Yun Fan did not waste any more time with Ye Qingcheng and returned.
Three days later, after the Heavenly Emperor stabilized the situation, he invited the Vermilion Bird. Upon hearing this, Yun Fan knew what the Heavenly Emperor intended.
In these three days, under his guidance, the Vermilion Bird had regained her confidence.
"I'm not going!"
The Vermilion Bird did not want to face him, but after Yun Fan's persuasion, she finally decided to take this step.
"Don't overthink it, just go with the flow!"
Yun Fan said to her, "This is a good thing for you!"
"But..."
The Vermilion Bird was about to say something but ultimately chose to remain silent.
She arrived at the small courtyard arranged for her by the Heavenly Emperor. The courtyard looked tranquil and elegant, giving the Vermilion Bird a sense of familiarity.
Although this courtyard appeared simple and unadorned, it was quite old. Despite its age, it seemed to be regularly tidied and cleaned, making it very spotless.
Flowers and plants were planted within the courtyard, creating an exceptionally charming landscape.
Just then, the Heavenly Emperor arrived.
"Greetings, Heavenly Emperor!"
The Vermilion Bird saluted. As a member of the military, she used military etiquette to greet the Heavenly Emperor.
"Zi Yan, is this truly necessary?"
The Heavenly Emperor's tone was somewhat despondent because the Vermilion Bird used the etiquette of a subordinate to a superior, rather than the greeting of a father and daughter.
The Vermilion Bird replied, "Your Majesty, you jest. I am the God of War of the military. I am honored that you deign to see me!"
"But you are my daughter!"
The Heavenly Emperor said with great sadness. He knew that over the years, the Vermilion Bird had suffered too much, as if all misfortunes in the world had befallen her.
It was laughable that he, the ruler of Huaxia, the Heavenly Emperor, was powerless to change this situation. Although the clouds had now parted to reveal the sun, it seemed that all the pain could not be mended.
"Your Majesty, do not joke. My parents died ten years ago!"
The Vermilion Bird still had no intention of acknowledging the Heavenly Emperor.
The Heavenly Emperor became somewhat incoherent. At this moment, he asked the Vermilion Bird, "Can you give me a chance? I will use the rest of my life to make up for what I owe you and your mother!"
"It's too late!"
The Vermilion Bird said, "If you truly had the heart to make amends, you wouldn't have stood by and watched those tragedies unfold back then!"
"You did not stop them from killing my mother, nor did you stop the Su family from being annihilated!"
The Vermilion Bird directly brought up these two painful events.
The Heavenly Emperor's heart ached, and after a long while, he regained his composure and said to the Vermilion Bird, "I am sorry!"
"Aren't you going to explain?"
The Vermilion Bird was surprised that the Heavenly Emperor admitted fault so readily and offered no explanation.
The Heavenly Emperor said, "All explanations are pale and weak. Although I am the Heavenly Emperor, there are many things I cannot control!"
Indeed, to outsiders, he was the exalted Heavenly Emperor, seemingly omnipotent with a mere command.
However, in reality, there were many matters beyond his control, and he only knew regret after they had occurred.
At this point, the Vermilion Bird asked, "Don't you feel any guilt over my mother's death?"
"Guilt? How could I not feel guilt!"
The Heavenly Emperor sighed. "Every time I think of your mother, my heart is filled with boundless sorrow. But ultimately, it was my fault, so I will live the rest of my life in sin!"
Hearing this, the Vermilion Bird said, "You shouldn't have asked me to see you. Wouldn't it be better to pretend nothing happened? This will only make me hate you more!"
Undoubtedly, she harbored no good feelings for this father. She only knew that although this father was the Heavenly Emperor, he was a pathetic one.
He couldn't even protect the woman he loved, so what right did he have to be the Heavenly Emperor?
In truth, only by occupying this position did one understand how precarious it was. To outsiders, this position seemed like a dream come true.
But for the Heavenly Emperor, he had long grown weary of it.
