[Hetu][Heavenly Demon][Episode 5 Chapter 3]

Chapter Three:
Hometown Hangzhou has been a paradise on earth since ancient times. Its verdant mountains and clear waters, its misty willows, resemble a scene from a poem,

breathtakingly beautiful. The ancient city of Qingyan, the old Pingdao Road, the West Lake, the Leifeng Pagoda—everywhere is a scenic wonder,

every exquisite. Amidst the lush greenery, every corner exudes poetic charm; the title of "paradise on earth" is no exaggeration.
Even as the stars fill the sky, Hangzhou remains bustling in the night. As night falls and willows sway in the breeze,

this largest city in Zhejiang is still ablaze with lights, decorated and vibrant. The

sounds of people drinking wine and reciting poetry, the sweet calls of courtesans in brothels—all these imbue Hangzhou with an air of ambiguity.
At the East Gate, the guards are already drowsy, watching the talented men and beautiful women pass by in pairs, their

mouths watering with envy. The tranquil yet decadent city, its nights forever shimmering with intoxicating

ripples, never once disturbed by the clash of swords and the thunder of war.
In the darkness, birdsong and insect chirps filled the woods, the moon hung high, and the sky was ablaze with stars—a scene of unparalleled beauty. Suddenly,

the peaceful official road was shattered by the thunderous sound of hooves, instantly breaking

the serenity of this ancient city. Thick smoke billowed from the distant slope, dust filled the air—no ordinary caravan could possess such power; without

the rapid gallop of a large number of warhorses, such overwhelming force was impossible.
"Get up! Something's happening!" The guards, startled awake, immediately called to

their companions, their faces filled with vigilance as they stared ahead.
The city gates were immediately sealed off, and the previously listless soldiers were instantly on high alert. The gates were locked, weapons were gripped, and

a tense atmosphere settled over the city walls, all eyes fixed on the distant road.

The dust billowing, and a large number of tall horses were already visible galloping towards the city. Each horse carried a

tall, strong man, and the group was estimated to number in the hundreds. No escort agency in Jiangnan could possibly have so many

men , and so openly advancing in such a large group.
The figures gradually became clearer in the dust, and when they were seen clearly, everyone involuntarily gasped.

Good heavens , this group numbered in the hundreds, even more than the guards on the city walls. Each man was incredibly tall, with

a grim face, and their hands never left the weapons hanging at their waists. The murderous aura emanating from them was far beyond what these lowly soldiers,

living in peaceful times and swindling a little money from the army, could compare to.
"Who goes there!" The leader on the city wall, his legs trembling with fear, shouted from afar.
"The Duke of Jingguo is here! Why aren't you welcoming him?" Leading a troop of soldiers was none other than Wang Dong. He held up

his official seal had it delivered. The guards at the gate, seeing this, dared not delay and hurriedly brought the seal into the city for

the city's garrison to verify its authenticity. The rapidly advancing troops halted, quietly gazing upon this paradise on earth, a sight more beautiful than

the heavens.
"Your humble servant greets Your Highness!" In less than a quarter of an hour, a group of officials in their robes rushed out. Upon seeing

the imposing army before them, they immediately trembled and knelt in a deep salute.
"This must be the Governor of Hangzhou," Wang Dong remarked, noticing a

middle-aged man in a fifth-rank official's robe leading the way. He immediately dismounted, stepped forward, and bowed to him.
"Your humble servant, Lin Anguo, Governor of Hangzhou, greets the Duke of Jingguo," the Governor of Hangzhou quickly returned the salute.
"Hehe, the Duke is traveling incognito and is not in his carriage." Wang Dong chuckled, gesturing for them to dispense with formalities, then

said with barely concealed anticipation, "Lord Lin, we've already paid our respects to the Duke's residence. We apologize for disturbing you."
"Ah?" Lin Anguo stood up, looking at the empty sedan chair, and immediately asked nervously, "This humble subject

heard that the Duke was returning to Jiangnan, and in my haste, I failed to prepare a welcoming ceremony. But the Duke is not in his carriage. Forgive my

ignorance , but where is His Majesty's carriage now?"
"It should... be in the city by now." Wang Dong smiled slyly.
Hangzhou, an ancient city with a thousand-year history, is serene and peaceful, poetic and picturesque, with ancient streets and alleys, weeping willows by the ponds—everything

is breathtakingly beautiful. The western part of the city has always been a gathering place for high-ranking officials and wealthy people.

