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

Since taking over as acting head of the Ministry of Justice a year ago, Ren Fengjue has purchased a two-courtyard house in Kyoto for easier access.

He was naturally quiet, and apart from a steward of the same surname who came from the Marquis's mansion, there were only four servants in his residence, making it quite deserted.

Strangely enough, although Lord Ren was born into a noble family and held a prestigious position, he did not display a trace of arrogance or extravagance.

On ordinary days, they not only live frugally in terms of food, clothing, and daily necessities, but also in a simple and modest dwelling.

As a favorite minister of the emperor, he was unwilling to put on any airs whatsoever.

Yu Lang did not like visiting his residence, but the two had always been on good terms and had official business dealings, so he would inevitably visit him several times a month.

Every time he came, he would look gloomy, complaining that the tea in Lord Ren's house was bitter or that the food was too bland.

Ren Fengjue, true to his hospitality, simply said, "Your Excellency may leave or stay as you see fit."

Therefore, Yu Lang would not visit unless there was something important to discuss. Even if he did come, he would wait for the right time, discuss the important matter, and then leave.

Unlike today…

He actually brought a woman with him to the door.

They arrived around 9:00 AM, had lunch at noon, and after several cups of tea, it was nearly 5:00 PM, yet they still showed no intention of leaving.

The servant Ah Chun suppressed his doubts and quietly went forward to replace the tea with another cup.

Seeing Yu Lang's leisurely and carefree demeanor, showing no impatience despite the long wait, they were even more amazed.

Looking at the woman beside her, she was equally enigmatic.

After entering the room, she sat upright, drank only one cup of tea, occasionally closed her eyes to rest, and hardly said a word.

The eerie atmosphere made Ah Chun glance at the horizon.

I wonder what kind of wind is blowing today...

At the hour of You (5-7 PM), Lord Ren finally returned home.

Yu Lang was overjoyed and rushed straight to the door.

"Lord Ren, you're finally back."

Ren Fengjue's eyes twitched slightly, and he couldn't help but glance into the room again, where he saw a pair of lotus-colored soft satin embroidered shoes covered in mud.

I was right...

He frowned slightly and asked in a low voice, "Why did you bring someone to my house?"

Yu Lang asked in surprise, "Wasn't it Lord Ren who gave the order?"

Ren Fengjue's lips twitched slightly.

"I remember my exact words were, 'That woman has an eccentric personality and acts strangely. Find out the truth before bringing her to me.'"

When did he ever say he would bring it to his residence?

Yu Lang chuckled and explained, "Isn't Your Excellency going to the palace to meet the Emperor? I can't very well take her to the Ministry of Justice or the Court of Judicial Review, can I? She's just a weak woman who has just gone through a dangerous ordeal; I'm afraid she can't handle the shock."

He added, "After much thought, I believe this place is the most suitable."

"..."

Ren Fengjue had nothing to say.

He rubbed his temples, finally overcoming his exhaustion, and lifted the curtain to enter the hall.

……

Xia Ximo opened her eyes when she heard a sound coming from the doorway.

In the twilight, a tall figure stood in front of the door, his face still blurry due to the backlight.

But she recognized him at a glance; he was the man on the ship with the unique aura he possessed.

The moment he stepped into the room, the pure yang energy that rushed towards her instantly dispelled the chill around her.

What a coincidence!

Is he the son of Marquis Renxuan?

The two looked at each other, each lost in thought, and before they could speak, Yu Lang had already followed them in.

He spoke first to Xia Ximo, saying, "This is the person you are looking for, young lady."

Xia Ximo carefully examined the distinguished man in front of her.

He had a clear and bright face, his hair was tied up high, and he had removed his official hat. He was still wearing a black cloak over his clothes, but underneath he had changed into a purple court robe, and on his feet were a pair of spotless black boots.

They must have just come out of the palace and hadn't had time to change out of their casual clothes.

Xia Ximo stood up, took two steps forward, and asked, "Are you the son of Marquis Renxuan?"

The question was so blunt that even Yu Lang felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing it.

He knew this woman was bold, but he didn't expect her to be this bold!

In this day and age, from high-ranking officials to ordinary people, who would dare to speak to the "living Yama" like that?

Ren Fengjue remained unfazed, simply saying, "Indeed, may I ask who you are, young lady, and what brings you here?"

Under his gaze, Xia Ximo unabashedly pulled a jade pendant from her neck and handed it to him.

"My surname is Xia."

Looking at the crescent-shaped jade pendant, Ren Fengjue was still unable to react for a moment.

But hearing the other person's surname gave him a jolt.

Yu Lang knew that Lord Ren was engaged, and his fiancée was the daughter of Xia Qing, the great general who pacified the border six years ago.

And this woman's surname is Xia...

What's going on?

Ren Fengjue hesitated and asked, "You are..."

"Xia Qing's daughter, Xia Ximo."

"..."

It really is her!

The sudden turn of events left Yu Shaoqing, who had been hoping for a good show, sweating profusely and feeling quite embarrassed.

Lord Ren's fiancée actually came to the capital alone to find him!

Wow, such deep affection is truly enviable!

Ren Fengjue felt a strange sensation in his heart.

He never paid any attention to Xia, the woman he was betrothed to since childhood. If his parents hadn't mentioned her often, he wouldn't have remembered her at all.

In recent years, however, he has been preoccupied with the court and no longer resides in the Marquis's residence, thus completely forgetting about this matter.

Who would have thought... that one day, the other party would actually come to us on their own initiative?

He was puzzled at first, but after thinking about it again, he couldn't help but become suspicious.

Xia Ximo has been living in his maternal uncle's house in Jiangnan for many years, so the Marquis's mansion has always taken good care of the Mu family.

Logically speaking, Xia Ximo should be living a carefree life in her boudoir at this time.

What exactly happened that made the Mu family allow her to come to Kyoto alone?

Even worse, they've fallen into such a sorry state...

"Is the Mu family facing some kind of difficulty?"

After a moment's consideration, Ren Fengjue tentatively asked a question.

Xia Ximo remained calm, showing no sign of anything amiss: "It has nothing to do with the Mu family; I'm the one who came to find you."

"..."

After all, her identity was special. With things said to this extent, even Yu Lang, as an outsider, had a slight feeling of "stealing a young couple's corner."

Should he avoid this situation?

Ren Fengjue, who was usually calm and collected, suddenly felt somewhat uneasy.

"Looking for me?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Lang made up his mind and quietly moved his feet outside.

However, just as they reached the door, they heard Xia Ximo reply, "Yes, I'm here to dissolve the engagement."

"!"

Yu Shaoqing paused, almost thinking he had misheard.

Looking at Ren Fengjue again, his expression was just as complicated as his mood.

His fiancée, whom he had never met, traveled a long way to find him, only to want to break off the engagement!

This whole thing seems utterly absurd no matter how you look at it.

In just a short while, Ren Fengjue's thoughts were in turmoil.

He had doubts about the other person's identity, and even suspected that the other person wanted to use that identity for some ulterior motive.

The only thing I didn't expect was that the other party would say something like that.

Yu Lang stood by the door, caught in a dilemma. Surprised, he couldn't help but turn around and interject.

"Miss Xia, there must be some misunderstanding here. You and Lord Ren have only just met; saying such things seems... inappropriate!"

Xia Ximo remained indifferent, her gaze towards Ren Fengjue firm and resolute. She then said, "I'm asking you. If you have no objections, write me a letter annuling the engagement."