There were only two fingers pulling on his clothes, but Alexander could still feel the pinching so tight, as if Princess Caniola had used all her strength on her fingers at this moment.

Although I don't know why the princess suddenly made such a move, but from her seemingly calm appearance, if you look closely, you can see that there is a faint trembling cheek on it, and it can be seen that Princess Caniola must be very nervous now, even with a hint of fear.

"As you wish, Archduke," Alexander finally spoke, and as soon as his words came out, all eyes were on the Archduke, as if waiting for his verdict.

The moment seems to pass slowly.

"That's wonderful," replied Archduke Karl at last, with a seemingly happy voice, and with his words of laughter, the atmosphere around him was instantly relaxed.

The guests sitting at the table also burst into laughter, and the musicians who had stopped at some point to play the local japhard began to pluck the strings.

Busako slowly withdrew his hand from the handle of his gun, and he grabbed a fleshy bone on the table and gnawed hard, but his eyes remained fixed on Archduke Karl not far away.

Alexander took the opportunity to clink glasses with the princess to look at Princess Caniola again, and he found that the princess's expression had completely regained her composure, and there was no hint of any sign on her face.

This made him even a little suspicious that the tearing of his clothes just now was just his delusion.

In the middle of the horseshoe-shaped concave table, two young men and women were dancing to the melody of the earthworm, which was somewhat exotic, and even mixed with some faint seductive dances, which aroused Alexander's interest, he knew that the Balkans were fierce, but it was obviously a foreign inspired dance, but it reminded him of a lot of things.

When Mohammed II besieged Belgrade decades ago, he could never have imagined that he would face the biggest defeat of his life.

The Sultan, who had the most powerful army in the world at the time, failed to perform any more miracles, and he was beaten to the ground by the fierce soldiers of the Balkans and a large group of equally fearless peasants, and even the Sultan himself was wounded.

This led to the reluctance of Mehmed II, who was reluctant to retreat, and the result of this crushing retreat was that the Ottoman conquest of the Balkans was delayed for more than half a century.

However, despite this, the influence of the Ottomans in the Balkans was not diluted by the defeat of Muhammad, on the contrary, during these decades, the Ottoman Empire gradually penetrated into the Balkan countries, in addition to the horrors of their feared armies, but also their food, culture, and especially religion, which quietly infiltrated every corner of these large and small countries.

If that was the case, Alexander didn't really care, but Princess Caniola's actions had caught his attention, and he could feel that he was serious when Archduke Karl said that, and the situation was that if he said no, the Grand Duke would probably actually take action.

Had the Ottomans already been able to influence the Balkan court, and what were they thinking behind these seemingly joyful aristocrats? Alexander pondered in his heart.

The dance in front of him suddenly became boring, and the entire Caniola court looked like a group of masked actors performing a play.

It was getting dark, but Archduke Karl seemed to be in high spirits, and he kept beckoning the cook to bring the fine wine out of the cellar, and then he simply danced to the cheerful tune of the earloin.

The Grand Duke's back pressed against him like a stone, but this did not seem to affect his mood, and in the midst of the cheers of his attendants, the Grand Duke Karl even beckoned the people to run with him to the open space in the middle of the table.

While dancing, the Grand Duke's hand was always tightly holding the hand of Princess Co Marchdovi, who had been sitting next to him, and did not let go even when he danced the dance step of the turn, but only alternated his two hands, but always held them tightly.

Alexander felt a slight change in the expression of Princess Caniola sitting next to her, and she seemed to move very casually, but Alexander soon noticed that she was gesturing to him under the table.

The people were still dancing around the Grand Duke, and Princess Caniola walked slowly along the wall, and when she saw that no one was paying attention to her, she dodged through a small door into the passage leading to the garden.

Alexander didn't follow, though he knew that the princess seemed to have something to say to him, but as a guest at the banquet he was obviously in the spotlight, and even Busako was surrounded by several women who kept asking this and that.

Alexander, who was surrounded by people and came to the clearing, came to Archduke Karl, and he noticed that the archduke's hand holding Princess Marchdovi was getting tighter and tighter, which made the princess's face even pass a trace of pain.

"Are you going back to your barracks?" Grand Duke Karl looked up at Alexander slightly with a breath of wine.

"Yes, I'm used to being with my army."

"It's a good habit," the Grand Duke nodded in agreement, "I remember that the Roman Emperor Basil had this habit too, and some even say that he spent most of his life in the barracks rather than in the harem. The Grand Duke laughed, then turned to the people around him and said, "But it seems to me that this habit is a bit self-inflicted, unless the emperor's women are ugly, if he has such a beautiful wife, how can he be willing to give it?" ”

As he spoke, the Grand Duke suddenly tugged hard, took her into his arms in the exclamation of Princess Marchdovi, and then kissed the princess on the lips with a greasy mouth.