Unlike the hustle and bustle of other places, the streets and alleys here are impeccably clean, and every residence is well-arranged and exquisitely designed,

occupying a large area, almost wasting every inch of land in the ancient city of Hangzhou.
In a secluded corner of the western city stood an incredibly spacious mansion, eerily quiet everywhere—by the roadside, in every nook and cranny. Moss climbed the high

white walls, and the stone lions flanking the imposing gate were filthy and old.

Cobwebs and fallen leaves littered the area in front of the gate, and looking up, the characters on the massive golden plaque were faintly

covered in dust.
"This is my home," Yang Cun

murmured to himself, standing on the steps, gazing at the faintly visible four characters "Duke of Jingguo's Mansion" on the plaque. Although this home was unfamiliar to him, looking at its dilapidated state

, he felt a strange, melancholic sadness.
"My lord, is this your residence?" Zhang Mama

asked from beside the carriage, looking at the vast yet silent mansion, its silent desolation evoking an indescribable emptiness.
"Yes, my home," Yang Cun replied, his expression darkening. His inner energy surged, creating a powerful gust of wind.
A gust of wind rose up, instantly dispersing the thick layer of dust on the plaque. The dust settled slowly, revealing

the black plaque's solemnity and making the characters on it crystal clear. "The Duke of Jingguo's Mansion"—every

character was powerful and vigorous, exuding a solemnity that compelled one to kneel in reverence. Once,

these words carried the dignity that inspired worship, but now they seemed so forlorn. The old house, the dusty

plaque—even Yang Cun felt an unprecedented sense of desolation.
"My lord, this place needs a thorough cleaning," Gao Lianxin said, slowly alighting from the carriage with the help of Zhang Mama.

The overnight journey had left her frail and slightly pale. Yet, even so, her flowing blue dress still

accentuated her beautiful figure, highlighting her stunning beauty that rivaled that of Jiangnan, making her breathtakingly

beautiful .
The heavy, sturdy double doors were secured with a small horizontal lock on a green-painted beast-face tin ring.
The lock looked quite old, now covered in thick cobwebs. Although

it could be easily broken with a little force, Yang Cun didn't want to. He slowly wiped away the thick dust and cobwebs from the edges, looking at the dusty

door , a sudden surge of emotion welling up inside him. Perhaps opening this door would mean responsibility,

would mean his real existence in this world.
"Master, are you alright?" An Qiao and her younger sister An Ning alighted from the carriage. The days of pampering had made the once-naive girl even more radiant and beautiful amidst their affection. Even with the same face, An Ning, yawning and exhausted

