Chapter 1371 Refusal of Mediation
After Yang Haoran secretly gave instructions to Gu Yi and Ban Kui, he did not linger at Jingran Pharmacy but left directly.
His purpose in coming to Jingran Pharmacy today was not to inquire about its recent operations. He came solely to give the two of them secret instructions, to plan ahead and prevent Jingran Pharmacy from being too passive should the worst-case scenario unfold.
After leaving Jingran Pharmacy, Yang Haoran immediately went to see Luo Yao, the Great Emperor of Jingling Continent. Originally, upon arriving in the Underworld, he should have sought out Luo Yao first. However, considering the vital importance of his secret instructions to Gu Yi and Ban Kui, he prioritized the pharmacy visit.
Aside from secretly instructing the two, Yang Haoran refrained from mentioning other matters, such as his wedding to Xu Meijing, or the current state of their relationship.
Since Yang Haoran didn't proactively bring it up, Gu Yi and Ban Kui naturally didn't dare to inquire further. Leaving Ban Kui aside, with Gu Yi's intellect, even without Yang Haoran mentioning these matters, she still gleaned some information from his secret instructions. However, in her view, this information was anything but good, which was why she emerged from the office with a troubled expression.
As for the post-wedding trip Yang Haoran had promised all Jingran Pharmacy employees, his and Xu Meijing's wedding had already fallen through. Naturally, this matter had died an untimely death as well. Since Yang Haoran hadn't brought it up, Gu Yi and Ban Kui certainly wouldn't either.
Upon meeting Luo Yao, Yang Haoran wore a faint smile, appearing no different from his usual self. Luo Yao noted this, a hint of surprise flickering across his face. He had expected Yang Haoran to be troubled and despondent, yet unexpectedly, Yang Haoran seemed to have recovered.
However, upon a closer observation of Yang Haoran's facial expression, he realized that the faint smile held subtle differences from before; it possessed a little less naturalness and a little more stiffness.
After carefully scrutinizing Yang Haoran's facial expression, Luo Yao slightly furrowed his brow, took a sip of tea, and then spoke.
Yang Haoran's current state was, naturally, not what he wanted to see. The state he desired was for Yang Haoran to truly recover, and for his relationship with Xu Meijing to mend. That was the outcome he truly wished for.
As far as he knew, Yang Haoran's relationship with Xu Meijing had not improved, and now, after seeing Yang Haoran, he found that Yang Haoran's state hadn't recovered either. This was certainly not good news for him; he naturally couldn't be pleased.
"Heh heh, with such a monumental incident occurring, and so many years of effort utterly wasted, how could one possibly recover completely so quickly?"
Yang Haoran smiled faintly, his tone betraying a hint of helplessness.
Luo Yao nodded, then gently set down his teacup.
"This matter is indeed quite significant. I also understand Xu Meijing's temperament; for this to happen to her, gaining her forgiveness will be exceedingly difficult. Not to mention Xu Meijing, any other woman encountering such a thing on her wedding day would suffer an absolutely immense blow."
At this point, Luo Yao let out a soft sigh, and then continued.
"Ah, your actions that day, in my opinion, were far too impulsive. Although Bai Xue is a trusted subordinate of yours and has rendered considerable service to you over the years, she is not a member of my Underworld Office. Furthermore, Bai Xue isn't your only trusted subordinate. While her absence would indeed have a significant impact on you, it wouldn't be fatal. When undertaking great endeavors, one must consider the bigger picture and not act on impulse. If you truly wanted to save her, and didn't wish for her to lose her life, there were many methods; you shouldn't have interrupted the wedding then and there."
Luo Yao had not been present at the wedding scene that day; he hadn't witnessed the situation firsthand but had learned of it through other channels. Though that was the case, it couldn't be denied that his words weren't entirely without reason.
In that situation, had Yang Haoran's emotions not spiraled out of control, leaving his mind blank, with his intellect, even if he couldn't have conjured up countless solutions, he might well have devised other ways to tackle the problem. So, what Luo Yao said wasn't entirely wrong.
