Meanwhile, there were two plain-looking middle-aged men, following behind these four people. They were dressed in very ordinary clothes, seeming like ordinary bodyguards at first glance.

However, Chu Mo's heart stirred slightly. He remembered Nayi mentioning that Elder Haoyue had two guards with power at the Primordial Pass level who were always by his side. These must be those two men.

Looking at Elder Haoyue and his three sons, Chu Mo felt as if he was gaining new insights into their style and attire.

In this prairie, everyone he had previously encountered were brutally forthright men. Even Nayi, though exceedingly beautiful, dressed entirely in prairie style, with many ornaments on her body and head which jingled as she walked.

That was exactly how Chu Mo imagined prairie people to be.

But after seeing Elder Haoyue and his three sons, Chu Mo felt slightly disoriented, as if he had been transported back to life in Great Xia.

Chu Mo glanced over at Pang Zhongyuan, and sure enough, the moment Elder Haoyue appeared, there was an unnatural flash across Pang Zhongyuan's face. He quickly regained his composure, smiling as he stood up and looked at Elder Haoyue with a hint of respect.

Nayi and Lie Ge also stood up, smiling to greet Elder Haoyue.

Princess Baolian was the last to stand. Her tone was indifferent, showing no sign of facing her husband as she looked at the approaching Elder Haoyue and gently asked, "Why are you here?"

Elder Haoyue gave a slight smile, then nodded to Pang Zhongyuan, "Mr. Pang, we meet again!"

Pang Zhongyuan bowed respectfully to Elder Haoyue, "It is good to see you again, Elder Haoyue!"

"Haha, no need to be so formal, we're all old friends here!" Elder Haoyue roared with laughter, and only then did he look at Princess Baolian affectionately, "Our niece and nephew are here, how could I not come to see them?"

He turned back and instructed the three young men behind him, "Why haven't you come to pay your respects to the Princess and the third Prince?"

Although the Prairie's royal court didn't have as many rules as Great Qi and Great Xia, the distinction between young and old was the same.

The three young men boldly stepped forward to pay their respects to Nayi and Lie Ge, their faces full of smiles. Nayi and Lie Ge returned their courtesy with smiles as well, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

The display nudged up Chu Mo's sense of caution towards Elder Haoyue. It was hard to imagine that Baduo had such an icy attitude towards them before.

Could it be that Baduo was simply being arrogant when he treated Nayi that way?"

Obviously not!

In that case, it could only be said that Elder Haoyue...was very cunning and good at masquerading.

His three sons were no less skilled!

But Nayi and Lie Ge on this side...were no less capable either.

Observing this, Chu Mo couldn't help but sigh. Children born into such families were naturally inclined to play roles, adept at disguising their true emotions in the blink of an eye.

Elder Haoyue's arrival cast a slight pall over the atmosphere in the banquet hall. However, Elder Haoyue himself seemed entirely unaware of this. He had another table of food brought out and began cheerfully drinking wine with Pang Zhongyuan.

During this time, he even raised a toast to the knights who had protected Nayi throughout their journey.

"Thank you all for escorting the Princess and Prince. You've worked hard!" Elder Haoyue stood up, holding a large bowl, "I'm drinking this bowl of wine first!"

All the knights, hearty men of the prairie, also stood and drained their bowls in response to Elder Haoyue's address.

"You are all the brave men of the prairie, all red-blooded warriors! Don't hold back because I'm here. Just think of this place as your home! Be at ease!" Elder Haoyue showed the crowd his empty bowl and then sat down again, still beaming.

The atmosphere in the banquet hall gradually regained its previous enthusiasm.

However, Chu Mo felt a chill in his heart. He surreptitiously observed the expressions of Nayi, Pang Zhongyuan, and Princess Baolian.

Indeed, they were all very clever indeed. Their eyes were all steeped in barely concealed hints of icy rage.

"This Elder Haoyue, while acting as the host here, there's nothing wrong with it. But the words coming out of his mouth and his attitude are clearly sending a signal to everyone," Chu Mo thought to himself. He's...trying to be the king of this prairie!

"Moreover, since he arrived, he hasn't mentioned the king or queen at all..."

"I heard the queen has always been kind to Elder Haoyue. This man...is truly cold-hearted."

I seem to have underestimated him!

Remembering the contents of the secret letter held by the Great Qi envoy, Chu Mo couldn't help drawing in a sharp breath: there were three or four people from Elder Haoyue's tribe mentioned in that letter...

Chu Mo had initially thought that Elder Haoyue should have been unaware of this. But seeing how shrewd he was behaving today, a man of such acumen couldn't possibly be oblivious to it.

"Could it be...that Elder Haoyue is actually Great Qi's most secret and most powerful pawn in the prairie?"

Although it was only a speculation, Chu Mo was nonetheless startled by the possibility. His grandfather once told him that the power struggles among the higher-ranked members of society were full of intricacies and plots that common people were unable to comprehend; even upon death.

Only when the trump card is revealed can one know the whole truth. And sometimes, even when the trump card is revealed, you might still not see the truth!

"It appears I need to re-evaluate that secret letter when I return," Chu Mo thought to himself.

The feast went on until late before it ended. Elder Haoyue and his group did not stay overnight. Instead, they left directly after the event.

Guided by a designated person, Chu Mo returned to his room. Soon after, Pang Zhongyuan came to find him.