beside her , lacked the intellectual and gentle charm of her sister. 　　"I'm fine." Yang Cun's eyes were somewhat vacant as he absentmindedly touched the thick layer of dust on the old door. 　　"My lord, let's wait for Uncle Dong to arrive." Gao Lianxin stepped forward lightly, her delicate hands slowly wiping away the dust from the door knocker. From the solemnity and seriousness in Yang Cun's eyes, she could vaguely guess his thoughts. An Qiao glanced at Yang Cun tenderly, also sensing the complex emotions in his heart. 　　"Yes, let's wait for him." As Yang Cun spoke, he picked up a dry branch and fallen leaves from the tree and gently swept the dust off the door knocker. 　　"Yes." Gao Lianxin smiled gently and also helped wipe the dust off the door. This man was meticulous and thoughtful, seemingly unrestrained yet incredibly intelligent. After their trip to the capital, she felt Yang Cun's behavior had become increasingly profound, and this rare display of tenderness secretly delighted her, though she didn't know why. 　　An Qiao, upon seeing the grand mansion, suddenly felt a sense of belonging and quickly picked up her silk handkerchief, carefully wiping the dust from the stone lions at the gate. An Ning yawned and muttered something, though she couldn't understand why the atmosphere had suddenly become so quiet. Seeing Yang Cun working, she felt embarrassed to slack off and began helping her sister wipe the somewhat intimidating stone lions. 　　The four exchanged glances, smiled silently, and gently cleaned the years-old dust from the gate. Zhang Mama, watching the young couple, smiled broadly. She wanted to help but couldn't bear to disrupt this heartwarming scene, so she turned back to the carriage and began packing their luggage. She didn't have any particular ; after all, they were just a pair of personal maids, nameless and without status, and in her eyes, they were definitely no match for her mistress's captivating charm. 　　Not long after, the sound of horses' hooves echoed along the path. Wang Dong, having declined Lin Anguo's request to pay his respects, arrived with all his troops. Seeing the group covered in dust and dirt, looking somewhat comical, she wanted to laugh but couldn't bear to spoil this heartwarming scene. She dismounted and said with a gentle smile, "Young master, why are you doing this tiring ?" 　　"It's more fun cleaning my own home," Yang Cun gave him a rare, innocent smile, wiped the dust from his face , and continued sweeping the sand from the stone lions. Gao Lianxin was also covered in dust, but even so , it couldn't hide her stunning beauty, though she now possessed a more virtuous air, making her increasingly endearing. The An sisters, too, had become like dutiful wives, politely greeting Wang Dong before continuing to sweep the fallen leaves from the threshold. 　　"Young Master, the key is here." Wang Dong's eyes began to redden, perhaps from recalling the former glory of this mansion, which stirred up painful memories. He quickly pulled an old key from his pocket and handed it to Yang Cun. 　　"Thank goodness for the key." Yang Cun breathed a sigh of relief. Although the small lock itself wasn't the problem, having to break it to enter his home would certainly be unpleasant. 　　This lock was strange. The carvings on the horizontal lock were incredibly lifelike, each stroke seemingly imbued with boundless spirit. The carving on the horizontal lock depicted a dragon swimming in shallow water, a theme that wasn't auspicious, even somewhat oppressive. The small key looked ordinary, but upon closer inspection, the heavily worn patterns revealed a roaring dragon soaring into the sky, majestic and solemn. 　　The keyhole was rusty, and the key didn't turn smoothly when inserted. Yang Cun carefully fiddled with it, and when the iron bar on the horizontal lock fell off, a sudden wave of emotion washed over him. Even as he pushed open the door, his palms trembled with cold sweat. Gao Lianxin seemed to sense Yang Cun's nervousness. She glanced furtively at the more than five hundred soldiers behind her, her pretty face flushing red. Suddenly, she grasped Yang Cun's hand and squeezed it tightly. 　　"Master..." An Qiao was deeply moved, her face blushing, and she grabbed the other side of Yang Cun's clothes. 　　"My home..." Yang Cun suddenly felt much better. He looked at the soft, slender hand in his arms, and then at An Qiao, who had already lowered her head in embarrassment. His heart was filled with happiness. Ancient women were reserved and knew proper etiquette, especially since they were well-educated young ladies from modest families. To boldly hold his hand in front of so many people required courage that was almost as great as jumping off a building. 　　The moment the door was pushed open, dust, cobwebs, and even some unknown small insects all fell down at once . An Qiao and Gao Lianxin both cried out in fright, and Yang Cun quickly pulled them into his arms. At this moment, the soldiers behind them let out a good-natured laugh. Gao Lianxin blushed even more, shyly trying to struggle, but Yang Cun held her even tighter, not giving her any chance. An Qiao was even more embarrassed and didn't dare to lift her head. Now, as soon as he entered the house, he was surrounded by two women, and Yang Cun was so happy that he was a little dizzy. 　　"Come on, let's go home, back to our home." Yang Cun reached out and wiped the dust off their faces, smiling gently. Gao Lianxin trembled all over, nodded shyly, and obediently leaned into Yang Cun's arms. She looked at An Qiao, who was too shy to lift her head, with complicated and tender eyes. The three of them walked in together. 　　"So much dust..." An Ning followed behind, covering her mouth, looking at the dried insects on the ground with fear. She didn't realize how warm the scene was, nor did she think about the ambiguous situation of her sister and the beautiful Gao sister being hugged at the same time. She was just scared and quickly ran inside, covering her head. This cute appearance made everyone laugh . 　　The Duke of Jingguo's mansion, by its very nature, was far beyond the reach of ordinary wealthy merchants. Yang Mingcheng, a mansion bestowed upon him for his lifelong service and meritorious service, was in no way inferior to the Prince of Zhen's mansion in the capital. However, time had passed, and everything here appeared somewhat dilapidated. The houses and roofs were riddled with holes, snakes and ants swarmed the ground, and the courtyards, once lush with green grass and red flowers , were now overgrown with weeds. The ponds within the courtyards were filthy and chaotic. Cobwebs were everywhere, and even the houses had become bird nests; it looked like a haunted house. 　　"My lord, perhaps you should make do with an inn for now," Wang Dong said , tears streaming down his face as he looked at the dilapidated state of his home, which he had lived in for so many years. He choked back sobs and said, "This old man… I'll have some men clean it up first. It's so shabby; if you were to stay here, the old master would surely blame me in the afterlife." " 　　No, let's all clean it up together," Yang Cun resolutely shook his head, glancing back at the several people behind him.