Thus, the two fell into silence. Even though the Vermilion Bird knew of her father's many helpless circumstances and sorrows back then, she still couldn't let go. However, this was normal, as she had experienced too many tribulations to easily move on.
Finally, she said to the Heavenly Emperor, "If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave now!"
"Alright!"
The Heavenly Emperor said to the Vermilion Bird, "Even though you refuse to forgive me, I will prove myself with my actions in the days to come!"
"No need. From now on, we are strangers!"
The Vermilion Bird left after saying this.
Simultaneously, she resigned from her position as the God of War, as she too was tired of this role and intended to be her true self.
The Heavenly Emperor watched her receding figure with a heavy heart.
Then, the Heavenly Emperor ordered someone to take good care of this small courtyard, as it was the one left by Qing'er in those years.
He had intended to give this courtyard to the Vermilion Bird, but it seemed it was not yet time. Unless the Vermilion Bird could one day forgive him, he would not reveal many hidden truths to her. He truly couldn't bear to make the Vermilion Bird suffer further.
After all, the Vermilion Bird had already endured enough.
Not long after, he arrived at Ronghua Mansion.
"You've finally come, haven't you?"
A cold voice rang out. This person was Rong Hua. Ever since she was disfigured by Leng Ningshuang that day, she had confined herself to her room, refusing to see anyone.
At this moment, the Heavenly Emperor said coldly, "I didn't intend to visit you. You have committed too many sins. But as husband and wife, I have come to bid you farewell!"
Upon hearing this, Rong Hua roared, "Since we are husband and wife, why are you sending me away? Why?"
The Heavenly Emperor would naturally not kill her, but he would send her back to the Hidden Sect. At this moment, how wronged Rong Hua felt in her heart.
The Heavenly Emperor said, "Because you killed Qing'er and tried to kill my daughter. Why is your heart so wicked?"
This time, the Heavenly Emperor spoke his true feelings.
Rong Hua sneered, "Why should I kill her? Isn't all this caused by you?"
"Caused by me?"
A hint of confusion appeared on the Heavenly Emperor's face. It could be said that he had not spoken so many words to Rong Hua in twenty years.
"Of course, it's caused by you!"
Rong Hua said, "Since you married me, why were you with that bitch?"
"Silence!"
The Heavenly Emperor was enraged, displeased with Rong Hua's words about Qing'er.
"Hmph!"
Rong Hua snorted, "I know you don't like me, but I like you. Do you remember when I was young and went to the mortal world for training? I fell for you at first sight!"
"From then on, I kept trying to get close to you and stay by your side, but you only treated me as a friend!"
At this moment, the two seemed to recall over twenty years ago. At that time, the Heavenly Emperor was not yet the Heavenly Emperor, and Rong Hua was just a peerless beauty from a Hidden Sect.
The two met and became good friends.
The Heavenly Emperor, Rong Hua, and Long Aotian were known as the Three Heroes of Jinling back then.
Recalling those years, there were no schemes, no battles.
"I considered you my best friend, but I never loved you!"
The Heavenly Emperor stated bluntly.
"Yes!"
Rong Hua said sadly, "Afterward, I returned to the sect and pleaded with my father for a long time. He finally agreed to personally mediate a marriage alliance with your family!"
"I thought, it's okay if you don't like me. I'll slowly win you over with my actions until you fall in love with me!"
"But unfortunately, what I waited for was not that day, but you, behind my back, falling in love with a common woman. Is that fair to me?"
Facing Rong Hua's questioning, the Heavenly Emperor directly said, "What's unfair about it?"
"Qing'er and I met in school and had already pledged our lives to each other. If your father hadn't forced me into this marriage alliance with you, I would have married her long ago!"
The Heavenly Emperor said with heartache. At that moment, he wished he were just a commoner, to live out his life with the one he loved.
But alas, he was born into an imperial family, and many things were beyond his control.
"Ridiculous!"
