Chapter 925: Hair Standing on End

At this moment, Pei You excitedly ran over, trying to snatch the brush from Gao Ying's hand. "This time, it's my turn to write." He had just missed the opportunity to leave his name in history, and he couldn't let this chance slip away. Clearly, he and Gao Ying were the most confident in Zu An. Seeing Zu An's assurance, Pei You was certain he could write another timeless masterpiece.

Gao Ying quickly pulled the brush back, his face wary. "Your handwriting isn't great. Let me do it, so we don't ruin Brother Zu's unparalleled poem."

"I…" Pei You's face flushed. He wanted to retort but didn't know what to say, leaving him with only impotent rage.

Suddenly, an idea struck him. He grabbed the inkstone nearby and said, "Then I’ll grind the ink!"

Gao Ying was speechless.

"What a genius! He could even think of that?"

The others were even more dumbfounded. These two were truly a disgrace to the nobility, fawning over a man so shamelessly. However, they also understood that if they were in that position, most of them would also vie for the chance to be recorded in history. Unfortunately, they weren't close to Zu An, so they couldn't latch on.

Upstairs, the mysterious woman frowned. The two men were hovering around Zu An, directly blocking her line of attack. There were many masters in the hall, and if her first strike missed, she likely wouldn't get a second chance. She hesitated, then abandoned her plan to act immediately. It had been difficult to establish herself in the capital. If exposing herself meant eliminating a major threat for her clan, it might be worth it. But if the target remained and she was exposed, it would be a huge loss. If it came to that, she would leave it to Nan Xun later.

At this moment, Zu An's clear voice rang out:

“Swearing to sweep away the demons, heedless of our lives,Five thousand mink-clad warriors lost to the barbarian dust.Pitiable are the bones by the Wuding River,Still the beloveds in spring boudoir dreams!”

Naturally, he couldn't use “Xiongnu” from the original poem, so he changed it to “demons.” As for the Wuding River, coincidentally, there was a river of the same name near the northern border with the demon race in this world, so he continued to use it.

“Pitiable are the bones by the Wuding River, still the beloveds in spring boudoir dreams…” the mysterious woman upstairs murmured these two lines. Her hand slowly lowered, and the killing intent in her eyes gradually dispersed. The maid beside her, seeing this, asked in surprise, “What, aren’t you going to kill him anymore?”

“No, I won’t. He’s different from ordinary humans,” the mysterious woman said slowly, her gaze towards Zu An filled with a strange expression.

Downstairs, the hall fell into silence. Everyone was savoring the poem they had just heard, and in their minds, a grand and tragic battlefield seemed to appear. Imperial soldiers fought to the death, disregarding their own lives, and many sacrificed themselves. The northern border was cold. Most of the imperial army wore only cotton clothes when they went on campaigns; only the most elite troops wore brocade and sable furs. Even among them, five thousand died in battle, clearly showing the ferocity of the fighting and the heavy casualties.

What shocked them most were the last two lines: the stark contrast between the bleached bones by the river and the beloveds in spring boudoir dreams was truly powerful. They used to think the greatest tragedy in life was hearing of a loved one's death. But now, it seemed that while such news was painful, at least one could mourn. In the scene Zu An depicted, years passed without any news, and a wife dreamt every night of her husband's return, unaware that he had long become bleached bones by the Wuding River. The violent clash between hope and despair – that was the true tragedy.

Many in the hall felt a lump in their throats. They wanted to speak but found any words seemed pale.

Miss Nan Xun's eyes welled up, and she looked tearfully at Zu An: "Young Master, you are too cruel."

Watching his dream girl gaze so tenderly at another man, Pei You would normally have been consumed by jealousy. But now, he was utterly convinced. Big Brother Zu is truly impressive!

However, he was more concerned about something else. He quickly leaned towards Gao Ying, and seeing that he had indeed added the name again, Pei You's delicate eyes widened. "What about mine?"

Gao Ying felt a little guilty. With a flick of his brush, he added a few words at the end: "Friend Pei You ground the ink."

Pei You's anger turned to joy, and the ship of friendship was finally preserved.

Upstairs, Bi Zi'ang's expression changed repeatedly. He thought, 'This young man is terrifyingly talented!'

'Fortunately, it’s only in literary talent. I should be able to suppress him... right?' Now, he lacked his usual confidence.

