Upon hearing the noise, the Witch turned around and saw a group approaching. Her charcoal-grey eyes swept over them, lingering on Tang Xiaohua for a moment with a clear hint of surprise before the light in her eyes was swiftly retracted.
She crossed her hands over her chest and bowed deeply with earnest devotion,
"Mr. President, it’s been a long time since we last met."
Wen Nian was taken aback, "You... have seen me before?"
The Witch smiled slightly, "Thirty years ago, your grandfather had invited me to bless you."
Wen Liangyu circled from behind to the front, looking at her in shock, "I’ve grown so old, yet you remain unchanged from that time..."
She had been old, but she looked exactly as ancient thirty years ago as she did now, without even a hint of change.
As soon as Wen Liangyu said that, everyone was shocked, and the way they looked at the Witch became filled with respect.
Wen Nian invited the Witch to take a seat.
The Witch supported herself with a wooden staff that appeared to have been casually snapped off from some tree.
"Thank you, Mr. President."
She bent forward again in a bow.
Wen Nian sat at the forefront, while the rest also took their seats, almost in a line facing the Witch, as if this would allow them to observe her more closely.
Tang Xiaohua still sat about two to three meters from Wen Nian.
"The journey is taxing, and I ought to have visited you at Ryan Castle, but unfortunately, I injured my leg in the Dongheng earthquake disaster area and, due to the pressing state affairs, couldn’t find the time to come, so I had Qu Yu invite you to the capital."
"Mr. President, you are too kind."
The Witch spoke, her voice a bit hoarse, and every wrinkle on her face was deeply etched,
"Since the founding of our nation, the islanders of Ryan Castle have been very grateful to each leader of the country. Ryan Castle may be part of G country’s land, but our leaders have always granted us great freedom, allowing us to live as we wish, unaffected by the mainstream."
"You protect us without restricting us. Otherwise, the residents of Ryan Castle would surely be disturbed by those who preach about various gods and spirits and be targeted by anti-superstitionists."
The Witch spoke slowly.
Ryan Castle is G country’s Holy Land. In ancient times, kings and Generals would invite the Witch for blessings, guidance, and even prophecies.
But in modern times, over the past hundred years, as everyone extolled science, the significance of Ryan Castle waned.
When Wen Nian was reviewing materials related to Ryan Castle, he discovered that not all leaders disregarded it. There had been Presidents who tried to assimilate Ryan Castle into a regular city, but after making the decision and even taking some actions, that President started to experience a string of misfortunes, as the common saying goes, bad luck.
In the end, his term ended prematurely with his sudden demise.
If Ryan Castle could continue to develop freely and well, why not embrace diversity?
Some leaders were broad-minded and could accommodate a rich variety of cultures, while some simply couldn’t be bothered.
Wen Nian belonged to the latter category.
If not for Song Lili, he would not have requested the Witch’s presence.
"On the journey here, I heard from Secretary Qu about the Dongheng earthquake, the death, and injuries were grievous..."
"Yes, which is why I hoped the Witch would honor us with her presence to bless our country’s people despite the arduous journey."
Wen Nian said devoutly.
The Witch smiled, "Mr. President, you have risked your own safety to enter the disaster area and boost morale. Your exemplary actions are far more effective than any blessings I could offer."
"Old Witch, regardless of whether it’s effective or not, your blessings always bring stability to our people."
The Witch stood up, walked over to Wen Nian, crossed her hands over her chest, and bowed deeply, while muttering something under her breath with a "chirp, chirp, chirp."