Chapter 922: Closed Moon Order

At these words, the entire hall was astonished, and all eyes in the building turned to Zu An.

"How vulgar!" Yu Nan, from upstairs, frowned and coldly offered his critique.

"How disgraceful!" The Qin brothers, on the other side, were also speechless. Although they had long believed Zu An had no connection to the Qin family, his foolish act made them feel equally disgraced.

Bi Zi'ang, meanwhile, sat in his chair, a faint smile playing on his lips. "This fellow has guts," he murmured, "how interesting..."

In that special room, the maid spat, "This man is truly shameless."

The beautiful woman, on the contrary, smiled. "Actually," she said, "he merely spoke what others dared not voice. It shows true character. Someone with such courage is destined to be extraordinary."

The maid mumbled, "How can he be as amazing as you say, Miss? Look, everyone downstairs is cursing him."

Sure enough, while people like Yu Nan valued their status, others had no such reservations and began to shout insults.

"How can such a scoundrel exist!"

"Such rudeness to a lady, unforgivable!"

"Miss Nanxun, don't lower yourself to the level of such a vile person!"

Zu An rolled his eyes. These guys were such hypocrites; they were all here at a brothel, yet had the gall to call someone else a scoundrel? Each one of them feigning such indignation, when in the end, it was all just to make a good impression on the courtesan.

Sigh, from ancient times to the present, sycophants never come to a good end.

However, seeing the string of rage points received in the backend, Zu An immediately felt pleased. A few curses from them didn't matter.

Gao Ying and Pei You were also a bit embarrassed. However, having experienced life and death situations, they could withstand this minor embarrassment. They stood by Zu An's side, their gazes pushing back the unfriendly stares from around them.

The woman upstairs had been observing Zu An. Seeing him so unconcerned, completely ignoring the insults from all sides, she couldn't help but chuckle. "This man truly has a thick skin," she mused.

After a moment's thought, she softly murmured, "Nanxun, it's time to make an appearance."

Soon, a pleasant voice came from the pavilion on the second floor: "Sirs, you have traveled from various places today, enduring great hardship. Nanxun is truly grateful and is willing to perform a dance to express my appreciation."

She did not respond to Zu An's words; otherwise, it would seem as if Zu An had forced her to perform, which would harm her reputation. But everyone present today was a young master who usually held himself in high regard. Although they were currently patient, they would inevitably feel some dissatisfaction.

However, upon hearing her words, a cheer immediately erupted throughout the building, and some troublemakers even whistled.

Zu An couldn't help but complain inwardly. They say one should never forget the well-digger, yet these guys had just cursed him so enthusiastically, and now they were enjoying the benefits so much?

At this moment, Pei You, who was beside him, excitedly said, "When Miss Nanxun first danced, she captivated everyone. Unfortunately, she doesn't dance often; I've come several times and never seen her perform. Today, it's truly thanks to Brother Zu."

Zu An smiled. "In a grand occasion like today," he said, "she was clearly going to dance anyway. It has nothing to do with me."

"Brother Zu, you're too modest." Pei You soon lost the desire to speak, because the curtains around the pavilion on the second floor were slowly being drawn back, revealing the graceful and exquisite figure within.

Today, Nanxun was wearing a long pink dress. Its fabric was lighter than the gowns of noble ladies. Her mature and shapely figure was subtly revealed and concealed. Yet, just when you thought you might catch a glimpse, you could strain your eyes until they ached and still see nothing. What was even more striking was a shimmering, fringed veil that covered half of her face. Only her delicate nose and beautiful eyes were visible, making her entire being appear mysterious and captivating.

Her gaze lacked the usual flirtatious charm of a courtesan. Instead, it held a detached and indifferent quality, as if she had seen through all worldly affairs. Coupled with the exquisite jewelry in her dark hair, she appeared not as a courtesan from a brothel, but more like a noble imperial concubine.

The people around them became extremely fervent, offering her the most gushing praises.

"Huh?" Unlike the other frenzied people, Zu An, at this moment, had a strange feeling. He kept feeling that this courtesan looked somewhat familiar. With his current mental strength, how could he forget someone he had met?

He stared intently at her, trying to see her full face through the fringes. Unfortunately, the fringes were meticulously designed; under the candlelight, they shimmered with a dazzling brilliance, making it impossible to discern her true appearance.

