[Host, actually, what the general said that day wasn't wrong. He's about to leave, so don't be angry.]

Yeah, yeah, what are you guys doing right now?

Xu Nian and Gu Zhan had a fight, or rather, it wasn't really a fight. It was just a difference in their views, so they were just sulking.

They both said it was for the other's own good; one didn't want his wife to suffer the hardships of travel. The other worried that he might not return, and also feared that when he came back, she would be gone.

With the two sides at an impasse, Xu Nian became increasingly angry. She simply refused to speak to anyone, and hadn't uttered a single word for several hours from last night until this morning.

“Of course I know he’s right.” Xu Nian said, tidying up her things. “But family, can’t you feel it? This ordeal is almost over.”

[...]

After she reminded them, everyone in the comments section realized what was going on.

I was having too much fun before, watching Xu Nian and this group of people play palace intrigue and family feuds. I never thought that time was gradually coming to an end.

They glanced at the tips on the streamer's screen, and then thought about the scene of peaceful and prosperous life that Xu Nian had seen when she visited the villagers a few days ago.

I felt a sudden wave of unease. Then I understood the anchor's concerns.

Xu Nian fell silent. Only the group in the live stream who knew her background could listen to her complain for a few minutes. "If there were more time, it would be fine for me to stay in Beijing. But this time, there really isn't any time left."

But before that, she needs to make sure her two babies are settled.

Both of my family members are going to the front lines, and only one of them might come back. We need to find a reliable person to take care of them.

"Why are you here so early today?" Before dawn, Fukang saw Xu Nian in his own courtyard and was quite surprised. "Isn't General Gu going to lead his troops tomorrow? Aren't you going to accompany him?"

Xu Nian waved her hand: "There's plenty of time to spend with him. I'm here today to deal with Jiang Yuanlang's matter. Follow me."

She spent the last few days thinking about it and went through all the ancient books and materials she had brought with her from her spatial dimension.

Finally, a solution was found: "Those who are missing a soul need to find material to replenish it in order to regain their sanity."

There are many materials used to replenish a soul. Straw, paper figures, and even souls of the same bloodline!

The first two are merely filling materials; no one is certain how much restoration can be achieved. The latter, however, is different. It uses another person's soul to mend the damage. If that soul is too powerful, there is a real risk of being possessed, so it is not commonly used.

On the way to the villa, the three of them huddled together, but no one uttered a single word.

Xu Nian leaned against the car wall, closed her eyes to rest, and kept groping for the small bottle containing the soul of the "True Prince".

She had made up her mind, and she had just discussed it with Jiang Yuanqing.

Each of these three methods has its drawbacks. The last one seems simple, but if Jiang Yuanlang is devoured by this infant spirit, no one knows what this "true prince," who has been reborn as a human and has regained his memories, will do.

Therefore, they plan to combine several methods.

"Do you know Jiang Yuanlang's birth date and time?" Xu Nian asked, holding the paper figure that was no more than half a person's height and a calligraphy brush in her hand as she turned to look at Jiang Yuanqing and his wife.

The other person took out a slip of paper from her sleeve. She glanced at it, picked up a pen, and wrote down what was on it, along with Jiang Yuanlang's name, on the paper figure.

Then, they stuck it on the scarecrow.

With a few strokes, he drew the nose and eyes. At first glance, the appearance really did look quite similar to Jiang Yuanlang.

Xu Nian untied the porcelain bottle hanging around her neck, opened the cap, but did not release the little thing. "Where do wandering souls linger? Strange and frightening things in graveyards and forests... Heavenly gates open, earthly gates open. A thousand-mile-long child brings the soul. By the decree of the Supreme Lord Laozi, may this be done quickly!"

As Xu Nian chanted her incantation, Fu Kang and Jiang Yuanqing watched as she drew a wisp of white, smoke-like substance from the porcelain bottle and poured it into the scarecrow.

In an instant, it was unclear whether it was their imagination or not.

That paper-face, which originally looked lifeless, now seems to have gained a touch of liveliness and even the breath of a living person.

Fukang shrank back and hid behind her husband.

Jiang Yuanqing, however, stared intently at Xu Nian's movements with great curiosity and interest.

With a flick of his wrists, he summoned flames that set the scarecrow and paper figure ablaze. The icy blue flames danced, reflecting in everyone's eyes.

Finally, they burned everything to ashes, leaving nothing behind.

Xu Nian bent down and put the ashes into a bowl. Hot water was poured over them to turn them into talisman water, which she then poured into Jiang Yuanlang's mouth after prying open his jaw.

Then, he placed the sword finger directly between the boy's eyebrows, chanting, "Supreme Lord, pure and unceasing, ever adaptable. Wise and clear, mind at peace. May your three souls be eternal, your spirit undiminished. So be it!"

[Believe in Science]

[Alright, alright. Look at the Third Prince's eyes, they're really healed!]

So, is this the real crown prince or Jiang Yuanlang?

“It’s Jiang Yuanlang,” Xu Nian said decisively, glancing at Fu Kang and Jiang Yuanqing. The two immediately understood and echoed her words.

"It's Jiang Yuanlang."

In metaphysics, many things simply require people's affirmation.

Since it is spoken of spirits, it is what the living say. That is what it is, those three said, their voices equally resolute, without the slightest hesitation.

The person who had been looking at them blankly blinked, then looked at them with fear and evasiveness. "Jiang Yuanqing?! Xu Nian?! What do you want to do?!"

Shouldn't he be in jail?

Why are we here now?!

The Third Prince was filled with questions, but Xu Nian didn't know them and didn't have time to answer them all. She only asked one question: "How much of what happened before do you remember?"

Jiang Yuanlang paused, initially unwilling to answer.

But all of this was too unbelievable. He felt that a long time had passed. "I only remember being imprisoned by the Fifth Prince, and then, it seems, he took me out. And my mother, right, where is my mother?!"

Seeing that he still had some memory, Xu Nian breathed a sigh of relief.

Ignoring Jiang Yuanlang, she turned and handed the porcelain bottle to Jiang Yuanqing. "I only used a wisp of this child's soul power, along with some straw, to repair his soul. The rest is up to you. If you have time, bury this porcelain bottle in the ground and find someone to perform a ritual to help this child find peace in the afterlife."

After a pause, Xu Nian glanced behind her. "His memory will be fully restored in the next couple of days. You know better than I do what needs to be done. After you've finished dealing with this, come find me in the front hall. I'm going to rest for a bit."

Why don't you personally perform a ritual to help him pass on to the afterlife?

Before Jiang Yuanqing could ask a single question, Xu Nian slowly walked out of the room.