Chapter 1742 - 1728
Prince He Shuo’s scrutinizing gaze rested on Chu Ge. The young man before him appeared to be around twenty years old, clad in blue attire, exuding a strong sense of righteousness, with an edge of sharpness beneath it.
He instinctively furrowed his brow; this person was no ordinary individual.
"Your Highness, may I go over and have a few words with my savior?" Ru Xue asked upon noticing Prince He Shuo’s ongoing focus on Chu Ge without responding.
Prince He Shuo’s expression turned slightly displeased, "Is this person not from the Central Plains?"
Luo Qi, standing by listening to the deputy general beside him, happened to hear the Princess Consort’s voice. He turned his head for a glance and then explained to Prince He Shuo, "Your Highness, although Mr. Chu was born among foreign tribes, he grew up in the Central Plains."
"Then why does he not wear his hair in a crown?" Prince He Shuo questioned further.
Luo Qi knew that Prince He Shuo was using this as a pretext to express dissatisfaction with Mr. Chu, but it had already been clearly stipulated that men over sixteen years of age were no longer required to wear their hair in a crown, a decree issued by the Emperor in earlier years.
If he remembered correctly, it was actually Prince He Shuo who had originally petitioned the Emperor to approve this.
"Your Highness, have you forgotten? We have clear regulations stating that men over sixteen years old may not wear their hair in a crown." Luo Qi’s face bore a faint smile.
Prince He Shuo’s face grew grimmer, his lips tightly pressed as he stared at Luo Qi, "Is he even sixteen yet?"
Luo Qi’s smile deepened, "Your Highness, Mr. Chu is indeed young, but he is already of age."
Beside them, Ru Xue detected a note of rejection in Prince He Shuo’s words regarding Chu Ge. She stepped forward at the right moment, saying with a cheerful smile, "Your Highness, regardless of whether he honors his hair, he is my savior, is he not?"
Prince He Shuo turned to look at her, a trace of fondness in his deep eyes. This gaze alone delivered a heavy blow to those present who were hoping to see Ru Xue in an awkward situation.
"I understand. Let’s go over together."
Prince He Shuo’s voice was calm, devoid of any discernible emotion, "As the Princess Consort’s savior, I must thank him properly."
Ru Xue smiled, lifting her gaze to glance at Luo Qi, "Boss Luo, Mr. Chu is a respected guest at the Beggar Gang’s residence, so please introduce him to His Highness."
Luo Qi nodded, "It would be my honor."
As the group approached Chu Ge, Luo Jiu appropriately fell silent, ceasing any further talk of past events regarding Feng Luo.
"Big Brother." Luo Jiu curiously watched him, "Your Highness."
He was puzzled as to why his brother brought the Prince and Princess Consort over.
Prince He Shuo seemed not to notice Luo Jiu at all. As he approached, his gaze fell upon Chu Ge, and now that he was up close, the young man’s age indeed didn’t seem appropriate for adulthood.
His features were delicate, even giving off a slight sense of frivolity. Could someone like this truly heal the Princess Consort? Honestly, he was skeptical.
"I heard it was you who healed the Princess Consort." The naturally authoritative expression of Prince He Shuo made Chu Ge feel quite uncomfortable.
It appeared he was not yet accustomed to the local customs, where respect was to be shown to high officials with a bow.
Prince He Shuo watched as Chu Ge stood erect, daring even to meet his gaze. His face darkened slightly.
Beside him stood a deputy general, known for his flattery and skill in reading the Prince’s expressions.
Seeing the displeasure on Prince He Shuo’s face, the deputy general instantly grasped its meaning. He sternly glared at Chu Ge, chastising, "Truly a rustic. You don’t even know basic etiquette. Why do you not kneel before the Prince?"
Chu Ge was just about to greet Prince He Shuo when the deputy general began chastising him. He raised an eyebrow, "Kneel?"
"I’ve heard you are not from the Central Plains. Considering your ignorance of our customs, I’ll grant you another chance. Hurry and kneel in salute to the Prince!"
The deputy general harshly rebuked.
Chu Ge laughed, his tone calm, "In our country, men only kneel to Heaven above and their parents below. I have never heard of kneeling to an outsider."
"Insolent!" the deputy general shouted angrily, "How dare you disrespect the Prince! Guards!"
At the deputy general’s command, several soldiers armed with swords and spears immediately surrounded Chu Ge.
The lively surroundings fell into sudden silence due to the commotion from their direction. Everyone turned to see what was happening out of curiosity.
Chu Ge seemed unfazed by these gazes, standing there composed and unperturbed, without any sense of wrongdoing.
Prince He Shuo’s eyes flashed with surprise. He hadn’t expected someone so young to possess such courage, daring not only to meet his gaze but also to contest him. There were few like him.
"Enough, Vice General Xing, Mr. Chu is the Princess Consort’s savior; do not treat him with disrespect." Prince He Shuo’s tone didn’t sound reprimanding, as if the matter was irrelevant.
Luo Qi knew that the deputy general’s actions were precisely aligned with Prince He Shuo’s intentions.
Chu Ge hadn’t greeted Prince He Shuo earlier, which must have displeased him. However, as a prince, he would lose face if he held grudges against his benefactor. The deputy general, keen on this, was able to curry favor with the Prince.
He stepped forward, smiling as he addressed the Prince, "Your Highness, Mr. Chu is new here and does not understand our customs. You have a generous heart; please don’t hold it against him."
Hold it against him?
Prince He Shuo slightly narrowed his eyes. He gave a faint smile, half amused, as he looked at Luo Qi, "Is Boss Luo implying that I am petty?"
The sharp look aimed at Luo Qi made him twitch at the corners of his mouth, "Your Highness jests. How dare I ridicule Your Highness as petty."
Ridicule him as petty? Wasn’t this suggesting he was petty?
Prince He Shuo knew he was in the wrong in this matter. If the conversation carried on, the little face-saving act the deputy general had provided would be completely undermined.
"Your Highness, Mr. Chu is my savior. Even for my sake, do not make him kneel."
Ru Xue stepped forward at the right moment, and her words successfully restored Prince He Shuo’s face.
By saying this, she implied that she was the one allowing him not to kneel, not that he refused by his choice!
Prince He Shuo’s expression softened a bit, and he slightly nodded, "Very well, very well, it’s just a formality. As martial artists, we don’t adhere to such strict customs while abroad."
Chu Ge looked coldly at Prince He Shuo. This man seemed in his twenties but was putting on airs of sophistication.
"Thank you, Your Highness, for your understanding." Luo Qi said with a cheerful smile.
He then turned to Luo Jiu, saying, "Mr. Chu, let’s forgo these unnecessarily formal customs and thank the Prince instead."