After entering, Ji Yinshu and Jingrong sat down at the table in the room.

Tea and refreshments were already prepared!

In the room hung a piece of pink gauze curtain, dividing the space into two sections.

Because the window was open, the cold wind from outside carried snowflakes that slowly drifted in, lifting the light gauze.

One could vaguely see a slender figure behind the gauze!

Sitting behind a guzheng!

Just that unclear silhouette alone could convey the beauty of the woman’s form.

Seeing that the guests had seated themselves, the woman asked, “I wonder what song you two gentlemen would like to hear?”

Her voice came from inside.

Light, delicate, and pleasant!

But it also carried a trace of cautiousness.

Ji Yinshu asked, “Are you Miss Du Xing’er?”

“Yes, I am Du Xing’er.”

“Then your original name… is it Du Lan?”

“Uh…” The woman paused. “How does the gentleman know my original name? Very few people around me know it.” The woman’s tone carried a hint of suspicion.

Ji Yinshu said unhurriedly, “I just happened to hear someone mention it. Miss, please don’t worry—we don’t mean anything by it.”

“Oh!” Du Xing’er suppressed her suspicious thoughts again, then said, “Actually, I haven’t sung for a long time. When I heard that you two gentlemen specifically asked for me by name to listen to music, I was quite shocked. I wonder… could you be listeners from my past?”

“No! We two are not from Gaoding, and we’ve never heard you sing before. We just happened to hear someone say that the Drunken Moon Pavilion has a young lady whose name contains the character Lan who sings well, so we came today.”

“I see.”

Jingrong brought the conversation back on track. “I wonder what Miss is skilled at?”

The woman was silent for a moment, then said, “I know some southern melodies.”

“Besides southern melodies?”

“I know various bits and pieces. Gentleman, just request whatever you like.”

Just request!

In other words, as long as it was a song, she knew almost all of them!

Jingrong thought for a moment and asked, “Then do you know ‘Cinnabar’?”

“‘Cinnabar’? That’s Liu Erniang’s signature piece that made her famous.”

“You don’t know it, Miss?”

“It’s not that I don’t know it, I’m just worried that my singing won’t be good enough and will spoil the two gentlemen’s refined mood!”

“No matter. Sing it for us to hear.”

The woman didn’t decline further and responded, “Alright!”

After a short moment, the woman raised her hand and lightly plucked the strings.

The melody slowly began to sound.

After a few notes, she opened her voice and began to sing.

The song “Cinnabar” had beautiful lyrics, but they were also very melancholy.

It told the story of a woman’s sorrowful waiting for her beloved man to return.

The combination of melody and lyrics, together with Du Xing’er’s voice, allowed people to feel that faint melancholy.

Ji Yinshu and Jingrong listened silently.

When the song reached halfway, Ji Yinshu inadvertently noticed a book placed on the cabinet by the window.

An open book!

Looking at its condition, it seemed to have some years to it.

But despite this, the paper was preserved very well.

The pages were being blown by the wind, turning continuously, as if about to fall from the cabinet.

Ji Yinshu stood up and walked over.

The book had been blown open right to the middle.

On the pages were densely packed poems!

One could see that Miss Xing’er was a literary young woman!

Ji Yinshu picked up the book, gently closed it, and intended to place it somewhere without wind.

After closing the book, she saw the two characters “Poetry Collection” written on it.

The book had no author’s name!

No attribution either.

It seemed to be someone’s personal writing.

Ji Yinshu curiously flipped through several pages.

The poetry inside was indeed very well written. She turned to the last page, then closed the book again, only to see a blurry pattern printed in the lower left corner of the back cover of “Poetry Collection.”

It looked as if too little ink had been used on the seal, making it unable to print clearly.

And this small corner wasn’t clear—was it characters or a design?

She didn’t pay much attention to it and placed the book in her hand on another cabinet away from the wind.

Then she returned to her previous seat.

She continued listening to Du Xing’er sing “Cinnabar”!

…

Meanwhile, in the teahouse across from the Drunken Moon Pavilion.

Li Cheng, Bai Yin, and Lang Bo—the three of them—sat by the window on the second floor, keeping their eyes fixed on the opposite side the entire time.

But they still hadn’t seen them come out.

Time passed bit by bit…

“Why have they been gone so long?” Li Cheng wondered, his heart growing somewhat anxious.

Then he downed a cup of tea.

He felt his mouth was completely dry. From the time he sat down until now, he had already drunk two entire pots of tea.

After Lang Bo heard that muttered sentence, being someone who was easily anxious and rough-mannered to begin with, he could no longer contain himself either.

He immediately said, “Could something really have happened? No way! I have to go check.”

With that said, he took his sword and stood up, preparing to rush over.

Fortunately, Bai Yin pulled him back in time and said, “Don’t go! They won’t be in any trouble.”

“Why are you holding me back? They’ve been inside for so long—what if something really happened?”

“With Jingrong there, nothing will happen! Besides, if something really had happened, wouldn’t there be a commotion across the street? Would people still be going in?”

After hearing this, Lang Bo looked across the street again.

The entrance to the Drunken Moon Pavilion was indeed very calm.

People were also gradually going inside.

It didn’t look like anything had happened inside!

Lang Bo’s mind eased slightly.

He sat back down.

Li Cheng looked at him a few times, then turned his head and quietly asked Bai Yin, “Where exactly did this guy pop out from?”

“Why do you ask?”

“He’s always making a fuss! Always ready to draw his blade or brandish his weapon at the drop of a hat, like some brute.”

Bai Yin snorted coldly. “He’s not some brute—he’s a loyal and righteous retainer!”

“He doesn’t look like it.”

“You can’t judge a person by their appearance.”

“…” Li Cheng shut his mouth.

He shrugged!

When Lang Bo was killing enemies, you were still in diapers!

Li Cheng’s eyes suddenly darted around as he asked Lang Bo, “By the way, Brother Lang, how did you become acquainted with that Master Jing? Could you tell us about it?”

Lang Bo glanced at him sidelong.

He didn’t speak.

“I’m just asking casually, no other meaning. It’s just that I see Master Jing doesn’t usually smile much and is rather aloof. When I asked him before, he said you were his friend, so I was just curious.”

Lang Bo smiled slightly. “If you want to know, just go ask him yourself.”

“…” Li Cheng was once again speechless.

Forget it, forget it. No point in collecting a bellyful of frustration.

…

Across the street, Du Xing’er’s song “Cinnabar” had also finished.

She held the final note.

Then asked through the gauze curtain, “I wonder if the gentlemen are satisfied?”

Ji Yinshu said, “Miss, you not only play well, but sing very well too.”

“Thank you, gentlemen. Would you like to hear another song?”

“That won’t be necessary.”

Hm?

Du Xing’er seemed to be stunned for a moment.

Ji Yinshu said again, “Miss, why do you hide behind the gauze curtain and are unwilling to show your true face?”

Du Xing’er was startled, then slowly said, “To be honest, this humble woman has an ugly appearance and fears she might frighten you two gentlemen.”

“It’s just a physical shell! What’s most important is the human heart.”

“Better not!”