Chapter 921: Born Protagonist

Qin Yongde also smiled, "That's right. The Chu family has already expelled him, and Chu Chuyan has no relation to him anymore. There's really no need to help him."

"Although that fellow seems frivolous, he does have some real ability," Qin Guangyuan said, sipping a cup of clear tea. "I heard my grandfather and father discussing how he seemed to have ruined a major plan of Prince Qi. It's best not to associate with him at this time."

"It's truly hard to imagine that this kid could disrupt the plans of Prince Qi and our grandfather's generation," Qin Yongde remarked, full of emotion. In his mind, Prince Qi and his grandfather's peers were such formidable figures that he barely dared to breathe in their presence, only bowing his head to listen to their lessons. Yet, this young man could compete with them on their own ground and even inflict heavy losses. How did he manage it?

"Perhaps the Emperor had other arrangements, and he was merely a figure pushed to the forefront," Qin Guangyuan mused with some hesitation. After much thought, this seemed to be the most plausible explanation.

As the two brothers decided to remain spectators, another private room was also buzzing with activity. A group of people addressed a young man seated at the head of the table, "Young Master Bi, down there is the newly appointed Green Hat Duke, Zu An. We're not sure how he offended Yi Zhibing, but it looks like there's a good show brewing."

The young man, who was the center of attention, had a handsome face with a prominent nose that hooked at the tip. Combined with his extremely thin lips and narrow, phoenix-like eyes, his entire demeanor appeared somewhat cold and ruthless.

The young man stood up and said, "Let's go, let's take a look."

The others were surprised. "Young Master Bi, why the sudden interest in meddling with this matter?"

The young man smiled and replied, "This Zu An is my sister's loyal dog. As the saying goes, when you beat a dog, you have to consider its owner. That Yi fellow is too arrogant."

The others chuckled. "Young Master Bi truly cares for his subordinates. Let's go and teach Yi Zhibing a lesson."

A group of people, eager for a spectacle, all stood up to join the crowd.

This young man was, of course, Bi Linglong's older brother, Bi Zi'ang, the eldest legitimate son of the Bi family.

Meanwhile, Gao Ying and Pei You were blocking the constables, and the situation between the two sides was on the verge of erupting. What a joke! They had invited Zu An, and now they had to rely on him just to get inside. They had already lost enough face. If they were to be publicly expelled in front of so many people, they truly wouldn't be able to stay in the capital anymore.

Yi Zhibing's face darkened. "What? Are you trying to openly defy the constables? That's a serious offense."

Gao Ying and Pei You's expressions fluctuated, clearly aware that this charge could be significant or minor, but since things had come to this, they could no longer afford to hesitate.

Just as Zu An was about to step forward and say something, a long laugh suddenly echoed from the side. "What's going on here? So lively?"

Yu Nan, who had been watching the spectacle from the second floor, saw this scene, and the smile on her face instantly froze.

On the other side, Qin Yongde couldn't help but snort. "Zu An has indeed completely sided with the Crown Prince. From now on, he is forbidden from entering our Qin family's doors!"

Zu An curiously examined the newcomer. The leading man was handsome, but there was an uncomfortable aura about him. A phrase suddenly popped into Zu An's mind: "wolf's glance, eagle's gaze." Yes, that was the feeling—it instinctively put one on guard.

Yi Zhibing had been feeling smug, as he had just managed to provoke the young masters of the Liu and Pei families into impotent rage in front of so many people, making him feel like the center of attention. However, upon seeing the newcomer, his expression immediately changed, and his imposing manner instantly weakened by a third. "So it's Young Master Bi. What brings you here?"

Bi Zi'ang smiled and said, "You're making trouble for my people here. How could I not come?"

Zu An raised an eyebrow. *When did we become your people?*

Yi Zhibing felt a pang of frustration. On any normal day, he would surely give Bi Zi'ang face and stop bothering Zu An and his companions. But he had just grandiosely bragged to Yu Nan. What would it look like if he backed down now? So, he braced himself and said, "Young Master Bi, you misunderstand. I'm not intentionally making trouble for anyone. I'm merely ensuring the safety of today's banquet, which is why I asked them to check the guest invitations. Everyone will be checked; there's no targeting involved."

Hearing this, the smile on Bi Zi'ang's face abruptly vanished. "I was going to save you some face, but since you don't want it, don't blame me. Since you want to talk about official regulations, then I must ask carefully: What is your current official position, sir? Was it your order today to mobilize the capital's constables to maintain order?"

