After the ghost-hunting master descended the mountain, his fame spread throughout the capital.

Xie Jinchen noticed that Jiang Dusheng was not resistant, and the unease that had been hanging in his heart because of her deliberate aloofness finally subsided a little.

He tightened his grip, then looked up and gave a deep, cold command to the head of the guards standing to the side, his voice echoing through the courtyard:

"Zhou, you murdered your husband first, then your daughter, using evil magic to take innocent lives. The evidence is irrefutable, and your crimes are heinous!"

"Zhou Xian, as an official appointed by the imperial court, knowingly broke the law, instigated and condoned the use of evil magic to kill, and even attempted to murder other officials and their entourage to cover up his crimes. Moreover, for many years he has been a tyrant in the countryside, oppressing the people, embezzling public funds and committing all kinds of evil deeds. His crimes are truly unforgivable!"

"These two individuals and their accomplices should be imprisoned under strict guard. Their confessions and detailed accounts of their crimes should be recorded and, along with the physical evidence involved, urgently sent to Changling Palace for presentation to His Majesty, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Ministry of Justice!"

"Until His Majesty's decree is issued, these two shall be imprisoned in the county government's death row, separated and strictly guarded, patrolled day and night, and forbidden from contacting anyone, and without the slightest mishap!"

He paused, "Zhou Feng, although there is no conclusive evidence of direct involvement in serious crimes such as murder or magic, his luxurious life is all derived from his parents' sins, and he is already sixteen years old, not an innocent child, so it is difficult to extricate him from the crime."

"He shall be detained and detained pending trial. All of Zhou's family property, land, houses, and shops shall be seized, inventoried, and listed for the court's final decision!"

As he issued his orders, the guards moved swiftly and in an orderly fashion.

The sky gradually turned a pale white, the long night was finally over, and dawn was approaching.

After giving his instructions, Xie Jinchen turned to look at Jiang Dusheng, who was standing silently beside him.

As dawn broke, the weariness and paleness on her face became unmistakable.

His voice unconsciously softened, taking on a consultative tone:

"The secret guards who went to Anping City to mobilize troops have not yet returned, and the charges against the Zhou family also need to be compiled and reported to the emperor. Someone needs to be stationed here temporarily to handle the aftermath and stabilize the situation."

He paused, his gaze falling on the pale blue shadows beneath her eyes:

"Let me find you a clean and quiet room in this mansion so you can rest for a while?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Dusheng didn't even lift his eyelids, only managing a lukewarm "Hmm" squeezed out from his nose.

At the same time, she subtly moved her wrist, pulling her hand back from his palm.

When the fingertips left, they took away the last bit of warmth.

Xie Jinchen loosened his grip without trying to stop him.

He took two steps forward and stood in front of her. His tall figure blocked the chilly morning breeze from outside the corridor, enveloping her in a relatively safe shadow.

He leaned slightly forward, lowered his voice, and spoke with an air of explanation:

"It's dawn. I need to open the yamen immediately and make public the crimes of the Zhou family to the people of Pingqiao Town to reassure them, and prepare the necessary documents for reporting."

Jiang Dusheng then slowly raised his eyes.

The morning light reflected in her clear, aloof eyes, without a trace of warmth.

The curve of her lips was just right, and her voice was detached, as if she were speaking to a stranger.

"Young Master Xie is busy with official duties, so please go ahead and attend to them. There's no need to tell me specifically."

She paused for a moment, then said, "It's not a full moon tonight. How could I possibly care about your business?"

Every sentence is barbed, every word is venomous.

Xie Jinchen could hear the sarcasm and lingering anger in her words, as well as the deliberate distance she was creating.

He felt a pang in his heart and couldn't help but take another half step forward, so close that they could almost feel each other's breath.

His voice was low and serious, as he tried to explain:

"I'm sorry, Jiang Dusheng. I shouldn't have said that before..."

"ha--!"

Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Dusheng suddenly turned around and yawned dramatically, abruptly interrupting him.

She rubbed her eyes, as if she were extremely sleepy, and said lazily to Wang Dazhuang, who was trying to make himself as inconspicuous as possible:

"Dazhuang, I'm exhausted. I'm going to take a nap. When I wake up, I'll give you a new body haircut. For now, you watch the door for me."

She spoke the last three words slowly and deliberately, with a hidden meaning.

Wang Dazhuang glanced at Xie Jinchen, whose face was embarrassed, and gave him a sympathetic look that said, "May you have good luck."

Immediately, he scurried after Jiang Dusheng, fawningly saying, "Alright, Master! You can sleep soundly! But this time... could you give me a more handsome and imposing haircut? The last one just didn't quite do it justice!"

Jiang Dusheng didn't stop walking, but upon hearing this, he seemed to have thought of something, and a meaningful smile appeared on his profile in the morning light:

"Don't worry, this time I'll give you the best haircut."

Xie Jinchen stood there, watching the man and the ghost disappear around the corner of the corridor leading to the side room.

He raised his hand and rubbed his temples.

He could handle everything with ease and skill, from commanding troops on the battlefield to strategizing in the imperial court and investigating murder cases.

But now, facing Jiang Dusheng, all the strategies and tactics he had learned seemed useless.

Jiang Dusheng grabbed a trembling servant from the Zhou family, asked him about the location of the empty room, and went straight there.

The Zhou residence was silent after the chaos. The servants had already hidden themselves, and only the faint sounds of guards and soldiers searching could be heard in the distance.

Jiang Dusheng had just reached the door of a seemingly clean and quiet room when she suddenly stopped. Without turning around, she spoke calmly to the empty corridor:

"We've been following you all this way, come out now."

Wang Dazhuang, who was just about to eagerly open the door for her, suddenly sprang to her side, assuming a defensive stance and nervously looking around.

"A ghost?! Where? Where?!"