Holding a lantern, guiding souls across, Lady Hou comes from the underworld.

After learning the whole story, Zhao Wan felt very conflicted.

She never imagined that her mother had endured so much all by herself over the past seventeen years.

But she, relying on her status as a noble princess, only knew how to act willfully and recklessly…

"Mother, this isn't your fault, it's my fault!"

She lowered her voice, her tone choked with sobs, and for some reason, she no longer dared to cry as loudly as she used to.

"If it weren't for me, you...would never have come to this."

Knowing that time was running out, Madam Yang gently stroked her daughter's face with reluctance, saying, "Don't think like that. If it weren't for you, I might have already left..."

"No matter what, all I want is for you to be well. As for the mistakes you made in the past, I will bear them myself."

After she finished speaking, her figure gradually faded and soon disappeared from Zhao Wan's sight.

Zhao Wan woke up from her dream with sobs, only to find herself still in the room, but no one beside her.

She felt somewhat dazed, but didn't call out to anyone. Instead, she sat alone by the bed.

Outside the door, the group, who had learned the whole story from the Xuan Guang Mirror, also fell into deep thought.

Yan Zhengchu said, "It seems that Princess Wu was indeed manipulated by that faceless ghost. But I wonder where this faceless ghost came from, and why he would willingly serve this general?"

Yu Lang sighed, "To be honest, it's not easy for Princess Wu, a woman, to marry so far from the capital. She was already vulnerable while pregnant, and then she was haunted by evil spirits. To make matters worse, Prince Wu doesn't care about her. How could she not feel heartbroken?"

Yan Zhengchu sighed in agreement, "That's exactly why the faceless ghost was able to take advantage of the situation."

After pondering for a moment, he suddenly felt a sense of doubt and said to Xia Ximo, "By the way, Miss Xia, do you remember? Last night, when we were summoning the spirits in Zhenxia Courtyard, those ghosts were suddenly repelled when they approached the princess..."

"After thinking about it more carefully, I realized that power seemed to have an evil aura about it..."

Xia Ximo noticed it at the time, and now, after making the connection, he could guess the reason.

In order to activate the reincarnation technique and revive the general and his wife, the faceless demon killed so many people.

Zhao Wan frequented Ning'an Courtyard, inevitably attracting the attention of the vengeful spirits below...

In order to preserve this body and offer it to the general's wife, the faceless ghost would certainly not allow these evil spirits to harm Zhao Wan.

Ren Fengjue suddenly spoke up: "What protected the princess was a jade pendant, but it was shattered inside the coffin."

Unaware of the situation inside the secret chamber, Yan Zhengchu couldn't help but ask, "What exactly is happening beneath that coffin?"

Upon hearing this, Ren Fengjue couldn't help but glance at Xia Ximo, as if afraid she might misunderstand.

Lord Ren did not answer, and even Yu Lang, who was usually very talkative, turned away casually.

Master Yan was puzzled and was about to ask Xia Ximo when Ren Fengjue asked, "Speaking of which, did you notice anything unusual about the wine that Princess Wu gave you last night?"

Upon hearing this, both Yan Zhengchu and Yu Lang's expressions changed, and they immediately shifted their attention, both fearing that this thing might be detrimental to them...

"From now on, I will learn from Lord Ren and never drink again!"

"Me too!"

The two spoke with absolute certainty.

Ren Fengjue felt a pair of eyes watching him from the side. He turned his head and saw Xia Ximo.

But she didn't say anything and just walked away.

"Miss Mo, where have you been?"

Ren Fengjue hurriedly followed.

The person walking ahead didn't turn around, saying, "Catching up on sleep."

"..."

Back in Zhenxia Courtyard, Xia Ximo released Du's soul from the Soul-Crossing Lamp.

Du's resentment had gradually dissipated, but a trace of obsession remained, and she was unwilling to let go.

Xia Ximo then said to her, "Your child has already gone to the underworld. As for whether it will have the chance to be reincarnated, that depends on its own fate. This is no longer your concern, and you should understand that."

Wuyou added a word of advice: "Now that you're in the underworld, you might even be able to reincarnate together."

Madam Du finally nodded and bowed to them, "Thank you. Whether my son and I are still destined to be together or not, as long as he has a home and is not wandering alone in this world, that's enough."

"They will all eventually go somewhere."

Xia Ximo said something indifferently, but it was unclear whether he was speaking to someone else or to himself.

Du's soul gradually faded, eventually disappearing as a glimmer of light at the wick of the lamp.

After sending away that wisp of soul, Xia Ximo felt a wave of drowsiness wash over her, and she fell asleep as soon as she lay down on the bed.

Seeing that she fell asleep so quickly, Wuyou was slightly taken aback and casually picked up the quilt to cover her up.

"He's really starting to look more and more like a person..."

It muttered something under its breath before quietly disappearing into the light.

The following day, news of the death of Princess Wu spread, shocking the entire city of Liangzhou.

Princess Fenghua seemed to have grown up overnight. She presided over and handled her mother's funeral. She also dealt with the guests who came to pay their respects with composure and courtesy.

Ren Fengjue and the others also had to stay at the mansion for a few more days because of the princess's funeral. In addition to helping out at the mansion, they were also secretly investigating Jiang Ting's movements.

Logically speaking, if Princess Wu were to pass away, even if it was just out of respect for the royal family, the Marquis of Zhenbei would still make a visit.

However, he only sent a trusted confidant to offer a few words of comfort, displaying an air of superiority.

After the princess was buried, the matter was considered to have come to an end.

But at this moment, Zhao Wan took the initiative to approach Ren Fengjue and hoped that they could stay and spend the New Year with her.

After hearing the princess's request, Lord Ren belatedly realized that the New Year would be over in a few days.

So he asked for everyone's opinion.

Yu Lang said that he would not be leaving the northern border for the time being, and that spending the New Year at the Prince's Palace was better than spending it elsewhere.

Yan Zhengchu felt somewhat melancholy. Before leaving, he had promised his junior brothers that he would return to Yunhe Mountain before the New Year, but now it seemed that would be a long way off.

Xia Ximo remained expressionless and said nothing, seemingly having never considered this day.

Zhao Wan couldn't help but glance at her, and for some reason, she felt a strange sense of kinship with her...

Because, like herself, she had lost both her parents.

"If you need anything, just tell me. Whether it's sending a message home or delivering something, I have a cavalry unit that I can send to you."

"As long as you're willing to stay and spend the New Year with me, that's enough."

Princess Fenghua's words moved everyone somewhat, and they agreed to continue living in the Prince's mansion.

Yu Lang immediately wrote a letter home to let his family know that he was safe.

As the "head of the family," Yan Zhengchu not only had to write letters but also send New Year's gifts to his fellow students.

Ren Fengjue wrote three letters: one to the Marquis's residence, one to the Ministry of Justice, and the other secretly sent to the palace.

Three days later will be the end of the year.

Early in the morning, under Zhao Wan's arrangement, the group first arrived at a famous temple outside Liangzhou City—Kaifu Temple.

According to the old custom of Princess Wu, she would go to the temple to pray for blessings on this day, and then give some money or clothes to the beggars outside the temple so that they could have a peaceful year.

After learning about this, the beggars of Liangzhou City would wait outside the temple early every year at this time.

Today, an even larger group of people arrived, completely blocking the area around the temple.