The princes didn't take their arrogant little brother seriously. If they hadn't feared the tribes backing the Queen Mother and his formidable uncle, Su Shi Yilu, they would have long since killed the little bastard without anyone noticing.
They still remembered how Twelfth had secretly insulted their mothers' humble origins. They had been nursing murderous intentions for years.
Given the current situation, Twelfth posed no threat.
There was something else far more pressing.
"Let's speak plainly. Which of you was behind those tribal massacres? Or do any of you know who did it?" The prince who spoke glanced around, lowering his voice as he questioned his brothers. His sinister eyes carefully swept across each face.
He didn't miss the slightest flicker of a reaction.
The other princes weren't fools either.
They showed no cracks in their expressions and gave honest answers.
"I don't know."
"Never heard of it..."
None of them believed the others.
They all harbored much the same suspicion.
One of their brothers had to be behind this.
But who would honestly admit to doing such a thing?
The banquet passed with each man harboring his own suspicions. Brothers who were on good terms or had already formed an alliance gathered to chat and laugh. The gathering looked harmonious, but beneath the surface, undercurrents churned. They secretly scrutinized everyone present with suspicious eyes.
After the banquet broke up, each man had someone in mind.
"It had to be Fifth or Seventh..."
"It had to be Fourth..."
"It had to be Ninth. He's the most suspicious..."
"No, it had to be Third..."
Every brother was a prime suspect.
Meanwhile, Su Shi Yilu returned home in a towering rage. His trusted aide had been waiting for him for a long time.
The aide had repeatedly offered advice that suited Su