Chapter 1569: Calling to Account

In recent days, Zu An gradually calmed down the angry Bi Linglong, though he primarily remained at the Sang family home, accompanying Sang Qian and Zheng Dan.

Knowing he was about to leave again, Sang Qian was quite reluctant to see him go, but she also understood that the imperial decree made it impossible to change the situation.

Sang Hong, on the other hand, had been enjoying a leisurely life while recovering from his injuries. His only source of frustration was that his daughter and daughter-in-law seemed much more attentive to Zu An than to him, sometimes making him feel like an outsider in his own home. Fortunately, he was very satisfied with Zu An. Since Zu An was both his daughter's and his daughter-in-law's man, they were already as close as family could be... *Hmm, why does that sound a bit odd?*

But the two of them had cooperated seamlessly during this period, and Zu An had saved Sang Hong on several occasions, forging a bond like that of father and son. He now only hoped his daughter would give birth to a good grandson, and if the grandson inherited even a little of his father's charisma, it would be enough to bring him lifelong comfort.

Worried that Zu An might encounter problems in Zishan, Sang Hong had, in recent days, often pulled him aside to explain the intricacies of the Yijun official circles and help him analyze various possible scenarios. With guidance from such an experienced political figure, Zu An felt he had learned a great deal and felt more confident about his trip to Zishan.

One day, Zu An was in the courtyard, basking in the sun and chatting with Sang Qian and Zheng Dan, when a servant suddenly delivered an exquisite and elegant invitation. It was a personal invitation from Miss Nan Xun, the most renowned courtesan of the Red Sleeve Pavilion.

Seeing this, both women immediately lost their composure. Zheng Dan sighed, "It seems you always manage to form deep connections with the courtesans wherever you go."

Sang Qian, standing nearby, also said sourly, "Sister-in-law, you may not know this, but the Red Sleeve Pavilion is the most popular courtesan house in the capital; its reputation even surpasses that of the Imperial Music Bureau. This is all thanks to their courtesan, Nan Xun. Not only is she breathtakingly beautiful, but she's also skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, and all performing arts. Countless officials and nobles in the capital flock to her. On a regular day, a common admission ticket can be scalped for thousands of silver taels, and even then, you can only catch a glimpse of her from afar. Such tickets are rare and hard to come by, let alone a personal invitation from her."

Although she had no official relationship with Zu An, he was, after all, the father of her child. The thought of him being so familiar with a courtesan from a brothel made her feel utterly consumed by jealousy.

Zheng Dan had a look of sudden realization. "I remember now," she said. "Before Azu went to Yunzhong Commandery last time, it seemed he won Miss Nan Xun's favor amidst competition from many princes and noblemen, and that night, she kept him as an honored guest. I wonder how many men in the capital envied him for that!"

[Rage points from Zheng Dan +177+177+177...]

[Rage points from Sang Qian +177+177+177...]

Zu An felt a bit frustrated. "There was no 'honored guest' situation," he said. "That night, we only talked."

Zheng Dan and Sang Qian simultaneously rolled their eyes. One was a courtesan whose beauty was widely known, and the other was a notorious playboy. "A man and a woman, alone in a room all night, just talking?" they seemed to imply. "Do you take us for fools?"

Zu An was also helpless. *Why does no one believe the truth?* he wondered.

After much effort, he finally appeased the two women. Only then did Zu An make his way to the Red Sleeve Pavilion. Of course, it wasn't because he was truly infatuated; instead, he suddenly remembered some things he had promised Peacock Ming Wang. In the previous period, due to his reunion with Chu Chuyan and constantly being caught in romantic entanglements with several women, he had almost forgotten about it. Now that she had sent an invitation, how could he not come?

When he arrived at the Red Sleeve Pavilion, it was still afternoon, so it wasn't yet the establishment's opening hours. News traveled fast within the establishment. Upon learning that the courtesan Nan Xun had specifically invited a man, all the courtesans gathered to see who this distinguished guest was.

"Who is that young gentleman? He's so handsome! No wonder Nan Xun took the initiative to invite him."

"You don't even know him?" another chimed in. "He's a favorite in the Crown Prince's palace, the youngest marquis in the empire, Lord Zu, who has repeatedly achieved great merits!"

"Ah, such a man! If he could buy my freedom, I'd willingly become his concubine or even a servant."

"Dream on!" scoffed another. "Him buying your freedom? If he were willing, I'd pay for my own freedom and still not be fast enough to offer myself to him."

"Compared to his status, I admire his talent more," yet another girl spoke. "That poem, 'Drunkenly Trimming the Lamp to Gaze at the Sword,' which he presented to Marshal Qin, stirs my emotions every time I read it."

"As for me, I prefer the poem 'The One in My Boudoir Dream'," said another. "I heard it was specifically written for Nan Xun. If someone wrote such a poem for me, I'd die content instantly. Alas, I know my place; without the beauty of a courtesan queen, how could I have such good fortune?"

"Not necessarily," someone else added. "It's said that 'A Chinese Ghost Story,' which has been very popular recently, was written by him. Isn't that written for all of us girls in this profession? It perfectly expresses our helplessness and bitterness."

