However… since you, Xu Rouyue, didn’t ask, Xue Ziyi certainly wouldn’t be so bored as to openly recount his romantic history, right? Only a fool would do that, so you can’t blame Xue Ziyi.
"Hey, a college classmate dumped me after graduation; and another one..." Xue Ziyi scratched his head, saying awkwardly, "Back then, we were in an online relationship, but after a while, it just didn't work out. He also thought I wasn't very successful, so that's how it ended."
"Haven't you thought about finding someone else in the last two years?" Xu Zhengyang asked with a smile.
Xue Ziyi's heart sank. Was this a hint that he should give up on Xu Rouyue and go find someone else?
Besides… how come this chairman seems to know everything? What does he do? Is he involved in national intelligence espionage? And why would he go to such lengths to investigate just because his sister wants to find a boyfriend? Xue Ziyi grew increasingly nervous. He felt as if he could hide nothing from this chairman.
This made him feel very bad.
After thinking for a moment, Xue Ziyi said, "The company has developed rapidly in the past two years, and I'm quite busy with work. It's not that I haven't thought about it, but when I'm busy, I don't have time to think about it."
"Hmm? Not busy now?" Xu Zhengyang asked with a smile.
"Uh..." Xue Ziyi smiled awkwardly, raised his glass to Xu Zhengyang, and then downed it in one gulp. Using the fiery kick of the drink, he said, "To be honest, ever since Rouyue came to the company, I...I..."
Xu Zhengyang wasn't angry. He still smiled and said, "Well, Rouyue is beautiful. Men are bound to be attracted to pretty girls. Has this affected your work?"
That's a bit vague and ambiguous.
“He’s been doing well at work.” Xu Rouyue couldn’t help but make an excuse for Xue Ziyi, who was feeling a little embarrassed. However, as soon as the words left her mouth, she felt that they were inappropriate and her face turned even redder.
Xue Ziyi felt a warmth in her heart and became bolder, saying, "Relationships and work can actually be balanced."
"Oh?" Xu Zhengyang's face showed a hint of doubt, then he nodded, picked up his chopsticks to eat, and said, "It's good, come on, eat, eat..."
The conversation seemed to have ended there.
Xue Ziyi was filled with questions. Was he satisfied or dissatisfied?
When he first came here, Xue Ziyi thought that matters of the heart were not something that his family could decide, and that they shouldn't try to change his feelings through force or any other means, unless Xu Rouyue truly didn't like him. But now, Xue Ziyi felt uneasy because he was genuinely afraid of this chairman.
He was almost certain that if the chairman did not agree, there would be absolutely no possibility for him to develop a relationship with Xu Rouyue. Moreover, Xu Rouyue, who was always hardworking, diligent, and decisive in handling affairs, and who was quite independent and self-reliant, seemed to be very obedient to her brother.
The conversation continued infrequently, with Xu Zhengyang occasionally mentioning matters related to company work, which Xue Ziyi and Xu Rouyue answered and explained carefully.
Well, it's safe to say that this chairman is completely clueless about all aspects of the company.
As he left after dinner, walking down the hallway, Xu Zhengyang casually remarked:
"Rouyue has never been in a relationship, and she's an honest person, so sometimes she inevitably feels dissatisfied and hurt, but she's not good at expressing it... You should be more understanding and put in some effort..."
"Huh?" Xue Ziyi looked at Xu Zhengyang in surprise, somewhat lost in thought.
"Also, it's good that you have a good personality and are willing to help those in need, but you need to tone down your chauvinistic tendencies and not bully Rouyue. She's not the kind of spoiled and willful girl." Xu Zhengyang said without turning his head, not even glancing at Xue Ziyi.
Xu Rouyue blushed and clung to her brother's arm, secretly glancing back at him.
Xue Ziyi received the hint and came to his senses. He quickly followed, but he didn't seem too cautious as he said, "I will definitely treat Rouyue well."
When I went downstairs to the car, Zhu Jun had already opened the car door and was waiting.
After Xu Zhengyang got into the car, he turned his head to look at Xue Ziyi through the car window, smiled, and then said to Xu Rouyue, "Come visit my home when you have time."
He turned his head and gestured for Zhu Jun to drive.
The black Mercedes-Benz slowly drove away.
Xu Rouyue was left blushing, and Xue Ziyi was stunned.
Sometimes happiness comes too fast and too suddenly, making it hard to bear.
Volume 7, Emperor, Chapter 371: Stepping Out of the Heavenly Court
When one's strength and status reach Xu Zhengyang's current level, it seems that there is nothing or no one in this world that can threaten him personally.
If Xu Zhengyang had stopped there, lived a peaceful and comfortable life, and slowly accumulated his divine power...
Living a carefree and happy life is absolutely effortless for him. He can even do whatever he wants in his own life. When one person attains enlightenment, even his chickens and dogs ascend to heaven. Sooner or later, after he becomes an emperor, he will live a life of eternal bliss.
