Before, Chu Mo was dressed shabbily, an aura of murder ebbing from him, along with the growing dark of the evening, Pang Zhongyuan couldn't clearly make out his features.

But now that he had a clear look at Chu Mo's face, Pang Zhongyuan suddenly felt that if this young man agreed, the couple formed with Nayi would actually be one of talent and beauty, perfectly matched.

However, such matters require careful consideration. Even if in haste, he couldn't bring it up directly now. If he scared this young man off, it would be a significant loss.

Pang Zhongyuan thought to himself while a warm smile appeared on his face. He said, "Young Master Lin, if it were not for your intervention today, I am afraid we might have met a terrible fate. Our princess wants to express her gratitude but feels that material reward would be but a mere insult to someone of your standing. Is there anything you need us to do for you? We will not hesitate to accomplish what we can."

Chu Mo smiled and gently shook his head, "My descent from the mountain was mainly for personal cultivation. The reason I lent a hand today was because I could not abide by those people who exploit the weak for their benefit and betray their loyalty! I can't stand such mean creatures!"

"Haha, Young Master Lin truly possesses a chivalrous heart!" Pang Zhongyuan gave a thumbs up, then sighed, "It's a pity that the present is not like the past, otherwise, we would have certainly repaid you well."

Chu Mo waved his hand, looking at Pang Zhongyuan, "It's okay. But, Mr. Pang, what exactly happened on the prairie? Can you tell me in detail?"

The two men probed each other, their purposes aligned, and naturally found their conversation enjoyable.

Upon hearing Chu Mo's request, Pang Zhongyuan was overjoyed in his heart, believing there was a significant chance he could keep this young man around.

"It's a long story!" Pang Zhongyuan sighed and began recounting the events that occurred on the prairie over the past two years.

"When I fell into hardship years ago, it was the king and queen, the parents of the princess, who sheltered me and gave me a place to stay."

"Although this place is not my hometown, after some years, it feels no different."

"My lifelong wish is to hope that this prairie can truly belong to its people, and that everyone can live here peacefully."

"However, the Great Qi has been eying the prairie for centuries, and has never given up their greedy ambition for this land."

"In the recent decades, they have been crafting their strategies."

"The late king was also deceived, thinking that the Great Qi had changed its ways until his death. Even then, he was still dreaming of peace."

A look of resentment crossed Pang Zhongyuan's face: "I always knew that the Great Qi must have some schemes here, and I have been on my guard and repeatedly warned the late king. But I didn't expect the people they bought over to be the two princes!"

"Those two beasts who don't deserve to be called sons, probably about half a year ago at a banquet, surreptitiously slipped something into the drinks of the late king and queen."

"The poison was colorless, odorless and formless, and it's slow-acting. After being poisoned, one would hardly notice it."

"Because they didn't dare to poison the late king and queen to death at once, if they did so, the royal guards would definitely tear them to pieces!"

"Even if they are princes, it wouldn't matter! The royal guards only obey orders from the king."

As Pang Zhongyuan recounted, a conspiracy within the royal court gradually came to light.

Great Qi's strategy was truly brilliant. They promised to confer the two princes as kings once the task was accomplished, and divide the entire prairie into two, giving each prince an equal share as their own territory.

All they needed to do was to nominally belong to the Great Qi!

At the same time, they promised many benefits to the two princes, such as unique jewelry and beauties from Great Qi, which thoroughly won over the stupid brothers, Jin Ge and Yin Ge.

They slowly poisoned their own parents with a chronic poison.

Finally, a few days ago, everything came to a head!

"First, the queen fell into a coma. The royal physicians had just discovered that this chronic poison had been accumulating in the queen's body for at least half a year when the greater tragedy struck—the king... fell into a coma, too."

"Already prepared, Jin Ge, taking advantage of his status as the eldest son and using the rules of the prairie, assumed power in the king's absence."

"He issued a number of orders to replace the royal guards with his own people. He took complete control of the royal court."

"Yin Ge, that beast, accompanied by that special envoy from Great Qi, personally beheaded his own parents... to show his complete allegiance to Great Qi, and to prove his loyalty."

"To the outside world, he announced that the king and queen died suddenly due to illness!"

"Then he slandered the princess of trying to seize power during the chaos and attacked her."

As Pang Zhongyuan spoke, tears flowed down his cheeks uncontrollably: "The poor king and queen, benevolent and kind-hearted, were killed by their own beast-like sons."

"The actions planted by the Great Qi on the prairie exploded almost instantaneously."

"A third of the tribal leaders on the entire prairie had been bought by the Great Qi. They promised them great benefits and the moment the incident happened here, they turned against the royal court!"

"These despicable villains!"

Pang Zhongyuan gritted his teeth, his face full of hatred.

"In the royal court, besides Jin Ge and Yin Ge, there were many others, some I had not even expected, who were also people of the Great Qi."

"We, the princess and I, were able to escape, thanks to those former royal guards who were replaced earlier. They sacrificed their lives, protected us while charging out, and then stayed behind to cover our retreat."

"Now... I'm afraid... they are all... dead."

Pang Zhongyuan's voice was full of grief.

Chu Mo sighed and said, "The two princes, at least one of them, is bound to inherit the empire in the future. What's in their heads... is it all shit? They actually dared to commit such a heinous act?"

