Chapter 922: A Belly Full of Schemes

After a moment, a maid emerged to announce, "Please, Young Master Zu, Young Master Bi, and Young Master Yu, enter the inner chambers for a private discussion. For the other young masters, Red Sleeve Pavilion has arranged for geishas to attend to you..."

Upon hearing this announcement, the crowd immediately erupted in an uproar.

Everyone understood that this selection process would involve several rounds. The initial submission of name cards served as a filter for family background, wealth, and status. The drinking game then acted as the second round of assessment, as no one desired a boorish man; everyone preferred someone refined. What the third round would evaluate, however, remained unknown to them.

In truth, the selection of Bi Zi'ang and even Zu An was well within expectations. Bi Zi'ang had amassed too great a reputation over the years, and Zu An's recent performance had been exceptionally brilliant; their inclusion was largely seen as a popular choice.

But why Yu Nan?

His face had just barely avoided being smashed by Zu An; how could he still be qualified to be chosen?

Was it solely because of his family background? Or perhaps his handsome appearance?

Facing the agitated crowd, the maid, as if prepared, smiled and explained, "Please calm yourselves, everyone. The recent selection criteria were based on performance in the drinking game. Young Master Yu's performance was commendable, and that was the key to his selection."

The implication was quite clear: although he had lost face later in the poetry duel with Zu An, that incident was not considered part of the selection process.

Yu Nan also had a large number of followers, such as Yi Zhibing and others, who, seeing this, rallied and cheered loudly to boost his morale.

Yu Nan stood up, smoothed his clothes, and expressionlessly followed the maid towards the inner chambers.

At this moment, his face was burning. He had thought his selection was a foregone conclusion, but who would have expected such a series of unexpected twists, making his advancement to the next round feel almost like a handout?

It was all that fellow Zu An's fault.

Rage points from Yu Nan +444+444+444…

At his level, he wouldn't impulsively storm off for the sake of mere pride. Since he had advanced to the next round, if he could ultimately win the beauty, he would completely wash away today's humiliation. On the contrary, leaving in a huff now would only make him a laughingstock.

On the other side, Bi Zi'ang walked in with a confident smile, effortlessly at ease. His heart was blooming with joy, as Yu Nan was his long-time rival, and he had made such a fool of himself today. Once inside, Bi Zi'ang planned to further erode his prestige.

On Zu An's side, Gao Ying and Pei You saw him off, offering words of encouragement.

Pei You said in a deep voice, "Brother Zu, my Nanhun is now in your hands. You must win the beauty, or I will be terribly upset if another man obtains her."

Zu An was somewhat speechless. When did Nanhun become "yours"? And that look of sorrowful indignation... Was this guy one of those legendary people who willingly embrace being cuckolded?

Gao Ying was much more sensible. While he admired Nanhun, he wasn't infatuated, and he understood his chances were slim today.

He patted Zu An's shoulder. "Brother Zu, do your best later and count us brothers in."

Zu An was speechless.

What did he mean, "count us in"? Who knew this seemingly earnest man with thick eyebrows was also so subtly lustful.

At that moment, the Qin brothers approached, smiling. "A'Zu, we're rooting for you."

"Exactly! That Bi and Yu usually act so arrogant, it's infuriating. I really want to see the expressions on their faces when they lose to you."

The two brothers weren't particularly cultured, and after the first round, they already knew their standing. Coming from a military family, they also weren't overly infatuated with Nanhun.

"Haha, I'll do my best," Zu An replied with a smile.

The three of them were enjoying a pleasant moment together when their smiles suddenly stiffened. They had all just remembered Zu An's relationship with Chu Chuyan.

Would any elder brother support his brother-in-law in pursuing a courtesan from a brothel?

Realizing this, everyone awkwardly averted their gaze, made excuses to leave, and no longer mentioned their previous encouragement.

