Hai-Rang stood utterly stunned after hearing Bai-Xue's words.
For a long moment, she could not even form a response.
The truth Bai-Xue had spoken struck like a blade—precise, merciless, undeniable.
Before anyone could recover, Bai-Xue shifted her gaze toward one of the guards standing near the courtyard gate.
Her expression was calm again.
Cold.
"You," she said evenly.
The guard stiffened.
"Did you not hear what I said?"
Her sleeve lifted slightly as she pointed toward the trembling maid still clutching Hai-Rang's robes.
"Take her away. I do not wish to see her in this courtyard again."
The command was simple.
Direct.
Absolute.
The guard's heart began pounding violently.
His eyes flickered between Bai-Xue and Hai-Rang. For years, he had obeyed the Second Lady without question. Hai-Rang was talented, favored, and openly acknowledged within the Ning household.
But Bai-Xue...
Bai-Xue had always been silent.
Withdrawn.
Ignored.
Yet the person standing before him now was nothing like the rumors.
He could still feel the lingering pressure from her earlier aura suppression. His knees remembered it.
The guard hesitated.
That single breath of hesitation did not escape Bai-Xue's notice.
A soft, almost disappointed sigh left her lips.
"Has everyone here lost their minds?" she murmured.
Her eyes swept across the gathered servants, sharp as winter frost.
"I handed my authority to Father for convenience," she continued coolly, "and he allowed the household to operate in his name."
Her gaze darkened slightly.
"But it seems the servants have forgotten who their true master is."
A ripple of shock spread through the courtyard.
Bai-Xue... speaking of authority?
Claiming mastery?
For years, everyone had whispered that the Ning Family barely acknowledged her as one of their own. That she was merely a symbolic daughter—kept for appearances.
And yet—
She stood there now, radiating unquestionable dominance.
Hai-Rang's face paled.
The guard swallowed hard.
Then Bai-Xue's eyes locked onto him again.
This time, there was no softness left.
"Do you find my words difficult to understand?" she asked quietly.
The air seemed to drop several degrees.
Her gaze sharpened, piercing straight through him.
"Or shall I call Grandfather here to clarify my authority personally?"
At the mention of "Grandfather," the guard's blood ran cold.
Master Jia-Hai.
The true pillar of the Ning Family.
The old patriarch whose cultivation had long stepped into an unfathomable realm.
If he were summoned—
The consequences would not end with a mere maid's expulsion.
The guard immediately bowed deeply, panic evident on his face.
"No, no, Princess!" he said hurriedly. "There is no need to trouble Master Jia-Hai. I—I was just about to act!"
Without another word, he stepped forward.
The maid shrieked as he seized her arm.
"Second Lady! Second Lady, save me!" she cried desperately, reaching toward Hai-Rang.
But Hai-Rang did not move.
Whether from shock, pride, or fear—no one could tell.
The guard forcibly pulled the maid to her feet. She struggled wildly, tears streaming down her face, her earlier arrogance completely shattered.
Her nails scraped against the stone floor as she was dragged away.
"Princess Bai-Xue, please! I was wrong! I was wrong!" she sobbed.
Her cries echoed down the corridor as the guard hauled her out of the courtyard.
And then—
Silence.
Heavy.
Oppressive.
Bai-Xue did not spare the departing figure another glance.
Instead, she adjusted her sleeve calmly, as if nothing significant had occurred.
The servants lowered their heads deeply now—far lower than before.
Fear had replaced doubt.
Hai-Rang remained frozen where she stood, her mind in chaos.
The Bai-Xue before her...
Was no longer the quiet girl who endured humiliation in silence.
The courtyard was still heavy with tension when soft footsteps approached from behind.
"Princess..."
Jan-Mei's gentle voice carried warmth that did not belong to this cold atmosphere.
She stepped forward and carefully placed her hand on Bai-Xue's shoulder.
"That is enough. Please, let us leave. You must be hungry. I will bring your meal."
Her tone was light, as though trying to pull Bai-Xue away from the storm she had just created.
But Bai-Xue did not move.
Instead, she reached up and gently grasped Jan-Mei's wrist.
Her touch was firm.
"No," Bai-Xue said quietly.
Her eyes lowered, noticing the faint bruises along Jan-Mei's arm—the marks left from earlier mistreatment.
"You are the one who is injured."
Her voice softened, and for the first time that day, true emotion flickered within her gaze.
"You are coming with me."
Then—
Bai-Xue turned slightly, her expression sharpening once more.
Her next words were deliberately louder.
Loud enough for every servant.
Loud enough for Hai-Rang.
"From today onward," she declared clearly, "you will not listen to anyone else's orders."
Jan-Mei's eyes widened slightly.
"You are my personal maid."
Bai-Xue's voice rang across the courtyard like a decree carved into stone.
"Within the Ning Mansion, your status stands above all other servants."
The surrounding maids stiffened.
Even the guards straightened unconsciously.
"If anyone dares to raise their voice at you," Bai-Xue continued coldly, "you may punish them according to Ning Law."
A collective shiver ran through the courtyard.
Punish.
According to Ning Law.
That meant formal disciplinary rights—something only high-ranking household figures possessed.
The servants lowered their heads even further, not daring to meet Bai-Xue's eyes.
Behind them, Hai-Rang's face flushed red with humiliation.
Because everyone understood what this meant.
Even a princess's personal maid held a higher standing than the daughter of a concubine.
