"Are you looking to die!" the Young Miss immediately slammed the table. If Xiaoyao hadn't been eating, she might have flipped the table and caused a scene.

"Young Miss, don't do that. Let me handle this," Xiaoyao smiled and pulled the Young Miss back, afraid she might hurt someone. Although the person across from them was somewhat deserving of a beating, there was no need to dirty her hands.

"Hmph, I thought you only relied on women. It seems you still have some manly backbone," Luo Junming said with a cold laugh. Although it sounded like praise, the feeling was still very unpleasant.

The Young Miss and her companions didn't act because Xiaoyao had said to let him handle it.

"Actually, I also think the Prince Xiaoyao title isn't quite suitable for me. Calling me Prince Xiaoyao makes me feel old, when I'm only twenty..." Xiaoyao shrugged with a smile.

"Get lost! Stop pretending to be young—you're already in your twenties," the Young Miss said with direct disdain.

"Just a little bit over. Do you think you're in your twenties?" Xiaoyao looked at the Young Miss, meaning that among them, he was the youngest. Even if he was similar to them, saying "in your twenties" meant she was talking about herself too.

"Ah, I misspoke just now. We're just barely twenty, just a little bit," the Young Miss immediately nodded seriously.

"Right, where were we? You interrupted my train of thought. I'm just barely twenty—no need to ennoble me so early. Besides, I never agreed to this. I'll go talk to the family head..." Xiaoyao said with a smile, then stood up, taking a wine pot and cup to offer a toast while discussing the matter.

Although this was a state banquet, it still had a very martial world flavor without too many formalities. The king sat at the head table, and anyone with sufficient status could offer toasts.

If someone lacked sufficient status and went up without special reason, it would show they didn't understand the occasion. No one present would do such a thing—everyone had some sense.

"What are you looking for the family head for? No need—I was just joking earlier. There's no need to disturb the family head," Luo Junming immediately said, his tone somewhat panicked. It was one thing for him to say it, but if Xiaoyao went to tell Luo Yunqing, he would be in big trouble afterward.

This was something Luo Yunqing had already decided, yet you still expressed dissent—this was not taking Luo Yunqing's words seriously!

If someone else had said this, Luo Junming would naturally go with the flow and say Xiaoyao was unsuitable. But since he had said it himself, the situation became different.

"You were joking, but I'm not. I don't want any titles," Xiaoyao said calmly, then regardless of what Luo Junming thought, he walked directly toward Luo Yunqing.

Luo Junming wanted to stop Xiaoyao, but if he caused a commotion now, it would also draw everyone's attention and might make things worse. Now he could only regret being so talkative. Whether someone else was ennobled was their business—being ennobled didn't mean much anyway, and it might even be a good thing.

Basically, those who were ennobled as princes usually meant the throne probably had nothing to do with them in the future. At the same time, being a prince was just a title—a prince without real power was just a prince.

Never mind, there probably wouldn't be any big problems. At most he'd get scolded a few times.

At this moment, Luo Junming felt Xiaoyao could only get his title because of the Young Miss and her companions, plus he had "died" before, so he wasn't really that important to the Luo family. Even if Xiaoyao had wide connections and relationships with Haoran Sect, they were still just relationships without practical use.

But thinking about it now, giving Xiaoyao a title based on these relationships was quite normal. He was really meddling!

"Congratulations to His Majesty on the first anniversary of his enthronement..." Xiaoyao very formally offered congratulations and bowed, making Luo Yunqing and others somewhat speechless. When had this kid become so proper? Had he changed after not seeing him for a year?

"You kid, speak directly. I'm not used to you being like this," Luo Yunqing said with a laugh and a scolding tone.

Xiaoyao scratched his head and smiled: "It's a matter of occasion. In such circumstances, one should be proper. But since you've said so, I'll be direct—I don't want the princely title. Take it back."

"What? You don't want the princely title? Then what do you want?" Before Luo Yunqing could speak, someone beside him said this, but his tone seemed very unfriendly, as if Xiaoyao wanted more things rather than refusing some.

When these words came out, Luo Yunqing, Third Master, and others began frowning, looking somewhat unhappy. This made some observant people immediately understand Xiaoyao's position in their hearts. They all realized they shouldn't say much about this matter, or they would incur Luo Yunqing's displeasure or even hatred.

