Chapter 3584 Give me liberty or give me death

Since Xiao Churan left, Ye Chen's sense of belonging to Jinling has faded considerably.

It wasn't that he had lost his feelings for the city, but rather that the city no longer held him back by an invisible rope that made him reluctant to leave.

Now, he's like a bachelor with freedom of time and finances; once he decides where to go, he can set off immediately, and he can say he has no ties in Nanjing.

My friends in Nanjing are all doing very well now. In this city, they might have been business competitors, but because I've been connecting them over the past few years, they've become good friends, taking care of each other in life and helping each other in business.

Interestingly, the people who used to compete fiercely for resources actually earned less than those who now humbly yield to each other.

Although they are all business elites, their perspectives are sometimes constrained by territoriality. They see everyone outside themselves as rivals, which leads to serious internal friction. Once they work together to eliminate this friction, the situation will naturally improve.

This situation is somewhat similar to that of the European Union. Before the EU, Europe was devastated by both World Wars. Germany and France, longtime rivals, had been fighting since the 17th century until the end of World War II. Neither of them could establish themselves as a world power. Later, they came to terms with each other, abandoned their past prejudices, and banded together for mutual support, which led to a much brighter future.

Aside from his friends, Ye Chen's maternal grandparents' family no longer requires his attention. After all, his maternal grandparents' family are now successful businessmen who have returned from overseas to contribute to the development of the motherland, and China attaches great importance to them. Unless Wu Feiyan is tired of living and intends to fight to the death, she would never dare to lay a hand on them again.

Moreover, he has a large pool of martial arts talents at Champs-Élysées Hot Springs, and these people in Jinling can ensure the safety of his family and friends.

This is one of the many reasons why Ye Chen was able to leave with peace of mind.

Upon returning to Champs-Élysées, he did not immediately go to his villa on the hillside, but instead visited the villa where Yun Rugo and Song Ruyu were in seclusion.

These two women, who had shared many hardships, had become inseparable best friends after spending time together. They were overjoyed to see Ye Chen's sudden visit and warmly invited him into the living room.

After sitting down in the living room, Ye Chen asked the two women, "Miss Yun, Miss Song, how have you both been lately?"

Yun Rugo smiled and said, "Thank you for your concern, Mr. Ye. I have been enjoying my time with Ruyu these days."

Song Ruyu also lost her usual coldness and arrogance, and said with a smile, "Sister Yun is very good to me, like a real sister. We have both agreed that if we are lucky enough to survive, we will live and cultivate together. If we don't survive, we will trouble Mr. Ye to choose a scenic place in Jinling to bury us together."

Ye Chen was slightly surprised, but smiled and said, "It's too early to talk about death now."

Yun Rugo smiled easily and said, "Mr. Ye, time flies like an arrow, and a year will pass quickly."

Ye Chen nodded and said to the two men, "Gentlemen, I've come here today to discuss something with you."

Yun Rugo immediately said seriously, "Mr. Ye, please speak."

Song Ruyu, who was standing to the side, also sat up straight, staring at Ye Chen without blinking, waiting for him to continue.

Ye Chen said earnestly, "During this period, I have been deeply troubled by the stagnation in my cultivation, so I plan to go to Northern Europe for a period of seclusion to see if I can find an opportunity to open my Niwan Palace and also to see if I can find a way to detoxify you two. I hope you two can come with me."

Without any hesitation, the young Song Ruyu excitedly blurted out, "Thank you for your guidance, Mr. Ye. I am willing to go with you!"

A hint of worry and disappointment flashed across Yun Rugo's brows, but she quickly adjusted her mindset and smiled, "Rugo is also willing to go."

Ye Chen nodded with satisfaction and said, "In that case, I'll trouble you two to make the preparations. We'll set off tomorrow."

The two immediately agreed. Seeing that it was getting late, Ye Chen decided not to bother them any longer and got up to say goodbye.

Song Ruyu and Yun Rugo saw Ye Chen off at the door. After watching him leave, Song Ruyu whispered to Yun Rugo, "Sister Yun, why is Mr. Ye suddenly going to Northern Europe for seclusion? Isn't his wife in Jinling?"

“This…” Yun Rugo shook her head and murmured, “I’m not really sure either.”

Song Ruyu smiled and said, "Mr. Ye is in seclusion but still thinks of taking us with him. It seems he really cares about us."