And that unspoken truth burned hotter than any slap.
Jan-Mei, however, allowed a small smile to appear on her lips.
Not arrogant.
Not proud.
Just relieved.
For years, she had silently endured mockery for serving the "useless princess."
But today—
Her mistress had stood up not only for herself...
But for her.
Bai-Xue finally turned her gaze toward the crowd again.
Her patience was clearly thinning.
"Are you all planning to stand here the entire day and watch a spectacle?" she said sharply.
Her tone cut through the air.
"Return to your duties."
The servants dispersed almost instantly, bowing repeatedly before hurrying away.
Then Bai-Xue's eyes settled on Hai-Rang.
Her voice was calm—but merciless.
"Sister Hai-Rang, how long do you intend to remain in such a state?"
Hai-Rang's robes were still slightly disheveled from earlier events. Her expression was strained, pride fractured beneath forced composure.
"Do not tarnish the Ning Family's name."
A brief pause.
"Go and change your clothes."
Each word landed with precise elegance.
No shouting.
No anger.
Just dominance.
Hai-Rang could only stand there, speechless.
Bai-Xue did not wait for a reply.
She gently supported Jan-Mei and began walking away from the courtyard.
Her white robes flowed behind her like drifting snow, untouched by the dust of conflict.
As she left—
Every servant, every guard, every watching pair of eyes understood something fundamental had shifted within the Ning Family.
The quiet princess who endured humiliation in silence—
Was gone.
The Bai-Xue who remained was reclaiming what had always been hers.
Step by step.
Authority.
Respect.
Fear.
Even those who resented her knew one thing with certainty now—
They could no longer offend her as they once did.
And whether willingly or not—
They would have to change their habits.
Because Bai-Xue had begun taking back her power.
And this was only the beginning.
Inside her quiet chamber, the storm of the courtyard felt distant.
Warm candlelight flickered against carved wooden walls, casting soft shadows across the room.
Bai-Xue sat beside Jan-Mei, carefully applying medicinal ointment to the small cut near her maid's temple. The scent of crushed spirit herbs filled the air, gentle and calming.
Jan-Mei winced slightly but did not pull away.
"My Lady..." she said softly, her brows knitting with worry. "What happened today... Madam Jing-Yi will not let it go so easily."
Her voice lowered.
"Because of me, more trouble will begin for you. They will not allow you to live in peace."
Her loyalty was unwavering—yet so was her fear.
Bai-Xue's fingers paused briefly before continuing to spread the salve with careful precision.
"Jan-Mei," she said quietly, "stop worrying about them."
Her tone was steady.
"And stop fearing them."
She gently brushed aside a loose strand of hair from Jan-Mei's face.
"You and I have endured enough."
Her gaze deepened—there was pain there, but also resolve.
"You no longer need to bow before anyone."
A faint ripple of spiritual warmth flowed from Bai-Xue's fingertips as she infused a trace of refined energy into the ointment. The bruising on Jan-Mei's skin began to fade slightly faster than normal.
"Just trust me."
Jan-Mei lowered her eyes.
She knew.
She truly knew that something had changed within her mistress.
The timid, silent princess who once endured humiliation without protest was gone.
In her place stood someone calmer... sharper... stronger.
And yet—
Jan-Mei's fierce loyalty would never allow her to stop worrying.
Because protecting Bai-Xue had become the meaning of her life.
She forced a small smile.
"You are right, My Lady," she said softly. "After all... we only have a little longer to stay here."
Her eyes brightened faintly with innocent hope.
"When you turn sixteen, you will marry Prince Min-Sheng. Then you will finally live the life you deserve—the life you always dreamed of."
Her smile widened.
"And as for me... seeing you happy will be enough for me to spend my whole life content."
Her words were simple.
Sincere.
Full of devotion.
Bai-Xue's hand stilled.
For a moment, silence filled the room again.
Then—
She smiled.
But it was not a joyful smile.
It was soft.
Faint.
Almost sorrowful.
If only I could tell you...
Bai-Xue lowered her eyes, her expression calm—but inside, her thoughts churned like a dark tide.
If only I could tell you that the Bai-Xue you are loyal to... is already gone.
The real Bai-Xue—the gentle, innocent daughter of Princess Huang-Ling—had died.
She had died betrayed.
She had died believing the man she was promised to would protect her.
Instead—
Prince Min-Sheng had stood with the others.
He had joined hands with those who schemed against her.
He had watched as her path was cut off one by one.
He had allowed her to be destroyed.
hat Bai-Xue... had been too innocent.
Too kind.
Too trusting in a household filled with wolves.
jan-Mei sat before her, speaking of loyalty, of dreams, of Prince Min-Sheng as though he were salvation.
If only you knew...
The master you are so fiercely loyal to...
Has already left this world.
The Bai-Xue you protect with your life—
Was too pure for people like them.
Perhaps it is better this way, Bai-Xue thought quietly.
The real Bai-Xue would not have survived what is to come.
She was too gentle.
Too soft-hearted.
This world would have devoured her completely.
A faint chill entered her eyes.
But I am not her.
Prince Min-Sheng...
You believed the girl you betrayed would never rise again.
You believed her death ended everything.
Her gaze darkened, a cold determination settling like frost.
What you did to Bai-Xue—
You will repay.
Not through tears.
Not through pleading.
But through consequences.
This body may carry her name.
But the soul within it now remembers everything.
And this time—
There will be no innocence.
Only reckoning.