Hearing this, Yang Haoran gave a bitter smile, his expression one of deep helplessness, and then he spoke. "Heh heh, in that situation, I was completely flustered, my brain had completely frozen. How could I think that much? That's why I was led by the nose by the other party. Things have come to this point; regret is useless now!"
Luo Yao thought for a moment, then spoke.
"How about this? I'll go talk to Xu Meijing. Perhaps it could have some effect, but don't place all your hopes on me, as I'm not entirely confident about this matter either."
Yang Haoran had indeed considered having Luo Yao step forward to speak with Xu Meijing and mediate their currently strained relationship. However, he had since altered his plan and, consequently, his decision. Thus, when Luo Yao proactively raised the matter, Yang Haoran naturally wouldn't agree.
However, he didn't immediately refuse Luo Yao, as that would have been too unusual. He feigned contemplation for a moment before shaking his head and speaking.
"I appreciate the Great Emperor's kindness. After all, this matter was caused by my own hand, so I believe it's more appropriate for me to handle it myself. This way, it will appear more sincere, and Xu Meijing will be more likely to accept it. If I were to trouble the Great Emperor with this, I worry Xu Meijing might misunderstand it as me asking the Great Emperor to pressure her, which would instead be counterproductive."
Yang Haoran spoke with extreme sincerity, as if these were his true feelings. Luo Yao considered it for a moment after hearing it, and did not press the issue.
"What you say is not without reason. Since you've already made a decision in your heart, I won't interfere in this matter between the two of you. If you exhaust all your means and still cannot get Xu Meijing to forgive you, and if you then require my assistance, I will step in to handle this matter for you."
Although Luo Yao didn't press the issue, it wasn't difficult to discern from his words that he hadn't given up hope. That was why he made a promise to Yang Haoran, and his sole purpose in doing so was to see Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing reconcile as soon as possible—the sooner, the better.
In his opinion, this outcome would not only be beneficial for Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing but also for himself. The Tong Continent Yin Division had recently been striking his Jingling Continent Yin Division with increasing ferocity, and he didn't want to be in a situation where his own Guardians were still embroiled in internal strife.
Yang Haoran could somewhat guess Luo Yao's thoughts, but he certainly wouldn't be foolish enough to expose the matter. Not only did he refrain from doing so, but he also expressed his gratitude before immediately speaking again.
"I came to see the Great Emperor today not for the matter concerning me and Xu Meijing, but because I have another important issue to report. This matter, in my humble opinion, is extremely significant. If not handled properly, it will undoubtedly bring immense trouble to our Underworld Office in the future."
Seeing Yang Haoran speak so earnestly and gravely, Luo Yao's expression changed, and his brows immediately furrowed tightly together.
Over their years of interaction, Luo Yao had also gained a certain understanding of Yang Haoran's character. He knew that Yang Haoran's words at this moment were certainly not a joke, nor was he sensationalizing to create alarm, which was why his expression immediately changed.
"What is it? Tell me about it."
Luo Yao asked in a deep voice. Although his expression had changed, he was, after all, one of the Five Great Emperors of the Underworld Office. When faced with matters, he certainly wouldn't exaggerate to the point of shouting loudly; he possessed no less than the composure befitting a Great Emperor.
Yang Haoran didn't beat around the bush, nor did he try to play coy in front of Luo Yao. He first informed Luo Yao of the conflict between the Eight Horn City Underworld Division and the Demon Hunter Guild. Immediately after, he also recounted Lecheng's prior entanglement with the Demon Hunter Guild. However, he wasn't foolish enough to reveal the full truth; Eight Horn City was inconsequential, but he absolutely dared not disclose the complete details of Lecheng's involvement with the Demon Hunter Guild, so he could only speak selectively.
And in reporting these two matters, the message he wished to convey to Luo Yao was singular: the current mode of interaction between the Underworld Office and the Demon Hunter Guild harbored significant hidden dangers. If this continued, their Underworld Office would undoubtedly suffer a great loss.
Luo Yao naturally understood the meaning behind Yang Haoran's words. After Yang Haoran fell silent, Luo Yao's expression was quite grim, and he remained unspoken for a long time. Yang Haoran did not interject, but quietly waited for Luo Yao to speak.
Moonlit Night God
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