Chapter 1472: Good Words Hardly Persuade the Damn Ghost

Foreman Guan opened his mouth to explain, but Dong Rui shouted, "Dig! What are you stopping for?"

Seeing the carpenters continue to noisily saw the trees, the Green Guards who had rushed over became anxious. Some reached out to snatch the saws, while others lifted their legs, ready to kick the craftsmen away.

Just then, one carpenter also kicked, and though starting later, he struck first, sending the Green Guard flying ten feet away!

With a thud, he slammed against a large rock by the lake, his head bleeding.

This happened so suddenly that He Yang was startled. The other Green Guards, enraged, charged forward and struck with heavy blows.

What if they killed them? They were just a few carpenters, worthless lives. Would the Yao court dare to punish them?

The two sides immediately clashed, fighting fiercely.

In the chaos, two carpenters silently charged He Yang, axes swinging. One attacked his head from the left, the other aimed at his waist from the right. He Yang produced a hook-claw, parried one blow, and kicked the other attacker away.

As soon as he engaged them, he sensed something was off; these two carpenters were remarkably strong.

With a thought, his hook-claw rapidly extended from three feet to nearly five feet long, its gleaming tip appearing instantly at the carpenter's nose. The carpenter, startled, quickly arched his back in an "iron bridge" move, narrowly avoiding having his eyes clawed out.

It was a close call.

Nevertheless, two bloody scratches appeared from his forehead to his left cheek.

His companion quickly launched an attack, pulling He Yang's attention away.

In a flash, a third carpenter leaped out from the left, swinging a wooden staff to sweep He Yang's lower body.

He Yang dodged the second attacker's blow and, seeing the wooden staff coming, instinctively reached out to brace himself against it. Using the leverage, he launched a horizontal leap, his body forming a straight line in the air, and delivered a flying kick to the third carpenter with his foot.

The third carpenter raised his arm to block but was sent flying twenty feet away with a thud!

This was peculiar. While lumberjacks and carpenters certainly needed strength, these three moved swiftly, coordinated tightly, and lacked any superfluous moves, clearly indicating they were skilled fighters.

Ha, it would be strange if they were merely carpenters!

Immediately afterwards, noisy footsteps from behind indicated that at least a hundred people were rushing over.

Among them were both Yang Shan guards and Imperial Guards brought by Zhao Song, who had been ordered to support He Lingchuan and maintain order.

Their arrival was timely, and they intervened forcefully.

"Stop, everyone!"

All three parties were in disarray.

Zhao Song struggled to separate the two sides. Two of his guards were beaten black and blue; one had a broken rib, and the other was bleeding from the corner of his eye, nearly losing his sight.

The Green Guards, fortunately, suffered no losses. Strangely, Foreman Guan's men also seemed largely unharmed; only one had a red mark on his face, and another was holding his lower back.

He Lingchuan and Zhang Xian also arrived, asking repeatedly, "What happened?"

He Yang said in a low voice, "You're laying your foundation; why are you digging at the bridgehead? This area isn't in your blueprint, He Xiao. Are you trying to overstep your bounds?"

They had endured for several hours; these scoundrels truly didn't know what was good for them or how to value their lives!

"The Qing Prince's opera troupe needs to perform 'Horse Riding,' which requires long wooden beams to be erected nine feet off the ground. We can only use local materials, and looking around, this ginkgo tree is the most suitable." He Lingchuan turned to Zhang Xian, "Second Young Master Zhang, am I correct?"

"Ah..." Zhang Xian was momentarily stunned. His family's opera troupe did indeed possess this unique skill, and there was usually a raised wooden platform at their residence specifically for the 'Horse Riding' performance. However, he had no intention of having the troupe perform this act on the south bank of You Lake.

But since He Xiao was instigating trouble with the opposite side, Zhang Xian couldn't undermine him and could only vaguely respond with a murmur of assent.

He Yang coldly retorted, "Then don't perform! This isn't your territory."

Hearing this, Zhang Xian was also somewhat displeased.

He was a dignified member of the Yao royal family; if Qing Yang herself had reprimanded him, that would be one thing, but for her personal guard to give him orders in such a tone?

"Guard He, the land beneath your feet belongs to the royal family, and this ginkgo tree is no exception," Zhang Xian said with a humorless smile. "Naturally, we have the right to decide its fate. Whether to cut it down or leave it, our word is final."

He Yang opened his mouth to speak when a carpenter suddenly delivered a flying kick to the tree trunk. The trunk, already half-sawn, couldn't withstand the force and snapped with a loud crack!

That carpenter... He Yang's forehead pulsed with anger.

He couldn't tell if these people were He's subordinates or Imperial Guards in disguise.

The large tree crashed down, raising a cloud of dust.

He Lingchuan raised his chin toward Foreman Guan, who immediately instructed the carpenters, "Take the wood, move it away!"

The workers picked up their tools again and swiftly resumed sawing the wood.

The ginkgo tree had already fallen, so there was no point for He Yang to continue confronting He Lingchuan and the others. He said coldly, "Do you intend to block the Regent's path? Move the branches and twigs away as well!"

He Lingchuan smiled and replied, "Certainly, certainly."

The Soul-Capturing Mirror in his arms hummed, "This kid isn't foolish; he knows we wanted to block the bridge with the tree."

The carpenters worked diligently until only the bare trunk of the ginkgo remained, which was then carried to the stage. Foreman Guan also ordered his men to clear away the cut branches, ensuring they didn't obstruct the path to the bridge.

Only then did He Yang and the others return to the pavilion, their faces grim. However, they left two guards behind to watch the area, preventing any further mischief.

The lively atmosphere at You Lake continued for some time until the opera troupe finished their performance and the crowd dispersed.

Night fell.

