What If...I Remember?

Chapter 7

A phoenix feather.

Ye Hua stared at it, hoping Zhe Yan might have given him more clues, or more help, but that was it. There was nothing more to the feather. It was just, indeed, a plain but exquisite-looking feather.

"Your Highness...I don't suppose you will head to Tai Chen Palace now?" Even Jia Yun looked uncertain. A tree spirit had arrived, delivering a single flaming phoenix feather, dropping leaves and branches in his fright and anxiety, and if not because the branches of the Mi Gu trees were the best way-finding equipment, Jia Yun would have been annoyed from all the mess.

"Yes." Ye Hua didn't need to speak much. This was the Nine Heavens, where everything was bound by rules and not relations, and for half a moment, Ye Hua did wonder why he was born to such a cold place. Why couldn't he have been born to Qing Qiu, where life was led simply and happily? Or even the mortal realm?

Rising from his desk, Ye Hua strode from his study, crossing the cramped space easily with just a few strides. Behind him moved Tian Shu silently, his bodyguard who was quiet in nature, just like Ye Hua himself. 

"Husband!"

Ye Hua gritted his teeth. What was Su Jin doing here?

"What do you want?" Ye Hua kept his solemn face. He wouldn't smile in front of this woman, no. Not even if she was blind. Not until she received the karma she needed. "Husband, where are you going? It's so late now..." Su Jin pretended she felt none of the hate that radiated strongly off him. 

"Is that a Phoenix feather? Goodness, how beautiful, it would look great on you, Madam!" Xin Nu, Su Jin's scheming partner and servant, snatched the feather from his sleeve, and Ye Hua almost snarled at her. Not again! Why was Su Jin always out to destroy all his efforts in repairing the relationship with Su Su???

"Ah!" Su Jin dropped the feather the moment it touched her, and Ye Hua watched as the feather burned brightly again. "Ye Hua, don't waste time." Zhe Yan's voice urged from the feather, and Ye Hua glanced at Su Jin, who apparently hadn't heard — or couldn't hear — the feather. 

Picking it up quickly, Ye Hua threw an annoyed expression at Su Jin, before he resumed his strides, now a rush to his steps, and the feather spoke again to remind him, "Crown Prince, once you meet Dong Hua Di Jun, just hand the feather to him. He should understand. But the rest of the persuasion lies in your abilities."

"Crown Prince?"

That ancient voice...could only belong to Di Jun.

"Ye Hua greets Di Jun." Ye Hua bowed, and even as he did so, he felt the steely gaze of the elder sweeping him up down, and when Di Jun spoke again, Ye Hua had no doubt that Di Jun already knew some things about the visit. 

"Zhe Yan sent you here, didn't he?" Di Jun spoke sharply, as always, and Ye Hua pulled out the feather, which exploded into flames again, and Dong Hua Di Jun was unfazed as he waved his hand over the feather, extinguishing the flames at once.

"You wish me to help you with memory extraction. But, I must remind you, Crown Prince, that by doing so, you risk going against your grandfather, who is still the current Heavenly Lord reigning over the four seas and eight lands." Di Jun spoke slowly, his azure eyes slightly alert as they fixed on Ye Hua's black ones, and Ye Hua spoke in disdain, "I know I shouldn't have fallen in love with a mortal, in the first place, but the matter of Su Jin framing Su Su into depression should be further looked into and exposed. I don't care if it makes the last descendant of the Su Jin tribe look bad, I only know that it's justice, and I have been taught to rule with just." 

"Ah. Impulse is rarely seen in you, Crown Prince. I see you have set yourself upon this path in determination." Di Jun's expression was slightly amused, and Ye Hua was slightly surprised at Di Jun's willingness to be involved, "Forgive me for my blatant rudeness, Di Jun, but is there another reason for your involvement in this?"

"There needn't be a reason. I am a just person. But, there could also be a reason. I know the red nine-tailed fox is Bai Feng Jiu of Qing Qiu. I also know she was angered over the unjustified treatment toward Su Su." The rest was left unspoken, but Ye Hua understood that the ancient emperor had his selfish reasons for helping.

"Then...Ye Hua thanks Dong Hua Di Jun here first." Ye Hua dipped his head low, but Di Jun waved him away, "Memory extraction is one thing. How am I possibly going to get close to the Heavenly Lord, Goddess Le Xu, Prince Yang Cuo or Princess Su Jin for their memories?" 

And Ye Hua smiled grimly, "Leave that to me. I have an excellent idea."

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A/N: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh so sorryyyyyyyyy please don't hate me for the shorter chapterrrrrrrrrr

I promise, things are reallllllllllyyyyyy getting interesting! But also, quick question, would y'all be interested in seeing a battle between Li Jing, Ye Hua and Mo Yuan for Bai Qian's love? Hahahahaha