Chapter 336: Evening Banquet

At eight o'clock in the evening, the banquet officially began.

Officials and wealthy merchants from all over the country were invited to the palace for the banquet, and Chen Che and Xie Wanning, as foreign guests, were among them.

And Chen Che finally saw that mysterious Cult Leader.

The Cult Leader entered the venue under the gaze of everyone, hands pressed together, smiling humbly in response to those who greeted him.

The Cult Leader's attire was both traditional and modern; he wore an exquisitely handcrafted robe in a dark tone, appearing solemn yet stylish.

The delicate embroidery on the robe reflected the traditional craftsmanship of Ansili while maintaining the simplicity and fluidity of modern aesthetics.

His headscarf was neatly wrapped around his hair, secured by an exquisite agate pin.

In a public setting like today's, he wore a pair of rimless glasses, which not only highlighted his erudition but also made him appear closer to modern aesthetics, not at all like the pedantic religious figures in stereotypes.

His voice was deep and powerful; every time he spoke, it seemed to touch people's hearts deeply, bringing an incomparable sense of intimacy.

Most uniquely, the Cult Leader held an ancient scripture in his hand; the edges of the pages had already turned slightly yellow, but the cover was kept polished and shiny.

Overall, Chen Che felt it was acceptable; he did not seem as bizarre as the Princess's legends suggested, at most a knowledgeable wise man, and in the end, still a human.

But once the Cult Leader took his seat, Chen Che felt awkward.

Because they were foreign guests, Chen Che and Xie Wanning were seated on the same side as King Abdullah.

The Cult Leader's seat was diagonally opposite his own, not very far away, but it would be difficult to strike up a conversation with this Cult Leader during the banquet.

Moreover, this Cult Leader seemed to have a bit of an ego; he was clearly so friendly when greeting everyone upon entering, but now that he was seated, he lowered his head and began to flip through his scripture.

A young Follower stood behind him, responsible for turning away anyone who wanted to come up and talk.

Looking at this, would he need the Follower to help him pick up food after the banquet started?

"Doesn't seem easy to get along with..."

Chen Che scratched his head and sighed.

At this moment, the King, the Queen, and the Princess made their grand entrance, and everyone stood up to pay their respects.

Following the royal family into the venue were the Palace Guard Commander, Yuri, and the Great General of Ansili, Hogan.

It was just that this father and daughter had no chance to sit down today; with the crowd mixed, they had to ensure everyone's safety and ensure the banquet ended smoothly.

"That is General Hogan, Commander Yuri's father, a Martial Artist warrior at the Pre-Heaven Earth Master realm."

Xie Wanning looked in the direction of Chen Che's gaze and said.

Chen Che nodded: "I can tell, he looks very imposing."

General Hogan was a middle-aged man with a burly build and a dignified temperament.

Time had carved marks on his face, but these marks did not diminish his heroic spirit; instead, they added a sense of composure and perseverance born from the battlefield.

His black hair was streaked with a few strands of silver, a symbol of wisdom and experience, tied neatly behind his head to reveal a broad forehead.

His eyes were deep, as if they could perceive every change in the scene, revealing decisiveness and sharpness. His nose was straight, and his lips were tightly pressed, showing his serious and earnest character. His chin was firm, and his beard was neatly trimmed, highlighting his rigor and self-discipline as a general.

Perhaps due to his profession, General Hogan's skin was very dark, further highlighting his perseverance and fearlessness.

His body was sturdy with well-defined muscle lines; even in middle age, he still maintained the physique and strength of a warrior.

The General wore the traditional military uniform of Azkalan, an elaborately made uniform dominated by dark blue, embroidered with golden patterns and designs, symbolizing his military rank and honor.

The shoulders of the uniform were decorated with golden epaulets, and his chest was covered with various medals; these were the honors he had won in countless battles.

At his waist hung a gorgeously decorated scimitar, very similar to Commander Yuri's, which should be a common style in Ansili.

He wore knee-high brown leather boots, which were also engraved with golden patterns, making them both practical and beautiful.

Chen Che narrowed his eyes, examined him carefully, and nodded sincerely: "His military uniform is quite good."

