"The royal hierarchy is strict—lower ranks should salute their betters. Disrespect toward the royal family is basically treason!" Shaun Fane grinned. "Lily Bai, maybe you want to try a few days in jail?"
Lily Bai: ...
She glanced at Xena Xiao, hoping Xena would step in to smooth things over.
But Xena was only focused on protecting her fiancé. She said to Lily Bai, "Lily Bai, royal etiquette can't be ignored. Even if you salute us, it won't demean you. Most people would love the chance to bow to us!"
Disrespecting the royal family really is a serious crime—if you push it, you could actually end up in jail.
Lily Bai took a deep breath. Damn it, am I really going to have to kneel to Shaun Fane today?
"She doesn't need to salute anyone." At that moment, the Supreme Emperor Xavier Xiao suddenly appeared.
A group of people followed behind him.
The group included the Third Prince and Princess, Lily Bai's uncle and aunt, and several others.
Lily Bai had a bad feeling and quickly turned to say, "Your Majesty, I—"
"If you really want to be sticklers for etiquette, then all of you should salute her!" The Supreme Emperor cut Lily Bai off, his tone more than a little domineering.
"Your Majesty, what are you talking about?" Angel Ames shrieked. "Why should we salute Lily Bai—a mere commoner?"
"She's not a commoner," Xavier Xiao said. "She's Little Ev's wife—my daughter-in-law."
The moment those words dropped, the whole garden fell silent.
"Daughter-in-law? How could she possibly be your daughter-in-law? We all know her husband—her husband is Evan Lan!" Angel Ames shouted again.
"Years ago, Little Ev fell gravely ill—almost didn't make it. On a master's advice, I sent him to his grandfather, General Lan, and temporarily changed his surname to Lan to dodge a fate disaster," Xavier Xiao explained. "Evan Lan is Little Ev. He is my son."
"Your Majesty, is Little Ev really alive?" The Third Prince and Princess looked utterly stunned.
Xavier Xiao nodded. "He's grown up now, married, and even has a child. Lily is his wife."
"That's right!" Clark Lan chimed in. "The master said to break Little Ev's fate, we had to send him far away. So we sent the Crown Prince to my sister's family—the Bai family in Haicheng. Everyone who knows him knows Little Ev grew up with the Bai family."
Even her uncle backed it up—there was no way to deny it now...
When she got home, Evan Lan was definitely going to strangle her...
"Since today is such a joyful occasion and everyone is here, I'm making a second happy announcement!" Xavier Xiao declared. "Lily, come here."
Lily Bai walked over and stood by his side.
"She—Lily Bai—is now officially Her Highness the Crown Princess," Xavier Xiao proclaimed.
Royal hierarchy really is no joke.
At the top is the Supreme Emperor, then the Crown Prince and Crown Princess.
Below the Crown Prince are the princes and dukes.
Below the dukes come the marquesses and earls.
That made Lily Bai, aside from the Emperor himself, the highest-ranked person here today.
Clark Lan and his wife immediately bowed. "Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Princess!"
The rest of the nobles scrambled to bow as well.
Lily Bai glanced at Xavier Xiao; he gave her a subtle nod.
Well, so be it!
Even if Evan Lan hates it... it's too late now...
Lily Bai straightened up and looked at Xena Xiao and Shaun Fane.
Out of everyone present, only those two hadn't bowed to her.
Shaun Fane looked like he'd just been struck by lightning.
Xena Xiao's face was dark with humiliation, clearly unable to swallow her pride.