A hundred soldiers immediately shouted, "Brothers, you've been holding knives for too long, grab some brooms! Quickly

clean up the place, take a break, and let's have a good drink!"
"Alright!" Although the soldiers were tired from the journey, seeing Yang Cun's boldness, they didn't know where

the energy came from, and immediately got to work in an orderly manner. Some cut grass, some swept dust, and they didn't feel too tired.
In Hangzhou, the news of the return of the hereditary Duke of Jingguo hadn't spread yet, but the officials and wealthy merchants living nearby were

already extremely surprised. For two consecutive days, the gates of the Duke of Jingguo's mansion were wide open, with cartloads of garbage being carried out and

cartloads of goods being carried in. Judging from the scene, it was no less grand than when the late emperor bestowed the mansion upon him. Especially

the burly men coming and going, each with broad shoulders and thick waists, it was rare to see such a scene in the Jiangnan region

. Even a ghost could tell that these people were soldiers.
"The fifty-eighth load of garbage!" Yang Cun sat on the threshold, covered in dust and dirt. He hadn't slept for two days

and was as filthy as a beggar. Watching the last load of garbage being carried away, he smiled with relief.
"Yes, everything is ready. We just need to wash it a bit more." Wang Dong's eyes

were . Despite his age, his affection for this place was deeper than anyone else's. Although he had taken

a short nap, when it came to work, his energy was better than anyone else's.
"I feel sorry for them." Yang Cun looked at the carriage at the door and said with emotion. For two consecutive days, Gao Lianxin

and Zhang Mama had been helping out, and the An family sisters had been busy without rest. But their physical strength was ultimately

lacking . They hadn't even taken a bath and were now taking a nap in the carriage. Given women's natural love of cleanliness, their current

state was truly slovenly, making Yang Cun feel a little sorry for them.
"Brothers, get to work!" Yang Cun felt a sudden warmth in his heart. Looking at the increasingly tidy courtyard,

he immediately rolled up his sleeves and shouted with a hearty laugh.
"Alright!" The soldiers, who were already panting from exhaustion, perked up at the sound of his voice. Especially seeing Yang

Cun taking the lead in cleaning the corridor, they felt an inexhaustible energy. This Duke was so easy to serve

, without any airs, and even did this dirty and hard work with them. Under these circumstances, no one dared

to slack off. Even though they were so tired that their eyelids were half-closed, they still forced themselves to stay awake and quickly stepped forward to help.
A group of soldiers, weary from their journey, continued to work tirelessly. The Duke's mansion was simply too large