Yun Rugo sighed softly and said in a low voice, "Mr. Ye is probably afraid that we two might have other ideas..."

Song Ruyu paused slightly, then smiled wryly and said, "Is Mr. Ye worried that we might be afraid of death at a critical moment?"

“Perhaps,” Yun Rugo said. “If he really intends to go into seclusion for a long time, it’s probably because he’s worried that if we have no way to survive, we might return to the Destroy the Qing Society.”

Song Ruyu said firmly, "Even if I die, I will never go back."

After saying that, he muttered to himself, sounding somewhat annoyed, "It seems Mr. Ye still doesn't believe us."

Yun Rugo smiled and said, "Like you, I would rather die than go back. But Mr. Ye's concerns are reasonable. A person's will to survive is directly proportional to the crisis. The more dangerous the situation, the stronger the will to survive."

Song Ruyu shook her head and said seriously, "Whether one seeks to live or not depends on what kind of life one seeks. If it is the same as before, if one has to live under the control of the Destroying Qing Society and even have to help the wicked in exchange for the antidote, then I would rather die. As the saying goes, 'Give me liberty or give me death.'"

Yun Rugo patted her shoulder and said with a smile, "We are both people who want to break away from the Broken Qing Society, but neither of us has the ability to control our destiny, so let's follow Mr. Ye's instructions."

Song Ruyu felt a pang of sadness, gently hugged Yun Rugo, and murmured, "Sister Yun, do you think we can get through this?"

Yun Rugo smiled and said, "Whether we can get through this depends on our fate. Wu Feiyan's poison is beyond our ability to cure. We still have to rely on Mr. Ye."

Song Ruyu nodded slightly, feeling an even stronger sense of kinship with Yun Ruge, a feeling that they were both fellow sufferers.

……

Helena, who was far away in Northern Europe, had just finished a state visit to several friendly countries and was flying back to Northern Europe and then back to the palace.

Although the royal family is a mascot in these constitutional monarchies, she has gained many supporters in her own country and around the world thanks to her personal charm and influence.

This makes her more than just a national mascot. Many things that the prime minister can't agree on, she can. Especially in attracting foreign investment to the Nordic countries, Helena always manages to get top international companies to invest in the Nordic market willingly.

Moreover, Helena has been working tirelessly for the Nordic countries, rarely taking a break, and is even more dedicated than the Prime Minister. Her efforts and charm have been seen by the people of the entire Nordic country, and the people's support for her has reached an unprecedented level, with the royal family's presence constantly reaching new heights.

Helena didn't really love the identity and job of queen; it was just that being in the royal family was boring and lonely, so she didn't want to be idle.

Filling her life with work did alleviate her loneliness considerably, but her longing for Ye Chen was already deeply rooted and difficult to ease.

Seeing Helena looking exhausted and listless as soon as she returned, the old empress felt a pang of heartache and couldn't help but ask, "Helena, have you taken some time to rest recently? Don't always be running around like this."

Helena smiled and said, "I feel bored during holidays. It's not convenient to go on vacation. Staying in the palace is cold and quiet all day long. It's better to be busy working outside."

The old empress said helplessly, "You, I still say it, need to achieve something in your family life, otherwise this palace will always be cold and desolate for you. I am still alive now, but if I die, won't it be even more desolate here?"

Helena smiled wryly: "Grandma, haven't we discussed these things? I have my own life to live, and I don't want to settle."

The old empress sighed, "If you've made up your mind about Ye Chen for this lifetime, then you should try to take things a step further. Otherwise, if you keep going like this, you'll only be wasting your own time. I mentioned last time that you should reconsider having a child with him. Having a child will make the palace less lonely."

Helena sighed, "Grandma, things aren't as simple as you think."

The old empress hurriedly said, "It is precisely because it is not simple that we must try our best to achieve it, otherwise it will truly be a long way off."

Helena rubbed her temples and said, "It's not so easy to see Mr. Ye now... Last time he brought that little girl to Northern Europe, we didn't even have a chance to be alone."

Speaking of this, Helena recalled the time when Ye Chen fainted on her bed.

She couldn't help but feel a little regretful. If she had seized the opportunity back then, would it have been possible for her to conceive Ye Chen's child?

She dared not think of using a child to tie him down, but to have one of his children would be enough for her in this life.

Just then, her phone rang.

The moment the bell rang, she instantly transformed from a tired state into one of excitement and exhilaration.

Because this ringtone was specially designed for Ye Chen.