Zu An then followed the maid into the inner hall. The layout of the hall was exceedingly elegant, and the air was filled with a refreshing, sweet fragrance. This scent was not at all gaudy; instead, it was remarkably refined, delicate, and lingered infinitely.

Bi Zi'ang and Yu Nan had already arrived in the room and were standing, admiring the calligraphy and paintings on the walls, as well as the surrounding furniture.

Both subconsciously remarked, "Miss Nanhun has exquisite taste."

It was well known that they all hailed from the Great Zhou Dynasty's most prominent families, so their discernment was naturally exceptionally keen. They could instantly tell whether something was merely a superficial imitation of elegance or genuinely refined.

Their curiosity about this courtesan grew stronger. Logically, no matter how much effort Red Sleeve Pavilion put in, they couldn't possibly cultivate such innate nobility.

Nanhun seemed less like a courtesan from a brothel and more like an imperial concubine from the palace.

As this thought arose, a peculiar glint appeared in their eyes, and their desire intensified.

The maid beside them smiled and said, "Gentlemen, please have a seat. Our lady will be here shortly after she changes her clothes."

In the center of the room was a small table, adorned with exquisite food and wine.

Having come all this way, no one was there merely to drink and eat. Moreover, given their status, they were wary that the food and wine might have been tampered with.

Only Zu An, unconcerned, sat down boldly at a spot, picked up his chopsticks, and began eating and drinking, all the while critiquing which dishes were well-made and which were not.

"Isn't this fellow afraid of being poisoned?" A strange glint flashed in Bi Zi'ang's eyes. He, of course, did not know that Zu An was by now immune to all poisons, but he couldn't help but admire the man's sheer audacity, acknowledging that he himself was somewhat lacking in that regard.

"An uncouth boor." Yu Nan sneered inwardly. Miss Nanhun might be observing from a hidden spot, and such behavior would clearly cause a significant loss of impression points.

After a while, Zu An couldn't help but grumble, "Why is changing clothes taking so long?"

He secretly wondered, "Miss Nanhun isn't going to emerge in a see-through outfit, is she?"

"My apologies for keeping you gentlemen waiting." With the soft jingle of ornaments, Miss Nanhun slowly emerged.

Everyone's eyes lit up. She had shed her previous sparkling, ornate gown, choosing instead a simple, elegant long dress for casual wear. There was not a trace of the worldly air of a courtesan about her; instead, she exuded the respectable aura of a well-bred young lady.

"Miss Nanhun, you overstate it," Yu Nan said lightly, attempting to salvage his impression points with her. "Admiring the decor of your room here is quite interesting; time simply slipped by unnoticed, so waiting was no hardship at all." His unspoken implication was also clear: he was unlike uncouth louts such as Zu An.

Zu An's personality wouldn't let him just drop it. He immediately smiled and retorted, "Why are you so intently observing a girl's private chamber decor? You sound like a peeping tom."

"I... You're talking nonsense!" Yu Nan's face immediately flushed crimson. He had never expected such a swift, precise counterattack, instantly painting him as a pervert.

Rage points from Yu Nan +666!

A faint smile played on Bi Zi'ang's face, and he secretly felt immense relief. He had actually been about to say something similar to Yu Nan, and fortunately, he hadn't. Otherwise, he would now also be seen as a pervert.

It was Nanhun who quickly intervened to smooth things over: "Ultimately, it's my fault for taking too long to change. Gentlemen, please take your seats. I shall first penalize myself with three cups of wine."

She then naturally sat down beside Zu An. Seeing this, Bi Zi'ang also subtly took a seat on her other side.

Yu Nan was instantly dumbfounded. Miss Nanhun was now flanked by those two fellows, leaving him with only the last remaining seat.

Those two scoundrels!

Zu An bothered him not, instead looking curiously at Nanhun, whose face was still obscured by tassels, making her appearance indistinct.

Was she afraid Yu Nan and Bi Zi'ang would recognize her resemblance to Prince Qi's secondary consort?

