The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

Tang Xixue stood still, her palms empty.

She was slightly taken aback at first, then let out a soft chuckle that she couldn't help but suppress.

"Pfft—"

The laughter was clear and melodious, like the gentle tapping of a jade chime.

Her curved eyes, reflected in the twilight, resembled shattered stars.

"Him..." she said to Wei Yu beside her with a laugh, "He actually believed it?"

Wei Yu covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking with laughter:

"Lord Mu Liang usually seems so cold and hard, not even flinching when a knife is held to his throat, who knew... he'd be so easily teased!"

"Could this be what they describe in storybooks as... a tough guy being shy?"

"Hahaha……"

The Broken Moon River flows gently beneath the bridge, carrying a few late-fallen petals, drifting aimlessly, their destination unknown.

The sheng and xiao on the distant painted boat had changed their tune at some point, their melodies lingering and poignant, drifting between the water and clouds.

Tang Xixue gazed in the direction where the twilight had disappeared, the smile in her eyes gradually fading, transforming into a gentle, almost pitying glimmer.

"fool."

She scolded softly, but the last syllable of her voice carried an unconscious softness, like a feather brushing against the heart.

Mu Liang's fingers tightened suddenly around the sword hilt, the cold metallic touch pressing into her palm, but she couldn't suppress the sudden throbbing in her heart.

His Highness is so gentle.

As dusk deepened, the stars peeking out from the horizon resembled a fleeting glimmer of light on someone's blushing earlobe.

As the carriage left the bustling West Market and turned toward Mirror Moon Lake, the surrounding noise noticeably subsided, and even the lights became much more sparse.

The only sounds were the faint rustling of wheels grinding through the snow and the occasional clear chimes of crystal bells on the eaves in the cold wind.

Wei Yu sat in the carriage, unconsciously twisting her handkerchief with her fingertips, hesitating to speak several times.

The warm yellow lantern light illuminated her hesitant profile. Finally, she bit her lip and spoke softly, breaking the silence of the journey:

"Your Highness... there is actually another large mansion on the east bank of Mirror Moon Lake."

Her voice was even lower, carrying a hint of barely concealed fear.

"But... that house has been abandoned for a long time, and it's said to be... not very clean, haunted."

"Since it's confiscated government property, it's been unclaimed for a long time. If we handle things properly, we... won't have to spend any money."

"Oh?"

Tang Xixue, who had been resting with her eyes closed against the soft cushion, slowly opened them upon hearing this.

A glint of light flashed in his eyes, like a sudden appearance of a cold star.

She straightened up slightly, and her snow-white wide sleeves slipped down, revealing half of her fair wrist.

"Explain in detail."

"A haunted house?" A faint smile curved her lips, showing no fear but rather keen interest. "A free... mansion?"

She repeated those words, her gaze shifting with a sharpness akin to examining a treasure.

"Light rain, this isn't a ghost story at all!" Her voice held a hint of amusement, like the gentle tinkling of shattered jade. "This is clearly a ghost story."

"This immense wealth and honor has finally come to me."

"What are you waiting for? Go check out my future new home!"

"Your Highness!" Wei Yu exclaimed anxiously, quickly trying to dissuade her, "Your Highness, it's night now, are you—are you really going to see the haunted house?"

"Nighttime is better."

Tang Xixue had already signaled to the driver to turn around, her tone leaving no room for argument.

"Let's see if there are any ghosts."

Wei Yu opened her mouth, but seeing the gleam in her prince's eyes, she knew that further persuasion would be useless.

He could only tighten the hand warmer in his arms and resignedly hold the lantern steady.

The carriage moved slowly along the shore of Mirror Moon Lake.

The further east you go, the sparser the population becomes.

The lake is vast, with gentle ripples that shimmer with a hazy silvery-gray hue.

A thin mist rises from the center of the lake, wisps and strands, entwining the willow branches on the shore where snowflakes and smoke gather, blurring the scenery in the distance like a light ink painting.

"Your Highness, we have arrived."

The carriage eventually stopped at a fork in the road overgrown with weeds.

There was no longer a passage for carriages and horses ahead, only a narrow path covered with fresh snow, winding its way into a dark bamboo forest.

"This is it."

Tangxi Xue lifted the carriage curtain and stepped onto the ground.

"Your Highness, I wonder if it's just my imagination, but this place seems colder than other places—"

"It's alright."

A chill swept over her instantly, but she paid no attention, simply pulling the collar of her silver fox fur coat tighter around her shoulders.

"let's go!"

"Yes."

A light rain followed closely behind, and the lantern in my hand swayed in the wind. Its warm yellow glow appeared weak and lonely against the boundless grayness and snow.

