Without showing any reaction, Shin-Lu continued reading the invitation.
His expression remained calm as his eyes moved down the letter.
"The Imperial Family also announces another piece of joyous news," he read aloud.
"In celebration of the Third Prince's birthday, the Empire will also welcome the return of the First Prince, Kang Qing-Feng."
A faint rustle of wind passed through the cherry blossom tree as the name was spoken.
"After seven years away from the empire," Shin-Lu continued, "the First Prince will finally return to Wang-Jin Country."
His gaze sharpened slightly as he read the next line.
"It is said that despite being only twenty years old, the First Prince has already stepped into the Gold Rank as an Alchemist Cultivator, becoming one of the most talented cultivators of the younger generation."
The attendant standing nearby lowered his head respectfully as Shin-Lu finished reading that part.
Shin-Lu then continued with the final portion of the letter.
"On this joyous occasion," he said calmly, "the entire Imperial Family respectfully invites Master White Mask to attend and honor the celebration with their presence."
"They believe that such a grand event would become even more meaningful if the legendary White Mask were present."
For a brief moment, silence settled beneath the cherry blossom tree.
But Shin-Lu was not finished.
He continued reading.
"And this year's celebration will be unlike any banquet held before."
"This grand event will not take place inside the Royal Palace..."
His voice slowed slightly.
"...but within the legendary Jade Celestial Palace."
The moment those words were spoken, even the wind seemed to grow quieter.
After finishing the letter, Shin-Lu slowly folded it and lowered his hand.
"Thank you," he said calmly to the attendant.
Then he gestured for the guard to step forward and escort the messenger away.
Once the attendant left, Shin-Lu turned his gaze toward Bai-Xue.
"What should we do, Bai-Xue?" he asked.
Jan-Mei, who had been listening quietly until now, suddenly looked toward Bai-Xue with visible worry.
"Princess..." she said anxiously.
"What are we going to do?"
Her hands tightened slightly.
"If you attend this banquet... there is a high chance that the Imperial Family will officially announce your engagement with Prince Min-Sheng."
Her voice trembled slightly.
"And the banquet is only twelve days away."
For a moment, Bai-Xue fell silent.
Even she seemed lost in thought.
The soft petals of the cherry blossoms continued falling around them.
Shin-Lu leaned back slightly in his chair and spoke calmly.
"And even if we wanted to avoid it..."
"...we cannot simply ignore an invitation from the Imperial Family."
His voice carried quiet seriousness.
Refusing such an invitation could easily be interpreted as disrespect toward the Empire itself.
Bai-Xue frowned slightly as she thought about something else.
"There is something I don't understand," she said slowly.
Her gaze drifted toward the distant mountains.
"The First Prince, Kang Qing-Feng, is clearly powerful."
"He has already reached the Gold Rank at only twenty years of age."
Her brows furrowed slightly.
"Someone with such talent should naturally be the Crown Prince of the Empire."
She turned her eyes toward Shin-Lu.
"So why... is he not the Crown Prince?"
The quiet question lingered in the air beneath the falling cherry blossoms.
And for a moment—
Rinvi reached out and gently picked up a fallen cherry blossom petal from the table. She turned it lightly between her fingers as she spoke, her voice thoughtful.
"I do not know all the details," she said slowly, "but I once heard from a few people that Prince Qing-Feng was never interested in ascending to the throne."
The soft pink petal rested in her palm as the breeze brushed past them.
"It was said that he personally stepped back from the position of Crown Prince."
Her eyes lowered slightly.
"When the Empress learned about his decision, she was said to be extremely furious."
Rinvi gave a faint sigh.
"Some even said that because of her anger and disappointment, the Empress did not step out of her chambers for an entire year."
The words settled quietly in the air.
Bai-Xue's eyes narrowed slightly as she considered this.
"And the Emperor?" she asked calmly.
Before Rinvi could respond, Jan-Mei—who had been sitting beside them—spoke up.
Her expression carried both respect and admiration.
"Our Emperor is a very calm and wise ruler," Jan-Mei said gently.
"When Prince Qing-Feng made his decision, the Emperor did not create any conflict or dispute."
Instead, she explained, he simply accepted his son's choice.
"He respected the Prince's wishes."
Jan-Mei's voice softened slightly.
"Our Emperor has never forced anyone to follow a path they did not choose themselves."
She looked toward Bai-Xue with sincere respect in her eyes.
"Princess... our Emperor is truly a wise and benevolent ruler."
