The moment these words were spoken, Yun Fan's expression shifted instantly.
At this moment, Ye Lingbei continued, "Ye Ji married Long Aotian, but less than a year later, Long Aotian mysteriously disappeared!"
"Mysteriously disappeared?"
Yun Fan's eyes were filled with questions; this bizarre news seemed rather preposterous.
"That's right!"
Ye Lingbei said, "Back then, Ye Lingbei was the top expert among the four great families, his strength having reached the Half-step Innate realm. His disappearance was shrouded in mystery and led to much speculation!"
"And then?"
Yun Fan asked, confused.
Ye Lingbei then said, "Later, the matter was dropped. However, Ye Ji, this woman, is quite extraordinary! Within just half a year of Long Aotian's disappearance, she completely took control of the Long family, transforming it into what is now known as the Ye family!"
Such an outrageous legend completely surpassed Yun Fan's expectations. He was merely puzzled, wondering if the Long family would have simply agreed to it.
There were likely many hidden secrets involved, but Yun Fan presumed Ye Lingbei wouldn't know them, so he saw no point in asking.
"Didn't Long Aotian have a child?"
As Yun Fan pondered, Ye Lingbei said, "It's quite a coincidence, but I heard this child later died young. Whether that's true or not remains to be seen!"
Although many suspected that Ye Ji had killed the child, without evidence, all such suspicions remained mere conjecture.
"Nowadays, Ye Ji lives in seclusion, and all affairs of the Ye family are managed by Ye Qingcheng. It can be said that Ye Qingcheng holds absolute sway over the entire Ye family!"
Ye Lingbei explained to Yun Fan.
Yun Fan nodded, "I understand. No matter what secrets she has for coming to Jiangnan, if she crosses me, I won't hesitate to kill another person!"
Even though it was said that Ye Qingcheng was as beautiful as a celestial being, an otherworldly beauty who seemed to subsist on air, in Yun Fan's eyes, she was merely withered bones beneath a beautiful facade.
Subsequently, Yun Fan assisted Ye Lingbei in breaking through his bottleneck. The task had gone surprisingly smoothly, encountering virtually no obstacles.
This left Ye Lingbei deeply impressed with Yun Fan. He knew that his breakthrough was entirely due to Yun Fan's efforts, and he had merely played a supporting role.
Therefore, he felt an immense sense of gratitude towards Yun Fan.
However, due to his busy schedule, he departed from Jiangnan that same day.
...
Several days later, a significant event occurred in Jiangnan. Of course, for ordinary citizens, it had no impact and they remained unaware.
However, for Lin Tianxin and Jiang Xueyan, it presented a rather troublesome problem.
"This Ye Qingcheng is too outrageous! Relying on the Ye family's vast wealth, she's actually seized half of our business!"
Jiang Xueyan said angrily.
Previously, they had not paid much attention to Ye Qingcheng, naively believing she had come to Jiangnan for leisure.
But now, they realized they had underestimated Ye Qingcheng. They hadn't expected this woman to accomplish so much so quietly.
Lin Tianxin stated, "My Lin family has lost at least forty percent of our business!"
"Don't even mention it! My Jiang family is no different!"
Jiang Xueyan said resentfully, "We can't let this woman continue her arrogance. We must unite to bring her down and show her that Jiangnan is not hers to dictate!"
"Mm!"
Lin Tianxin nodded. If they were to face her individually, despite their confidence in their business acumen, they didn't possess the extensive resources of the Ye family.
Therefore, at this juncture, unity was the optimal strategy.
Lin Tianxin proposed, "This Ye Qingcheng has a voracious appetite. I suggest we first attempt diplomacy. If she doesn't heed our counsel, then we'll deal with her!"
Although Lin Tianxin was eager to confront her directly, the other party was still a member of the Ye family. Even if they ultimately emerged victorious, the losses would be substantial.
Thus, Lin Tianxin believed that the primary objective should be negotiation.