However, according to his investigation, Prince Qi's secondary consort generally led a reclusive life, rarely seen by outsiders.

Ordinarily, it was Prince Qi's primary consort who would handle receiving guests; she had no standing to appear publicly.

Ah, right. Even if the two hadn't seen her, her close ties to Prince Qi made wearing a veil a wise choice.

Observing her up close now, he had to admit she was an exceptionally beautiful woman: a long, fair neck, a slender, graceful waist, and a full, shapely figure...

Truly, size is justice!

At this point, Miss Nanhun smiled faintly. "Although I am from a brothel, I am still a young woman. For a gentleman to stare so unblinkingly, it does make me a little shy."

Bi Zi'ang laughed heartily. "A'Zu, you've been impolite to the lady. You should penalize yourself with a drink."

He was concerned about being rebuffed and losing face, so he opted for a familiar form of address.

Having just heard the Qin brothers call him that, and believing his connection through his sister, he used the same address to foster a closer relationship.

As expected, Zu An did not bristle as he had with Yu Nan; instead, he smiled at him. "Young Master Bi is right, I shall penalize myself with a drink."

Bi Zi'ang secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed he was indeed his sister's loyal admirer; he could rest assured.

Zu An, meanwhile, mused that he ought to give his brother-in-law some face. Otherwise, Linglong would surely cry, make a fuss, and threaten to hang herself... My apologies, got my lines mixed up, yes, threaten to hang herself.

Yu Nan, on the other hand, frowned deeply. These two were clearly in cahoots, which meant trouble for him.

Bi Zi'ang then spoke again: "Miss Nanhun, surely we're not just going to sit here and drink?"

With Zu An giving him face, he became increasingly confident and gradually began to take control of the room.

Now even Yu Nan perked up his ears. It was clear to everyone that there would be a third round; they just didn't know what it would evaluate.

Miss Nanhun clapped her hands, and soon two maids approached, each carrying a box.

From one of the boxes, she took out a large, crystal ball-like object and placed it in the center of the table.

Then she spoke, "Simply drinking is indeed rather dull. Why don't we play a game together? This game is called 'Truth or Dare.'"

Hearing the name, Zu An's expression became peculiar. "Odd change, even no change?"

Nanhun was completely bewildered, and the other two men looked at him with puzzlement.

"What did Young Master Zu say?" Nanhun asked, perplexed.

"Nothing," Zu An smiled. He had thought he'd encountered a fellow transmigrator and tried to use a secret code, but it turned out to be a false alarm.

Nanhun then continued, "For women like us, who lead lives in the demimonde, the most difficult thing to encounter is a sincere heart. So, I hope to use this game to find my sincere person..."

She then explained the rules of the game, which were essentially similar to the "Truth or Dare" game from his previous life.

She pointed to a box that a maid had brought over and said, "Later, you gentlemen will draw slips of paper from this box. The slips have various questions, and you must answer them honestly."

Then she pointed to the crystal ball on the table. "This is a small magical artifact purchased at great expense from the National Academy. When you answer a question, please place your hand on it. If you lie, it will emit a red light, and you will be penalized three cups of wine."

Zu An knew there was something suspicious about her identity. His first thought upon hearing about this game was that she intended to use the opportunity to pry into some secrets.

As expected, Yu Nan and Bi Zi'ang also frowned. Their identities were sensitive, and they instinctively felt a certain resistance to such a game.

As if guessing their concerns, Nanhun smiled and said, "Gentlemen, there's no need to worry. If you encounter a question you don't wish to answer, you may skip it directly, either by drinking or by choosing a dare. As for the content of the dare, it will be designated by the previous person who answered."

Yu Nan and Bi Zi'ang finally breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, saying, "That sounds quite fun."

Each of them then showered Nanhun with compliments. Zu An smiled faintly, as if amused, thinking that these two probably had no idea about the massive trap hidden within this game.

Looking at Yu Nan, who was seated below him, Zu An's face also broke into a warm smile.

