After sharing a body with her husband

Huo Chuan hurriedly explained, "I...I sweated yesterday, so I had to wash, but don't worry, I didn't see anything!"

Shang Lingjun was panting heavily with anger; her cheeks and neck were already flushed red.

You're kidding me!

Although she knew that there were some things in life that he would inevitably hear or see, she never expected Huo Chuan to be so bold as to dare to bathe with her body.

"I'm such an old man, and you're just a child to me. What's there to be ashamed of...?"

Huo Chuan muttered to himself.

Shang Lingjun was incredulous. "Are you even speaking human language? You were only seventeen when you died!"

The age when one is most vigorous and full of life...

Huo Chuan felt truly troubled.

"Then... what do you suggest we do? We're now one body with two souls, so these things are unavoidable. Even if I see it, in a sense, it's still my own body. Just think of me as one of the organs of your body."

Hearing his strange remarks, Shang Lingjun was so frustrated that she couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal.

But what he said isn't entirely unreasonable...

But... oh well, never mind! You're not human anyway. Grand Master Meng Shu is incredibly powerful; maybe he can solve our problem.

What does a brat who's barely out of his skin know?

Shang Lingjun could only console herself with this thought: now she could place her hopes on Grand Preceptor Meng Shu, who could predict the future with a snap of his fingers, couldn't he?

Perhaps they can deduce that there is an extra male ghost inside her body.

It would be even better if Huo Chuan could be expelled from her body.

Huo Chuan: [...]

That sounds weird.

He should still be considered a human being, right?

The soul of a person?

Shang Lingjun deliberately closed her eyes while taking a bath, leaving Huo Chuan speechless and even a little amused. He said "never mind" while still feeling shy.

If Grand Master Meng Shu could truly expel you, where would you go?

Shang Lingjun suddenly asked.

Huo Chuan's tone was quite casual.

Who knows? Maybe it'll become a wandering ghost, or be reincarnated. What, you can't bear to part with it?

【Tch, how is that possible?】

Shang Lingjun immediately scoffed.

She couldn't wait for him to leave; she had important things to do.

Huo Chuan wasn't annoyed; he figured Huo Chuan wouldn't be reincarnated so soon anyway.

However, things can change in this life, and no one can say for sure.

In the days that followed, Shang Lingjun spent most of her time in Lingfeng Courtyard and Qixia Pavilion, except for visiting Old Madam Wei at Rongfu Pavilion. She only inquired about what was happening outside but did not participate in anything else.

The Xiao family had visited three times, but Shang Lingjun only met them once, when General Xiao and Pei Zhiying came together.

To silence the rumors, they made a high-profile trip to deliver compensation to Shang Lingjun, adding ten more boxes of dowry.

If there's money to be made, why doesn't Lord Shang Ling play along with their act?

The kinship of the past has changed, becoming hypocritical and merely a formality.

With the Xie family's cooperation, the Xiao family successfully cleared Xiao Jing's name.

The Xiao family helped invite Grand Master Meng Shu, who asserted that Xie Zhaoqing was possessed by an evil spirit and set a date of ten days later to set up an altar and perform an exorcism ritual.

This incident shocked Shengjing and spread throughout the city in an instant. No one expected such a reversal.

In any case, it stirred up quite a bit of public opinion.

With people secretly arranged by Grandpa Xie intentionally guiding the narrative, public opinion became controllable.

"See? The Xie family has very strict family discipline. How could they possibly have a morally corrupt person like Xie Zhaoqing? There must be some evil spirit at work!"

"The Xiao siblings are truly pitiful; they were both tricked by evil spirits."

"Have you heard? Both the Xie and Xiao families have compensated that Miss Shang. Now she's Seventh Master Xie's wife, and she's doted on by the elders of both families. How is she pitiful?"

"Tsk tsk, the Xie family is going to set up an altar and perform a ritual. Shall we all go and see? Let's see how Grand Master Meng Shu exorcises evil spirits?"

"Sure! We have to join in the fun."

However, the Xie family refused entry to outsiders. Those who wanted to watch the spectacle could only listen to the sounds from outside the wall. Even so, those people were unwilling to leave, even if they only wanted to hear the sounds.

Shang Lingjun met the legendary Grand Master Meng Shu.