"I'm truly unwilling, but for the sake of the bigger picture, I can only agree to this!"
Jiang Xueyan said unwillingly, "But I won't be the one to negotiate with her. If anyone goes, it will be you!"
After all, she was prone to impulsiveness, fearing that she might end up in a confrontation with Ye Qingcheng after only a few words.
Lin Tianxin found Jiang Xueyan's temperament somewhat exasperating but, given the circumstances, had no other choice.
"Alright!"
She agreed.
"Prepare your plan. If negotiations fail, then we go to war directly!"
"Okay!"
After the two women conferred, it was decided that Lin Tianxin would meet with Ye Qingcheng.
Upon arriving at the villa where Ye Qingcheng resided, Ye Qingcheng's subordinate immediately addressed Lin Tianxin, "Miss Lin, our Young Mistress has been waiting for you inside for some time!"
"She knew I was coming?"
Lin Tianxin was truly astonished. Not only did the other party know she was coming, but also that she would arrive at this particular time.
It seemed Ye Qingcheng's intelligence far exceeded her expectations, and she needed to be cautious.
"Of course, our Young Mistress is exceptionally intelligent. She could foresee such a minor matter!"
Ye Qingcheng's subordinate stated proudly.
"Hmph!"
Lin Tianxin snorted, unsure what there was to be proud of.
Following this, she entered the room. Ye Qingcheng was the only one inside, currently playing a zither.
The melody was elegant yet grand, indicating at a glance that she was a master of music.
Upon seeing Lin Tianxin arrive, Ye Qingcheng stopped playing and said indifferently, "Sit!"
The two women sat facing each other, and Ye Qingcheng scrutinized Lin Tianxin without any pretense.
This made Lin Tianxin uneasy, as she had never been stared at so intensely before.
Thus, she immediately asked, "Miss Ye, do I have something on my face?"
"No, I'm just curious about what the foremost beauty of Jiangnan looks like!"
Ye Qingcheng replied calmly.
"I wouldn't dare claim to be the foremost beauty!"
Lin Tianxin inquired, "Then what is your assessment?"
"Mediocre!"
Ye Qingcheng answered directly, without any embellishment, speaking her mind.
Instantly, Lin Tianxin was enraged. How dare she call her mediocre? It was a joke! In terms of appearance, she was by no means inferior to Ye Qingcheng!
However, in terms of aura, she was indeed at a disadvantage compared to Ye Qingcheng. After all, her demeanor was that of a domineering female CEO, while Ye Qingcheng was a formidable female strategist.
Therefore, the disparity in aura was understandable; the standard for judging a woman's excellence was not solely based on her demeanor.
It could be said that aura was an entirely optional element in this regard.
"I won't waste your time. I'm here today to ask you why you're targeting my Lin family and the Jiang family,"
Lin Tianxin said coldly, "It seems neither of our families has offended you!"
"No!"
Ye Qingcheng stated, "Neither of your families has offended me!"
"Then why are you targeting us?"
Lin Tianxin asked impatiently.
Ye Qingcheng replied, "Because I want to!"
This answer was astounding and could hardly be considered even a perfunctory excuse. Lin Tianxin suppressed her anger and said, "Then I advise you to stop! Though our two families are small, we are not to be bullied by just anyone!"
This was Lin Tianxin's bottom line. If Ye Qingcheng was willing to cease her actions, then the matter would be dropped.
If Ye Qingcheng refused to stop, then they would engage in a direct conflict, showing no deference to anyone.
"What if I don't stop?"
Ye Qingcheng did not back down; her attitude remained consistent from the beginning.
Lin Tianxin was incensed, "If you don't stop, then we'll have no choice but to fight! Though you, Miss Ye, are held in high regard, our two families are not weak either. Furthermore, this is not your territory; you'd best think carefully!"
Upon hearing this, she expected Ye Qingcheng to pause and consider. To her surprise, Ye Qingcheng replied without hesitation, "Excellent! Then let's try. I'd like to see what methods your two families will use against me! I hope you don't disappoint me!"