The game then quickly began. Bi Zi'ang was the first to draw; it was in his nature to always strive for first place in everything.

"What are the three things you fear most?"

Looking at the question, Bi Zi'ang laughed, placed his hand on the crystal ball, and declared, "I, Bi, have nothing to fear in this life."

However, the gazes of the others were all fixed on the crystal ball, which now glowed with a dazzling red light.

Bi Zi'ang's expression subtly changed. He wondered, "Could it be that there are truly things I fear deep down that I'm not even aware of myself?"

Nanhun pursed her lips in a smile. "Young Master Bi, you'll have to take your penalty drinks."

With that, she personally picked up the wine pot and poured him three cups.

"Indeed, I deserve the penalty," Bi Zi'ang said with a hearty laugh. Given his character, he wouldn't renege on it. He picked up the cup and drank it in one gulp.

He then coughed violently, his entire face turning red from choking. Then, he looked at the wine cup in surprise. "What kind of wine is this?"

Nanhun smiled and said, "This wine is a bit stronger than usual."

From the other side, Yu Nan said with a gloating tone, "Brother Bi usually seems so formidable, yet he can't even drink three cups of wine?"

"Brother Yu, you jest," Bi Zi'ang said, secretly seething with anger but showing no outward sign. He picked up the remaining two cups of wine and drained them, then mustered his vital energy to suppress the tumultuous sensation within him.

He finally understood that this game was probably not as simple as it seemed. If one kept drinking such potent wine, they would quickly become drunk.

To avoid drinking too much, one would have to tell more truths.

A thought occurred to him: he decided not to reveal the true potency of the wine to the other two, preparing to watch them also take a big tumble.

After a considerable while, he calmed himself, then looked at the courtesan beside him. "Miss Nanhun, you should join us too. Otherwise, it's not much fun for just us men to play."

On this point, Yu Nan and Zu An, for once, found themselves in agreement with him.

Nanhun did not decline. She smiled and drew a slip of paper from the box herself.

"Regarding how you might die in the future, do you have your own secret premonition?"

Upon seeing this question, her expression subtly shifted.

Yu Nan and Bi Zi'ang laughed. "How could Miss Nanhun have prepared such a question?"

Only Zu An appeared thoughtful.

Nanhun quickly composed herself and, with an open demeanor, placed her fair, delicate hand on the crystal ball. "I have a premonition that I will be killed by a ruthless man."

After she finished speaking, the crystal ball showed no reaction from beginning to end, proving that she had spoken the truth.

"How could she have such a peculiar premonition?" Bi Zi'ang and Yu Nan both frowned, and the atmosphere in the room immediately grew somewhat somber.

At this, Nanhun looked towards Zu An, who was seated beside her. "Young Master Zu, it's your turn now."

Bi Zi'ang and Yu Nan's attention was indeed diverted. They both looked at him, eager to see how he would embarrass himself.

Zu An, without a hint of worry, reached into the box, drew a slip of paper, and read, "If you were asked to describe yourself, which three words would you use?"

"Tall, rich, handsome!" Zu An blurted out without a second thought. The word count was still a bit too low; if it were five words, he would have chosen "Pan, Donkey, Deng, Small, Idle" (referring to traits of ideal traditional Chinese men: handsome, strong, wealthy, well-endowed, and leisurely).

Bi Zi'ang and Yu Nan nearly burst out laughing. Although it was the first time either of them had heard that specific phrase, they were both intelligent enough to immediately grasp its meaning.

They thought, "With your background, do you dare call yourself 'tall, rich, and handsome' in our presence?"

They watched the crystal ball mockingly, expecting to see it emit a red light, but it showed no reaction at all, clearly indicating that the other party was speaking the truth.

Both of them immediately began to doubt their perception of reality. "Could this crystal ball be broken?"

