In the darkness.
Gong Cang held his sword, waiting quietly. One hour, two hours.
Three hours.
Finally.
A figure had somehow appeared sitting on the throne.
Grabbing the teacup beside him, he hurled it heavily at Gong Cang's head.
Crimson liquid slowly trickled down.
"Gong Cang!!! You're incompetent!! You're utterly incompetent!!!!"
"How could you let the ruler of our Tianxing Group die suddenly at such a critical time, and even have our national calamity suppression broken simultaneously!!!"
"What kind of butler are you!!!""Do you know how much loss your negligence has caused to our Tianxing Group!!?"
"Half!!! Half of our assets will evaporate in this national calamity breach!!!"
"And here you are holding a sword—even if you're a dried-up old man, you're still a man, yet that sword is as thin as what women use, what are you trying to do!! What the hell do you need that for!!!"
Gong Cang slowly walked forward, still holding the sword.
The figure on the throne showed no concern, simply watching him.
Until Gong Cang stood before him.
"I want to support Kim Yeon-ju."
"I've never even heard of her, what nonsense are you talking about supporting?"
Gong Cang skillfully raised the sword: "Then kill me."
The figure on the throne snatched the sword: "You think I don't dare!"
Raising the sword to strike, he stopped it a hair's breadth from Gong Cang's head.
The voice spoke helplessly: "You're a butler, just manage the household properly. Stay out of these matters."
Gong Cang directly knelt on the ground: "My grandfather shed blood for Tianxing Group."
The old man on the throne:.......
"Yes, your grandfather did shed blood, and he even raised me. But that was your grandfather, not you. Since when do you get to decide who supports Tianxing Group's successor? Answer me!"
Gong Cang continued speaking as if to himself: "My father shed blood for Tianxing Group."
The old man on the throne:......
"Now you're bringing up your father. Yes, your father shed blood, and he assisted me. But that was your father, not you. And here you are trying to support someone—do you even understand what you're supporting!?"
Gong Cang didn't respond, instead continuing: "I have shed blood for Tianxing Group."
The old man on the throne erupted in fury: "Fuck it, fuck it!! You damn brat, ah!!!!!"
ImpOTENT rage echoed through the palace.
"Fine, fine fine fine fine, I owe you, I really owe you, I owe your entire Gong family eighteen generations of ancestors!!!"
"If not for your loyalty, if I hadn't raised you with my own hands, if I hadn't taught you personally, if you didn't call me godfather, if your father hadn't entrusted you to me on his deathbed, if you weren't closer to me than my own son, if......."
After numerous "ifs."
The final words "I would have killed you long ago" remained stuck in his throat.
In Tianxing Group where family bonds were merely tools, the relationship between butler and master seemed all the more precious.
The old man flung the long sword away: "This woman's toy, who the hell handed it to me!"
"Get out!! Go support your Kim Yeon-ju or whatever pearl she is! If you can't make her succeed, if she doesn't satisfy me, I!!! I!!! I'll dock your salary and find a woman as fierce as your mother to be your wife!!!"
"Let you suffer domestic violence like your father every day! Let's see if you can live in pain and happiness like he did!!"
Chasing Gong Cang out with a mix of curses and shouts.
But before leaving, Gong Cang left the materials he had prepared during his wait with the old man.
Afterward.
Gong Cang found Kim Yeon-ju.
"Miss Yeon-ju, you've convinced me. I hope we can cooperate happily in the days to come."
He bowed with hands clasped behind his back.
The breach of the national calamity was Tianxing Group's disaster, but without destruction there can be no construction—this could also be Tianxing Group's opportunity.
This was Gong Cang's home.
He accepted what couldn't be changed because it was beyond his control.
But after the great fire, he would exert his utmost effort to bring rebirth to this place.
Since the Great Han wanted to intervene, then he, Gong Cang, would guide Tianxing Group to be the first to taste the crab!
In this world, there are no permanent enemies!
"Thank you."
Kim Yeon-ju whispered her gratitude.
After tonight, Tianxing Group would undergo tremendous changes, but all this, Lu Ding wouldn't witness for now.
Mission accomplished, after leaving contact information for the sisters.
Lu Ding was going home!!!
No sentimental farewells, because there were no deep feelings to sentimentalize—they hadn't known each other long anyway.
There was only Kim Gyeong-joo and Kim Yeon-ju's silent gaze seeing him off.
Boarding the plane back home.
Lu Ding closed his eyes to rest, while An Wuyang beside him stroked his 'leather jacket'
The smile on his face simply couldn't be suppressed.
Handsome!!! So handsome! Explosively handsome!!!!
Taking out paper and pen.
[Seeing these words is like seeing me in person.....]
[Imperial mother, the Wei Gao matter is resolved, we..........]
After writing extensively.
An Wuyang finally addressed the main point.
[Imperial mother, Lu Ding gave me his extremely handsome leather jacket. Words cannot describe how handsome this jacket is, let me draw a picture for you]
Saying this.
An Wuyang took a selfie with his phone, and referring to his photo, he began sketching and drawing.
In his focused concentration.
He suddenly felt something wasn't quite right and turned to look at Lu Ding beside him.
He saw Lu Ding wearing sunglasses, leaning back in his seat without moving at all.
An Wuyang slightly frowned.
He quietly channeled spiritual energy and gently lifted the sunglasses.
Beneath them were wide-open eyes, staring motionlessly and unblinkingly at him.
An Wuyang quickly covered the letter, offering an slightly awkward chuckle: "Hehe, you're not asleep......"
Lu Ding adjusted his sunglasses properly.
The corners of his mouth curled up: "AUV～ So you're a prince? Your highness～ Quite leisurely there, conducting an incognito inspection right beside me?"
An Wuyang immediately felt a headache coming on.
This was the situation he least wanted to experience.
"No no, Lu Ding, it's not what you think, listen to me, it's like this......."
"Oh? Don't rush, your highness, I'm right here, all ears. You speak, I'll listen, it's not like anyone can see us anyway."
An Wuyang felt his scalp tingling: "Actually......."
As he spoke, he gestured animatedly with his hands.
The plane flew through the sky, extremely steady and smooth.
But the international waters below the sky were quite different.
The fighting was so intense that even dogs' brains were being beaten out.
Although in terms of individual national strength, whatever Wei Gao, Tai Island, Zhenla, Hetu—none were worth mentioning.
But when they gathered together, they still had some capability.
Though that capability was rather lacking.
Coupled with Wei Gao's national calamity being broken, it was adding insult to injury.
Just forget it.
Stop fighting.
The war drums ceased, replaced by retreat drums.
Before Wei Gao could even discuss with Tai Island about maybe surrendering?!
After all, it wasn't their first time being dominated by the Great Han—their ancestors had experienced this for generations, no shame there.
If you really want to fight, then do it yourself—my elite forces need to return to stabilize our domestic national calamity.
But before Wei Gao could convey their thoughts to Tai Island.
The Su Family from the Second Circle and Dong Minglong had already approached Tai Island Nation first.