Very well! Lin Tianxin now understood that from the moment Ye Qingcheng began targeting their families, she had no intention of negotiating.
Instead, she was intent on confronting them head-on. Lin Tianxin couldn't fathom why Ye Qingcheng would act this way, but since this was Ye Qingcheng's declaration of war, she had no choice but to accept it!
"Then we shall see. I hope, Miss Ye, that you will not regret this decision!"
Lin Tianxin prepared to leave. Since the other party had no intention of negotiating, there was no reason for her to stay.
"See her out!"
...
Another half a month passed, and Lin Tianxin and Jiang Xueyan were in a sorry state. They had never imagined that, even when united, they could not defeat Ye Qingcheng.
This was completely beyond their expectations. They recalled that in their younger days, both women were considered the most talented business magnates in Jiangnan.
Unexpectedly, this time, they had encountered an opponent. In several commercial battles, they had ended in defeat.
They had lost to Ye Qingcheng without any resistance.
Of course, this could not be entirely blamed on them; it wasn't that they were too weak, but rather that Ye Qingcheng was too formidable.
They had not lost to Ye Qingcheng in business strategy alone. Ye Qingcheng was a powerful female strategist, and by employing methods beyond the realm of business, she had managed to control them.
Their eventual defeat at Ye Qingcheng's hands left them utterly speechless.
At this moment, Lin Tianxin said to Jiang Xueyan, "I never imagined this woman possessed such audacity! She employed a desperate measure, risking everything to contend with us!"
Initially, their collaboration was on par with Ye Qingcheng's, even slightly superior. Just as they believed victory was within their grasp, Ye Qingcheng suddenly launched a counterattack.
And it was a suicidal one, aiming for mutual destruction. The two women, naturally, were unwilling to fight Ye Qingcheng to the bitter end, thus transforming from the offensive to the defensive, much to their chagrin.
Jiang Xueyan then suggested, "Should we ask the Black Dragon Society for help?"
The Black Dragon Society belonged to Yun Fan. If they asked, Yun Fan would surely instruct them to provide full assistance.
However, Lin Tianxin replied, "If we can't even defeat Ye Qingcheng, it would be too humiliating. Therefore, we cannot allow the Black Dragon Society to intervene!"
She was a woman who valued her pride and naturally would not admit defeat at this point.
Jiang Xueyan, sharing a similar temperament, had merely spoken her mind earlier. This time, they intended to handle the business war themselves.
Of course, it wasn't that they were inferior to Ye Qingcheng in business acumen, but rather that Ye Qingcheng, in addition to her strategic methods, also possessed extensive connections and relationships.
This was something they could not match.
Lin Tianxin then declared, "Regardless, she dared to risk everything, so why should we fear her?"
"Exactly. At worst, we'll fight a mutually destructive battle in business. With our capabilities, we can completely start over!"
However, at that very moment, Ye Qingcheng's subordinate delivered an invitation.
"Two Madam Presidents, our Young Mistress requests your presence!"
Ye Qingcheng's subordinate spoke respectfully, as this was explicitly instructed by Ye Qingcheng, and he dared not disobey his Young Mistress's wishes.
"Why is she inviting us? Is it to gloat?"
Lin Tianxin snorted coldly.
But this time, Jiang Xueyan was remarkably rational, "Inform your Young Mistress that we will honor her invitation!"
"That is good!"
Ye Qingcheng's subordinate bowed and respectfully said, "Then I shall return home and await the arrival of the two Madam Presidents!"
After he left, Lin Tianxin inquired, "Why did you agree to Ye Qingcheng's invitation?"
It was evident that Ye Qingcheng would undoubtedly use this opportunity to gloat, especially since they had been so thoroughly defeated this time.
Jiang Xueyan replied, "Know yourself and your enemy, and you will win a hundred battles. The reason for our failure is partly that we simply did not understand her!"
