Fortunately, Xiao He suddenly appeared, and Gu Chengjin and the lotus sprite got back together.
Gu Chengjin felt that as long as he was with Xiao He, it didn't matter where they were. His rival, Gu Cheng Rui, didn't see it that way, though.
Gu Cheng Rui and Gu Chengjin had both planted spies around each other, so neither could keep anything from the other.
So Gu Cheng Rui soon learned that after Gu Chengjin's death, he appeared at the lotus pond every night around midnight.
It might not be noticeable at first, but over time, that changed.
Gu Cheng Rui thought Gu Chengjin must have died with regrets and become a ghost, refusing to reincarnate because he wanted the city lord's position.
So Gu Cheng Rui immediately summoned an expert from Huang Jue Temple under the pretext of treating Gu Chengjin, though his real goal was to capture the ghost.
Of course, to make sure Gu Chengjin had no chance of turning things around, Gu Cheng Rui made a huge fuss about it. Not only did the court hear about it, but so did everyone in the capital.
The monks of Huang Jue Temple were no ordinary people. Though he had no immortal power, he could still use Buddhist dharma alone to guide some wandering souls into the afterlife.
Under the circumstances, not only was Gu Chengjin's transformation into a ghost exposed, but Xiao He was discovered as well.
Afraid that she and Gu Chengjin would miss each other again if he reincarnated, Xiao He seized the moment when the abbot of Huang Jue Temple was caught off guard by discovering him. She suddenly wrapped around Gu Chengjin's soul and rushed straight toward Xing Zhi's courtyard.
Since Gu Cheng Rui had prepared in advance, he had people keeping watch