Nighttime, Heaven Dou City.
Because the royal family is going to hold a large banquet, martial law has been imposed on the roads leading to the palace.
The City Garrison guards, dressed in gleaming silver armor, with long swords at their waists and shields and spears in their hands, lined up neatly on both sides of the road, stretching for more than ten miles, all the way to the palace square.
Large numbers of City Garrison guards were deployed to several city gates, aristocratic residential areas, and even near the Heaven Dou Spirit Hall Holy Temple.
In the event of a disturbance, it can be suppressed immediately, demonstrating the importance the royal family attaches to tonight's banquet.
At this moment, carriages and guards from various noble families and Soul Master clans were traveling along the wide avenue to the palace to attend a banquet.
Yu Tianmeng looked at the fully armed City Garrison guards on both sides of the road through the thin, gossamer-like curtain of the carriage window, and felt somewhat uneasy.
Is it really necessary to send so many troops to hold a banquet?
She saw no fewer than five thousand soldiers along the way, and it's likely that all one hundred thousand City Garrison in Heaven Dou City have been mobilized today.
As a time traveler, one must be cautious and always be wary of conspiracies. Therefore, Yu Tianmeng immediately thought of the story of "Hongmen Banquet".
Could tonight's banquet be a trap set by the Heaven Dou Imperial Family for Zhou Chen?
That's unlikely.
Yu Tianmeng thought the idea was somewhat absurd.
All six titled Douluo of the Purple Micro Palace are in Heaven Dou City, and Zhu Zhuqing is by Zhou Chen's side. The Heaven Dou Imperial Family would only dare to target Zhou Chen if they wanted to die.
This is probably just a show put on by the royal family to display their grandeur.
"My lord, ladies, we have arrived at the Imperial City Square. We will be able to enter the Imperial Palace soon."
The coachman in front of the carriage said.
However, he did not stop the carriage, but continued to speed along.
"Oh, have we arrived?"
Zhou Chen woke up from his slumber and found himself lying on Zhu Zhuqing's lap. Her once fair and smooth thighs now had a red mark, from where Zhou Chen's head had pressed down on them.
Lifting the carriage curtain, Zhou Chen's first sight was a huge square.
This square, backed by the palace, is extremely vast and can accommodate tens of thousands of people. The square is surrounded by Palace Knights in golden helmets and armor, a more elite Soul Master force than the Royal Guards. There are only two hundred of them, all of whom are Soul King of level 50 or above.
This demonstrates the Heaven Dou Empire's considerable strength. Two hundred Soul King are equivalent to the entire core strength of one of the Lower Four Sects.
At this time, at least several hundred horse-drawn carriages were parked in the square.
The square was packed with luxurious carriages bearing the crests of various powerful families, along with thousands of guards from each family.
The congestion was because their carriages and guards were not allowed to enter the palace and had to wait outside.
Zhou Chen, however, was different.
The carriage he was riding in belonged to the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, and the guards were Royal Guards, so naturally they could enter the palace directly.
This also shows the royal family's respect for Zhou Chen.
Therefore, the carriage carrying Zhou Chen and the other two slowly entered the palace gate amidst the envious gazes of the nobles and Soul Master in the square, and drove all the way to a grand hall inside the palace.
This grand hall is called the Golden Palace —yes, it's such a corny name.
It is said that this grand hall was built by the founding emperor of the Heaven Dou Empire. It is magnificent, imposing, and resplendent in gold.
It is said that the palace is paved with precious dragon-patterned marble from the south of the empire, the walls and ceilings are all painted with gold paint made of gold powder, and the crystal chandeliers on the ceiling are all made of luminous natural gemstones.
On the walls hang oil paintings created by the founding emperor.
The founding emperor was said to have a particular fondness for painting, and he painted thousands of paintings throughout his life, all of which are hung in this palace.
At this moment, dozens of elegantly dressed palace maids stood respectfully outside the palace gate, while the melodious sound of a harp faintly drifted from within.
Zhou Chen slowly stepped down from the carriage, while Zhu Zhuqing and Yu Tianmeng, one on each side, linked arms with him and followed beside Zhou Chen.
At the palace entrance, people of high status were constantly entering. These people would hand the attendants at the door their name cards, which would then be announced to the entire palace by an official in charge of calling out their names.
"The Azure Earl has arrived!"
"His Sun Buyu Heaven Dou Grade instructor at the Royal Academy, has arrived!"
"The Earth Dragon Gate, Sect Master Nan Qian Yue has arrived!"
The announcer's voice was high-pitched and shrill; yes, he was a eunuch.
As the names were called, the dignitaries, dressed in magnificent gowns, entered the hall with great poise, greeting the early-arriving nobles in the palace with beaming smiles.
These people gathered in small groups, holding transparent crystal wine glasses, sometimes chatting and sometimes laughing.
When Zhou Chen and his two companions arrived at the palace gate, they also presented their calling cards.
However, this invitation was neither from Zhou Chen nor Zhu Zhuqing, as neither of them wanted to publicize their identities in a grand manner.
Especially Zhu Zhuqing, who is the daughter of a duke of the Star Luo Empire, it is really inappropriate for her to announce her name at the banquet of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family.
Therefore, this is Yu Tianmeng's name card.
"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family, Miss Yu Tianmeng has arrived!"
Upon hearing this, the previously noisy banquet hall fell into a brief silence.
Everyone instinctively looked towards the palace entrance.
Although the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family has been declining, it is still one of the Upper Three Sects and one of the top Soul Master families on the Douluo Continent.
Upon learning that the direct descendants of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family were all present at the banquet, many astute individuals realized that tonight was anything but ordinary.
Originally, the Xue Ye held this banquet under the guise of celebrating Princess Xue Ke's birthday, but now it seems that this banquet is not so simple.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, a man and two women slowly entered the palace.
"Hiss~"
In an instant, many people gasped in shock.
Because the three people in front of me were so stunningly beautiful.
The young man in the middle, dressed in a purple and gold suit, had a handsome face, eyes like stars, and a tall and elegant figure. He made many noble ladies present feel their hearts flutter and exclaim that he was handsome.
The two young women on either side were absolutely stunning beauties.
The girl on the left is wearing a white dress, looking as cool and aloof as the moon, but with an extremely voluptuous figure; the girl on the right is wearing a bright silver dress, looking much more lively, but with a rather flat figure.
Upon seeing these two stunning beauties, most of the men present felt their hearts flutter.
At this moment, Zhou Chen looked around the palace and, finding no one he recognized, couldn't help but sigh.
Looks like I'm too early.
It is said that the higher the status of a person, the later they should appear. Someone as noble as myself should appear later than the emperor on Xue Ye.
Appearing so early is really beneath one's dignity.