The cherry blossom petals continued drifting through the air as her words faded.
But now, Bai-Xue's thoughts had grown deeper.
Because if a man like Prince Qing-Feng had willingly stepped away from the throne...
Then the situation within the Imperial Court was likely far more complicated than it first appeared.
Bai-Xue remained silent for a moment, deep in thought.
Then she slowly spoke.
"Then why is the royal banquet not being held inside the Royal Palace?" she asked calmly.
"And what exactly is this Jade Celestial Palace that the Imperial Family would choose it for such a grand celebration?"
The moment those words left her lips, Jan-Mei looked at Bai-Xue with slightly saddened eyes.
A quiet realization crossed her mind.
Princess... truly has forgotten everything...
Even the Jade Celestial Palace.
Jan-Mei gently lowered her gaze before speaking.
"Princess," she began softly, "the Jade Celestial Palace is the most magnificent and luxurious place in our entire country."
Her voice carried a hint of awe as she described it.
"The halls of that palace are decorated with some of the most precious jewels and treasures in the world. Rare gems, golden carvings, and priceless spiritual stones can be seen everywhere."
She paused for a moment before continuing.
"When someone enters that place, it feels as though they have stepped into the very embodiment of wealth itself."
The soft wind moved through the cherry blossom branches as Jan-Mei spoke.
"But that palace is not just famous for its beauty," she added.
"It once belonged to the previous Empress."
Bai-Xue's brows knitted slightly.
"After their marriage, the Last Emperor built the Jade Celestial Palace especially for his Empress, and the two of them lived there together for many years."
Jan-Mei's voice softened.
"And it was also the place where Princess Huang-Lin grew up."
For a moment, everyone fell silent.
"That palace originally belonged to Princess Huang-Lin," Jan-Mei continued quietly, "because she was the only child of the Last Emperor and the Last Empress."
Bai-Xue's eyes suddenly widened.
"What...?" she whispered in shock.
"Are you saying... my mother was the daughter of the Last Emperor and Empress?"
Her voice carried clear disbelief.
Everyone present looked surprised when they saw Bai-Xue's reaction.
But none of them were more shocked than Bai-Xue herself.
Because when Rayma's soul had entered Bai-Xue's body, most of Bai-Xue's memories had come with it.
Yet strangely...
This entire part of her past felt like a blank void.
It was as if someone had deliberately erased that piece of memory.
Bai-Xue slowly turned to look at Jan-Mei, confusion filling her eyes.
Seeing Bai-Xue's puzzled expression, Jan-Mei quickly understood.
The Princess truly did not remember.
So she carefully explained again.
"Princess Huang-Lin... your mother... was the only child of the Last Emperor and Empress," Jan-Mei said softly.
"She was also the sole heir to the imperial throne."
Bai-Xue listened silently.
"But one day," Jan-Mei continued, her tone growing heavier, "when Lady Huang-Lin had traveled outside the capital to visit one of her relatives..."
"Something unexpected happened."
She lowered her voice slightly.
"The Last Emperor suddenly announced that the son of his younger brother would become the Crown Prince."
A brief silence filled the air.
"That man... is the current Emperor."
Jan-Mei looked toward Bai-Xue.
"This story is known in almost every household across the empire, Princess."
The cherry blossom petals drifted slowly through the air again.
But now the peaceful valley no longer felt quite the same.
Because a hidden truth had just begun to surface.
And Bai-Xue had only just learned that her mother...
had once been the true heir to the throne of the empire.
Jan-Mei's voice grew softer as she continued speaking.
"But after the Last Empress passed away, the Jade Celestial Palace slowly lost its true purpose."
The gentle breeze carried several cherry blossom petals across the table as everyone listened quietly.
"After the Empress's death," Jan-Mei explained, "Princess Huang-Lin and the Emperor both left the Jade Celestial Palace and moved to live inside the Royal Palace."
Her eyes lowered slightly, as if recalling an old and sorrowful story.
"It is said that the Jade Celestial Palace was only truly a home while the Last Empress was alive."
She paused before finishing her thought.
"Without her... that place no longer held any meaning in the Emperor's eyes."
A brief silence settled over the group.
Then Rinvi suddenly spoke.
"Yes, I have heard something else about that place as well."
Everyone turned slightly toward her.
Rinvi rested her elbow lightly on the table as she spoke.
"I once heard that the current Empress had asked the Emperor to grant her the Jade Celestial Palace as a gift."
Her lips curved slightly, as if she still found the story somewhat unbelievable.
