The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

"You brat, where do you think you're going to run to?"

"You're trapped now."

Pei Yanchuan paused in his steps.

He calmly swept his gaze over the menacing-looking servants before him, then carefully placed the books in his arms on a clean stone platform to the side.

He also practiced martial arts in Lintai, mainly for physical fitness, and was not proficient in combat techniques, but there was no fear in his eyes at this moment.

"Shen Xian is only this petty; he can't stand losing at chess, so he resorts to such despicable tricks."

He muttered to himself, glancing down at his clean and crisp moon-white long gown.

This was one of the few decent clothes he owned, and he had changed into it specially today to keep Tang Xixue's invitation tonight.

The thought that his clothes might be dusty and damaged caused a genuine sense of annoyance to finally surface between his handsome brows.

"What nonsense! How dare a poor peasant like you offend the young master of our Prime Minister's mansion?"

"Break his legs, let's see if he can still talk back!"

The leader of the servants grinned maliciously and charged forward with his club.

The wind howled in, carrying snowflakes.

Pei Yanchuan drew the short dagger from his waist for self-defense, its blade flashing a cold light in the snowy night.

His back was straight, like a lone bamboo in the wind and snow; he knew he was no match, yet he showed no intention of retreating.

The road ahead was always bumpy, and he never expected to rely on anyone's protection forever.

Even if it means getting a severe beating, the other party will definitely pay the price.

It's just... a pity about this outfit.

The wooden stick, carried by the wind, was already at his face.

Right now—

Several faint streaks of silver light suddenly pierced the dark, snowy night.

"Swish, swish, swish!"

A series of extremely faint whooshing sounds rang out, followed by a dull thud as someone fell to the ground.

The menacing-looking servants froze simultaneously, their狰狞 expressions solidified.

They then collapsed to the ground as if their bones had been removed, each with a fine silver needle deeply embedded in their throat or between their eyebrows, the needles trembling slightly in the wind and snow.

Changes can happen in the blink of an eye.

The mountain path returned to silence, with only the mournful howl of wind and snow.

Pei Yanchuan slowly lowered the dagger in his hand and looked up.

At the top of the mountain road, a beautifully decorated sedan chair, exuding warmth, was being steadily carried down by four silent, burly sedan chair bearers dressed in gray.

The sedan curtain, trimmed with thick silver fox fur, was gently lifted at this moment by a pale, slender hand with distinct knuckles.

The person inside the sedan chair was wrapped in a snow-white fox fur coat and covered with a thick brocade snow wool blanket, with only their face showing.

Her face was a translucent, cold white, her eyebrows and eyes like distant mountains shrouded in mist, serene and detached, her lips extremely pale, only a small beauty mark at the corner of her eye added a touch of breathtaking, broken beauty.

He was like ice and glass, delicate yet fragile, yet possessing a detached, all-knowing weariness.

The newcomer was none other than the Divine Physician Zheyue—Si Xingxuan.

He glanced at Pei Yanchuan casually, a faint smile curving his pale lips.

"What a delicate little white flower, so fragile and easily broken."

He coughed lightly twice, covered his lips with a plain white silk handkerchief, and when he removed the handkerchief, the edges were already stained with startling bright red spots.

"Today, with your prince not around, you've ended up in such a... pitiful state?"

Pei Yanchuan paused for a moment, then composed himself and bowed respectfully towards the sedan chair.

"Yan Chuan, thank you for saving me, Young Master Zhe Yue."

After the ceremony, he straightened up, silently walked back to the stone platform, and picked up the bundle of books that had almost been destroyed.

Si Xingxuan leaned back lazily against the thick, soft cushions in the sedan chair and gave a low order to the gray-clad attendant beside him:

"Men, deal with them."

"Throw it back to the entrance of Prime Minister Shen's residence."

"Remember, make sure to arrange them...neatly."

He truly lives up to his reputation as the Divine Physician Zheyue, who can save lives as easily as picking up a mustard seed and kill people as easily as breaking a branch.

Meanwhile, Tang Xixue's carriage was passing through the most bustling Zhuque Street in the capital.

Pedestrians thronged the streets, and lights danced in the air.

The enormous silhouette of the Seventh Pavilion, with its octagonal eaves and dazzling gilded facade, is already in sight.

A major auction is taking place tonight; the entrance is packed with carriages and dignitaries, and the sounds of clamor can be faintly heard.

A gust of wind swirled down from the eaves of the high-rise building.

The wind carried a clear, ethereal sound, as if it could cleanse away the noise and clamor of the world.

"jingle……"

The sound was extremely faint, blending into the surrounding clamor of voices and the rumble of carriages, making it almost indistinguishable.

But Tang Xixue, who was inside the carriage, trembled slightly the moment she heard the bell.

Almost without warning, she leaned forward abruptly and yanked open the curtain of the car window beside her!

The sudden movement startled Wei Yu, who was standing nearby.

"Your Highness?"

Tangxi Xue did not respond.

Her gaze quickly turned to the window, searching desperately through the gaps between the dazzling lights and surging crowds of the Seven Worlds Pavilion, following the direction in which the bell had faded.

In the dim light, light and shadow intertwine.

In a daze, it seemed as if a silvery-white figure, as radiant as moonlight and as aloof as frost and snow, flashed past through the gaps in the crowd.

The figure was tall and slender, with silver hair cascading down like a waterfall, reflecting a cold, faint light under the brilliant lights. As her clothes fluttered, she exuded an ethereal and aloof air that seemed to belong to a world apart from the bustling city.

It was just a fleeting, breathtaking glimpse.

It was as fast as an illusion, like the moon's reflection suddenly shattering in the water.

When Tang Xixue looked again with focused attention, the figure was nowhere to be seen.

Only the ever-bustling crowds and the strings of glazed lamps swaying under the eaves of the Seventh Pavilion, casting hazy glows in the night.

"Your Highness, what's wrong?"

Wei Yu leaned closer and asked with concern. Following her gaze, I saw only an ordinary street scene.

Tang Xixue stared blankly in the direction where the figure disappeared, her fingertips unconsciously gripping the edge of the window frame. The cool wooden touch brought her back to her senses.

"I think I've seen my master..."

Tang Xixue looked in the direction where the figure disappeared, but didn't know where to look for it.

"Is that His Highness's most powerful master in the world?"

Wei Yu suddenly recalled a distant memory: five years ago, they often heard His Highness mention her master.

But over the years, they had never heard her mention it once, and they thought that the master was just something His Highness had imagined.

"Yes, my master is naturally—unparalleled in the world."

When Tang Xixue mentioned her master, her usually cold and aloof eyes softened with a touch of gentleness.

"Then... what is Your Highness's master's name?"

Wei Yu couldn't help but ask further, her heart filled with curiosity about the person who could make His Highness think so much about her.

Tang Xixue remained silent for a moment, then slowly took out a pure white folding fan from her sleeve.

The fan ribs resemble jade but are not jade, and feel cool to the touch.

She unfolded it, and in the lower right corner of the fan, there was a small seal.

The seal inscription consists of two simple and ancient seal characters: "Jinlian".

His name is Jinlian.

"Clouds return to the scorched sea, butterflies perch on lotus hearts, mist dissipates... and I see you."

These are the sentences that person wrote on plum blossom paper and sent to her a long time ago, using a pen dipped in ink mixed with gold powder.

The ink had long since dried, and the fragrance of plum blossoms had dissipated, but the spirit of those words seemed to be etched into my heart.

Tang Xixue stared at the fan for a moment, then gently closed the folding fan and put it away again.

"Let's go. Perhaps I've misjudged."

There was a barely perceptible hint of regret in her voice.