Rong Hua said angrily, "How am I inferior to her? Why would you like a common sparrow and not me, a phoenix?"
Facing Rong Hua's anger, the Heavenly Emperor directly said, "There is no reason to love someone!"
"Well said, 'no reason'!"
Rong Hua asked the Heavenly Emperor, "Was the death of my son within your calculations?"
Hearing this, the Heavenly Emperor shook his head directly, "You are overthinking it. Although he is not my son, I never intended to kill him!"
"His death, in the final analysis, was due to his excessive greed for this position!"
At this point, Rong Hua said, "I understand!"
"Although I haven't won your heart in this life, I have also severely retaliated against you. I am not a loser, and neither are you!"
The Heavenly Emperor's expression was very calm. He naturally knew what happened back then. In his despair over Rong Hua, she had returned to the Hidden Sect for a period.
Precisely during that time, many things happened. As for what they were, perhaps only Rong Hua knew.
Because after that time, Rong Hua returned from the Hidden Sect pregnant.
Few people knew about this matter, but the Heavenly Emperor did.
"Don't you hate me?"
She asked the Heavenly Emperor.
The Heavenly Emperor replied, "I don't love you, so how can I hate you!"
"Ultimately, did I lose?"
Rong Hua thought that by doing this, she could make the Heavenly Emperor hate her. For so many years, the Heavenly Emperor had always been indifferent to her.
She had long since collapsed. Even if the Heavenly Emperor didn't love her, she wanted him to hate her. She never expected that the Heavenly Emperor wouldn't even be interested in hating her.
Now it seemed, she was the one who had failed.
The Heavenly Emperor said, "I told you before, you can leave anytime you want, and I won't stop you! Why didn't you take your son back to reunite with him?"
Facing the Heavenly Emperor's question, Rong Hua shook her head in despair, "I don't love him. The reason I did this was only to retaliate against you, to make you angry, to make you regret!"
"But I never expected that you would remain unmoved. So, I was the clown!"
Hearing this, the Heavenly Emperor's expression remained calm. "Was it you who gravely injured Brother Long's wife back then?"
The Heavenly Emperor's reason for questioning was because his good brother, Long Aotian, had taken great care of him. Without Long Aotian's care and guidance, he would never have achieved what he had today.
The reason he suspected Rong Hua was not without cause. After all, Long Aotian knew he didn't like Rong Hua.
He had repeatedly helped him mediate, attempting to halt the marriage alliance, thus offending Rong Hua.
"I didn't!"
Rong Hua said, "His strength is immense, and his wife's origins are extraordinary. I'm not so foolish as to offend them!"
As soon as she said this, the Heavenly Emperor was puzzled. Could it be that Ye Ji had orchestrated the events back then?
Unfortunately, too much time had passed, and many secrets of the Hidden Sects were involved. Therefore, even if he wanted to investigate, he couldn't find anything.
After all, he hadn't failed to investigate back then. Over the years, he had invited Ye Ji for meals many times, hoping to find answers from her.
But each time, Ye Ji refused. To outsiders, it seemed he was infatuated with Ye Ji's beauty, but in fact, his heart would forever belong only to Qing'er.
At this moment, Rong Hua said, "Thank you for coming to see me. You have also shown me how miserably I have lost!"
"You should leave! Return to the Hidden Sect. Perhaps your face can still be saved. Do not come to the mortal world again!"
The Heavenly Emperor said indifferently.
At this point, it was unnecessary to talk about forgiveness or not. He could not avenge Qing'er's death, for doing so would lead to a war between the Hidden Sects and the mortal world.
He had worked hard to drive the Hidden Sects out of the mortal world back then. Even though he desired revenge, for the sake of the common people of the world, he had to give it up.
"I'm not leaving!"
Rong Hua said, "This was once the place I longed for the most. I once thought I could spend my life hand in hand with the man I loved. But all I received was cruel torment!"
The Heavenly Emperor said nothing more, looking at her in silence.
"Pfft!"
