The pre-banquet marking the start of the grand hunt came to an abrupt and unremarkable end.
In a burst of energy, followed by decline, and finally exhaustion, several successive failures left the prairie nobles unable to continue. Moreover, everything requires a degree of moderation, and with Helian Lianyang present, they dared not act excessively, instead awkwardly smiling and averting their gaze, returning to their drinks without pressing further.
As for the woman who spoke up to extricate Wang Anfeng, she was indeed a Qin native, unexpectedly acquainted with Helian Lianyang, referred to externally as Lord Menghua. After resolving the situation, she said no more.
Helian Pan maintained a bright smile on his face, loudly shouting and drinking heartily. After the banquet dispersed, Helian Lianyang invited Lord Menghua to go out riding together to enjoy the scenery, while the others went their separate ways, leaving Helian Pan sitting quietly on a soft blanket.
Holding a cup of wine, there was only half a cup left, swaying slightly in the chalice.
He bit down on his right thumb, piercing the skin with his sharp teeth, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
The slaves and attendants cleaning up dared not disturb him; he lifted his gaze to look around, muttering in a low voice that it was indeed interesting. He mixed the blood from the corner of his mouth with the pungent milk wine and drank it all at once, tossing the almost crushed chalice onto the ground before getting up and leaving.
Zhou Hebi, in his garish bright red robe, was supported by his granddaughter as he rose, glancing at the meditative Helian Pan seated behind, secretly acknowledging that he was indeed a common young man, and he had been mistaken in valuing him so highly earlier.
Helian Pan had a great relationship with the Khan King's second son Sang Pengze.
Moreover, he had quite a few skills himself, enough to attract a highly skilled Fourth Rank Martial Artist to follow him. His martial arts and riding were among the best of his peers, leading the young nobles on the prairie, so initially, Zhou Hebi had placed him in a high position.
But now, it seems he was just an outwardly impressive young man, undeserving of such attention.
The woman in Wu Country attire beside him sensed the senior's disdain beneath his kind appearance and said:
Zhou Hebi glanced at his elegant granddaughter, walking toward the direction of the royal tent, smiling amiably, "Do you wish to ask why your grandfather laughed earlier?"
This young lady, originally from a Wu noble family, had a straightforward name, Zhou Yin'an. Whether she remembered the southern prairie or Jiangnan in the Central Plains depended on individual perspective. Upon hearing the elder's question, she merely nodded lightly without saying more.
Zhou Hebi replied blandly:
"Naturally, because of Helian Pan."
"Did you see today? That musician, how do you perceive him?"
Zhou Yin'an recalled the earlier scene where the musician in blue robe emitted a thunderous Qi Mechanism, and skillfully formed strings through condensed Qi, her heart becoming solemn.
For some reason, such advanced skills from the musician seemed effortless, and he appeared indifferent, as if the people present were beneath him. Though those strikes were somewhat more serious, leaving her confused, dispelling distracting thoughts, she continued supporting the elder forward, saying:
"When I initially accepted Helian Pan's invitation, I saw that musician alongside the hawk handler from the Kingdom of Che Shi. Yet, the musician's martial arts must have reached what the Central Plains call the Sixth Rank Qi Mechanism, making it impossible for him to be just a common hawk handler."
"It's said Helian Lianyang personally invited the musician to perform here."
"Earlier, when we encountered a predicament, it was also Helian Lianyang's friend who spoke up to resolve it. I ponder that they must be people from Helian Lianyang's side."
Zhou Hebi squinted, speaking blandly:
"You're right, Helian Pan should think the same."
"But I feel differently."
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"Please guide me, Grandfather."
Zhou Hebi replied blandly:
"Though Helian Lianyang is insightful, her vision is limited, and she typically protects her own, not using them recklessly for probing. If it were truly her player, the reaction wouldn't be so flat, she would likely have overturned the table first."
"Then, according to you, that person..."
Having experienced the most prosperous era of the Seven Kingdoms, and endured family ruin and displacement, the elder who had sought refuge with the Xiongnu paused, recalling the musician in blue robe playing the zither with effortless composure, sensing chills unconsciously arising.
Such a feeling had not occurred even facing the sharpest blades directly, in his long life, only during his youth, drunkenly witnessing a contemporary Sword Saint performing a sword dance at the court, had it happened, shaking his head, softly saying:
Zhou Yin'an hesitated.
Given Zhou Hebi's experience and status, those three words seemed overly weighty.
Zhou Hebi spoke no further, lifting the tent curtain, entering what was considered the foremost luxurious dwelling in the Northern Region prairie, lowering the curtain, Zhou Yin'an cautiously lit the lamp, brightening the tent.
The tent's position was right beside the Khan King's royal tent, yet its decor lacked opulence, with Jiangnan's calligraphy, red wooden carved tables from the Liang region, the scholarly four treasures on the table, and the White Jade Stamp, all indicative of Wu Country's scholarly noble clans.
Zhou Yin'an supported Zhou Hebi as he sat before the desk.
Zhou Hebi caressed a calligraphy piece on the desk, the white scroll unfurled, depicting mountain and water scenes with a Lotus Pool, precipitous rocks, rippling waters, vast in scope, yet only one green lotus in the pool, all others withered, and even that single green lotus budding, yet to bloom.