Chapter 199: Chapter 196: Rumors Are False_1
As the conversation between the two came to a close, the five old men who had just entered through the door were all stunned. Especially Butler Liu, Housekeeper Wang, and [the third steward], who after hearing that sentence, all felt a pang in their hearts.
Old men...
Was the princess reproaching them for the scolding they had given her before, or had she truly forgotten to use True Qi to soundproof the room?
"Ahem."
Seeing the awkward situation, Housekeeper Wang quickly coughed twice and laughed, "Brother Chen, Brother Lin, have we come at a bad time?"
Butler [Cao] too awkwardly laughed, "Indeed, a young couple is dining; for several old men like us to crowd around doesn't seem quite appropriate."
Butler Liu, feeling helpless, shook his head and walked over to Bai Qi and Fang Ren, slightly bowing as he said with a smile, "Princess, Young Master Fang, we old men truly had offended you earlier..."
Seeing an elder coming over to apologize, Fang Ren quickly got up to support him and said, "You're too kind, sir. Indeed, my behavior during the competition was quite strange; had I been in the audience, I'm sure I would have said the same things."
At the time, during the alchemy competition, the whole venue was mocking him, but he remembered the words of these old stewards weren't ill-intended, especially Butler Liu, who had even thought about calling him over to give a lecture and "lead him back onto the right path."
Although Butler Liu's understanding was mistaken, his heart in educating the younger generation was in the right place.
"Young Master Fang..."
Butler Liu looked at the standing Fang Ren before him with a hint of surprise in his eyes. This Young Master Fang's status in Tianjiang was indeed far more distinguished than any of the Liu Family's sons and daughters.
Even though he was an old predecessor of the Liu Family, who had come forward to bow and apologize, Young Master Fang of the Fang Family could have completely ignored him, sitting at the dining table without paying much attention.
After all, the difference between the Fang Family of Tianjiang and the Bai Family wasn't that great. If the Bai Family was considered an imperial aristocratic family in Tianjiang, then the Fang Family was akin to that of a prince's aristocratic family, and a powerful one at that.
Even if people addressed Fang Ren as "Your Highness," it wouldn't be entirely inappropriate; his status was not much lower than that of Bai Qi.
Butler Liu, looking at Fang Ren before him, couldn't help but think of the other two young masters of the Fang Family. Compared to those two, Fang Ren could be said to be "too approachable," completely lacking any airs.
Bai Qi, seeing Butler Liu walk over, immediately lay down on the dining table, pulling her hat brim down low to cover her entire face, finding herself somewhat unable to face these elderly men.
She had actually called them old men right to their faces...
When she was younger, these grandfathers had doted on her like a granddaughter. Now that she had grown up, although she found their nagging quite annoying and had called them old men behind their backs, those times had always been in private.
Moreover, she knew in her heart that they truly cared for her.
"Princess?"
Seeing Bai Qi lying down on the table without a word, Butler Liu thought she was behaving like her temperamental younger self again and quickly said, "If you feel uncomfortable expressing your love with Young Master Fang in our presence, we will leave right away."
Upon hearing this, Housekeeper Wang immediately came over, tugged at Butler Liu's arm, and hinted with a squint, "Brother Liu, young people are naturally shy about these things; how can you speak so bluntly?"
Butler Liu was taken aback, "Isn't this me apologizing for what happened earlier...?"
At that moment, Butler [Cao] also came over and said, "Brother Liu is right; both of us should apologize to Young Master Fang and the Princess for what happened before."
Upon hearing this, Housekeeper Wang's expression became more serious as he looked at Fang Ren, "Young Master Fang, we three indeed had a narrow understanding before and never imagined that in this day and age, someone as exceptionally talented as you could emerge."
"The gentlemen are exaggerating, it's just a trivial matter of turning a new page. Why dwell on it?" Fang Ren said with a nonchalant expression, speaking politely. He wasn't angry about the incident and was eager to turn the page.
Bai Qi quickly stood up upon hearing this, his face bearing a somewhat awkward smile, and took the opportunity to gloss over at least the fact that he had called them old fogies, "That's right, that's right, he's correct. It's just a trivial matter, no need to keep bringing it up. Besides, each of you grandfathers is a senior, and whatever you say is for the benefit of the younger generation.
There's no need to talk about who should or shouldn't apologize. Ha, hahaha..."
At this moment, Lin Bozhong and Chen Cheng both came over, and all the old butlers of the major families were gathering together.
"The princess is still the same as ever," Butler Liu remarked with a laugh upon seeing Bai Qi's demeanor, "Not a trace of royal pretense."
"Indeed, in this regard, she is quite a good match for Young Master Fang," said Chen Cheng without delay.
"Speaking of which, the marriage arranged by Old Master Bai in the first place is truly a good match," Housekeeper Cao also joined in, "Her Highness the princess is the most talented woman in cultivation nowadays, while Young Master Fang is a once-in-a-generation genius in alchemy. A perfect match indeed!"
...
The elders praised the two as a perfect pair, each in turn, while only Lin Bozhong stood to the side, his face forcing a smile, feeling utterly helpless inside.
You bunch of old geezers, if Madame Xuan hears these words, I'm afraid even you and the princess would get a beating!
...
As for Fang Ren's thoughts, he could only smile wryly to himself. Talking about how well-matched he and Bai Qi were, does that mean the currently most powerful Mu Huanqing isn't a good match for him, the greatest Alchemist?
It was all just due to the arrangements made by the Central Area.
Seeing that the elders kept talking non-stop, Fang Ren directly turned his head and shouted to the front, "Owner, get us a bigger table."
"Right away! Young Master Fang, I'll arrange it for you immediately!"
The owner had been standing by and was astounded by their conversation, and now, with the young man who was dining with Her Highness the princess, known as Young Master Fang, speaking up, he immediately became excited and did not dare to dawdle.
When the other old butlers heard what Fang Ren meant, that he wanted to dine with them, all except for Lin Bozhong were momentarily stunned.
"This... Young Master Fang, wouldn't it be inappropriate for us to sit together?" Housekeeper Cao voiced his concern.
No matter how you looked at it, the statuses were clear: Fang Ren was the head of the Fang Family, Bai Qi was the princess of Tianjiang, and for them, a few butlers, to sit at the same table as these two, it just didn't seem proper in their eyes.
"What's inappropriate about it?" Fang Ren said.
"Exactly, he's right, there's nothing inappropriate," Bai Qi immediately chimed in with a smile.
She still hadn't recovered from her earlier embarrassment.
The old men looked at Bai Qi, taken aback. This... why does it feel like whatever Young Master Fang says goes, and Her Highness just goes along with everything?
Was this what they called, a husband leads and the wife follows?
Had their relationship already developed to such a point?
Now it seemed that the relationship between the two was nothing like what was being rumored among the young people of Tianjiang.
They were all saying things like the princess looked down upon Young Master Fang, that she fancied Song Mobei from the Tiandao Sword Sect; that her ulterior motive for turning around was actually to break off the engagement, that the head of the Fang Family was shamelessly persistent... and so on.
Indeed, rumors are, after all, just rumors, and not to be believed.
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