67: Chapter 67 Who exactly is Chen Fan?

Inside the private room, there was a deathly silence.

That faint scent of sandalwood seemed to have solidified in the air as well.

The gentle smile on Miss Nishang's face froze bit by bit.

For the first time, pure astonishment appeared in those soul-stirring peach blossom eyes.

But it was merely astonishment.

There was no fear, no panic, and not even a trace of disgust.

She just looked at Chen Fan quietly, as if confirming whether she had misheard something.

After a long time.

Only then did she pick up the teacup again and refill it with hot tea for Chen Fan.

Her movements were elegant, without the slightest tremor.

"Young Master, you must be joking."

Her voice remained gentle, yet it carried an almost imperceptible sense of distance.

Chen Fan said nothing; he simply picked up the teacup and drained it in one gulp.

This woman was not simple.

An ordinary woman, upon hearing someone admit to being a killer, would likely have run away screaming long ago.

Yet she could still refill his tea with such composure.

"Ni Chang has investigated Lin Shou."

Miss Nishang lowered her long eyelashes and gently plucked a zither string.

With a "zheng," the sound of the zither rang out clear and cold.

"He was just an ordinary mansion guard with a clean background and a dull personality; it's absolutely impossible for him to have composed such brilliant verses."

Chen Fan's heart stirred.

Investigated him?

How could a woman from a brothel reach her hands into the heavily guarded Xiushan Princes Mansion?

And investigate so thoroughly.

After all, he had underestimated the people of the world, and he had underestimated the woman before him.

"Since you have already investigated everything clearly," Chen Fan put down his teacup, "why bother asking?"

Ni Chang looked up, those peach blossom eyes seemingly able to see through one's heart.

"What Ni Chang does not understand is..."

"Since the Young Master was an enemy of Lin Shou and even... finished him off with your own hands."

"How could you know the second half of the poem that only the Princess Consort has ever heard?"

This question was sharp and direct.

It pointed straight to the heart of all the contradictions.

The air solidified once again.

Chen Fan felt an invisible pressure enveloping him.

This pressure did not come from martial cultivation, but from a woman's wisdom and aura.

He didn't answer; instead, he started laughing.

"Why don't you go directly to the mansion and ask Her Highness the Princess Consort?"

He threw the question back at her.

Hearing this, a faint smile appeared on Ni Chang's exquisite face, like a spring flower blooming.

"The mansion, Ni Chang has naturally visited."

She sighed softly, with a hint of helplessness.

"Unfortunately, the Princess Consort's current situation is not good. Ni Chang's status is lowly, so I cannot see her."

Her situation is not good?

Chen Fan remembered the gentle, kind, yet slightly melancholy woman from Lin Shou's memories.

It seemed the Prince of Xiushan still harbored a grudge against the Princess Consort.

"Ni Chang only wants to know whose hand this poem actually came from."

Ni Chang stood up and gave Chen Fan a solemn bow.

"If the Young Master can tell me, Ni Chang will owe you a favor."

A favor.

A favor from a stunningly beautiful courtesan with a mysterious background who could reach her hands into the Prince's mansion.

This favor carried significant weight.

Chen Fan's fingers lightly tapped the tabletop.

Tell her the truth? Say that he was a reincarnated soul through Possession?

Impossible.

Then he could only weave a lie.

A seamless lie.

He pondered for a moment before slowly speaking.

"This poem was indeed not written by Lin Shou."

Ni Chang leaned forward slightly, clearly very interested.

"Nor was it written by me," Chen Fan continued.

"Its true author is a person called... Chen Fan."

Chen Fan.

When he spoke his original name, he felt a strange sensation in his heart.

As if he had hidden a part of his true self within this lie.

"Chen Fan?" Ni Chang softly repeated the name, mulling it over.

"May I ask where this person is? What is his identity?"

"I don't know." Chen Fan shook his head with a frank expression. "I have only met this person once. As for his information, I know nothing at all."

These words were half-true and half-false.

Whether it was true or false, let her guess for herself.

Ni Chang looked at him deeply for a long time.

Finally, she sat down again and did not press further.

"Ni Chang has noted it."

From her bosom, she took out a piece of jade that was green all over, carved with a crescent moon.

"This is a token of Yuexian Pavilion."

She pushed the jade pendant toward Chen Fan.

"If the Young Master goes to the Imperial City in the future, you can use this to find me at Yuexian Pavilion."

"The favor Ni Chang promised is valid at any time."

Chen Fan did not stand on ceremony and tucked the jade pendant into his robe.

This item might come in handy later.

"Thank you, Miss."

The questions had been asked, and the words had been said.

The atmosphere in the room finally relaxed completely.

Ni Chang sat back behind the zither, her fair hands lifting gracefully.

"Tonight, Ni Chang shall play the zither for the Young Master alone."

The tinkling notes of the zither rang out once more.

Like high mountains and flowing water, or the sound of footsteps in an empty valley.

Chen Fan closed his eyes and listened quietly.

Afterward, Ni Chang stood up, removed her outer robe, and revealed the tight-fitting dance attire underneath.

Barefoot, she danced gracefully under the cold moonlight and the flickering lamplight.

Her dance was graceful, and her figure was lithe.

Every movement was filled with an indescribable beauty.

Chen Fan just watched and listened.

There were no stray thoughts, only pure appreciation.

This night, he seemed to have forgotten the killings of the Jianghu, forgotten the schemes and conspiracies.

Until the moon reached the middle of the sky.

The zither music stopped, and the dance steps ceased.

Chen Fan stood up and cupped his hands to Ni Chang, who was dripping with fragrant sweat and had slightly flushed cheeks.

"The song has ended and the people must part; I, Chen, should also take my leave."

Ni Chang gave a graceful bow and did not try to make him stay.

"Young Master, take care."

Chen Fan turned, pushed open the door, and strode away.

When he reached the top of the stairs, that spring-like voice came from behind him again.

"Young Master Chen."

Chen Fan paused and looked back.

He saw Miss Nishang standing at the doorway of the private room, the lamplight outlining her moving curves.

She gave him a radiant smile.

"Until we meet again."

Watching Chen Fan disappear into the distance, Miss Nishang's smile gradually faded.

Her voice was cold as she said slowly, "Go and investigate a person named Chen Fan, within Xiushan Prefecture."

"Yes!"

A dark shadow flashed and quickly vanished.

"Chen... Fan..."

Miss Nishang whispered the name, a strange light flickering in her beautiful eyes.