The next moment, Rong Hua spat out a mouthful of blood.
"What's wrong with you?"
The Heavenly Emperor's expression changed. Even he had not expected such an accident.
Rong Hua said with a smile, "Actually, I had already taken poison before you came to see me!"
"Why would you do this?"
The Heavenly Emperor said, "I never intended to kill you!"
"I know!"
Rong Hua said with a bitter smile, "Perhaps this can earn me a little value in your heart!"
With that, her face grew increasingly pale, and her life force rapidly drained away, irreversibly.
"I have tasted enough of the bitterness of love in this life. I wish there were no love in the world in the next life!"
With these words, Rong Hua closed her eyes, her life force completely extinguished.
...
The news of Rong Hua's death spread throughout Jinling. This matter did not affect Yun Fan and the others.
"Are you still not going to forgive him?"
Yun Fan asked the Vermilion Bird.
The Vermilion Bird smiled with relief, "There's nothing to forgive or not forgive. Isn't this fine?"
"This..."
Just then, the Vermilion Bird continued, "From today on, I am no longer the God of War. I am now your assistant!"
Yun Fan was greatly distressed, not understanding why the Vermilion Bird would abandon her position as God of War to become his assistant.
"This... this... I actually can't pay you a salary!"
Yun Fan politely declined. What a joke! Although he wasn't very rich, he should have several billion, right?
He said this because he didn't need an assistant, and of course, he didn't want to hinder the Vermilion Bird's bright future.
He knew that with the Vermilion Bird's potential, she could go much further in the future and had no need to waste her time by his side.
"It's okay, I don't want money, I'll even pay you!"
Upon hearing this, Yun Fan was rendered speechless. It seemed the Vermilion Bird was ready to go all out.
Thus, he said awkwardly, "I don't need an assistant. I'm not some big boss!"
"So, you're rejecting me?"
Seeing the murderous glint in the Vermilion Bird's eyes, Yun Fan was speechless. Simply put, he wasn't afraid of the Vermilion Bird.
He was just afraid of the Heavenly Emperor protecting his own.
Therefore, he said, "How about you start with an internship for a month? After a month, if you adapt, you can be officially hired!"
"Three thousand a month, with room and board!"
Reluctantly, Yun Fan agreed.
The Vermilion Bird nodded with satisfaction and then said to Yun Fan, "Actually, you can make some requests!"
"Requests?"
Under Yun Fan's bewildered gaze, the Vermilion Bird immediately said, "For example, you can ask for things like sleeping together, or accompanying me to warm up the bed."
Hearing this, Yun Fan was instantly speechless and quickly said, "Sorry, I'm hiring a professional assistant! I don't have any such sordid requests!"
"Hmph!"
The Vermilion Bird was not satisfied. This guy was truly dense!
Afterward, Yun Fan and the Vermilion Bird went to the hospital.
Because Ling Wushuang was still receiving treatment in the hospital, Yun Fan was shocked when he saw him. He hadn't expected Lin Wushuang's hair to turn completely white in just a few days.
However, it was understandable. The Lin family's affairs must have been a cruel ordeal for Ling Wushuang.
The Heavenly Emperor had let Ling Wushuang off the hook, so he had survived this storm.
Upon seeing Yun Fan, he gave a wry smile, "Brother Yun, you're here!"
"Mm!"
Yun Fan nodded and asked, "Honestly, do you regret it?"
After all, Lin Wushuang had stepped forward to help him at a critical moment. Of course, with Yun Fan and Ye Qingcheng's strength at the time, they could have handled the situation even without Lin Wushuang's intervention, but it showed that Lin Wushuang was a righteous person.
Ling Wushuang said bitterly, "I regret it!"
"If I could go back in time, I would have threatened my life to persuade Grandpa not to embark on that path of no return!"
"Alas, time cannot be reversed. I deeply regret it!"
Ling Wushuang couldn't understand why his grandfather had harbored such terrifying ambitions. Even without the unexpected presence of Yun Fan, his grandfather wouldn't have succeeded.
