“Alright, you may leave now.” The Crown Princess waved her hand. Her mind was in turmoil, and she needed some time alone.
Zu An bowed and then withdrew. He noticed the portly Crown Prince, looking flushed, was deeply engrossed in a game with two young eunuchs. Seeing their pathetic display, Zu An couldn't help but inwardly lament that such a small Eastern Palace had managed to gather two such "talents"—a "sleeping dragon" and a "young phoenix."
Noticing the time, he secretly found Pu Duandiao and Jiao Sigun. "Are you off work? If so, let's go!"
"Off work?" The two men paused, slightly surprised, but quickly grasped his meaning. Their faces lit up with excitement. "Let's go!"
Although no one explicitly stated where they were going, the winks and nudges made it clear what was implied. All men understood.
Zu An, of course, wasn't going to the Pleasure Quarter for entertainment. Which of his beautiful confidantes wasn't more stunning than the courtesans there? Why would he need to visit such a place? His main purpose was to find Yun Jianyue and Qiu Honglei, to ensure their people had escaped safely, and to ask Yun Jianyue about the stalker in the shadows.
The Demon Sect's branch in the capital was hidden within the Pleasure Quarter. Although they had been embroiled in the Cheng Gang case previously, that was a deliberate move on their part; they had prepared well in advance, sacrificing a few scapegoats. Consequently, the subsequent imperial investigation did not harm their branch.
Earlier, Pu Duandiao and his brother had secretly informed the Crown Princess to rescue him from Prince Qi. He needed to repay this favor, and this would serve as a perfect excuse to conceal his true intentions.
"Brother Zu, a night at the Pleasure Quarter costs almost half our monthly salary. You've just arrived in the capital and probably haven't received your pay yet. How about we go next month instead?" After leaving the palace and the initial excitement wore off, Pu Duandiao suddenly came to his senses and asked considerately.
Zu An chuckled, "It's fine, I can afford a night at the Pleasure Quarter." This guy started calling him "Big Brother" so quickly; he certainly was a natural at making friends.
Pu Duandiao's eyes immediately lit up, his dark circles appearing particularly prominent. "Brother Zu, you're so generous! I heard the Pleasure Quarter recently introduced a few new courtesans. Let's go check them out today."
Jiao Sigun, standing nearby, sneered. "I wonder who was complaining about kidney pain a few days ago, searching everywhere for kidney-tonifying and aphrodisiac medicines. Even if a courtesan were to lie right in front of you now, would you even be capable?"
Pu Duandiao was furious, though his gaze darted evasively. "Nonsense! When was I ever deficient? I was just taking medicine for lack of sleep to invigorate myself. Hmph, now, let alone a courtesan, even if you were lying on the bed, I could handle it, believe it or not!"
"Pfft, with your little toothpick, who's handling whom is still up for debate." Jiao Sigun kept needling him.
"Who's a little toothpick? If you're so confident, let's compare!" Pu Duandiao bristled like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
"Compare, then. I was just about to relieve myself anyway." Jiao Sigun chuckled, pulled up his trousers, and whistling, went to a secluded spot by a large tree to relieve himself. This world was not like the clean, orderly metropolises of later generations; it lacked a developed public restroom system, so such incidents were very common.
Pu Duandiao's expression shifted between conflicted and resolved. Finally, he bit the bullet and walked over, trying to keep as much distance from the other man as possible.
Jiao Sigun squinted sideways, his expression almost bursting into laughter. "That's it?"
Pu Duandiao snorted, "You're not much better."
Hearing the sound of the two men relieving themselves, Zu An also felt a pressing need. He silently walked over. Pu Duandiao and Jiao Sigun discreetly glanced sideways; Jiao Sigun was full of confidence, while Pu Duandiao was hoping to find some. But after a quick glance, both men trembled, and the smiles on their faces froze.
What the hell was that?
The two men, in silent agreement, took a large step sideways, moving even further away from him. Then, they quickly shook themselves a few times, pulled up their trousers expressionlessly, and ended the comparison. Pu Duandiao looked utterly dejected, and Jiao Sigun questioned his life choices.
For the rest of the journey, the two men were no longer chattering and bickering as before; they were both unusually silent. Zu An's lips curved slightly upward, and he knowingly asked, "Why are you two brothers so quiet now?"
Pu Duandiao and Jiao Sigun turned their heads to look at him, their expressions indescribable.
"There's always someone better out there; I'll never boast about this again. Ah, who can truly claim greatness in this regard? Upon seeing Zu An, all my former pride feels empty." Jiao Sigun thought to himself.
