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

In the following days, the small square table in front of the Jiang residence became a regular sight.

Jiang Dusheng appears promptly every morning to handle the backlog of daily divinations, his expression calm and methodical.

Xie Jinchen was dismissed from his official post and was now idle, so he moved a chair and sat next to Jiang Dusheng every day without fail.

He didn't talk much, spending most of his time resting with his eyes closed, occasionally flipping through some random historical records or military books he had found from who-knows-where, his posture relaxed.

He only moved lazily when she needed to serve him tea or collect his fortune-telling fee.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting shadows on his handsome profile, which surprisingly exuded a rare sense of tranquility and ease.

In just five days, the news that Xie Jinchen, the heir of the Duke of Zhenguo, and Jiang Dusheng, the "former eldest daughter of the Jiang family" who had recently become famous and came from the Ministry of Rites but had now established her own household, were in love and about to get married spread like wildfire throughout the streets and alleys of Changling City.

The wedding date was set for two months from now. Although it was a bit rushed, it was said that Miss Jiang personally calculated the most auspicious day for the wedding, and even the palace tacitly approved it.

Immediately, the crowd began to discuss the matter.

They were surprised by how quickly Xie Shizi acted and how skillful he was, managing to win over this Miss Jiang in such a short time.

Some people marveled at how Jiang Dusheng could even plan his marriage so perfectly, managing to hold onto this most troublesome young master.

Those who witnessed Xie Jinchen confronting Chu Yanzhao, the heir of Prince Chun's mansion, in the street that day made the marriage even more legendary.

On this day, Jiang Dusheng finally finished interpreting the last divination and saw off the last person who sought his divination.

She breathed a sigh of relief, picked up a pen and wrote the words "The auspicious day is approaching, but I am busy with many things, so I will not consult the oracle for now" on a wooden plaque, which Wang Dazhuang then hung in a conspicuous place next to the gate of the house.

Seeing that she had finished her work, Xie Jinchen got up and helped her tidy up the divination sticks on the table.

Just then, the sound of horses' hooves came from the end of the street, approaching steadily and stopping in front of the Jiang residence.

The two looked in the direction of the sound and saw a carriage with palace-style decorations stop. A eunuch dressed in palace attire stepped down from the carriage with a scroll of imperial edict in his hand.

The eunuch's gaze swept over the two men at the door, lingering briefly on Jiang Dusheng's face before he raised his voice and announced in a shrill tone:

"Imperial edict has arrived!"

"Xie Jinchen, heir of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, receive the imperial decree!"

Xie Jinchen was not too surprised. He put down the divination sticks he was sorting out, slowly stepped forward, and lifted his robe to prepare to kneel down.

The eunuch unfolded the imperial edict and read it aloud:

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: A report has been submitted from Linchuan County, Qingzhou, stating that bandits have been rampant in the Black Wind Mountain area, disturbing the local people, robbing merchants, and even suspected of colluding with local officials. The people are filled with resentment and the area is in turmoil."

"This matter is of great importance and cannot be resolved quickly without a capable and decisive person. We have found that Xie Jinchen, the heir apparent of the Duke of Zhenguo, has served in the military, is knowledgeable in military affairs, and is upright and honest, making him suitable for this task."

"Imperial decree hereby appoints Xie Jinchen as Special Envoy for Suppressing Bandits in Linchuan County, Qingzhou. He shall bear my imperial edict and be in command of the local garrison and officials, fully overseeing the suppression of the Black Wind Mountain bandits. He shall depart within five days without delay. This is my decree!"

The imperial edict was grand and solemn, granting Xie Jinchen the authority of a temporary special envoy to go and wipe out a band of mountain bandits that sounded quite troublesome.

However, they set off five days later, a timing that was quite delicate, coinciding with the date of Princess Yongning's Hundred Flowers Banquet.

Moreover, the destination was Linchuan County in Qingzhou, which was far from Changling and relatively isolated from news. This was clearly a deliberate attempt to divert Xie Jinchen away from Jiang Dusheng.

Xie Jinchen remained calm, as if he had only received a routine official order:

"Your subject, Xie Jinchen, accepts the imperial decree and expresses his gratitude."

The eunuch placed the imperial edict in his hand, his gaze lingering on Xie Jinchen's face for a moment, as if trying to discern something, but Xie Jinchen remained indifferent and unyielding.

The eunuch said little, only bowing slightly: "His Majesty has said that he hopes the Crown Prince will live up to His Majesty's expectations, quell the banditry as soon as possible, and restore peace to the region. I will now return to the palace to report."

As the imperial carriage disappeared into the alley, Jiang Dusheng frowned slightly, clearly sensing the unusual nature of the imperial decree.

The two returned to the house in silence, closed the door, and cut off the view from the outside world.

Upon entering the main room, before even taking a seat, Jiang Dusheng spoke directly, his tone resolute, "He wants to kill you."

The "he" here naturally refers to the one on the dragon throne.

Xie Jinchen casually placed the bright yellow imperial edict on the table, a cold, mocking smile playing on his lips.

"I guessed it. The timing is perfect, we'll set off in five days... It seems that Shi Qinglian sensed something might happen at the Hundred Flowers Banquet and wanted to use this opportunity to separate us, hoping I would unexpectedly perish at Black Wind Mountain."

Upon hearing this, Ruan Guyan, who had been observing from the shadows, said anxiously:

"Young Master, Miss Jiang, if it's because of me... perhaps we should postpone it for now! Miss Jiang will accompany you to Qingzhou!"

Xie Jinchen shook his head, his tone resolute: "No. As long as he doesn't give up his killing intent, if it doesn't work this time, there will be a next time, and the time after that."

"You can dodge the first day of the month, but you can't dodge the fifteenth. Instead of passively taking a beating, it's better to take the initiative to break the deadlock."

Xie Jinchen looked at Jiang Dusheng, a sharp glint in his eyes, clearly indicating that he already had a plan:

"My trip might not be a bad thing. I'll deliberately slow down on the way and wait for you to finish your business here so we can meet up. At that time, we can use this opportunity to disappear without a trace."

Jiang Dusheng's eyes flashed, and he instantly understood what he meant, "You want to slip away unnoticed, and then..."

"Then, we disappeared..." Xie Jinchen continued, lowering his voice, "infiltrating Qingwu City to search for my mother's remains."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Dusheng's brows did not relax; instead, they furrowed even more as he silently stared at him, his eyes filled with deep worry.

Xie Jinchen seemed to know what she was worried about. He suddenly raised his hand and gently smoothed the wrinkles between her brows, his tone softening:

"Don't worry, I promise you I won't use any evil energy. Once we're out of the city, I'll conceal my presence and wait for you to come."

At this moment, Jiang Dusheng suddenly raised his head, his gaze fixed on Xie Jinchen, his small face tense, his expression serious, and he uttered a sentence that was astonishing:

"Xie Jinchen, let's consummate our marriage!"

Xie Jinchen: "...?"

His calm expression froze instantly. He blinked, even wondering if he had misheard.

Wang Dazhuang, who had been huddled in a corner trying to keep a low profile due to the heavy atmosphere, widened his eyes upon hearing this, then quickly pulled out his ever-present booklet and charcoal pencil, and began to memorize them rapidly.

While taking notes, she gestured excitedly in hushed tones, "Write it down, write it down... When you meet someone you like, don't be reserved, take the initiative! Go straight for them!"