He wore a plain-colored Taoist robe, his hair was tied up with a wooden hairpin, he held a plain wooden whisk, his face was thin, and his expression was solemn.

The robe looked simple, but it was actually made of ice silk. The plain white background was decorated with silver cloud patterns, and it had a warm luster under the sunlight. It was quite expensive.

Even that plain wooden whisk was no ordinary object.

"My esteemed advisor, thank you for your help today."

Grandpa Xie treated him with even more courtesy and dared not neglect him.

Grand Preceptor Meng Shu hummed in response, his voice clear, cool, and even.

"You're too kind, Grand Master Xie. Exorcising demons and monsters is simply my duty."

At this moment, Xie Zhaoqing was escorted here, or more accurately, he was forcibly dragged here.

Xie Zhaoqing's hands and feet were bound, and his mouth was gagged with a strip of cloth. Another strip of cloth was tied behind his head, so he couldn't even make a muffled sound.

Xie Zhaoqing's eyes were lifeless and numb, and he was thin and disheveled. He had lost a lot of weight, and it was as if his soul had been taken away.

Over the years, she had long since lost her edge, and all she felt was despair.

As Xie Zhaoqing passed by Shang Lingjun, a slight ripple appeared in his lifeless eyes, instantly turning into endless ferocious hatred.

In response, Shang Lingjun only offered her four cold words:

"He only has himself to blame."

Xie Zhaoqing understood Shang Lingjun's lip movements and struggled frantically, but was struck on the head by Grand Master Meng Shu with a whisk. The intense pain almost made Xie Zhaoqing faint, and he trembled with pain.

"You wicked child, how dare you be so insolent before this humble Taoist priest?"

Shang Lingjun pursed her lips tightly, almost bursting out laughing, thinking to herself that this Imperial Advisor was truly a good actor.

Just then, Meng Shu's gaze fell on her. Shang Lingjun's face tightened, and she felt uneasy, wondering if he really had eyes that could see ghosts and gods.

However, Meng Shu merely glanced in that direction and quickly looked away.

"Let us begin. Purify the altar and burn incense, let the fragrance reach the heavens. Now, by the decree of the Tao, we drive away the evil spirits of the house, bind the wicked and suppress the malevolent, and bring pure yang energy into the home..."

The altar was set up next to the courtyard wall, and the Xie family knew that many people outside wanted to see the spectacle. Not everyone could witness the ritual performed by Grand Master Meng Shu.

This ritual was performed for them to see.

The ritual was complicated, and seeing Meng Shu proceeding with it so earnestly and seriously, Shang Lingjun began to have doubts.

Do you think he can detect your presence? Or is he just playing hard to get?

Shang Lingjun used to disbelieve in ghosts and gods, but after being reborn and meeting Huo Chuan, a male ghost, she started to believe.

But for Meng Shu...

She didn't understand him, nor could she be sure if he had any real skills.

"Why don't you find an opportunity to talk to him later? Just give it a try," Huo Chuan said.

【Row. 】

The exorcism ritual alone took up the entire morning. Meng Shu's disciples chanted scriptures, pasted talismans, and threw something into the fire, causing it to explode instantly and eliciting gasps of surprise.

"Demon, show yourself now!"

Meng Shu tied Xie Zhaoqing up with a red rope stained with black dog blood, and Xie Zhaoqing suddenly trembled violently.

The servants watching exclaimed in surprise:

"Evil spirit...evil spirit has appeared!"

"It really is an evil spirit!"

Shang Lingjun lightly covered her nose with a handkerchief, thinking to herself, "The Imperial Advisor is indeed the Imperial Advisor; he doesn't even laugh."

Xie Zhaoqing was almost tortured to death. There were hidden thorns on the red rope, which were both itchy and painful. How could she not tremble?

She must be regretting it now, why did she have to spend her wedding night with Xiao Jing?

Finally, and most importantly, Meng Shu pulled the cloth out of Xie Zhaoqing's mouth, and Xie Zhaoqing cried out:

"I am deeply grateful to the Imperial Preceptor for saving me and exorcising the evil spirits. I am speechless before my family and relatives. Father, please forgive your son for not being able to fulfill his filial duty in this lifetime!"

Shang Lingjun frowned slightly. How could this be?

Why would Xie Zhaoqing say that?

impossible!