On the surface, it seems that this is indeed the case.
However, Xu Zhengyang did not do that. After returning from the Heavenly Court, he began to explore step by step the path of establishing a government office, streamlining, expanding, and streamlining again, striving to establish a Heavenly Court on earth, hoping that the mortal world would become better and better, and that people could live peacefully in a fair environment.
No war, no suffering...
Perhaps it is because of a compassionate heart that sympathizes with all beings?
However, the real reason wasn't entirely because Xu Zhengyang was kind-hearted, compassionate, or had boundless love... Rather, he had to do this to have the spiritual sustenance to sustain his long-term existence—human faith—and to maintain his path to immortality.
We should never forget those who dug the well when we drink the water; we should always do something for ordinary people, right?
Moreover, humans are "self-centered," so if you don't do something, who will believe in the existence of gods?
Therefore, he needed to do his best to expand his power and territory, help humanity, achieve his desires, and obtain as much divine power as possible, within his capabilities.
He established the Heavenly Court on Earth because he didn't want to live in the real Heavenly Court; it was meaningless.
He wanted to repair the Heavenly Laws because he did not want the incredibly clever humans to, at some point in the future, develop techniques that would allow them to cultivate immortality and attain enlightenment, thus breaking through the Heavenly Laws and ascending to immortality... Because if that happened, not only would it pose a threat to him, Xu Zhengyang, the supreme deity, but more dangerously, it could lead to a second war of the gods long, long in the future.
However, how can worldly affairs be planned and completed in a short period of time?
After all, Xu Zhengyang wasn't an evil god who could truly do whatever he wanted without any scruples.
The revolution is not yet complete, God, we must continue our efforts...
The hijacking of this cargo ship by pirates alarmed the highest levels of the domestic government and also became news in news media around the world. However, it seems that such incidents have become commonplace, and did not cause much of a reaction. After all, it's not just your ship that has been hijacked.
Give me the money...
This seemed to be an inevitable outcome.
Even though major world powers have dispatched warships to patrol and protect cargo ships in this area and combat piracy, the results have been minimal. The reason is simple: this region borders a country plagued by internal strife and constant warfare. Desperate people have no choice but to take the risk and become pirates.
Put down your gun and you're a fisherman; pick it up and you're a pirate. So what? Can you kill them all?
Therefore, apart from the leadership of the country where the cargo ship was located, who guessed that it would be safe, no other country would have thought that the cargo ship could be released by the pirates unharmed and without paying a single penny.
However, this ship belongs to "Zhengyang National Logistics Group", whose chairman and largest shareholder is Xu Zhengyang.
A week later, after several small discussions, all members of the pirate group made a decision that shocked the world—to release the ship and its crew unconditionally.
The reason, according to legend, is that these pirates were all moved by God within just two days, and thus, out of compassion, released the cargo ship.
What kind of bullshit legend is that? Nobody would believe that.
They definitely paid!
But are pirate organizations starting to care about their reputation now? So after haggling, they offer a lower price to maintain a good image?
What is unknown to the outside world is that this ship actually received payment.
One or two members of this small pirate group received a donation of $100,000 from the company that owned the ship.
Yes, that's right, it's a donation!
This suggestion was put forward by Li Haidong. After investigating the identities of these pirate members, Li Haidong discovered that two new members of their pirate organization had joined the organization through various connections because they came from impoverished families and had family members who had been injured in the war and urgently needed money for treatment.
When Li Haidong offered to help the families of the two pirates, Xu Zhengyang angrily retorted, "Nonsense! Does that mean everyone who is in dire straits at home can commit crimes and rob banks?"
Li Haidong said, "Sir, if you come here and see for yourself, you'll understand... the people are suffering terribly! It's so tragic."
"That won't do either, it's utter nonsense! In war-torn countries, the lives of ordinary people are far from good. There are countless people suffering from disasters and hardships. Even international charitable organizations are powerless to help. How can we possibly save them all? This isn't a problem that can be solved in a short time. Why did we ask you to investigate there? It's to prepare for a long-term commitment to this..." Xu Zhengyang sneered, thinking to himself, "When did Li Haidong become such a do-gooder? Is this still the visionary, decisive, and world-renowned figure?"
“Sir, these two pirates have sincerely apologized to our crew in private and hope to be forgiven…” Li Haidong lamented, “They were not being hypocritical; they genuinely felt guilty and remorseful from the bottom of their hearts.”
Xu Zhengyang was stunned for a long time before finally nodding helplessly and agreeing to Li Haidong's request.
Subsequently, Xu Zhengyang called Wu Juan and told her to instruct her to send 100,000 US dollars to the pirate organization. He also informed Li Haidong that this money must be used to warn the other pirate members that no one should be allowed to take a share of it, or they would be sentenced to death!