Cold sweat immediately dripped down Yi Zhibing's forehead. "It... it was my father who was concerned about too many people here, so he sent people to maintain order." As a commoner himself, he could naturally command these constables on a daily basis due to his father's connections, but strictly speaking, this was an unauthorized act.

"Oh, so it was Lord Yi. Then I wonder if Lord Yi reported this action to the imperial court today, and if there's an official reply or approval document from the court? You see, this is a pleasure quarter after all. Sending imperial constables to maintain order in a brothel will inevitably lead to public criticism about the misuse of public authority." Bi Zi'ang's questions came one after another, each hitting a crucial point.

"This... this..." Yi Zhibing continuously wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, unsure how to respond. He had brought people here on his own initiative today. Although his father knew about it, he hadn't paid much attention. If this were truly investigated, his actions today might cause his father to lose his official position. He secretly regretted volunteering to make a show. Zu An was indeed a jinx; getting involved with him always led to trouble.

Just as he was in a dilemma, Yu Nan's faint voice came from upstairs. "Since Young Master Bi is here to vouch for them, they naturally won't have any problems. Come up."

Yi Zhibing felt as if he had been granted a great pardon. He quickly offered a few fawning smiles to Bi Zi'ang, then fled as if escaping.

Zu An glanced upstairs. Though it was only a fleeting glimpse, he had recognized the other person. It seemed all the trouble he'd encountered tonight was caused by that individual. They had only met once, having a meal together at Prince Qi's manor. Was there any need to target him like this? People are so strange. Sometimes, after only one meeting, they fall in love at first sight, while at other times, they might instinctively dislike someone. Clearly, Yu Nan belonged to the latter category. The bead curtains in the upstairs private room had already been lowered. Clearly, Yu Nan considered even another glance at him bad luck.

Zu An withdrew his gaze and cupped his hands towards Bi Zi'ang, saying, "Thank you, Young Master Bi."

"No need to thank me. You're my sister's person, so naturally I'll protect you." Bi Zi'ang assessed him. "I'd only heard your name before, never seen you. Meeting you today, you're neither obsequious nor arrogant. Quite impressive indeed."

"You flatter me, Young Master Bi," Zu An replied calmly. The other person always spoke with a condescending tone, but he didn't mind; it was likely a common trait among people of their standing.

Bi Zi'ang laughed. "Speaking of which, I still have a few friends who fell into your hands."

Zu An was taken aback. "There was such a thing?" He had made too many enemies lately to recall whom Bi Zi'ang might be referring to.

"Shi Kun, along with Gu Heng and Gu Xing, were quite close to me usually," Bi Zi'ang said, then quickly changed his tone. "However, those people were traitors, so it was good that you killed them."

Zu An's heart tightened. He felt that there was a hint of a warning in Bi Zi'ang's words.

The two exchanged a few more pleasantries, then Bi Zi'ang invited, "I have a private room upstairs. Care to join us?"

Zu An smiled and replied, "Perhaps next time. We've already reserved a spot for today." Seeing Bi Zi'ang's entourage, Zu An could imagine that going upstairs would only mean listening to flattery. He'd rather enjoy a drink with Gao Ying and Pei You. More importantly, the other man's gaze and tone always made him feel like he was being looked at as a servant. What a joke! He had chatted casually with major figures like Zhao Hao and Qin Shihuang. Who was this guy?

Seeing his refusal, Bi Zi'ang's brow furrowed slightly, but he quickly concealed it. "Very well." Without another word, the group quickly departed. Once they were out of earshot, one of Bi Zi'ang's companions grumbled, "That fellow is truly unappreciative. Young Master Bi invited him, and he actually refused."

Bi Zi'ang's face was expressionless. "Capable people always have a bit of temper. It's like taming a hawk; eventually, they'll become docile."

Meanwhile, after Zu An and the other two were seated, a maid quickly came to prepare fruits, wine, and dishes. Although their seats were not in a private room upstairs, they were in a very elegant spot. It was clear that Gao Ying had put thought into it. However, this only made Yi Zhibing seem more hateful. The Scarlet Sleeve Pavilion had clearly prepared seats according to the invitations, yet he had people blocking the entrance. Currently, at least one-third of the seats in the main hall were still empty, evidently blocked by the constables under various pretexts.

"Brother Zu, let me first offer you a toast. What happened today truly made us lose face," Gao Ying said somewhat shamefacedly.

"Don't dwell on it. It was mainly due to someone meddling," Zu An replied, draining his cup.

The three clinked glasses, and the atmosphere gradually grew lively as they chatted about various topics, quickly turning to Bi Zi'ang.