Because no one knew that the Heavenly Emperor was the most hidden individual. His grandfather was no match for the Heavenly Emperor.
Therefore, his grandfather's defeat was inevitable. Moreover, having followed the Heavenly Emperor for so many years, he knew that the Heavenly Emperor was the most enlightened leader.
If his grandfather were to take that position, he would be far inferior to the Heavenly Emperor. Even more ironically, the Heavenly Emperor had already promised to abdicate the position, yet his grandfather still plotted to eliminate all threats to him, ultimately ending in such a failure.
At this point, Yun Fan asked, "What are your plans now?"
Ling Wushuang said, "I will forget everything and return to the mortal world to live a common life!"
"Don't you want to return to the military?"
Yun Fan asked in confusion.
He knew that the reason the Heavenly Emperor didn't kill Ling Wushuang and kept his position open was not solely due to his plea.
The Heavenly Emperor was also aware of Ling Wushuang's character.
Ling Wushuang said, "I am also tired of this kind of struggle. Sometimes, you unknowingly become someone else's pawn!"
"Therefore, being an ordinary person is the best!"
Hearing this, Yun Fan expressed understanding. He hadn't expected Ling Wushuang to see through the struggles of those in high positions.
This was actually quite good.
Several days later.
Yun Fan met Zhulian again.
"Sister, why are you here?"
Yun Fan asked curiously.
"Can't I come to see you?"
"No, no!"
Yun Fan quickly denied it. It was his own loose tongue for speaking incorrectly, but fortunately, Zhulian wouldn't get angry.
At this moment, Zhulian said, "I heard you're about to confront the Ye family?"
"This..."
In fact, Yun Fan's mind was quite chaotic at this point. What was the relationship between him and the Ye family?
Although, from the situation, they were enemies, and enemies to the death, he didn't have that intense hatred for the Ye family. Yun Fan himself hadn't expected to have such an illusion.
Was he still the decisive and ruthless youth of Guigu he used to be?
"I understand and I sympathize with your feelings, but I'm not here to discuss that today!"
Zhulian immediately changed the subject.
"Then why are you here to see me?"
Yun Fan was bewildered. Was Zhulian looking for him to drink again? He wondered how Zhulian's liver was so strong.
Zhulian said with a smile, "Do you remember what you promised me back then?"
"I remember!"
Yun Fan had not forgotten the promise he made to Zhulian at all. Could it be that Zhulian had come to claim her promise today?
"It's not that I'm petty, but I do need your help with something. Don't overthink it; just consider it helping me out!"
Zhulian said somewhat sheepishly.
"What are you saying, Sister? With our relationship, who's who?"
Yun Fan assured her, "Sister, what do you need my help with?"
Zhulian said, "I won't tell you for now. Come with me to a place, and you'll understand when we get there!"
"Alright!"
Yun Fan didn't overthink it and agreed immediately. After all, Zhulian wouldn't harm him. Even if she did, what could he fear as a congenital master?
Afterward, Yun Fan and Zhulian arrived at a mountain villa.
Although this mountain villa was luxurious, it was Zhulian's exclusive villa, meaning it was private and thus very quiet.
However, upon arriving at the villa, Yun Fan was still confused, as Zhulian merely asked him to stay there for the time being and didn't say anything else.
This left Yun Fan very perplexed. What was the reason?
Thus, under the service of the stewards, he ate and drank during the day, and even took a bath.
When night fell, Zhulian finally arrived.
"Little brother, are you enjoying your stay?"
Zhulian asked him.
"It's okay, but I don't know what you want me to do!"
Yun Fan asked.
Staying like this wasn't a solution. Although Zhulian hadn't told him how long he would be staying, a day or two was fine.
But if he stayed for a long time, he didn't have that kind of time!
Zhulian said, "You'll know soon. Let's go eat first!"
"Alright!"