The members of this pirate gang certainly wouldn't dare to take a share of the money; they wouldn't dare even if they had the guts.
For they have seen God in these days.
God gave them a stern rebuke and warning. Two of the stubborn ones, after a moment of confusion, came to their senses and found themselves holding guns to their own foreheads, ready to fire.
After hearing the news from each other, they became certain that God had indeed appeared.
What are we waiting for if we're not going to release the boat?
But even if I release this ship, I'll still have to continue being a pirate. Otherwise, how will I survive? And once I become a pirate, many things are no longer up to me…
But God appeared again, persuading them to turn to good, live honestly, and that happy days would come.
If you can atone for your sins by persuading others to stop doing evil, then God will forgive your past sins and allow you to live a happy life.
With the god's promise, this pirate group of twenty-seven members immediately decided to disband. They then continued to live a difficult life in small groups of three to five, but they proclaimed the god's existence to everyone they met, saying they would live happily ever after. If you don't believe me, just wait and see!
Xu Zhengyang was somewhat dissatisfied with the series of actions and measures taken by Li Haidong abroad.
However, as the saying goes, a general in the field may not obey orders, so Xu Zhengyang didn't say anything. He simply said, "You should stay there and investigate for a while. Remember, keep an eye on the leaders of those local separatist forces. If we can stabilize the places where there is a possibility of conflict, that would be the best situation for the time being!"
Li Haidong, of course, understood what to do, so he agreed without hesitation and said, "If we can establish an office of the Heavenly Court here, and use the power of the gods to make an exception and appear to mortals to demonstrate divine miracles, I think it would be enough to stop the war here within half a year, and completely eliminate the threat of war within two to three years."
"I'll think about it," Xu Zhengyang said calmly.
Admittedly, Li Haidong's suggestion made perfect sense. After all, it was abroad, and in a relatively backward and impoverished country compared to the rest of the world. Using the authority and power of the gods there—to have ghosts possess people, or even for the gods to manifest themselves, kill some, or intimidate others—would make many things much simpler to handle.
The problem is that Li Haidong didn't know that the Heavenly Court is actually divided into nine heavens, and this war-torn and disaster-ridden country was not within the jurisdiction of their Heavenly Court.
Xu Zhengyang had actually thought of this long ago, which is why he had Li Haidong conduct an on-site investigation there.
But before that, there is one more thing to do: obtain permission from the Heavenly Laws.
After all, what you're doing is tantamount to overstepping your authority!
If Li Haidong's rank hadn't been high enough, he wouldn't have been able to exert his divine power at all, even though he led two ghost messengers all the way to the area under the jurisdiction of the Southwest Zhu Tianting. Moreover, if all the gods of the heavens were present, the emperor of the Southwest Zhu Tianting would have taken Xu Zhengyang to the Heavenly Emperor of the Jun Tianting for a lawsuit.
Through the Divine Command Token, a connection was established with the spiritual consciousness of the divine artifact, Heavenly Laws.
Xu Zhengyang said bluntly, "I want to establish a Heavenly Court organization outside the territory of the Eastern Heavenly Court, and arrange ghost messengers and even gods... Could you do me a favor?"
The Heavenly Law Spirit Angrily Responds: No.
Xu Zhengyang said, “It’s not that I’m deliberately violating the Heavenly Laws and Rules. Right now, within the Three Realms, only the Eastern Azure Heavenly Court still has deities. The other Heavenly Courts are all empty. Your Heavenly Laws are actually located elsewhere and have virtually no practical use. In the long run, the Heavenly Laws will eventually need to be repaired, and their existence is only reasonable on the basis of a perfected Heavenly Court… It can’t just be the Eastern Azure Heavenly Court that exists, don’t you think?”
The Heavenly Law Spirit remained silent for a long time before saying: "Do you intend to establish other Heavenly Courts?"
Xu Zhengyang shook his head and said, "With my current strength, I can only proceed slowly. Moreover... I have no intention of creating any more Nine Heavens, just like the Heavenly Laws, whose jurisdiction covers all nine heavens. I think that the newly built Heavenly Court on Earth will be unique, and there is no need to create such a complicated organization."
The Heavenly Laws retorted angrily: "According to what you've said, what use will the Heavenly Laws be in the future?"
Xu Zhengyang curled his lip and snorted coldly, saying, "I'm very lazy. If you're not there to keep me in check in the future, with so many divine subordinates running all over the world, do I still need to manage them one by one?"
After careful consideration, Tian Tiao agreed.
"Your primary task now is to repair the regulations governing the possibility of mortals becoming gods for various reasons. This regulation must be repaired immediately. Also... apart from me, you must control the advancement of the divine power of current and future gods. You must absolutely not allow them to have a clear possibility of promotion or ability improvement without my consent!" Xu Zhengyang said with an extremely serious expression and tone. "As for other matters, don't worry about them for now... I can still manage."