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

As soon as the door opened, Jiang Dusheng looked up and was immediately stunned.

The once spacious room was now almost entirely filled with boxes and trunks of all sizes.

Several boxes had been opened, revealing neatly stacked, colorful dresses and skirts, made of fine silks and satins, with exquisite embroidery.

From elegant moon white and light blue to pale yellow, from light summer clothes to thick winter clothes, everything is available; you could practically open a ready-made clothing store.

Several boxes beside it were open, containing sets of jadeite headdresses, kingfisher feather hairpins, gold hair ornaments, and mutton-fat jade pendants…

The dazzling jewels were almost blinding.

A rough count revealed that there were more than a dozen boxes of clothes and jewelry.

Jiang Dusheng gasped, his first thought was...

What a waste of money!

She lightly slapped Wang Dazhuang on the back of the head with her hand. "Dazhuang, are you crazy?! Why did you buy all this?"

Looking at the luxurious room, Jiang Dusheng felt his temples throbbing.

"Ouch! Master, I'm innocent!" Wang Dazhuang exaggeratedly jumped back, clutching his head, looking utterly aggrieved, and quickly waved his hands, "I didn't buy this!"

"Even if you gave me ten lives, I wouldn't dare to be so wasteful! Besides, you know how much money we have in our household; it wouldn't even be enough to buy this box of scraps."

At this moment, Ruan Guyan's spirit floated out from the corner of the wall, covered her mouth and chuckled softly:

"Miss Jiang, you've misunderstood Brother Wang. These were all sent by Prince Xie just now."

Jiang Dusheng: "..."

A hint of embarrassment flashed across her face. She coughed lightly and gave Wang Dazhuang a reproachful look. "Why didn't you say so sooner?"

Wang Dazhuang felt even more aggrieved, his shoulders slumped, and he muttered softly, "You didn't even give me a chance to speak..."

Knowing he was in the wrong, Jiang Dusheng waved his hand and said, "Alright, alright, when you go out later, buy some good food and treat yourself."

Wang Dazhuang's earlier grievances vanished instantly, and he immediately beamed, replying loudly:

"Okay! Thank you, Master!"

Having received the benefits, Wang Dazhuang became even bolder, recalling the rumors he had heard that day.

He leaned closer, winking and making faces, as if he were sharing a shocking secret:

"Master, you don't know yet, do you? An even bigger spectacle is yet to come!"

He cleared his throat and imitated the storyteller's tone:

"Young Master Xie is making quite a fuss today, personally leading the stewards of the Xie State Duke's mansion, carrying a full 128 loads of betrothal gifts, in a grand procession with music and fanfare, to propose marriage at Nanchan Temple."

He gestured with his eyes shining, "Now it's probably all over Changling City, everyone's saying that Young Master Xie cherishes you dearly, he's determined to marry no one but you!"

"Even the betrothal ceremony was held in the serene Buddhist sanctuary, as a way of expressing gratitude for the temple's care over the years and to have Buddha as a witness. It couldn't be more solemn!"

Jiang Dusheng was stunned upon hearing this.

No wonder... On the way back, I felt that some vendors and pedestrians on the street were looking at her strangely, whispering and pointing.

So that's where the root of the problem lies.

Wang Dazhuang was still excitedly imitating the tone of the guard who had come to deliver the goods today:

"The young master specifically instructed that Miss Jiang should wear whichever clothes and jewelry she likes, or even throw one away after wearing it, as long as she's happy! Don't try to save money for him!"

Upon hearing these words, Jiang Dusheng felt as if something warm and soft had gently bumped into his heart.

A strange, warm current slowly flowed out.

Her lips unconsciously curled up for a moment, then quickly suppressed it, but the smile in her eyes betrayed a hint of her true emotions.

Just then, there was a knock at the gate.

Wang Dazhuang, who was happily planning what to eat, exclaimed "Hey!" and hurriedly ran to open the door.

Standing outside the door was a middle-aged eunuch with a fair complexion and no beard, dressed in an indigo eunuch's robe, followed by two obsequious young eunuchs.

The eunuch raised his chin, his eyes holding a condescending scrutiny, and his high-pitched voice carried throughout the courtyard:

"His Majesty has decreed that Jiang Dusheng be summoned to the palace for an audience immediately."

The air froze instantly.

Inside the room, Ruan Guyan's soul flickered uneasily, drifting closer to Jiang Dusheng, her voice filled with worry:

"Miss Jiang, this... His Majesty's sudden summons seems ill-intentioned. Should we wait for the Crown Prince to return before making any decisions?"

The warmth on Jiang Dusheng's face quickly faded, and he returned to his usual cold and calm demeanor.

She gently shook her head and whispered to Ruan Guyan, "No need. What's meant to happen will happen. Hiding will only make us look bad and give others a handle to use against us."

After speaking, she walked to the gate of the mansion, nodded slightly to the eunuch, and spoke with composure and dignity:

"Thank you for leading the way, Father-in-law."

Having chosen to stand shoulder to shoulder with Xie Jinchen, she was naturally prepared to face the storms ahead together.

If the emperor wants to see me, then I will go to see him.

Jiang Dusheng acts only to have a clear conscience, so why should she fear the emperor's might?

After Jiang Dusheng left with the eunuch, Wang Dazhuang paced anxiously for a moment, then said to the worried Ruan Guyan beside him:

"No! Sister Ruan, you stay here and keep watch. I'm going to Nanchansi Temple to inform Prince Xie right now."

After saying that, he ran out in a flash.

Ruan Guyan looked at the empty courtyard gate, then at the main room filled with fine clothes and treasures, and sighed.

The Imperial Palace, the Imperial Study.

The scent of ambergris was heavy and deep, and Emperor Cangqi, sitting on his throne, had a calm and imposing expression.

He did not make Jiang Dusheng kneel for long, and even offered him a seat, but this seemingly lenient gesture only made the pressure in the air even heavier.

"Jiang Dusheng," Emperor Cangqi began, his voice echoing in the empty hall, carrying a sense of oppression, "do you know your crime?"

Jiang Dusheng sat upright with a straight back, his posture proper yet not stiff.

Upon hearing this, she slightly raised her eyes, her gaze clear and bright, showing none of the fear and timidity that one would expect when meeting the emperor.

She shook her head, her voice clear, "Your Majesty, I do not know what crime I have committed."

Emperor Cangqi was taken aback by her frank question, seemingly not expecting her to react this way.

Immediately, his brows furrowed, and a surge of anger rose within him:

"You don't know? You bewitched Xie Jinchen, the heir of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, causing him to defy my will and insist on marrying you. Isn't that a grave crime?!"

Jiang Dusheng's expression showed even greater confusion, and she asked sincerely, "Defying the imperial decree? What decree did you defy? I have not heard of His Majesty issuing a decree forbidding the heir to marry."

"The Crown Prince's trip to Nanchansi Temple to propose marriage was in accordance with proper etiquette; how can it be considered disobeying an imperial decree?"

"What a sharp tongue!" Emperor Cangqi was enraged by her feigned ignorance and slammed his hand on the imperial desk. "Although I have not issued a decree, the Imperial Advisor has already made his prediction."

"Your fate is peculiar; you cannot marry anyone, otherwise misfortune will surely follow, bringing ruin to your husband's family!"

"I have already told Chen'er this, yet he still insists on doing things his own way today. Isn't this ignoring my and the Imperial Advisor's admonitions?! Isn't this another form of disobeying the imperial decree?!"