"Hmm, when I have time, I should ask Lord Zu how he achieved such magnificent proportions. Even if I only learn a fraction, it'll be enough to utterly defeat Jiao Sigun, so he stops boasting in front of me all day." Pu Duandiao thought to himself.
"Was that a bit ungenerous of me? Ah, wealth without returning home is like wearing fine clothes at night—it's the same principle. It's rare to get a chance to show off, and it feels incredibly satisfying." Zu An thought to himself.
With each man lost in his own thoughts, they soon arrived at the Pleasure Quarter.
Zu An informed the madam using the secret signal he had agreed upon with Yun Jianyue and Qiu Honglei. Soon, she appeared with a large group of charming courtesans to greet them.
"Esteemed sir, these are all the most popular girls in the Pleasure Quarter. Just pick whichever one catches your eye," the madam said, smiling. As she spoke, she rubbed her ample bosom against Zu An, emitting a rather vulgar fragrance.
Zu An subtly shifted to the side. He certainly wasn't *that* unrefined, to be interested in the madam. Nevertheless, this room full of charming women was indeed impressive. Each was beautiful, with smiles like flowers; any one of them would have been considered a campus belle in his previous life.
Ah, this scene truly evoked strong emotions, bringing back memories of his days in Dongguan... Bah! How could an upright and noble person like him have ever visited such places?
He cleared his throat and pointed to Pu Duandiao and Jiao Sigun beside him. "They are the main guests tonight. Just make sure they're well looked after."
By the way, paying for prostitutes is illegal in many countries, right? But if we enjoy ourselves and don't pay, then it's not prostitution, is it? Anyway, given my relationship with the Demon Sect, would they even dare to charge me? Zu An immediately felt at ease.
The madam, beaming, said, "Alright, girls, attend to our guests."
Pu Duandiao and Jiao Sigun were secretly astonished. The two quietly exchanged whispers:
"You really can't judge a book by its cover. Brother Zu seems so proper, yet he's clearly an old hand at this." Jiao Sigun sighed, observing Zu An's confident demeanor, which indicated he was as familiar with this place as his own home.
Pu Duandiao was equally convinced. "I thought I was quite the veteran of the Pleasure Quarter, but compared to Brother Zu, the difference is like heaven and earth." Whenever he visited the Pleasure Quarter, he could only afford the ordinary girls. Yet now, all these popular courtesans were ones he previously wouldn't even have dared to dream of. In terms of looks and figure, they completely outshone all his previous acquaintances.
"From now on, following Brother Zu means living the good life!" Pu Duandiao exclaimed sincerely.
Uncharacteristically, Jiao Sigun didn't argue this time; instead, he nodded in strong agreement.
Soon, both men chose their preferred women. Pu Duandiao selected a slightly older, exceptionally voluptuous mature woman. Jiao Sigun, on the other hand, chose a slender girl with a delicate, pitiful aura.
Zu An took one look and finally understood why Pu Duandiao was so weak. As for Jiao Sigun, he usually appeared aloof, yet he fancied the seemingly innocent but manipulative type. Zu An decided he should discreetly remind the madam to ensure this innocent man wasn't completely taken advantage of by such a woman.
At this point, the madam said with a beaming smile, "They've made their choices. Now, Lord Zu, which young lady will you choose?"
Zu An waved his hand dismissively and stated, "Only children make choices. Adults take everything."
Pu Duandiao and Jiao Sigun, standing nearby, were immediately awestruck. Big Brother truly was Big Brother; his domineering presence was far beyond anything they could ever achieve.
The madam's face registered surprise. "All... all of them?"
"Is that a problem?" Zu An glanced at her, a hint of challenge in his eyes.
"Of course you can," the madam replied with a suggestive smile. "It's just that I worry about your health, sir. Even a body made of iron couldn't withstand that."
Pu Duandiao and Jiao Sigun, standing to the side, looked dejected. "Madam, you should worry more about whether your girls can handle it." Both men, by unspoken agreement, recalled the scene from earlier... Damn it, they couldn't think about it anymore, or they'd be utterly demoralized.
The two quickly wrapped their arms around the girls they had chosen and hurried to their respective rooms, eager to avoid seeing Zu An again, lest they be reminded of their recent humiliation.
Zu An, meanwhile, sat comfortably on a soft couch, surrounded by beautiful women, one on each arm, enjoying their gentle ministrations. It was truly a heavenly experience.
At that moment, a beautiful young woman secretly peeking from an adjacent room couldn't help but stamp her foot. "That scoundrel! He's going to infuriate me to death!"
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