After being reborn with my scumbag ex-husband, I became his sister-in-law.

Upon hearing this, the old man turned pale.

He immediately knelt down in front of Song Xizhi, shook his head for a long time, and couldn't say a word.

Song Xizhi paused for a moment, feeling the trembling of his hands, and hurriedly tried to help him up: "Never mind, if you're scared, then don't say anything more."

The old man merely moved his lips, his throat dry and hoarse as he spoke:

"Don't ride in a carriage, don't wear silk..."

"Don't reveal your true form, don't go to the temple..."

"Go home before dark, go home..."

The group was stunned when they heard the old man's words. Looking at the old man's tearful eyes, they suddenly felt a chill spread from the soles of their feet throughout their bodies.

What exactly is wrong with Fengning County?

After thanking the old man, the group continued on their way.

Once inside Fengning County, nothing unusual could be found.

The streets of Fengning County were spotless, with no illegal troublemakers. The people lived in peace and contentment, and the roads were bustling with tourists, presenting a tranquil scene.

The prosperity of Fengning County was comparable to that of the capital.

However, Song Xizhi and his companions remained cautious. Because of the old man's words, they specially bought a carriage, changed into silk clothes, and the decorations on the four corners of the carriage jingled. Even the curtains were made of brocade.

Song Xizhi is now adorned with jewels, while Pei Yunyi's once empty hands are now adorned with sparkling rings.

They all disguised themselves with human skin masks, making Pei Yunyi and Qing Tong's faces look ordinary.

Song Xizhi and Siqin were given two beautiful human faces.

The group pretended to be wealthy merchants from Jiangnan, on their way to the capital to do business, and were passing through Fengning County to pay their respects to General Zeng.

They made sure to go to the temple the old man had mentioned after dark.

The carriage stopped at the entrance of the temple.

As soon as the curtain of the carriage was lifted, a rich sandalwood scent wafted out. The temple was bustling with incense, and thousands of candles were burning in layers upon layers. In the evening, many tourists came to worship.

Pei Yunyi got off the carriage first, stood firmly on the ground, then reached out and touched the fake beard on his human skin mask before helping Song Xizhi down.

As the two moved, the jewelry on their bodies shimmered with a luxurious golden light.

Pei Yunyi squeezed Song Xizhi's hand and sighed in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft: "This Fengning is far inferior to Jiangnan. You can't even find a single luxurious restaurant here."

"Nowadays, only General Zeng's temple is worth a visit."

Song Xizhi, wearing a flamboyant human skin mask, walked with a swaying gait: "However, this temple is still inferior to Lingyin Temple in Jiangnan, and cannot highlight General Zeng's achievements."

"When we return from our business trip to the capital, let's donate some money so the abbot here can help repair the temple."

As soon as Song Xizhi finished speaking, Pei Yunyi tightened his grip on Song Xizhi's hand slightly, as if to indicate that someone was following them.

Receiving Pei Yunyi's hint, Song Xizhi's smile deepened.

She adjusted her hair bun at her temples, then casually found a sweeper at a temple, intending to find the temple's manager.

The man's face was expressionless at first, but when he saw the two people dressed in jewels and with two servants following behind them, his eyes lit up.

His expression gradually became obsequious: "The person in charge of General Zeng's temple is also the guardian of General Zeng's tomb, specially appointed by the family."

"You two have come from afar, weary from your journey, and your kindness is truly touching... I will have the manager come and accompany you."

Not long after he finished speaking, Song Xizhi met the manager.

The owner was dressed in simple, coarse clothes. He was short and stocky, with a round face that looked like a steamed bun, glistening with an unhealthy sheen. The corners of his mouth were always habitually turned up, adorned with a seemingly friendly smile.

When she laughs, the flesh on her cheeks bulges out, almost squeezing her eyes into two narrow slits.

"Greetings, you two. My name is Chen Da."

As he spoke, his gaze unconsciously swept over Song Xizhi.

Pei Yunyi twitched the corners of his mouth and said with a smile, "Director Chen, you've worked hard. We come from Jiangnan and are not familiar with the etiquette of the North. We would appreciate it if Director Chen could show us around."

Chen Da smiled and nodded repeatedly, "It's not hard work at all."

"The two of them were weary from their journey. If there was no inn to stay at, they would spend the night in the temple. The furnishings in the courtyard were quite nice, with a unique charm. Moreover, thanks to the blessings of General Zeng and his wife, there was a room available."

Pei Yunyi readily agreed: "Please also arrange a room for my two attendants, Director Chen."

Upon hearing this, Chen Da turned his head and looked Qing Tong and Si Qin up and down, his smile becoming even more genuine: "Good, good, I'll arrange a private room for them too."

After Chen Da had given instructions to the servants, he personally led the two into the temple to pay homage to the general and his wife.

It wasn't until Song Xizhi entered the temple that his initial wariness gradually subsided.

She looked up at the two statues in the main hall, which vividly depicted the general and his wife as they fought on the battlefield, looking majestic and awe-inspiring.

They must have brought great benefits to the region, not only resisting the Western Rong and sacrificing their lives for the country, but also using up all their possessions to comfort the families of the fallen soldiers.

This is why there are so many people in Fengning County. A large portion of them are the families of martyrs who received generous compensation and eventually moved to Fengning County to settle down after learning that the two men had died on the battlefield.

But who would have thought that such a county town, composed of the families of martyrs, would still have such heinous acts?

And then there's... what exactly is He Jingyan's purpose?