The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

Hua Rongshi's slender, jade-like fingers tapped lightly on the rosewood table, her posture as languid as a cat basking in the sun.

While casually proctoring the exam, he lowered his eyes and tended to the exquisite silver incense burner on the table.

Gently scoop with a spatula, and finely sift with fragrant powder.

Before long, a sweet and slightly intoxicating fragrance of pear blossoms rose from the gilded incense burner.

The delicate fragrance of ink and paper blends into the original scent of Ranxia Studio.

Behind him, the round, carved window was wide open, and several branches of red plum blossoms reached in from outside. The snow-like petals swirled in the wind, and one petal landed precisely on his slightly bent fingertip.

He glanced down and caught a glimpse of it, a subtle, elegant smile unconsciously appearing between his brows. With a gentle flick of his finger, he brushed the plum blossom petal away.

His gaze, however, involuntarily pierced through the hazy, fragrant mist once again, landing on the snow-white figure before the painting table below.

Looking at her through this soft haze of smoke, she was more beautiful than any masterpiece painting on the wall.

"How could she be so beautiful? It's a pity she was born with an extra mouth."

Hua Rong sighed silently in her heart, her fingertips drawing circles on the table.

"She could poison herself with the mere touch of her lips, could she?"

No one knows that this prince of the Dreamy City, known throughout the land for his carefree and unrestrained lifestyle, is actually an absolute and incurable person who is obsessed with good looks.

He was almost powerless against all things beautiful and kind.

Because of his own good looks, he especially enjoyed associating with people who were equally pleasing to the eye.

Reason told him to look away, but his gaze was incredibly honest, secretly tracing her silhouette for the hundredth time.

"It's exactly my type."

"If I look at her a few more times, she won't notice, will she?"

"You should have said so earlier! That heavily made-up look you used to have, like you were smearing a whole box of rouge on your face—were you deliberately trying to irritate my eyes?!"

Thinking of her former radiant beauty, I still feel a pang of pain in my eyes.

Just as his thoughts were churning, and he glanced over unintentionally for the hundred and first time, a sudden change occurred!

Xiao Yao, the young master of the Ministry of War's family, who was sitting behind Tangxi Xuexie, suddenly stood up.

His movements seemed ordinary, but as he turned around, he subtly flicked his wrist.

The inkstone, brimming with thick ink, was tilted and spilled towards Tangxi Xue.

The ink, like a dark cloud, seemed poised to engulf her and her unfinished painting.

"Splash—!"

In a flash, a pink wide sleeve billowed up like flowing clouds and a startled swan.

Before Hua Rongshi could even think it through, with a flick of her long sleeves, a blank scroll that had been resting on the table flew out into the air.

With a "whoosh," it unfolded in mid-air, like a pure white screen, completely blocking Tang Xixue's path.

"Pfft..."

Thick ink was splashed all over the snow-white silk, spreading into a hideous stain, but not a single piece of the clothes of the person in front of him was splashed.

The room was deathly silent, except for the faint sound of ink dripping from the edge of the hanging silk scroll.

Hua Rongshi slowly stood up, the flirtatious smile in her peach blossom eyes completely gone, leaving only a chilling coldness.

"Do you think I'm dead?"

He strode toward Xiao Yao, who stood frozen in place.

"You did something under my nose?"

He stopped in front of Xiao Yao, looking down at the other's face, which was pale with panic.

"You disrupted the examination and maliciously damaged other candidates' exam papers. Your exam qualification is revoked."

Hua Rongshi pulled out an assessment record book from her sleeve, picked up a pen, and dipped it in ink.

The brush tip falls, creating strokes as sharp as iron hooks and silver lines.

"Causing trouble without cause will result in a major demerit."

Xiao Yao suddenly snapped back to his senses, his face drained of color, and said urgently:

"Brother Rongshi! It's a misunderstanding! I just slipped and fell when I got up..."

"careless?"

A clear, cold voice came from behind, interrupting Xiao Yao's pale explanation.

Tangxi Xue has put down her pen.

She turned around, reached out, and picked up the inkstone on her desk, which was also filled with ink.