On the other side, Yu Nan's face was pale, and his body trembled uncontrollably. He had never imagined that this street ruffian, as he saw him, truly possessed world-shaking talent. Not just him, but even all the literati from past dynasties combined couldn't compare. Thinking of everything he had done today, it felt as if it was all to help the other party show off, ultimately becoming a stepping stone for someone else's fame. He painfully closed his eyes. It was clear that after tonight, he would likely become the laughingstock of the capital, and might even be recorded in history—but in a negative light.

'What kind of damn luck was this, to encounter such a once-in-a-millennium anomaly!' His mind was turbulent, and despite usually valuing his composure, he couldn't help but curse under his breath.

Just then, the voice of Yi Zhibing next to him rang out: "How dare you! The imperial army has just set out, and you curse them with heavy losses? Your intentions are punishable!"

Yu Nan glanced at him blankly. Although he knew Yi Zhibing was just stirring up trouble, he was like a drowning man, unwilling to let go of even a straw. Hearing him speak, many in the hall who were usually close to him chimed in. Others also felt the poem was somewhat inauspicious.

At this moment, Qin Guangyuan let out a heavy snort: "What do you people know! Ah Zu must be describing the great battle thirty years ago, when for various reasons, the imperial army suffered heavy losses, and bodies lay scattered by the Wuding River. Ah Zu's purpose in this is to warn us to avoid repeating past mistakes. He truly has good intentions."

Zu An was a little surprised, not expecting it to align with history. It seemed his luck was good. In fact, he wrote this poem to express an anti-war sentiment. As an ordinary person in his past life, he could empathize more with common soldiers.

Just then, Miss Nan Xun's vermilion lips parted slightly: "I also have some understanding, though I’m not sure if I should say it."

The others were instantly invigorated: "Miss Nan Xun, please speak freely."

'Heh, a bunch of sycophants!'

Nan Xun glanced at Zu An and slowly said: "You are all high-ranking noble figures, but I am of humble origin, and thus better able to comprehend the suffering of ordinary people. War, regardless of who wins or loses, claims many soldiers and civilians. They too have families and loved ones. No one has ever articulated their pain, but Young Master Zu's poem perfectly encapsulates their sorrowful lives. I personally believe Young Master Zu must be a kind and gentle-hearted person. Besides the warning and exhortation that Young Master Qin mentioned, this poem also seems to express a sentiment of anti-war and a love for peace.”

After speaking, she looked at Zu An with expectation. Zu An was a little surprised. This courtesan was quite insightful. He nodded and said, "Yes, that is indeed what I meant." Born in an era of peace, he truly had no interest in war. What was the point of all that bloodshed, countless displaced people, only to secure the prestige of a few?

Upstairs, the mysterious woman's lips curved slightly upward: "Indeed! This man is quite interesting."

However, the others in the hall didn't think so, and they all started laughing. "That’s certainly a scholar’s perspective.” “Miss Nan Xun is too kind. The demon race is incredibly brutal. If you don't kill them, they will slaughter more of our people.” “Precisely. This war, too, began because the demon race massacred one of our cities. To speak of peace with them is utterly pedantic.”

Most people in the hall held similar views. It was well known that the Great Zhou dynasty was founded on military might, constantly campaigning and defeating various enemies from all directions. These people also came from prominent families, and everyone aimed to achieve great deeds and establish their careers. Naturally, it was difficult for them to empathize with common people.

The mysterious woman upstairs snorted: "These people are truly despicable!"

The maid beside her also said angrily: "Exactly! Why don’t you just kill them all!"

The mysterious woman shot her a sideways glance: "Here, I’ll give you the knife. Will you go kill them?"

The maid pouted: "I don’t have that ability."

The mysterious woman chuckled: "So you know that. Then don’t speak such unrealistic nonsense."

Down in the hall, although everyone thought Zu An was a bit too soft-hearted, they all admitted it was a rare and excellent poem. They thought to themselves, 'This fellow claiming to possess eight-tenths of the world's talent wasn't an exaggeration after all.' Not to mention the entire world, even across all dynasties, no one had appeared with a poetic and literary standard comparable to his. With the support of the Qin brothers and Miss Nan Xun's praise, Yi Zhibing still wanted to say more, but Yu Nan stopped him. Things had reached this point; saying more would be useless and would only further damage his image.

