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

Xie Dai did not avoid his gaze and continued, "Xuan Chenzi was skilled in the Taoist alchemy techniques and provided medicine for your mother. That day, I was troubled by trivial matters and was drinking alone in a tavern when your mother happened to appear and flattered me."

"My drink was drugged, and I was in a daze... Afterwards, I wasn't completely unaware of what had happened, but many details were unclear."

"Your mother said that the madam of the brothel forced her to take customers and wanted to auction off her virginity. She was unwilling to give herself to someone she didn't like, and having seen me a few times, she developed feelings for me, so she resorted to this desperate measure."

"Although I had a relationship with her, my heart belongs only to the Princess. I have no intention of taking a concubine. I gave your mother enough money to redeem her from her servitude and live a peaceful life. I also sent people to secretly escort her away from Changling to Qingwu City."

"I believe I handled the situation fairly and justly, and I have never felt indebted to your mother because of it, since that mistake was not my intention."

"What I truly owe you is perhaps not noticing your existence sooner, and not giving you a legitimate status."

Xie Dai's eyes held a hint of guilt, but more so a sense of helplessness at the cruel twist of fate. "Qinglian, this is the truth. Your hatred, perhaps, was wrong from the very beginning."

As soon as she finished speaking, the Buddhist prayer beads in Shi Qinglian's hand broke without warning and scattered all over the ground.

The beads rolled on the floor, making a chaotic sound, just like the lake of his heart that had been suddenly stirred up.

Xie Dai said these things... His mother had never told him.

"Hehe..." Shi Qinglian suddenly let out a low, cold laugh, a laugh filled with endless sarcasm.

He looked up at Xie Dai again, his eyes no longer showing the initial shock and unease, but only coldness, even a hint of disgust:

"You've kept this from me for so long, why did you suddenly choose to tell me all this?"

The chill in his eyes was greater than ever before.

"Let me guess...it's because of your son, isn't it?"

He deliberately emphasized those words, each one like an icicle: "How laughable, Duke Xie. You can scheme and manipulate your own flesh and blood without any scruples."

"But he went to great lengths to protect that son, even going so far as to be honest with me in an attempt to... soften my heart?"

A chilling smile curved Shi Qinglian's lips. "Xie Dai, you disgust me. Save this kind of biased fatherly love for your precious son."

After saying that, he stopped looking at Xie Dai's reaction, as if staying any longer would be a desecration to himself.

He turned and walked back towards the entrance of the secret passage he had come from, his back straight, yet exuding a chilling aura.

Just before he was about to step into the secret passage, he paused slightly, without turning around, and his voice came clearly:

"Don't worry, your words won't soften my heart towards Xie Jinchen in the slightest. On the contrary, I'll only despise him even more. Because—"

He tilted his head slightly, revealing half of his taut profile in the shadows. "He was peacefully enjoying everything that originally belonged to me."

The moment she finished speaking, Shi Qinglian casually raised her hand.

The scattered prayer beads on the ground seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, trembling as they floated off the ground, flew back into his palm, and were strung together again to form a complete string.

However, a faint black luster seemed to flow across the surface of the bead, so quickly that it seemed like an illusion.

But what emanated in that instant was a restlessness completely different from Shi Qinglian's usual aura.

Xie Dai, who had been observing silently, frowned almost imperceptibly.

He keenly sensed that the originally aloof and upright aura emanating from Shi Qinglian now faintly revealed a chilling aura.

Just before Shi Qinglian's figure was about to disappear completely, Xie Dai finally spoke again, "Qinglian, what I said today is not entirely for Chen'er."

He paused, his gaze fixed on the stiff, backless figure. "I hope you can let go of these shackles imposed by the mistakes of others, see the road ahead clearly, and be yourself again."

"Do not let hatred completely blind your true self and devour your original clarity."

However, Shi Qinglian did not stop in her tracks, as if she had not heard at all, or perhaps she had heard but only regarded it as another hypocritical scheme.

The figure vanished completely, and the secret passage door slowly closed, isolating the inside from the outside.

Silence returned to the study.

Xie Dai stood alone, gazing in the direction the secret passage closed. After a long while, he finally let out a soft sigh.

He muttered to himself, "I originally wanted to persuade him to let go of his obsession and attain enlightenment on the spot. Now it seems that this frankness has pushed him even closer to that bottomless abyss."

On the other side, Jiang Dusheng's carriage came to a steady stop in front of the grand gate of Princess Yongning's mansion.

She lifted a corner of the carriage curtain, her gaze sweeping over the various ornate carriages and elegantly dressed guests arriving one after another outside, her expression calm.

"Is everything ready?" Jiang Dusheng asked softly.

Inside the carriage, Ruan Guyan's soul entered the body of a paper doll dressed in a proper maid's attire.

Wang Dazhuang, on the other hand, awkwardly moved his hands and feet inside a slender paper figure dressed as a maid.

"I will insert a Yang-Harmony Talisman into your bodies shortly, which will allow you to move freely in the sunlight without being harmed by the Yang energy, and will last for about two hours."

Jiang Dusheng took out two blank yellow talismans from his sleeve, gathered spiritual power at his fingertips, and began to draw them in the air.

"The radiant essence of Yang shines upon all corners of the world."

"The spirits borrow energy to temporarily avoid their attack."

"The Great Harmony flows and protects your true form."

"Once the imperial edict was issued, it was like a gentle spring breeze."

"Yanghe, attached!"

With a final soft shout, a flash of light appeared at her fingertips, and two warm golden runes instantly formed, disappearing into the chests of the paper figures attached to Ruan Guyan and Wang Dazhuang, respectively.

The paper figure trembled slightly, and then a very faint golden light appeared on its surface, which disappeared in an instant.

Wang Dazhuang awkwardly raised his hand to rub his chest, and said in a low voice with a pained expression:

"Master, can't you let me use that male body again? This...this body, I feel really awkward using it."

Jiang Dusheng glanced at him and said indifferently, "Today is the Hundred Flowers Banquet, and there are mostly women present. It's inconvenient for a man to have his body shaped like that, as he'd easily attract attention. After the banquet, whatever kind of body you want, I'll cut it for you."

Upon hearing this, Wang Dazhuang's eyes lit up immediately, and he straightened his paper-thin back, adopting a loyal expression:

"Then I want someone... um... preferably better looking than Prince Xie! Maybe even half a head taller than him!"

Jiang Dusheng replied dismissively, "Okay, whatever you say."

Even prettier than Xie Jinchen? She herself has never seen him, how could she have edited this?

Beside him, the paper figure attached to Ruan Guyan bowed slightly, offering a greeting to Jiang Dusheng and Wang Dazhuang:

"Miss Jiang, Brother Wang, I owe you both my life for your help. I will forever remember your kindness and virtue."

Although she was dressed as a maid, her demeanor was dignified and graceful, vaguely revealing the elegance of a lady from a prominent family during her lifetime.

Jiang Dusheng nodded, said no more, lifted the carriage curtain, and stepped down from the carriage with a swift motion.