Chapter 896: Pitiful Nobility

"Brother Zu, congratulations!" Pu Duandiao and Jiao Sigun both looked on with envy. Although they had also been promoted three ranks, their advancements were merely in official positions, not in noble titles.

Zu An had been elevated from a baron to a viscount, and his fiefdom had been increased by three hundred households—meaning he now held the right to collect taxes from these three hundred families. He had transitioned from an unremarkable, low-ranking noble to a true nobleman acknowledged within their circles.

In the capital, major families would never consider commoners for marriage, no matter how high their official rank. Even a baron wouldn't be considered, but a viscount was certainly sufficient, especially one with a proper fiefdom.

Pu Duandiao asked, "By the way, what's your new noble title, Brother Zu...?"

"I think it's 'Green'..." Jiao Sigun was about to answer but was interrupted by Zu An.

"Alright, don't mention that name." Zu An's eyebrows twitched. The last time he had given the emperor a 'hat of forgiveness,' the emperor, though unaware of its full connotation, found his expression odd. Coupled with hearing that Zu An had previously gifted a green hat to Sang Qian, the emperor surmised Zu An had a particular fondness for such items. Since Zu An was now a viscount, the emperor casually bestowed upon him the title 'Green Hat.'

Upon learning of this title, Zu An nearly split apart.

Damn it, why does this always happen to me?

This name is even worse than 'Phoenix Man'!

"I still think 'Phoenix Man' sounded better," Pu Duandiao said understandingly.

Jiao Sigun immediately retorted, "I actually think 'Green Hat' sounds more imposing. It's like how people fear the Embroidered Uniform Guards when they see them in their red robes—it's the psychological suggestion of the color. In the future, Brother Zu can simply wear a green hat when he goes out, perfectly matching his title. Ideally, people will associate 'Green Hat' directly with Brother Zu as soon as they hear it."

Zu An: "..."

If this account ever makes it into history books, I'll be socially dead for eternity.

Seeing that the two were endlessly bickering, he hastily changed the subject. "By the way, what exactly is the 'Imperial Forest General' position?"

Besides being appointed a viscount, he had also been named 'Imperial Forest General.' However, the palace guard hierarchy was incredibly complex, and he couldn't quite make sense of it yet.

Pu Duandiao explained, "The palace guards are divided into many divisions, each called a 'Lang' (Officer). The Imperial Forest General is the officer in charge of the Imperial Forest Guards, who are primarily responsible for guarding the various palace gates."

Zu An was startled. He hadn't expected the emperor to give him such a crucial position.

After a moment's thought, he guessed the emperor's intention. His official title as an external minister required him to leave the palace at scheduled times daily. However, his other identity as an Embroidered Uniform Guard meant he needed to stay in the palace long-term. Previously, he had to leave the palace each day and then return disguised as an Embroidered Uniform Guard.

If a watchful person were to secretly investigate, they might find clues and deduce his connection to Gold Medallion Eleven.

Now, with the identity of Imperial Forest General, entering and exiting the palace would be much more convenient, eliminating the need to pretend to leave at fixed times daily.

"But doesn't this position make it incredibly convenient for me to access all the palace gates?" Zu An's expression became strange, his old face suddenly flushing. "Pfft, I'm such an upright and noble person; am I really someone like that? The dog emperor disgusted me by naming me 'Green Hat,' so maybe I should send him more of those in the future."

"Brother Zu, why are you drooling?" Jiao Sigun's puzzled voice came.

"Am I? Haha, you must have seen wrong." Zu An quickly wiped the corner of his mouth, laughing awkwardly.

"Brother Zu, I still feel a bit uneasy!" Pu Duandiao hesitated repeatedly before finally speaking. "It's one thing not to publicize the Qi Royal Manor's involvement, but why was that Meng Pan posthumously honored? He's a shameless coward who fled the battlefield, yet he's also engraved on the hero's monument, receiving offerings from countless families?"

Seeing his indignation, Zu An patted his shoulder reassuringly. "What can you do? He's a scion of the Meng family. The Crown Prince still needs their support, so naturally, the court must prioritize the bigger picture."