Xie Wanning laughed: "If you like it, after the banquet ends, I can go help you borrow a set."

"That won't be necessary."

Chen Che smiled and quietly looked up, only to see Princess Laila looking in his direction; after discovering that he saw her, she even waved happily.

Chen Che also smiled and nodded at the Princess, and for a moment, the Princess smiled even more sweetly.

"Are you sure you were looking at the clothes?"

Xie Wanning's cold voice came to his ear; Chen Che subconsciously shrank his neck and turned his head, "Senior Sister, the Princess's clothes are also very nice."

"Then are mine nice?"

"Also nice, no, even nicer! Senior Sister is beautiful, so whatever you wear looks beautiful!"

Xie Wanning curled her lips: "I think so too."

Chen Che: "............"

The Princess naturally saw Chen Che and Xie Wanning interacting; her bright, large eyes blinked, and she muttered to herself: "Does that big sister like Chen?"

The Queen turned her head, as if she had heard her daughter's muttering, looked in the direction of her gaze, and smiled gently: "Laila."

"Mother."

The Princess came back to her senses and looked at her mother.

Queen Fatima smiled kindly, reached out to tidy the Princess's clothes, and said: "There is one thing Mother wants to ask you."

"What is it?"

"The night before last, why did you go to Chen's room?"

The Princess was stunned, her large eyes blinking, and she denied: "I didn't! Mother! I didn't go to Chen's room!"

Fatima naturally knew her daughter was lying and pretended to be serious: "Lying is not what a Princess should do; Mother is going to be angry!"

"Ah... Mother, don't be angry! I... I just wanted to take a look at Chen's Token; I know this behavior is very rude, but Chen is a very good person; he didn't blame me, nor did he dislike me!"

The Princess was simple-minded and said it all in one breath.

Queen Fatima asked again: "Then did you do anything?"

"We didn't do anything!"

Princess Laila suddenly remembered the incident of spraining her foot, subconsciously shrank her right foot, and her face turned red, "Really, we didn't! Mother, don't listen to Yuri's nonsense... She clearly promised me she wouldn't tell you; Yuri is a traitor!"

The Princess muttered in a low voice.

However, the Princess's reaction fell entirely into the eyes of the Queen.

The Queen affectionately stroked her daughter's head and smiled, saying, "You must not blame Yuri; that is her status and duty. Besides, Mother never said I was going to punish you."

"Really?!"

The Princess tilted her face up, grabbed the Queen's hand, and said coquettishly, "Mother is the best!"

"But Mother has something to ask you."

"Alright, Mother, you ask."

The Queen turned her head to glance in the direction of Chen Che and asked, "Tell Mother the truth, do you like Chen?"

"Ah..."

Her Highness the Princess's face flushed red instantly, and her large eyes darted around, dodging, "Mother, I... I... Chen is very good... I... I..."

The Queen's smile was kind, and she saw through her daughter's thoughts at a glance, saying, "Your father has investigated; Chen is a hero in his country, but his childhood was very difficult, and his family members were all killed."

"Ah? Then Chen is truly too pitiful!"

Princess Laila said with a look of heartache.

"However, he is doing very well now; he is a hero of his country and also a disciple of the Sovereign of Xia, so your father and I mean that if you like Chen, we agree to you marrying him, treating it as a marriage alliance between the two countries, which also has many benefits for Ansili."

Queen Fatima said in a gentle tone, speaking slowly, "So, what is your intention?"

"Ah! Mother, I... I am still young... I don't want to get married yet! And... and..."

Her Highness the Princess looked up to glance at Chen Che, who was chatting happily with Xie Wanning, "And I don't even know if Chen likes me..."

"Mother can help you ask..."

"No! Don't, it's better not to, Mother!"

Her Highness the Princess said with a serious expression, "I can handle it myself!"

The Queen dotingly stroked the Princess's head and smiled, saying, "Alright, then if you can confirm that Chen also likes you, your father and I will arrange things for you two."

Princess Laila nodded, her small face flushed red, and she pursed her lips, looking cautiously toward Chen Che.

………