"Therefore, I wish to use this invitation to thoroughly understand what kind of person she is, and then formulate a targeted strategy!"
Lin Tianxin was initially inclined to reject Jiang Xueyan's suggestion, as she had found it impossible to fathom Ye Qingcheng during their previous encounter.
However, there was a possibility of gaining valuable insights, so she ultimately agreed to Jiang Xueyan's proposal.
Subsequently, the two women arrived at Ye Qingcheng's villa for the meeting.
Unlike the previous occasion, Ye Qingcheng was not playing the zither this time. Instead, she had already prepared a pot of floral tea for them.
"Ye Qingcheng, you are truly despicable! To win, you resort to any means necessary!"
Jiang Xueyan taunted with disdain.
Ye Qingcheng calmly asked, "So, are you afraid?"
"Afraid?"
Jiang Xueyan retorted impatiently, "Apologies, but the word 'fear' does not exist in my vocabulary!"
"Drink your tea!"
Ye Qingcheng poured two cups of tea for them.
The two women naturally sat down to confront Ye Qingcheng, but showed no inclination to drink the tea.
Ye Qingcheng stated, "I know that both your families are currently severely weakened. If we were to continue fighting, I might lose, but you would undoubtedly go bankrupt!"
"So what? Are we supposed to willingly let you bully us?"
Lin Tianxin said angrily.
Ye Qingcheng smiled, "Therefore, I believe now is the opportune time for negotiation. I can compensate you for all your losses!"
"That's too good to be true?"
Lin Tianxin asked coldly, "What are your conditions?"
She did not believe Ye Qingcheng would be so magnanimous, especially considering how ruthlessly she had targeted them in business previously.
Ye Qingcheng replied, "Clever. I do have one rather insignificant condition!"
"Tell us!"
At Jiang Xueyan's urging, Ye Qingcheng elegantly took a sip of tea and then said, "I want you to break off your engagement with your fiancé!"
Of course, this statement was directed at Lin Tianxin.
The two women were instantly dumbfounded. No matter how they looked at it, they had never expected Ye Qingcheng's condition to be this.
Lin Tianxin asked in confusion, "Do you know my fiancé?"
"No!"
Ye Qingcheng replied.
"Then why do you want me to break off my engagement with my fiancé?"
In Lin Tianxin's view, Ye Qingcheng might be suffering from some mental affliction. She had initially assumed they knew each other.
However, Yun Fan seemed to have never left Jiangnan. Even before coming to Jiangnan, Yun Fan had grown up in Nanshan Village, making any connection with Ye Qingcheng highly improbable.
"There's no reason. I act based on intuition!"
This statement almost drove Lin Tianxin to her death. She had encountered obnoxious people before, but never someone as detestable as Ye Qingcheng.
Before she could even refuse, Jiang Xueyan interjected, "Then what are your conditions for me?"
She did not believe that Ye Qingcheng would incur such a significant cost solely to target Lin Tianxin. She must have been involved as well.
"It has nothing to do with you. You were merely dealt with as a consequence!"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Xueyan felt like strangling the woman before her. This was utterly infuriating; it was as if she were being disregarded.
Was her presence that insignificant? Or did Ye Qingcheng not recognize her strength and simply overlooked her?
Jiang Xueyan angrily exclaimed, "What do you mean? Are you showing me no respect at all? Am I not worthy of being your enemy?"
"Uh..."
Lin Tianxin, standing by, felt utterly speechless. She was angry when the other party targeted her, and she was angry when she wasn't targeted.
She simply wanted to ask Jiang Xueyan what her intention was.
Finally, Ye Qingcheng said, "Since that's the case, then my demand for you is to sever all contact with Yun Fan! Never see him again!"
After all, Jiang Xueyan was not Yun Fan's fiancée, so this demand was within reason, similar in nature to Lin Tianxin's situation.
At most, one could say one was the legitimate wife, and the other was a mistress or concubine.
Jiang Xueyan, suppressing her anger, asked, "Even for negotiations, you must at least tell us why!"
