Chapter 928: Life-and-Death Friendship

Deep down, he didn't want to oppose them. After all, he and the emperor were bound to fall out eventually, and as the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Having them around would provide an extra bit of help.

However, he didn't want to reveal this, lest they seize the opportunity to blackmail him, which would be troublesome.

At this point, Kong Nanwu said, "Actually, Master Zu, you needn't worry too much. There are quite a few officials in the capital connected to us. Everyone pursues their own interests, and it's always better to have more friends than enemies."

Zu An asked in a deep voice, "Which officials are you referring to?"

Kong Nanwu shook her head. "Master, that's a rather blunt question. How could I possibly reveal their information to you? Even if someone asked me about you, I wouldn't tell them. Besides, if you don't trust me, don't you trust Sister Xue'er?"

Zu An then followed suit, saying, "Alright, for Sister Xue'er's sake, I won't hold what happened today against you, nor will I report you. But let's not contact each other again in the future."

Having said that, he stood up to leave.

Kong Nanwu stood up and blocked his path. "Master Zu, it's not appropriate for you to leave at this moment."

"What, you won't let me leave?" Zu An said lightly.

"Not at all," Kong Nanwu smiled faintly. "It's just that everyone outside now knows you were chosen as Nanxun's special guest. If you leave so soon, busybodies might fabricate strange rumors, and intelligent people would become suspicious. After all, Nanxun's charm is widely known."

Zu An's heart stirred. He knew what she said was true. The young masters outside probably hadn't left yet, and if they found out he left so early, they would definitely make all sorts of wild guesses.

Seeing his hesitation, Kong Nanwu said with a smile, "You've passed several challenges and finally won the beauty. Let Nanxun serve you well; it's not too late to rest for the night and leave tomorrow."

Zu An glanced at Nanxun, speechless. "If you're going to use a honey trap, at least use a real person," he said.

Kong Nanwu explained with a smile, "Master, you needn't worry. The form of a changgui is different from the ghosts described in your human pictorials. Aside from her body being extremely yin and cold, and her inability to bear children, she's not much different from a normal woman."

Zu An was speechless.

He had to admit, he was somewhat tempted. After all, he had always been curious about life-and-death companionships like that of Ning Caichen and Nie Xiaoqian.

But he quickly banished this strange thought from his mind. "What kind of person do you take me for!"

Kong Nanwu continued, "Nanxun was once Prince Qi's consort. She's not much different now than when she was alive, and furthermore, in her current state, she is still a virgin. So it's like Prince Qi's consort is serving you. Surely no man can resist such a temptation, can they?"

Zu An's heart skipped a beat. This woman was truly a master at manipulating hearts; she knew how to stir a man's most primal desires.

However, he still said indifferently, "No need. I'll rest here for the night. I don't need anyone's company, and you don't need to try any more honey traps."

Kong Nanwu sighed. "Master, do you think I'm doing this repeatedly just to tempt you?"

"Isn't it?" Zu An felt no ripple in his heart.

Kong Nanwu sighed. "Master, you don't know this, but Nanxun's current form cannot exist in this world indefinitely; she must constantly absorb male essence. This courtesan competition was also held for that very purpose. We hoped she could at least choose someone she liked, and after careful selection, she chose you. But if you are unwilling, to prevent her soul from scattering, I will have no choice but to let her serve other men."

Zu An was speechless.

This woman was truly formidable. She appealed to both his emotions and his reason, making it seem as if by not sleeping with Nanxun, he would be pushing her into a fiery abyss.

Then Kong Nanwu said, "Normally, if she absorbs a man's essence, he would suffer physically, and after a few times, his life might even be at risk. However, the cultivation method you practice is special, and you are not afraid of her yin energy. Therefore, I hope you will lend a helping hand and assist Nanxun. After all, she was a respectable woman in life and doesn't truly wish to fall into disgrace, surviving by sleeping with various men."

Zu An frowned. "Ultimately, isn't it because your demon clan's cultivation method is too sinister!"

At this point, Nanxun, who was nearby, spoke up, "I don't blame Miss Kong at all; in fact, I'm very grateful to her. If it weren't for her rescue, my soul would have long scattered."