"Ah, he's a born protagonist," Gao Ying and Pei You both exclaimed in unison.

Zu An was bewildered. This was the first time he'd heard someone described this way. If Bi Zi'ang was the protagonist, then what was he?

Seeing his astonished expression, Gao Ying seemed to know what he was thinking and explained with a smile, "Years ago, Madame Bi dreamed of a Qilin and then found herself pregnant. Even before he was born, the entire capital knew that the Bi family was expecting a Qilin child."

Zu An couldn't help but ask, "Why wasn't his father cuckolded by the Qilin?"

Gao Ying was speechless. Although in this world, the word "green" didn't carry the meaning of being cuckolded yet, it still didn't prevent him from understanding Zu An's implication.

Pei You, stifling a laugh, said, "Brother Zu, it's fine if we say such things quietly among ourselves, but if it gets out, it will cause a huge uproar. Bi Zi'ang is notoriously proud; he might turn against you over a remark like that."

Zu An nodded. "Just because of that, you call him a born protagonist?"

"Of course, there's more," Gao Ying continued. "On the day he was born, the room was filled with colorful clouds, and a strange, delightful fragrance permeated the air. According to the Bi family's servants, the entire Bi mansion was enveloped in this aroma."

Zu An inwardly grumbled. *How does that sound like a demon being born?* However, considering the two men's fragile sensibilities, he refrained from speaking his thoughts aloud.

Pei You, beside him, couldn't help but add, "When he was a child, Lord Bi had to go to a wilderness area to suppress fierce beasts and took him along. Due to a servant's negligence, he accidentally got lost. The Bi family searched frantically but couldn't find him, and everyone assumed he was dead. You see, the wilderness is infested with various fierce beasts; even a sixth-rank master would be in great danger there."

"Who would have thought that three days later, he returned on his own, riding a Zouyu?"

"A Zouyu?" Zu An was momentarily stunned.

Pei You explained, "It's a mythical auspicious beast, said to have the body of a tiger and the head of a lion, with white fur and black stripes, and a tail longer than its body. It can travel ten thousand li in a day. Legend says it is inherently benevolent, unwilling to even tread on green grass, and only eats creatures that have not died naturally. Thus, the world regards it as a symbol of benevolence and righteousness."

Zu An also recalled records of the Zouyu from his previous life. However, based on the description, it sounded more like a white tiger.

"Later, that Zouyu became his mount. A benevolent beast recognizing its master caused quite a stir back then," Pei You said, his face full of envy, clearly wishing he were the protagonist.

"He is indeed quite extraordinary," Zu An mused. "Could the Bi family have orchestrated all this? But if they created such a sensation, wouldn't they fear the Emperor's jealousy?"

"Not only that," Gao Ying continued, "during a trip in his youth, he accidentally fell off a cliff. Not only did he survive, but he also gained an ancient inheritance, the 'Heaven and Earth Sword of Sorrow.' Even the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy praised that sword art."

Zu An thought, *This really is like those protagonists in novels.* Others fall off cliffs and are never seen again, but protagonists fall off cliffs only to find treasures or secret martial arts manuals, sometimes even encountering beautiful women bathing. He remembered when he was a naive teenager in his previous life, he had believed those lies and thought there might be a miraculous encounter at the bottom of a cliff. Of course, as a person with normal intelligence, he dared not jump off a cliff, but he would go around to the base of cliffs to search for secret manuals or the like. Heaven rewards the diligent: one time, he finally found a booklet at the base of a cliff. It faintly bore the characters "Nine Yang," and he was overjoyed, thinking he had found the legendary "Nine Yang Divine Skill." However, upon picking it up, he discovered it was actually the "Nine Yang Soy Milk Maker Instruction Manual." Since then, he no longer believed in miraculous encounters from cliff-diving.

Yet, today he genuinely encountered such a lucky person, which made him feel a bit jealous.

"And there's more," Pei You added, growing increasingly envious. "I heard he always finds money whenever he goes out." Finding money is everyone's dream, isn't it? He could literally enjoy courtesans for free every day!

"Wow, that's really something. How much money must he have found over all these years?" Zu An also felt a pang of envy.

"And the strangest thing is that everyone who crosses him suffers various accidents," Gao Ying continued, recounting one bizarre story after another. "They might slip on a banana peel, or get hit by a flowerpot falling from upstairs, or even nearly choke to death while drinking water..." He concluded with a sigh, "Eventually, everyone became afraid, believing he was a person of immense luck, and no one dared to provoke him."

Pei You said with some concern, "You just refused to give him face. I wonder if something unlucky will happen."