They knew that Ye Qingcheng was not as capricious as she appeared, and there must be some hidden reason behind her actions.
This was precisely what they wanted to know.
Ye Qingcheng remained indifferent and said, "I told you, I don't need to explain my actions to anyone, including you!"
"As long as you agree to my conditions, I will return what you have lost, and I will cease to target you, for you are not worthy of being my opponent!"
Well! After stating her conditions, Ye Qingcheng couldn't resist throwing a jab at the two women. This enraged them considerably!
"If you don't tell us the reason, we won't agree. If you tell us the reason, we might consider it!"
Lin Tianxin said indifferently. Of course, she had no intention of considering it. The only reason she said this was to find out the reason.
The more Ye Qingcheng refused to disclose it, the more curious she became.
Jiang Xueyan felt the same.
How could Ye Qingcheng not see through their intentions? At this moment, Ye Qingcheng had completely understood both women.
Therefore, she directly said, "Since you want to know the reason, I will tell you!"
"Speak!"
Under the expectant gazes of the two women, Ye Qingcheng said, "Because you are not worthy of being with him!"
"You..."
The two women were almost infuriated to death by this sudden declaration. It was truly infuriating.
"Hmph! We are not worthy, but are you worthy?"
Lin Tianxin angrily retorted. They knew Yun Fan was highly sought after, but their feelings for Yun Fan were not something anyone could easily compare.
Ye Qingcheng, a stranger to them, was presumptuously commenting on their personal affairs, which was essentially a lack of respect, and carried a hint of humiliation.
They could not tolerate this.
"In this world, no one is worthy of me!"
Ye Qingcheng stated coldly.
At this, Lin Tianxin said, "We will not agree to this matter. You want to continue, right? Then we will accompany you to the end!"
"Yes, we are not afraid of you!"
Jiang Xueyan also said indignantly.
In other words, they had been pushed too far, and yet the other party proposed such an unreasonable condition. They would not compromise.
Of course, they had no reason to compromise.
"Very well! Then we shall see!"
Ye Qingcheng coldly warned, "However, I advise you to think twice before acting, or you will regret it in the future!"
In her view, Yun Fan would eventually die at her hands, and by then, the two women would have no place to weep.
"Hmph! Who fears whom!"
"Exactly, we will not regret it either. You will be the one to regret it!"
With that said! The two women left directly.
Upon returning to their company, the anger of the two women had not subsided.
Jiang Xueyan declared fiercely, "Since she has gone too far, then we will stake our entire fortune and fight her to the end!"
This final battle meant utter ruin. After all, this was not a turn-based game. They had Yun Fan, and that was enough. Money was external.
Lin Tianxin said, "We need to raise more funds!"
She checked her accounts and found no money. This was a battle of attrition, where wealth determined everything.
Jiang Xueyan asked, "Is there really no money left?"
"No!"
Lin Tianxin said, "Don't you still have twenty billion in savings? Bring it all out! It's better than nothing! Although twenty billion is not the deciding factor for victory!"
"That won't do! That's my retirement fund with Yun Fan. I absolutely will not take it out!"
Jiang Xueyan refused. If she were asked to sell the Jiang family's assets, she would do so without hesitation, but this sum of money was out of the question.
Lin Tianxin was furious upon hearing this. At this point, she was still hoarding her retirement fund! And it was with her fiancé.
Was that even possible? It was utterly ridiculous.
Just as the two women were in distress, Liu Ming arrived.
"Liu Ming greets the two young ladies!"
Liu Ming bowed with a smile.
"President Liu, why are you here?"
The two women looked at Liu Ming in confusion. They knew Liu Ming; after all, he had paid them a visit shortly after arriving in Jiangnan.
Of course, they were unaware that Liu Ming was one of Ye Qingcheng's subordinates, as they had not been present when Liu Ming appeared at the Black Dragon Society.
Liu Ming said with a smile, "I heard that the two young ladies are experiencing financial difficulties in their businesses, so I have come to lend you a hand!"
