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

When Song Suya and Jiang Wanqing heard Jiang Dusheng say "Okay," a relieved smile simultaneously appeared on their faces.

Song Suya placed her hands folded on her knees, carefully choosing her words, her tone extremely slow and cautious:

"Dusheng... then, at the banquet, if... if any acquaintances or ladies ask about your marriage to Yanzhao..."

Her words paused subtly here, her lips moved a few times, and the rest of her words seemed to get stuck in her throat.

She didn't even dare to meet Jiang Dusheng's gaze, staring only at a fine wood grain on the table.

Jiang Dusheng listened quietly, even tilting his head slightly, as if he were seriously considering the question.

Then, she smiled softly, a smile so faint it didn't reach her eyes, and her voice sounded even gentle and understanding:

"You mean, if anyone asks, I'll say that I'm physically weak and have an affinity with Buddhism, and that I feel unworthy of a good man?"

"So you voluntarily offered to give this perfect match to Jiang Wanqing. Is that right?"

Her words were clear, each one like a tiny needle piercing Song Suya's heart.

Song Suya's face paled, her throat tightened, and after a long while, she managed to utter a weak whisper: "Dusheng, Mother..."

Her hands, which were resting on her knees, clenched tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms, causing a sharp pain.

Under the table, Jiang Wanqing reached out and gently tugged at her sleeve, her voice urging her on.

Seeing this, Song Suya took a deep breath, as if she had used up all her strength, her eyes filled with helplessness:

"Dusheng, only by saying this will Wanqing not be pointed at and gossiped about, and she won't have the bad reputation of stealing her elder sister's marriage."

"She's still young, she has a long road ahead of her. If her reputation is ruined, it will affect her for life..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but the meaning was already obvious.

In order to protect her younger daughter's spotless reputation, the older daughter needed to come up with a seemingly reasonable excuse.

Jiang Dusheng quietly looked at Song Suya, seeing the struggle, guilt, and favoritism in her eyes.

The candlelight flickered in Jiang Dusheng's eyes, but it couldn't reflect a single ripple.

"I see."

She spoke calmly, uttering only three words.

Whether they will actually do it is another matter.

A look of joy instantly crossed Song Suya's and Jiang Wanqing's faces. Did this mean they agreed?!

Seeing this, Song Suya's tone became lighter: "Good child, what would you like for dinner? Mother will cook for you herself, or ask the kitchen to make some nourishing soup? You're too thin..."

Jiang Dusheng's faint smile deepened slightly, but the temperature in his eyes plummeted to freezing.

She tilted her head slightly and said slowly in an almost innocent tone:

"There's no need for dinner."

Her voice was soft, yet it carried a chilling edge.

"Seeing the two of you, I'm already... full."

The smile and color drained from Song Suya's face in that instant.

She opened her mouth, but no sound came out; she only felt a chill run up from the soles of her feet.

Jiang Dusheng had already stood up, his wide sleeves fluttering slightly, as if to see the guest off.

"If you have nothing else, please leave." Her voice returned to its previous calmness. "I'm a little tired and need to rest."

Song Suya's face stiffened, and a mix of emotions—embarrassment, shame, and heartache—surged within her.

She knew that her actions tonight had pushed her eldest daughter, who had just returned home, even further away.

Her lips trembled, but she didn't dare say anything more. She could only awkwardly pull up Jiang Wanqing, who also looked pale, and hurriedly leave Jingxinyuan.

Reaching the doorway, she turned back, looking at the solitary figure inside with his back to them, and uttered a hoarse, choked voice:

"Dusheng, you should rest well. Your mother will come to see you again tomorrow."

That sigh, heavy and desolate, dissipated into the night.

After leaving the courtyard and walking along a corridor, Jiang Wanqing immediately pouted, her face full of displeasure. She tugged at Song Suya's arm, her voice spoiled and demanding:

"Mother! Look at her! She's so cold and speaks so sarcastically! She's so difficult to get along with, I don't like her!"

Song Suya stopped and patted Jiang Wanqing's hand hard, her tone reproachful:

"Don't say that! Your sister... she's willing to give up her marriage for you, you should remember her kindness."

Song Suya gazed in the direction of Jingxin Garden, her eyes dimming, her voice so low it was almost a soliloquy:

"She's complaining because she resents me, resents my favoritism as her mother..."

After a moment, she straightened her back, as if encouraging herself or making a decision, and her voice became soft and firm again:

"It's alright, there's still a long road ahead. Mother will make it up to her many times over."

The figures of Song Suya and her daughter completely disappeared outside the moon gate.

Inside the room, the candlelight flickered slightly, and Xu Yishuo's translucent soul slowly emerged from the shadows.

She gazed at the empty doorway and sighed softly.

"I think I understand now why you insisted on leaving."

"It's not surprising that people are born with biases. Even ten fingers are not all the same length, so it's difficult for parents to treat their children completely equally."

Her spirit seemed to solidify slightly in the lingering scent of the incense. "But your mother's favoritism is a bit too much."

Jiang Dusheng stood up, his face expressionless.

She straightened her slightly wrinkled cuffs and said in a flat tone, "It doesn't matter. It's just that I'm short of money right now, which is really inconvenient."

As she spoke, her steps turned towards the door, her voice carrying a hint of casual calculation:

"No, I have to go out and take a walk, see if there's any... idiot, ugh—"

She seemed to realize her wording was inappropriate and hastily corrected herself:

"Let's see if there's anyone who has a connection with Buddha, someone we can connect with and ask for some help."

She donated most of the money Xu Yishuo gave her to beggars on the street, and didn't have much money left.

Reaching the doorway, she seemed to suddenly remember something, turning her head to Xu Yishuo, who was floating to the side, and said:

"You should stay inside and use the remaining power of the calming incense to nourish your soul and solidify your foundation. If there's a chance tomorrow, I'll take you out for some fresh air."

After saying that, she didn't even bother to go around to the main gate that was so winding and complicated to reach.

He walked directly to the most secluded corner of the Jingxin Garden, lightly touched the ground with his toes, and silently leaped onto the courtyard wall, which was about ten feet high.

She stood atop the wall, the night breeze ruffling her skirt and hair, with the layers of buildings and pavilions of the Jiang mansion behind her.

Without the slightest hesitation, she leaped into the air, her figure disappearing into the deeper night outside the mansion, like a fish entering the sea.