, and it took two whole days to clean it to make it relatively clean. However, they couldn't move in immediately. After all, it had been abandoned for a long time,

and even after cleaning, many places were still dilapidated, especially the roof tiles, which were broken, and the paint on the doors and walls

was worn out. Without repairs, it was impossible to live there.
Left with no other choice, Wang Dong quickly found bricklayers and tilers in the city to repair the house. Before the repairs were even finished, he was already busy calculating

an auspicious day for moving in. In ancient times, there were many taboos surrounding moving in, far beyond what Yang Cun expected – simply cleaning the house and it was ready to move in

. Besides calculating the date, they also had to consult the birth charts and such; the rules of wealthy families were so complicated they were dizzying.
After all the calculations, plus the time spent on the renovations, it would be at least half a month before they could move in. Apart from a few veterans, everyone

around him was from the Prince's mansion. Yang Cun felt embarrassed to use them as laborers any longer.

He found several inns in the city for everyone to settle in comfortably, serving them food and drink for several days. Then,

feeling it inappropriate bid farewell and returned to the capital.
The inn where Yang Cun stayed was an understatement. Nestled beside the picturesque West Lake, this

inn, called Yipinlou, was actually a vast estate. To own

such , the owner of this business must be a prominent figure in the area. Enjoying the West Lake in one night, and sleeping

among the willows, while talking about money might be a bit of a mood killer, the price of a single night here was still exorbitantly high, making Yang Cun's heart ache.
In the southernmost part of the Yipinlou manor, near Leifeng Pagoda, amidst green flowers and grass, bamboo groves and secluded pavilions, Yang

Cun frowned, his face grim as he looked at several invitations on the table. One was from Lin Anguo, the governor of Hangzhou.

It was normal for him to want to extend hospitality, but the other name on the joint signature, Zhao Qinyun, made Yang Cun's temples throb

.
"My lord, what's wrong?" Gao Lianxin approached gracefully, noticing Yang Cun's worried expression, and couldn't help but

ask.
"The eldest son of Prince Ding." Yang Cun smiled bitterly, waving the invitation in his hand, and said somewhat displeasedly, "I just

arrived, and he's already in Hangzhou. He even contacted most of the officials in Zhejiang to host a welcome banquet for me, without even considering

the order of arrival , sending someone to deliver the invitation. Doesn't he even think about whose territory this Jiangnan is? This meal may not be

a trap, but it's definitely not a good thing."
"The eldest son of Prince Ding, it's said he's guarding the army in place of his father, he should be in the Northeast." Even though Gao Lianxin was a

woman who didn't concern herself with outside affairs, she had heard the rumors. When she heard that the person who sent the invitation was Zhao Qinyun, she

couldn't hide her surprise.
"The Northeast is a wild and desolate land, covered in ice and snow." Yang Cun narrowed his eyes, shook his head helplessly, and said,

"This Zhao Qinyun, when we set off from the capital, he was still in the Northeast camp. Although we were delayed for

two or three days in Suzhou, he was able to rush back to the capital from the Northeast to hand over his command seal to the Ministry of War in such a short time, and

also obtained an official seal from the Ministry of Personnel. His haste to come to Jiangnan is truly intriguing. You know,

military officers are not allowed to leave their camps without orders. This time, when Prince Ding returned to the capital, he also left the camp. Isn't he afraid that the army will be left unguarded and

trouble will arise?"
"You're right." Gao Lianxin didn't understand the rules of the court, but she vaguely understood that Zhao Qinyun's actions

were too illogical. For a father and son to leave one after the other in an army is simply against common sense.
"Sigh, I don't cause trouble, but trouble comes to me." Yang Cun sighed, stood up, stretched, and

shook his head . "Forget it, I'll go meet this eldest son of the Prince of Ding tonight. I think he only comes here when he needs something, so

I hope there won't be too much trouble. I still want to live a peaceful life."
"Why do you describe him like a weasel?" Gao Lianxin chuckled, finding Yang Cun's pretentious act

amusing.
"A night owl doesn't come unless he needs something." Yang Cun smiled slyly, telling a few vulgar

jokes that made Gao Lianxin blush and run away. Looking back at

the names on the large, gold-embossed invitation, Yang Cun couldn't help but ponder again.

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