The maid upstairs couldn't help but say scornfully, "That fellow's true nature has been exposed, hasn't it? He's staring at Miss Nanxun without even blinking. All his previous actions were just an unconventional way to attract Miss Nanxun's attention. In the end, he's no different from those other scoundrels."

The beautiful woman beside her smiled. "You're so young," she remarked, "yet you act as if you've seen through all worldly affairs."

Although she said that, noticing Zu An's behavior, she was also somewhat disappointed. So she looked away, no longer paying attention to him.

At this point, Zu An asked Pei You, who was beside him, "What does this Nanxun actually look like?"

Pei You shook his head. "I don't know," he replied.

"You're her fervent admirer, yet you've followed her for so long and don't even know what she looks like?" Now it was Zu An's turn to be surprised.

"Even with only half her face showing, you can tell she's an absolute beauty," Pei You explained. "And it makes her even more mysterious. I heard that only those who become her intimate guest can remove her veil and see her true face. I wonder if I'll ever have that chance." As he spoke, his eyes were filled with longing.

Zu An was speechless for a moment. These sycophants were truly something.

At this moment, cheers erupted again from around them. Zu An looked up and saw that Nanxun had already begun to dance.

Initially, Zu An had been dismissive before watching. After all, in his previous life, he had seen all sorts of women dancing on Douyin (TikTok), as if selecting concubines; he'd seen it all.

But one glance told him he was wrong.

The young ladies on Douyin in his previous life, while flashy, were ultimately just simple hip swings and body movements; they weren't true dances. It was only now that he realized dancing could be so beautiful.

It wasn't about appearance, but the inherent charm of the dance itself. It combined the subtlety of classical beauties with the unique uninhibited passion of a brothel.

The tension between movement and stillness, the striking impact that went straight to one's heart, was truly astonishing.

Zu An sighed inwardly. No wonder so many top-tier second-generation young masters in the capital were so infatuated; this woman truly had some skill.

Just then, the emotions of the surrounding audience surged again. Even the usually composed Gao Ying couldn't help but clap and cheer. It turned out that Nanxun's dance now featured some highly difficult movements, showcasing her exaggerated flexibility to perfection.

The key was that from beginning to end, her gaze remained noble and aloof. It was genuinely not feigned; her disposition was truly like that. Coupled with her enchanting and graceful dance, this noble quality particularly ignited a desire for conquest.

Feeling the quickening breaths and flushed faces of those around him, Zu An thought to himself that these people were probably already wildly fantasizing about various positions in their minds.

When the dance concluded, Nanxun curtsied to everyone. The entire hall was now completely silent. Only the sound of heavy breathing and the sight of flushed eyes remained.

After a long while, no one knew who started it, but everyone began to clap and shout wildly.

After a moment, Nanxun smiled at everyone, and the hall naturally quieted down. "Sirs," she said, "Nanxun is immensely grateful for your presence today. I shall first offer each of you a toast."

A maid was already standing by, holding a wine cup and offering it to her.

"Miss Nanxun, you are too kind," everyone responded, raising their own cups and draining them. Throughout the process, everyone kept their eyes wide open, trying to discern her true face beneath the fringes. Unfortunately, when she drank, she used her sleeve to cover her mouth, maintaining her elegance while preserving her mystery.

Everyone sighed, their faces filled with regret.

The atmosphere became livelier. Next, the drinking game would begin. Everyone's spirits lifted. They immediately knew this was the crucial moment.

Although it wasn't explicitly stated, everyone understood that a courtesan couldn't openly declare such things. After all, those present were all distinguished individuals from the capital; how could it be proper for them to be chosen by a brothel woman? But the fact remained: there was only one courtesan, she couldn't serve multiple men. Tonight, only one person was destined to win her favor.

How then would a selection be made among so many people? It couldn't be that they'd set up a fighting arena and battle it out, could it?

Although martial arts were revered in this world, in places like brothels, literary and artistic pursuits were still very popular. After all, visiting a brothel was a matter of elegance. How could fighting and killing here be proper? Thus, drinking games came into being. As for the content of these games, it varied widely: from drinking games involving finger-guessing, to couplets, poetry, and songs, all were acceptable.

At this moment, Yu Nan, from his private room upstairs, spoke: "Since Miss Nanxun possesses beauty that eclipses the moon and shames flowers, then let us play the 'Eclipsing Moon' game."

As soon as he said this, his companions around him quickly agreed, and those in other rooms who were friendly with him also chimed in. Even those who were at odds with Yu Nan had to admit that his flattery was incredibly skillful. All the previous effusive cries and shouts combined couldn't compare to this single move of his.