The ground on the south bank was littered with red paper from firecrackers, and the attendants began their cleanup work.

He Lingchuan was also preparing to leave when a beautiful woman with an elaborate high bun emerged from behind the canna lilies by the riverside. Her jade ornaments jingled, and she was accompanied by several guards.

At first glance, she appeared to be in her early forties, graceful and dignified.

As soon as He Lingchuan saw her, he stopped in his tracks:

Qing Yang had finally appeared!

"Regent," He Lingchuan stepped forward, his voice brimming with enthusiasm. "The foundation ceremony for You Lake Villa was very lively today. It's a shame you weren't present."

He had estimated that Qing Yang should have returned, as He Yang had just hurriedly departed from You Lake.

Now, He Yang stood directly behind Qing Yang.

Fan Shuang also followed and bowed to Qing Yang.

The guests who had come to show their support had already left; they were merely there to make an appearance and fulfill their duties, not particularly keen on watching opera. By the shores of You Lake, only He Lingchuan, Fan Shuang, and their companions remained.

Fan Shuang was greatly surprised that Regent Qing Yang had waited until this moment to return to You Lake.

He even suspected that the Regent had deliberately avoided the villa's foundation ceremony.

But was that possible?

The Regent moved in and out of the royal court and the monarch's imperial study as if unhindered. How could she possibly avoid a mere foundation ceremony?

They say one doesn't strike a smiling face, yet Qing Yang's gaze at He Lingchuan was indifferent. "For your own good, abandon these clever little tricks. The Yao King is not Prince Chi Yan; he will not stand by you to the very end. One day, he'll push you out to your death without a moment's warning."

She was cautioning He Lingchuan.

Was He Xiao attempting to repeat old tricks? In Lingxu City, he had survived under Qing Yang's very nose by deftly navigating situations and playing all sides. Did he intend to do the same in Tianshui City?

But his patron had changed.

Fu Shanyue had been truly good to He Xiao, always wholeheartedly protecting him in Lingxu City and leveraging ninety percent of Prince Chi Yan's influence and capabilities. The Yao King, however, was not a reliable ally. From Qing Yang's understanding of him, given the right opportunity, he would certainly not hesitate to betray He Lingchuan.

Fan Shuang broke out in a cold sweat. Was this information he should be privy to?

The Regent was speaking ill of the monarch. Should he refute her words? Yet, he absolutely did not want to draw the Regent's attention.

He Lingchuan's smile remained unchanged. "Regent, why would you say that? I merely purchased a plot of land from the royal family to construct a building."

Was this young man determined to oppose her to the very end?

"The greatest folly is to overestimate oneself; some turbulent waters are not for you to wade into," Qing Yang also smiled, her gaze steadily sharpening. "When I was in Lingxu City, I wanted to ask: what exactly are you after?"

She still couldn't confirm whether He Lingchuan was truly working for Shuang Ye.

If not, why did he insist on opposing her?

People like He Xiao always act with a specific goal and reason.

He Lingchuan also dropped his smile and said seriously, "Actually, I also wanted to ask the Regent: at your age and with your experience, you should be enjoying your twilight years. Yet, you still labor tirelessly in a foreign land. What exactly are you after?"

"I am also doing this for the good of Yao State." Qing Yang scrutinized him from head to toe, then shook her head. "It's hard to reason with someone bent on self-destruction. You and... both are like this. Alas, what a waste of your talent!"

With that, she sighed regretfully and turned to walk onto the bridge.

He Yang cast a grim look at He Lingchuan before following closely behind.

He Lingchuan watched their figures cross the bridge and disappear behind the trees.

He knew that the opportunity to reconcile with Qing Yang had just slipped through his fingers.

"Brother Fan, let's go get something to eat," He Lingchuan said, patting his stomach. "I've been busy all day; I'm hungry."

"Oh, alright," Fan Shuang replied, though he actually had little appetite. Standing beside He Xiao and facing Regent Qing Yang, he felt a persistent unease deep in his heart.

The Regent's authority was even more formidable than the King's.

He Xiao was truly extraordinary, still able to act as if nothing were amiss.

He Lingchuan then said to him, "By the way, I'm thinking of buying a residence in the suburbs of Tianshui City. Brother Fan, could you inquire about suitable properties for me?"

"It's a small matter," Fan Shuang readily agreed, eager for He Lingchuan to give him a task. "Do you have any requirements regarding size, price, or location?"

"As for size, it just needs to be spacious enough for me and my men to live comfortably. There must be a river nearby and a pond on the property. Also, it shouldn't be too far from You Lake, for convenient commuting."

Fan Shuang readily agreed, "Leave it to me."

Back at the inn, the Soul-Capturing Mirror finally asked He Lingchuan, "Oh, do you plan to stay long-term in Tianshui City?"

As He Lingchuan's close companion, the mirror was well aware of his true purpose in the Yao State.

They were merely passing through, so why had its master suddenly thought of buying a house?

"This is the most coveted place for the Shanjing people. Is there a problem with me wanting to buy a residence here?"

"Well, Lingxu City is also the most desired place for people worldwide, so why didn't you buy a residence there?"

He Lingchuan poured hot water into the washbasin. "In Lingxu City, everyone knew I would be leaving soon, so there was no need for me to buy a house there."

His ostensible reason for going to Lingxu City was to assist with the Elixir of Immortality case. Once that case was resolved and his excuse expired, he would simply slip away.

"What about Tianshui City?"

"I'm representing the Yang Shan Chamber of Commerce, here to expand trade routes and cultivate connections, and I'm certainly going to make an impact. If I don't even buy a residence and just stay in an inn all day, the Yao King will suspect I'm planning to flee at any moment, and he'll undoubtedly keep a much closer eye on me."