However, some people would continue opposing this matter—some were fools who didn't notice the situation, while others had ulterior motives.

"I don't want anything. I'm still young and don't want such a high status," Xiaoyao shook his head, pretending not to understand the speaker's intention and just stating his reason.

"You are young, but this status isn't that high for you, is it?" Luo Yunqing looked at Xiaoyao with a smile. The other meaning of these words was: you look down on this status, don't you?

"Being a prince isn't high? What, you want me to be king?" Xiaoyao said directly.

"Audacious!"

Xiaoyao's words immediately drew scolding from some people. How dare he say he wanted to be king—this was rebellion!

"All of you shut up. If you want to be king, that's fine too—you already have inheritance rights," Luo Yunqing scolded them, then said to Xiaoyao with a smile.

"Family head, he's only been in the Luo family for a few months. How can he have inheritance rights? Please reconsider," someone who didn't understand the situation spoke up. They naturally opposed Xiaoyao's inheritance rights because this concerned their sons or other relationships—their competition.

One more competitor meant more competition. They would exclude if they could.

Had the family head lost his mind? How could he give him inheritance rights? Although by rules, everyone had inheritance rights as long as they were Luo family members, generally several outstanding people would be selected as candidates. The so-called inheritance rights only referred to them.

The family head's own sons were among them. Didn't he understand that fewer was better?

At this time, not just one person said this—several others stood up saying the same thing, making Luo Yunqing's expression increasingly ugly.

Because of this, some people didn't speak, otherwise even more would have spoken.

"Hmph, his contributions to the Luo family are no less than yours, even with just a few months' time. Do you know what his surname is?" Luo Yunqing asked with a cold snort.

"Since he returned to the Luo family, naturally he'd have the surname Luo. Could he have any other surname?"

This was what these people wanted to say, but only one person spoke it—whoever was fastest. Generally, the fastest person often died first. Because of this statement, his position in the Luo family began declining.

Everyone thinking this way was natural. Usually, returnees would take the Luo surname. Moreover, Xiaoyao was Luo Yuntian's son, making him a core member, so he should especially have the Luo surname.

When people mentioned Xiaoyao, they only used his given name, and even when mentioning surnames, some called him Luo out of habit, assuming Xiaoyao would have the Luo surname. Only a few people truly knew Xiaoyao's surname was Le and that he hadn't changed it to Luo.

"His surname is Le. He's an external surname clan member. Go ask him if he wants to change back to the Luo surname," Luo Yunqing said coldly. He believed he knew what answer Xiaoyao would give, and he hoped Xiaoyao wasn't what he thought—a very contradictory feeling.

"Is there need to ask? He must want the Luo surname. He's Luo Yuntian's son—how could he not have the Luo surname?" someone nearby said. This was most people's thinking, including some who knew Xiaoyao's surname was Le. These people felt Xiaoyao's surname was Le only because he didn't want to acknowledge Luo Yuntian so early, but now that he could sacrifice his life to save Luo Yuntian, he naturally acknowledged him.

There were many filial people, but they had seen few sons who would sacrifice their lives to save their fathers. This showed this son's filial devotion. Being filial, he should follow his father's surname—this was common sense.

"Xiaoyao, do you want to have the Luo surname now?"

"No, I like the character Le. Luo Xiaoyao doesn't sound as good as Le Xiaoyao," Xiaoyao answered with a smile, very naturally, making it impossible to tell if this was from stubbornness or really just because it sounded better.

Xiaoyao's answer greatly surprised some people. This wasn't the time for stubbornness. Saying this in front of the family head meant he really didn't want to, because even if he changed back later, the family head would dislike him.

This was truly laughable. What they had worried about and tried to exclude turned out to be completely unnecessary worry, because the other party had no such intentions at all. This made them feel ashamed, their faces burning with pain.

"See? You were worried, but he's not even willing," Luo Yunqing said with an unceremonious cold laugh, slapping those people's faces again.

Then he continued: "Xiaoyao, I understand your meaning. Being ennobled is just a title. Weren't you a prince before? It's all the same."

"How is it the same? Being a prince was something everyone had, but being a prince by ennoblement is different. Besides, some people already have opinions," Xiaoyao said with a smile.

(End of Chapter)