The others were filled with regret. They thought, "Why didn't I say that earlier? Now the Yu fellow has taken the lead. Miss Nanxun just smiled at him; she must be very pleased." Yu Nan's outstanding appearance and demeanor, coupled with having seized the first advantage, immediately made him the primary rival in everyone's minds.

Zu An nudged Pei You with his elbow. "What's the 'Eclipsing Moon' game?" he whispered.

"What? You don't even know what the 'Eclipsing Moon' game is?" Pei You looked surprised.

"Is that so strange?" Zu An said expressionlessly. "Do you know Douyin, Kuaishou, or Bilibili?"

"Uh..." Pei You thought for a moment, realizing he indeed didn't know. He chuckled and explained, "The 'Eclipsing Moon' game means each person takes turns reciting a line of poetry that describes the moon but doesn't contain the character for 'moon' (月)."

"I see." Zu An was amused. "I'm familiar with this. All those classical Chinese texts and poems I memorized for the college entrance exam weren't for nothing. But if my old literature teacher knew I was using the poetry he taught me to flirt with women in a brothel, he'd probably die of anger—wait, no, he might even cry tears of envy, after all, this was his specialty."

At this moment, Miss Nanxun chuckled, her lips curving. "Since it was Young Master Yu's suggestion," she said, "why don't you begin, Young Master Yu?"

Hearing her say this, many others wrung their hands in frustration. So many wanted to be first. "By letting him go first, does Miss Nanxun already favor him?" they wondered.

Yu Nan did not decline. His face bore his usual expression of pride, as if there was no one else capable of this task. Without hesitation, he recited, "A jade mirror, a silver hook, hangs askew on the evening mountaintop."

"Young Master Yu is indeed quick-witted, and this line is very apt..." As the host of the drinking game, Miss Nanxun naturally had to offer her commentary. Her voice was melodious and pleasing, and her words were full of praise for Yu Nan. Her eyes sparkled. To others, it seemed as if she was gazing at Yu Nan with deep affection, as if she might throw herself into his arms at any moment.

"Quick-witted, my foot! He suggested it, so he must have been prepared." The others cursed inwardly, green with envy.

"Miss Nanxun, you flatter me," Yu Nan replied. Facing Nanxun, he put away his usual arrogance and replaced it with a gentle smile. He was already a renowned handsome man in the capital; coupled with his deliberately practiced smile, he was even more overwhelmingly handsome, causing many maids in the building to flutter with excitement and their eyes to turn into hearts.

"So handsome!" In that mysterious room, the maid cupped her cheeks, completely smitten.

The stunning beauty rolled her eyes. "Is it really that much?" she said. "There are plenty of handsome men among the elves, many of whom are no worse than him."

"You don't understand, Miss," the maid said excitedly. "The men of the elven race are too slender. They are handsome, but they look too effeminate, lacking a certain masculinity. Furthermore, handsomeness is relative. Among the elves, where everyone is handsome, you eventually find everyone unremarkable. But look here: compared to these guests, this Yu Nan truly stands out like a crane among chickens. That's why he appears exceptionally handsome."

The stunning beauty chuckled softly. "There's some truth to what you say," she conceded. "However, there are a few other good-looking men in the hall. For example, Young Master Bi over there, and hmm, that one named Zu..." She originally wanted to say that Zu An was also handsome, but remembering his indescribable aura, she immediately retracted her words.

"Compared to appearances," she said, "I'm more concerned that human literary and cultural education is so flourishing. They are already so strong in martial arts. Wouldn't this mean our people would never be able to rise above them?" A hint of sadness appeared on her face.

The maid comforted her, "Miss, you really don't need to worry so much. Look, humans only use these literary and cultural skills for competing for attention in brothels; they don't apply them to higher pursuits. This is truly a blessing for our people."

The stunning beauty paused, then looked at her with surprise. "Well, I'll be," she said, "I didn't expect you to say something so profound."

The maid puffed out her cheeks and stamped her foot in protest. "Miss!"

Downstairs, the 'Eclipsing Moon' game was still ongoing. However, the later participants were not as brilliant as Yu Nan. After all, no one had known that the 'Eclipsing Moon' game would begin tonight. Their preparation was far from as thorough as Yu Nan's. It was already good if they could hastily come up with a relevant line. In terms of elegance, they naturally fell far short of Yu Nan. Some were even more unfortunate. They couldn't think of a single line of poetry for a long time and could only continuously drink penalty wine.

