The Northern Song Dynasty returned south, seeking the truth of the Dao.

"She was indeed a virtuous and chaste woman."

Wang Zhenhuan was not surprised at all by this outcome. Chen Shanren's daughter, as the only daughter in her family, had been spoiled since childhood and had everyone obeying her every command. Suddenly, she was being forced to marry an ugly man she had never even met.

No normal person would agree to this. This stalemate leaves only two choices: marry the river god for the sake of their family, or, like this young woman, choose to hang themselves.

Judging from her act of running away, it's clear she's not a weak person. On the contrary, she knows how to fight back and has her own thoughts and choices. Unfortunately, a woman's thoughts are not important in this day and age.

Even for an only child like her, this was the case. So, realizing there was no hope of escape, this young lady chose to hang herself. This was her greatest act of defiance against her parents' attitude.

"Sigh, what's the use of being chaste? If you ask me, since we can't escape, we might as well just make do. That river god may be ugly, but he's quite capable," the waiter said, shaking his head.

"How so?" Wang Zhenhuan suddenly became curious.

"You think the River God is just a title? A few days ago, the upper reaches of the Huai River flooded. It looked like Xiayi was about to be submerged, but the River God appeared in the water, waved his hand, and the entire river became calm." The waiter said with some longing.

"Is this true? Did you see it with your own eyes, young man?" Wang Zhen asked, somewhat incredulous. To bring an entire river to rest, only a master of the Purple Qi realm could accomplish this. That river god, by all accounts, didn't seem to possess any Purple Qi cultivation.

"Of course, all the people along the Huai River witnessed it with their own eyes. However, the river god was enveloped by the water and did not reveal his appearance," the waiter explained with wide eyes.

"Since we haven't seen his face, how can you be sure that the person who calmed the river is the River God of the Huai River?" Wang Huanzhen pressed.

"That river god is only five feet tall, how can we not be sure? That water ball in the river is only six feet square, who else could it be but the river god?" The waiter explained stubbornly when he heard Wang Zhenhuan question him.

"So, the recent ghost stories near the Huai River are related to the only daughter of the Chen family who died?" Wang Zhenhuan smiled and waved his hand at him, indicating that he shouldn't be angry, and then poured him some tea before asking.

"Yes, that's her. I heard..." The waiter leaned closer and whispered to Wang Zhenhuan, "I heard that after that young lady died, she harbored resentment towards her parents and kept lingering near Chen Shan's house, unwilling to leave."

"Didn't that benevolent Chen hire someone to perform a ritual for his daughter? Whether it's a monk or a Taoist priest, the souls of people who die unjustly shouldn't be very powerful after death."

"Besides, that young lady is Chen Shanren's daughter. Even tigers don't eat their cubs, and vice versa. No matter how much she hates her parents, she wouldn't hurt them, would she?" Wang Zhenhuan asked doubtfully.

"We invited him, of course we invited him. The abbot of Puji Temple even came to perform the ritual, but it was no use. The young lady still cries at the door of Chen Shan's house every night." The waiter sighed and continued.

"The ferrymen in the vicinity all saw it with their own eyes, sooner or later. Later, the word spread, and the boat passengers stopped coming to Xiayi, so naturally the ferrymen stopped coming as well."

It's really just Chen Shanren's family business, little Taoist priest, you can just listen and leave. I'm leaving too. When the manager comes back and sees I'm not in the front hall, I'll inevitably get a scolding again."

The waiter got up to leave, trying to persuade him to stay. Wang Zhenhuan pulled him back, took two copper coins from his pocket, handed them to him, and asked, "No rush, sir. Where does that Chen Shanren live?"

The waiter took the copper coin, his face lighting up with delight. Just as he was about to put it in his pocket, he heard Wang Zhenhuan's question and hurriedly took it out and returned it to him: "Little Taoist priest, don't ask anymore. If something happens to you later, it won't just be a matter of these two copper coins."

Wang Zhenhuan felt a warmth in his heart upon hearing his words. Although the waiter was of humble status, he was kind-hearted and had not abandoned his principles for money, which Wang Zhenhuan greatly admired.

"No, this humble Taoist priest does not intend to investigate, but rather because I will be traveling south in the future, and knowing in advance will allow me to detour through."

"Really? Now that you know, you can't check out." The waiter asked hesitantly.

"This is something I promised before, so it's only right. If you don't believe me, I swear to God, once I know the location of that Chen Shan family's house, I absolutely will not go there tonight!"

Wang Huanzhen raised his palm, extended two fingers towards the sky, and said. He was just a Taoist who had only recently become a Taoist, and knew nothing about Taoist etiquette, so he would just say whatever came to mind.

The waiter's doubt disappeared when he saw Wang Zhenhuan swear. He took Wang Zhenhuan's hand and led him to the window. After opening the window, he pointed to a large courtyard house with four courtyards on the other side of the river.

"Look, it's right across the street. We've already agreed, we're not giving you a refund for the room," the waiter hurriedly said, afraid he might change his mind.

"No refund, no refund. You can go without worry." Wang Zhenhuan smiled and shook his head. No wonder the inn's business was bad. That haunted house was only a river away from his inn; it would be strange if business was good.

The waiter picked up the banner from the table, left the room, and as he closed the door behind him, he suddenly poked his head in and said, "Young Taoist priest, you can't check out, and you can't go look across the street. You swore an oath."

Wang Zhenhuan's original vow was not to visit Chen Shanren's house that night. Seeing that the waiter had cleverly included not checking out of the house in his vow, he smiled and shook his head, not pointing it out.

After the waiter left, it was already past 9 AM. Feeling hungry, he locked the door and went out to find something to eat. When he went downstairs, he didn't see the waiter in the lobby; he wondered what he was doing.

After leaving the inn and turning through several alleys, he arrived on the street. There were far fewer pedestrians than when he had arrived that morning. Wang Zhenhuan bought a few steamed buns and sat down by the roadside.

He ate and pondered, and after finishing a few buns, he got up and walked towards the river. After much deliberation, he decided to go and see what was going on at the haunted house.

He swore he wouldn't go at night, but he didn't say he wouldn't go during the day. Besides, it was noon, the time when yang energy was at its peak. Ordinary ghosts and monsters generally wouldn't, and couldn't, choose to appear at this time.

Unfortunately, he waited by the river for a long time, but no ferryman came. It seemed the innkeeper was right. Just as he was about to turn back, he suddenly heard cries for help coming from upstream.

"Help! Someone is drowning! Help!"