My low-key cultivation of immortality was discovered by the emperor in my diary.

Chapter 7 Imperial Edict, 4 Kings and 8 Dukes

The emperor put down the ledger, sighed softly, stood up, and walked to the window.

Outside the window were magnificent palaces of varying heights and grandeur, while the sky seemed very far away.

He wanted to personally uncover the truth behind this "Cultivation Diary," but as the emperor, he could not act rashly.

So the emperor pressed the hidden bell and summoned a middle-aged man dressed in black.

The man stood before him with a stern face and respectfully bowed his head, awaiting his orders.

The emperor said in a deep voice:

"I order you to immediately investigate Chu Lengyu, the adopted daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. I need to know all her information. Remember, it must be done secretly, without alerting anyone."

Furthermore, she shall report her whereabouts to me at this time every day. If she takes any unusual actions, report them immediately.

"Night Guard obeys the decree!" The man knelt on one knee, his voice firm and powerful.

The emperor watched him leave before revealing a confident smile.

The Night Guards were elite secret agents directly under the emperor, tasked with investigating and monitoring civil and military officials.

Let them investigate Chu Lengyu; they should be able to find some clues.

"Cultivating immortality, flying on a sword..." the emperor murmured, rereading the second diary entry before reluctantly putting it down.

He had a strong thirst for knowledge, as if the veil of a mysterious world was about to be lifted before him.

But he also understood that as the emperor, he could not indulge in these illusory things.

So he closed his diary, took a deep breath, and calmed his inner turmoil.

The emperor closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, then called out, "Someone come here."

The chief eunuch Hong Fu appeared immediately.

"I heard that Jin'an is going to hold a snow appreciation banquet. A good snowfall is a sign of a bountiful year. Have her send an invitation to all the princes and nobles, inviting the young masters and ladies of their households to have a good chat," the Emperor said.

"Yes, this servant will take care of it immediately." Hong Fu breathed a sigh of relief and bowed in response.

Fortunately, the emperor summoned me today not because of the unseen booklet, but simply to deliver a message.

However, the content of this imperial edict was somewhat strange.

"Go ahead." The emperor casually picked up a memorial and began to review it.

Hong Fu left the imperial study, took two eunuchs with him, and hurriedly headed to Princess Jin'an's residence.

Princess Jin'an was favored from a young age, a level of affection unmatched among all the princesses.

Upon seeing Eunuch Hong approaching from afar, the palace maids wondered if he had brought some reward again and hurriedly informed the princess of the good news.

Princess Jin'an covered her mouth and chuckled, then quickly checked her clothes to make sure there was nothing inappropriate.

When Eunuch Hong entered the palace and conveyed the emperor's decree, Princess Jin'an was still somewhat bewildered.

"Father-in-law, is that really what Father Emperor said?" she couldn't help but ask.

"This servant would never dare to falsely convey the imperial edict."

The Four Kings and Eight Dukes are all top-tier families in the Great Xia Dynasty. Although some of them have risen to prominence and others have declined over the years, none of them should be underestimated.

The Emperor has never liked it when members of the royal family get too close to these powerful and influential people. Why would he suddenly issue such an edict this time?

Princess Jin'an was nervous, but she quickly put on a smile and said, "Father-in-law, I am young and this is the first time I have to hold such a big banquet. I hope you can give me some guidance."

As she spoke, the palace maid beside her, quite perceptively, slipped a bag of gold and silver to Eunuch Hong.

Eunuch Hong was the emperor's chief eunuch, so he naturally had no shortage of such things, but she had to show her sincerity.

Hong Fu accepted the benefits, pondered for a moment, and instructed the princess: "Since it is the Emperor's decree, Princess, prepare carefully and strive to avoid any mistakes."

Princess Jin'an was still unsure after hearing what Eunuch Hong said.

She quickly thanked him and arranged for a palace maid to see Eunuch Hong off.

After the eunuchs left, Jin'an asked in bewilderment, "I was just bored in the palace and found an excuse to go out and have some fun. How did Father Emperor find out?"

The head palace maid, Yinzhu, comforted him, "His Majesty is just showing favor to the princess and giving her face. Think about it, even the Four Kings and Eight Dukes have to give you this face. Isn't that a great honor?"

"Oh, it seems so." Jin'an's mood quickly improved. "But there are only a few days left until the set date. Isn't that too rushed? Should I postpone the snow-viewing banquet?"

"Princess, the invitations have already been sent out; changing the date might not be a good idea," Yinzhu guessed. "His Majesty couldn't possibly be unaware of the date of the Snow Appreciation Banquet; perhaps he's trying to catch them off guard?"

“What you said makes some sense.” Jin’an thought for a moment and then instructed, “Tell Yingxuelou to make preparations properly, but keep a low profile and don’t make a fuss. I’ll go and discuss this with my mother first, and then I’ll come back and draft the guest list.”

"Yes." Yinzhu suddenly remembered something and hurriedly said, "Princess, earlier, the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion sent a message saying that the second young lady, Chu Wen'er, had accidentally fallen and was injured and needed to rest at home. She probably won't be able to attend the snow appreciation banquet."

Upon hearing this, Jin'an wrinkled his nose and muttered under his breath, "Bad luck."

She thought for a moment and then said, "Anyway, since we have the Emperor's decree, we can invite all the remaining young masters and ladies of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion."

"This servant remembers, there is also a young master named Chu Lin, and a young lady named Chu Lengyu."

“Chu Lengyu? Oh, I remember her, the adopted daughter of the former Duke of Zhenguo. The Duke of Zhenguo’s mansion never accepted any banquet invitations before, so I’ve never seen her. What does this adopted daughter look like?” She suddenly felt a little curious.

“It certainly can’t compare to the princess,” Silver Pearl said.

"You're so glib," Princess Jin'an scolded playfully. "Maybe he's a deity?"