Well, when even the victim herself was filled with such gratitude, there was nothing more to say.

Kong Nanwu curtsied. "We won't disturb your rest, Master."

Without waiting for Zu An to try and stop her, she left with her maidservant, thoughtfully closing the door behind them.

Zu An wore a depressed expression. "What kind of person do they think I am? Would I be so blinded by beauty?" he wondered.

At this moment, Nanxun softly said, "Master, let me massage your head."

Zu An was startled, wondering which head she intended to massage.

However, soon a pair of soft hands rested on his forehead. They were cool and quite comfortable.

Her hands were gentle, and she seemed skilled in massage techniques. In just a few strokes, Zu An's tense body unconsciously relaxed.

"Oh, your technique is very good," Zu An couldn't help but ask.

"When I was a secret agent, I developed a knack for serving people," Nanxun replied, her tone tinged with self-pity.

Zu An was silent for a moment. Any words at this point would be hollow.

At the same time, he felt a pang of envy for Prince Qi. With such a beautiful woman by his side, possessing such skillful hands, his daily life must have been incredibly comfortable.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but say, "Actually, this isn't our first meeting."

"Oh?" Nanxun was surprised. "Master, you've seen me before? That's not right; in my early days, I was in secret training and had very little contact with people. After entering Prince Qi's residence, I lived in seclusion, and even within the manor, very few people had seen my true face."

Zu An hesitated for a moment, but then briefly explained how he had investigated the cause of her death and how he had almost been discovered, forcing him to hide in her coffin.

"No wonder Master recognized me at first glance," Nanxun said, her face filled with shock. Finally, she gracefully curtsied to him. "Thank you, Master, for uncovering the truth behind my wrongful death."

Zu An couldn't help but say, "Although I've uncovered the truth of your murder, I may not be able to help you clear your name."

"I know," Nanxun smiled sadly. "The Emperor most likely won't make this public."

She was a rigorously trained secret agent, and naturally understood the complexities involved.

"However, I still want to thank you, Master," Nanxun said, revealing a blooming smile. "When you hid in my coffin, in a sense, we shared a bed."

Zu An was speechless.

Sensing his body tense up, Nanxun let out a giggle. "Master, don't worry. I am willing to serve you; it's not due to any compulsion."

Zu An made a final struggle. "I just feel it's strange," he said.

"You don't need to move, Master; I'll handle it," Nanxun smiled at him. Then she swept her dark hair to one side, slowly knelt down, and exposed her fair, jade-like neck.

...

The next morning, when Zu An left, Gao Ying and Pei You had already been waiting outside for a long time. Upon seeing him, they quickly surrounded him, and the outwardly reserved Pei You winked and asked, "How was it?"

Even the usually composed Gao Ying perked up his ears, his eyes full of gossip.

"Uh, would you believe me if I said nothing happened?" Zu An's expression was strange. Indeed, nothing truly happened between them the previous day; he wasn't so desperate. He had merely, out of goodwill, given her some essence, but he couldn't resist her persistence; she insisted on absorbing it.

"Unless you're not a man," they clearly didn't believe him. They had witnessed Nanxun's charm firsthand; how could anyone possibly resist her allure?

Zu An thought to himself, "Of course I'm a man. It's just that your goddess isn't human."

"Believe it or not," he said, clearly not wanting to discuss the topic further.

After parting ways with the two, Zu An chose to go directly to the palace. He needed to report last night's events to the Emperor. It wasn't that he wanted to be so proactive, but rather that such matters would lose their timeliness if delayed.

At the palace gates, he unexpectedly encountered Prince Qi, who was heading for court. The prince said in surprise, "What a coincidence! I heard Master Zu had quite a pleasant evening last night. Why are you up so early? Did that courtesan not serve you well?"

Evidently, word of what happened at Hongxiu Brothel last night had already spread. Although both men had their own ulterior motives, they had, after all, formed a private alliance. Thus, for the purpose of maintaining their relationship, Prince Qi felt obligated to exchange pleasantries.

Zu An's expression was extremely peculiar at that moment. After all, Nanxun had previously been Prince Qi's consort. "No, she was wonderful, very good at serving people," he replied.