuckled, and the tense atmosphere from before vanished completely.

"Now, Zhizhi even wants to hit her own brother, the Emperor?"

He shook his head, his eyes filled with boundless doting affection.

"I cannot attack you. Therefore, there is no need for a contest; consider it an admission of defeat on my part."

As he spoke, he took out a token from his sleeve that was neither gold nor jade, and had a dark, dull color, and handed it to her.

The token has an ancient design, with a star pattern symbolizing the imperial power of the North Star embossed on the front, while the back features a powerful and vigorous character for "night".

"The Chief of Lintai Mountain commands that whoever carries this command shall be treated as if I were personally present at Lintai. Let Mu Liang secretly carry this command and accompany me; no one will dare to obstruct him."

"Brother, I can protect myself."

The snow on Tangxi River had not yet fallen, and her eyes shone brightly.

"Without rules, nothing can be accomplished; there's no need to make an exception for me."

"In my eyes, weaving is more important than rules."

Every word in Tangxi Night weighs more than a thousand pounds.

His principles and ironclad rules all yielded to her.

This favoritism is so domineering that it's unreasonable.

"The annual examination at Lintai will be over in a few days, so there's no need for such a big fuss, Your Majesty."

Tangxi Xue carefully calculated the time.

As the year draws to a close and the new year approaches, Shen Yan's true identity is about to be revealed.

The Emperor's favor is her greatest asset in the capital city.

She would not be fooled into poisoning her own brother.

She will do everything in her power to protect her brother.

"Then I will increase the number of guards at Lintai, so that Zhizhi can focus on her studies."

Tangxi took back the token that night, but made another promise.

"If you pass all the annual examinations, I will grant you one request—whatever it may be."

"My elder brother is the best."

The snow on Tangxi unfolds its face, its smile as radiant as the first clear day after a snowfall.

"Will my elder brother always protect Zhizhi?"

She tilted her head back, the candlelight shattering into countless stars in her eyes, her voice so soft it was as if she were afraid of disturbing this warmth.

"certainly."

Tangxi answered without hesitation, each word as clear as if carved in stone.

"I will protect Zhizhi forever."

"Your word is as good as gold," she said, extending her little finger, the tip gleaming like a pearl in the lamplight. "You mustn't lie."

Tangxi chuckled softly in the night, the sound rippling gently in the silent palace.

He hooked his finger around her slightly cool little finger, his slender fingers gently tightening, completely enveloping her cool fingertip in his warm palm.

A ruler's word is his bond.

He gazed at her, her image reflected in his eyes.

"How can Zhizhi not even trust her imperial brother...?"

"I believe in my elder brother."

Tang Xixue responded softly, her moist eyes looking at him like black jade soaked in a clear spring, making his heart melt completely.

She paused, her eyelashes drooping, casting a small shadow beneath her eyes.

"I'm just afraid... afraid that if my brother has an even more obedient and adorable younger sister in the future, he won't love Zhizhi anymore."

His voice grew softer and softer, trembling slightly.

"Among the entire royal family, I am the only one... without the Holy Seal."

She raised her eyes, her gaze dark and brooding like dying embers.

"I might... really have been adopted."

"Zhizhi, who's been gossiping about you again?"

Tang Xiye's expression suddenly turned cold, and the surrounding air seemed to freeze into frost.

The royal family of Tangxi has a "holy mark of the iris" between the eyebrows of every legitimate descendant.

Normally hidden beneath the skin, it only reveals its exquisite iris pattern when in forbidden royal areas such as the Imperial Ancestral Temple or the Altar of Heaven, during grand sacrificial ceremonies.

It's a mark that flows in your blood, translucent with a pale gold base, something that tattoos can never imitate.

"Brother, do you know something?"

Seeing his reaction, Tang Xixue suddenly felt a sense of clarity.

My brother's attitude is like this...

It didn't seem like he was refuting her claim that he picked her up; rather, it seemed like he was annoyed that someone had exposed some secret he had painstakingly concealed.

"Brother, I've grown up now."

"You don't have to... hide everything from me."

She reached out, her delicate, smooth fingertips gently stroking his slightly furrowed brow.

There, during the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven, the sacred seal symbolizing supreme imperial power would appear.

Tang Xiye grasped her slightly cool wrist, his gaze gazing deeply into her eyes.

"Zhizhi, no matter what—you are still my sister."

He always knew.

From the time she took her first steps, from the first time she stood motionless before the altar, and from the time he searched through the royal archives late at night without finding a single clue.

He then knew that she did not have the blood of the Tangxi royal family flowing in her veins.

But so what?

His affection for her had nothing to do with blood ties.

She was the pure white snow he held in the palm of his hand in the cold palace, the only soft spot he didn't need to guard against in his calculations and schemes.

"But Brother Xuan Yin, I don't want to be your illegitimate sister..."

Tang Xixue suddenly called him by his courtesy name, her voice soft and clear, like cotton candy melting on the tip of her tongue.

Tang Xiye paused, thinking she was just insecure, and her deep, warm voice softened, carrying a soothing gentleness:

No one can shake your position.

He took her hand.

"Zhizhi will always be my sister."

"oh--"

"I see."

She curved her eyebrows and smiled sweetly and harmlessly, like a kitten that had tucked its claws in.

"If Zhizhi doesn't want to be my sister, whose sister would she want to be?"

Tang Xiye suddenly leaned forward, his slender fingers gently lifting her chin, making her look up and meet his gaze.

His voice was low and had an almost dangerous magnetism.

"Outside—is there a better brother than me?"

He braced his other hand on the armrest of the soft couch beside her, encircling her in a small space, his breath so close that it brushed against her trembling eyelashes.

The candlelight flickered behind him, completely enveloping her in his shadow.

Those eyes were as deep and dark as the night sea.

Tang Xixue's breath hitched slightly.

She caught a whiff of the cool ambergris scent emanating from his clothes, mixed with a hint of the chilling ink from the imperial study.

His body heat radiated through the thin fabric of his clothes, making it feel particularly scorching in the snowy night.

"I……"

"I didn't say I was going to find a new older brother outside..."

She opened her mouth, her voice was soft, and her heart was pounding like crazy.

"But the tone you just spoke sounded reluctant. Is it beneath you to be my sister?"

Tang Xiye's gaze fell on her slightly parted lips, lingered for a moment, then slowly moved upwards, locking onto her eyes.

"Weaving."

He called softly, his voice tender and lingering, as if it had turned a hundred times.

Su was so embarrassing that it made people blush.