Next, it was Yu Nan's turn. He figured the previous questions hadn't been difficult to answer, so he drew a slip of paper with a relaxed expression. It read: "Do you have any particularly unusual habits in your life?"

Upon seeing this question, he nearly cried out in dismay. "Why are everyone else's questions so simple, yet mine is so difficult?"

Bi Zi'ang and Zu An, meanwhile, watched him with schadenfreude. "You drew the question yourself," they thought, "which proves there's something genuinely questionable about your character."

Yu Nan thought for a moment, then simply said, "I'll drink."

How could he possibly reveal something embarrassing about himself in front of others? Rather than making up a story and then having to drink anyway, it was better to just drink from the start.

Nanhun smiled as she poured him three cups.

Yu Nan immediately picked up a cup and drained it. His eyes instantly widened, and then with a gasp, he spat it all onto the floor, exclaiming in horror, "What kind of wine is this? It's so potent!"

Nanhun replied, "This is a renowned wine from the demon tribes in the North, called 'Heaven-Burning,' famous for its intense potency."

Bi Zi'ang laughed. "Young Master Yu, are you feeling weak lately? You can't even drink such a small cup of wine."

The other party had just mocked him; now he could return the favor twofold.

Yu Nan glared at him resentfully, instantly understanding that the other man had deliberately remained silent, waiting to see him make a fool of himself.

Forcing down his discomfort, he drank all three cups of wine, feeling a searing heat in his stomach and as if his mouth would spew fire.

Next, it was Bi Zi'ang's turn. The slip he drew read, "If there were a crystal ball that could tell you all the truths about yourself, your life, or your future, what would you want to know?"

He thought for a moment and said, "Whether immortality exists."

At his words, several people fell silent. For thousands of years, countless brilliant and exceptionally talented powerful individuals had pursued this answer, but sadly, no one had succeeded so far.

The question Nanhun drew was: "Do you have a beloved, and who is it?"

Now, both Bi Zi'ang and Yu Nan became interested. Only Zu An seemed to already know something.

"This humble one does not yet have a beloved," she replied with a beaming smile.

Seeing no reaction from the crystal ball, both men simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed she had not yet chosen anyone, which meant their subsequent performances would be crucial.

The question Zu An drew was: "What is your most precious memory?"

He thought for a moment and replied, "The journey to the secret realm."

The others subconsciously assumed he was referring to this current secret realm. Bi Zi'ang frowned. "Why would he consider that memory precious? Could something have happened between him and my sister?"

However, the thought was dismissed as soon as it arose. Given his sister's esteemed status and her consistently proud and arrogant nature, how could she possibly be interested in such a man?

Yu Nan, seizing the opportunity, probed, "I wonder what wonderful experience occurred during that journey to the secret realm that makes you cherish it so deeply?"

Zu An smiled without speaking. "Young Master Yu, that's a second question."

Disgruntled, Yu Nan snorted and drew his own question: "What is your worst memory?"

Yu Nan did not hesitate: "Just now."

Everyone knew he was referring to the incident that had just occurred outside, and they couldn't help but laugh.

Zu An laughed even harder. "Still too young," he thought. "Soon, that won't be your worst memory."

With this small interlude, the atmosphere at the table became lively.

After a few more rounds, Zu An suggested, "These questions are too indirect. How about we stop drawing lots and instead ask each other questions?"

Nanhun's eyes lit up, and she was the first to agree. "Oh, yes, that would surely be more fun!"

She had originally intended to use the opportunity to pry into some of the men's private affairs, and this new format offered even more room for her to maneuver.

Bi Zi'ang and Yu Nan hesitated for a moment. If this had been suggested at the beginning, they would never have agreed. But now, after several rounds of drinks and with the atmosphere growing lively, neither wanted to show their apprehension in front of Miss Nanhun, so they tacitly agreed.

In the hidden room next door, a faint smile also appeared on the lips of the mysterious woman who was eavesdropping. "That fellow is probably brimming with mischief. I'm curious to see what he intends to do."