"But the Emperor refused her request immediately."
Jan-Mei's eyes widened slightly.
Rinvi continued calmly.
"He told her clearly that the Jade Celestial Palace did not belong to him."
A faint surprise crossed Bai-Xue's face.
Rinvi explained further.
"That palace has never been recorded as part of the royal treasury."
Instead, she said,
"The Jade Celestial Palace has always been listed among the personal possessions of Princess Huang-Lin."
The wind rustled softly through the cherry blossoms above them.
Which meant only one thing.
Even now...
That magnificent palace still belonged to Huang-Lin's bloodline.
Bai-Xue fell silent after hearing everything.
Her expression remained calm, but deep inside her mind, countless thoughts were colliding.
What exactly is going on here...? she thought quietly.
None of this makes sense.
From everything she had just heard, it was clear that her mother, Huang-Lin, once possessed an extremely noble status.
The Jade Celestial Palace belonged to her.
She had been the only daughter of the Last Emperor and Empress.
She had even been the rightful heir to the throne.
Yet despite all of that...
Bai-Xue and her mother had once lived in such miserable conditions inside the Ning Mansion, treated almost like people without status or protection.
Why...?
Why did no one help them?
Her brows furrowed slightly.
If my mother truly held such an important position... then how could things have turned out that way?
And even now...
After everything that had happened to Bai-Xue—assassination attempts, betrayal, conspiracies—
The truth still remained hidden.
At this point... I cannot even tell who Bai-Xue's real enemies are anymore.
The deeper she thought about it, the more complicated everything seemed.
But then another problem surfaced in her mind.
More importantly...
I must find a way to escape this engagement.
Her eyes darkened slightly.
No matter what happened, she could not allow herself to be tied to Prince Min-Sheng.
Just as Bai-Xue was lost in thought, Jan-Mei suddenly spoke.
"Master," she said gently.
"Please look outside."
Bai-Xue lifted her gaze.
The sky had grown dark, and the silver light of the moon now covered the valley.
"It is already past midnight," Jan-Mei continued respectfully.
"We should return to Ning Mansion now."
Bai-Xue nodded slowly.
"You are right."
She then turned toward Shin-Lu and Rinvi.
"But before the banquet arrives..."
Her eyes narrowed slightly in thought.
"...we must decide something important."
A faint, mysterious smile appeared on her lips.
"At the banquet..."
"Who will appear?"
She paused briefly.
"Bai-Xue..."
"...or the White Mask?"
The next morning, the first rays of sunlight slowly crept through the carved wooden windows of the room.
Soft golden light spread across the quiet chamber.
Bai-Xue was still asleep, resting peacefully beneath the silk blankets.
Nearby, Rinvi was quietly preparing everything for Bai-Xue's morning bath. Warm water had already been arranged, and fresh robes were carefully placed aside so that Bai-Xue could bathe comfortably once she woke up.
The room was calm and silent.
But suddenly—
Knock... knock...
A hurried knock sounded from outside the door.
Before anyone could respond, a maid's voice came from the other side.
"A message has arrived from Master Chang-Pu!"
The voice was loud enough that Bai-Xue slowly stirred from her sleep.
Her eyes opened slightly as she sat up on the bed.
At the same moment, Jan-Mei quickly rushed toward the door and opened it.
She stepped outside and lowered her voice slightly.
"Speak calmly," she said to the maid. "What is the matter?"
The maid immediately bowed respectfully.
"The entire Ning Family has been summoned to the main hall," she said.
"This message was sent by Master Chang-Pu."
She continued carefully.
"Please inform Lady Bai-Xue that she must prepare herself and appear at the Ning Family's hall as soon as possible."
After delivering the message, the maid bowed once more and quietly left.
Jan-Mei closed the door and hurried back inside.
When she entered the room again, she saw Bai-Xue already sitting upright on her bed, her long hair falling loosely over her shoulders.
Jan-Mei's expression carried clear concern.
"Princess... what do you think has happened now?" she asked anxiously.
Bai-Xue looked at her for a moment before letting out a faint sigh.
"Jan-Mei," she said calmly, "you should stop being frightened by every small matter."
Her tone was relaxed, almost indifferent.
"Even if something has happened... what difference would it make?"
She slowly stood from the bed, her expression growing colder.
"I can simply go there and listen to whatever they have to say."
Her eyes darkened slightly.
"After all..."
She paused briefly.
"The old Bai-Xue who silently endured everything is no longer here."