Miss Nan Xun's ears twitched slightly, as if she had heard something. She felt a flicker of surprise but didn't show it. Instead, her beautiful eyes gazed at Zu An, and her usually aloof expression held a hint of something inexplicable. "Young Master Zu, I really like this poem. May I have it?"

Zu An smiled: "And what will the young lady give me in return?" Agreeing immediately when a woman makes a request—that was not the quality of a qualified 'sea king' (player). Hearing this, the others in the hall cursed, all thinking Zu An was too shameless. Although everyone appreciated his literary talent, when it came to competing for women, no one would be polite.

Nan Xun's face flushed slightly: "I wonder what Young Master desires?" As a courtesan, she was skilled in song and dance, and her reply was equally brilliant. It seemed like an agreement but committed her to nothing, allowing her to advance or retreat as needed.

Zu An stared directly at her, a playful smile on his lips: "I want you…"

Hearing his words, even Gao Ying and Pei You glanced sideways. Why was this guy so bold? The others couldn't stand it any longer and condemned Zu An for being rude to the beauty, almost ready to throw eggs. Upstairs, the mysterious woman spat: "What a philanderer!" Zu An, meanwhile, happily accepted the anger points from these people, practically winning big.

Miss Nan Xun's face grew even redder: "I would very much like to agree, Young Master, but so many people have come for me today, and the next few rounds haven't even begun. I dare not easily commit myself."

Zu An secretly marveled. This woman's way of leading men on was also formidable. It was like those women in his previous life who kept 'spare tires' (backups), flirting and dangling hope, making you think the relationship was close enough. But when you genuinely wanted to take it further, you'd find an unbridgeable chasm between you.

However, he was prepared: "I merely want you to remove the tassels from your face. Where did the young lady's thoughts go?"

Nan Xun froze, then realized he had teased her. She gave him a look of embarrassment and annoyance. A woman might not remember a man who made her laugh, but she would definitely remember a man who caused her emotions to fluctuate wildly.

At this moment, the others who had been cursing fiercely immediately changed their tune, echoing Zu An's sentiment. Everyone wanted to see Nan Xun's true face. Nan Xun acted embarrassed, but her reaction was quick. She said with a wronged expression, "I was originally only going to show my true face to one person today."

Zu An chuckled: "I don’t mind if you let others see it."

Nan Xun was speechless. The others thought, 'This guy is truly shameless. Miss Nan Xun clearly meant the chosen guest for the night, and you shamelessly claimed it for yourself?'

Just then, Nan Xun seemed to hear something else, a hint of resentment flashing in her eyes, then she said: "I will agree to the Young Master, then."

The entire hall erupted in an uproar, with some even whistling. They had expected Nan Xun to refuse, but who would have thought she would actually agree? On one hand, they desperately wanted to see her true face; on the other hand, they worried she might have truly chosen Zu An as her intimate guest for the night. How to describe that mentality? Ah, yes, in his previous life, he had seen an online ID called “wants to fall in love but fears intimacy,” which aptly described their current state of mind.

"But I will only show it to the Young Master," Nan Xun whispered, then slowly untied the tassels from her face, revealing a charming face, both delicate and slightly annoyed. Her skin was pure white and flawless, with a delicately upturned nose and luscious red lips, combined with her captivating and beautiful features, truly making her a peerless beauty.

Standing beside Zu An, Gao Ying and Pei You's breathing suddenly quickened, their eyes wide. In truth, they had seen beauties of comparable caliber, such as the Crown Princess, who were no less stunning. However, Nan Xun had so many preconceived halos surrounding her, and the two had already imagined so much about her. Upon seeing her, they naturally filled in the gaps, making her appear even more perfect, to the extent that they felt the woman before them was exquisitely beautiful, perhaps the most beautiful they had ever seen in their lives. They secretly sighed. What a pity she had set her sights on Big Brother Zu. Otherwise, they would have found a way to marry her, even if it meant using their family's influence without reservation.

Thinking this, the two sobered up slightly. Their hearts felt as if they had just bitten into a lemon, and they involuntarily looked at Zu An beside them. However, they immediately noticed that Zu An's mouth was open even wider than theirs, still in a dazed, lovestruck state. Their hearts felt much more balanced.

