The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

Tang Xixue blinked, then suddenly tiptoed and moved half a step closer to him.

The night breeze carried her cool, refreshing scent of crabapple blossoms closer, lingering in his breath.

She lowered her voice, each word like a feather coated in honey, gently scratching the most sensitive spot in one's heart:

"I'm so scared I can't sleep at night..."

"My Lord Advisor, please comfort me."

The last syllable rose slightly, carrying a naive yet dangerous allure, like a newly blossoming poppy swaying in the snowy night.

He Lichen's breath hitched almost imperceptibly.

Her breath was so close, warmly brushing against his chin.

The sparks in his eyes almost ignited his frost-covered clothes, burning cracks into the coldness that had accumulated over the years.

"How do I coax him?"

His voice lowered slightly, like the lingering vibration after a string has been gently plucked.

"Guess—" Her eyes sparkled, her gaze as shimmering as moonlight reflected in spring water, "How do you coax me into smiling?"

The force with which her fingertips gripped his sleeve was light, yet it felt as if it carried a thousand pounds, pinning him firmly to this small space.

He has always been a germaphobe and dislikes people getting close to him, but the princess's scent, warmth, and even her faint fragrance still lingered and enveloped him.

"Your Highness, please don't be so presumptuous."

He spoke, his voice still clear and cold, but slightly hoarse, like an undercurrent quietly flowing beneath the ice.

Even so, he did not brush her hand away.

Tang Xixue's eyes curved slightly, and she moved even closer, almost able to see the fine frost on his long eyelashes and the faint glow of his jade-like skin.

"Where have I been disrespectful?"

Her voice was as soft as melting maple syrup, sweet and sticky.

"The Imperial Advisor, in charge of astronomy, observes the stars and determines fortune—does he know tonight's constellation arrangement... is it suitable for deceiving people?"

He Lichen's eyes flickered slightly, and he finally lowered his gaze to meet her eyes.

Her reflection was now clearly reflected in those eyes that always looked down upon the world and saw through the secrets of heaven.

His temples were slightly disheveled, his eyes were like autumn water, and a smile that made his heart uneasy lingered on his lips.

"The Purple Star is dim, and Sirius is in conflict," he said slowly, each word as solemn and certain as stating the orbits of stars, "It is not advisable to do anything."

"Pfft."

Tang Xixue was amused by his serious expression.

The laughter was clear and melodious, like shattered jade falling into a silver plate, echoing softly in the empty pavilion.

How can the pure-hearted Imperial Advisor be so rigid in his refusal?

"Your Highness, it's late, you should go back."

His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he finally raised his other hand and gently covered the back of her hand that was gripping his sleeve.

The moment he touched it, the delicate warmth from his fingertips made him lose his composure.

The touch was like holding a handful of fresh snow from early winter; it looked white and cold, but when you actually touched it, it was warm.

Yet within this warmth emanates a heart-stirring tenderness, spreading upwards along the veins.

He clearly remembered how her fingertips roamed over his body that night, carrying the burning heat and tingling sensation induced by the Drunken Immortal Poison.

The poison did not blur the memory at all; on the contrary, it imprinted every detail into the bone marrow, so deeply that it could cause the ice-and-snow-forged body to feel inexplicably hot in the middle of the night.

Following his movements, Tang Xixue slid her fingers down from his sleeve and gently slipped them into his cool palm, interlocking her fingers with his.

"Your hands are so cold, Grand Preceptor," she said, her eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings, her tone so innocent that it was impossible to blame her. "Shall I warm them for you?"

Her voice was like newly brewed osmanthus honey in autumn, sweet but not cloying, yet enough to melt even the tip of an iceberg.

"This is improper and outrageous."

He Lichen's fingertips trembled.

She didn't fasten it tightly, but it was like a gentle lock, drawing his entire hand into her warmth.

The warmth burned from his fingertips all the way to his wrist bones, and then climbed up along his meridians, almost scorching his flesh and blood, which were used to the cold.

He should have withdrawn.

This is an overstepping of boundaries, a breach of decorum, and a shattering of the solitary posture he had maintained atop the clouds for over twenty years.

"This is nothing!"

Tang Xixue tiptoed, her breath warm and moist against his ear.

"Your Excellency, have you forgotten how you... cured the poison that night?"

The wind and snow swept through the hall, and the ribbon in her hair brushed against his chin once again.

