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

Although Yue Rao was still burning with anxiety, she understood that Jiang Dusheng had important matters to attend to, and she had no choice but to wait.

She forced herself to calm down, her fingers trembling as she pulled out a silver note she had prepared beforehand from her sleeve.

Two hundred-tael bills were presented with both hands: "Miss, your kindness is beyond repayment. This small amount of silver is a deposit. Please, you absolutely must rescue Yu Sui. There will be a greater reward afterward!"

Jiang Dusheng glanced at the stack of silver notes, but did not reach out to take them. He simply said:

"After I retrieve Wen Yusui's soul, we can discuss the reward later."

She acts according to her own principles and dislikes accepting gifts in advance, especially since this matter seems suspicious and may involve deeper implications.

She handed the jade earring back to Yue Rao: "Keep this safe, you might need it later." Then she turned and walked towards the door, "If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving now."

Yue Rao quickly put away her earrings and silver notes, and hurriedly asked, "Miss, if...if I have other leads in the next few days, or if I need to find you for something, where should I go?"

Jiang Dusheng paused slightly but did not turn around. "You can go to the Ministry of Rites' residence to find Jiang Dusheng."

After saying that, she opened the door to the private room, and her figure quickly disappeared into the light and shadow of the restaurant corridor.

Yue Rao stood there, stunned, staring at the empty doorway, the words "Minister of Rites, Jiang Dusheng" echoing clearly in her ears.

"She...she really is the eldest daughter of the Minister of Rites' family..." Yue Rao murmured softly.

She had overheard the discussions in the crowd at the alley entrance, but she dismissed them as mere rumors, remaining skeptical.

The impact of receiving confirmation directly from the other party is completely different now.

Yue Rao pulled herself out of her thoughts, put her veil back on, paid the bill, and left the restaurant.

When Jiang Dusheng returned to the Jiang residence, it was already late at night, and most of the courtyards were dimly lit.

Before she even got close to her courtyard, she could see two figures standing at the gate from afar.

Jiang Wanqing was wiping away tears with a handkerchief, her shoulders trembling slightly. Even from a distance, one could feel the grievance and sorrow in her tearful face.

Jiang Zhiheng whispered something to him, seemingly trying to comfort him.

Jiang Dusheng glanced at it only once, but he understood immediately.

It seems that her words to Chu Yanzhao at Xu Banxian's stall, "He will not have a good end," have already spread back to the Jiang family as quickly as they could.

To be precise, the message reached the ears of the person involved.

Too lazy to engage in pleasantries with the two men, she simply turned and quietly circled around to the back of the courtyard.

The courtyard wall wasn't high. She gathered her strength, lightened her body, and used her toes to gain leverage on the bricks, easily vaulting over it.

Just as she steadied herself, Xiao Huan came out of the side room to pour water. Suddenly, she saw a figure emerge from the darkness and was so startled that she almost cried out.

Upon recognizing Jiang Dusheng, he patted his chest and lowered his voice, saying, "Young Miss! How...how did you climb over the wall to get in?"

Jiang Dusheng gestured for her to be quiet and asked in a low voice, "What's going on with those two at the courtyard gate? How long have they been waiting?"

Xiao Huan quickly replied, "The Second Miss and the Second Young Master have been here for about half an incense stick's time. Since you weren't here, they didn't dare to come into the house. They just stood at the courtyard gate, saying they had urgent business and insisted on waiting for you to return."

As she spoke, she glanced cautiously at Jiang Dusheng, "The Second Miss has been...crying."

Jiang Dusheng nodded, his face expressionless, and said, "Then let them continue to wait. Don't tell them I'm back."

She had no interest in playing along with a dramatic sibling relationship and a confrontational interrogation late at night.

Xiao Huan was taken aback for a moment, then understood and nodded vigorously: "Yes, this servant understands."

Jiang Dusheng said no more, walked to the window of her bedroom, and was about to open it when Xiao Huan called her back:

"By the way, Miss, the Xu and Meng families just sent people to deliver gifts to you. Unfortunately, Madam was not here, so Granny Zhao asked me to put them away in your room for you."

Jiang Dusheng nodded, indicating that he understood.

She pushed open the window, braced herself against the windowsill with one hand, and easily climbed inside, then closed the window slightly behind her.

She made no attempt to conceal her presence; upon entering the room, she immediately lit the candlesticks on the table.

A dim, yellowish light spread throughout the room, illuminating the two brocade boxes placed on the table.

She first opened the larger one, inside which were five hundred-tael silver notes neatly arranged, next to a set of exquisitely crafted pearl headdresses, gleaming in the candlelight.

The other brocade box also contained five hundred-tael silver notes and a plain note.

Jiang Dusheng unfolded the letter, which was written in Madam Meng's own handwriting:

Miss Jiang:

It was at the banquet at the Princess's mansion that I learned of your difficult situation in the Jiang family. Although the Meng family is not wealthy, this small amount is just a token of our appreciation.

Thank you for bringing Yan'er's spirit back, allowing my daughter and me to see each other one last time. We will never forget your kindness and virtue.

Though the money is meager, we hope you will not refuse it. If you ever need anything in the future, just give us a summons, and the entire Meng family will do everything in our power to help.

Jiang Dusheng put away the letter, a genuine smile playing on his lips.

She was worried that she didn't have much money and had nowhere to stay after leaving the Jiang family, but this solved her immediate problem.

But... she looked at the two thank-you gifts on the table and tapped her fingertips lightly on the surface.

She needs to think carefully about what would be appropriate to give in return.

Just then, a ghostly figure passed through the wall and entered.

As soon as Wang Dazhuang entered, he exclaimed loudly, "Master, I'm back!"

"Hey, what's going on with your brother and sister? Did they become gatekeepers at your gate? I saw them whispering to each other when I came in."

Jiang Dusheng closed the box and glanced out the window at the courtyard. The two figures were still standing there, seemingly engrossed in their conversation, and hadn't even noticed the light on in her room.

She looked away, too lazy to bother with it, and asked Wang Dazhuang, "Did you see my master? Did the letter get delivered?"

Wang Dazhuang nodded repeatedly, his soul pulsating with excitement: "I saw it! I saw it! Oh, Master, thank goodness for that talisman you gave me! Your master... tsk, he almost mistook me for a wandering ghost and casually performed a ritual to release me from suffering!"

"Luckily, I was quick-witted and shouted that I was a ghost under Jiang Dusheng's command, which made him stop his supernatural powers. That look in his eyes... made my soul go cold!" He touched his chest with lingering fear.

Jiang Dusheng held out his hand: "Where's the reply?"

"Here it is!" Wang Dazhuang quickly pulled out a letter with a few specks of incense ash from a certain part of his soul and respectfully handed it over.

Jiang Dusheng took it, broke the sealing wax seal, and pulled out the letter. Familiar handwriting came into view.

"My disciple, Dusheng, the mountain gate has been peaceful for a long time. But since you descended the mountain, trouble has suddenly arisen. My disciple, what trouble have you caused in this short time since you left the mountain?"

"Recently, no fewer than three groups of suspicious individuals have come to the temple, openly and secretly, to inquire about your past and what skills you have learned! I am terrified! Our temple is small and has few monks; we cannot withstand such trouble."

"Also, my disciple, are you eating well? Are you sleeping soundly? How are your parents treating you? Have you been wronged? If you are bullied, remember, the sect will always leave you a bowl of vegetarian food."

Jiang Dusheng felt a warmth in his heart, but... could this old man get to the point?