Yun Fan decided to wait and see. When they arrived at the dining table, there were several Western-style dishes. Although they were luxurious, Yun Fan still preferred Chinese food.
Moreover, there were flowers and candles on the table, making it look very elegant and warm.
However, Yun Fan didn't particularly appreciate it and was about to take out his phone to browse short videos.
But just then, he felt his pocket and realized his phone was missing.
"Sister, have you seen my phone?"
Yun Fan asked Zhulian, who was walking over with a bottle of red wine.
"Oh! I have seen it!"
Zhulian said, "It's inconvenient to make calls at this time, so I had someone put your phone away. I'll return it to you later!"
"Alright!"
Yun Fan nodded.
Unexpectedly, Zhulian's phone rang at this moment.
"Your phone..."
Yun Fan looked at Zhulian speechlessly. He could understand why she had taken his phone, but he didn't understand why Zhulian's own phone was still with her.
He felt this was very unfair.
Zhulian said, "I'll take this call first!"
"Alright!"
At this moment, Zhulian answered the phone. Yun Fan couldn't hear what was being said on the other end, but he could sense Zhulian's growing nervousness.
"Sister, what's wrong?"
Yun Fan asked curiously.
Zhulian said with a smile, "I was going to ask you for a favor, but I'm afraid I don't have time today!"
"There's something at my company, I have to go now!"
Zhulian said urgently, looking as if she didn't even have time to eat.
"In that case, you eat first. After you're done, I'll have the driver take you back!"
"Alright, then!"
Although Yun Fan didn't like Western food, it would be a waste not to eat this lavish banquet.
However, while eating, Yun Fan even broke his usual habit and took a few selfies.
When these selfies were posted on his Moments, they didn't attract much attention at first.
It wasn't until Ye Qingcheng saw them that her face instantly tensed, "How can he be here?"
"Young Mistress, what's wrong?"
Someone stepped forward and asked.
"Nothing. Prepare the car!"
Ye Qingcheng said.
"Yes!"
Then, her driver drove her to the mountain villa where Yun Fan was. At this moment, Yun Fan was leisurely savoring his dinner.
"Slap!"
Ye Qingcheng slammed the table, and Yun Fan finally took off his earphones and asked Ye Qingcheng, "How did you get here?"
"I wanted to ask you why you are here!"
Ye Qingcheng said coldly, "You thief! You sneaked into my private mountain villa!"
"Your private mountain villa?"
Yun Fan asked in confusion, "Are you sure?"
"I am absolutely sure!"
This private mountain villa had been bought by Ye Qingcheng, but she had never lived in it, as she intended to move in after her wedding.
She hadn't expected this Yun Fan to get there first.
Yun Fan said, "My mind is a mess. Let me sort it out first. I was invited here by my god-sister, and she asked me to stay here first before leaving for her company due to some urgent matter.
"Now you're saying it's yours, do you have any proof?"
Ye Qingcheng became furious. That woman, wasn't she too arrogant to impersonate her mountain villa?
She had impersonated Zhulian's name before, and now she was impersonating her mountain villa. This woman was truly arrogant to the point of being lawless.
Unfortunately, she had investigated for a long time but had found no trace of the other party.
"Then you've been deceived. This mountain villa is mine!"
Ye Qingcheng said, "I don't like living in houses that have been lived in by others, so you should leave immediately!"
"Hmph! You say it's yours, and it's yours. I have every reason to believe it's my sister's!"
Yun Fan and Ye Qingcheng were at odds.
At this moment, Ye Qingcheng sneered, "Alright! I won't force you to live here, but there are conditions for staying here!"
"What conditions?"
Yun Fan asked with interest. It was enjoyable to tease this woman sometimes, as he had suffered at her hands several times on his journey.
Ye Qingcheng said seriously, "I intended to live here with my future husband. You can stay here, but the condition is that you agree to become my husband!"
"Sorry, I'm disturbing you!"
Yun Fan got up and left quickly, not daring to hesitate.
"This scoundrel!"