That slight itch felt like a spark splashed into dry grass.

"Outrageous!"

He Lichen, who was supposed to be self-disciplined and respectful, was instantly thrown into disarray.

He felt all the blood rushing to his head, his ears and neck burning, and his whole body was like a piece of plain silk thrown into a dye vat, turning a light red from the inside out.

The Drunken Immortal Poison does not harm the body, but its medicinal properties are extremely strong.

The antidote wasn't hard to find, but she chose the most absurd one—simply pressing herself against him and kissing him, lingering and caressing him, until his reason crumbled completely.

Even now, thinking about it makes him blush.

She was truly fearless, recklessly barging into his perpetually snow-covered territory and igniting the first fire on the icy plains.

"That was my first time having physical contact with someone."

She spoke softly, her tone carrying a hidden sweetness.

He Lichen was suddenly pleased by her words.

Like a branch covered in ice and snow, suddenly a bright peach blossom blooms, unknown to anyone.

He reached out and pressed his hand against her lips. When his fingertips touched that soft, warm touch, he trembled.

"Stop talking."

The sound was so low it almost blended into the wind.

"...I'll coax her."

After a long while, he sighed very softly, a sigh that contained a resigned helplessness and a hint of indulgence that he himself did not even realize.

He gently cupped his palms, holding that excessively warm hand tightly.

Her hands were soft and boneless, and her skin was as delicate as the finest mutton fat jade.

He stood as straight as a lone pine, his white crane cloak untouched by dust, as if his momentary loss of composure had never happened.

He held her hand with one hand and gently patted her back with the other, as if he were coaxing a child.

"Now you won't be afraid, right?"

Tang Xixue looked up at his exquisite profile, her smile deepening, like a sparrow that had stolen honey.

She knew that some ice, though seemingly indestructible, was actually quite strong.

In fact, it only takes a tiny spark to slowly melt it from the inside.

"What are you looking at?"

He Lichen noticed her suddenly shifting gaze and followed her eyes downwards.

His tone unconsciously turned cold, but his hand didn't loosen; instead, he gripped it even tighter, as if afraid she would suddenly pull away.

"Look at my ex-fiancé—gentle and refined, yet cold and heartless."

Tang Xixue said casually, her gaze falling on the dimly lit area in the distance.

Shen Xian and Shen Yan's figures were exceptionally clear in the snow.

Today, Shen Xian was ordered to thoroughly investigate the hunting ground attack case and arrested a group of suspects overnight. He has been busy until now.

"The engagement's already broken off, why are you still looking at him?"

He Lichen's voice grew even colder, as if it were mixed with crushed ice.

"Look how much they love each other."

She deliberately dragged out the melody, a sly glint in her eyes.

Below, Shen Yan, dressed in a light blue silk dress, was looking up at Shen Xian, holding a carved food box in her hand.

The snowflakes reflected on her face, and the tenderness in her eyes was almost overflowing.

"Brother, you've been busy all day. I brought you some food, please eat something."

The sound drifted faintly on the wind, as gentle as willow catkins in March.

"Thank you, Yunhua."

Shen Xian was also somewhat tired, with unmelted snowflakes clinging to his blue robe.

When he saw that she had come to bring him food, he responded gently, still maintaining his upright and gentlemanly demeanor, though a faint look of weariness lingered between his brows.

"Brother, Her Highness the Princess often behaves inappropriately and causes trouble, so why is it that you're the one who has to go through all this trouble?"

Shen Yan's voice gradually became clearer, filled with undisguised grievance.

"I truly feel sorry for my brother. You two are no longer related now, why should he suffer like this..."

She doesn't understand.

When Tang Xixue was still her brother's fiancée, he ignored her and never bothered to care about her.

But now that the engagement has been dissolved, he is staying out late at night, working tirelessly for her.

This felt like a thorn stuck in her heart, causing a dull ache.

"Even if she dies, it's her own fault."

"Yunhua, how can you be so insensible?"

Shen Xian lowered his voice, clearly not expecting his well-mannered and knowledgeable adopted sister to say such harsh words.

"This is a task assigned to me by His Majesty, and it has nothing to do with personal grudges. Her Highness is the ruler, and we are her subjects. You should not be disrespectful to Her Highness."

He was a scion of a prominent family, and from a young age he was taught proper etiquette, and his words and actions were always measured and respectful.