Gao Ying replied, "But the offense wasn't too severe. Even if something unlucky happens, it won't be life-threatening."

Seeing their worried expressions, Zu An felt a strong urge to complain. This was completely outrageous! How could Zhao Hao allow such a formidable presence in the capital? Naturally, he didn't put much stock in these stories, so he quickly changed the subject. "By the way, are Shi Kun, Gu Xing, and the others he just mentioned very close to him?"

Gao Ying explained, "Because of the legends surrounding his immense luck, many people gradually gathered around him. Among them, eighteen individuals with the most prominent backgrounds and abilities regularly gathered at Bi Zi'ang's private residence, the Green Garden. They are known as the 'Eighteen Friends of the Green Garden,' and Shi Kun and the Gu brothers are among them."

"Of course, Shi Kun ranks higher, while the Gu brothers are almost at the bottom of the list."

Zu An thought, *No wonder that Shi Kun fellow used to act so arrogant when he came to Brightmoon City. Turns out he learned it from Bi Zi'ang. They're strangely similar in some ways, no wonder they could be good friends.* As for Gu Heng and Gu Xing, *heeh*, one could see what kind of people were in Bi Zi'ang's circle.

Suddenly, a melodious zither melody slowly drifted in. The noisy main hall immediately quieted down as everyone looked towards a pavilion on the second floor, located in the very center. Unfortunately, heavy gauze curtains and various bead screens surrounded it, allowing only a vague glimpse of a figure but no clear view of the face.

"Miss Nanxun has started playing the zither!" Pei You exclaimed, his face full of excitement, even standing up involuntarily.

"This music must surely be from heaven," Gao Ying said, even craning his neck to look towards the second floor.

Only Zu An remained unmoved. He was surrounded by peerless beauties, including the courtesan Qiu Honglei, the Saintess of the Demonic Cult, who truly sold her art but not her body. Wasn't that far better than these "marketing courtesans" here? As for this zither music, he genuinely couldn't appreciate it much. In his previous life, various types of music—Chinese, Western, Japanese—so many classics had already raised his threshold. The sound of the guzheng alone felt too bland to impress him anymore.

His purpose in coming here was to find a way to disgrace Yu Nan, but he hadn't thought of a very good method yet.

At this moment, in another room on the second floor, a graceful figure stood by the window, carefully observing the people downstairs. Seeing their enraptured expressions, a faint sneer appeared on her moist red lips. "Hmph, men!"

However, she quickly noticed the unusually calm Zu An. While other men eagerly craned their necks, he alone sat steadily, leisurely drinking, his expression seemingly even showing disdain for the zither's boring tune?

"Quite interesting," the woman chuckled softly, then pointed in Zu An's direction. "Who is that?"

"Responding to mistress, that is Green Hat Duke Zu An, a favorite of the Eastern Palace, holding the concurrent positions of Crown Prince's Vice Steward and Imperial Forest Lieutenant General," a maid-like figure nearby replied after a glance.

"Green Hat Duke?" The woman frowned. "Why are human official titles so strange and unpleasant?"

She looked at Zu An again, a hint of confusion in her mind. "Zu An? Why does that name sound familiar? Who was it that Sister Xue'er mentioned to me last time?"

By this time, the music had ended, and enthusiastic applause erupted throughout the hall. Everyone eagerly vied to impress Nanxun with their profound comments:

"Miss Nanxun's zither artistry is unparalleled; truly, its echoes linger for three days without fading." This was a relatively reserved comment, but subsequently, everyone became more enthusiastic and proactive. "After listening to Miss Nanxun's zither, I feel my entire soul has been cleansed and elevated." "Miss Nanxun has truly attained enlightenment through her music. If she were to pursue cultivation, she might achieve great things. As long as Miss Nanxun is willing, I, this young master, am prepared to personally guide you, imparting everything I know."

Zu An grumbled inwardly. A patron listens to a famous courtesan play a tune and claims his soul is cleansed and elevated? How dirty must his soul have been then? And that fellow who wants to "personally guide" someone in cultivation – I won't even bother saying it, but are you really trying to teach cultivation, or are you just lusting after her? "Imparting everything," indeed! What exactly are you imparting? Others transmit knowledge and skills; you just want to transmit fluids, don't you?

Pei You also shouted a few remarks, his face still flushed with excitement. "Brother Zu, what do you think?"

"Not much," Zu An replied. "A brothel should act like a brothel. All these fancy frills are unnecessary." Then he loudly declared, "We're here to have fun, not just listen to music! Miss Nanxun, give us something exciting and stimulating!"