Throughout the entire process, Nanxun gently offered her comments. Even if a guest's line was terrible, she could always find a way to praise it. Even those guests who failed to come up with a line received her encouragement and a smile. As a result, everyone saved face. Their gazes towards Nanxun became even more fervent, each one wearing an expression of determined ambition.

Zu An chuckled inwardly. A courtesan was indeed a courtesan; even with her aloof demeanor, she effortlessly employed these tactics, making everyone feel as if they were bathed in a spring breeze. High-level hunters often appear in the guise of their prey.

When it was Bi Zi'ang's turn, everyone looked at him. After all, he was one of the few people present whose family background and personal demeanor were on par with Yu Nan's. He pondered for a moment, then said in a clear voice, "Golden ripples shimmer in the willow pond, a jade pavilion graces the courtyard."

"Excellent!"

Like Yu Nan, he also had a large group of sycophants around him, and their cheers were even louder. Even the stunning beauty in the room nodded discreetly. "This Bi Zi'ang truly lives up to his reputation," she thought. At the same time, a faint hint of worry clouded her brows. If all these prominent human scions were so excellent, it would be a misfortune for her own people.

Outside, Nanxun also showed a faint smile. She lavished praise on his poem; compared to her previous formulaic courtesies, this time she was clearly much more sincere.

Pei You was utterly dejected. "If I had known this," he lamented, "I should have studied more and learned more poetry back then." Clearly, with Yu Nan and Bi Zi'ang setting such high standards, he had no confidence at all to compete with them.

Gao Ying, who was beside him, said sternly, "Poetry is a minor path; cultivation is the true way forward. Brother Pei, do not let a courtesan shake your resolve."

Pei You was startled. "Thank you for your guidance, Brother Gao!" he said.

Zu An looked at the two of them in surprise. Gao Ying was mature and steady, and Pei You was able to correct his mistakes. These two were definitely among the best of the noble scions, with limitless potential in the future—of course, compared to him, they were still a tiny bit lacking, hahaha!

Next, others continued to take their turns in the 'Eclipsing Moon' game. The level of the other participants was clearly a step below Bi Zi'ang's. Even though Nanxun herself had excellent literary accomplishments, praising for so long still left her somewhat at a loss for words. After all, it was truly difficult to find any redeeming qualities in some of the answers given. In the end, she could only gradually resort to formulaic responses. Unfortunately, those whose minds were clouded by lust failed to notice at all, as their heads were filled with thoughts like, "Miss Nanxun just smiled at me."

Then it was the Qin brothers' turn. Their family backgrounds were no less distinguished than the Yu or Bi families', and they were also considered strong rivals by those who aimed to become Nanxun's intimate guest. However, the two brothers lacked the literary talent of Yu Nan and Bi Zi'ang. Although they provided answers, they were merely mediocre. Everyone else was delighted. Even Yu Nan and Bi Zi'ang secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Only the stunning woman in the room let out a faint sigh. She had hoped that scions of military families like these would neglect their martial training by indulging in literature, but now it seemed her wish wouldn't come true.

The last round came to Zu An's table. Pei You and Gao Ying were the first to offer their answers. After such a long wait, they should have had plenty of time to think. But being at the end also had its disadvantages. Many familiar lines of poetry had already been spoken by those before them, so in the end, the lines they came up with were barely relevant to the theme.

Zu An secretly curled his lips. As he had listened, he realized that while martial arts flourished in this world, the level of poetry was truly not commendable. Even lines like Yu Nan's and Bi Zi'ang's could be praised as eternal masterpieces by the crowd.

After Nanxun finished commenting on their poems, her beautiful eyes fell upon Zu An. She remembered clearly how this man's earlier words had almost made her lose face. "Young Master Yu started us off well," she said. "If this young master can end it well, it would surely make for a wonderful tale."

The others clamored and booed, looking over, eager for a spectacle. Only Pei You and Gao Ying looked worried. Her words had set a high bar, implying that merely being relevant wouldn't be enough. If his poem wasn't as good as Yu Nan's, he would easily become a laughingstock.

Zu An grumbled inwardly. "This little woman is quite vengeful," he thought. "But if she wants to trick me, she's destined for disappointment. I have countless literary masters of Tang and Song poetry as my cheat!"