"Greetings, Governor Zhu." Zhao Chen placed his hand over his chest and bowed to Governor Zhu.
Governor Zhu waved his hand with a chuckle. "No need to be so formal. Just like before was perfectly fine."
"I was originally curious about what kind of grandson-in-law that old man Chu had picked, someone who could actually be worthy of our Xuan'er."
"Now I believe it. Indeed, not bad; you can be my grandson-in-law."
Chu Xuan's cheeks flushed red as she glared at her grandfather. "Grandfather, what are you saying... don't... don't talk about such things here."
"What? You allow your grandfather to call him grandson-in-law, but I can't call him my grandson-in-law? Xuan'er... have you forgotten how good I've been to you!"
"Your grandfather wouldn't allow you to join the Imperial Fleet, but it was I who arranged for you to join the Imperial Fleet in the North Wind Star Domain, even though some unfortunate things happened later."
"Because of that incident, your grandfather came to scold me every other day for a while!" Governor Zhu put on the aggrieved look of a resentful wife.
Chu Xuan ignored her grandfather and looked at the young woman wearing sunglasses and a hat beside Zhao Chen. "And this is? ... Could it be your illegitimate daughter from outside, Grandfather?"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk! Xuan'er, you mustn't speak nonsense like that!" Governor Zhu's expression changed instantly as he hurriedly stepped forward to cover his granddaughter's mouth, then looked apologetically at the girl in sunglasses.
At this moment, Zhao Chen also began to wonder about this young woman's identity.
She could appear together with the Governor of the North Wind and make him so nervous.
In the Stellar Glory Empire... at this age... a young woman...
Zhao Chen immediately placed his hand over his chest. "Imperial Viscount Zhao Chen, greetings to Your Highness the Little Princess."
Little Princess?
Chu Xuan was startled. In the Stellar Glory Empire, there was only one person who could be called the Little Princess.
That was the Starlight Emperor's most beloved treasure!
"You really are clever, guessing so quickly." The young woman removed her disguise, revealing her true appearance.
Her skin was delicate and flawless, her features exquisitely beautiful.
Though she appeared only sixteen or seventeen years old, Zhao Chen was certain that if this girl grew up, she would be a beauty capable of toppling cities and ruining nations.
"Your Highness the Princess..." Chu Xuan exclaimed in surprise... then hurriedly bowed to the Little Princess. "My words earlier were careless. I beg Your Highness to forgive my offense."
Calling the Little Princess her grandfather's illegitimate daughter would be tantamount to saying the same about the current Emperor...
"It's fine, it's fine. Sister Chu Xuan, there's no need to be so nervous. We were just joking around normally, and you didn't know my identity earlier," the Little Princess said with a smile.
Tap, tap, tap, tap
The sound of military boots striking the ground echoed through the venue as everyone's gaze turned toward the entrance.
A squad of female soldiers wearing gold-and-white women's military uniforms strode briskly into the banquet hall.
It was important to note that ordinary soldiers would never dare enter such a place.
But seeing this squad of female soldiers intrude, no one dared to stop them; they even instinctively cleared a path.
The female squad leader anxiously scanned the banquet hall, as if searching for something.
"Isn't that the Little Princess's personal guard?"
"If the Little Princess's personal guard is here, why don't we see the Little Princess herself?"
By now, the Little Princess standing before Zhao Chen had put her veil back on, though she did not put the sunglasses and hat back on.
"I didn't expect them to find us so quickly. It seems we can only chat this far today," the Little Princess said helplessly, looking at Zhao Chen.
At that moment, the squad of female soldiers also spotted the person they were searching for and quickly approached.
"Your Highness, has my Eldest Sister come with you?" Zhao Chen asked hurriedly.
"Oh, your sister, right? She didn't come this time. She went to carry out another mission. If you want to see her, you can wait until after this Military Procurement Conference ends, then come back to the Capital Star System with me. In about a month or so, your sister will return," the Little Princess explained.
Eldest Sister wasn't here.
Zhao Chen felt a pang of disappointment in his heart.
Although he was somewhat nervous about meeting his Eldest Sister, now that he couldn't see her, he felt an empty, hollow sensation.
"Your Highness!" The squad of female soldiers had now reached the Little Princess and saluted.
At that moment, everyone's gaze was fixed on the Little Princess, but due to the veil covering her face, no one could clearly see her features.
"Greetings, Your Highness!" The crowd present began to bow to the young girl.
The Little Princess also shifted from her earlier playful demeanor, adopting the unique aura of royalty. A hint of arrogance flashed in her eyes as she nodded slightly to those who greeted her.
She then walked straight toward the innermost circle of the banquet area, where a private booth had been prepared for her in advance.
"This should be considered her first formal public appearance. Xuan'er, you and my grandson-in-law chat here for now. I'll go attend to the Little Princess," the Governor of the North Wind said to Chu Xuan and Zhao Chen before quickly following the Little Princess.
With the Governor of the North Wind accompanying the Little Princess, many who had initially wanted to approach and curry favor with her abandoned the idea, merely bowing from a distance.
"Now that I think about it, this really does seem to be the first time I've heard of the Little Princess attending such an occasion," Chu Xuan remarked with slight surprise.
Zhao Chen watched as the young girl, poised and graceful, moved forward like the moon surrounded by stars. Yet he could sense that behind those gem-like eyes lay the true self of the young girl.
Compared to the puppet-like figure she appeared to be now, the girl who had sat beside him earlier, full of endless questions, felt more like a living, breathing being.
"Your sister and the others seem to be in trouble," Chu Xuan suddenly said beside him.
Zhao Chen looked in the direction Chu Xuan pointed and saw Feng Xiao Wei pestering his sister and the others.
Zhao Chen set down his drink and walked straight over.
"Wan'er, have you seen? At this Military Procurement Conference, our Hurricane Consortium's T2 Hyena-class Medium Interstellar Destroyer is sure to win the bid. With a military procurement order worth 40 billion Star Coins, our Hurricane Consortium will become one of the strongest consortiums in the Stellar Glory Empire! As long as you're willing to be with me, I can give you so much!" Feng Xiao Wei boasted arrogantly.
"I told you, I have no interest in your damn consortium," Zhao Wan'er said with disgust.
Feng Xiao Wei continued to ramble on, "You might not have any concept of what 40 billion Star Coins means. That's wealth your brother couldn't accumulate in ten years, maybe even a lifetime! As long as you're with me, you can leave that backwater place."
As he spoke, he reached out his grubby hand toward Zhao Wan'er's face.
Slap
A slap landed squarely on Feng Xiao Wei's head, leaving him dizzy and disoriented.
"Who... who hit me!"
Feng Xiao Wei turned around and saw Zhao Chen. At the sight of this man, he instinctively took several steps back.
The experience he had on that T3 Blizzard-class Light Interstellar Battlecruiser was still vivid in his memory.
"Did you take what I told you before as nothing but empty words?" Zhao Chen stepped forward and delivered three more slaps in quick succession, leaving Feng Xiao Wei stunned.
This drew the attention of everyone nearby.
Daring to take action in such a setting was no small matter.
And the one being hit was none other than the young master of the Hurricane Consortium.