"Help us?"
The two women looked at Liu Ming in bewilderment, thinking how remarkably well-informed Liu Ming was! He had found out so quickly.
More importantly, he had come to help them, so at this moment, it was impossible for them not to have some doubts about Liu Ming.
Liu Ming said, "Indeed. If the two young ladies require it, I can prepare one hundred billion for you!"
One hundred billion was a substantial sum, enough to help them turn the situation around.
The two women exchanged glances, their eyes filled with disbelief. A person they barely knew suddenly offered them one hundred billion.
This was even more incredible than finding money falling from the sky.
Thus, Jiang Xueyan curiously asked, "Why are you helping us?"
"Because I am friends with Mr. Yun. If you two do not believe me, you can call Mr. Yun!"
Liu Ming stated directly.
The women's doubts were dispelled. Yes, given Yun Fan's strength and background, this was indeed plausible.
However, Liu Ming's arrival was too coincidental. They still harbored some reservations. More importantly, they did not want to rely on Yun Fan to help them turn the situation around.
Liu Ming's assistance to them was, in a way, leveraging Yun Fan, so it went against their principles.
"Thank you for your kind offer, President Liu. I believe we can still manage!"
Lin Tianxin politely declined.
"Mm! Please return, President Liu!"
Jiang Xueyan refused his assistance.
Liu Ming was instantly dumbfounded. He had come precisely according to his Young Mistress's instructions: first lend money to the two women, and then trap them.
He hadn't expected the two women to be so wary and directly refuse his offer. If he failed to complete the task, his Young Mistress would surely be angry.
Therefore, he quickly asked, "Would the two young ladies perhaps reconsider?"
"No more consideration!"
The two women refused again. Their refusal was so decisive that it put Liu Ming in an awkward position.
"Very well! If the two young ladies require anything, I shall be at your service anytime!"
Liu Ming said helplessly and then took his leave.
...
"Is this Jiangnan?"
Outside Jiangnan City, several figures clad in black gazed down upon the city from a commanding height.
No one knew their origins, nor how powerful they were. Their appearance was always accompanied by an air of mystery.
One of them said to the person beside him, "That's right. It's hard to imagine that such a small city like Jiangnan has produced a Half-step Innate expert!"
"It's a shame he's too meddlesome. He indirectly helped the Heavenly Emperor eliminate our pawn!"
"So, he must die, is that correct?"
The few individuals exchanged smiles. They were not from the mortal world but from beyond the ordinary. They had come to Jiangnan discreetly this time.
After all, if they were discovered by those in power, even if they breached their pact, their situation would be quite precarious.
Therefore, they acted with utmost caution and prudence.
"Act quickly and leave no trace!"
"Mm!"
Just as the few individuals were about to depart, someone appeared not far away.
"Who are you?"
The few individuals instantly exuded killing intent, looking coldly at the person before them. With a mere thought, this person would perish.
The person before them was none other than Liu Ming, who had been rebuffed by the two women.
Liu Ming said with a smile, "I am merely an ordinary person. There is no need for you esteemed guests to be on guard!"
"What are you doing here?"
The few individuals hadn't expected to be noticed as soon as they arrived in Jiangnan. It seemed they had underestimated the mortal world after all.
Liu Ming said unhurriedly, "I am here solely to welcome you esteemed guests to meet my master!"
"Who is your master?"
The leading black-clad figure said coldly, "If you do not tell me clearly, then leave your life here!"
"My life is worthless. If you esteemed guests require it, feel free to take it!"
Liu Ming smiled, "Since you wish to know, I shall tell you. My master is the eldest daughter of the Ye family, Ye Qingcheng!"
"Never heard of her!"
The few individuals immediately showed disdain. Clearly, Ye Qingcheng was not well-known in their eyes.
Liu Ming did not seem surprised by this and continued, "It's normal that you haven't heard of her, but you must have heard of her mother, Ye Ji!"
"What?"