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

He is tall and has long legs, so this posture is not comfortable, and even a bit aggrieved, but you can't see the slightest bit of reluctance on his face.

Instead, he adjusted his posture, found a relatively stable position, and leaned his back against the bedpost.

"Since Miss Jiang is so considerate, how could I, Xie, dare to refuse?" He raised an eyebrow at her, his peach blossom eyes shimmering in the candlelight, carrying a hint of mockery.

Jiang Dusheng pretended not to see it and closed his eyes with a clear conscience.

The malevolent energy within his body had been suppressed by the purple aura, and a warm current surrounded him. A long-lost sense of relaxation surged up, and drowsiness quickly overcame him.

With that natural purple aura nearby, I can finally get a good night's sleep on the night of the full moon.

The next morning.

Jiang Dusheng was awakened by a real, stifling heat that felt like he was wrapped in a thick quilt.

She opened her eyes groggily and found that the brocade quilt she had given to Xie Jinchen last night had somehow been put back on her, covering her up so tightly that her forehead was covered with fine sweat.

But when he stepped onto empty ground, Xie Jinchen had already vanished without a trace.

It was as if the figure of that person sitting there last night was just a dream.

Only the faint, lingering crispness in the air and the calmed malevolent energy within his body proved that it was not an illusion.

Jiang Dusheng propped himself up on his arms and sat up, throwing off the overly heavy brocade quilt covering him.

The cool morning air brushed against her forehead and neck, bringing a comforting coolness.

Jiang Dusheng let out a comfortable sigh of relief.

Then, his gaze fell on the brocade quilt beside him, and the corner of his lips twitched slightly.

She had reason to suspect that Xie Jinchen had deliberately covered her with the blankets again.

Was he getting revenge on her for making him sleep on the footstool? Or was he simply worried she might catch a cold again?

Given how cunning that person is, the former seems more likely.

Just then, there was a gentle knock on the door.

Xiao Huan's cautious voice sounded outside the door: "Young Miss, are you awake? Madam sent Granny Zhao over to help you with your makeup and dressing up so you can go to the flower-viewing banquet at Princess Yongning's residence later."

Jiang Dusheng's eyes flickered slightly as he recalled the unpleasant conversation in the flower hall last night.

"Let her in," she said calmly.

The door opened, and Granny Zhao walked in with her head bowed, followed by two maids carrying trays and dressing cases.

Granny Zhao was a capable old woman by Song Suya's side. Having witnessed Jiang Dusheng's abilities, she dared not be negligent in the slightest.

She bowed respectfully: "This old servant greets the young lady. The madam has ordered this old servant to assist the young lady with her dressing."

"Thank you for your trouble." Jiang Dusheng got up and sat down in front of the dressing table.

Granny Zhao's skills were indeed superb, and she was also very perceptive.

She did not try to adorn Jiang Dusheng with heavy makeup like ordinary maids.

Instead, after carefully observing her face and demeanor, he took a light touch of makeup, just to even out her skin tone, lightly brushed her eyebrows, and gently applied rouge to her lips.

Her hair was styled in a simple and elegant way, with a translucent white jade hairpin inserted diagonally into her dark hair, without any other ornaments.

Finally, she took out a dress that had been prepared beforehand.

It was a cool, moon-white color, not pure white, but a moonlit hue with a slight cool blue undertone.

The fabric was top-grade shimmering satin, and as she moved, it seemed as if moonlight was flowing across the hem of her skirt.

The design is simple and elegant, with layers of skirt that are not complicated at all. The wide sleeves hang down, and the waist is gently cinched, making the figure appear even more slender and graceful.

When Jiang Dusheng changed into this dress and slowly turned around, even the well-informed Granny Zhao was speechless for a moment, her eyes flashing with undisguised amazement.

The morning light streamed through the window and fell on Jiang Dusheng, making her moon-white dress seem to radiate a soft glow.

A striking shade of cinnabar between her brows, its vibrant color highlighting her cool and aloof beauty, made her appear as if sculpted from ice and snow, yet imbued with life by that touch of red.

This was not the delicate beauty or elegance of an ordinary noblewoman, but a kind of holiness akin to the lowered gaze of a deity, making one dare not look directly at her, yet unable to help but feel admiration.

"I've seen quite a few noble ladies in Changling City," Zhao Mama sighed sincerely in a low voice, "but the eldest young lady's appearance and demeanor are like the bright moon in the sky, not inferior to them in the slightest."

Jiang Dusheng remained unmoved by such praise.

She walked to the table, picked up the Buddhist prayer beads, and skillfully wrapped them around her slender wrist.

The dark Buddhist prayer beads contrasted sharply with her snow-white skin, adding to her sense of inviolability.

Just then, a wisp of green smoke escaped from the bone flute, and Xu Yishuo's soul appeared, becoming somewhat solidified.

She glanced at Jiang Dusheng, who was dressed in his finest attire, then drifted closer with some concern and whispered:

"Miss Jiang, there will be many people and distractions at the banquet today. How about... you cut out a paper figure for me, and I'll go with you? I can help you take a look."

Jiang Dusheng shook his head, his voice gentle, "No need. Your situation is different from Wang Dazhuang's."

"His soul was intact and strong, and his obsession was shallow, so the loss of relying on the paper figure was not significant."

"Although your resentment has been resolved, your soul is weak. Forcibly attaching yourself to external objects will only accelerate the dissipation of your soul power, which will be detrimental to your reincarnation."

She glanced at Xu Yishuo and said, "Rest assured and nurture yourself in the flute until your brother comes to take you home."

Zhao, the old woman standing to the side, saw the young lady whispering to the air with a serious expression.

I was so frightened that my scalp tingled, I held my breath, and I lowered my head, wishing I were invisible.

Seeing this, Xu Yishuo knew that Jiang Dusheng had made up his mind and was doing it for her own good, so she stopped insisting.

She sighed, her spirit fading, her tone carrying the advice of someone with experience: "Then be careful in everything. The noble ladies' circle of Changling... I knew a little about it when I was alive."

"There are many straightforward and genuine people, but there are also quite a few who smile to your face but stab you in the back. Comparison, scheming, and rumors can sometimes be more terrifying than swords."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Dusheng's lips curved into a smile, but the smile did not reach his eyes.

She gently flicked the prayer beads on her wrist, her voice cool and clear, "Indeed."

"The human heart is terrifying, more so than a ghost, and deserves to be punished."

After she finished speaking, she stopped looking at Xu Yishuo's spirit body and turned her gaze to Zhao Mama, who was almost frozen in place. Her tone returned to its usual calm:

"Let's go."

Jiang Dusheng followed Granny Zhao to the front hall.

Inside the lobby, Song Suya and Jiang Wanqing were already dressed up and waiting.

Song Suya wore a crimson-purple ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) with peony patterns and a red-gold hair ornament with kingfisher feathers, exuding a dignified and solemn air.

Jiang Wanqing wore a delicate cherry-pink brocade dress adorned with butterflies and flowers, her hair adorned with shimmering pearls and jade, and her face meticulously made up, making her stunningly beautiful.

She was whispering something to Song Suya, a smile playing on her lips.

However, when that pale white figure came into view, the air in the hall seemed to freeze for a moment.

Song Suya stopped abruptly, her gaze falling on her eldest daughter, her eyes flashing with undisguised amazement.

This daughter, having been away from home for so long, and always so aloof and distant upon her return, has made her almost forget how beautiful and charming that lovely baby would have been if carefully raised.