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

Behind the screen, Xia Ximo glanced at Ren Fengjue.

It seemed like she was asking him how to handle this situation…

The two were standing extremely close together, and this feeling of being able to see each other but not to speak of inevitably carried a hint of ambiguity that was hard to define.

A subtle feeling flashed through Ren Fengjue's mind.

After a moment of silence, it was Empress Zhang, who was behind the screen, who spoke.

"I have never seen the young marquis here."

She answered confidently, adding, "The princess must have mistaken you. Why don't you look elsewhere?"

Upon hearing this, Princess Ding'an was somewhat disappointed, but she didn't dwell on it. Instead, she readily agreed, "Alright, Your Highness, I'll listen to you. Ruozhen will go and take a look elsewhere."

"Ruozhen will take her leave now."

Empress Zhang smiled and nodded, then instructed her personal maid to personally escort her out.

Watching the princess's figure disappear into the distance, she slowly suppressed her smile and instructed the palace maid beside her, "Send the Crown Princess back to her palace and confine her to her chambers. She is not to leave the East Palace without my permission."

After seeing off Crown Princess Tang, Empress Zhang dismissed the eunuchs and maids around her and ordered them to close the palace doors.

This situation clearly indicates that they have discovered something.

"Young Marquis, must I personally invite you out?"

Upon hearing this, Ren Fengjue, who was hiding behind the screen, smiled slightly and had no choice but to reveal himself.

Empress Zhang was startled again when she saw it.

There were two people hiding inside...

Ren Fengjue glanced at Empress Zhang's expression, then immediately took Xia Ximo's hand and stepped forward to bow.

"Feng Jue, accompanied by his fiancée Xia, pays his respects to Her Majesty the Empress."

Upon hearing this, a complex look flashed in Empress Zhang's eyes. She was clearly surprised: "This is General Xia's daughter?"

Ren Fengjue raised his head slightly, neither arrogant nor humble: "Your Majesty, that's right."

Empress Zhang smiled suddenly, but her gaze lingered on Xia Ximo for a moment, without suspecting anything.

Although the person in front of me was dressed as a servant, upon closer inspection, her figure and features were quite elegant and beautiful, and she was indeed a woman.

Moreover, she's a beauty.

"Why is Miss Xia dressed like this?"

She simply expressed her confusion.

Ren Fengjue explained unhurriedly, "She has been in the capital for some time but has never been to the palace. So I took the liberty of suggesting that I bring her to see the palace on the occasion of the princess's birthday."

"Since this trip was not a summons from the Emperor or the Empress, it was not appropriate to reveal my true identity. That's why I disguised myself as a 'servant' and went with him."

"However, this approach is ultimately against the rules. If Her Majesty the Empress wishes to blame me, Feng Jue will have nothing to say."

His words were so watertight that he took all the blame.

Empress Zhang gave a forced smile. "Oh? I thought it was something important."

Whether she believed the truth in his words or not, I simply echoed, "Miss Xia is the daughter of the Great General Who Protects the Nation, a descendant of a meritorious official. I am naturally delighted that she has come to the palace."

She changed her tone and said, "It is my fault for not managing things properly, allowing the young marquis and Miss Xia to witness such an embarrassing incident. I am truly ashamed."

Ren Fengjue quickly replied, "Miss Xia got lost in the Imperial Garden. I searched for her all the way and ended up in this palace by mistake."

"As for what happened here, I really have no idea."

Empress Zhang smiled again, which was a tacit understanding that this matter was a secret.

"That would be even better, but this Dongsheng Palace is not a place for 'playing'. You two should return to the banquet as soon as possible, lest the princess worry."

"Yes, Feng Jue will take his leave now."

As Ren Fengjue spoke, he took Xia Ximo's hand again and started to walk out of the hall.

"etc."

Looking at their hands still clasped tightly together, a strange light appeared in Empress Zhang's eyes. She said in a rather sighing tone, "I never expected that the young marquis would be so deeply in love with Miss Xia."

"Miss Xia."

Empress Zhang called out to Xia Ximo, her gaze lingering on her for a moment before a smile appeared on her lips: "Come visit the inner palace often in the future. I like you very much."

Xia Ximo didn't intend to offer any flattery, but Ren Fengjue's hand, which was clasped with hers, noticeably tightened.

Although reluctant, she still replied in a formal manner, "Yes, Your Majesty."

Empress Zhang noticed that her expression and voice were equally cold, and couldn't help but recall the aloof demeanor of the foremost female painter of the Great Qi Dynasty when she entered the palace to present her painting many years ago.

Thinking about it this way, Xia Ximo now and Mu Ruqing back then do indeed share a seven or eight-tenths resemblance in temperament and appearance.

The palace doors were opened, and Ren Fengjue led Xia Ximo out.

The palace servants guarding the door glanced up discreetly upon hearing the sound, then lowered their heads again, clearly not daring to look any longer.

After walking a long way, Ren Fengjue finally remembered to let go of Xia Ximo's hand.

He explained, "Empress Zhang is naturally suspicious. If I didn't do this, she definitely wouldn't believe me."

"Um."

Xia Ximo simply responded with a faint reply.

Ren Fengjue paused slightly, then said, "I apologize for my rudeness earlier..."

Xia Ximo's expression remained indifferent, seemingly puzzled: "Offended what?"

"..."

This stumped him.

It seems she still doesn't care about any of this.

Ren Fengjue was speechless for a moment.

He thought to himself that since he had known her, she had never paid any attention to the reputation and etiquette that young ladies cared about.

Even that time at Jinxiu Clothing Store…

Lord Ren could only take a deep breath and awkwardly shift his gaze. "Never mind, it's nothing..."

He changed the subject, asking, "Did you discover anything new in the 'Eastern Ascension Hall' just now?"

Fearing she might misunderstand, he added, "I was referring to the matter of Meng Zhiyuan's ghost."

Xia Ximo said calmly, "His death was indeed very suspicious."

"What do you mean? Is someone secretly sabotaging us?"

"Not human."

Ren Fengjue frowned.

This statement was indeed unexpected.

Xia Ximo also knew that this matter was far more troublesome than he had anticipated.

Evil people are terrifying.

Evil spirits will only become more terrifying.

"Meng Zhiyuan's ghost told me that at that time, he was in the study when a dark shadow passed through his body."

"After that, his body separated from his soul."

"As for the others, I haven't had time to ask yet."

At this point, she gave Ren Fengjue a deep look, and said, "Perhaps you don't know, but you have a special aura within you that ghosts can't get close to. It was only after you appeared that he disappeared."

Ren Fengjue paused slightly, and his expression changed noticeably at that moment.

His reaction seemed a bit strange, a mixture of surprise and a sense that he knew something...

After a moment, he replied, "I had no idea such a thing could happen."

Although Xia Ximo was curious, she did not intend to ask any more questions.

"You can't see ghosts, so naturally you wouldn't know."

Ren Fengjue asked, "Is there any way to find Meng Zhiyuan's ghost again?"

Xia Ximo remained silent, but shook the soul-ferrying lamp in his hand.

"come out."