There was an immediate burst of laughter, whistles and strange shouts, and Alexander noticed the anger on the faces of Gurley and some of the Malchidovites who had come with him.

"Don't be angry with the prince, I'll soon be your brother-in-law," the Grand Duke apparently saw Prince Gally's angry look as well, and he let go of the princess and turned back to the prince and said, "Now you eat and drink with our guests, I have more important things to do." As he spoke, he grabbed Princess Marchdove's hand and walked towards the door.

"Where are you taking my sister?"

Prince Clarie shouted angrily, but was stopped by a tall retinue of the Grand Duke next to him, who reached out and pressed it on his chest.

"Of course it's my room, and you must know that it's a holy day, and you won't forget that, according to our Caniola's custom, a wife must go into her husband's room and spend the night alone before her marriage, so that her soul will become familiar with everything here, and she won't be frightened by the strangeness on the wedding night, and the angel who guards the bed will not be frightened."

"It's all pagan customs, and it's blasphemy that you still keep to it." Prince Gelly shouted, "You can't touch her, you haven't made a formal marriage yet!" My sister had to be pure and had a wedding. ”

"It may be a little difficult, but don't worry, I'll let her have her dressed up before the wedding, and she'll be clean and pure."

The obscene tone of the Grand Duke's words once again caused the surrounding entourage to burst into laughter, and they surrounded the Grand Duke and walked out, leaving only Prince Jiali to roar.

Alexander stood by and watched the scene without saying a word, even when the princess threw him a look that seemed to ask for help, he did not move.

From the very beginning, he had been observing, the princess who came to marry the Grand Duke, the Orthodox and Catholic churches in the capital, and the seemingly relatives, but in fact the cold wave was surging, and the open and secret battles between the two families.

None of this was new, and Alexander didn't even have to think twice to guess what was happening in front of him.

He was just thinking about what would it do him if he wanted to get in.

There is nothing right or wrong about this court-religious conflict for power, so there will be no noble reason to be involved in either side except for profit.

It may seem frustrating to think about, but in fact it is just one of the many farces that are unfolding throughout Europe today.

And there is another reason why he did not speak, and that is that he was not invited.

The prince seemed to want to solve the problem at hand himself, but all but the few people he had brought with him looked at him with either hostility or mockery.

And some of the people around him already showed timidity on their faces.

"Help me," said Prince Gally, who suddenly turned to Alexander and whispered hurriedly, "for the sake of our faith in Jesus Christ, do you want to watch my sister be insulted?" ”

"She's his fiancée."

"But they weren't married, and he was defiling the wedding with pagan customs." The prince said angrily, "Those customs are the evil habits left over from the pagan worshippers here, and almost none of those brides can enter the church purely, don't you know that this is a dirty thing?" ”

Perhaps because he was too excited, the young prince had a look of disgust on his face, as if he were saying something disgusting to him.

"My grandfather had abolished the custom, but now that they have reinstated it, I can swear that Carl is taking revenge and insulting to my family and our faith."

As he spoke, Prince Gallie glared at Alexander fiercely, feeling that there was no help from this man, and the prince's hand involuntarily pinched the hilt of the sword at his waist.

There was a faint sound of weapons clashing all around, and the Caniola, who had seemed to be watching the excitement, grabbed their swords.

"Don't be impulsive, it's really unwise for you to mention your grandfather at this time." Alexander whispered in the prince's ear.

He already knew from the knights of Moleco that Prince Jiali's grandfather was the king of the Principality of Cabaola that the Malchidovi family once ruled, and it was during his reign that the Catholic Church was promoted in the Principality of Cabaola, and it was precisely because of this that the later kings of Cabaola became wary of the Duke of Marchida.

That's enough, though.

Alexander felt that he had found enough reason, at least an excuse to get him to make a condition.

"Grand Duke!"

Alexander's shouts drowned out all the voices in the hall, and for a moment all eyes were on him, and Archduke Karl, who had dragged the princess to the door, stopped at the sound.

The Grand Duke turned around slowly, because he was holding Princess Marzidovi's arm, the princess had to follow him around in a half circle, and the Grand Duke Karl had a smile on his face, although he was hunchbacked, but the expression on his face was full of excitement, as if he knew from the beginning that Alexander would stand up.

Now that Alexander finally spoke, the Grand Duke's expression flashed with excitement.

"Earl, do you have anything to say?" Karl had a smiling look on his face, his gaze swept over Princess Marzidovi's face, then over Prince Gilly, and finally on Alexander's.

