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

Upon hearing this, Chu Yanzhao's face turned from pale to white, his lips trembled, but he couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal.

At this moment, the more he spoke, the more guilty he seemed, and he could only clench his fists tightly and stand there for the sake of it.

Chen Baojuan, the wife of the Minister of Personnel, thought of her Yi Shuo, who had been murdered by a heartless and treacherous man. She already deeply hated such hypocritical and ruthless men.

Seeing Chu Yanzhao's expression, he could no longer hold back and spoke with a cold laugh, his words like knives:

"It's a pity that the General of the Garrison did not attend the Hundred Flowers Banquet because the mourning period for Miss Ruan was not yet two years.

"Otherwise, if they saw this dramatic scene and recalled the injustices and stigmas their poor granddaughter had suffered, wouldn't they be willing to risk their old bones to thoroughly investigate how their innocent granddaughter was driven to her death by those malicious people using rumors as a soft knife!"

These words were practically pointing directly at Chu Yanzhao, accusing him of being a treacherous person.

Chu Yanzhao could no longer contain himself, and said in a low voice, his tone sharp but his voice weak, "Madam Xu, please watch your words! As for Ruan Guyan, I have a clear conscience!"

Among the men's seats, Xu Nanxun chuckled upon hearing this, and spoke slowly and deliberately, his tone almost overflowing with sarcasm:

"What a perfect statement of having a clear conscience!"

He deliberately dragged out his words, "But I wonder... is this 'no shame' a result of relying on the power of the Prince's Mansion, thinking you can shield the heavens from all evil, or do you truly believe that justice and morality in this world are like a play, which can be arbitrarily arranged and distorted at will?"

Seeing that the time was right, Princess Yongning spoke up to smooth things over:

"Alright, alright, today's Hundred Flowers Banquet is supposed to be a delightful occasion. Everyone has seen and discussed this play, so it's good that you all have a general understanding of it."

"A play is just a play, so please don't take it too seriously. Otherwise, you'll ruin the harmony and waste this beautiful garden."

Jiang Dusheng nodded readily, following Princess Yongning's words:

"Your Highness is right. Although the play is moving, it is ultimately just a performance by a commoner based on some of her own experiences, intended for your amusement. It is only natural that there may be some similarities."

"Just read it and move on. There's really no need to take it personally and cause unnecessary trouble."

Then, she changed the subject, her expression becoming solemn, her clear gaze sweeping over every woman present, especially the young, unmarried noblewomen, her voice clear and melodious:

"However, taking this opportunity, I would also like to say a few words from the bottom of my heart. As the Buddhist scriptures say: Sentient beings fear the consequences, while Bodhisattvas fear the causes."

"Whether this play is true or false, the evil of human nature and the poison of rumors it reveals are not unfounded. Those who spread rumors, slander, and defame others are sowing the seeds of evil karma through their words, and they will surely reap the consequences in the future. Their karmic burdens will follow them, and there will eventually be a day of reckoning."

Jiang Dusheng paused briefly, his gaze gentle yet firm, "And women of the world, if they unfortunately suffer such an undeserved calamity and are hurt by rumors, please remember..."

"The one who is wrong is never you, who has been unjustly spied on and maliciously speculated about. The one who is tainted is never your innocence and reputation, which have been smeared with mud."

"What is truly ugly is the filthy heart of those who hide in the shadows, fabricate rumors, and take pleasure in destroying others; what should truly feel ashamed are those who cannot control their tongues and spread rumors with malicious intent."

"The innocent will remain innocent, and the guilty will remain guilty. But this innocence does not need to be proven by self-imposed confinement, self-doubt, or even self-destruction."

"Your value and dignity stem from your own brilliance and character, from your inner openness and resilience, not from the words and gossip of others."

"It is human nature to fear and avoid malicious words, but one must never take the blame upon oneself because of this. That would be falling into the trap of evil people, causing pain to loved ones and joy to enemies."

"May you all cultivate a heart of crystal, untainted by external things and untouched by rumors. With kind thoughts and measured actions, you will naturally be protected by a righteous spirit."

"We must also believe that there are always discerning people in this world who can see through the truth and falsehood, distinguish right from wrong, and tolerate innocence."

These words, spoken with resounding force, not only vindicated Ruan Guyan, but also served as a warning and encouragement to all women who have been or may be harmed by rumors.

The flower hall fell silent.

Many of the women, regardless of age, wore thoughtful expressions.

Some nodded slightly, some had tears in their eyes, and some breathed a long sigh of relief, as if the stone in their chests had been quietly melted away.

Upon hearing these words, Ruan Guyan could no longer hold back. A single tear of her ghost slid to the ground and instantly vanished as a wisp of smoke.

Wang Dazhuang, who was standing nearby, keenly noticed the dramatic fluctuation in Ruan Guyan's emotions and quickly whispered words of comfort:

"Sister Ruan, your great revenge has been achieved, and the villains have been exposed! This is a cause for great joy!"

"Don't cry! Look at that guy surnamed Chu, his face has turned green. He looks worse than the hanged ghost I saw in the mass grave back then. He should be happy!"

Ruan Guyan looked at the isolated and disheveled Chu Yanzhao, smiled and nodded, "That's right... it's a happy occasion."

Exposing Chu Yanzhao's evil deeds to the world, though it cannot bring the dead back to life, is ultimately justice that has come too late.

Princess Yongning gave Jiang Dusheng a deep look, then gently clapped her hands, breaking the brief silence with her voice:

"Miss Jiang's words are thought-provoking and admirable. This play and these words are more memorable than any song or dance."

Chu Yanzhao's face was ashen. He knew that after this incident, his reputation was completely ruined, and if he stayed here any longer, he would only become a laughing stock for everyone to point fingers at.

He forced himself to maintain the last shred of dignity, stiffly cupping his hands in a respectful bow towards Princess Yongning, his voice hoarse:

"Princess, I am feeling unwell and must take my leave now." With that, he turned to leave.

Just then, Wang Dazhuang, who was standing behind Jiang Dusheng with his head bowed and eyes lowered, winked at Ruan Guyan and said:

"Miss Ruan, watch closely, it's my turn to appear."

Immediately, Wang Dazhuang took a step forward and shouted at Chu Yanzhao's retreating figure in a voice filled with shock and anger:

"Young Master Chu! You...you stop right there!"

That shout instantly drew everyone's attention back.

Wang Dazhuang pointed at Chu Yanzhao, his body trembling slightly as he spoke, as if he were overwhelmed with anger, his voice filled with the grief and indignation of being deceived:

"You...you are such a fickle, liar, and heartless person! Didn't you swear just a few days ago that you only had eyes for me and Miss Jiang?"

"How...how come another Miss Ruan is involved now?! Just how many women have you uttered such sweet words and made such vows of eternal love to?!"

His voice suddenly rose, trembling with sobs, "Poor me, I'm still so devoted to you, sob sob sob..."

As she spoke, she seemed heartbroken, covering her face with her sleeve, her shoulders shaking, and she began to sob.