The Dragon Army's soldiers never knelt before the Dragon King. Even when they did so of their own free will, they only went down on one knee. That was a rule brought by the Tianshan Swordsman. Most of the time, these most loyal soldiers expressed everything with a nod when they saw the Dragon King.
That made the Dragon King's demand of the Central Plains people seem extraordinary.
Most of the Central Plains people did not yet know the Dragon King's rules. They stood rather than kneeling because they did not know who their superior was. Although everyone acted on the imperial court's orders, the court was thousands of mountains and rivers away, and there was no suitable representative of the Central Plains to be found in or around Jade City.
Old Man Mu grinned at Tu Pianpian. "Pianpian, my dear, aren't you Central Plains people the ones who care most about proper names and rightful authority? King An is your sovereign now. He's kneeling while you're standing. This... heh heh."
Tu Pianpian knew full well that her actions would set an example. Only after the Dragon King won over the Central Plains people could he more freely oppose Luo Qikang and protect her younger brother. But she was proud by nature. She could never bring herself to kowtow in public to a barbarian. No matter how much Fan Yongda hinted at her, she refused to bend her knees. Instead, she strode over to King An and hauled him to his feet.
King An was bewildered. The old woman held him up with one hand, and his body went limp as dough, yet he still could not kneel.
"When a sovereign faces trouble, that is when his subjects should serve him. King An is also a ruler of the Western