Then, to everyone's astonishment, he smoothly flicked his wrist.

"Whoosh—!"

Thick black ink cascaded down like a waterfall, soaking Xiao Yao to the bone.

From his meticulously styled hair ornament to his priceless brocade robe, everything was instantly soaked through, leaving him in a sorry state.

"ah--!"

Caught off guard, Xiao Yao staggered backward after being splashed, wiped his face, and trembled with anger.

"You! How dare you?! So arrogant and domineering!"

"Tsk."

Hua Rongshi's lips twitched almost imperceptibly, and she subconsciously took half a step back to avoid the splash of ink.

Looking at Xiao Yao, who had instantly transformed into a black figure, a strange, absurd smile inexplicably arose in his heart.

She really is... quick to settle scores, unwilling to wait even a moment.

Sure enough, they wouldn't suffer even the slightest loss.

"Arrogant?"

Tang Xixue gently placed the empty inkstone back on the table, raised her eyes, and coldly swept her gaze over Xiao Yao, her eyes like stars reflected in a cold pool.

"Who can compare to your arrogance, Young Master Xiao? You treat the Lintai examination hall like it doesn't exist, committing violence in public and ruining someone's work—"

She paused, her voice suddenly turning cold, and the temperature in the entire Ranxia Studio seemed to plummet:

"Don't tell me you think this Lintai is a private school run by your Xiao family?"

Xiao Yao was intimidated by her imposing manner and was speechless for a moment.

Tang Xixue stepped forward, her snow-white skirt brushing against the smooth ground, exuding an aura of dignified authority befitting someone long accustomed to a superior position.

"Listen to me clearly. This Lintai belongs to the Tangxi clan. It is the Lintai of the Chenyao royal family."

"I am the host, and you are all guests."

Her gaze slowly swept over the students in the study who were silent as cicadas in winter.

"Disrespect for the Lord, deliberate sabotage, and a mere demerit?"

"You no longer need to stay in Lintai. Pack your bags and leave immediately."

"you--!"

Xiao Yao was struck dumb, and the ink stains covering his face and body could not hide his instantly pale complexion.

"How can you be so autocratic?! My father is..."

"Why the noise?"

A deep, cold voice, imbued with an invisible pressure, came from the entrance of Ranxia Studio.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a figure in a crimson robe standing in front of the door.

Bei Chenji stepped in, his handsome face as cold and sharp as if carved by a knife, expressionless. Only his deep eyes swept across the room, making the air even more tense.

"Greetings, Your Highness, Prince Beichen!"

Xiao Yao, as if grasping at a lifeline, scrambled forward, ignoring his disheveled state, and hurriedly said:

"I am innocent! I merely knocked over the inkstone when I stood up, nearly... nearly ruining Princess Mirror's painting. Princess Mirror is now relentless and wants to expel me! I beg Your Highness to see the truth!"

He was secretly pleased with himself—his father was the Minister of War and a capable general under the Prince of Beichen.

Moreover, who doesn't know that Prince Beichen and Miss Shen Yan have a close relationship?

He even went to the execution platform in person to bail people out.

The prince will definitely stand by his side!

After listening, Bei Chenji first turned his gaze to Hua Rongshi, who was standing to the side.

"He disrupted the examination and should be punished."

Hua Rongshi spoke concisely, waving the record book in her hand.

"I've already noted it down."

Bei Chenji nodded slightly before turning his gaze to Tang Xixue:

"Since it was an unintentional mistake, Princess Mirror, please be forgiving. It's just a painting; there's no need to make a big deal out of it and hurt the harmony between classmates."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yao could barely hide the smugness on his face.

Tang Xixue suddenly raised her eyes, her star-like eyes looking directly at Bei Chenji, her voice soft and clear:

"But, little imperial uncle—"

She paused, stepped aside, and displayed the completed work on her easel to everyone.

"He almost ruined this painting."

Bei Chenji's casual gaze then fell upon it.

Then--

All the words he hadn't finished saying suddenly froze on his lips.

For the first time, a clear crack appeared on that handsome face that was always as cold as a rock, as if it wouldn't be moved even if the sky collapsed.