"You seem to have forgotten the rules that a believer ought to observe," Alexander continued, seeing that Karl was about to speak, "I am speaking of Princess Marzidovi, as a believer in Christianity, who once swore to keep the Bible's counsel to women to protect her chastity until the holy covenant of marriage was fulfilled, so that she would not be held accountable for her depravity, and now you are instigating a woman to break her oath. ”

"Count, you may not understand," Archduke Karl smiled silently, as if tentatively letting go of the hand holding the princess's wrist, watching the princess who first instinctively dodged to the side, but then froze and stopped, the princess showed more smiles on his face, "The Duchy of Caniola follows the canon of Orthodoxy, for 200 years we have followed the Patriarch of Constantinople as the first disciple of Jesus in this world, and the emperor of Rome is the only monarch who rules the world with Jesus Christ." ”

The Grand Duke said as he walked forward slowly, this time grabbing the princess's wrist again, for he could see the pained look on Princess Marchdovi's face.

Prince Gallie couldn't help but pounce forward, but Alexander reached out and pressed his shoulder.

"There was once a great duke in the House of Marchidovy," Karl walked slowly, his gaze looking around, and the kind of sharp gaze that made those who met him avoid it, "John Coe Marchidovy, the most ambitious of the family, he fought against the Ottomans with that terrible Chipes, and he fought for that Chipes to suppress his enemies, and he was rewarded by becoming the Grand Duke of Caniola with the help of Chipes. ”

There was a whisper from the people around them, everyone here knew this history, or for the Grand Duke's family, it was the last thing they wanted to talk about.

Now that Archduke Karl had suddenly said this in front of everyone, people couldn't help but secretly wonder about the purpose of the Grand Duke.

"John Co Marchidovi not only became the Grand Duke, but also established a church in Ljubljana that converted to Rome, and although his reign was short, we all know what he brought to Caniola," Karl paused and suddenly shouted loudly against his hunchback, "He put Caniola in danger of division, division of faith, division of territory, and when he died his son simply tried to separate from Caniola from Marchidovi, this is Marchchidovi, A group of people who, although ambitious, use all kinds of intrigues because of their vile cowardice! ”

Karl's last words suddenly raised his voice, and for a moment the entire hall was filled with Caniola shouts in response to the Grand Duke's shouts, and the angry rebuttals of several of the Marchidovites were quickly silenced by the shouts.

Prince Gally's face was pale, he was desperate to draw his sword, and when several Caniola nobles drew their swords at him, the prince angrily shouted at the Grand Duke behind these people: "You have insulted my ancestors, insulted my family, I will challenge you, let everyone see who is the despicable coward!" ”

"Why do you want to duel me?" Karl suddenly pushed away a nobleman who was in front of him, he walked up to the prince, raised his head slightly, stretched out his thick arm, and poked Prince Gally's chest with his fingers, "You are not qualified to challenge me yet, unless you inherit your father's title, but I now have a little doubt that you have this opportunity." ”

"What did you say?!"

Princess Marchdovi, who had been dragged by the Grand Duke but remained silent, let out a frightened cry: "What are you going to do to Gally?" ”

"That's what I'm talking about," Karl looked at the prince, then at Alexander, "Count, you're just passing through, and although your army looks brave, I know you have other things to do, so don't get involved, or you'll find yourself in big trouble." ”

Anything that has to do with faith or power is not so simple, and it's even worse if it has to do with both.

Europeans will not forget the Cruthian Wars because of faith, and the Balkans or Greeks will not forget the bloody conflicts that broke out in the Eastern Roman Empire over the centuries of idolatry and iconoclasm.

As for how many power struggles are hidden under the cloak of faith, it is impossible to say.

So Alexander nodded, he thought that Karl's words were still good, it was indeed a big problem.

Archduke Karl smiled again, he guessed correctly, the earl who had come from afar obviously had his own plans and purposes, so although the army outside the city was uneasy, he still believed that he could convince Alexander.

However, Karl also knew that this was probably going to cause some blood, but he didn't care about it, the Duchy of Caniola may not be as rich as those big powers, but they also had something that others would envy.

"You'll be paid a handsome Earl, and trust me you'll find gems in Caniola that are hard to find anywhere else." After Karl finished speaking to Alexander, he looked at Princess Marchidovi, who looked uneasy next to him, "As for your dear, I think you and your brother should stay in Ljubljana for a long time. ”

The princess's face turned pale instantly, she had already guessed the purpose of the Grand Duke, but this made her even more alarmed.

"Are you going to take us hostage?"

"No, let him be a hostage," the Grand Duke pointed to Prince Gally, "and you are going to marry me, we will have children, and our children will inherit my throne." ”

At this point Karl's eyes flashed with excitement, and his gaze swept over the princess's body, as if admiring a toy he had just gotten.

"It's a real problem," Alexander suddenly spoke, glancing at the door, and grinning at Karl after making sure he saw a familiar figure, "But it's because it's the trouble that I'm going to come in." ”

Karl's face sank instantly, but just as he was about to open his mouth, suddenly, an earth-shattering loud noise suddenly sounded from outside the palace!