Pang Zhongyuan, who had drunk quite a bit that evening, looked a bit tipsy. His speech was slightly slurred. Upon seeing Chu Mo, he first apologized, "I'm sorry for the inconvenience tonight. In fact... Young Master Lin should have been the one at the head table!"

Chu Mo waved his hand, "Didn't we agree that my identity must be kept a secret? Otherwise, we cannot carry out our plans."

Pang Zhongyuan waved his hand and spoke with a bitter smile, "There has been...a slight change in plans!"

"What?" Chu Mo looked at Pang Zhongyuan, his eyebrows furrowing slightly.

Pang Zhongyuan took a sip of water, then said solemnly, "There are serious issues with Elder Haoyue..."

"Oh?" Chu Mo cast a glance at Pang Zhongyuan. He had suspected this earlier in the evening but didn't know how Pang Zhongyuan came to this conclusion.

"During the drink, I deliberately tested Elder Haoyue's three sons. The oldest son, a smiling tiger, is very cunning! The second one is solemn at all times and speaks very little. Only the youngest seems carefree and is the least scheming," said Pang Zhongyuan.

"Therefore, among the three sons, only the youngest is the easiest to handle."

Pang Zhongyuan rambled a bit due to being drunk. Chu Mo didn't rush him and listened patiently.

"From what the youngest let slip, it became clear to me that Baduo's obstruction today was not instigated by Elder Haoyue, but by his oldest son, Haoyue Gemu!"

"This made Elder Haoyue furious, and he scolded Haoyue Gemu severely."

A cold smirk appeared on the face of the intoxicated Pang Zhongyuan, "Even though Haoyue Geshui only let slip half a sentence, how could it escape my notice?"

"This incident was not initiated by Elder Haoyue. Yet, he was infuriated over Haoyue Gemu's action. There must be something fishy about it!"

"This isn't like Elder Haoyue who isn't as fond of Nayi as Princess Baolian!"

"He got angry because he was worried that Haoyue Gemu's actions would raise our suspicions!"

"That's why he brought his three sons to the banquet and put on a happy face without mentioning a word about what happened at the royal court... It is clear that he is trying to lull us into complacency!"

"However, his sons are still too immature. How could they fool me with their feigned happiness?"

Pang Zhongyuan sneered, "First, he severely scolded Haoyue Gemu, then personally attended the banquet. This is not Elder Haoyue's usual behavior! I know him. The only reason that could make him act this way is an ambition that has reached its peak. This man wants to be the king of the Prairie!"

"Are you saying... he sided with Great Qi?" Chu Mo asked.

"Siding with Great Qi?" Pang Zhongyuan shook his head, "That possibility exists but is minimal. Even if he has connections with Great Qi, they are most likely just using each other. This man is too proud to easily side with Great Qi."

Chu Mo pondered for a moment before cautiously asking, "Then… do you think there might be pieces placed by Great Qi among Elder Haoyue's subordinates?"

Pang Zhongyuan frowned slightly and rubbed his head, "That possibility... does exist."

"So... our previous plans?" Chu Mo looked at Pang Zhongyuan, "Should we postpone them for now?"

"You have seen the situation here. It is much more complicated than we thought, and we need clarity… So, indeed, we should delay the plans for now. This means that Young Master Lin will have to stay here a bit longer. I'm sorry." Pang Zhongyuan spoke with a hint of an apology.

"It's okay. I don't have anything urgent to do anyway," said Chu Mo softly. "It's better to be cautious!"

Meanwhile, Princess Baolian and Nayi were also discussing the same issue in their own room.

"Auntie, why do I get the feeling that something is off with uncle?" Nayi leaned against the head of the bed, also a bit tipsy. Although she hadn't drunk much, the effect of the alcohol had slowly accumulated over time. Her three brothers, who hadn't pushed her to drink much, had all drunk with her.

"Of course he is off!" Princess Baolian sneered. "After your father's death, he started having other ideas. He first asked me if Jin Ge and Yin Ge, who committed such heinous crimes, should be killed."

"What did you tell him, auntie?" Nayi asked.

"Of course, I said they should be killed!" Princess Baolian sighed, "Those two children, I watched them grow up. They were good when they were young. I never thought that they would commit such heinous acts when they grew up."

"Your uncle then asked me, 'What should we do with the royal court of the Prairie once we avenge the king by killing Jin Ge and Yin Ge?'"

Princess Baolian snorted, "When I heard that, I understood his intentions. I told him that the royal court of the Prairie will always belong to your father's lineage. Even if Jin Ge and Yin Ge are dead, don't we still have Lie Ge?"

"He said that Lie Ge is too young and cannot win the support of the masses. I told him that although Lie Ge is young, you, Nayi, are not. And it's not like our Prairie has never had a queen."

Nayi shook her head, "I definitely can't..."

"Why can't you?" Princess Baolian grasped Nayi's hand and said, "Your character is most like mine. You're passionate, daring to think and act, and more intelligent than me. Why can't you be a queen?"

"It's too early to talk about this considering the current situation." Nayi spoke with a hint of dejection, "If uncle really has that ambition, who in the Prairie can stop him?"

Princess Baolian sighed and after a moment of hesitation, she said softly, "Did you know, your parents' death... is directly related to him?"

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This is a big chapter, seeking recommendation tickets... Actually, we are only a little bit away from being on the recommendation list. Can you guys give us a bit more support?