The two entered the bamboo forest one after the other.

Bamboo leaves were covered with snow, rustling softly in the wind, and occasionally heavy clumps of snow would slide down from above.

"Your Highness...please wait for me, don't walk too fast..."

Wei Yu's voice trembled uncontrollably, almost on the verge of tears.

The bamboo shadows sway and shift in the lantern light, stretching out into all sorts of strange shapes.

Wei Yu followed closely behind, almost touching Tang Xixue's back, holding her breath.

"Don't be afraid, I'm here."

Tang Xixue comforted him gently, and her calm tone made Mu Liang, who was about to appear from the shadows to protect him, stop in his tracks.

His Highness has always been very bold.

After walking no more than a hundred steps, a bright and open space suddenly appeared before me.

At the end of the bamboo forest, there was a wide open lakeside slope.

On the snow-covered ground, a huge camellia tree stands out.

In the depths of winter, the camellia tree was covered in vibrant red blossoms.

The large, double-petaled flowers, layer upon layer, adorn every branch.

Bathed in the glow of the snow, it was a breathtakingly red, burning like fire.

"My God—is this really something I can get for free without spending a penny?"

Tang Xixue looked with delight behind the red camellia tree—on the shore of Mirror Moon Lake, the outline of a mansion quietly emerged.

It was a rather large-scale Jiangnan-style garden building, standing silently amidst the shimmering lake and snow-covered landscape.

With its white walls, black tiles, and upturned eaves, the exquisite craftsmanship and grandeur of yesteryear are still faintly visible.

However, now, large sections of the wall plaster have peeled off, revealing the gray and dilapidated bricks and stones underneath;

The courtyard wall was high, but the top of the wall was covered with withered yellow weeds, shivering in the cold wind;

The vermilion gate was tightly shut, and the copper rings on it were rusted into a dark green, as if it had not been opened for many years.

"Although it's a bit old, the foundation is excellent. With a little repair, it will be habitable!"

The more I look at Tangxi Snow, the more satisfied I become.

"What is the origin of this house?"

"Your Highness!"

Wei Yu's voice was clearly choked with sobs. She gripped the lantern handle tightly, her knuckles turning white, and subconsciously shrank closer to Tang Xixue.

"This servant...this servant has inquired about it, this house is very eerie!"

She swallowed hard, forcing herself to continue, her voice trembling uncontrollably:

"This house... was originally designed and drawn by the late Princess Beichen more than 20 years ago, when the Beichen Prince's Mansion was at its peak. The Prince funded and supervised its construction. It was originally intended to be given to his close confidant, a deputy general, as a wedding gift."

"But... before that deputy and his family could even move in, a terrible disaster struck!"

The sound of the light rain was even lower, as if afraid of disturbing something.

"Overnight, the entire deputy general's family...more than a dozen people, were wiped out! The authorities investigated again and again, but it remains a cold case to this day, the cause of death a mystery!"

"Later, I heard that whoever became the owner of this house died a violent death before they could even move in."

"This is a cursed haunted house."

"Since then, no one has dared to make a move here."

"People who pass by say that... at night they often hear crying and music coming from inside... and when the moon is full, ghostly figures are even said to float into the lake..."

Her voice grew softer and softer until it was almost a whisper, her eyes scanning the dark window and door with terror.

Tang Xixue seemed not to have heard those terrifying rumors.

Her gaze slowly swept over the area—an open view, a tranquil lakeside, a secluded location far from the hustle and bustle, and the grand, still-remaining structure of the mansion before her.

"What a lovely house! It's even better that no one has lived there yet!"

She suddenly spoke, her tone filled with undisguised admiration.

"The house is spacious, with a superb view; opening the window reveals the lake and mountains. And there are no neighbors on either side..."

She turned to look at Wei Yu, whose face was pale, her eyes sparkling, and even a hint of sly smile flashed across them.

"This is it," she declared decisively, like a monarch declaring the boundaries of his territory. "This will be our new home."

"Your Highness!"

Wei Yu was really about to cry; her legs were even a little weak.

"Can't you...can't you feel it? This place is really strange! The yin energy is too strong! It's haunted!"

"Haunted?"

Tang Xixue repeated it, then suddenly chuckled softly.

The clear, melodious laughter echoed through the desolate snowy night, dispelling some of the gloom.

She reached out and caught a red camellia petal that had been swept away by the wind.

The vibrant color lay in her snow-white palm, the contrast of red and white striking and startling.

"Light rain, I'm not even afraid of poverty, why would I be afraid of ghosts?"