"But I just think it's unfair! So many of our comrades bravely fought and sacrificed their lives, only to be listed alongside such a shameless scoundrel!" Pu Duandiao drew his long blade and hacked it against a nearby stone slab. The blade snapped due to the excessive force, showing just how enraged he was.

Jiao Sigun, standing nearby, said calmly, "That's just how the world is. Those who understand, understand. Those who don't, won't understand even if you explain it."

"I understand your grandpa!" Pu Duandiao, already fuming, was provoked further by his remark and finally snapped. The two immediately started brawling.

Zu An chuckled, knowing that their bond was strong and such playful fights were common. He smiled and left the palace; there were many others he needed to see outside.

Stepping out of the palace gate, he couldn't help but freeze. There weren't the crowds he imagined waiting to welcome him, and certainly no scene of a beautiful sister-in-law weeping and rushing into his arms.

He quickly regained his composure, realizing he had been released on short notice. Naturally, people outside wouldn't know when he would emerge.

He shook his head, not bothered by it, and decided to head home first. After being away for so long, he wondered if the maids and servants inside had run off.

Soon after, he arrived home. A young servant was sweeping by the gate and, upon seeing him, cried out, "The Lord has returned!"

In short order, the entire courtyard became lively as maids, cooks, and servants rushed out, each excitedly gathering around him.

Though few in number, they brought a vibrant energy to the entire courtyard. A warmth spread through Zu An's heart. All of this was thanks to Chu Chuyan, who had managed everything for him, selecting only the most considerate and attentive staff from the Chu family's long-standing employees. She hadn't even sent over any troublesome individuals like Cheng Shoubing.

As Zu An responded to everyone, he walked towards the house. Suddenly, he stopped, involuntarily stepping back to the entrance, and looked up at the plaque above the main gate.

The plaque had a vibrant green background with several large, gilded characters: "Green Hat Viscount's Manor."

Zu An felt the world spin, almost blacking out.

The young servant, as if presenting a treasure, said, "Upon learning that your lordship was made a viscount, we all agreed that the old baron's plaque was no longer suitable. So, we had this new one made overnight. How is it? Very grand, isn't it?"

Zu An's eyelid twitched. "Are you Cheng Shoubing's brother?"

"No?" The servant looked bewildered.

Zu An took a deep breath. "Change this plaque. Just put 'Viscount's Manor,' and don't make the background so green."

The servant replied, "But that wouldn't conform to etiquette! A noble with a specific title is more honorable than those with generic titles, so it should definitely be on the plaque."

Others nearby chimed in, agreeing that it was excellent and the title shouldn't be removed, as it would significantly lower his prestige.

Their chattering made Zu An's scalp tingle. Finally, he couldn't help but roar, "Are you the master or am I the master? Change it immediately, or I'll send all of you back to your hometowns to raise pigs!"

After saying this, he flicked his sleeve and stormed back into the house, slamming the door shut to escape the sight and the annoyance.

"Damn it, this is truly self-inflicted misery," Zu An muttered, still struggling to compose himself in the room.

Helpless, he decided to do something else to distract himself. He had accumulated some 'Rage Points' during this time, enough for 4320 lottery draws.

He hoped that despite his recent frustrations in the real world, the lottery would bring him some satisfaction.

Zu An prayed for a moment before clicking the lottery button.

After so many draws, he no longer bothered to pray or seek divine intervention as he used to. He simply let things take their course.

Even though he thought he had become resigned to fate, his eyelid still twitched when he saw the final lottery results.

Out of 4320 draws, he only received 349 Vitality Fruits. Given the usual one-tenth probability, this result was exceptionally unlucky.

It seemed more cost-effective to just buy them directly from the store in the future.

He continued scrolling down and also saw that he had drawn a Tiger Tally.

He already had a few others, and he thought he might find an opportunity to see if he could summon a new Valkyrie.

However, his attention was quickly drawn to the last item. The keyboard cursor rested on the 'G' key, and the virtual screen displayed a small line of text: "Congratulations! You have drawn 'Pinru's Wardrobe'."