"Lord Zu, I love you!"

A crowd of beautiful women surrounded him. In their eyes, the plight of good women like Xiao Qian, forced by the old hag to lure passing scholars to absorb their yang energy, was remarkably similar to their own. They too were good, kind girls, forced to sell smiles in a brothel for various reasons, feeling a profound sense of shared suffering. They believed that Zu An's "A Chinese Ghost Story" was written entirely out of sympathy and pity for them, naturally giving rise to a sense of spiritual resonance with him.

Their enthusiasm quickly overwhelmed Zu An. Fortunately, Nan Xun emerged in time to scold the women and rein them in, allowing her to somewhat protect him and lead him back to her private courtyard. As the top courtesan of the Red Sleeve Pavilion, few dared to offend Nan Xun. However, some other courtesans of similar standing were dissatisfied, muttering, "That wench always hogs everything!"

After entering the courtyard, the beautiful Nan Xun kept smiling, and produced a fragrant handkerchief to wipe the lipstick and rouge from Zu An's face and clothes.

"Lord Zu is still so popular," Kong Nanwu said, holding a fluffy, adorable little white fox in her arms. "I could hear their declarations of love from afar." She looked truly as if she had stepped out of a painting.

The little white fox, seeing Zu An, excitedly tried to leap from her arms, but Kong Nanwu held it firmly, preventing it from moving. It could only wag its tail continuously to show its affection for Zu An.

Zu An chuckled helplessly. "If I'm not mistaken, this little fox is called Huhu, right?" he mused. "Why does it act like a dog now?" But the little fox was so beautiful that he couldn't resist going over and petting it. It felt wonderfully fluffy. *Hmm, next time I'll ask Tu Shan Yu to transform and try this too,* he thought. Huhu, at this moment, comfortably closed its eyes, its mouth curved as if smiling.

Kong Nanwu gently patted his hand away, pulled the little fox back into her arms, and gave him a slightly annoyed look. "Huhu is a girl," she said, "you can't just touch her anywhere."

Zu An chuckled awkwardly. He genuinely hadn't remembered she was a girl; he had unconsciously treated her as a pet.

Then Kong Nanwu continued, "The reason Huhu likes you so much is thanks to your *Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio* stories, which she finds very relatable. Your stories are truly powerful. Huhu feels it, and so does Nan Xun; even the girls at the Red Sleeve Pavilion were deeply moved. Although each person relates to them from a different perspective, the effect is the same. Young master, you are truly a great talent."

Zu An felt a bit embarrassed instead. "These are the wisdom of our predecessors," he said, "I merely stand on the shoulders of giants, and my contribution is negligible."

Kong Nanwu secretly sighed, thinking how different people were. Because she resided in the Red Sleeve Pavilion, she had observed too many men bragging endlessly to win a lady's favor, turning a tiny bit of skill into ten. Compared to them, Zu An was truly a modest gentleman; no wonder he could write such wonderful and moving stories.

Zu An smiled, a silent thought of *Who could understand the loneliness of speaking the truth and no one believing him?* passing through his mind. "By the way," he said aloud, "the feather you gave me last time helped me greatly. I came specifically to thank you this time."

"I somewhat regret giving you that item," Kong Nanwu said, her eyes suddenly turning a little dangerous. "Because of you, I've inexplicably become a widow even before getting married. How do you intend to compensate me?"

Zu An felt a bit awkward. "So, the young lady already knows about the royal court's affairs," he said.

Kong Nanwu gave him a deep, meaningful look. "Should I call you Young Master, or Regent?" she asked.

Zu An smiled. "Actually, you can call me Uncle," he said.

Kong Nanwu looked utterly bewildered. She, who had always controlled the conversation, was momentarily stunned.

"When I was at the royal court, Peacock Ming Wang and I addressed each other as brothers," Zu An said earnestly. "And he even said he'd have his niece come to pay her respects to me next time. But since you and I met first, we can continue to address each other as we please."

"Pfft!" Nan Xun, standing nearby, could no longer hold back her laughter. "Miss," she chuckled, "you finally meet your match today!"

The little fox, even more amused, rolled around on the couch, kicking its four adorable little paws wildly in the air.

"Silence, both of you!" Kong Nanwu lost her usual composure. Blushing, she glared at the two maids, then looked at Zu An with a resentful expression.

Zu An laughed heartily. "I was just joking," he said, "but Peacock Ming Wang did indeed ask me to take good care of you. Given the current situation at the royal court, it's not convenient for you to return anytime soon."

"I can probably guess the reason," Kong Nanwu said, puffing out her cheeks as she looked at Zu An. "You've caused me so much trouble; are you really not going to compensate me with something?"

"What does the young lady desire?" Zu An asked, sensing the underlying meaning in her words and secretly growing wary. He had long heard that this princess of the Peacock Royal Estate was resourceful and often manipulated others, so he knew he could not be careless.

A hint of triumph, indicating her scheme had succeeded, flashed in Kong Nanwu's eyes. "I want..."