'Brother Zu's willpower isn't strong enough. He becomes like this just by seeing a beautiful woman.' 'His own wife, Young Mistress Chu, was clearly a stunning beauty, so why was he still like this?'

While the two were silently criticizing him, Zu An's mind was in turmoil. He finally understood why he had felt this woman was familiar before: he had seen this face just two days ago. And it was a very close encounter! But it was in the Prince Qi's residence, inside Prince Qi's concubine's coffin! This courtesan looked almost identical to Prince Qi's concubine! The biggest difference was probably that the woman in the coffin had a pale face, while this woman was as radiant as a flower.

No wonder I felt she looked familiar but couldn't place her. After all, who would connect a famous capital courtesan with a dead person? No wonder everyone said her eyes held a noble quality, and it wasn't an act. The dignified concubine of Prince Qi would, of course, be noble.

In that instant, countless thoughts flashed through Zu An's mind. He didn't believe two people who looked so alike could be unrelated. Was this woman Prince Qi's concubine's twin sister? Or was she the ghost of Prince Qi's concubine? Thinking of this, even though the surroundings were brightly lit and bustling, Zu An felt a chill creep up his spine. Although he was now a cultivator, he had never encountered such a supernatural event. He had encountered ghosts in secret realms before, but those were treated as monsters to be fought. This person, in a sense, was an acquaintance, instantly transporting him back to his past life's horror movie viewing experiences.

At this moment, the other men in the hall rushed towards them. Because Zu An was in a quiet corner, and Nan Xun had deliberately turned her back to the others when removing her tassels, only Zu An and his two companions had clearly seen her appearance. The others were itching with curiosity and disregarded their manners. After all, most of them were destined not to win Nan Xun's favor tonight, so seeing her true face now would at least be something. So, one by one, they left their seats and ran over. However, Nan Xun was quick to react, almost imperceptibly re-tying the tassels to her face.

Zu An's reaction, however, puzzled her: "Has my humble appearance startled the Young Master?" There was a hint of faint resentment in her voice. If it had been any other man, their bones would surely have melted, and they would have felt guilty, rushing to explain or even apologize. But Zu An's hair was standing on end. However, having experienced much, he quickly composed himself and smiled slightly: "The young lady jests. If such beauty is considered humble, then are there any beautiful women left in the world?"

Nan Xun smiled faintly: "The Young Master flatters me."

The others who rushed over didn't see Nan Xun's full appearance, but instead saw Zu An charming her into delightful giggles, as if he had just flaunted his intimacy, and their eyes, filled with jealousy, turned to him. However, Zu An currently had no time to spare for the string of anger points he received; his mind was racing.

Could it be that Prince Qi's concubine had merely faked her death? Then who was the woman in the coffin? After all, out of respect for the deceased, he hadn't meticulously examined the corpse's face. It was possible she had been disguised. But what kind of disguise could be so clever? Sang Qian had performed a post-mortem on her; surely she would have noticed if her face had been disguised. Zu An was utterly stumped for a moment.

If Prince Qi's concubine truly wasn't dead, then things got interesting: she was a princess consort on one hand, and a courtesan on the other. Prince Qi was being terribly cuckolded. He suddenly recalled a news story from his previous life: a certain celebrity was arrested for visiting a prostitute, and various details about the woman were leaked online. Everyone was curious what kind of beauty could make that celebrity lose control. According to various rumors, the woman was indeed very beautiful, but she charged eight thousand for a night. Then, a 'victim' (a wronged party) came forward and revealed that the woman was actually his friend's girlfriend! It was originally a tragic story, but someone suggested that the 'green' (cuckolded) friend could look at it from another perspective: didn't he effectively earn eight thousand every night before?

Zu An pondered, with Nan Xun's current fame in the capital, how much silver could Prince Qi be earning every night? While he was lost in thought, Miss Nan Xun had already returned to the second-floor stage and played another round of drinking games with a group of people. However, with Zu An's brilliant performance just before, everyone inevitably felt a bit uninspired. After all, reciting other people's poems at this point would not only fail to impress but would only serve to highlight Zu An's talent.

Not long after, Nan Xun also found an excuse to leave. Everyone immediately sat up straight. They knew that she had probably already chosen someone. Although their chances were slim, who didn't have a dream? What if Miss Nan Xun was blind?