"The late king was most fond of the youngest prince, which made the older princes feel threatened. However, the youngest prince is too young to take the throne even with the late king's favor," Pang Zhongyuan sighed. "Those fools were blinded by power. Do they really think Great Qi will be merciful? As soon as they take over the royal court, those princes will be the first to feel the blade!"

Chu Mo nodded in agreement. He had grown up with his grandfather in the military, where he read many military books and became familiar with the maneuvers and tactics related to the fate of a nation.

Chu Mo said, "Indeed, they're two fools, less than animals, harming their own parents!"

Then, Chu Mo looked at Pang Zhongyuan, "So, you guys managed to escape. Who are you planning to join forces with now?"

Pang Zhongyuan nodded, "This prairie, although ruled by the king, contains numerous tribes. This time, Great Qi has shown their cards. A third of the prairie tribes pledged allegiance to the Great Qi, but still, two thirds have not betrayed us!"

"Among them, the most powerful tribe belongs to Elder Haoyue."

"Elder Haoyue's tribe has always been a force on the prairie, second only to the royal court. They're family, maintaining intermarriage relations across generations."

Chu Mo sensed a little insincerity in Pang Zhongyuan's words and raised his brow to ask, "Are they really that close?"

Pang Zhongyuan couldn't help but smile bitterly. He realized that this young man was not easy to hoodwink despite his age.

However, this very quality made Pang Zhongyuan believe that as long as they could keep this young man, there was hope of reclaiming the royal court!

Others might scoff at his belief, but he, he trusted his own judgment.

"If they were that close, shouldn't they have sent someone over already?" Chu Mo added.

Pang Zhongyuan didn't hide anything and sighed, "For Elder Haoyue, preserving his strength is vital. He is the uncle of the princess, but he... is also the uncle of Jin Ge and Yin Ge!"

"So, you still want to join him? What's the point?" Chu Mo's brow furrowed slightly.

He had sensed that these people were not merely in a dire situation. They were at a total dead end!

Chu Mo looked at Pang Zhongyuan and said slowly, "There might be many on the prairie who are loyal to the royal court and Princess Nayi. Their forces, if united, would indeed be powerful, enough to eliminate Jin Ge and Yin Ge before Great Qi's army steps onto the prairie."

"But the problem is, without the king's court, who can willingly unite these people?"

"Princess Nayi?"

"She is the most magnificent gem of the prairie, the goddess in the hearts of the prairie's people!"

"But she is still not the queen!"

"Let alone the fact that Jin Ge and Yin Ge are clearly at an advantage. They've been declaring to the outside world that their parents fell ill and died suddenly, and that the princess was trying to incite a rebellion. Ask yourself, how many people dare to stand out and support Princess Nayi in times like this?"

"Under this situation, to join Elder Haoyue, the best outcome: Elder Haoyue will recall his kinship and shelter you, providing temporary protection."

"But as I see it, the most likely outcome is Elder Haoyue would seize all of you and put you either under arrest or house arrest, and use you as bargaining chips!"

Chu Mo sneered, "Then wait for the best moment to make a choice."

"But whatever choice he makes, I'm afraid there's no good outcome for you people."

Pang Zhongyuan was taken aback by Chu Mo's analysis; he was surprised to discover that he had underestimated him.

Not only was this young man formidable in strength, his intelligence bordered on the monstrous!

Pang Zhongyuan then gave a bitter laugh, "Young Master Lin, I am well-aware of what you have pointed out. But now... this is the only path left for us!"

"It's better to seek assistance from Elder Haoyue than to turn to other tribes!"

"Those tribes are nothing but ruthless."

"Though Elder Haoyue is cunning, he does have one weakness," Pang Zhongyuan said quietly, "he's a sucker for sentiment. Having the princess's aunt around will definitely influence him."

"Moreover, he has always been very fond of Princess Nayi."

-Pang Zhongyuan hesitated for a moment, then said straightforwardly, "Our initial plan was to arrange a marriage alliance between the princess and one of Elder Haoyue's sons. In exchange, we would promise him substantial rewards, seeking his support and military assistance to retake the royal court."

At this point, Pang Zhongyuan had no choice but to reveal everything. This young man could deduce such an accurate analysis of the situation just from their brief conversation. This was clearly not someone he could easily deceive!

"A marriage alliance?" Chu Mo sneered, "This world's biggest joke is marriage alliances. It's just a fragile veneer that can be pierced at any time. Once relations sour, what's an alliance? It's worth less than a fart!"

At this moment, a faint woman's voice came from not far away, "So, what should I do? Please educate me, young master!"

From the twilight, the enchanting figure of Nayi came out from the bushes.

Chu Mo knew all along that she had been eavesdropping. His previous conversation was mainly intended for her to hear.

So, when he saw her come out, he wasn't surprised at all and said coolly, "It's simple. Raise the banner of the royal court, resist Jin Ge and Yin Ge who dared to murder their parents, and establish your own regime!"

-End of part-

This part of the prairie plot contributes significantly to the following plot, so please be patient and give a little more time for our Chu Mo to grow. War has a significant impact on his growth. I can't reveal too much... you understand. Finally, I would like to ask for your votes. Such a long chapter, you must feel bad to leave without voting. If you have any, please click a little. Thank you!